Well, somehow I managed to break through the ever-present writer's block that enjoys haunting me for everything, and I got this chapter done! Hopefully this will keep up so I can get past the introduction ark and into the rest of the story. Enjoy!
By the way, how many of you went crazy after the last chapter? Dragons! Hell, freakin yes!
DISCLAIMER: Fairy Tail and its character belong to Hiro Mashima. I just own this story and my own characters.
Chapter 9: Cursed Twins
By the time they had returned to the village, the pain in Dia's burns had faded slightly to a dull ache. In the few times Loke had accidently jostled her she managed to not hiss or grunt when her side rubbed against his suit. It hurt a little, but she refused to let anyone know that. She didn't say anything, and the others seemed to realize that Dia didn't really talk much. So they respected that. Aglaia lay on top of Dia's head, half-asleep and tail waving lazily.
When the group passed through the Fengari's gate, the villagers caught sight of the crystal around Dia's neck and shouted out in joy. Voices rose gleefully, shouting praises. The warriors bobbed their heads in respect, women and children and elders cried and laughed and sang out their happiness. First the Dragon Slayers of Ilios had finally woken up, and now the village had its precious treasures back once more.
One small child, a little boy with black hair a bright smile, run up to them. His eyes widened in awe of the wizards, particularly once he saw Erza's armor and sword. But his smile became even brighter when he beamed up at Dia.
"Welcome back, Dia-sama," he chirped. "Phoebus-sama came back a little bit ago. Guess what?"
Looking down at the eager child, Dia didn't bother to suppress the small, genuine smile that quirked at her lips. "What, sweetheart?"
"He got the Sun back!" His skinny, twig-like arms shot up in the air as the child bounced on his feet. "And you got the Moon too, this is great! He's talking to Granny Hestia. Come one, come on, I'll show you!"
The boy tugged on the end of her sash, buzzing with excitement. Dia chuckled and nodded. "Lead the way then."
Following the little boy led everyone back to Hestia and Okeanos' house. Dia managed to convince Lucy's Spirit that he didn't need to carry her. Dia insisted that she could walk, and after Lucy closed Loke's Gate she supported Dia's weight for her. Erza helped too, and the two guild wizards helped the injured Dragon Slayer limp up the steps. Now that she was close enough, Dia could pick up the scents of her brother, Natsu, Happy, and Hestia. She could also hear talking. However, there was one other voice she couldn't match with a face she had already seen, nor a scent.
"Child, I insist," Hestia was saying. "You helped recover one of our village's treasured relics. You must allow us to show our gratitude."
The other voice was male was smooth and deep, but a little scratchy; altogether one she had never heard before. "Ma'am I assure you, there's no need. It was my guild mates that took on your request. They deserve the reward, not me. I appreciate it and all, but…"
"I know that voice…" Erza gently nudged open the front door, peering inside. "Rin, what are you doing here?"
The girls huddled inside to find Natsu and Phoebus grinning at them, and Happy sitting on the ground eating some smoked fish. Seeing her favorite snack, Aglaia leapt off Dia's shoulder and made a dive for the fish. Hestia stood not too far off, debating with a tall young man swathed in black clothing with unruly black and white hair.
Of course, it didn't take long for Phoebus to take notice of his sister's injuries. Honestly, it was hard to miss, seeing the three girls walk into living room like that. He shouted in surprise; bring Hestia's attention on her as well. Before she knew it, Dia was nabbed from Lucy and Erza and all but dropped into Hestia's rocking chair. And much to her chagrin, Hestia started fussing over her—"mother hen" mode in full swing—with a wet cloth, bandages, and a pot of salve.
"Hestia please," Dia muttered. "This isn't necessary! I'm fine."
"Don't you give me that nonsense, Diana Solaris!" Hestia pinned Dia with a stony gaze and the younger woman flinched. "Child, I have known you almost all of your life; don't think for one second that I can't tell when you're hurt. I know all the tricks, young lady and I was not born yesterday. You may fool some people with that aloof attitude of yours, but you don't fool me. Now pipe down so I can treat these burns!"
