Year X779

Fairy Tail Guildhall, Magnolia

Lisanna smiled happily at her doll while she brushed the imaginary wrinkles out of her dress and fluffed the shinny blonde curls. She had had this doll for as long as she could remember. Mira had told her it was a gift from their parents when she was born and it made her love the china doll all the more. It was her most treasured item and today she was bringing it to the guild so she, Levy and Cana could all play dolls together. She had been worried about the safety of her precious china doll given how often the guild turned into a war zone on any given day. But Mira and Elfman both had sworn that they wouldn't let anything happen to her doll.

Settling herself at a table, Lisanna beamed at her beautiful doll thinking there had never been something so beautiful before. Rosy pink lips, glossy golden curls, delicate porcelain skin and sparkling blue eyes, she was perfect. But it wasn't to last, especially not in the guildhall. A way cry was the only warning she had before a body flew into her and knocked them both to the floor on the opposite side of the table.

With spinning vision and ringing ear, Lisanna felt a crunch under her and her stomach dropped. The person who had slammed into her rolled off of her with a quick apology but she didn't care. Sitting up she cast her eyes downward to where the shattered remains of her doll's china face had caved in. A disbelieving whimper escaped her mouth as the tears began to well up behind her eyes.

Her most treasured possession was now broken beyond repair, the last momentum she had left from her parents was gone. At some point, the tears had spilled from her eyes and were no dripping from her chin on to the shattered remains of her beautiful doll.

"Oh, Lisanna! What happened to your doll?"

The distraught girl looked up with water eyes to see Cana and Levy with their dolls. Lisanna's lip trembled for a moment as tried her hardest not to cry, but the sight of the other dolls was what broke the dam. Loud sobs jarred her tiny body as she mourned her china doll. She clutched the body close to her chest and cried all the louder when her two friends rushed to comfort her.

Others in the guild began to surround her and offer various words of consultations. She knew that it was an accident but that knowledge wouldn't bring back her china doll. A loud thump and two 'oomphs' made her look up to see that Mira had deposited Grey and Natsu in front of her. Both boys glared at her sister before turning to Lisanna with shameful eyes and bowed heads.

"Sorry, Lisanna."

"Yeah, we're sorry."

She sniffled once before scooping up the pieces of her dolls face and rushing away from the guild. She pushed past the boys, her sister, her brother and several others as she ran for the door. She was too occupied with wiping the tears from her eyes that she didn't see the person standing in the doorway and ran right into them, bouncing off and landing on her rear.

Lisanna looked up to apologize to the person when the words died on her lips. Rosy pink lips, sparkling blue eyes, glossy golden curls and delicate porcelain skin. The dress wasn't the same purple and white lace but a light blue perfect for a summer day. She tilted her head slightly and bent down to her level a pleasant smile curving her lips upward. "Are you alright?"

Her grip on her doll grew tighter and she nodded her head completely speechless. Those familiar blue eyes traveled down to the broken memory clutched to the young wizard's chest. Her eyebrows rose and her lips turned down into a frown. "Oh, what happened here?"

Lisanna never got the chance to answer as the harsh voice of her sister cut in. "Hey! Why don't you watch where you're go-" Lisanna couldn't tear her eyes away from the doll brought to life and watched as she rose to standing and switched her attention to Mira. "Oh crap." Mira muttered and Lisanna knew she had seen the resemblance too.

"That's no way to talk to guests – Oh, my!" Erza had joined now, initially to admonish Mira about her rude behavior.

The animated doll returned her attention to Lisanna and reached out a hand for her. Still speechless, the younger girl took it and was helped to her feet. "I'm very sorry for running into you." Even her voice was gentle, like a song bird. She turned back to the other two girls with a pleasant smile. "Is Master Makarov here?"

Lisanna turned to see both Erza and Mira nod dumbly and point further into the guild. The other girl who looked to be older, looked past them and smiled when she saw the Master sitting atop the bar "Thank you." And with that she glided past them leaving all those who had witnessed Lisanna's outburst in a similar state.

It wasn't that she was so beautiful that no one could form a coherent thought, though a couple of the teen boys gave her a long glance as she passed. It was that she looked like a living replica of Lisanna's china doll. Everyone in the guild had seen her doll at some point over the last several years she and her brother and sister had been apart of Fairy Tail. But then, the doll broke and this girl walks through the door. Was it magic?

She walked to the bar where the older generation usually spent their time and began speaking to the Master. Lisanna couldn't hear their conversation from her spot by the door, but a moment later they disappeared in the direction of his office. She turned her stare to Mira who had turned her gaze to the broken doll.

