Trigger warning! It's going to be getting dark now so fair warning. Mentions of rape will be in this chapter. If you aren't comfortable with reading it then go ahead and skip.
Chapter 6 Hurt by Christina Aguilara
"Hey Papa, do you have a minute?" Emi's voice rung out with confidence even though an almost shy smile graced her face. Her normally pale cheeks had a pink tint to them as if she was embarrassed about something or got too much sun. She looked slightly younger than she did now but still was filling out in spots.
A grunt escaped an older man as he stood up from what he was doing. Setting down the pair of snips he was using to cut down weeds that were in the garden he let his own grass green eyes fall on his daughter. His brunette hair had grey mixing in but you could hardly tell from the hat he had on his balding head. His own smile crossed his face as she offered him a glass of water. "Emilia."
She knew that tone in his voice all too well. It had enough authority in it to make her be on her best behavior. Humor was lightly laced in it which told her that he wasn't in a bad mood as he sometimes let on. It was one of those things she hated about him because she couldn't exactly tell what kind of mood he was in. But she had to ask him even if it was repetitive and probably grinding his last nerve at this point.
It was the only thing at this point that was keeping her spirits up. Like others she was starting to lose what hope she had for a miracle.
"Any word if Natsu and the others came back yet? How about Gildarts? Anything on anyone getting back from this long episode of hide and seek?"
He had to resist the growing desire to roll his eyes. Even the urge to growl and yell at her started to consume him but he held it back. Almost every day if not weekly depending on how desperate she was asking those type of questions. That naïve part of him understood she was trying to keep hope alive in her but this long was pushing it.
Most people that decided to stay in the guild had already given up hope including him years ago. But this was something she most likely got from her mother. She always tried to be a positive thinker even when it was bleak. From what he could remember she was like that when they were trying for a child.
Setting down the snips he let a sigh escape him which she noted as a different reaction than normal. Normally he would shrug and chuckle or shake his head to give her a straight answer. He even went as far as tearing his gaze away from his only child which was unusual.
"Papa . . ." Emi trailed off as worry crossed her face and lingered on it. Something wasn't sitting right with her which made her want to cover her ears and run like an innocent child. But she wasn't one. She was far from a child now.
"It's been five years child," he stated as his gazed turned towards her. Already he could see the hurt as it etched its way into her eyes and face. She knew where this was heading and neither of them wanted it to be like this. "Five years since everyone disappeared on Tenrou Island. Most people gave up years ago and moved on with their lives. You need to be like them and move on also."
As the words sunk in, she slowly shook her head in denial and hurt. She couldn't do that to them. They made Fairy Tail the best guild in Fiore. They would never turn their backs on fellow guild members no matter what the circumstance was. There was no way she would do that to them. They were family that she never got to have in some cases.
"You know I can't. They wouldn't do that if we were in their shoes. Besides I'm sure Gildart's can kick anyone's ass that stood in his way. I know he helped them get out of there. They're just laying low for some reason."
"Will you quit going on about that man? This infatuation with him needs to stop now Emilia. He's old enough to be your father for goodness sake. You do realize that right?" Her father's voice raised slightly causing her to cringe unexpectedly in fear. It wasn't the reaction he was expecting to come from her, but it caused an ache in his heart for being this blurt. But it needed to be done. It was going on for far too long in his eyes.
"Then who should I go on about Papa? Who should I crush on that you would approve of?" She whimpered as she felt the heat and prickling of her oncoming tears. To her it was making no sense that he was suddenly being this way. Normally he would shrug, chuckle or shake his head but this wasn't normal. He would grin and bear it much like she had to do when he was having his moments.
A sigh escaped him as he racked his brain at the possible prospects that were around. Even men that were in different guilds though it meant she was having a long-distance relationship if anything blossomed. "Anyone that's here now and alive. Just someone, anyone, that is physically here."
The desire to argue and walk away battled within her to give him some form of reaction. She wanted to do both even if she refused to back down from how she felt about the situation.
Even if she could suddenly change how she felt and let it focus on someone else she knew deep down that no one would stand out. The biggest reason why she felt this way towards Gildarts was because of how he treated everyone in the guild like family more than Makarov did at times. He had power and could hold his own against anyone. She also knew that he would die for the guild if it came down to it.
