"The Dreamer"

. . .

"Goodbye, Papa! I'm going to return this book and grab some groceries on my way into town!" the girl yelled to her father over the sound of his machines in the workshop.

"Goodbye, Levy! Don't be out too long!" her father responded, continuing on his work.

The girl closed the door behind her gently, smiling lightly at her father's latest endeavor. Makarov, or Maki, as he was more commonly referred to by the townspeople, was a little bit odd. He was a very short man and a little heavy set. His white hair stuck out at all angles from his head and even his daughter had to admit that his outfits, often comprised of colorful patterns and pairings, were a little out there.

But despite all his quirks, the man was a true genius in the eyes of his daughter. She believed that his inventions had the potential to truly transform and advance the world in which they lived. She couldn't wait for his newest contraption to be unveiled—she just hadn't figured out exactly what it was yet.

Putting her latest read into her basket, the petite young woman ran her hair through her shoulder length blue locks. Her hair always had a wild side to it and she did her best to tame it with a headband tied in a bow under her neck.

She looked down to brush off the dirt from the road on her orange dress. She sighed, realizing that perhaps her father's taste in clothing had somehow affected her own. Shrugging her shoulders she focused on getting to town so she could get a new book to read.

Her town, Provincia, was just a small village outside of Magnolia. She always dreamed of the day she might be able to leave this little village and venture into bigger cities like Magnolia or even Crocus! But life in the city was expensive and her and her father, despite their combined intelligence being higher than that of the entire village's still struggled like everyone else born into peasantry.

Levy was truly the daughter of Maki. Quick witted and intelligent, she thirst for knowledge and tried to find it wherever she could. Sensing her aptitude for learning, her father never held her back or refused to teach her, despite it being severely frowned upon by most of the villagers. The first time she corrected the baker on the change she was supposed to receive, she thought the town was almost going to riot against her, when they realized her father had taught her algebra.

She waved politely to the baker as she entered the threshold of the town, still not entirely forgetting the look he had given her that day. The village had an everyday feel to it, meaning that every day felt the same to the lady. Her only escape from the repressive atmosphere of the townspeople was her favorite bookseller.

He was an older gentleman but despite his advanced age, he was a man of new-age values. He never frowned upon the fact that Levy could read or that she had an interest in learning. He understood that she could not afford to purchase any books and that even if she could, he might be run out of business for selling more knowledge to the already odd little lady. So he allowed her to borrow books from time to time, knowing that she would always return them in pristine condition.

Entering the bookstore, the man greeted her fondly as she handed her latest borrow back to him. "Finished already?" he exclaimed as she ran her fingers along the spines in his bookcase.

"Oh I couldn't put it down," she gushed. "Daring sword fights, far off places, a prince and a palace!" she sighed, wishing her life could be more like those in these books.

The man's eyes twinkled as he handed the book back to her. "If you like it that much, it's yours!"

Levy couldn't believe it. She'd never actually owned a book of her own. Sure her father had various workshop manuals but this, a book that was completely hers, she was almost moved to tears. She knew that the villagers might not approve of the bookseller's kind gesture if they found out, as well.

"Sir, I couldn't," she said, pushing the book back to him.

"I insist," he said firmly, placing the book into her basket.

Levy couldn't help it. She reached forward to hug the older man that had become her secret-keeper; one of the few people in her life, other than her father, that actually understood her. "Thank you so much," she exclaimed, her brown doe eyes looking up at him.

He chuckled before patting her head affectionately, waving his goodbyes as she left the shop.

She couldn't wait to get home and start reading this novel again. The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne was truly one of her favorite reads. Traditionally written in prose, it told the tale of the beautiful princess Grainne and her paramour, a handsome warrior Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.

Seeing a cozy spot near the center fountain, she couldn't resist settling down to read just one chapter. Seating herself on the cool stone, she settled her orange dress around her before she began to immerse herself in the first chapter.

Aging Fionn, a great leader of the warrior band Fianna, was grieving over the death of his wife. His most devoted men heard that Grainne, the daughter of High King Cormac mac Airt, is the most beautiful and eligible of princesses in the land. Arrangements for a marriage are made, however upon hearing of this, Grainne becomes understandably upset. While at one time a powerful warrior, Fionn is older than her father and has few years left.

