This chapter has no RoWen! It focuses mainly on Minerva and her strained relationship with Haru. I want to portray her more as a poor young adult who's life has been a cycle of feeling like she's worse than her brother yet better than anyone else, and how happy her and Haru used to be before their dad went all psycho. It's pretty sad, too. Also includes Akira if you're starting to miss her.

I don't own Fairy Tail but I fucking hate this arc all it does is cost me pain.

"What the hell do you mean they didn't get them?!" roared a man, slamming his fist onto the table. "They're kids, for Mavis's sake!"

"I apologize, Master, that's just what the escaped members told me—" the woman winced when she was cut off.

"Escaped?!" repeated the master. "The rest of them got caught?! I sent out our second best division! They didn't even have Chelia-chan or Wendy-chan with them!"

"A-according to Langley-san, one of the kids was able to defeat Alex Fay-san," the woman answered.

"Who?" barked the man.

"H-haru Shinji-s-san."

The man smirked. "Ah, Haruna-chan, isn't that your little brother?"

Minerva scoffed. "He's not my little brother anymore."

"I do seem to recall you telling me about your hatred for him," the guild master said, his demeanor changing. "What can you tell us about him, Vit-chan?"

The corners of Vit's mouth upturned, giving him a near-identical smirk to that of his father's. "Shinj-san is a highly capable mage. He is on par with Blendy-san in terms of prowess and intelligence. He has better stamina than that of Marvell-san but lacks determination. He is quiet, reserved and reveals nothing to any of his friends, with the exception of Marvell-san and Reyes-san."

"So he's close with Wendy-chan?" asked Vit's father.

Vit nodded. "They were partners for a project and have bonded more since then."

"Has he ever mentioned his sister?"

"No, not once."

Minerva stared at the glossy wood table in front of her, ashamed for that little quench in her heart that came when Vit said that. But really, what did she expect? She and her father had abandoned Haru in the middle of the night with no explanation to where they were going. She could still remember each detail of that event vividly, from the loud yells to Jiemma's over-the-top attacks and oh Arceus, the tears.

"It seems that Haruna-chan is feeling sad that her little brother does not talk about her," observed the guild master. "How sweet."

Minerva glared at him, her fingers twitching as she fought the urge to strike him. She could probably beat him, without breaking a sweat, if she could defeat her father she could definitely beat this bastard of a—

"I wasn't thinking about anything. And stop calling me Haruna!" she snapped.

The leader chuckled to himself. "I find it quite amusing how you and Vit-chan are the same age yet you both try to act as if you are twice that."

A bell resounded in the room, signaling that their captured victim had woken up. Vit stood up and bowed. "I will go check on Lin-san, Father."

"Haruna-chan, go with him," ordered the guild master. "Perhaps you two can...bond on that escapade."

Dirty old man, Minerva thought. He only wants me to hook up with Vit because he thinks I won't leave if I do.

"I apologize for my father, Orlando-san," said Vit as they walked out the room.

"I wish you weren't so formal, Vit," sighed Minerva. "We've known each other for over a decade."

"Times change," Vit stated simply, opening the door to the dungeon. "So you're awake now, dear Lin-san."

Akira glared up at the him, her dark purple eyes burning with rage before they widened. "You two aren't the usual ones who come."

"Are you forgetting that I was the one who captured you?" Minerva asked, somewhat appalled at the woman's audacity.

Akira glanced at her. "I remember. Now, would both of you please care to explain why two young, beautiful kids like you are doing something like this?"

"We're not kids," replied Vit. "We're twenty-one."

"Twenty-one, five, thirty, it doesn't matter," said Akira. "You two are still babies to me."

"Both of us could kill you right now," Minerva reminded, her patience wearing thin.

"But you won't," Akira replied. "You both still have that innocent look in your eyes."

"Innocent," scoffed Minerva. "Do you even know what we're planning to do with you?"

"No, what?"

"We're using you as bait. You're going to be the one to lure in your son."

"I don't have a son," replied Akira.

"That's quite the lie," Minerva laughed humorlessly. "He's fourteen now, isn't he? And you haven't seen him in over ten years. What a pitiful mother you are."

"Coming from someone who abandoned their brother, I'd say you're no better," Akira said.

Minerva's eyes widened and she reached to struck the woman, until Vit held her back. "You foul, disrespectful piece of—"

"Calm down, Orlando-san," Vit said. He kept his arms around her before leaning closer to the cage. "And how do you know about her brother, Akira-san?"

"I haven't used my magic in fourteen years, but I still think I'm a damn capable mage," Akira said. "Oh, don't worry, I don't use anything that could get me out of here. It's just basic telepathy. Also, yes, he has been staring at your boobs this whole time and yes, she does think you're cute."

