Authors Note: So here's chapter 2, it took a little longer than I'd hoped, but I hope that every one enjoys it. I'll try to have up the next chapter by next week so if you have any recommendation or ideas, feel free to send me a message. Other wise, enjoy.
"So he still doesn't recognize you?" Erza's question distracted the small woman, causing her to lose her concentration and slam her hammer into the tip of her finger instead of the end of the nail. Instantly, pain shot down her arm and she yelped, sticking the injured appendage in her mouth before shooting the scarlet haired woman a glare. Instead of looking contrite, she simply starred back at Gaia. Sighing, she removed her finger from her mouth and got off of the ladder to retrieve her hammer.
"No, but he's always been kind of dense, I think it's a dragon slayer thing because Natsu hasn't recognized me either," Mirajane giggled, handing a small ice pack to Gaia, who gave her a grateful smile before placing it on the injured finger, which was starting to turn an ugly shade of purple.
"I thought for sure he would have recognized you when he knocked you down," Gaia laughed nervously, shrugging.
"Well, it has been a long time, I'm sure I look very different from when I was 10," Gaia smiled, trying to show that it didn't hurt, but at Mirajane and Erza's expression she knew that she hadn't succeeded. She smiled at the two before looking up at the roof of the small cabin, hoping that they would drop the subject.
"It looks a lot better now doesn't it?" the two women gave her a look that said the conversation wasn't over before looking up at their work.
"I still can't believe that you bought all of this land just for one run down cabin." Gaia chuckled, taking the ice off of her finger and wrapping it up.
"I'm a nature mage, Erza, I love being by surrounded nature. Plus this was the only place available for a reasonable price, when they saw that I was in Fairy Tail, the rent went up." Gaia could see the rage build in her friend's expressions and before they could get too angry, she smiled.
"I guess that just means I was meant to buy this place, huh?" Mirajane laughed, patting her friends head while Erza huffed. Gaia clapped her hands together, smiling as the red-head jerked.
"Okay, now let's see if that roof is actually leak proof now," Mirajane smiled before nodding and walking into the small house, pulling a grumpy Erza behind her. When they were both inside, Gaia closed her eyes and took a deep breath before focusing her magic around the house. Dark clouds gathered above them before it started to pour down on the cabin. She let it rain for a few minutes before dispelling the magic and letting the rain clear up. Gaia took a deep breath to get rid of the effects of using the unfamiliar magic as Mirajane and Erza exited the house. The white-haired woman smiled, holding up a thumb and Erza nodded.
"Not a leak in sight." Gaia smiled in relief. She didn't want to spend another night running around the house emptying rain buckets. After such a long time away from home, and a decent bed, all she really wanted to do was sleep, which brought her to another point. She still didn't have a proper bed. The one that had come with the cabin was flat and dusty, with a disgusting smell emanating from it and a small family of mice living in one corner. That was the first thing to go, after she moved the mice into another home of course. She straightened, taking a deep breath of the clean, crisp air.
"Fantastic, now all that's left is to get a bed," Erza perked up at the mention of shopping, something that Gaia had learned that she actually enjoyed during the month she'd been back. They had already gone shopping for all other kinds of furniture like a couch and dressers, but they hadn't yet bought a bed to match.
"Well, we don't know how long that will take, so let's go," Gaia chuckled as Erza grabbed her arm and started to pull her down the long walk that led to town before a small cough behind them made Erza freeze and turn slowly.
"Don't you think we should all change first, Erza?" Erza huffed, letting go of the shorter woman's arm.
"Fine, change quickly," Gaia smiled at her friend before darting into her house with Mirajane so that the two could change while Erza merely re-equipped clean clothes. Mirajane changed back into her normal dress and Gaia huffed, just staring into her closet at the multitude of flowy, girly dresses that Erza and Mirajane had bullied her into buying.
"Why not try this one?" Gaia looked over at Mirajane who was pulling out a pale green handkerchief dress. She stared at the dress for a moment before shrugging and taking it from Mira's hand. She tugged the dress over her head before looking into the full length mirror hanging from her door. She quickly pulled her mass of wavy copper hair into a ponytail with pieces framing her face before nodding and slipping on a pair of low strappy heels. She turned and put her arms out for Mirajane, who cooed and smiled.
