I'd like to thank those who reviewed the story and apologize for how long it's taken me to post another chapter. So, thanks go out to MusicOfMadness, Sasame103, Zororenjilover, and HanamiKaze. Please don't be afraid to review guys!
Chapter 2
Set Fire to the Rain
Leta had gotten back from her mission that night. She had stopped by the Fairy Tail Guildhall to do her report and grab something to eat. Working all day and not stopping for something to eat was tiring. She just wanted to sit down and eat something. Now, if she wanted someplace to relax, then why would she go to the crazy Guildhall? Well, went it was late at night and people we getting in from a job that took then all day, it was a little mellower. If it was the weekend, then that was a different story, but it was Tuesday.
Walking over to the bar and sitting down, Leta saw Mirajane walk over to her and pour her a glass of water. Mirajane knew that Leta didn't drink. She usually stuck with the healthier things such as water and juice. She usually ordered water when she came in at night though, Mirajane knew that. After taking a sip of the water and placing it back on the counter, she looked up at Mirajane tiredly.
"You look exhausted," Mirajane said smoothly.
"I'm fine," Leta said. She was exhausted. "The job was just further than I thought it was."
"As long as you are sure," Mira said rather unsure. "I'll go place your usual in."
"Thanks," Leta said.
Leta sighed and leaned against the bar counter more. Relying on her physical straight along was getting rather tiresome. It took so much more out of her than using her magic would have, but she didn't like to use her magic unless her life counted on it. She promised herself and the people closest to her that she wouldn't. She wasn't in the habit of breaking promises. Not ones she made to herself or ones made to others.
Mirajane brought Leta's usually, a bowl of chili. She dug in. As she was eating, she noticed Lucy, Natsu and Happy trying to play a game of cards, but Natsu and Happy kept getting the rules messed up and arguing. Lucy was just annoyed that they couldn't get one game done and over with. Sitting behind them at the bar was Gray who was rather annoyed by the bickering wizards.
Leta couldn't help but giggle as she watched them. It must have been nice to spend all your time with your friends. Sure, Gray and Natsu both said they hated one another, but she knew they cared about one another. They always seemed like they were having fun, even if they were arguing most of the time. Lucy and Happy were having fun too.
The black haired girl would have liked to have done that. She wished she could have friends. Ones who'd do anything to help. But she couldn't. She couldn't let them get hurt by just being her friend. So she gladly concealed herself way from that thing called friendship. That was actually what her name meant. Leta meant gladly while Velius meant concealed.
Once Leta was done eating, she pulled out the money and placed it on top of the bar counter. She stood up slowly and turned to walk away, but stopped once she heard someone talking to her again.
"Leta," Mirajane said. Leta turned and looked at the older girl. "I see the way you look at them." Leta looked over at the group of people having fun, not too far off. "You know, you can have that. You can let people in. Whatever it is you're keeping from everyone, you don't have to. We're all family here."
"No," Leta muttered, staring down at the ground. "I'm fine with where I am. But thanks anyways, Mira."
Leta took a couple steps, but stopped once more. She almost winced from the pain that was in her gut. It wasn't the first time she had ever gotten that feeling. It wasn't anything good. Leta's gut feelings were almost always spot on. Something was going to happen and she could tell nothing good was going to come from it. But at the moment, she couldn't do anything about it. She had no idea what exactly was going to happen, so she pushed it aside.
"Leta?" Mira asked. "Are you okay?"
That seemed to get the attention of the table a few steps away. Leta wasn't comfortable with all the attention. "I'm fine," she told them, not taking her attention away from the floor. "But could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what is it?" Mira asked.
Leta looked down at the amulet around her neck and then took it off. Turning to Mirajane, Leta slowly held it out to hand over the complex looking round piece of metal. "Could you hold onto this for me tonight? And I mean, do everything in your power to protect it. Can you do that?"
"Uh," Mira muttered unsure. "Shouldn't you be giving it to someone like Natsu or Gray or Lucy?"
Unsure of what to do, Leta glanced over at the table of people looking at her. She trusted Mirajane, but could she trust them with the amulet? They didn't know what it was…maybe she could. She did know them. It wasn't like they'd go flashing it around or sell it. So, maybe she could trust them with it.
"I'll do it," Lucy offered. The girl got up from the table and walked over to the black haired girl. "I'll take good care of it for you."
