Chapter Two

Your POV

I kept running. it's been a few days already. I haven't stopped, switching between speed walking and jogging. My lungs burned at the lack of oxygen and my stomach growled. My feet ached, unaccustomed to the constant running or any running at all. 6 years in that cell really got me out of shape. By now, I should be a pretty good distance, but I can't stop. I won't stop. I can't go back to that hellhole, not now not ever.

The trees rushed past me, I stumbled a few times because of their roots and it made me wonder, 'How big is this frickin' forest?'.

I don't know what time it was, heck I don't even know what year we're in. The sun was hanging bright over the sky, sweat gliding down my face, back, and neck. I was basically taking a shower in sweat. Slowing down to a speed walk to catch my breath, the sound of a dying whale filled my ears. That's right, I haven't eaten anything in a while. The small exceed in my shawl still blissfully asleep. I don't know how long until she wakes up.

I look around as I walked further into the forest, or is it out? I don't know. I spotted a large Mango tree, greedily, I snatched a few. Peeling their skin and devouring as many as I could. You never know this could very well be my last meal. After maybe like 25 mango's and a few for Maeve when shes awake. I continued to walk. The moon began to replace the sun and soon the soft light of the moon shun brightly against my (skin/tone) skin.

A gentle movement in my arms made me look down. she was awakening.

"(y-y/n)?" Maeve spoke softly, looking up at me.

She somewhat sits up and I lean down a bit hugging her.

"you got us out (y/n)" small tears leak out of Maeve as she smiled. "I knew you could."

I smiled and handed her a peeled mango, keeping my silence. I continue to walk, slowly taking notice of how thirsty I was.

"This is bad, really bad." My voice came out horse and raspy, it sounded so unfamiliar since I haven't used it in so long and when I did it's to say simple things like yes or no.

Panicking to find any source of water, I jogged in any direction that came to mind desperately searching for any liquid at this point.

Hours later of unsuccessful searching, my vision began to go double, the little strength I had rapidly depleting until I felt like I was dragging pounds of lead instead of my own feet, Maeve walking right next to me, just as tired and thirsty as I. The ground seem to get closer and closer till I could touch it with my face. I turned around to face the sky, the moon shone down on me and I'll i could think of was how Artemis and I used to sleep under the stars. I had fallen in a small open patch in the forest. My eyelids grow heavy to the point I could no longer keep myself awake. I embraced the empty black void. Maeve, laying on my stomach, asleep already.

Erza POV

I decided to take a shortcut through the forest on my way back to the guild from my mission, which was completed with no delay or trouble really, taking down a few Vulcan's was a pretty easy job.

As I dragged my wagon of suitcases behind me, I noticed the silhouette of a girl on the ground a small exceed on her stomach. The exceed moved hearing my steps as I near them.

"Help us" the little cat whispered.

I rushed to them, I noticed the girl to be unconscious and, mind I say it, covered in filth. As if she hasn't taken a shower in a long time. I sent my wagon to my magic closet and summoned a sword. Holding it close to her nose to see if she was breathing at all, a light fog appeared on the sword. She was breathing faintly. I picked the girl up, surprisingly she was very light, too light for someone of the age she looks. I took off to the guild -which was nearby really. 'I wonder who she is and what happened to her for her to be like this' I thought as I bursted through the guild hall.

"Wendy, go to the infirmary" I told her as I, myself, entered the infirmary.

Placing the girl down on a bed, Wendy quickly got to work, placing her hands over the mystery girl and making both her hands and the girl's body glow a faint green outline color.

"Is she alright?" I asked the blue hair girl.

"She's very wounded and malnourished. She'll be very hungry and thirsty when she wakes up." Wendy said lowering her hands breathing mildly hard, "I've done what I can, she no longer has any internal or external wounds."

I nodded, thanking her as I walk out of the infirmary, Wendy staying to tend to the exceed.

"Mirajane, is the master here?" I took a seat at the bar as she places a piece of strawberry short cake in front of me.

"No, not yet, but he will be back today soon." She smiled and went back to drying the dishes.

Seven Hours Later

Your POV

My eyes shot opened and I sit up quickly, scanning my surroundings I took quick notice that I no longer rested on the forest floor, instead I laid on a soft firm bed. Subconsciously, I rubbed my hand against the sheets feeling its smooth softness. Next I noticed, I no longer felt any pain from my last beating. Third, Maeve was resting on a pillow in the next bed. I slowly sat up, just because I didn't feel any pain didn't mean I wasn't sore.

