Blah blah blah... whatever. Ember's backstory is in this one! Enjoy!
Ember looked out over the ocean from the cliff she had landed on. Her contemplation was cut short as she was soon attacked by a swarm of Unversed, which she let into with a vengeance. Her conversation with Terra had simultaneously reassured her and made her more wary of the future. Her hair crackled with purple electricity. "Gah! Stupid Unversed. Stupid Vanitas. Stupid Xehanort. Stupid Abyss!" Each exclamation was punctuated by her Keyblade slamming into another Unversed. And now she had questions - when before she had most of the answers.
Terra had asked about the Trials.
Every Sentinel had to go through them, so Ember knew she obviously had to have completed them - but she only remembered the tail end of her second one. Of waking up adrift in the Abyss. It irked her that she had such a gap in her memory, but she didn't remember much from before her Dive. She had a vague memory of a small town; and maybe a magic school? She was almost certain she had known fire magic before receiving her Keyblade. Every time she thought she was close to remembering something, it slipped through her fingers like sand through a sieve. Shaking her head in frustration Ember finished off the Unversed and rolled her shoulders, looking around at what else there was around her.
The cliff moved off into a series of rocky levels that led down as well as appearing to connect to other cliff tops. She reached out with her senses, gauging the status of the World, and burst out laughing.
Terra was here.
She wasn't going to find him, she didn't want to risk him thinking she'd followed him. But that was just too funny.
A flash of light caught her eye and she headed towards where it had come from, taking out the many Unversed that thought to get in her way. "These guys are just annoying now..." A wave of black flames from Darkness Inferno took out the last of the ones she was currently dealing with. It took her far longer than she would have liked, but Ember soon found the source of that light. "Are you okay?" she asked the figure as they got back to their feet.
"I'm fine. Thanks for asking!" A cheerful voice responded. "I'm Mickey, nice to meetcha'!"
"I'm Ember."
"Oh! You're Ven and Aqua's friend!"
"That's me." Ember grinned at the short, anthropomorphic mouse. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm not sure." Mickey admitted. "It's just where the Star Shard took me." He pulled out a star made of blue crystal. "I don't always have control over where it takes me, but everywhere I've gone there's been a purpose to me being there. Heh Heh."
"So it takes you where you NEED to be, not necessarily where you want to be."
"Yep! And I'm starting to think that maybe I'm here to meet 'ya."
"Meet me?" Ember questioned a little bit playfully, slightly flattered at the suggestion.
"Yeah-huh! Something wanted us to meet. I'm sure of it!" Mickey assured, smiling brightly.
"Well, either way I'm glad to meet you." The mouse's smile got somehow brighter at her words and held his hand out to shake hers.
The two spent some time talking - Mickey telling Ember about the times he'd met Ven and Aqua, and Ember sharing a little bit of her own adventures, they even exchanged their concerns for the stability of the Worlds. As they talked, a group of boys showed up - one dressed like a fox and two dressed like rabbits. One of the rabbits was carrying a map. "It says to follow this path, but we've been following it for forever!" The other two groaned along with him and Ember fought a smile.
"Aww… we're never gonna find the treasure…" the fox-boy pouted and sat down on a nearby rock.
Ember exchanged a glance with Mickey and then walked over to the downhearted group. "So you're looking for a treasure, huh?"
The three jumped up. "Why're you asking?" one of the rabbit-boys demanded as the other one hid the map inside his suit. "You workin' for Hook?"
Ember shook her head. "I'm not working for anybody, but I am looking for a treasure. Though I think my treasure is a little different than the one you three are looking for." She smiled at them, moving to sit on a rock not far from them. "But you know the best thing about treasure?"
"Uh-uh. What?"
"It's so hard to find."
"Why would that be a good thing?" the fox-boy demanded.
"Because when you've had to work hard to find something, it makes it that much more precious to you when you finally do find it." Ember answered. "What's more fun - looking at a pile of gems, or opening the chest for the first time after spending days looking for it?"
"Well… opening it, I guess." one of the rabbit-boys answered and the other two boys nodded.
"Exactly." Mickey spoke up. "Just don't stop looking and you'll find that treasure soon. I know it." The trio's eyes lit up in excitement again, only to cry out in alarm when the ground trembled under their feet.
