Chapter 12

Jet pov

Jet: "sorry … um here let me help…"

She flinched from my hand when I held it out to her. I didn't question it but it kinda hurt my feelings until she put the long gloves of hers back on. I realized then that she probably didn't bring any stickers with her and she was probably trying to keep me safe.

Jet: "so… you play?"

She was already up on her feet by the time I asked. The silence was awkward and I didn't know what else to say.

Rana: "hmmp… I think that's obvious."

Jet: "yeah… how do you play without being able to see?"

The question spit itself out before I thought about what I was going to say. It was probably something she didn't want to answer and I was inwardly cringing at what I thought would be a snide remark.

Rana: "I played before I went blind… I used to compose my own music…"

She kind of trailed off after a far away look came over her like she was remembering something.

Jet: "How'd you become blind in the first place?"

She stiffened up when I asked the last question. I realized that I didn't think, again. I wasn't sure if she was mad so I added in a little more to my question.

Jet: "you don't have to answer by the way I'm just curious."

Rana: "It's fine I just wasn't expecting it… I had a fight with my step-brother when I was around my mid teens… he wasn't a good guy and we were supposed to be training to fight in a war but he didn't play by the rules… he nearly hit my baby brother with an attack and had I been a second later he would've died."

I was kinda surprised she said anything. It was painful to watch her come up with the words to what happened to her. It was sad that, to save her brother, she had to lose that part of herself. Wait how old is she?

Jet: "How old are you anyway?"

Rana: "I think mid twenties. The crystals make it hard to tell."

Jet: "do you know how you became crystallized?"

Rana: "I know who did it. I don't remember why though."

Jet: "by the way Levy's been looking for you."

Rana: "Why? Why is anybody looking? I couldn't save Wendy's cat so why even bother?"

I watched the tears stream down her face and I realized why she was so upset. She felt like she failed.

Jet: "Look accidents happen, so what if you didn't notice Carla was gone, you're blind, we won't hold it against you."

Rana: "I should've smelled her... I should've been able to sense she wasn't there."

I was kind of confused when she said 'smelled'. I thought she was a normal mage but maybe not.

Jet: "What type of mage are you?"

She froze again. I didn't mean to let that one slip either but It was too late. I was waiting for a slap to the face but when it didn't come I was surprised. She got really close like it was some massive secret.

Rana: "I'm a…"

The last part was too low for me to hear so I asked her to repeat it.

Rana: "I'm a Dragonslayer."

Jet: "wow...what type?"

Rana: "I'm the Siren Dragonslayer. I control sound and water though my water abilities aren't as strong."

Jet: "why haven't you told the guild? They'd be happy to have another dragonslayer in the ranks."

She closed her eyes like she was thinking. She opened them again after a minute.

Rana: "I don't want anyone to get hurt… with my magic being the way it is, it makes it complicated... If they don't know what I can do then they won't hurt themselves trying to pick fights that they can't win."

I understood what she was trying to say. Our guild was a little rowdy. It looked like it pained her to not say anything but I'd done enough prying.

Jet: "let's go. I think the guild has looked for you long enough."

Rana: "wait a minute."

Rana went up to the store clerk to ask about the piano she'd been playing on. It was more like a keyboard type style. It wasn't cheap either. The guy said it was worth about what Lucy pays for rent for a month. Afterwards we started walking back. I hadn't realized it till then but while we were talking it got dark.

Jet: "so…."

Rana: "so what?"

Jet: "why'd you tell me all that?"

Rana: "I needed to talk... though I would prefer you don't repeat any of it."

I was about to reply to her when she turned around suddenly. She went from a neutral calmness straight to a defensive stance.

?: "Hey sweetheart is he really your type?"

A group of guys appeared from the shadows. There were maybe four of them but I realized I hadn't been paying attention to where we were walking. It was one of the poorer more dangerous parts of magnolia. I grabbed her hand to motion to her to start walking but as soon as I did that magic circles appeared from their hands. We were screwed.