"Really?" Leta asked shocked. Lucy smiled and nodded her head. "Thanks Lucy! It means a lot to me." Leta handed over the amulet to Lucy. Once it was in Lucy's hands, she examined it.
"Just out of curiosity, why are you handing it over in the first place?" Lucy asked. "'Cause I've never seen you without it."
"Now that you've mentioned it, neither have I," Gray said.
"What's it do?" Natsu asked, looking over Lucy's shoulder. "It looks like it does something to me. So what's it do?"
"Nothing!" Leta replied a little too quickly. They looked at her a little shocked at her hasty reply. "Just, take care of it for me, okay? I'll take it back tomorrow."
Without waiting for a reply, Leta grabbed her bag and left the Guild Hall. She couldn't afford to be hounded with any more questions. They were asking too many questions in the first place. Being in the spotlight wasn't something she could afford. There was a reason she didn't talk and make friends with people.
And then…!
Leta had tried to stay awake for as long as she could when she got home to her apartment. But she had been tired to begin with. She wasn't able to stay up long. She had sat in her dark bedroom just sitting there, waiting. But in the process, she fell asleep. The only thing she couldn't afford to do at the time and she went and did it.
Dark laughter and an intense heat was what woke Leta up from her sleep. However the sleep hadn't done anything for her. She felt worse than she did before she fell asleep. But that was most likely because of the heat. Fire was something she wasn't comfortable with at all. That was why she disliked Natsu's magic so much. She couldn't stand to be around intense heat for long.
The heat was coming from everywhere. The whole apartment building was on fire. Leta painfully pushed herself off of her bed on onto the hot floor. "Setting the whole building on fire is a little extreme, even for you." He looked up through the flames at the guy across the room. "Haven't seen you in a while, Will. How is everyone?"
"Shut up!" he yelled annoyed. He was searching through her dresser, throwing things everywhere. "Where is it? Where's the amulet, Glaciem? Where is it?"
Leta's eyes narrowed into a glare. "Don't you ever call me that!" She relaxed a little more, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not here," she added. "You won't find it."
Will was angry at that. "Where is it?" he yelled.
"You won't find it," she repeated. "It's not here."
Will didn't take that well either. He lunged forward and tackled the younger girl through the window next to her bed. Normally, Leta would have been able to dodge that without must effort at all, but seeing as she was too weak because of the fire, she couldn't do it. She barely had enough strength to stand up. But she knew how to get on Will's tempered side. That was why she got him to push her out the window.
Leta landed on the sidewalk outside with Will standing above her. His fist was admitting flames as he stood over her. "You should be trembling in fear!" he shouted over the roar of the fire behind them. "Fear the power of the Tenebris Ambustio!" He raised his fist and brought it down into the girl's stomach.
The girl's scream could be heard all the way across town. The punch wasn't a regular fire punch. No, when the fist made contact with her flesh, it not only broke into her flesh at that spot, but the fire also spread across her body, burning wherever the flame touched. Her clothes burned, her skin burned. Blood and ash covered the girl's body as she laid there as the sun started to raise with Will standing over her.
Leta was gasping for breath as Will laughed darkly over her. His fist getting ready for another attack. "Still alive, are you? Well, not for long! You shall parish under the hand of Will Malum, holder of the Phoenix Tenebris Ambustio!"
He started to bring his fist down to the girl, but she managed to catch it with her right hand. His shocked expression was priceless. However, then it turned to anger and rage. "How dare you! You dare defy my wrath? You shall pay!"
"I wouldn't…do that…if…I …was….you, Will. You're master….wouldn't be…pleased….with my…passing." Her breathing was staggered. She couldn't catch her breath. She was in too much pain and too weak from losing too much blood. "You…don't…want to…anger him…now…do you?" Summoning all the strength she had, she sat up, bleeding out more and glared at him. "Disobeying…his direct…orders…means…severe…punishment. Isn't…that right?...I remember. It… wasn't…pleasant. You wouldn't…want to…go through…that."
Will glared once more, but backed off and said, "This isn't over, Tenebris Glaciem. He will have the amulet. He has all but two. You will fall to his feet under his command. You won't be able to do anything about it." Will stepped back and started to walk off. "I've had enough of you for a while." He waved without looking back. "See ya, Leta."