Then there was the possibility of Laxus which made her keep a cringe at bay. The Laxus that she knew growing up to the one that was five years ago were two completely different people. He had turned into someone that couldn't recognize and he was gone from Magnolia so who knows what he was doing nowadays.
As for anyone else that Sorcerer Weekly talked about being eligible bachelors didn't catch her interest in the slightest. So, she knew it was pointless to even try to get over it when time should have done that for her.
"I-I can't." Emi whispered as she bowed her head to hide her tears from her father. She cursed her mother for being the one in the family who cried when they were angry. She hated it with a passion since everyone that saw it thought it was being weak.
"What was that Emilia?"
She didn't want to repeat herself. It was pointless because something told her that he heard her. He just wanted her to say it again so he could try to get his own point across. It wasn't going to happen though. She was allowed to feel the way she was feeling and there was no way he was going to change that because he hated how she was holding out hope for the better outcome for her surrogate family.
"I said that I can't. I won't." She said with her voice louder this time. She felt confidence rising up inside when she knew that it would get her knocked down a peg. Her father wasn't the one to decide on what she thought about or how she should feel about situations that happened around them.
Why was he being like this all of a sudden she wondered. Normally he would get testy and short tempered about everything when it was nearing the anniversary of her mother's death. It wasn't even close that she knew of. So why the sudden change of attitude? Unless there was something going on that he didn't want her to know about.
It felt like he was trying to plead with a wall to move when there was no point in it. He could feel the bitterness he had throughout the years since the disappearance leaking out as a growl escaped him surprisingly. "Emilia, you need to just stop believing that they're going to come back. It's been five years and there hasn't been any type of signs that they're out there. No clue. Nothing."
She kept silent because she knew by now that there was no point in trying to argue with him. Arguing was going to make his temper worse which made her wonder who had the worst temper. Him or her mother? She never experienced her mother's but if she had it was something, she blocked out so she could try to live a somewhat normal life like she would want. Regardless of it she knew when she shouldn't say anything back to him.
"It's time to grow up and understand how things are supposed to be. Magic can't do anything."
Of course, magic couldn't do everything. She knew that from the start unless someone dabbled in black magic. Even then that wouldn't solve everything that was wrong with the world. It couldn't save her mother nor bring back the dead as much as people would wish for. She would even admit that she wished it was possible, but it was the biggest taboo out there. Natural order would get out of order and who knows what would happen if that were to happen.
But she knew she couldn't hold her tongue now. He used to tell her to stay young as long as possible in the past but now it was different. He needed to make up his mind or else she might just stop listening to whatever he would try to say to her. She needed to stand up to him even if he was her father.
"Time to grow up huh? This is coming from someone who isn't trying to bother to move on from something either. So how about you practice what you preach Papa?" Emi hissed as her eyes narrowed. She could feel her own bitterness welling up from the depths of her heart which surprised her. Was this how she was feeling all along? If so, she should have said something sooner so she could feel better about the way she thought at times when she was alone.
She knew it was the truth however. Countless times secret or not she saw him continue to mourn over her mother. Never had she seen him try to move on from it. Most people would realize by now that the deceased would want them to be happy not miserable over the what ifs.
Shock raced through him as his eyebrows rose at the statements. Was that how she truly felt? What were some of the things that she noticed that he tried to hide so she wouldn't see? He figured that she didn't remember anything about Miyuki since she was only five when she passed away. Unless she had pieced everything together over time.
"You won't be able to understand it all. You don't know what love is." Her father argued as he watched hurt cross her face rapidly. He didn't mean for it to come out like that. He knew that she knew what love was. She just didn't know or had felt what the kind of love was that was finding someone you couldn't live without. That was the type of love that he had for her mother and couldn't picture another woman sleeping on her side of the bed.
Quickly her gaze fell to the ground as she tried to swallow. It felt like her throat was swollen but she knew it was from trying to hold back all the tears that were wanting to come forward. She didn't want to admit it out loud that her father's words stung but they did. Harshly would be the best word to describe it in all honesty. It couldn't be helped that she was infatuated with an older man and spent more time at home than normal girls her age. She thought she had her own priorities straight but apparently from her father's perspective she was wrong.
