Authors Note
Neko-Chan: As ever I have worked hard on this chapter so I hope you enjoy it! Also Fairy Tail and all its characters belong to Hiro Mashima, do I have to keep putting this at the beginning of every chapter, I honestly don't know, could someone please let me know? :3
Chapter 6: The Branded Ones
Master Makarov P.O.V
I was relaxing in my office while absentmindedly flipping through the pages of the latest edition of Sorcerer Weekly for...research purposes (Yeah let's go with that), when Wendy burst into my office with a terrified expression on her face.
"My child what ever is the matter," I asked, trying not to let the annoyance at being interrupted from my...research show.
"The Thompson sisters are Council property!" Wendy said, I was confused...property?
"What do you mean Wendy?" I asked, possible situations running around my head, none of them had a good outcome.
"Master...they're branded, they've got the little crown and two swords right above they're hearts," she replied, I shivered, they really were...property, the word felt disgusting.
"Do you know what this means my child?" I asked. Wendy shook her head.
"Just that they...well...belong to the Council," Wendy said hesitantly, she must just be starting to catch on, I thought sympathetically.
"They belong to the Council, they are, to the Council at least, nothing more than tools," I said. Wendy looked shocked at the idea.
"Then they must be here for a reason, the Council must have sent them," Wendy said. I nodded in reply.
"We must keep a close eye on them, we must also tell a few guild members about the situation, so the Thompson's don't get suspicious, most of all Wendy..." I said , pausing momentarily.
"Yes Master?" Wendy said expectantly.
"Show them what it means to be alive," I said softly, however I knew Wendy's dragon slayer hearing would pick it up. Wendy nodded and walked out of my office, most likely to gather up her teammates to inform them of the situation. I felt nothing but pity go those girls, even I they were spies, nobody deserved to be a slave to the Council, what those girls had been through I didn't know. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to anymore. However something deep inside me was saying that they weren't to be pitied, that they were nothing but trouble. I chose to push those thoughts down...after all they couldn't be that bad...right?
~Timeskip, mwhahahaha!~
Erza P.O.V
After Wendy tearfully informed us of the situation my blood was boiling, to put it lightly. They were slaves, I could understand better than anyone how that felt, I didn't want anyone to have to go through that. However, it was not a good idea to start a war with the Council, no matter how much my heart was telling me to. I looked over to my other teammates who all looked ready to explode, they seemed to be calming down slightly though.
"Well everyone, we know what we must do, whether it is morally wrong to us or not," my team mumbled in halfhearted agreement. "However, believe me when I say that the Council will not go unpunished for their sins, one day we shall make them pay penance," that remark was greeted with cheers, no th at the prospect of a fight and moral justice.
"Erza, do you think we should take them on a mission or something, observe them you know," Gray said in a hushed whisper, while hiding behind a pillar as he noticed a very angry looking Mira coming towards him. But that did little to no good. She grabbed him by the ear, as he wasn't wearing a shirt, and transformed into her most powerful Satan Soul.
"I hear you have been sabotaging my ships as a joke," Mira growled, God there was the ever feared matchmaker. Gray frantically shook his head. "Am I laughing?" Mira said threateningly. Gray once again shook his head before Mira hauled his across the room and transformed back to normal, a menacing look in her eyes warning the entire guild not to mess with her ships. I sighed, slinging Gray over my shoulder and leading our team toward the request board.
Juvia P.O.V
Juvia awoke in the Fairy Tail infirmary, or so she assumed, in a bed opposite Lucy and next to Marta. She got out of bed to see Lucy sit up in unison with Marta, it was actually quite creepy.
"We tied again," Lucy said, jumping out of bed, before walking over to Marta and despite much protesting dragged her towards the door. "Are you coming Juvia?"
"Where to?" Juvia asked.
"We need to get our guild marks, otherwise we aren't official members, something dumb like that," Lucy said unenthusiastically.
"Juvia will come, we don't have much other choice," Juvia said winking subtly at Lucy, who smiled evilly. You never knew when the Council was watching, and we were playing their little game after all, it was turning out to be quite fun.
We stepped out into the main room and were greeted by many grinning faces and cheers, Juvia had never seen so many sincere smiles, she wasn't sure if she ever had. The crowd parted to allow us access to the bar were the whitette barmaid, Juvia believes she was called Mira, at least that was what Gray was whispering over and over in fear. She beckoned us forward.
"So, where would you like your guild mark?!" Mira said with a dazzling smile. Lucy unenthusiastically flopped her right hand on the bar, she probably didn't have the energy to pretend to be excited.
"What colour?" Mira asked.
"Surprise me," Lucy said with a tired voice, however she did manage a small smile when the stamp was pressed against her skin. Mira lifted the stamp to reveal a PINK guild mark, it was too good Juvia fell on the floor, laughing for the first time in years.
"PINK!" Juvia screeched, "PINK!" The entire guild was staring at Juvia now, looking back and forth between her and Lucy who was staring down at her hand in horror, before they all started cracking up as well. Juvia eventually gained her composure and Lucy recovered from the horror and sent a death glare towards Juvia that she couldn't take seriously. It was Juvia's turn next. Before Mira could say anything Juvia hopped onto the edge of the bar and gestured to the top of her left leg. Mira pressed the stamp into her flesh and gave Juvia a deep blue guild mark. Juvia leapt off of the bar and gestured for Marta to go next. Lucy had to drag Marta to the edge of the bar, Juvia believes that a tattoo ruining her perfect skin wasn't Marta's favourite idea. However with her superior strength Lucy slammed the wailing Marta, who was probably getting on her nerves, onto the bar and pinned her down.
"Right collar bone please, colour doesn't matter," Lucy growled, the last statement just caused Marta to wail louder. Marta still didn't seem like she belonged with us, she cared about her looks and on occasion she would even smile. Juvia didn't understand how she belonged with us, even after a decade of festering away in a cell with her. Marta has always been the closest thing to a normal human being everyone in the facility had, despite the enormous ego and the vanity she was normal.
Mira stared momentarily at Marta and then pressed the stamp onto Marta's collar bone, when she removed it, a deep green Fairy Tail symbol was emblazoned there. Marta stopped wailing immediately after and admired it.
"Wow, I look gorgeous," she said. Erza then approached us.
"Me and my team were wondering if you would like to take on this mission with us," the redheaded knight said. Marta was about to decline the offer and boast about her almighty power when Lucy elbowed her in the ribs.
"We would love to," Lucy said, putting all the energy she could muster into those four words.
"Juvia agrees, it would be great experience!" Juvia said, putting as much enthusiasm as she could into her voice, while still feeling sore from her fight with Lucy. The entire team before us cheered, little did they know this was exactly what we needed to complete our mission, gain the Council's trust and destroy the Council once and for all. Some people are so naive.
Erza P.O.V
They agreed to go on a mission with us, but due their tiredness their enthusiasm was mediocre at best. I could tell they didn't want to, they probably didn't trust them, it would take a while but I hoped to get through to them, as did the rest of our team. Nobody deserved to live a 'soulless life' as Wendy put it, I knew we could do it, show them what it means to be alive. And if that was all we were currently allowed to do for them, we'd do it to the best of our ability!
Another Authors Note
Neko-Chan: If you enjoyed please review, also do so if you didn't, I'm always up for some constructive criticism, I hope to see you awesome people in the next chapter, bye!