Chapter 11:

Abi awoke to a dry throat and a spinning world. She gasped as she opened and closed her mouth, her parched tongue feeling like sandpaper in her mouth. Her stomach was not happy with her, nor was her head. Brilliant morning light illuminated her room, and she had never experienced so much misery in her life. Her head pounded like she just received a punch from a vulcan, and- oh god, she was going to be sick. Nausea washed over her and she blindly rolled out of bed and crawled into the bathroom. The next thing she was aware of was the feeling of the toilet's cool plastic white seat and emptying her stomach into the bowl.

After a couple of waves of gagging and spewing fowl content out of her stomach, Abi was able to breathe, and she slumped backwards against the tiled bathroom wall. She groaned as her entire body tingled painfully. Shit, she could taste the alcohol in the back of her throat.

It seemed the Devil was alive, and his name was vodka.

Abi put her head between her knees, then opted to lie down on the cool tiled floor and covered her eyes. Everything was painful and fuzzy. There was the sound of knocking, but it seemed like she imagined it. How did she even get back to the inn?

An image of her puking on Laxus's shoes popped into her mind. Oh. That's how.

Wait. How did she get so drunk? Did she say anything she shouldn't have? Everything was so murky. Her stomach growled, and her throat felt extremely dry.

Water. She needed water.

Abi hauled herself upright and moved to the sink. Turning the nozzle, the blonde wizard tipped her head to the side and started guzzling water straight out of the tap. She didn't come up for air until she felt her thirst sated. Abi took deep, uneven breaths as she gripped the sink and tried to stabilize herself. Her world still spun, and she tried to focus on her reflection in the mirror.

God, she was a mess. Her thick hair was plastered to her forehead and stuck up in all directions, her teal eyes unfocused, and sweat and spit dripped down her neck. She coughed.

Suddenly, an even more violent wave of nausea crashed over her. All the water she drank hit her stomach and wanted to come back up. Abi collapsed toward the toilet and puked again, violently, coughing and sputtering as her world spun.

Her body shook, and she groaned. The painful, poignant feeling of throwing up passed and she trembled slightly as she gripped the toilet seat and flushed the handle again.

As the sounds of rushing water subsided, a knocking resonated through the quiet room.

Abi peeled her head up from the plastic and blew some hair out of her face. Normally, she would have freaked out. Who in their right mind would be up so early? What time was it anyway? And who would be knocking on her door? Eh, she would deal with it later.

Abi pushed herself upright and stumbled back into the annoyingly bright, illuminated bedroom. She flopped on her bed and covered her head with a pillow. The blonde closed her eyes and prayed to go back to sleep. Maybe the person knocking would leave.

Tap. Tap-Tap. Tap. Tap-Tap.

Nope, the polite knocking persisted on the door. She let out a guttural moan and pushed herself out of bed and toward the door, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She bumped into the door and groaned. A part of her wondered if somebody hostile stood on the other side, but at this point in time, death would be a mercy and Abi would welcome someone's attack as long as they made it quick.

Her hands fumbled with the lock and she pulled open the door, wincing at the noise it made. Abi looked around, then down.

A very, very short old man stood before her. The white hair that still remained on his bald head stuck up around the sides, and he had a thick white mustache over a serious, frowning mouth. Heavyset eyebrows were lowered over hard, grey eyes and he wore a white, fur lined robe with gold epaulettes over the shoulders.

Her mouth hung open. In all his short glory, the wizard saint and master of Fairy Tail, Makerov Dreyer, stood in her doorway. He looked over her, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Abi stared back at him, dumbfounded. Was she hallucinating?

A cool breeze against her legs made her look down. Abi flushed. Oh god. She wasn't wearing any pants. Before the old man could open his mouth, she slammed the door shut and stumbled to her duffle bag. Smelling clean clothes, Abi realized she reeked of booze. Her hands trembled as she dug through her clothes and tried to find a pair of pants. What the hell was guild master doing here?! She found a pair of loose fitting black pants and feverishly pulled them on. A bandage over her knee caught her eye… when did that happen? So many questions and thoughts swam in her mind, it felt like putting her brain into a blender and turning it on the highest setting.

Her mind spun- where were her weapons? Under the pillow? Under the bed? The desire to run away was very, very real. But she needed to keep her cover. Her stomach growled audibly and a wave of nausea passed through her again. She was in no condition to move fast and run.