Looking up and meeting her father's gaze she couldn't figure out how he was feeling. His eyes were wide as if he realized something but other than that she couldn't put a finger on it. She could feel the tears prickling in her eyes as she shook her head in a vain attempt to stop the oncoming waterworks. Did she really disappoint her father with how she was? Or was she reading into it too much? Either way she had to run and get out of there before anymore hurtful things were said.
"Emi―"
She bolted from him in hope he wouldn't try to chase after her. She hated trying to explain why she was upset. She definitely hated trying to explain it all to her father. It felt like he didn't listen or thought she was simply overreacting more than anything.
Slowly as she got further from the farm her running turned into a job then a slow walk. She didn't even realize she had wound up in Magnolia until she looked around to get some sense of direction. How long or far did she run?
Her grass green eyes scanned the buildings around her. A small coffee shop with a flower shop butted up against it was on her left. They were both places she enjoyed going to especially when she tried to help get the house looking nicer to try to lift her father's spirits. To her right was a new boutique that she didn't know was coming in. But then again she wasn't the biggest fan of girly clothes so she didn't pay attention to those type of things.
She just knew that she needed something to distract herself. Everything that her father had said and the way she tended to overthink was making her anxious. If things kept up and she didn't find a way to get her mind off things everything would come crashing down on her. Like she needed to have a breakdown in front of strangers.
It made her skin crawl as she sidestepped into the boutique. Her father wouldn't bother to look in there for her since she avoided these types of stores. She just knew that she would regret doing this later. But if it was enough to distract herself from what happened then it was going to be all she needed. Even if the distraction was going to send chills up her spine.
As she stepped into the store she felt the regret instantly hit her. The pinks and reds made her want to run and hide since they were bright and pastel. Deep down she knew her father tried to raise her to be a normal girl but she knew she wasn't like them. She practically grew up rolling around in the dirt like an animal because where she lived. She even went as far as acting more of a tomboy than anything.
So the very sight of frills and lace made her think that she stepped into another dimension. Some of the graphic tops she liked but couldn't picture herself wearing them while she was working with her father. They were even too pricey on top of it so she couldn't and wouldn't burden her father with it. The farm came before her own needs.
Her stride stopped short of going into the section that various footwear. She could see the slippers with animal prints on them as if they were trying to beckon her over but she didn't fall for it. Looking around she caught sight of a clock. It was longer than she expected to be walking around in there as she bit her cheek subconsciously.
Maybe she was being too rough on her father? He had a lot on his plate especially since Fairy Tail had dropped in size so that meant their order of goods had also dropped. So it was obvious that her pestering wasn't helping matters. But, she wasn't thinking about anything he was. She just missed the people that made up her second family.
"I need to just face the music." Emi muttered to herself as she turned on her heel and walked out the door.
As she walked the streets of Magnolia she glanced at some of the shops that she passed. The music store that seemed to be around since forever was getting a facelift which was new to her. Maybe she should take her father and Bisca's advice and get out more. Maybe then she would see what new things were going on in her town.
Stopping and looking through the window she took in the sound of music playing lightly. Last Day Under the Sun by Volbeat was playing which was catchy. It was even a rock band so maybe even Laxus would like them though she knew he might say it sounded stupid or something. He was more of a classic type of person anyway. But she could at least try to open his musical tastes to something other than classic rock and roll.
Her gaze fell onto the various sound pods that were for sale. On a shelf underneath them there were headphones that you could choose to use. They even had one that looked like Laxus' which caused a sad smile to grace her pale skin.
She would admit without a doubt that she missed him even if she called her annoying growing up. The thought of all the things she tried to take his headphones to listen to his music caused a small laugh to escape her as she rubbed her eyes. She couldn't cry over memories of someone that was long gone by now. Knowing him he probably moved on to another guild and being the same cocky S-class wizard.
"Damnit." She muttered to herself as she forced herself to walk away from the store. She didn't have the jewel to afford something that would later on collect dust. It wouldn't bring back how things used to be. So there was no point in even trying to get all the jewel together for it.
