Edited by: Trying To Put Pen To Paper

Chapter 1

Mercedes was the age of 12 and had the misfortune to share a strong appearance to her older sister. While many would say this was a good thing as her sister was quite beautiful she didn't want to be affiliated with how cruel she was. Her hair was a midnight black and hung to her shoulder blades, with short cut pieces framing her face this was finished with a bun on either side of her head. Just like her sister she also had green eyes and she wore a sleeveless, Chinese blue dress that was joined with light blue pants. The girl was in her room reading a book, oblivious to the world outside its pages, but stopped when something caught her eye. The bedroom door had opened letting in the light from the corridor and outlining the shape of a woman.

She froze in fear when she recognised who it was.

It was her sister, Minerva.

"Mercedes, come with me." She ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Doing as commanded, Mercedes got off her bed leaving her book behind upside down to keep her page and went to her sister. She walked with her head held low until she was within her sister's shadow, she looked up briefly at Minerva as she turned as she surveyed her younger sister with critical eyes before turning and walking down the large empty hallway. They both left the home that one of the duo permanently called home and went off through the large gardens and fields that were part of the house. They arrived at the river and then they stopped to get on a boat.

As they were riding up the river, Minerva looked at her little sister.

"From this day on you will be staying with me and Father. You will also become a member of Sabertooth." She told Mercedes crossing her arms and waiting to see her reaction to the news.

Mercedes didn't say a word or move from her spot, she was staring intently at the wooden floor of the boat trying not to catch her sister's eye. Of all the things she hated in the world, she hated her older sister and her father. She wondered many things about the guild and about why her family didn't seem to care about her but new better then to ask. Whenever her sister and father would make their occasional visits to the house where she lived on her own, she would always hear the same thing from them.

"We don't need losers in our guild or in our family."

"Our family are Kings and Queens, nothing less."

"You have to be strong if you want us to notice you."

Minerva noticed how quiet her sister was being. She never was one to care much about it, as her sibling was normally quiet in her presence, but since she had told her that her entire life was going to change, she wanted to know what her younger sister was thinking.

"Mercedes, tell me what is on your mind." She asked, her voice taking on a sweet tone that Mercedes knew was fake.

Not wanting to reply and risk becoming reprimanded she kept quiet "..."

Mercedes didn't look at her sibling that was still waiting for her answer. She was not expecting Minerva to reach over the small gap separating them and for her to grab her by the jaw wrenching it upwards forcing her look at her.

"Tell me." She hissed, all traces of fake humility gone, anger in its place.

"...I just don't want to be a member of Sabertooth." Mercedes whispered, silently begging that her Minerva would be pacified with her answer.

Luck was on her side as her older seemed to be satisfied with her answer. "For now-" she said still holding her younger siblings jaw in her grip "–but once you get stronger you will be grateful that you're a member of such a prestigious guild."

She smiled to herself, leaned closer and kissed Mercedes on the forehead in some farce show of kindness only then did she release her jaw.

When the boat stopped it was docked at a small wooden platform, they stepped off to see that they had arrived at a city. Making their way through the cobbled streets, Minerva led them to a large building with a banner of a cat baring its fangs. It was the guild, Sabertooth.

Mercedes just looked at the building dread building inside of her, but Minerva had no such feelings and casually strolled into it.

'I really don't want to be here.' Mercedes thought to herself.

Begrudgingly she went into the building after her sister. When they got inside the building her sister they went straight to the office inside the heart of the building. The guild was very spacious, with a high roof and marble floors that tapped as their shoes hit it. The guild insignia was plastered everywhere as if to remind the members that they belonged to this place. Inside the main room was a stairs made from finely polished wood that could only have led to the living quarters.

When Mercedes opened the door the main office she came face to face her father who was the Guild Master, Gemma. She knew the formal routine of greeting him so well after years of practice.

"So you have come to be with us at last. It's time for your training. When we are done, we are going to have a talk about making you stronger. So no crying! It's a show of weakness." He barked at his youngest, glaring at her with his cold eyes.

The office was just as grand as the rest of the guild. Only the best for Gemma. He was seated behind a large desk that was neatly kept and had a small pile of paperwork that he was currently working on.

Gemma looked away from little girl who was next to Minerva to stare out the window.

"Now if you are to finally join Sabertooth. Your training will have to be twice as difficult and strenuous. I still expect everyone in my guild to be strong so while we are training I don't want to see or even hear a whisper you crying. We don't tolerate weaklings in this guild. Daughter or not, I will get rid of you."

