Lyla woke up and immediately wanted to fall asleep again. She threw her heavy blanket over her head, now unable to sleep from the temperature. She groaned and sat up, her hair a knotted mess. She stared down at her legs, not wanting to move them. Wanting to stay in her bed where she could sleep away the rest of her life.
Days had passed since leaving Caitshelter to return home. It had been days since she had found the Bureau archives. No one else could know. Not yet. Laura maybe. Maybe. The others definitely shouldn't know. Of course, Makarov had never been given the full story. The damned council kept too many things about her from him to deserve knowing.
Currently, for now, perhaps forever, only "Lyla" would know her truth.
She slid off of her bed and begrudgingly walked to her closet. She yawned as she reached in and took her torn clothes from the empty shelves. She had the outfit Caitshelter let her keep, lonely on a hanger, but she preferred to not wear it.
The ladder creaked when she kicked it down. She climbed down from her room in the attic and threw the ladder back up when her feet touched the wooden floor. She walked to the glass doors down the hall and took in the silence on the balcony.
No neighbors, no trees, no bushes. The house stood all alone, away from society. Down the hill and a little further was Magnolia. The large Fairy Tail guild towered over it all in the center. Rivers flowed through the town and made up the roads. The water mixed with the ocean behind the Magnolia.
The balcony only held silence. Peaceful and a lovely view. No one could question her or bother her until Natsu or Gray or Erza wanted to visit. They stopped by less and less. Natsu and Gray had a healthy fear of her, and Erza had been caught up babysitting them. Lucy wouldn't randomly show up. The other three did that to her.
For now, Lyla would enjoy time alone. Or time with Laura, who knew when to ask certain questions and when the time came to stop prying. She jumped over the fencing of the balcony and slipped through the open window beside the front door. A slightly burnt smell came from the kitchen. She peeked around the doorway and saw Laura standing at the stove. She had a large plate of round waffled to the side while cooking some scrambled eggs.
As soft as the sound of Lyla's footsteps were, Laura heard it and turned to look at her. She stopped tending the pan and opened the fridge, taking out a half-gallon of orange juice and milk.
"Which one?" She asked.
Lyla stared at the eggs. She's had worse things before. "Milk."
Laura nodded and placed both cartons on the island in the kitchen. She took two glasses from the cabinet and filled one with milk, then the other with orange juice. Lyla walked to the island and sat on one of the bar stools. She slid the cup of milk towards her and solemnly watched Laura take two smaller plates and split the waffles and eggs evenly.
She placed the plates on the island before getting forks and sitting next to Lyla. The girl stared at her plate. The eggs weren't seasoned and the edges were blackened. The waffles were too hard and crunchy.
Her head hit the marble.
"Sounds bad," Laura said through a mouthful of waffles.
Lyla hit her head a second time.
"If the food's bad we can go to the bakery."
"No. It's not like I'll get sick from your cooking." She turned her head to look at Laura, "You can't be good at everything. I'm not."
"So you didn't sleep well."
"Yeah." Lyla then sat up and took her plate to the fridge. She went back and placed her milk next to it. She stood up, closed the door, and took a couple of seconds before turning to Laura with a smile, "How about you? We dealt some pretty, heh, deep-rooted stuff."
She looked at her flatly. "I don't appreciate that."
"What? The pun?"
"That. And the act."
"There's no act."
"Yes, there is."
"No."
"You put on a show anywhere but this house. I don't like it when you do things differently."
Lyla slid her hand into her pocket, "We need to get you a dictionary."
"This isn't about my poor grammar. This is about you feeling like lying to me."
"It's not poor grammar, it's a lack of vocabulary." Lyla corrected.
"Stop changing the subject!"
The house matched the silence outside. They stared at each other. One with disappointment and the other with shame. Laura turned to the stove. She saw the flames and walked to turn it off. She sighed, then leaned against the counter and continued the staring contest.
"I just don't want to worry you, you know?" Lyla said, "It's nothing I can't handle. I promise."
Laura considered her words, then straightened her stance, "It's okay. Talk to me when you want." She placed her hand on Lyla's shoulder, "I always got your back." Then she walked outside.
Lyla turned to the plate of food still on the island. The eggs were untouched and she barely touched the orange juice. Laura always ate when she was given food.
