Lost Echoes, part 3
The group made it a decent distance for their first day. Setting camp didn't take long. Everyone chatted around the fire. Blythe even managed to encourage Kavi to play a few songs, Ronen and Rani joining in. Yona dragged the girls to dance with her while the guys sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere. After a while, Kavi offered his guitar to Gajeel. His songs weren't quite so smooth, but they still had fun. Eventually, everyone began to settle in for the night. "I'm sleeping with Jeel-kun!", announced Blythe, cheerfully hugging his friend's arm. Gajeel sighed, knowing it was useless to argue. Yona laughed at the face he made. "Does that mean I can claim Natsu?", she teased. "I think you're all old enough to keep to your own beds", stated Kavi, reading calmly by the flames. "That never stopped you", smirked Yona. Without looking up, Kavi grinned faintly as she held her ears and fell tot he ground. "All right! I give! I'm sorry!", she wailed. Turning the page of his tome, he seemed indifferent, but Yona staggered to her feet and gave him a dirty look. Annoyed, she stormed off into the night. "Should we go after her?", asked Levy nervously. "She'll come back once she's cooled down", said Kavi, unconcerned. "What did you do?", inquired Lucy. Closing his book, he meet the gazes of the fairies. "I simply disrupted her balance. The inner ear contains fluids and tiny crystals to maintain a person's balance. I sent a mild vibration into that fluid, agitating the crystals and causing her to become disoriented. It's nothing harmful, I assure you", he explained. Taking his leave, he walked the opposite direction to enjoy another smoke.
Blythe smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Yona-chan is very hard to control and Kavi-kun does his best. He's really, very patient. It's just, sometimes she says things that upset him", he said. "She really doesn't have a filter, does she?", offered Levy, faintly grinning. Lucy chuckled, remember their misadventures together. "She really doesn't", she said. "Excuse me if I'm prying, but what made him so upset?", asked Wendy, joining the trio. Blythe quickly tried to wear his "everything's okay" smile, but it only came across as a little sad. "Kavi-kun is a complicated person. Some days he needs some help to get on. That's all", replied Blythe. Wendy sat beside him and offered a sympathetic ear. "He said you saved his life", uttered Lucy. Blythe nodded shyly. "Its not something I like to talk about, but I'll tell you if you really want to know." Thankfully, Wendy had enough empathy to sense something was wrong, despite Kavi's placid expression. Now, she felt the sadness behind Blythe's smile. He sighed and related the events as such...
Three months ago, Blythe was walking the desert near his home. He often visited the abandoned mines for nostalgia as well as seeking bounty marks that could be hiding. That day, he found a stranger. A man with dark skin and deep purple hair sat at the bottom of the basin, where Gajeel once lived with Metalicana. Blythe observed silently at first, until he say the man turn his face to the heavens and release a heart wrenching scream. He ran as fast as he could. When he skid to a halt, the man turned with tears lining his face, one shattered lens in his glasses. His tuft of beard was disheveled, as if someone had held him down into the sand. He was covered with minor wounds and a mix of his own blood, sweat, and tears. Blythe reached out slowly and asked, "Are you okay?". The man simply stared, amazed anyone was there. Blythe kneeled before him and gently wiped the blood from his face with his cloak. "I'm guessing you're a long way from home", he said, offering a kind smile. "Who are you?", asked the man cautiously. "No one important around here", chuckled Blythe. "My name is Blythe Sandrunner. And you are?" The man seemed to hesitate. Shying his gaze and tugging his torn clothing back into place, he uttered, "Kavi...Kavi Drupada." When he turned his face up once more, a beautifully warm smile awaited him. "It's very nice to meet you", said Blythe. "I live near here. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you cleaned up?", he said, offering a hand to help him up. Slowly accepting the gesture, Kavi carefully inquired, "You live with those monsters?". Blythe's innocent smile shattered. He knew what happened. "You're a mage, aren't you?...Why didn't you fight back?"
