Chapter 16: A Promised Future
The trip inside our carriage was surprisingly silent which quite frankly, frustrated me.
I mean...imagine one of your favorite character sitting in front of you alive but barely says a word. I'm trying my best not to look heartbroken at the moment.
Oh sure I tried making small talks, but she either just nodded, shook her head or put in one or two words of her opinion which could be barely be called talking. Young Elfman was a much better person to talk with, he had eyes for the outside world for so long that my stories has been more than enough to capture his wanderlust. His polite speech impressed Rebecca that he blushed when she praises him for his manner for such young age. Frankly, I'm just milking the moment before he gets to be that annoying guy who keeps shouting 'Man!'
Or was that more of Ichiya's thing?
Then there's Little Lisanna who is currently talking very animatedly with Nick and his egg. I caught a few glimpse of his blush and small soft smile that I soon realized he might have a small crush with her.
Talk about blackmail materials.
I didn't realize the wicked grin I wore had sent shivers down his spine.
Still it'd be good if Mira could actually open up a bit more. Her dark blue eyes that she kept hidden with her face down was now meeting my own dark emerald eyes, and it was a quirk I noticed that she was holding back something she wants to say.
"You know you can ask me anything right?"
Mira made a small surprised noise at being caught, and she was fidgeting her black robe even more.
"Where are you taking us exactly?"
The others all turned to me for the answer. Amidst all the excitement before, I forgot to tell her where we were headed.
"Ah right, should have told you. I had our driver take us to the closest town, which is Magnolia. We would have to take a detour to our home but since they're the closest place to have a Magic Guild there, I thought it'd be best to drop you there."
"Do we have to?" Nick surprisingly whined. I arched an eyebrow at him, making him look flustered. "Sorry, I don't mean to speak out of term but we have a famous local guild of our own town. Couldn't we just bring them with us?"
Ah, so that's the problem good thing, I'm good at bullshitting things.
"First reason is because even with Lamia Scale's reputation, compared to Fairy Tail they are still second best. Mirajane needed someone who can help master her magic and as someone as amazing as her who did it for the sake of saving her siblings, I'm only going the best for her."
Mira blushed at my blunt statement whule ducking her down further, it was the truth and Mira needed to know that.
"Second reason being is like I said, it was the closest town with a competent magic guild in it. Third reason is...actually, I don't know the third I just make it up along as I go."
The occupant of the carriage and would face plant on the floor if there was any room for it.
"Hey, I made it up but my reason is still valid and reasonable!" I defended myself before anyone could protest.
"Debatable," Rebecca murmured. I give her a stink eye but she played an innocent smile.
"Anyway...I already send a letter to my Dad that we would take a detour because a mishap on our carriage so don't think that you're inconvenient to us because we do this cause we want to."
I thought with my intention being more than clear it would have eased all three siblings.
"Why?" Mirajane suddenly asked, her face detached and she looked like she was observing my face intently which makes me a bit uncomfortable.
"Why what?" I asked back. Not sure where this question is going.
"Why are you doing this? Why me? Why us?"
The confused look still doesn't left me, "You're not making any sense Mirajane."
"For what reason are you helping us?" She finally let out, almost yelling out her question. "We have nothing. No money, no connection, nothing. Just the clothes on our back and…" she gulped as she slip out her demon hand to make her point.
I was about to reassure her but Mira wasn't finished.
"You came into our lives, suddenly giving us a way out and everything we needed without asking anything in return. Like a god sent angel came to rescue us and you expect us to believe you don't want anything from us because you just want to help random kids who one just so happens to have a demon inside her and couldn't control it so I have to fear for not only my life but my siblings if I ever accidentally hurt them?"
By the end of it, Mirajane was out of breath and her speech ended in a shrill tone that she find herself blinking in realization before covering her mouth in horror for saying too much. Half of which I assumed, something she didn't mean to voice out.
Her younger sibling called her name, but Mira is now ashame to even look them in the eye.
I thought about her words carefully, her concern was reasonable so I need to make a good enough reason for her to accept.
But the problem is I don't have one.
Because there was never a need to.
I sighed, and thought to answer truthfully when the sound of carriage creaking, birds chirping, and the forest rustling was overwhelmed by the sound of a woman screaming.
The scream startled the horses and the couchman almost lost control. Roy's feet was already up and immediately rushed out toward the source of the voice where trouble, Nick followed closely behind - not forgetting to have Rebecca hold the egg - until they were out of sight, hidden behind the thick trees and bushes.
The Strauss siblings looked confused by their action, "What's going on? Where are they going?" Mira asked in concern.