When Lyla entered the guildhall, everyone had already resumed their normal activities. Except for Makarov rampaging through the building. His voice rang throughout, as he bellowed furiously for Lyla. She sat in the rafters. Very few people knew she liked to hide up there.
The teen looked over the edge at the chaos, laying on her stomach and watching the guild master stomp around. From her vantage point, she could count the veins that popped out on his forehead.
Her gaze began to wander around after she got bored of watching Makarov. It first landed on Sorren, who sat at the bar, asleep from all of the booze. Once he hit this point, nothing could wake him up until he was ready to wake up. Other wizards were shaken by Makarov's foul mood, but overall, they continued normally and kept the place lively. Natsu and Gray fought as usual and Erza kept them under control for the most part. All normal. The simplicity of seeing everyone doing what they always did helped relax her somewhat. They were happy and normal.
Suddenly, drinks were being spilled by Natsu and Gray's battle. Mirajane hurried over and cleaned up before collecting the empty dishes and returning full ones. At the board, teams looked for their next job and those who worked solo had already left or were trickling out. Some were returning and greeting their friends and new guild members.
Almost all the wizards were excited about the new guild member, Wendy Marvell. No one had filled Lyla in on the full story, but basically, Wendy and Carla had to leave Caitshelter. Lucy invited them to join, so now they were here. Laura had spoken vaguely about Caitshelter's wizards.
"They don't have heartbeats" She had said and that, "They needed to leave, but Wendy and Carla couldn't leave with them." They joined Fairy Tail. Of course, the whole guild welcomed them gladly. They were currently talking to Lucy at a table on the edge of the chaos. Happy, of course, admired Carla from afar while gnawing on a fish.
Lyla smiled softly, basking in the warm atmosphere. She rolled onto her back and glanced at Laura, who hid in a dark corner on the second floor. They both had a talent for hiding. It came with the territory.
Something Lyla wished to never face again. Without Brain, maybe she wouldn't have to but knowing the council it was unlikely.
Her mind began to wander to the past. Many moments she should have had were stolen and replaced with training and tests of all sorts. She had no name at the time. Then Laura gave her one when they had escaped. Much more followed. Some were relaxing and happy, but could never balance out the others. Lyla's smile shrank, then pulled into a frown. Her eyes closed. The sounds of the guild became muffled and replaced with something else. Something bad. Everything seemed to be closing in around her, squeezing her. Blood thundered in her ears. It grew louder, and louder and louder until it was the only sound she could hear. She couldn't breathe.
"Lyla!" A drunken voice called from below and broke her from whatever that was. Sorren had woken up, "Get down here! Master's-" He hiccuped, "-done for the day!" It took her a minute to gather her wits and understand what he had said.
She smirked, hiding any other emotions. Makarov had fallen asleep at a table, meeting the same fate Sorren had woken from. She slipped off of the rafters and landed behind Sorren with a loud clack from her metal soles meeting the solid wooden floors.
"We should get you some more clothes too!" His words slurred together as he loudly exclaimed, "Today's the great day!"
Lyla almost chuckled. A bad vocabulary was something he and Laura often had in common. "I hope you're not planning on going to see Tairal like that." She gestured towards him, "He'd be so disappointed in you."
Sorren bounced his head, considering the outcome, "T's... late enough to drink." Then he chugged the last few gulps in his cup.
Lyla took the seat next to him and softly poked his forehead once. He tipped back and fell. Nearby wizards turn to the sound of his body hitting the floor, followed by a weak "Ow." Some laughed, some snorted, some scoffed, and some just ignored it. All of them quickly went back to what they had been doing.
She sighed, "It's ten. You're drunk, Dust Bunny. Makarov may be too, but that doesn't mean you should imitate them." Though Sorren had gotten drunk first out of the two...
He waved his arms around from the floor. "Who cares?" He asked. Lyla snickered. She got off of the barstool and crouched at his side. She took a bunny ear headband from somewhere on her person and placed it on his head.
"I do. You're drinking some water then sleeping. We'll see Tairal when you're a bit less drunk, fool."
Lyla handed Sorren a cup of water. He sat up, chugged it, then flopped back onto the floor and began snoring. Cana needed to teach him her secrets if he didn't want Lyla to take away drinking privileges.