As she walked, she noticed the bookstore that she knew Levy frequented. She constantly seen her there especially if they were having a sale. Then she would have Jet and Drory in tow for muscle since she had no idea on what too many books were. The very thought of the solid script mage brought a small smile to her face even if it didn't last as long as she hoped. She missed that bookworm more than she thought she did much like everyone else.
Her stride stopped as she felt something land on her shoulder. Glancing around she found nothing until a rumble of thunder caught her attention. She hadn't realized it was supposed to rain but a pop up didn't surprise her. It was warm enough for one to happen.
"I better get home before it breaks loose." She told herself. The faster she was out of the weather meant the faster she could get over the awkwardness with her father. It made her wish she could be like Happy with how he was able to break the tension. Or even be like Erza and the others who could solve any conflict that was handed to them.
Her pace started back up but it was faster than before. The feeling of rain droplets hitting her in various spots told her that the rain was coming down faster. The last thing she needed was to come down sick and not be able to help her father with the farm. Like she needed to feel more like a failure of a daughter.
The sound of people talking and other various noise drifted away until she was surrounded by silence with the occasional animal sound. The sight of the forest was always a welcome sight to her even as the storm let loose around her. She felt drenched but she could feel something sitting differently with her. A pit was in her stomach as if something was telling her not to go down the lane that led to the farmhouse. It felt like dread but also fear so she wasn't sure which one she should listen to.
A gasp escaped her as she tried to shake the thoughts out of her head. It couldn't be that. The enchantments that Freed placed couldn't have failed, could they? What kind of creature could be rampaging around the farm? A vulcan? Those questions raced through her mind as she sprinted down the lane. The sound of thunder deafened her as she felt the storm come down around her.
What if something happened to her father? The what ifs for that question made her throat clench and the desire to get sick greeted her. She couldn't think of a life without her father especially when he was needed for her future moments. There were tons that he had to teach her about the farm so he couldn't leave her.
"Papa!?" Emi gasped out as the burn in her lungs told her to slow down. She couldn't though. She had to get there and make sure she wasn't causing herself to overthink once more.
The sight of the two-story farmhouse that originally was a barn itself greeted her along with the fences and various other buildings. Supposedly the farm has been in the family on her father's side for generations though she had yet to see proof of that. The front porch swing that she used to fall asleep countless times on as a child swayed with the breeze. The old tree that she used to climb out front swayed also which made her worry since it felt like the storm was getting stronger.
Walking around the property she glanced around for any sight of her father. Normally he refused to go out in a storm unless he had to because of an old injury from his youth would act up during this type of weather. So either he was in the house or another building waiting it out.
"Hey Papa!" Emi called out as she hoped a crack of thunder wouldn't drown her out. That would be her luck.
Circling around she listened for any response. Any other time he would complain about how loud she got. He would even go as far as to blame the guild for it when it really wasn't. She honestly blamed it on him since there were times he didn't have an indoor voice.
Was he trying to fear her out and cause a panic attack? That same question rolled around in her mind as she walked towards the house. She quickly walked inside and scanned around for him even if the house looked like a mess. Stopping her stride she looked around in the living room. It wasn't like this when she left. What happened?
Her heart started to beat faster as the possibilities raced through her mind. Glancing around frantically she rushed through all the rooms in hope that her father was in one of them. When she found nothing of him she ran out the backdoor and looked around. The wind whipped her hair into her face which stung but it wasn't something she focused on. She had to find her father. Maybe she got lucky and he was in town trying to find her.
At this point however she couldn't help but envy Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel for their heightened sense of smell. She would love to have it right now even if the scents of animals might make it impossible to pick his out. But, she knew that if it was possible she would take it in a heartbeat.
Jogging to the barn she kept an eye out for any indication of the older man. How could he stay hidden when he was always having to complain about his back? It made no sense to her but right now she had other things to worry about.
Standing in the doorway she looked around. Some of the lights were on so he must knew the storm was coming after all. He might even be in here still if that was the case. "Papa you in here?!"