"You don't think the doll might have been cursed, do you?" The question was directed toward Erza. "Like when it broke it freed her?"

Erza was also staring at the doll so Lisanna did too, pulling it away and searching the empty cavity of its crushed head for answers. "Of course not, it was just a coincidence." Erza had turned away but cast the doll one last curious glance. "She seemed to know the Master so that can't be it."

"What if she's a ghost that was trapped in the doll?" Levy spoke up as she, Mira and Erza gravitated back to the small group of other kids their age.

"So we just gotta send her back to the grave!" Fire engulfed the small rosette.

"Natsu, no!"

Brier took the offered seat in front of Makarov's desk as he took the one behind it. He hadn't changed much since the last time she had seen him well over a year ago. A few more wrinkles around the eyes but not much else. He seemed to know the purpose of her unexpected visit before she even opened her mouth, really there was only one reason she'd come to visit him alone. She fiddled with the envelope in her hand before looking up to share a sad smile with him.

"It's been awhile, Brier. You've grown into a beautiful young woman." It was a customary pleasantry that she appreciated.

She nodded. "I'm sure you've guessed why I'm here?"

The smile slipped and his eyes grew sad making him look far older than she had seen him. "How did it happen."

Her own meager smile became forced before disappearing completely. "He was murdered." Brier quickly looked down to her lap were her hands sat clutching the envelope. She didn't want him to see the tear that was making its way down her cheek. There was a sharp spike in the magical pressure in the room causing cracks to appear in the walls of the office.

She knew that anger and it still lingered in her heart.

"I had been in town at the market," She continued. "It was like a battlefield, our home was completely destroyed."

There were several seconds of silence as a few more tears slid down her cheeks and she wiped them away just as quickly. Just when she had thought her eyes had finally run dry, she was proven wrong.

"Do you know who did it?" The contained wrath in his voice sent shivers down her spine.

Brier shook her head and looked up to meat his gaze. "I don't. But there were signs of several different types of magic used. Even at his age, Oro was no push over. Whoever they were, they came prepared."

Another spike and the window to her left shattered. Brier could hear the voices of his children, as he liked to call them, down the hall. Surely one of them would come to investigate soon, even a civilian would be able to feel that kind of pressure.

"Stay here, Brier."

Her eyebrows rose at the sudden order (because it was not a request in that tone). "Pardon?"

He locked eyes with her and had a deep set frown marring his usually kind facial features. This was the face of Makarov Dryer, Master of Fairy Tail and one of the Ten Wizard Saints. She had never seen this face before. "Whoever killed Oro will certainly target you next. I know you wield a powerful magic, but if they were prepared to kill Oro they'll be prepared to kill you as well. I couldn't possibly in good conscious allow you to leave here without the protection of Fairy Tail behind you."

The tears flowed down her cheeks once more. "Thank you, but I have a few more stops to make before I decide anything" She shoved the envelop in her hands toward him. "Oro left a few of these that he requested I deliver after his death. Speaking of which, is Gildarts Clive here?" She had never met the S-Class mage but had heard plenty about him from the stories Oro used to tell of his days as a Fairy Tail Wizard.

Makarov frowned down at the envelop but didn't move to open it and read its contents. "He's away on a quest. He could be back in a month or he could be back tomorrow."

She nodded her head and debated whether she should leave his envelop here or come back.

"You should stay here until he comes back, give guild life a try. I have no doubt that Oro's last request of me is to make you a Fairy Tail Guild Wizard." He leaned over his desk and waved the still unopened envelope at her.

She focused her eyes on the envelop rather then Makarov. If she were to meet his eyes now then she wouldn't be able to refuse him. She had wanted to join Fairy Tail since Oro had first told her of the wizard's guild. "I only have two more stops to make. Both of them are former Fairy Tail wizards." She forced her gaze to his. "I promise to return."

Makarov's frown deepened but leaned back and fingered the envelop. "Was there any type of indicator of who might have attacked Oro?"

"Oh!" She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it sooner. "There were these little paper stick figures all over the area. Does -" He had bowed his head so she could no longer see his face. "Does that sound familiar?"

A tense silence stretched while she waited for his answer. Brier scooted to the edge of her seat and leaned forward toward him. "Do you know who attacked Oro?"

Still no answer.

"Makarov!"