Leta watched him walk off before her arm gave out and she fell back to the group on her back. She was still gasping for breath. Leta didn't have much strength left at all. The last thing she remembered seeing before she blacked out was the burning building beside her.
You see…!
"Leta? Leta, wake up!" a voice yelled in the unconscious injured girl's ear. Leta forced her eyes open to see Romeo Conbolt standing above her. He smiled when the girl opened her eyes. "You're alive!" he exclaimed.
"Romeo," she managed to say. "Help me…get to…the…Guild Hall…please." He nodded his head and tried to pull her half way on his back, but when she cried out, he stopped what he was doing and worriedly looked back at her. "Don't worry…just keep…going. We…need to…get…there…as soon…as possible."
"Are you sure?" he asked. "You're bleeding a lot. We should get you to a hospital."
"No," she protested. "Fairy Tail. I need…to get…to…Fairy…Tail."
"Okay," he muttered unsure.
Romeo pulled her back on his back. Since he was much shorter than Leta, he had to drag the girl all the way across town. Leaving a trail of Leta's blood behind that. It took a lot of the young boy's strength to do that. But he was determined to get her to the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. No matter how many strange looks they were getting from people on the street, he kept going. He had to get her there before she…He didn't want to think of it.
Leta had been unconscious for hours on the ground on the sidewalk of the alley behind the now burnt down building she used to live in. She had no idea how Romeo had found her, but she was grateful. At least now she had at least a chance to survive. If only she could get to the Guild Hall to see Lucy. Lucy was bound to be there. She had to be. She promised she'd give back the amulet the next day. She needed the amulet.
She needed the amulet.
"Help!" Romeo yelled as he managed to push open the door of the Guild Hall. With the other he held Leta on his back. Her blood was dripping down his back and onto the floor of the hall. Her eyes opened and looked up at the members staring at them in horror and shock. "Someone please. She needs help."
"Leta!" Mirajane screamed as she ran out from behind the counter of the bar and over to the girl. "Kana, get Master Makarov! Tell him it's Leta!" She helped Romeo carry her over to the closest table. They pushed all of the content on top off and laid the girl there instead. "Leta, what happened? Who did this to you?"
"Lucy," Leta managed to cough out.
"Lucy? She did that to you?" Natsu yelled. "How could you, Lucy? We thought you were nice!"
"No," Leta coughed out once more. "Lucy." Leta let out a piercing scream as a massive wave of pain shot through her small body. That was another side affect of Will's Fire Punch. Once she cut off the scream, she opened her teary eyes and searched for the girl. "Lucy!"
Lucy ran up to Leta as fast as she could, but everyone was gathering around the injured girl. She had to push her way through. But people wouldn't budge. "Move out of the way!" Master Makarov's loud voice yelled over everyone. He jumped down from the second floor next to Lucy. "Move aside. She's asking for Lucy."
"Lucy…the…amulet…" Leta got out.
"It's right here," Lucy said, pulling it out of her pocket and handing it to the girl.
The amulet rested in Leta's left hand while the other hand was placed over top of it. The blue crystal in the center glowed. The glowing light crawled up her hand and then her arm. Soon enough, her whole body was glowing that blue color. Once the light diminished, Leta sat up, completely healed. However, she held her head and groaned. "Ouch," she muttered.
"What the-?" Natsu started too asked.
"How did she do that?" Gray muttered.
"Leta?" Lucy asked worried.
Leta lifted her head up and looked at the girl next to her. A small, weak smile played on her lips. "Thanks for holding onto that for me, Lucy." The girl put the amulet around her neck once more and looked down at herself. A bright red blush formed on her cheeks. Most of her clothing had been burned off. She was barely concealed.
"Mira," Master Makarov said. "Take Leta upstairs so she can get cleaned up. Then we need to have a little chat."
"Yes Master," Mirajane said. Mira put her arm around Leta's shoulders and helped the weak girl up the stairs. Mira brought Leta into a little bathroom up there and wet a washcloth. "Leta," the white haired girl said, getting the black haired girl's attention. "What happened?" she asked as she gently washed some of the blood off of Leta's face.
"That's what I am wondering," Makarov said, appearing in the doorway. He walked into the room, shutting the door behind him.
"Master," Leta hesitated to say. No matter what way she saw it, she was going to have to tell him what was going on. Otherwise he might kick her out of the guild. But if she did tell him, he might kick her out anyways for being a danger to everyone in the guild. She didn't know what to do. She needed the guild. It helped protect her and helped her get money to live a semi-normal life.