To keep people from tripping over him, Lyla picked up Sorren and carried him to the closest empty table. "Fucking bastard." She grumbled. "How are you still muscular even with all the infernal drinking?" She dropped him onto a bench and sat across from him. She watched him snore away. Maybe she would hide the booze anyway.
To her, sleeping sounded like a perfect way to spend a morning, although it had been too long since Lyla had gotten as restful of a nap as Sorren was getting. Hopefully, Laura could sleep better than her. That would at least be a bit of closure.
For Lyla, too many people kept her restless. They waited for her to relax before they struck. They were always ready to attack and strip her bare. They knew her as so many different people, but all knew how awful she truly was. Some feared her and wanted her dead before she killed them; while others were cocky and thought she couldn't get them, but still wanted her dead; the rest respected her to a degree, but again would prefer her dead. The mask over her face kept them from finding her as easily, but if she rested for even a second they could kill her. They would rush to her and stab her where she lay.
The wooden table shook and clattered when two toddlers bumped into it. It shocked her from the negative train.
"Droopy eyes!" Firecracker spat.
"Slanty eyes!" The freezer retorted.
Lyla sighed from exhaustion, "You're such children!" she tried to snap. It fell flat since she couldn't muster the energy to give a fuck about them. "Children could do better, actually. Right? Romeo?" She turned to the small boy watching from the table across. Lyla smiled softly at the sight that greeted her.
Romeo sat with Laura, talking. Their conversation interrupted by the two dumbest idiots in the guild. There were too many.
Natsu and Gray ignored Lyla's halfhearted glare and continued their fight in the background. More wizards started to join in as they got worse and made more of a mess. Lyla slid to the chair opposite of Laura and leaned in. "Didn't know you socialized."
"Hmph. I got bored. Romeo's smarter than any of the idiots all together."
"Woah! You speak in sentences longer than five words? Shocking."
Laura gave her a flat look. Lyla soaked it up. It fueled the crooked grin she fixed on her face. Romeo had a much more innocent and excited look in his eyes that far outshone Lyla's mischievous one.
The small boy's dark hair and brown eyes reminded her of his father. He was Macao's son, Natsu's biggest fan, and seemingly Laura's favorite next to Lyla. She would catch them talking about simple things occasionally. Laura and Macao especially had some stories to share. Lyla kept away from it, not wanting to be in the way.
Together, the three of them watched the guildhall explode into a glorified bar fight. Romeo didn't have to worry about ducking to avoid flying liquor and half-eaten food, thanks to Laura. Their idle conversation of insults was interrupted when something grabbed onto Lyla's arm and dragged her away before the combatants could throw in any spells.
Romeo and Laura didn't do anything, knowing Makarov wouldn't listen. Especially in such a furious state.
Lyla just allowed herself to be dragged along as he towed her upstairs to his office. He turned on the light and sat in the chair at his desk in the middle of the room. The large window behind him made him visible as a dark silhouette of rage. There were a couple of chairs for anyone who visited him, but Lyla didn't sit.
The room became eerily quiet compared to outside. The pace of her heartbeat quickened. She started running through arguments and retorts immediately. Makarov's glare pierced her anxious haze, but she remained still and silent.
"You know what this is about." His soft words were heavy in the silence. Lyla gave a halfhearted shrug.
"Yes." She spoke strongly, hiding any weakness. "And?"
"You need to face the consequences of defying me."
Oxygen slowly filled her lungs. She exhaled just as slowly. She took a moment before responding steadily, "You have no control over me. I have nothing to answer to you for."
"You ignored me when I told you to stay here." His words grew in harshness and volume. "You have been nothing but trouble since the day you came to the guild. First Galuna, then you worry everyone by falsely joining the Phantom Lord. You caused havoc during that arm wrestling with Sorren while we were rebuilding the guild, you destroy the Kardia Cathedral when fighting Laxus, finally, you disobey direct orders to fight the Oracion Seis!" Makarov stopped to breathe. Veins pulsed on his forehead and head, traveling down his arms. She waited for him to calm somewhat before speaking.
"So? Are you going to excommunicate me as you did Laxus? I made choices on my own accord. No one even tried to raise me right." She tilted her head, giving Makarov a frightening glare. Manic began to set in. "You're Laxus' grandfather." Venom laced her words as she practically spat at him. "You were supposed to raise him right, but look at where he is now." Rage on his behalf pushed her emotional capacity too far.
