Chapter 1
About 10 years ago was when the disturbance began. Normal people started showing a strange behavior, as well as skills and powers that made them, depending on where they ended up, dangerous or helpful for certain organizations and humans in general. These people were classified into two groups: 'Contractors' and 'Dolls'.
There wasn't a predetermined pattern or something special that would cause the conversion to one of them, and this is what made this phenomenon even stranger and bizarre. Years later contractors kept appearing.
Contractors, losing part of their emotions, don't feel empathy and have no attachment to other people. They have a logic, rational thinking, looking for what is best for them. Most show a gesture of seriousness in the face and tendency to aggression, not hesitating to use their skills lethally. This makes various organizations and companies decide to use them or hire them as assassins or spies, considering and training them like weapons and murderers.
However the knowledge of their existence was dangerous and investigations into what happened started. That's why their existence was kept a secret, simply looking like serious people without empathy.
The main difference with the Dolls, passive mediums with nonhazardous skills, is that contractors can develop certain personality traits, while the Dolls don't have any own feeling, usually following orders although it cost them their lives.
Investigations and tests on the phenomenon are still ongoing, either to understand it better or to avoid it, and Levy McGarden is one of the researchers with more advances on the cause, belonging to the organization called Fairy Tail.
"Levy wake up!" A cry from her best friend made her jump and hit several of the things that were on her desk. She had fallen asleep at work again. Lucy sighed "Oh Levy, how long have you been working here? You should go to your apartment and get some rest" she scolded her.
"Lu sorry, I didn't realize it had been so long. I'm so close to understanding what happened!" Levy said as she ordered her papers and things on the floor, preparing to leave. It was almost night, and there was no way to convince the blonde that she could stay a little longer. Lucy was going to throw her out the window if necessary.
"Levy, you can continue tomorrow. Natsu and I are going to take the job now." Oh no Natsu.
The named simply appeared, like he was invoked by Lucy, head down and complaining "Really Luce? Paperwork? We could go on a mission! I heard that a group of contractors was active an hour ago" he said smiling.
"Forget that! When we went to that mission without permission on the island Galuna we got into a lot of trouble with Erza. She and Gray already took that job "she said, Natsu ignoring her and kneeling, begging to go anyway. Levy simply laughed while saying goodbye to her colleagues and friends.
Levy left the building of Fairy Tail, where she usually worked at. It was not her thing going to missions, but she was more committed to the investigation of the case called "Hell's curse". Although the name didn't match with the phenomenon in her opinion and that is why she was working for this organization. It wasn't a curse, she didn't despise contractors. She had met and worked with many of them and they were all people who, despite being snatched away from their normal lives, did not deserve a fate worse than anyone else. At the end of the day, they were still human beings like her.
It caused her a lot of anger, to see how they were used to kill, and that they were constantly killed by a war between countries and corporations not worth the price.
On the way to her apartment Levy went through a fast food restaurant and ordered something to eat later: she had been so focused on the research for hours and totally forgot how hungry she was. She hurried to walk the last few blocks, usually she made them with Lucy. They lived only two blocks away, and the area was not the safest of the city.
When she entered the hall of the building, a surprise was waiting. She saw the owner of the building, an old man named Yajima, talking to a man who caught all her attention. His appearance attracted a lot, and he stared back with crimson eyes. She took a few seconds to record his appearance: black cardigan, opaque loose pants and black combat boots. His black hair fell down his back, and she could see he had several piercings in his face. He looked about 22 years old and had two suitcases in his hands.
"Dear Levy, returning late at night again?" Yajima said, offering a smile, which Levy returned apologetically. The old man cared for her as a grandfather would.
But she was surprised to see that with the mention of her name the man next to Yajima got a little tense, but regained his composure a second later.
"Sorry, I promise next time I will take a taxi, I needed to stretch my legs anyway," said Levy.
"As long as you are careful. You came at the right time, I wanted to introduce you your new neighbour, Gajeel. He will be in the apartment across yours, in the same floor. Would you mind showing him where it is?"
"No problem! Gajeel, I'm Levy McGarden" she said holding out her hand. Gajeel released one of the suitcases and took it, his hands warm compared with Levy's, cold from the street. He offered a smile.
"Gajeel Redfox"
"Well Gajeel, take the elevator as it is on the 7th floor, follow me. And good night Yajima "said Levy saluting.
"Good night, anything you need don't hesitate to call, Gajeel"
"No problem" he said and followed Levy through the elevator doors with a serious look in his face. This could be more interesting than he thought.
"So what am I supposed to do with this girl? Kill her? " Gajeel asked the old man beside him. He didn't understand what was so important about this work for the Council (the organization for which he worked) who decided to send all his team to the city of Magnolia. They were sitting in a park near where Gajeel would now live until he completed the mission.
"No, Council orders are to get information about Hell's curse, and for that you need to approach Levy McGarden. It is very important that you keep your identity as a contractor a secret, and don't show your skills" said Makarov, a human who got involved in this world when his grandson named Laxus became a contractor. "Don't do anything unless we tell you brat. Juvia and I will be close but they can't see us together. You can go with Lily if you want at least".
Juvia was a doll part of the team, specializing in espionage through water. While she was in contact with a water source, she could see everything that was happening around other sources, even a glass of water. She stood wordlessly, her face expressionless as the nature of a Doll. Lily, the fourth and final team member, was a contractor specialized in possessing animals. Surely he would go with Gajeel disguised as his pet or something similar.
"Alright" he replied a little irritated. Black Steel Gajeel was known by other organizations, and not for being one of the most pleasant and kind contractors. His power, handling of iron in his body allowed him to assassin easily, and he wasn't sure why he had to go to this type of missions. They weren't his style.
"Well Gajeel, it isn't as bad as it looks" said Lily, in the form of a black cat sitting on Juvia's lap, stroking absently his fur "Take it like a vacation from your work"
"Juvia thinks Gajeel will enjoy his holidays," said Juvia, staring elsewhere with an expressionless face.
Gajeel simply sighed "What you say"
"Juvia is excited about this"
With this comment the three of them froze. Although it was not the first time Juvia showed some level of emotion, they didn't expect a comment like that coming from a Doll. Still she retained memories of her hometown, before becoming one. Maybe it was that.
"Are you, Juvia?" asked Lily. She just nodded.
"Well, at least someone is clearly going to enjoy this" Gajeel said smiling. But a moment later sobered "And what about the other contractors?"
Makarov thought about it for a moment "Eliminating them is the logical path if they are from another organization, but try to keep a low profile. Fairy Tail is a large company and you don't want to get into any trouble with them"
Gajeel just nodded, before getting up and leaving without another word. Magnolia, uh?
Hello everyone! Thank you very much for reading the first chapter. I couldn't get this idea out of my head after watching Darker than Black, so I decided to base it on the anime, although many things aren't similar (no compensation, didn't exist the Hell's and Heaven's gate, etc). Despite being in a city called Magnolia, it's at the present time. Hope you like it! Gajeel has a similar personality to when he was in Phantom Lord but ... who knows ...haha. I'd love to read your opinions :)