Chapter Three
Although Ammy enjoyed the noise and excitement of the guild, she often found herself searching for a peaceful place to sit and rest. Her favorite spot was behind the guildhall on the shore of the sea. She would sit on a rock and dip her toes into the warm water, gazing out at the rolling, blue waves. The sea breeze caressed the young girl's face, gently brushing her silky hair back behind her ears. The shrieking of the gulls and the crashing of the waves were the only sounds to be heard as she sat there, drinking in the scent of the ocean.
"I thought I might find you here," a familiar voice called out. Ammy turned her face away from the sea to find Master Makarov standing behind her. The squat old man wore his usual cape and fairy tail shirt, holding his staff in one hand.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked.
Ammy shook her head, scooting over on the rock to give Makarov room to sit. The Master plopped down with a huff and set his staff down beside him. They sat there in companionable silence, enjoying the afternoon sun for some time before Makarov spoke.
"It's been a few months since you joined Fairy Tail, Ammy. How are you liking guild life?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the sea.
"I love it here," Ammy said, still having to think about her words. She was becoming pretty adept at the language, but she was still learning. "Fairy Tail... Everyone is friends, and we are free to... to do what we want," she explained with a smile, but that smile faded as she gazed out at the horizon, "It's so different than Nippon."
"Don't you miss your home?" asked Makarov.
Ammy thought for a moment, "Yes... And no. It's not mattering though, because I cannot go back."
"Oh, and why is that?" asked the master trivially, as if he were asking why she had decided to eat a chocolate cake instead of a strawberry one.
There was silence. Ammy stared hard at her feet, her eyes dark and her hands clenched in her lap. Memories swirled in her head like a roaring typhoon. Her ears rang with sounds only she could hear. Pictures swam before her eyes: darkness, blood, water. A chill crept down her back like a spider made of ice. Then she shook her head slowly, tendrils of hair concealing her eyes as she continued her silence.
"If you don't want to talk about it," Makarov said after a few minutes, "then you don't have to. Although Fairy Tail may seem to be full of carefree wizards, each of us carries our own burdens. We laugh and joke, get drunk, fight, and pass out, but all of us are hiding sadness behind our smiles and tears behind our laughter. There is not one among us who does not bear the scars of the past on their heart.
"If you don't wish to share your past, no one alive can make you, Ammy. Wherever you've been, you are free to choose the path you will take from here. Your future is in your own hands. You are a Fairy Tail wizard now, and we are your family. This is your home. Don't you ever forget that."
At this, she turned her face upwards to look at the master. Her hair fell away, revealing huge tears welling in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. She sniffled pitifully, holding back sobs
"Ah - now, you don't have to cry," he smiled nervously, waving his arms.
The small girl ignored him and wept openly, wrapping her arms around the master, who bristled at first, but then returned her hug. He patted her head as she wept into his shoulder.
After a few moments, she mumbled something into his coat. "What was that, Ammy?" he asked.
She removed her tear stained face from his shoulder, "T-thank you, M-m-master," Ammy sniffled.
Makarov chuckled, patting her head again, "Ammy, call me Gramps. 'Master' sounds too formal coming from you."
Ammy laughed, smiling through her tears, "Alright, Gramps."
"Now c'mon, let's get back to the guild, shall we? I'm sure Lisanna's missing you, and I could use a drink myself."
The two stood up and walked back to the guildhall; Ammy held tightly onto the master's hand as he lead them back into the place that they both called home.
(End of Chapter Three)
A/N: Hi, guys! Sorry this chapter was a day late and short; I am a bit busy. Hope you enjoyed it, and please leave me a review of what you thought! What past is Ammy running from? And how did it bring her to Fairy Tail? Find out next week! (Maybe hehe!) -NightWing97