Kavi held his tongue, but his eyes said enough. Blythe grinned faintly. "You didn't want to hurt them, did you?" Kavi began to smile himself. Adjusting his broken spectacles, he said, "Just because you can harm someone doesn't mean you should." Blythe smiled whole heartedly. "You're very wise." Kavi shook the growing sense of confidence from his mind. "You should just leave me here. Go home." Kavi stared, wondering why this stranger refused to move. He took note of the dagger at Blythe's side. "May I see that?", he asked. "What do you need it for?", asked Blythe, concerned. Kavi let out a short, dark laugh. "You don't get it, do you? I came out here to die." Blythe's expression grew cold, almost angry. Kavi clenched his eyes as he strode toward him, only opening them in shock to find he was being embraced. "What are you doing?", asked Kavi, rigid and unsure. "You need this", replied Blythe, holding him tight. Kavi's body began to quiver and finally collapsed as he sobbed into Blythe's scarf. Who would have thought? What were the chances? Two strangers met in the sands of a hostile area and now they shared a bond, a hug, and each other's tears.
Blythe refused to let go until Kavi had gathered himself emotionally. "Better?", he asked, a soft grin on his lips. Kavi smiled despite himself as he wiped his face. "You didn't really come out here to die, did you?", he asked sadly. Avoiding those big eyes, Kavi replied, "Of course I did...I'm the last one of my guild...What good is a pacifist dragon slayer?". "Probably the best kind", stated Blythe. Kavi looked at him in wonder. "The power to fight is common. The wisdom of when to do so is rare", offered Blythe kindly. Kavi couldn't explain why, but this odd fellow made him feel at ease. "You won't leave me alone, will you?", he smirked. "Not a chance", beamed Blythe. Ignoring further arguments, Blythe took Kavi home with him, avoiding the villagers. He tended his wounds and listened to his story all with that warm smile of his. He never asked about the horrible scars all over Kavi's body. Once he was satisfied with his medical work, he offered his new friend a warm meal. Three bites in, Kavi broke into tears. His spoon clattered to the floor as he covered his face. "Why are you helping me?", he sobbed. "Why wouldn't I?", replied Blythe. Kavi stood and slammed his shaking hands onto the table and stared with mixed emotions. "I'm a mage, a dragon slayer. What would want with me?". Blythe's face seemed to light up. "Did you say dragon slayer?". Kavi nodded, unsure where this was going. "My best friend is a dragon slayer", beamed Blythe. Kavi slumped back into his seat. He didn't understand. This area was known for hating magic.
The night passed without incident. Over the next few days, Kavi slowly began to open up. He was from a guild known as Serpent Wing. They had been attacked by an unknown assailant, leaving everyone, but Kavi (who was out) and the guild master (who resides elsewhere) dead. He was guilt ridden by the fact he wasn't there when his friends really needed him. As time went on, he spoke more of how the guild was the only home had had since Gita, the sound dragon, had left him. Even his human family wanted him dead. Details were sketchy, but it seemed Gita had saved the young Kavi from bleeding to death at the hands of his own father. That much explained many of the scars the decorated his skin. The worst of all was the huge area of scaled skin that covered his throat. Kavi called it "Gita's first gift". Only in time would Blythe learn more.
Weeks passed and Blythe was satisfied that Kavi had sufficiently healed for travel. During their time together, Blythe had told him details of his own dark past and his destructive family. He really had no reason to stay where he was, merely waiting for his sister's next visit that may well take his life. They agreed to travel together. Kavi didn't want to leave Blythe alone in that village of tyrants and Blythe didn't want Kavi being alone and falling back into his personal darkness. Blythe told him he couldn't do any magic, but Kavi insisted it would work out. "Just come to the guild", he'd said, and so Blythe did. He was glad to help recruit new members and to have a new home that actually appreciated and cared for him. Eventually, another dragon slayer happened into town. The guild master said she must be brought into the guild, so Kavi and Blythe offered her a home. Tired of seeing the world alone, she accepted. The guild made a good place to start over. It was only later that she eventually met her ailing master. Nothing could have prepared her or Blythe for who they were going to actually meet, but once they had, a new purpose dawned over both of them. Save their master's life. Thus, at their recommendation of Fairy Tail, Kavi sent out a letter and everyone was set into motion. If they only knew what they were dragging their friends into...
To be continued...