"It's not nice to slam the door in someone's face," The old man chided behind the door.

Her head pounded, and Abi grit her teeth. She could run out the window, but all of her things were here. Plus, she didn't need one of the Ten Wizards Saints knocking down her door; that was too conspicuous. What Abi wouldn't give for an Advil and a change of address. She was hung over and didn't need this right now. As she struggled to get back in her pants, Abi let out a groan as a response and said groggily, "I'm coming."

She pulled the door open again and rubbed her eyes. Maybe it was all in her imagination. Nope. He was still there. Not a hallucination.

Makarov put his hands behind his back and looked up at her calmly, "Young lady, may I come in?"

Abi opened the door farther and didn't say anything. At the moment, the sound of her voice made her brain hurt. The guild master stepped inside and glanced around. "What a nice place you have here," He said pleasantly.

Abi numbly closed the door and stared at the short man. He was lying. Although her sheets remained intact, the bedcovers were kicked off and laid in a heap on the floor, her clothes were strewn all over the place, and the bathroom stank of throw up. The only clear part was the side of the bed closest to the bed. Makarov walked that way and hopped onto the bed, hands on his knees. He looked around, his dark grey eyes regarding the room curiously. Abi leaned against the door and tried to swallow the bitter taste of old booze and acid reflux on her tongue.

The old master regarded her carefully; there was no particular malice in his eyes, nor kindness. She felt like his eyes saw past her exterior and pierced her soul. Abi felt frozen in place, her head continued to throb. The thief wanted to be anywhere but here.

A silence lapsed between them. Finally, the old man cleared his throat and gave her a small smile.

"Rough night?" He asked. Abi groaned in response and grimaced at him. Makarov chuckled slightly, "Yes, most who were in the Bar Sun last night are having a slow morning. I believe my grandson is still in bed."

At the mention of the lightning wizard, her expression darkened slightly. The thief leaned against the door and looked at the guild master with tired eyes. "Why did you get me out of bed?"

"I wanted to talk. Laxus informed me that you're the same person who stole a Morphos Lacrima. I see now that you were indeed a part of the Blue Phoenix guild."

There was a look of confirmation in his grey eyes, but he delivered his sentences like questions. Abi found herself nodding in agreement, despite herself. He must've seen the mark on her thigh: it was a bitter reminder. Images of the old stone guildhall flashed in her mind. Makarov's thick white brows lowered, and he nodded. "Blue Phoenix was a strong little guild. Master Boris was a good man and a dear friend. It greatly saddened me to learn of its destruction six years ago."

Abi crossed her arms and glared at the floor. She wanted to say something, but her mouth felt like it was lined with led. Makarov continued, "How intriguing that out of a guild of fifty-two people, you alone survived."

She shifted her weight and her eyes darkened. The girl studied him beneath thick lashes suspiciously. Still, she said nothing. Her stomach steeled over and her pulse quickened slightly. Just because Makarov recognized her guild mark didn't mean… They stood in silence, taking in each other's presence.

"I apologize for popping in without notice, but when Laxus told me about your guild mark last night, I felt it was absolutely necessary to meet you."

"Wha-," Abi croaked, then cleared her throat. "What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice hoarse and hostile. Makarov fixed his eyes on hers, and his pleasant smile slipped a bit.

"I could ask you the same thing, Praesidio."

Internally, Abi's insides twisted and her body tensed. All her instincts told her to bolt through the door or blast his head in. Neither option was viable in her current state. Instead, she maintained her hungover, deadpan expression and blinked at Makarov.

"Who?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Abi groaned and rubbed her eyes, "Sorry, dude, my name's Hannah Walters. I don't know any Pray-sideros or whatever you said. Why are you here?" She yawned and slumped back against the door.

"Your name is Abi Divone and you are a Praesidio. Your blood is that of the Seven Sentinels."

Abi's insides twisted at his words. Anger swelled in her head and adrenaline began to push the hangover down as she looked over Makarov and wondered if she could take him in a fight.

The old guild master held up a hand as if he knew what she was thinking and said, "I didn't come here to brawl with you, Abi. I just thought I should lay my cards down on the table. I know what you are-," Abi opened her mouth to interrupt him, but Makarov cut her off, "-and no. No one else knows."