At the betrothal dinner, Grainne sees Diarmuid from across the room. He is one of Fionn's most skilled warriors and she is instantly enamored. He's handsome—to say the least. He wore the forest green of his band along with brown leather riding crops. Matching leather bands adorn his forearms, protecting him from the snapping strings of bows. His dark hair is greased back from no doubt his own sweat and effort, yet a few strands manage to escape to frame his face.

As Grainne stares into that face, he catches her gaze, holding it as she gets lost in his copper eyes.

"Amazing," Levy breathes, before suddenly being jolted back to reality by sheep running rampant through the town's center square.

She smiles briefly, shaking her head at the site of their keeper running frantically after them before brushing her skirt off and standing up. "Better get on with the groceries," she thinks to herself. She keeps her prize tucked under her arm as she collects the staples her and her father need, not wanting it to be contaminated by an accidental spill or smell.

Levy gasps as she suddenly feels the book being pulled from her arm. Twirling around to recover her treasure, she finds herself staring at the broad chest of one of Provincia's most eligible bachelors. "Hello, Levy," the man drawled, holding her book just out of her reach.

The bluenette looked up, locking brown eyes with intense grey ones. "Hello, Laxus," she sighed. The man was truly gorgeous—there was no denying it. Easily six foot four and heavily muscled, he wore his height well. Hair the color of the sun's rays adorned the top of his head, contrasting beautifully with his storm colored eyes.

Unfortunately for Levy, the man was an incessant asshole. Always sporting a cocky smirk on his face, he was gorgeous and he knew it. Women all over town fawned over him but for some reason, he seemed to always want to bother her. She couldn't see why, most of the other townspeople avoided her. And while she had considered what it would be like to be with a man like Laxus at one time, his clear disregard for any form of knowledge or self-advancement neatly ended that thought train, no matter how fun of a ride it might be.

"Laxus, may I have my book back please?" Levy pleaded, trying not to sound too worried.

The man threw her a cocky grin before holding the book up in front of him. "This? How can you even read this? It's got no pictures!" he exclaimed, thumbing roughly through the pages.

"Some of us like to use our imagination," Levy mumbled, while reaching up for the book. Laxus casually threw it over his head and Levy dove for it, thankfully catching it before it landed in a muddy puddle of standing water.

"Levy, it's time you started paying attention to more important things," he said, beginning to circle around her. "Like me." She shivered into herself, feeling strangely like she was some sort of prey. His large black boots thudded heavily into the ground with every step. She looked up from his boots to his khaki slacks before finally noticing his deep purple shirt. Despite the relatively warm temperatures, he was sporting a fur lined black coat, allowing it to hang loosely over his shoulders.

Standing as tall as she could, which compared to Laxus, put her right at about his chest, she looked up into his eyes in defiance. She saw again his lightning shaped scar over his right eye. He had told everyone in town that it was merely a hunting accident during one of his greater conquests but she wasn't so sure if that was the truth.

"Laxus," the petite woman said with all her strength. "I'm really flattered but right now I need to get home to help my father."

A loud laugh startled her as one of Laxus' followers came out from the pub they were standing next to. He was tall, almost as tall as Laxus, and had striking dark blue hair. It was clear the man was not from Provincia, with his tanned skin, slightly slanted eyes and dark eyelashes but he was considered to be Laxus' best friend and therefore, no one bothered him. Laxus had that sort of fame in the area.

"That crazy old kook needs all the help he can get!" the man laughed wildly, letting his tongue loll out of his mouth. Laxus patted him heavily on the back and laughed loudly along with him.

Levy grimaced but attempted to remain gracious. "Please don't talk about my father that way!" she said, her voice rising slightly in defense of her family. "He's a genius!" Just as the words left her mouth, a large explosion sounded behind her.

"Father!" she gasped, leaving the two guffawing men to themselves as she ran back home to assist her father. As she ran back to the house, she thought to herself, "there must be more to life than this little town."

. . .

"Father" she yelled over and over again, trying to see through the smoke in his workshop. Finally, when the white wisps cleared, she could see him struggling with something that had gotten caught in his apron. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She would never admit this to anyone, but Maki wasn't her biological father. She had never known her true parents and her father never told her how it was that she had come to him. What he had told her was that her biological parents had passed and so had his wife. Both equally in need of each other, they formed a bond arguably stronger than most parents and children.