Dia knew there was no point arguing now. Once Hestia got her mind on something, she was like a dog with a bone. And she was right. Before Helios and Lumina took her in, Dia and Phoebus were raised by the Lykos family, Hestia and her daughter—Hero's mother Demeter—in particular. Hestia had known Dia ever since she was less than a year old. So unless she wanted to lose her hearing along with a layer of skin, shutting up was the best option.
I just wish it was the most painless option too. A sharp hiss escaped her lips as Hestia slathered some sort of herbal goo on her ribs. Nice to know that after fourteen years, the secret Lykos family burn salve recipe still stings like hundreds of needles jabbing your skin…
"Hard candy?"
A small, brightly colored package suddenly appeared in front of her face and Dia lurched back. It was no bigger than her hand, cardboard printed with red-and-white stripes and bearing some unfamiliar brand name. The Dragon Slayer scowled at the owner of the hand that held out the sweets, perplexed. Underneath that curtain of bone-white hair, it was impossible to tell where he was looking, but Dia had the impression that this new stranger was staring down at her.
"What?"
The stranger flipped open the lid of the box and showed it to her. Small round candies the size of marbles rolled around inside the package, tempting her with their multi-colored sugary allure. He grabbed her wrist and held out Dia's hand, palm up, and poured a few out for her.
"Do you always carry boxes of candy with you?" Dia stared down at the sweets in her hand. The dark-haired teen shrugged.
"You sound beat and candy's pretty handy for a quick pick-me-up," he reasoned, popping one into his mouth. "Go ahead and eat them. It'll do you some good."
Out of nowhere, Aglaia jumped down on Dia's head, grinning ear to ear.
"You just said the magic words," she giggled. "If there's one thing Dia likes, its sweets!"
"Quiet, Aglaia," the Moon Dragon Slayer muttered embarrassedly. Her Exceed just laughed.
Meanwhile, Phoebus and Natsu made their way over. Grinning, the blond Dragon Slayer took a seat next to his sister and snatched one of the candies from her hand. After hearing no objections, he tossed it in his mouth and chomped down.
"That's right, we need to introduce you two. Sis, this is Rin. He's another member of Fairy Tail. Rin, this is my sister Dia."
"Nice to meet you." Rin bobbed his head in greeting while Dia simply grunted hers.
"Wendy, Carla, Hero, and Gray haven't returned?" Natsu shook his head at Erza's question.
"Nah, no sign of the girls or Ice Princess."
"Do you think they got lost in the tunnels?" Lucy asked.
Rin slipped the candy back into one of his jacket pockets and retrieved a metal staff from over by the fireplace. "I'll go look for them. See you in a bit."
Dia watched as he strapped his staff into the strap across his back. She was perplexed by this strange guild wizard. She didn't understand how he gave off no scent, and the fact that she couldn't see his face under that mop he called "hair" made her wary. She had no idea what to make of him.
When he left, Dia thought she had imagined it. One second, Rin had been standing in the shadows of the Lykos' entryway. The next second, he just sunk into them. It was like he has fallen through deep water, and the shadows swallowed him up. And then the shadows themselves vanished, as if they had never been there in the first place. Dia had never seen anything like it.
"Huh, so Rin can do that too." Phoebus whistled. "Shadow magic is kind of cool."
"Good lord, the end is nigh after all. Phoebus—the Shinning Sun—admits that shadows are actually cool. What's next, Aglaia losing her wings for a fish tail?" Phoebus rolled his eyes at his twin's dry remarks.
"Be nice, Sis. Rin was a real help. See?" Phoebus pulled the Sun Lacrima out from under his bandana, and the two crystals glowed brightly as they came together, gold and silver light filling the room. The twins shared a smile.
"We did it." Phoebus beamed as brightly as the crystals.
"Mother and Father would be proud." Dia looked up. "Fairy Tail…"
"Thank you." The twins spoke in unison, each showing their gratitude in their own way, with Phoebus' ear-to-ear smile and Dia's quick bob of her head and grateful gaze.
"No problem," Natsu grinned. "Anything to help out a couple of Dragon Slayers!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy cheered, while Lucy turned to Hestia.
"I feel kind of bad though. One of the wizards got way," she apologized. "But we did learn that it was Succubus Eye responsible."