Rebecca sighed as she softly caressed the egg, as if petting the unborn child current abode would help her stress level. "I'm afraid they are going to the source of trouble," she sighed with a hint resignation yet her lips turned fond at the fact and Mirajane, for the life of her, couldn't understand why.
"Are they going to kill monster and stop bad guys?" Lisanna asked excitedly and would have followed them out to confirm it herself if Elfman hadn't hold her down by the shoulder.
"Most likely, yes. They are much younger than me but far more stronger than the average mages for their age." The maid reassured them.
Mirajane didn't understand what she did next, maybe it was her own curiosity, maybe she thought she'd get her answer from there, or maybe it was the genuine faith in the maid's tone that got her moving.
She told her siblings to stay and ran out to follow them.
She didn't need to run far as she looked down from a steep hill and her jaw dropped from the scene.
A family of four was there, the parents had tears streak on their cheeks and two of their children was being hauled by two men. One brunette woman was on the driver seat of a magic cart the shape of a small truck and the fourth man was holding back the adults with the threat of magic.
Mirajane saw just in time for Roy lifted Nick by the arm and throw him into said fourth man with a flying kick to his face. Making him slide unconscious to the floor.
All of them froze except the presence of two kids that arrived, yet managed to emit a control and superior air around them. What surprised her more was the tensed air easily turned nonchalant once Roy smiled and waved as if he was greeting a friend who passed by rather than a group of kidnappers/dark mage.
"Hello there evil doers or whatever you want to call yourself. You seem to be in the market of child slavery and if I'm seeing right, that truck has a chuck full of children waiting to be sold."
His tone was lighthearted and as a matter of factly, as if he had just pointed out the sky was blue. Making Mira shiver slightly. It had the opposite effect for the mages though, "Who the fu-"
"Ah, ah, ah, language!" Roy cut off with a chastised tone. "We have kids around so be careful of what you say. Now, if you're wondering who I might be well...I would tell you my name but you Sirs and Ma'am don't deserve to know. So let me give you a warning." His voice turned low and deadly serious. The whimper of their victim filled the one moment of silence.
"You're going to let go of these two kids along with the rest, turn and run along with your crew and never let me hear your voice, name, face, or a single hair from you. And if not, I'm going to be really, really pissed and smack you down, have you eat dirt and drink your own blood. Savvy?" Roy said, grinning by the end and making Nick snickered from his declaration.
The woman ignored whatever warning he had said and began shouting about killing the kid or kidnap him too, whichever they deem fit.
Mirajane looked down on horror and shock at their quick decision to take someone's life so easily that she saw red.
With quick footwork, she jumped from the steep hill and landed right on top one of the kidnapper. At the same time a dagger stab through the mage beside her and after a blink, Roy was there, punching said mage's jaw and knocked him out cold.
Mira didn't let her thought stray for too long,she used her accursed hand and claw out his face, making him scream in agony. She jumped off his shoulder and followed things with a punch that made him fly before falling, landing on his face and eat dirt as Roy had predicted.
The woman cursed and was about to run off, abandoning her two comrades but even after kicking the pedal, she find that she couldn't. It was only when she looked back from the car window that she noticed the pair of back tires was crystallized to the ground.
Roy looked back at Mira, sending silent question with his eyes.
She was about to answer him why she was here - though it was more of a whim than anything - but she was suddenly yanked back hard only to be threatened by the man she first assume the two boys had taken care off. A magic dagger was pressed to her neck and she whimpered.
Nick and Roy froze from the scene, giving the woman enough chance to get out of the car and with quick use of her words, casted a spell that had her spew out acid to the crystal. It worked, but still takes time before it could dissolve it all.
"So, what are we going to do with them? Kill them?" The woman asked her comrade.
The black man with shaggy hair, he had pierces on his ear, nose and mouth. He leered down at his captive and an evil smile crept up his lips, "Oh I know those kinds of kids anywhere. They'll do anything if it makes sure their own friend is safe. We'll take them and make a money out of them. Especially this one, she'll grow up into something expensive."
He leaned down and lick the side of her cheeks, and Mira's breathing and heart rate became faster. The man was saying something about getting inside the car and for Lila - the woman? - to take out the anti-magic chains for them. She didn't hear all that because of the panic attack she got of her own memory of a demon licking her and trying to eat her siblings.
Mirajane screamed.
Her screamed was so deafening, she didn't realized she use magic and the scream caused agony to everyone who heard it. They got to close their ear so the effect wasn't fatal, but that meant for the man to released Mira from her hold. She stopped screaming and turned to the mage in rage and gave him a hard punch in the gut. Enough to cause him to spit blood out of his mouth, his back hit the tree and his breath was almost all stole away.