"You look so pretty! Okay let's go, I think we've made Erza wait long enough," Gaia laughed and grabbed her messenger bag before following after the white-haired take over mage out of the door. Erza looked up at them before nodding and grabbing their wrists and dragging the two of them towards town. Gaia laughed at her friend's eager attitude even as she struggled to keep up in her heels. After making it into town in record time, Gaia collapsed into a nearby bench with Mirajane as they tried to catch their breath. Erza frowned down at them.
"I thought you were supposed to be an S-class mage Gaia?" Gaia stuck her tongue out at the mage who scoffed.
"All I need is a minute Erza, and then I'll be okay." Mirajane laughed as Gaia took a deep breath and rolled her ankle to ease the stiffness from when she broke it a few years ago. She relaxed for a few seconds before smiling as she heard the tapping of a shoe. Sighing, she cracked her eyes to raise an eyebrow at her impatient friend.
"Okay, Erza, I'm done," Immediately, the tapping stopped as Gaia stood followed by Mirajane, who brushed off her dress. Before either of them was truly ready to go, Erza was off, walking quickly towards the only furniture shop in the town that sold beds. Gaia and Mira traded amused looks before quickly following after their friend.
By time they found a bed that Erza approved of, the sun was beginning to set, casting the entire town of magnolia in a golden rosy glow. Gaia sighed, stretching her arms over her head as she took a deep breath. The scent of cinnamon tickled her senses as she bid goodbye to her friends and began the long walk back home. Again, cinnamon wafted past her on the breeze and she groaned, changing her direction and walking towards the small bakery. What will one little slice of tiramisu matter? Gaia ducked into the small shop and smiled at the elderly woman behind the counter.
"You're out a little late, dear. What can I get you?" Gaia took a deep breath, taking in the scents of coffee, bread and the ever-present cinnamon.
"Do you still make tiramisu?" The woman smiled, nodding.
"We just took a batch out of the oven, would you like a piece?" Gaia nodded, smiling as she pulled out her wallet while the woman prepared a small box of the dessert. Gaia traded the jewels for the box and bid the woman goodbye before slipping it into her messenger bag and exiting the shop.
"I told you we should have gone with my plan, then we wouldn't have been surrounded like that. I'm still trying to get the goop out of my hair," Gaia frowned at the odd comment before looking up and spotting the owner. It was the woman named Evergreen who was glaring at the green haired mage named Freed while their team-mate, a tall man named Bickslow, walked behind them with Laxus following a short distance behind them.
"And I'm telling you that seducing the guards would not have worked," Gaia couldn't smother the laugh that bubbled up at their conversation. The group stopped walking and Evergreen turned to glare at her.
"Is something funny?" Gaia held up her hands in a defensive gesture.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," Evergreen glared at her but cracked a smile as Gaia let out an undignified squeak as she was lifted into the air.
"Long time, no see shrimp," Gaia frowned a Bickslow, even as her cheeks colored into a brilliant blush as his 'babies' chanted the word "Shrimp" behind him. She'd always hated it when people picked her up. It made her feel weak, something that was strange for an S-class mage.
"Put me down Bickslow," The tall man smiled at her before slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She growled before realizing what she'd done and taking a deep breath. Even though she and Bickslow had become fast friends since she'd arrived back in town, sometimes she wanted to smack him and his babies silly. She looked up at a snort and into the orange eyes of Laxus. He stared at her for a minute before looking away as Bickslow set her on her feet and smiled down at her.
"Were you headed back to the Guild hall?" Gaia laughed and shook her head, causing her ponytail to tickle her back as it swayed.
"No, I just spent the entire day with Erza and Mirajane looking for a bed, I was heading home but I wanted to swing by the bakery. I haven't had their tiramisu in years, but they've always made the best," Gaia patted her bag where the small box was before looking up at the ever darkening sky. "But I really should get home before it gets too dark, so I'll see you tomorrow." Bickslow ruffled her hair and she swatted it away before smiling at him and spinning around to walk towards her home.
"Wait." Gaia paused at the deep voice that she had waited so long to hear. Steeling her nerves, she turned towards him with a smile.
"Yes?" He stared at her for what seemed like an hour but was probably only a few seconds before taking a step forward.
"That scar on your back. How did you get it?" Gaia frowned, touching her shoulder where she knew the scar rested. It was actually very beautiful, one long scar that wove down her back with smaller one branching off in a pattern that looked like vines weaving across her skin. She smiled at him, hoping that maybe this would get him to remember her.
"When I was four," she took a breath and looked him in the eye, "I was struck by lightning."