"Leta," Mira said, trying to comfort the girl. "You know you can tell us anything, right? We'd do anything in our power to find who did this to you."
Leta looked up from her hands to the light haired girl, a bewildered expression on her face. "Why?" Why would they go all out of their way for her? She wasn't social with them. She barely had any friends there. She was cold most of the time. What reason would they do that for her?
Mira looked at her oddly, head tilted to the side slightly. "Why?" she repeated the black haired girl. "Because you're a part of Fairy Tail? That makes you family."
"Family?" Leta asked. "You guys don't know anything about me."
"That doesn't mean you're not a part of our family here," Mira said. "We take care of our own."
Makarov moved from the door and stood in front of the girl. "Leta Velius, I know who you are."
Leta's face fell even more, if it was possible. It seemed that her day just kept getting worse and worse. Maybe it was just her life that was cursed. Maybe she was doomed to be unhappy for the rest of her life. Once again, no matter which way she looked at it, she couldn't see a happy ending for her.
Her past was something she tried to hide from everyone. No matter how close she was to someone, she would never tell them everything about her past. It was safer for everyone that way. So, when Makarov said he knew about who she was, she couldn't help but be struck with fear and sadness. It just proved even more that there wouldn't be anything good coming for her, in her mind at least.
"I suppose you want me to leave the Guild now," Leta said, sounding even more upset then she had before.
"Leave the Guild?" Mira asked. "How could you think such a thing? Leta, we could never do that with whoever did this to you still out there."
Makarov continued to speak, not even acknowledging that Mirajane had spoken out. "I will admit, it does worry me having you here. The safety of everyone here and whoever you come into contact with are in danger."
"Just because someone attacked her?" Mira asked. "I don't understand. What's going on?"
"I never meant to put anyone in danger, you have to see that," Leta defended. "That's the last thing I ever wanted."
"I know," Makarov said. "However, that isn't the only concern I have."
Leta's gaze fell to the floor. "You are concerned about which side I am on, aren't you?" It was a rhetorical question. Leta was pretty sure she knew what the answer was. But she couldn't help but let that be known that she knew what was going through his head.
"That amulet you wear can never fall into the hands of the people who seek it," he said. "I can see by how you handed it over that you wouldn't let that happen, but you should've given it to someone stronger than Lucy. Erza or myself would've been better candidates."
"I know, but I didn't have time," Leta stated. "I knew something was going to happen and I couldn't have it with me when it happened. You know what would've happened."
"That is why I know you are on our side," Makarov said, shocking the girl. She looked up at him with confused eyes, urging him to continue on. "I know you would never let anything bad happen to anybody because of it. It makes me wonder why you joined a Guild in the first place though. Seeing as there are a lot of people around."
"That's one of the reasons why I did it," she stated to explain. "Though there are people around, I know that they can take care of themselves, being Wizards and all. Plus, they would never expect me to do it. I needed to do it. I was also running out of money."
"I see," Makarov said.
"But I understand if you want me to leave," Leta said.
"Master, you can't make her leave," Mira protested. "She needs us right now."
"Mira is right," he said. "Leta, you are a part of our Guild, our family. And we are always here for our family. I couldn't force you out when you need our help. If I did that, it would put you into a spot where they could get the amulet. We couldn't let that happen."
"We won't let anyone hurt you, Leta," Mirajane said. "Not again."
Leta was quiet for the longest time. Mira continued to help clean the girl up, but frozen when she saw tears rolling down her cheeks. "Leta?" Mira asked, concerned for the girl. As the girl sobbed and shook slightly, Mirajane rapped her arms around her and pulled her tight. Surprisingly, Leta leaned into the comforting embrace. "I'm here for you. We all are."
"Thank you," she sobbed.
"We're not done talking about this, but you need your rest," Makarov said. "Mirajane, why don't you take Leta home? Get someone to stand guard to make sure nobody tries to get to her again."
"Uh," Leta started out. "There's a little problem with that. My apartment burnt down."
"I see," Makarov. "I'm sure was can find someone to let you temporarily stay with them." The Master turned and walked over to the door, but stopped and turned back around before opening it up to leave. "I'll ask around."
"Thank you," Leta repeated. "Thank you for everything."