The master cupped his hands around his knee and leaned back on the bed. She inhaled and exhaled audibly. All she wanted was to get away from this conversation and some food. Her stomach gurgled agreement.

The blonde woman ran a hand over her face. "How did you know?"

Makarov arched an eyebrow. "About you? Master Boris confided in me about the dangerous little girl he found in the woods many years ago: he wondered whether he should turn you over to the magic counsel or let you grow up in his guild. You certainly have grown since the last time I saw you."

Her teal eyes widened. Blue Phoenix was destroyed almost six years ago, and Makarov disappeared for more than seven years…Master Boris knew about her being a Praesidio that early on? And he still protected her? He sacrificed Blue Phoenix's safety for her? Suddenly, the room felt like it was spinning again, and she tried to process the old man's words. Some deep-seated emotion swirled in her stomach, a mixture of shame and pain that made her want to throw up. It's just the hangover. She bit her lip and tried to force the feeling back into whatever pit it came from.

"I'm not talking about that." She responded bitterly, "How did you find me here?"

The Fairy Tail guild master shrugged his hunched shoulders. "I had my suspicions it about you when Laxus told me about the morphos lacrima and described your powers when you first met in Edera. And last night, I see him escort a rather drunk woman home, and when he returns, he asks me about the Blue Phoenix guild. Abi, it's not hard to put two and two together."

She flushed angrily and folded her arms. "What do you want from me?"

Makarov released his grip around his knee and put his hands up in a sign of surrender. "I came to talk, Praesidio."

"Stop calling me that," She snapped. The old guild master sighed and hopped off the bed.

"I need to know, Abi- are you the last one?"

The blonde woman narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. If the master knew so much about her, then he should've known that the Praesidio take care of their blood. Her family would never have let her join a guild. She had been alone long before Master Boris found her all those years ago.

"Obviously."

A dark look came over Makarov's eyes. He tensed, and the seams of his jacket stretched as his shoulders began to swell in size. "Two of my children have been hurt by magic remarkably similar to yours."

Remain calm. She didn't need the giant of Fairy Tail ripping apart her nice Bed and Breakfast so early in the morning. Abi forced her voice to remain calm: "When?"

Black Snake flashed in her mind, but then a conversation with Laxus floated into through the fog of her mind. Wendy. If Laxus thought she hurt some kid named Wendy, then the little fucker definitely told his dear old gramps.

"The first night of the games, a child was completely drained of magic power. Then, yesterday, Lucy's attack was completely nullified."

Abi rolled her eyes. "Ever think the attack was just blocked?"

She doubted the old man would have gone out of his way to find her if the attack was just blocked. Something else must have been at play. Could it be Black Snake's mimic magic? No… she met him last night, after the first day of the Games. It bothered her that someone possessed similar powers, but there was no way it was another Praesidio. Her family was the last of the Seven Sentinels, and she was all that was left of them.

Makarov's eyes turned gold in response to her question, and she wanted to eat the words that came out of her mouth.

The blonde woman put up her hands and said, "I don't know what you want me to say. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then how do you explain the drain of magic energy? Our healer said it was caused by the same magic signature- the same person." The master's voice hummed with magic energy, and the dark-skinned woman fought the urge to shrink back.

Abi threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know!"

She folded her arms and slumped against the wood door. Her eyebrows lowered, and a snarl curled on her lips. "I'll let you in on a secret old man... I can't nullify spells from a distance. I'm not skilled enough. Magic has to touch me- skin to magic. Now tell me, old man, did you see me in the arena yesterday?" She paused briefly, not allowing Makarov to reply. "No, you didn't. Wanna know why? Because, at the moment, I can't even get into the Games if I wanted to- trust me, I've tried!"

The old man's thick eyebrows shot up in surprise, and the magic unfurling around him dissolved. The seams of his white robe relaxed as his muscles shrunk back to normal size. Makarov ran a hand over his mustache and was quiet for a few moments. An agitated silence lapsed between them.

Finally, he spoke: "Your blood can restore magic energy, yes?"

Abi bristled at his question. "Why are you asking?"

"Wendy has Magic Deficiency Syndrome. She's a dragon slayer, and without magic… I fear for the worst."

