Chapter 10: Sisters
"She did get beat up pretty bad, but thanks to Wendy's healing, any major injuries are ok. She could have been hurt a lot worst, but even without her magic, it seems her body held up well enough. Always has to be the tough one…"
The normal crew, along with the Master, stood in the infirmary room around the sleeping Dragon Slayer, listening as Mirajane spoke. Three days had passed since the attack, but the child still had not woken up.
"How long do you think she will sleep?" Lisanna asked.
"Well, from what you told me, she might be out for a while." Said the Master. "She went from having magic, to taking an emotional blow and losing it, then right back to using it, in a great amount might I add, upon its return. She unlocked a strong part of her magic. She is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Dragon Soul…to use a Secret Dragon Slayer Art at such a young age…"
"It all happened so quickly." Wendy spoke, holding Carla close. "I knew something with her magic was different the moment it returned. It was stronger than I ever felt."
"I could feel it, too." Natsu said, Happy sitting on his shoulder.
"Her whole body…it…changed." Lucy added. "She wasn't herself anymore.
"The true power of the Daughter of Atlas Flame…" Gray murmured.
They were all silent for a moment as they remembered that day.
"Is it really normal for her to be out this long?" Wendy asked.
Makarov nodded.
"You've seen Natsu sleep for a while after using too much magic." Lucy told the twelve year old, trying to comfort her. "She'll be ok."
Looking back at the sleeping girl, Lucy's eyes also fell upon the scarlet haired woman that sat beside her.
"Erza…"
The mage, who had been silent this whole time, sat beside Hikari, her hand in the child's as she slept, a worried look on her face.
"Erza…she is going to be all right." Lucy said again, her voice soft. "You know she will."
"I know…" she said quietly. "Just…"
The woman went silent again, squeezing Hikari's hand a little more. Yes, she knew her child would be all right, but her heart wouldn't ease until those brown eyes opened.
"Bet you she'll freak when she sees she's in the infirmary. You know how she gets when she's forced to get bandaged up and stuff." A few giggled at Lisanna's words, the mood lightening up a bit. "Didn't she throw you a string of curses the very first time you bandaged her up Erza?"
This caused the woman to smile a little, the memory floating into her mind as it if happened yesterday.
"Oh yes, that she did." She replied. "I don't even think she breathed in between sentences with how much she was saying to me."
"And do you remember the amount of curses she'd throw every time you would try and hug her in public?" Mirajane asked with a smirk. "She always has something to say."
"She's a fierce little thing." Lucy said.
"I used to wonder where she got all her energy from." Makarov said after.
"I remember the time she threw the chair at Natsu…" Gray added.
"Gray you bastard! Shut up!"
The crowd giggled again at the memories. Mirajane, who was standing near Erza, walked a little closer, placing her hand on the woman's shoulder and squeezing it gently.
"But she did change over time. She started to let you take care of her, and she did love the affection you gave even if she would still yell at you if you or anyone did it in public, but even that changed too towards the end."
Erza nodded, remembering the day Hikari jumped into her arms and hugged her in front of everyone. It was also the day she spoke to her about the adoption…about wanting to keep her and having her take her last name. It had been a happy day right up until the news of Gaimeka came. Everything went downhill after that, Hikari even claiming she didn't want the woman to be her Mother anymore after Yuki died. She even believed for a bit of time that was true. It was Mirajane that knocked the sense back into Erza, though, the woman did still have a few worries.
"Do you think she'll still want to be mine?"
The whole room went silent, Mirajane cocking an eyebrow at the question.
"You're kidding me…right?" she asked.
Erza looked back at the woman, her eyes a bit sad as she spoke.
"Well I mean, she's probably still hurt about Yuki. And well, you know…"
"Erza…she called you Mother." Lucy pointed. "And she said she loved you."
"I know, but-"
"And though she is probably still hurting about Yuki, she knows it's ok to come to everyone…to come to you." Lisanna told her. "She called everyone family before we started fighting Gaimeka, remember?"
"I do, just-"
"No ifs, ands, justs, or buts…anything." Mirajane told her. "You don't even need to be asking that question. You know very well she still wants to be yours. She is yours."
Erza quieted her excuses after that, looking up at the white haired female meekly.
"Yeah…sorry…I was just-"
"Erza…"
The newest voice shocked everyone, their gaze now on the young brunette. The girl was stirring in her sleep, her brows furrowed as if something was bothering her.
"Is she waking?" Wendy asked.
"I don't know." The Master replied.
Hikari continued to stir, the girl mumbling out a few inaudible words.
"It looks like she is having a bad dream." Lucy said.
"Er…za…"
Erza squeezed the girl's hand a little tighter, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead gently.