Calm. He remained calm and sturdy. The old man kept his patience with her, which only made her angrier.
"I supposed I deserve more than your blood, huh? Raised by the council as a killer." Lyla began pacing. "He's a young adult. He's responsible for his actions. However, I'm just a minor. some rebellious teenager that doesn't know any better. I'm just some sixteen-year-old!" She began to cackle at the situation. Oh, how little the master knew. A guild always saw their master as a wise teacher they should look up to. How little Master Makarov knew of his "child" as he called each guild member. She knew she was getting hysterical and should stop, but she couldn't. All the emotions she's been feeling were coming to a peak and pouring out now.
Her laughter died down. She stopped pacing and continued with a low, deranged voice. "Yeah! What the Magic Council feared has come to pass, I found out about my past! Turns out I'm not seventeen like I assumed, you know. Only a year off." She began dancing across the floor and sang, "Hilarious. It's all hilarious."
"Lyla-"
"Don't call me that. I learned much more after escaping Nirvana. Classified information you don't deserve to know. Though, who knows how much you're already aware of. The council had gathered all the information on me right before taking me in. I wonder what they shared with you and what they kept hidden. Probably just enough to make you want to keep tabs on me by letting me join."
"Lyla."
"I wonder if there's anything else they kept from me. I couldn't access everything. I still don't know all about my past. I don't know who I am really. I know my mother's name, but my father? He's dead. I know not of his first name. Hell, I never learned what a mother or father was for years." She stopped dancing and took slow steps as disgust rose in her throat and bile burned the back of her mouth. "How about that? 'What's a home?' 'What's a mommy?' 'A daddy?' 'What is a family?' 'What are birthdays? I hope you can eat it. I'm hungry.' Wouldn't you have loved to hear Laxus like that?"
"Lyla!"
Lyla screamed wrathfully, "I've only had one person to call family! It took me years to find a second! That's all I have! A sister and a brother." She scoffed, "We aren't even related! They could always turn against me! What does it matter, since you don't care!"
"YORU!"
"DON'T YOU FUCKING CALL ME THAT!" Lyla threw her hand out and a portal swallowed a chair. Another portal grew beside her and she swung the chair through the window behind Markarov. Glass shattered and the sound of townspeople filled the silence left between them. Blood dripped down the teen's hand as she dropped splinters from the chair.
"What consequences do I have to face that I haven't already dealt with my whole life? You don't care about me so don't ever act like you do and don't act like you have any control over me or my actions. If this happens again, I'm leaving."
When she finished speaking, Lyla breathed heavily. Her deep breaths were the only sounds either of them made. She stood up properly and turned towards the door. She strode over quickly and gripped the doorknob in her bloody hand.
"I have orders for you from the Magic Council."
She gripped the handle tightly, cursing under her breathing. She spun around and stared at the old man. He looked sad for some reason.
"They want you to keep tabs on Laxus. You will do this as an official of the Council and as a favor for me. Please." He pleaded. He looked like he regretted a lot of things at that moment. "Until this mission is over, you will not be seen in my guildhall. This starts in one month. At that point, you will leave and find my grandson and keep track of him. Weekly reports will be sent to me and the Council. This is an important matter that Yoru must take care of, without the Laxus ever knowing. Do you understand me?"
She stared at him for a long, cold minute.
She had a month to prepare. She could still contact friends, but she would be gone for some time. "It'll be done." She turned and opened the door again, flipping Makarov off before closing the door.
Lyla paused outside the door and stared at her bloody hand. She heard the master whisper an apology to her.
She sighed and began to walk away. The mission would be taken care of. Not that she'd obey every rule completely. On top of the ridiculousness of the whole shit show, she had no completion date. How predictable of the new council. At least she didn't have to get dirty doing her new mission.
Maybe she could at least find her mother while she was gone. The Bureau presumed her dead by now, but if Lyla was anything like her parents for whatever reason, her mother would still be alive.
A/N: I'm grounded because I forgot to update... I'm sorry! *Bows* I didn't mean to! Please check out the other fic that I'm writing, Shattered Past. Also please leave some reviews on both. It makes me feel better. *hides in corner* Bye...