"Gosh darn this stupid thing, I am never going to get it to work!" her father yelled at the contraption.

Levy smiled at his temper tantrum before walking over to him to help him dust off his apron. "Yes you will, father. And you'll win first prize at the fair tomorrow, I just know it!"

He gave her a hopeful smile, "You really think so?"

She nodded her head in encouragement as she watched her father get back to work on his newest invention. "You just watch, Levy! This invention is going to be the start of a better life for us!" he exclaimed.

Levy sighed. "I hope so, father. Other than you, I just feel so lonely in this town. Everyone thinks that I'm—" she hesitated. "Odd," she finally finished.

She heard her father guffaw underneath the machine. "Let them think that. Those old farts wouldn't even know brains and beauty if it stared them in the face." He pulled himself out from under the contraption and gave her a serious look. "You're an extremely special young lady, Levy. If they think your odd, that's just because they're too stupid to know any better."

Levy laughed. She always felt better when her father gave her these pep talks. She gave him a quick hug as he stood. "Thanks, Dad."

"Now, let's see if this thing will finally cooperate!" the white haired man said. He beckoned his daughter as he wheeled the invention outside. It was hard to describe exactly what it was, but the best Levy could make of it was some sort of large tube on wheels.

Maki aimed the open end of the tube at a large tree, about one hundred yards away. "Okay," he said. "Stand back now and cover your ears." Levy did as she was directed and watched as her father loaded something into the back end of the tube. Feeling herself tense, she braced herself as her father pulled back on a lever before quickly covering his ears and running to her side. The machine starting whirring before finally, there was an incredibly loud bang and a brilliant flash of blue light.

The two of them looked at each other before looking towards where the tree was. When the smoke cleared, the tree had a large hole right in its center. Maki jumped up and down exclaiming, "it works! It works!"

"What is it, father?" Levy asked, trying to catch her breath from her father dancing her around in exuberant circles.

"I call it the Etherion Cannon!" he beamed.

Levy shrugged. "What's it do?"

"Well you see," he beckoned her over to the back end. "Careful now, it's still hot," he warned as she was about to touch the dark metal. "On this end you load a sort of treated coal that I've invented. And through a series of mechanical processes, a powerful energy blast will exit from this side," he said, leading her to the front of the "cannon."

"What will it be used for?" she questioned him, trying to think of an answer herself.

"Oh loads of things!" her father exclaimed. "It could help clear forests for building houses, it could help bring down walls that are in need of replacing! Think of all the wasted man-hours spent on demolition. Enter the Etherion Cannon!" he said proudly.

"I'm so proud of you, Papa," Levy leaned down to give her father a kiss on the cheek. The man returned her embrace before busying himself with getting his invention loaded into the cart.

A few hours passed and he was packed and ready to head to Magnolia. The city had an invention fair once a year and the winner of the fair was given a hefty sum and usually offers from prestigious companies to produce their product in bulk.

Levy wished her father well on his journey, helping him step up into the tall carriage. She slipped their horse Felipe a big carrot which he chewed gratefully before nuzzling her affectionately.

Magnolia was only about a four-hour ride from their village. Seeing that it was only about two in the afternoon, her father should make it there before the sun set that evening. "Keep good watch over the place while I'm gone, my dear," he said, waving his goodbyes.

"I will, father! And be safe!" she shouted after him as he made his way onto the beaten path towards Magnolia.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around herself. "This is going to be the first step towards a new life for us!" she mused to herself.

END CHAPTER 1

Hello Lovelies!

Okay so incase you haven't already noticed, this is a new take on Beauty and the Beast. I was literally obsessed with that movie growing up and I've had an idea for this rewrite for a while now.

I seriously don't know why I do this to myself. Like I've already got Fairy Penalty Game going and a chapter of Demon's Lightning. Sigh. Oh well. It just is how I am. Get used to it. I make no apologies.

I'm really excited for this story though. It will be a little bit calmer than my normal stories but for my most devoted smut kitten, here's what I'll promise you: if I can work in some smut, you know I absolutely will. As I write this, I've already got some ideas and just raised the rating from T to M in my head. Once again, no apologies!

Love you guys! Tell me what you think!

Musicera

*No ownership here!