Both young adults flushed, though Minerva's was more due to anger than embarrassment, Akira's comment not registering in her brain. "How dare you enter my thoughts without my permission!"

"Calm down, Orlando-san!" Vit said.

"No, I won't! This woman has the audacity to act like she knows me! She knows nothing! Nothing!"

"That may be true, but—!"

"I didn't abandon Haru by choice! It was my father's fault! He—!"

"Oh sure, blame your father, when you had the choice to leave or stay!" interrupted Akira.

"You bitch!" screeched Minerva. She reached between the bars and slapped Akira across the face. The woman fell to the floor from the impact.

"Orlando-san!" Vit yelled. "No, Runa-chan! You're losing focus! Go to your room; I promise I won't tell my father! Now please, go!"

"R-runa-chan?" Minerva repeated, her voice breaking with each syllable.

Minerva and Vit, both age ten, skipped happily to her house after school. Her father was out at a guild masters' meeting and wouldn't be home for three days, giving her the rare opportunity to bring a friend over.

"Are you sure this is fine?" Vit asked. "I know what your father is like, after all..."

"He's not here," answered Minerva as she opened the door to her house. "I'm home!"

A small child who looked to be no older than three wobbled to living room. When he saw his sister, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. "Nee-tan!"

"Hey," greeted Minerva, picking him up. She pointed to her companion. "This is my friend, Vit-san. Can you say hi?"

Haru nodded and flashed a grin at the older male. "Hewo, Bit!"

"Hello," replied Vit. "What's your name?"

"Hawuka Azena Sindy!" answered the toddler.

Minerva laughed lighly and clarified, "Haruka Athena Shinji. My parents thought he was gonna be a girl."

"So it's Haruka and Haruna, then?" Vit asked, a smirk on his face.

"My parents thought it'd be cute," Minerva said with a shrug.

"Haruka and Haruna just sounds too weird to me. But it fits. You guys look a lot alike."

"We do?" Minerva set Haru down on a counter in the kitchen so he was eye level with her. "I don't see it."

"Then you must be blind." Vit took a seat on one of the chairs and caught the water bottle Minerva tossed at him. "Thanks. So who else is home?"

"Nobody," answered Minerva. She opened the fridge door. "My, Haru, you ate a lot today."

Vit choked on the water he was drinking. "N-nobody? Then you left your little brother home alone?!"

"It's not the first time. My father's always off doing something for the guild and I'm at school."

"Isn't that illegal? Why doesn't your father just leave him with a babysitter?!"

"He thinks that Haru will be more independent if he's left alone."

"He's three!"

"When you're me, you learn not to argue with someone like Father," Minerva stated, leaving no room for any retorts. "I leave him food in the fridge and he knows how to get it on his own. Besides, I always check on him during lunch."

"That explains why you disappear at that time," Vit said. "Ne, Haru-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Are you really fine with this? Haru could be hurt one day and you won't be there."

"He'll be fine."

Vit did not reply and instead turned to the toddler that was happily eating a banana, though much of it was on his face. "Haru-chan, I think your brother made a mess?"

"Hawu-tan?" repeated Haru.

"Is something wrong with me calling your sister Haru-chan?"

Haru threw his banana to the floor, signifying that yes, something was wrong with that. "Nee-tan no Hawu-tan."

"What?"

"No Hawu-tan fo nee-tan."

"No Haru-chan for your big sister?"

Haru nodded. "No Hawu-tan fo nee-tan."

"Why not?" Vit's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

Haru pointed at himself. "Hawu-tan."

"You're Haru-chan?" Vit asked, to which Haru nodded. "I see. So then what should I call your sister?"

"This is gonna be good," Minerva said, joining the conversation.

Haru pursed his lips as if he was in deep thought before breaking out into a smile. "Wuna-tan!"

"Runa-chan?" Vit said. He repeated the phrase several times, wanting to see how it fell on his lips. "I like it."

Minerva smiled fondly at the memory, too happy to notice the tears streaming down her cheeks. It had been so much easier back then. Her father was tough and strict, but it was nowhere near the level it had been when Minerva reached her teens.

She walked into her room and fell onto the bed. She looked at the pictured photograph on her nightstand, one of the few things she had bothered to take with her on her leave. It was of her and Haru in one of the few rare instances where they were both happy pass the ages of six and thirteen, respectively. She didn't remember what happened in that photo or why exactly they were so happy. Neither of them were even looking at the camera.

She clutched the photo to her chest and breathed out, "Haru...I'm sorry."

I can't fucking write angst I s2g.

Anyways, I kinda wanna make something couple-y with Vit and Minerva but at the same time I think that Minerva's mental instability wouldn't be very healthy in a relationship. I hope you guys liked Akira's personality here. I think she'd be the type who seems really sweet until you mess with her, and then she turns more headstrong and fearless.