As I rested my back against the wall, the door opened revealing a young blue haired girl, above her, a flying white cat. She smelled like a dragon but I could be wrong. I stared at them in caution and distrust.

She smiled shyly and scared "H-Hello, I'm Wendy and this is Carla" she walked closer to me, I tensed up ready to fight at any moment.

She held out a cup of water, "you must be thirsty" I took the cup cautiously, sniffing it lightly to see if she poisoned it.

I caught no unusual smell and took a sip of it. I sighed gratefully as the cool liquid slid down my dry throat.

"Thank you" I whispered cringing slightly at my voices raspy and strained sound.

"It's no problem. I'll tell the master you've awoken." I just start at her, not really liking the thought of meeting someone else, especially a 'master'.

Wendy closed the door as she left, not seeming to have caught my displeasure, leaving me in silence which let me hear the wind through the trees that surrounded the area, and the wind through the old wood of this place.

The door reopened this time, a short man maybe in his mid-eighties along with a younger women with long gorgeous scarlet red hair flowing a bit past her waist. I glanced at a few of my own (h/c) hair strands, noticing the huge difference between them, while her's were silky and untangled mine was bristle and tangled looking more like a rat and a spiders nest combined.

"Hello child, I am Makarov, master of the Fairy Tail guild. This is Erza Scarlet, the girl who found and brought you here," he pointed to the redhead, "what may your name be?" he finished off his sentence.

'Can I trust them? What if they return me back to the cult? Should I lie?' a million thoughts ran through my mind, which were soon interrupted by Erza, I believe it was.

"You are safe here, don't worry, we have no intention to hurt you." She spoke gently, calming me down some, but i was still on edge.

Maeve flying over to my lap, looking up at me, nodding gently.

"My…..My names (y/n)" It felt weird saying my name again. So many years of being called 0391, it took its toll.

They nodded as the master stroked his beard, "are you a mage?" he looked at me, probably sensing my magic power, well the little magic I have right now, I'm still recuperating my magic from that last outburst.

"Yes" was my simple answer, my voice was so slow in going back to normal with the more I talk, but it was no where as beautiful as Erza.

"Do you wish to join our guild?" Erza asked me, I looked at her still in cautious but surprised as well.

She wants me a random stranger she just save to join her guild. Wait… she saved me and I haven't even told her Thanks, damn my mothers would be disappointed in my manners.

"Thank you Erza, for saving my life." I tried to smile at her, but it felt so foreign on my muscles and face.

'Well she did save my life, and is she did that for a stranger than I guess this guild won't be all that bad. Plus I do owe her my life and gratitude so why not repay it by doing what she asks?' making my decision and Maeve's gently nodding again to consent my decision, I looked towards them both again.

"I will join you guild. What day and year is it?" I asked them.

"it's April 15, X784".

My eyes widen in surprise "It's been so long… damn" I muttered to myself.

I begin to stand up, sliding a bit off the bed. My bare feet touching the cold hard floor, goosebumps traveling in my legs and to my arms. We all walked out into the guild hall, people stopped and stared at me as we walked down the stairs.

A pink haired boy suddenly shouted "why do you smell like a dragon?"

I looked at him startled and sniffed the air myself, the scent of dragon filled my sense and, in turn, asked him the same question.

"I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer" he stated proudly,

"I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer" Wendy stood next to the fire dragon boy,

"I'm an Iron Dragon Slayer" a man with several piercing covering his body spoken as he sat next to a girl with short blue hand and held a closed book in her hands.

"We also have a lightning dragon slayer, but he's not here at the moment" a girl with short, soft looking white hair smiled brightly at me.

"I'm an Earth Dragon Slayer."

At the last word to leave my mouth, the entire guild screamed, saying "ANOTHER ONE!"

I'm not surprised having heard so many dragon slayers in this guild. Three exceeds flying up to meet Maeve. They were much bigger than her, the capsule she was in stopping her aging and growth process.

As we neared the white haired girl, who master called Mirajane, she held a stamp in her hands. I held out my hand.

"If you don't mind I would like to put it on myself please." I may be joining but that doesn't mean I trust them yet.

She smiled and nodded giving me the stamp which I placed on my right inner wrist in gold then on Maeve on her shoulder in gold as well.

"Welcome our newest Fairy Tail members, (y/n) and Maeve! Let's welcome them the fairy tail way!" The man shouted from the second floor, how'd he get there so fast, I have no clue.

The guild broke out into a wild party to which I hide from in a darkest corner seat, along with Maeve.