Mirajane wasn't done yet though, in a blinding speed, she stalked over to him and held his throat. Lifting him up by the demon's arm and throw him hard to the ground. She leaned closer so they were face to face, her mouth snarled in inhumane way, her fang grew longer, her hood now down showed her horns, and he swear up and down to his prisoner one day that she had bloodshot eyes that could make even the biggest man in the room cry in fear.
"How much do you think I'm worth now hmm?" she snarled with her hand choking him down, "Why so quiet, aren't you going to put a number on me?"
"Mer...cy…"
The captor was too quiet for her to hear, even Lila just stood there in shock before pushing herself away in tears, and ran while screaming 'demon.'
Mirajane was deaf to all other, but slowly she could here her name being called.
"MIRAJANE!"
She paused.
She blinked a few times before her eyes gone back to normal and saw the result of her outburst. She almost screamed once more if Roy hadn't muffled her with a hug.
She stood there by his arms while he rub her back in circle.
"Hey, it's okay. You're fine. They're fine. Everything's fine."
But she was not fine. She could never be fine. She almost killed a man and would have enjoyed it if Roy hadn't stop her. She cried, bracing herself on the nearest thing to hold her up which was Roy. He didn't protest though and let her cry while soothingly rubbing her back in circle.
"Mira, Mirajane. It's okay now."
"How could you say that?" she choked out between sobs, "I almost killed a man, how is that okay? I knew it, the villagers were right I'm nothing but a monster. I shouldn't have ex-"
"Mirajane Strauss!"
The firm and utter control of her name made her paused and shut her open mouth. She looked back up at Roy with teared eye but his eye didn't soften nor relent the stern angry gaze at her.
Roy took her hand and pulled her from her spot, "Come with me!" he ordered.
In hindsight, she should have shook his hand away. Saying that he had no right to order her, or that she didn't appreciate being pulled forcefully. But the only thing she did instead was flapping her mouth as her eyes still burn from her heavy tears.
She was led in front of the family, who were hugging in desperate need of reassurance and the warmth of their close blood safe and sound. They saw me coming closer toward them and the mother began pulling me into a crushing embrace.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou," she said vehemently before pulling me away and looked at Roy straight in the eye with the most sincere look he ever saw in someone, "How could we ever repay you?"
"Don't thank just me, thank her."
The look she had immediately turn wary and even the two kids backed away with tears, before Mira could turn her back on them, Roy tighten his grip on her shoulder more so she wouldn't run away.
"I told her to wait in the carriage but because she's worried about me, she came after me. Even joining the fight just because she knew they were going to take you away even though I had to remind her time and time again she hasn't control her magic well. I mean...look at her horn, it's ridiculous. It looked like a ram's horn but on her it looked like two snails taken shelter on her head."
The two children giggled and the parent's eye became soften a bit. It's good to know that humor can still bring people together, and insulting her in that way showed she has no problem with people's opinion. Touching her inhuman part showed she was okay to touch.
The mother inched closer, and while Mira stiffen, Roy gently pushed her closer so the mother could hug her as well.
"Thank you, for helping protect my children."
Mira didn't say anything, but nodded.
Roy looked back at the discarded car and Nick was already working on breaking the lock and he gave him a thumbs up when he's done.
On their way back, Roy held Mira hand to make her pause and looked her straight in the eye as he said this.
"You ask me why would try helping random kids without reason. Then answer me this Mirajane, do you really need a reason to help people?"
She didn't have an answer to that.
Afterward I had the father of the family, Mr. Bennet, to help escort the chained kids to the nearest village where they'll be provided with a good home or find their way back to their lost family. I could reassure myself they could take care of themselves then.
The three of us went back to the carriage where Lisanna burst out and hug her sister, followed by Elfman and I left them to have their moment.
Rebecca wasn't so welcoming though, the moment I was in her range she hit both me and Nick on the head.
"What was that for?" I asked indignantly.
"That's for looking for trouble instead of avoiding it and probably almost getting hurt too Young Master. I swear you're trying to take me to an early grave with a heart attack"
"...but you had faith in us in the end right?"
An upward curved worked its way on her lips, "Quite right."
The journey continues and Mira became more engaged in the conversation ever so, and knowing she's trying to get to know us warmed me.
Until the carriage pulled over and a sad smile quirked up on me.
"Well this is it."
Lisanna tilted her head, "This is what?"
"The end of the line." I opened up the carriage door to reveal the first Fairy Tail building. The guild flag waving proudly in the sky at the top. It was more awe inspiring looking at it in person and it jolted the wanderlust inside me just from seeing the symbol. How easier it would be to just dash to the front desk, find the Master and sign up to join without a second thought.