"Well, I didn't attack your little girl!" Abi snapped, feeling like this conversation was all too familiar. She bared her teeth at Makarov and felt her skin begin to tighten with anger. A little bit of magic began to seep from her skin, just enough to make the guild master narrow his eyes at her. "I'm tired to being accused of this shit. I am trying to keep a low profile, Old Man. How exactly does attacking a little girl of Fairy Tail- the most dramatic guild in Fiore- achieve that?"

His eyebrows lowered. "I am not accusing you of anything, Abi Divone. I'm trying to ask you for a favor."

The Praesidio's mouth went dry. What kind of favor would a Wizard Saint ask of her?

"I need you to heal Wendy with your blood."

Abi's eyes hardened, and she straightened against the door. "Get out."

Makarov looked at the dark-skinned girl with a disappointed expression. "You would let an ancient code keep you from helping an innocent child?"

Abi clenched her teeth and unclenched them. Who the hell did he think he was? Waltzing in here, dredging up the past, then making requests that could put her in harm's way? The girl folded her arms. "This isn't about the Code." Abi snapped. "And I don't need some morality lesson."

Do not spill your own blood for others, lest they have spilt theirs for you. Whenever bits the ancient Praesidio code flashed in her mind, she heard her father's voice deliver them. It was one of the many commandments of the Seven Sentinels. Those rules were drilled into her mind before she could speak. It was the Praesidio's attempt at a moral commandment of how to survive in a changing world. She was surprised Makarov knew of the code- Praesidio existed in a few occult texts and were known only by those close to the Magic Counsel.

"Forgive me, but it appears you do. Master Boris hoped to turn you to the path of kindness, friendship, and light, but it's clear you ignored his lessons. It pains me to see the last of his children so selfish."

"Shut up." Abi pushed upright and wasn't sure what to do with herself. Anger bubbled up, and she wanted to hit something. The Wizard Saint Guild Master wouldn't be a good option. She would've stormed out, but this was her room.

"You have no idea who I am, or what I've been through. Get out." She jerked her head towards the door. Her brain hit her scull and Abi clenched her teeth as a wave of nausea passed through her.

Makarov waved his feet in the air and then slid off the bed. He landed softly on the ground and scowled at Abi. The expression reminded her of Laxus. The thought was not a comfort.

"You helped my grandson, even if it was to save your own skin. So, what do I need to do to get you to help Wendy?"

She cocked her head to the side, eyebrows raising with interest. This could be very promising. Giving her blood to someone who had done nothing for her made Abi's skin crawl, but if it allowed her to find where that strange magic energy came from, she would sacrifice a little bit of safety.

"If- and that's a big 'if'- if I decide to help you, no one can know about it. It stays between you and me. No one can know what I am."

Makarov nodded slowly, stroking his white mustache. "Very well. I assume there's more to your terms."

Abi nodded. Her father was rolling in his grave. She flicked a braid off her shoulder. "I need access to the games for the entire week. VIP access, same rights as if I'm a member of Fairy Tail. If I have to, I'll even wear that cute little emblem right here." She tapped a finger to her right cheekbone and smiled.

Makarov's expression turned sour very quickly. Shit, I gotta' sell this better. Her stomach flipped, and she put up a hand, "Okay, okay… and I'll even track down the perp who attacked your kids, pro bono."

The old man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes and thought for a few moments, before looking up at Abi patiently, like she was simply an impudent child who needed a conversation about being reasonable, "Are you trying to barter with an innocent child's health for personal gain?"

The hung-over woman gave Makarov a shit-eating grin nodded, "Yeah. You did it first though, old man. Now we got a deal, or what?"

Okay, so just to provide some clarity to the timeline/ all you need to know that's important about the Blue Phoenix Guild as of right now:

It's emblem was a Blue Phoenix, and it was headed by Makarov's old friend Master Boris. It's a smaller wizard guild out in the middle of nowhere and Boris found Abi when she was a kid, approximately 11 years ago. During the seven years the main Fairy Tail characters were frozen in time, the Blue Phoenix was attacked and obliterated. By what? Only time will tell!

This was supposed to be half of a chapter, but it ended up taking on a life of it's own and being much longer than I anticipated. I enjoyed writing Abi and Makarov, and really setting up next part of this arc.

Sorry for the brief hiatus! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!