"I'm here, my Hikari." She whispered into her ear. "Don't be afraid. I'm right here."
This seemed to do the trick; Hikari's stirring easing up a bit, her look softening as well.
"And if you need any more proof, you got It right then." Mirajane told her. "Of all the people she could cry out for in her sleep, she cried for you. It's you she wants, Erza. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
She was right. She didn't. No matter what little fears floated in her mind, she had to tell herself to ignore them. That she needn't be afraid. Hikari was her little girl…there was no doubt about that. She didn't need to worry anymore…she didn't need to wonder.
"Hikari…"
Regardless of who was around, Erza made her move anyways, lifting the covers Hikari was under and slipping beneath them, pulling the sleeping girl into her arms. If there were any more frightening images in Hikari's mind as she slept, they were gone now, Erza's warmth, as usual, pushing them away, the crew smiling as Hikari calmed down completely.
"She's your." Mirajane told her. "All yours."
"She is…" Erza whispered, snuggling the girl close. "You're mine, Hikari. My daughter. You don't need to be afraid anymore. I'm here…right here, and I always will be."
Four days later
"That scent…I know that scent…"
"Erza…"
"I'm here, my Hikari..."
"That voice…"
"Er…za…"
"Don't be afraid. I'm right here."
"And that warmth…that warmth…"
Hikari gasped and sat up, breathing heavily as she did so. The remnants of the dream still floated in her mind, the scents and feelings still surrounding her. For a dream, it was quite vivid.
"Ouch…" Moving a bit, she found her body to be a little sore, and as she looked down, she saw her left arm had been bandaged up, a few scratches and bruises on her other arm as well. Shifting in the bed again, she winced, her body achy.
"In…bed?"
Indeed in bed she was, dressed in fresh night clothing. Looking up now, she peered around the room, eyes squinting as they slowly became adjusted to the light.
"I was wondering when you would wake."
Hikari jumped at the sound of the voice, turning to the side and spotting a smiling and familiar looking white haired female.
"M…Mira-nee?"
Mirajane reached out and slipped her hand into Hikari's, pulling out the arm that was not bandaged and looking at it.
"Seems like your wounds are healing pretty quickly. We can thank Wendy for that."
Hikari's brows furrowed a little as she listened, her grogginess leaving her slightly confused.
"W…wounds?"
"That was a pretty intense fight. He was a hard demon to beat, but…he's gone now. We don't have to worry about him anymore."
"Demon…"
Mira looked at the child now with some slight worry.
"Hikari, don't you remember what happened?"
Once her grogginess wore off, things slowly started coming back to her. The note she left Erza, running away, her encounter with Mirajane, finding the demon, and…"
"Erza!" She said suddenly, panic now filling her. "Okaasan! Where is she? Mira-nee where is-"
"Shhh. Shhh. It's ok." She quickly wrapped her arms around the young child. "She's ok. Everyone is all right. I promise."
"Where is she?"
"Back at home sleeping. I sent her away and told her I would watch over you for now."
She fell into Mira's hug a little more, her panic level still high and her mind now racing with everything that happened. Gaimeka, Erza, Yuki.
"Yuki…"
She thought she was going to lose Erza the way she had lost Yuki, and it scared her senseless. She had already lost someone precious; she hadn't wanted to lose anyone else.
"Yuki…"
The thought of her dead sister floated into her mind, her heart heavy. Then the memory of hurting and running away from Erza. She had hurt the one person that had always taken care of her, and then to almost really lose her…
"Mira-nee…"
The woman backed away slightly from the child to look at her face, but what she saw took her off guard a little bit.
"Hikari?"
Watered up brown eyes stared back, tear streaks soon enough falling down her cheeks.
"Mira….nee…" And before she could say anything else, she burst into tears, the pain from everything that had happened hitting her like a brick. Mirajane quickly climbed onto the bed and pulled the girl back into her arms and held her tight, rubbing her back and cooing at her softly in attempts to calm her down.
"It's ok, I promise…everything is ok now. I'm right here."
Hikari hid her face in the woman's embrace and let it all out, the tears feeling as if they would never stop coming.
"It's ok…it's all ok."
Who knew how long they sat there like that…who knew how long she cried. Letting it out was definitely needed with what she had gone through, and Mirajane had no problem staying by the girl's side until the crying eased up. When it finally slowed, Hikari backed away a little, wiping the tears off her face.
"Mira-nee…" she said softly.
Mirajane reached out and tucked some of the child's brown locks behind her ear.
"Talk to me." she told her gently.
"I…I don't know." Hikari stuttered out. "I just…he's gone, right? He's really gone?