Narrowing her eyes at the lack of any type of answer she felt the pit in her stomach deepen. Normally the small head of cattle and other four legged creatures they kept in there would be making all kinds of racket because someone was in there. That was how it normally went but right now it was deadly silent to the point she was convinced nothing was in there even if she saw them. It caused more worry to run through her system but she tried to focus on something else other than that.
As she walked pass pens she cocked her head to the side as she noticed one of the doors standing wide open. It was maternity pen and pasture but it wasn't going to be in use for a couple months give or take. The last time they had used it, it was clean and ready for the next pregnant animal.
She tried to swallow but it felt like her throat was scorched by fire. It even hurt to breathe as she got closer. She couldn't understand why she was filled with so much dread all of a sudden. Deep down she knew she was going to find something she never wanted to find but on the surface she tried to be positive. It was all she could do to keep those negative thoughts from consuming her.
In one step she rounded the doorway and stared into the pen. Instead of finding it empty like she expected it to be she found the man she called her father. With the way he was leaning against the wall with his head hanging she suspected him to be taking a small nap to help pass the storm. The straw was still fresh with the strong aroma it gave off but something told her that it wasn't what she was thinking he was doing.
"Hey Papa? I-I'm sorry for acting the way that I did." Emi croaked out as she stepped closer to the man.
Her body stiffened at the sound of thunder as lightning repeatedly flashed outside. But her gaze wasn't focused on the windows but to the straw that was underneath her father. It wasn't the pale and golden yellow that she was use to see but a deep red. Why was there blood? They hadn't had an animal in here so there was no reason for blood to be in this pen.
"Papa?" She questioned as she reached out to touch his shoulder. Instead of the usual heat radiating off him that helped keep her warm in the winter she found an unfamiliar coldness to him. All she felt was shock as she stared at the corpse before her as her mind tried to process the information.
She felt sick all at once to the point she had to rush outside to throw up. As she emptied the contents of her stomach outside the barn she felt her head spin as if she was stuck on one of the amusement park rides that spun around. Instead of the short amount of time she felt like she was stuck on it for hours with it going as fast as it could. Her body felt foreign and controlled by someone else as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Standing up she looked around for anything that might be out of the ordinary. Part of her let the denial consume her as she walked back into the barn robotically. There was no way her father was dead. It had to be one of his sick jokes that he used to play on her when she was growing up. That had to be it. He was not actually dead like her gut was trying to tell her.
Emi stepped back into the pen and stared at his body numbly. There was no way he was like this. As she bent down and took hold of his shoulders she felt a chill race down her spine. Whether it was the fact she was drenched or what she was staring at she wasn't sure. She shook him lightly with nothing as a reaction coming from him. The only thing she saw was some blood dripping off his chin which told her that her worst nightmare had come to pass.
"Papa? Pa-Papa this isn't funny. Wake up. Crack a smile. C-cr-can you please do that?" Emi begged as the pain in her throat subsided as her tears finally gave way. She couldn't be strong like she wanted to be. She wasn't like everyone in the guild that could face death and win the fight. All she was, was weak and cried easily over anything.
Everybody left her like she feared. First her mother to her illness when she was little. Next Laxus that she looked up to for how strong he was. If it wasn't for him being power hungry and getting his own goals mixed up with goals for the guild he would still be here. But, something told her that his father had something to do with it. He just had to because Laxus was never like this. Now, her father was gone for reasons she had no idea about.
The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as if it was trying to warn her about something. What else could go wrong?
"Well."
A sniffle escaped her as her body stiffened once more. They weren't alone like she thought. But how could she miss another person being around there? The barn wasn't that dark unless they weren't around when she got into the building. That had to be it or else she would have seen them when she was looking around the house.
"Who woulda thought there was someone else that lives here. That old geezer was lyin'." The voice spoke once more. This person was male from the depth in his voice. But that was all she could tell at the moment about the stranger. She wasn't about to turn around and make eye contact with them on the off chance they were waiting for some kind of indication she was looking for a fight.
"W-Who are you?" Her voice sounded hollow with confidence she couldn't even feel at the moment. Was this adrenaline? If so why did she feel fear snaking through her body telling her to run for her life.
"It's none of your concern girly."