"Yes father, I understand." Mercedes muttered looking down at her shoes.

"Good, let's get on with your training."

The three of them headed outside to the large courtyard designed for training. As they traversed the halls of the guild on their way out, Mercedes heard some of the members that had turned up mumbling.

"Who is that girl?" One answered.

"That's the Master's youngest daughter." Another replied.

"That poor girl is going to train with him?"

"She's too young to deal with such brutal training."

They all seemed to be sympathetic to the young girl's plight.

When they finally arrived outside and into the training yard, Minerva sat on the side lines and watched as Gemma began his training of Mercedes. She was fully aware that Mercedes had only recently began to show signs of different kinds of magic, but didn't have much control of any particular kind. Minerva had told her father as soon as she way her sibling showing signs of magic and he instantly had her to get Mercedes to bring her back to the guild to train her. She watched as her younger sister was getting beaten during the training. Any normal child would have been either beaten to death or at least be unable to move once they were hit to the ground by Gemma's powerful attacks.

She giggled to herself as she watched.

Mercedes got up but dropped to one knee trying to catch her breath. Gemma became furious as he looked at her.

"Why you still weak?! You have been training with me for five straight months! Every time I train you, you show no signs of improvement!" He exclaimed angered at being associated with such a weakling.

Mercedes flinched as she was being scolded by Gemma.

"Answer me!" He shouted again.

"How can I fight you as I am now when you're a Master of this Guild?!" Mercedes cried out tears threatening to spill.

Minerva smile widened, only a complete fool would answer their father that way. She watched as Gemma kicked Mercedes in the head, sending her tumbling backwards further adding to her injuries for her answer.

"You pathetic daughter! That's only showing weakness!"

Mercedes didn't look up at him then Gemma glared.

"Take off your clothes."

Something in Mercedes seemed to grow smaller as she receded into herself. This wasn't the first time she was told to do such a thing by her own father. She stood up with effort from all the bruises and other such injuries inflicted and began undressing. When she was finished she was trying to keep herself covered with her hands while her father glared at her.

"Until you understand what it means to be strong you can come back into the guild. Let's go, Minerva." He turned away from his youngest child and walked back into his Guild.

Minerva left with her father. When she walked past Mercedes she smirked at her then was gone following her father into the guild that she was already accepted into.

After her sister and father were gone Mercedes dropped to her knees.

"I hate them! Both of them!" She whisper yelled to herself, tears falling from her eyes leaving small stains on the ground.

Night time

Mercedes was back in her home that she now had to live with her father and sister. She had gotten dressed but didn't want to eat dinner with them. She wasn't in the mood to see either of them, in fact she never was and would have preferred to never see them again. As far as she could remember she never found herself able to care for them. She did, however, wonder how she could possibly be related to two monsters in human skin such as them.

She was looking out of the window and then she saw nor heard the door open. She looked back when the light from the hallway shined on the window pane to see Minerva coming to her.

"I see that you have made it back. Why didn't you eat?" She asked the small girl standing a few feet from her.

I'm wasn't hungry." Mercedes replied not wanting to look at her sister again.

She climbed into her bed then buried herself under the covers. As she laid there Minerva frowned at the actions of her sibling then went to stand next to the bed.

"Mercedes, you do realize that Father went easy on you." She questioned sitting next to the bundle of sheets, her head only just visible.

"..."

"I know you are not this quiet, so please talk to me." Putting on her fake sincerity she leaned closer to the bundle.

"..." Still no reply.

"Aw, is that how you treat your own older sister?"

"...Go away." Mercedes finally said.

Minerva smiled wickedly at her.

"Fine then, you're not much fun to talk to anyway. Don't say I didn't warn you." She got up from the bed and made her way to the still open door.

"..."

Minerva left the room closing the door behind her. Mercedes just laid in her bed then closed her eyes.

After she heard the door click she whispered. "I already know that you two don't care about me. You wouldn't even care if I died."

Tear streamed down her face then she went to sleep.

"I have to get away from you both."

Standing outside of the door Minerva had heard what her sister had tried to keep to silent then smiled.

"Believe me, we only keep the best of the best. Continue this weakness and you'll really be out of here. Father will not tolerate you for much long."

Minerva turned from the door and went to her room to go to her own bed looking forward to another day being part of Fiore's strongest Guild.