The old woman shook her head. "Don't worry, dear. According to Phoebus and the boys, the thief they were fighting escaped as well. From the sounds of it, his partner bailed the boy out…But you accomplished the task, and we are very grateful for your help. You have our thanks."
"I just don't understand what a dark guild like Succubus Eye would want with two lacrima," Erza wondered. "I can understand a treasure hunting guild, but what would this guild in particular want? What is so important about these lacrima, if I may ask?"
A very good question, Lucy thought. Besides the funny light show, I don't understand what's so special about those two crystals. If anything, they look like they have more sentimental value than monetary value…
Hestia sighed, rubbing the pad of her thumb across the beads on her necklace. "It is not my place to say, my dear. While the Sun and Moon have been regarded as some of our village's most treasured relics, their real importance is only known by a select few. If you wish to know," The old woman's dark green eyes moved to the left. "You might want to ask Dia or Phoebus."
"They know?"
"Of course. The lacrima came from Helios and Lumina, both of whom treated the twins as their own children. They were—"
"WHAT?!"
Lucy and Erza started, whirling around. Dia had leapt out of her chair, holding her side. Candy rolled along the floor at her feet. Her outburst had drawn all attention on her and she quickly withdrew back into her distant, aloof shell. But that did little to hide how obviously alarmed she was. Her shout had been piercing, filled with shock and—surprisingly—a little bit of terror. Her body was tense, riddled with tension like a stretched rubber band about to snap. She shook slightly and her eyes, which had been wide with panic, shifted around quickly. She looked like a caged animal.
"W-What…are you saying?"
Natsu blinked. "All I was saying was that you two should join our guild…?"
"Join…Fairy Tail? Y-your guild…?" Then it happened again. Dia lost her composure and that same strange aura Erza noticed before was back, only this time without the glowing eye. Dia gripped the locks of hair at her temples tightly, arms shaking as her body trembled.
"N-No…I can't…Not again…"
Phoebus frowned worriedly, reaching out to his sister. "Dia, calm down for a second…"
"No!" she shouted. "I can't do this again!"
Dia shoved past her brother, sprinting down the hallway and out the door, Phoebus and Aglaia calling out for her to wait. Her footsteps pounded heavily across the floor and as the Dragon Slayer ran past Lucy, the blonde swore she saw tears dripping down her cheeks. She looked fearful and panic-stricken, but her eyes looked dull and slightly dazed, like she was stuck inside her own head. Lucy got the impression that whatever Dia was seeing, it was something other than what was actually in front of her. A distant and painful memory of past events she would rather forget.
Dia opened the door with a slam and bolted down the steps. In her haste, she barely avoided crashing Hero and Gray, who were just starting up the steps with Wendy, Carla, and Rin behind them. As two of the wizards jumped out of the way, the other three watched as the snowette fled into the trees. Her white and blue figure disappeared into the forest foliage before anyone could begin to chase after her.
"What was that about?" Gray looked to Natsu, who came rushing out of the house with the others. Phoebus leapt over the railing, tripping as he fell. The blond slammed to the ground, smacking his chin against the rock.
"Diana! Stop, come back!"
"Dia!" Aglaia had tumbled off of Phoebus' shoulder as he fell. Lucky for her, Hero's golem, Lycaon, caught the Exceed by her skirt before she could hit her head. The brown-furred dog deposited her down next to Happy and Carla and pawed the dust from the feline's tail.
"All I did was ask if you two wanted to join the guild," Natsu mumbled confusedly. "What did I do wrong there?"
Phoebus pushed himself up; catching the hand that Gray offered him to get back on his feet. All eyes turned to him, looking for answers. The blond shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his messy hair.
"It didn't have anything to do with you, Natsu," he said hastily. "Please, don't get the wrong impression of my sister."
"She was acting pretty weird ever since she woke up," Lucy pointed out. "She totally freaked out when she figured out we were guild wizards. What does she have against guilds?"
"And what was that just there?" Rin gestured to the path Dia ran down. "She sounded panicked; I could hear her hyperventilating as she ran past me. I'm guessing a traumatic experience left an unfavorable impression on her, correct?"