"Though it was a team effort, you were the one who really killed him off for good." Mirajane answered.
"I know, I just…I don't know how to feel. "
"About him being gone?"
"About anything." Hikari replied. "Like…like Yuki."
Her heart clenched when she spoke her name.
"I…I know it was really Gaimeka's fault she's dead, but, there's a part of me that still blames myself…part of me that still feels that if I had done something differently in the past, I could have saved her."
"There was nothing that could be done." Mirajane told her softly. "No one knew that would happen as quickly as it did. You were already on your way out there to save her. You tried-"
"But was too late." Hikari finished, a few more tears escaping her. "I was too late. By the time we had all gotten there, he had come and…and…I'm trying to tell myself it's not, but I just feel like it's my fault. I was supposed to protect her."
Mirajane let out a light sigh. When it came to this subject, there was something she had wanted to say for a long time, but never got the chance. Now was the perfect time. So, after shifting herself slightly, she pulled the girl a little closer into her arms.
"Hikari, there is something I've been wanting to tell you." She began. "Something very important that you need to hear."
"What?" she asked, a little confused.
"Hikari, did you know…that once upon a time, I thought that Lisanna was dead?"
These words took the eleven year old completely off guard. Staring up at Mira, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"But…what? How? She's not dead…"
"But I thought she was." Mira told her. "See, a long time back, Elfman, Lisanna, and I were on a mission. She was fourteen at the time. After a fight, she was hurt by Elfman in his demon form. He wasn't himself…he didn't mean it. After I found her, she was alive, but eventually she disappeared in my arms. I thought…I thought that she had died…that she was truly gone. I have never hurt so much in my life…"
Mira chocked up a little as she spoke, the memories haunting her, but she kept on.
"Anyways, two years after, we all found out she wasn't dead. I won't bother going into details right now on how we found out for there is much to say, but…she was alive."
Hikari listened with wide eyes at the story, never knowing this part of the take-over siblings' lives.
"So…she knew? She knew what it felt like to lose…a sister?"
"During the two years I thought she was dead, I blamed myself…thinking that there was something I could have done. I was the oldest, I was supposed to protect her, and, with everything that had happened and in blaming myself, my…my powers shut down."
Hikari's eyes widened a little more at this statement.
"Like….me? Your powers shut down like mine did?"
"They did….for two years my powers stayed dormant."
"But…they came back when you found out Lisa-nee was alive?"
"No, actually." Mira replied. "They came back when…when I thought Elfman was going to die."
"Wh….what?"
"Mhm. They came back when I thought I was going to lose Elfman…just like yours came back when you thought you were going to lose Erza."
Every word of this story struck a chord in her heart. So that meant that…everything she was going through…that everything she was feeling…
"You felt, too." Hikari said softly. "You knew how I felt…you always knew…"
"Yeah…" Mira replied. "I was going to tell you-"
"But I was too busy being stupid to listen…" Hikari cut in, her gaze falling from the girl's face. Mirajane knew what it felt like to lose a sister and had even lost her powers like she did. The woman could relate to her so easily, but did she listen? No, she ran. As always, she ran.
While lost in her thoughts, she felt a hand slip under her chin, her head now being lifted until her eyes were level with Mirajane's again, a serious look on the older female's face.
"Don't say that." She told her. "You were not stupid. You were hurting, Hikari, everyone understands that."
"But I hurt everyone and-"
"No, you-"
"But-"
"Hikari."
The girl felt more tears fall down her face. She wanted to say more, but Mira wouldn't have it.
"Don't blame yourself. What's done is done. You're here, you're safe, and all is forgiven. Don't think on it anymore. We all love you, Hikari."
"Even Erza?"
She knew that was a stupid question to ask the moment the words left her mouth, Mirajane cocking an eyebrow when she heard it.
"I don't think I need to answer that one. You already know the answer."
Hikari sniffled a little, wiping away more tears and leaning back in the woman's embrace. She really would be stupid if she thought that Erza didn't love her.
"Um…I told her…Erza…that I…I loved her, the day we fought Gaimeka."
The woman nodded, a smile on her face. Those were words Hikari always had trouble saying and she was very proud the little girl has finally spoke them.
"I heard. She definitely loved hearing those words from you."
"Do you think…do you think I got all that power because I said it?" Hikari asked, looking at her hands. She never knew she was capable of using her magic like that. She had never felt so strong in her life.
"It could have been." Mirajane answered. "Love is quite powerful after all, and with you saying it and truly feeling it, your power grew. Magic starts from the heart after all. Perhaps because you truly let love in did your magic grow so much in that moment. Love is a strong magic, Hikari, and you must always remember that it is something you are never without."