When he did raise his head, Brier pushed herself back into the seat, taken aback by such a grim look on his face. "I believe so." His words were slow and measured. "If it is who I think it is then I can't allow you to leave Magnolia without an escort." She opened her mouth to protest but he held up a hand to silence her. "I'll accompany you myself, I just need a day to make the necessary preparations."

"Really, that's not -"

"I assure you it is. Oro was one of the more powerful wizard's of Fairy Tail and had a great deal of knowledge about guild secrets. If it's who I think it is than he didn't attack Oro alone." His grave tone gave her no room for argument. "I consider you a child of mine just as anyone in Fairy Tail. I will not stand by and allow you to be hurt."

Brier bit her lip as the tears welled up behind her eyes and nodded her head. Makarov gave a sigh and leaned back in his chair, eyeing the envelope. "Where are you staying?"

"The Red Apple Inn, by the cathedral."

He nodded but it take his eyes off of the envelope.

"I'll leave you to look through that. I was planning on taking the train to Era, what time do you want to leave?"

A crack in his disturbingly grim expression appeared along with a small smile. "He left a letter for Yajima as well?"

She stood to leave and he laid the envelope on the desk before walking to the door with the intent to escort her out. But before he could pass her, she had bent down and scooped him into a tight hug. Makarov's feet were no longer touching the floor due to their differences in height but it didn't seem to bother him. He gave her a couple of pats on the back. She hadn't had anyone since Oro's death and needed this.

"B-Brier!" He wheezed out after a moment. "Can't – breath!"

"Oh!" She released him immediately and he dropped down to the floor to catch his breath. "Sorry, I forget sometimes." She offered him a sheepish smile.

"Go back to your grave cursed spirit!" Was the chorus from Natsu and Happy as the Master and the 'cursed spirit' reentered the main part of the guildhall.

Lisanna saw Erza shake her head in exasperation out of the corner of her eye but for the most part kept her gaze focused solely on the girl. The resemblance was uncanny and she had an urge to speak with her, to see if, maybe, that girl was her doll. It was silly, she knew, but magic could do many amazing things.

The girl herself was staring with wide eyes at the two man lynch mob that consisted of a boy half her height and a blue cat with wings. She glanced to the Master who looked as if wasn't sure to take it as a joke or not.

"Get out of the way Gramps, I'll put her back in her grave!"

"Get her Natsu!"

Natsu took a deep breath in preparation for his 'Fire Dragon Roar' but was cut short from the enormous fist that had pinned him to the floor. The Master's titan magic was certainly useful for corralling Natsu.

The girl cast another look to the boy, this time with a small, amused smile before bidding the master her farewell. And like before, she glided out of the guildhall with a grace no one in Fairy Tail seemed to posses. The girl offered Lisanna a polite smile as she passed and then, just as she had come, she was gone once more.

A feeling of disappointment settled in the petite mage's stomach at her lost chance. It was silly anyway. The other girl probably would have thought her crazy. Lisanna turned her attention to her shoes as the feeling of loss hit her again. Mira had offered to get her another doll after her next quest but she had declined. She didn't want another doll, she wanted her doll. And the closest she could get to her china doll had just walked out of the doors to the guild hall, never to be seen again.

"She does bare a striking resemblance to your doll doesn't she?"

Lisanna looked up to see the Master had come over to stand beside her. Over his shoulder, she saw Happy trying to peel Natsu off the floor.

"I'm afraid she is not the spirit of your doll." He started kindly and Lisanna looked away feeling foolish. "But perhaps, she might be a new friend."

She looked up to meet the Master's eyes. "Is she a wizard then?"

The Master's warm smile lifted the sorrow from her heart. "She is indeed."

"When will she come back?" She stretched her neck to the side, hoping the girl would come walking back in the next moment.

"In a week, there are a few things she must do first before she returns." Before she could ask her next question, the Master had already answered her. "I promise she will come back."

She beamed at him before running over to where Cana and Levy sat with their dolls. She may have lost her precious keepsake from her parents, but she'd get to see her china doll again. With a smile she sat down and proceeded to tell her two friends about the girl and how she would be joining Fairy Tail soon. By lunch, everyone would know of the soon to be member.

A/N

This is a test chapter to see if there would be any interest in the story I've been tossing around lately. I've never written a story centered on an OC before and have been avoiding doing so. I don't enjoy reading those types of stories because more often then not they are Mary-Sues and those are always so boring to read. I put a lot of thought into this character and a lot of time to make sure she doesn't turn into a Mary-Sue.

If I get enough positive reviews I will continue writing the story but won't post it until it is finished.