Yes it was. You were the one that killed my father possibly, she thought but she kept herself from speaking it. Part of her knew if she didn't hold her tongue then she would end up like her father. How she knew to keep her mouth shut eluded her especially since she never been in this type of situation before. Was it her father and mother telling her from the other side?
A hand fell onto her shoulder causing the snake like fear to twist in her gut. She felt disgust at the touch as she resisted the urge to throw up once more. It wasn't like she had anything left in her stomach so she preferred to not feel the disgusting burn in her throat. But she noticed that she was paralyzed like she had lost control of her body. Something told her not to shrug it off because if she acted on the urge she might be dead in an instant.
"W-wh-how do you know my father?" She choked out as pressure constricted her throat. How could she still talk when she wanted to move any part of her body? Was it fear? Or was it the thought that she knew this man could be up to no good?
"This old geezer? No way in hell do I know his wrinkled ass. He just got in our way." She hadn't realized how close this man was until he spoke into her ear in a whisper. Another shock wave of fear raced through her body as she became number to the situation she was in. He wasn't alone which meant double the trouble if she wasn't careful with her words and actions.
It also meant that his partner could be outside waiting for her if she did decide to run. They probably have some kind of weapons that would cause harm to her if not their magic. It was definitely a good idea to stay there even if it could end right here in front of her father's corpse.
It was just a dream. Just a nightmare that she was going to wake up. She kept telling herself that mentally as she tried to will herself awake. She would wake up any moment now and everything would be back to normal. Her father would be at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in hand reading her latest Sorcerer Weekly and deny he enjoys reading it like he always does. They would have a light breakfast and start their day. That was their routine.
Trigger! If you're not comfortable with it, please skip!
"Too bad for you girly. Today isn't your lucky day." The stranger purred as her torso tried to follow her shirt as he tugged on it. The fabric gave away shortly after as it fell to the straw below her.
A wince crossed her face as she tried to cover herself automatically. The man behind her didn't care for that as he slapped her arms away from her chest. The growl she heard escape the man told her that she made the wrong move. With one rough shove she felt herself fall to her knees even if they wanted to give out at any moment it seemed like.
"Just be a good girl." The man growled as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking it to make her face him.
She tried to close her eyes as she tried to focus on anything other than the pain in her scalp. She didn't want to look into the man's eyes and see what dark emotions he had running through his body. She just wanted to get away from it all. Emi attempted to bow her head even if her scalp was protesting against the action. Pain flared throughout as her hair broke from the tension if not tugged at the nerves.
The desire to scream out for help was underneath all the fear she was feeling but she couldn't act on it. No words would escape her as she tried to get someone out even if it was hopeless. No one would be able to hear her and rescue her from this nightmare. The closest person that lived near them was on the edge of town. The fact that the storm was still going on outside didn't help matters either.
The sound of her pants ripping told her what was coming next. She was surprised that she didn't feel the fabric pulling against her, but she passed it off as being numb to her situation. Part of her knew she was trying to block it all out even if she could feel it. She just wanted to focus on anything other than this.
A coolness caressed her newly exposed legs causing a shiver to escape her. This caused a chuckle to escape the man behind her. He saw this as a joke or just got amusement from the fact that he was going to be taking away a lot of things that was going to be a part of her life. Her father was gone because of him. Now she was losing something that was supposed to have been given to someone that she truly loved.
The naïve side of her begged for anyone to come. She wanted to listen to it and scream until her lungs gave out in some form of fight against the man. Even as she felt his hand grab hold of her throat and breast, she felt the words well up into her throat. She felt the desire to thrash around tense up her muscles, but she didn't act on any of them. The numbness she was feeling was too much.
The thought of Natsu or anyone rushing in passed through her thoughts. But it wasn't going to happen. No one was going to come and save her. She was alone and getting violated right by her father's corpse. She wouldn't lie about how she screamed bloody murder when she felt the man penetrate her. Her throat went raw by the time he was finished using her as a sex doll.
The feeling of the warmth that he released into her was an odd feeling, but she didn't care for it. Laying her face into the straw she ignored the pain of the straw as it poked her in various spots. Even the feeling of something wet running down her thighs made her cringe inwardly. All she felt like was a violated robot that couldn't do anything but let it happen. This wasn't how she envisioned her first time happening.