"Ah, yeah." Phoebus blinked, head titled to the side. "When we were younger, like nine or ten…I guess, this hasn't been the first time dark guilds have come here…"
Phoebus walked over to a nearby tree and leaned up against it, arms crossed over his chest. He stared down at the ground, a shadow cast over his face emphasizing the dark scowl that suddenly appeared. Phoebus' had suddenly vanished, swallowed up by a dark cloud of anger.
"They came here, at night," he growled venomously, "and kidnapped Dia. They took her away when she was at her weakest. The Lunar Eclipse…My sister was kidnapped and I didn't do anything. I didn't even realize it!"
Hestia placed a hand on the raging teen's shoulder. It had a calming effect on him and he relaxed visibly. However, his voice still had the hard, steely edge to it.
"I don't know the whole story about what happened there, but Dia hasn't been the same since. Mom and Dad took me to the mainland to get her back, and clearly we did…Dia told me—after I found her—that some wizards had taken her to some sort of black market. Those bastards were going to sell my sister for some project…building something…some sort of tower…"
"The Tower of Heaven…" Erza gasped, and she felt anger rise in his chest. Dia had narrowly escaped a life of enslavement and terror. The one she had managed to survive.
"Just like Erza," Natsu snarled. "Bastards!"
Phoebus nodded. "Dia managed to escape somehow, and I found her, along with Aglaia, who had been newly hatched at the time. She wasn't that injured, except for a few scratches and bruises, but I could tell something happened. Dia has been really paranoid about being around wizard guilds and their members ever since. I couldn't push her, but I always had this feeling that something was bothering her all these years. She's my big sister, after all…"
Phoebus slumped down, sitting on the ground and lifting his eyes. He looked upset, guilty.
"I think Dia thinks that she's curse or something. She doesn't show it, but she really cares about people! Something happened back then, and now she thinks that whenever she's near guild wizards, bad things happen. Sometimes…Sometimes I wonder if that's my fault. I'm the one with the constant bad luck, after all…"
It wouldn't surprise him. Bad things always happened to him. Falling off of bridges, heavy objects falling down on him. Once, he'd nearly been skewered by a stray spear that got hit by a gust of wind! He had rotten luck, and it would fit his luck to pass some over to his sister as well.
"But that's silly," Wendy protested. "You can't just give someone your bad luck."
Hero was tossing some of her pebbles up in the air, a no-nonsense frown glazing over her features. "So what you're saying is that Dia-sama thinks something bad is gonna happen because she's near you guys. And you think she's like this because of your bad luck, is that right? Dude, come on! How stupid can ya get?"
"Hero!" Hestia frowned sternly at her granddaughter.
"You can't give someone your bad luck! It's been more than twenty-four hours that Dia-sama's been around you guys, time spent in the lacrima included. Nothing bad's happened, right? For whatever reason, Dia-sama's been hurting badly all these years. She's gonna continue to hurt unless somebody does something about it."
Hero gestured emphatically with her hands, gesturing wildly. "Dia-sama's an emotional mess right now, and for all we know those Succubus Eye wizards could still be on the island! We've gotta go find her before she does something stupid, or gets herself into trouble!"
Standing in front of the blond Dragon Slayer, Hero grabbed his hand and dragged him back up. "Come on. Let's go get your sister, Phoebus."
Phoebus looked down at the hand holding his and back up to the smile she was giving him. His heart did this strange jump in his chest seeing those leaf-green eyes sparkle in the sunlight. He didn't know it, but his cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink.
"I, uh…Um…"
Down on the ground, Happy glanced at Phoebus, grinned, and then snickered.
"He liiikes her!" Aglaia nodded and Carla sighed exaspheredly.
"Come on then." Rink started off in the direction Dia ran in, twirling his staff between his fingers, making musical little thuds as metal beat against the ground. He didn't wait for the others to follow him, but he was walking slow enough that he was still close enough to call back to the others.
"Let's go find us a Dragon Slayer."
Dia's odd actions stem from horrible past experiences, but is her kidnapping the whole story? Tune in next time!
Leave me a review and let me know what you think. And hopefully another chapter will be up soon!
BYE!