Alas, it's not my time nor is it my place yet.I have my own family to look after and a future to think about.
I turned to the Strauss siblings, and smiled at their eager faces that Elfman and Lisanna had and wondered if they want to dashed inside just as much as me. Yet, again my attention took to Mira who was silent. Nothing in her face showed her what she was feeling and I got worried.
"Hey, you okay?" I held her shoulder and she almost jumped from my touch. Not the touchy type yet I see. Mirajane was silent for a long time, even her siblings noticed how quiet she was.
"Can't I go with you?" Mirajane finally asked me.
My eyes widen, completely caught off guard by the question that I didn't think the next thing I said "No."
Mira looked hurt at my blunt respond and I regret my callous way of saying but not for saying it. I'd be lying if the thought of bringing her with me never cross my mind and damned the plot. But then I remembered the greeting smile she would make to friends old and new who will pass those doors, the angry demon form she used for the sake of her family, the tears she shed out of heartbreak and joy.
And I couldn't rob that away from her.
"You need a family Mirajane," I finally told her, "and I can't give that to you. I can give you a roof to shelter, clothes and richest in your wildest dream if you want, a mage to hire to help you with your magic, a life you could want just from working for me. But not a family."
"But...Nick...and Rebecca..."
I smiled sadly at her at the reminder, "They're as close as a family to me, yes. But Nick only allows to call me 'Aniki' in private setting and in anywhere else had someone saw Rebecca lay a hand on me or rebuke me, she would have gone in jail."
"I think of them as my family and vise versa for them, but we had to distance ourselves at certain times because of my position as a noble. And I can't do that to you, you deserve better." I couldn't help but glanced back at my two most important people and back at her, "They don't have anyone else but me, but you still have your siblings and they need you."
Tears began to welled up and my heart felt it's being torn inside me, "But what if I need you?" she almost choke out the word.
"You won't...because you never needed a hero Mirajane." I glanced to the side at the marveled look of her younger siblings, "You almost sacrificed yourself to save the two most important person to you. You jumped to a fight without a second thought knowing slavery was at worked. And you cry and regretted for almost killing a man. You don't need a hero, because you're already one Mirajane. A fantastic one at that."
Mira looked floored at my words, the tears was shed and finally...FINALLY at the very end.
She smiled.
The first smile I saw her with, for me, and I couldn't help the wide grin that almost split my face from it.
"Will I ever see you again?"
I thought about the proper and epic respond I could give her, "Mirajane Strauss, you are a girl of great courage and compassion I doubt I'll see often in any other. One day you'll be a great woman and people all over Fiore would have heard your name."
Mira looked equally flushed and confused from the compliment I gave her and I'm not finished, "I don't plan to stay as I am, and I plan for people to know my name as well. When that day comes, we'll find each other." I slid my hand over hers - her human hand - secretly thankful she didn't flinch from my touch and pulled her hand so my pinky interlocked with hers. "When that time comes I promise you, we'll let the world watch us run from one adventure to another."
"Just you and me?"
"If you want to," I couldn't help but say.
"In the meantime," I pulled out my trusty golden fountain pen and with a flick of my hand, use runes to enchant it. I missed the awe look she had as I wrote before giving it to her. "Use this pen whenever you wanted to talk. It'll turn any letter you write with my name on it to send it by magic." She carefully took it from my hand, afraid she might accidentally crushed it with her demon hand. Her smile, if it was possible, brighten even more.
"I'll keep in touch," she promised.
With that settled, I clapped my hand hard to get everyone's attention. "Alright, Nick, Rebecca, time to go home."
They followed up quickly to our carriage, I find both Elfman and Lisanna in tears and snot everywhere from me leaving. Giving them a hug each, I waved them goodbye and turned my back on them before telling the driver to take us home.
When the carriage moved, I heard a brief squabble that we passed by and I smirk.
"Honestly can't you guys get along? We as one guild are family and families do not fight over who had the hardest head and rammed each other like idiots!"
""He started it!"" they talked back.
"What did you say?" the girl said with a low warning tone.
""Nothing Ma'am.""
I didn't need to looked back to see who the voices belonged to. My time will come when we'll meet and when that day comes, I'm confident that we'll have the greatest adventure together.
One day though.
One day…
I thought that once we got home. Everything will go back to normal, but the thing about life is that nothing will ever stay the same.
I knew that more than anyone.
Yet it was also why I hold on to the present as much as I could before everything will fleet away someday.
So I wasn't prepare for the news I got when I reach home.
The Justine Family's carriage was found on a valley after falling over a cliff.
Mr. And Mrs. Justine were found dead.
Freed Justine was nowhere to be found.