Hikari looked up at the other, a small smile finally appearing on her face, the pain in her chest now being replaced by warmth.
"I…I love you, Mira-nee."
Mirajane smiled back, her own warmth growing at hearing those words.
"I love you, too, Hikari." She said back, hugging the girl tight. "I love you, too."
When they let go, Hikari looked at the infirmary door.
"Did you say Erza was sleeping?"
"Mhm." Mirajane replied. "You have been knocked out for almost a week. She hasn't gotten much sleep at all, so I kicked her out a few hours ago to get some."
"A week?" she asked, not realizing she had been out that long. "What time is it now?"
"It's close to midnight."
"Midnight!? I didn't realize that it was that late! Then why are you still here? Shouldn't you be sleeping, too?"
"Everyone has been taking turns to watch over you, night or day." Mira answered, giggling a little at the girl's reaction.
"Everyone?"
"Yes, everyone. Lucy, Lisanna, Wendy…everyone."
"I'm…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cause trouble!"
"Hikari-"
"You must be so tired! You should get some sleep now!"
"Hika-"
"I promise I'll be ok! You can-"
"Will you just shush!" Mirajane said as she giggled, grabbing the girl and hugging her so tight she couldn't speak. "You're silly sometimes, you know that? There's no need to be sorry when we wanted to do this."
"But-"
"Shush. "
Now Hikari couldn't help but smile herself a little. It was going to be an argument she wouldn't win so there was no point in continuing.
"Well then…thank you. Thank you for watching over me…and I'll thank everyone else when they wake up."
Mira placed a warm kiss on the girl's head at these words.
"No thanks are needed, but you're welcome."
Pulling back, Hikari looking down as she began to play with her night shirt sleeve shyly.
"Um, Mira-nee?"
"Yes?"
"I know she's sleeping, but…but do you think I could go see her? Erza?"
"See her?"
"Yeah…" she said, looking back up at the other a little sheepishly. "I…I want her."
Mira smiled and nodded, standing up.
"Well then, let's go see her. She'll be so excited and relieved to see you awake."
"Well no! I don't want to wake her yet! If she hasn't been sleeping much, she should just sleep. I was just gonna sneak in bed and fall asleep with her…"
"Awwww, that's so cute!"
"Is not!" Hikari said with a blush, her defensive side kicking in for a moment. Old habits die hard.
"It is, too! You will be a great thing for her to wake up to!"
Hikari just grumbled shyly and shrugged her shoulder.
"It's not that big…I just wanted…wait…no! Damn it. I don't think I have my key with me."
"Oh don't worry, you can get in there without having to knock and wake her." Mira told her, pulling out something silver from her pocket. "I have a key."
"What? You? Why do you have a key?"
"Oh nothing!" Mirajane said a little shyly, a blush on her face. "Come on, let's go get you settled in!"
And with that, the two left the guild and headed to the apartment. Once they were there, they stepped to Erza's door, Mirajane unlocking it and opening it quietly.
"She's all yours now." Mirajane whispered. "She really will be excited to wake to you."
Hikari opened the door a little more and peeked inside. All of the lights were out. She was definitely asleep. Turning around, she wrapped her arms around Mira and hugged her again.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"You're welcome." Mira replied. "I'm glad you're all right. Sleep well, Hikari. I'll see you in the morning."
After that, Hikari made her way inside and shut the door.
"I hope this Is ok…" she thought as she made her way around in the darkness. There was no reason why it wouldn't be ok but Hikari always worried about something.
"Ouch!"
She covered her mouth with her hand after accidently hitting the corner of the table with her leg and stood perfectly still, hoping she didn't wake the other, but nothing could be heard, she was safe. After cursing the aforementioned object, she made her way to Erza's room and snuck inside, stopping at the empty side of the bed. Erza was definitely knocked out, and in knowing she had been awake more than asleep lately, she really thought it was best to let her get her rest. So, she carefully crawled into bed and got under the blankets, curling up and letting out a yawn. Though she had been out for a week, she still felt pretty tired.
"I love you, Okaasan." She said quietly. She hoped things would go well in the morning. Though Mira had told her that all was forgiven, she still felt bad.
Reaching out, she slipped her hand into Erza's, happy she didn't wake. She was home now, and the woman was by her side. She felt safe, and with her tiredness kicking in again, it wasn't long until she too was asleep.
A/N: Happy New Years everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Only one more to go and it's done! But, for those of you who don't know, there will be another book in the New Flame series x3 Two actually! A New Flame Trilogy! So there will be much more action, drama, and love from Hikari and the Fairy Tail team! I really hope you guys enjoy this one and thank you so much for the support you've been giving me! You guys are the best!