Ember and Mickey summoned their Keyblades just as a vaguely humanoid Unversed appeared. It's face looked almost like a crimson skull with black horns curling from the sides of it, the coloring was mostly crimson and navy and it carried a large scythe that looked much like an anchor. "You boys get out of here!" Ember called to them. "We'll take care of the monster."
"Okay! Be careful!" the trio raced off and were soon lost to sight.
Ember huffed a breath of relief and turned her attention back to the Unversed. "You with me, Mickey?"
"Absolutely." the mouse affirmed determinedly, then attacked with Pearl - an impressively powerful Light attack.
"Alright!" Ember threw herself after him, casting a Thundaga that threw the Reaper backwards.
Ember and Mickey did pretty well for two people who had never fought together before and made surprisingly quick work of the Reaper - at least until it got back up after an attack that, by Ember's calculations, should have destroyed it. And it was even stronger than before, tossing Mickey aside like it was nothing.
Gasping for breath, Ember glared through her bangs at the Reaper - she had to end this quickly. A tingling feeling started in her heart and then moved to fill her entire body. A low growl sounded in her throat while purple energy crackled along her hair and in her eyes. An explosion blew a crater in the ground as she launched towards the Reaper, her arms crossed in a guard in front of her and flames wreathing her body. "FIRE…" She sliced through the Reaper, coming out the other side while flames shoot in all directions "DRAGON!"
Ember landed in a crouch and stood up, turning to look at her handywork. She had never cast a Firaga that powerful, it used up all of her Magic Energy - but it did the job, the Reaper crumbled to ash as her knees gave out beneath her and she crumpled to the ground.
.
The redhead raced down the street towards the large building at the end of the way. The Fairy Tail School of Wizardry was widely acclaimed as the best school in Fiore, housed in a beautiful building of silver stone with a bell at the top, it taught every type of Magic imaginable and every student's magic style was utterly unique. Even at the relatively young age of eleven, Ember Kaen was the best Fire Mage in the school - she was also currently very late for class. "Crap… crap… crap…" Her bookbag bounced against her side with every step as she burst through the main doors.
"There you are Ember!" The Headmaster's secretary - a white haired woman named Mirajane - called, making the younger girl slow. "You're late." She admonished teasingly.
"I know, I was up late last night reading about the Fall of the Dragons and overslept this morning."
"Well, Natsu was looking for you." Mira had an evil grin on her face and Ember groaned.
"Please don't tell me he torched the classroom again!"
"It's Natsu Dragneel." Mira told her dryly. "Of course he did."
Groaning again, Ember turned her back on the woman and took off running again. "Bye Mira! I'll try to reign in Natsu!"
"Good luck Ember!" Mira laughed, turning back to the announcement board she had been updating.
Ember burst into her classroom - easily recognizable by the scorch marks around the door from herself and her tutor playing with fire - and immediately cast a flame shield. She wasn't completely immune to the effects of fire, unlike her teacher. Which she was NOT completely jealous of, thankyouverymuch. "Jeez! Calm down!"
"Ember!" the pink haired young man tackled her in a hug. "You're late."
"I was up all night reading that book you lent me."
"Well that's a good enough reason, I suppose." The flames around them died down as Natsu Dragneel, the infamous Salamander, sat down on the ground. He was twenty three, but sometimes Ember thought she was the older of the two. "So what did you think?"
"It's hard to believe that they could all just vanish like that…" Ember joined him on the ground. "And we still don't really know what happened?"
"All the Dragons up and vanished four hundred years ago." he answered. "All at once, too." Natsu sighed and stood up, stretching. "Alright. We've wasted enough time, let's get started."
Ember grinned and stood as well. "What are we working on today?"
"I want the purest flame you got."
Ember nodded and cupped her hands together as a small red flame appeared between them. The flame grew larger and color got lighter until it was a dazzling blue, Ember's sapphire eyes never left the flames in front of her while Natsu watched in pride. Finally, with a growl of effort, the blue flame turned gold, then died.
Natsu caught the young girl as her knees gave out underneath her. "Well done. Gold flames are extremely hard to conjure, but you've nearly done it Ember."
"I just wish it didn't take so much energy."
"Magical Energy grows with the person, both physically and spiritually. You already have an impressive amount of Energy for your age Ember; the rest will come."
"I guess so…"
"I know so." Natsu averred, letting her regain her feet. "You're done for the day - don't want you overdoing it. Go on home Ember."
"Do I have to?" she whined "Aunt Daphne is visiting and she creeps me out..."
Natsu started laughing. "Well, when you put it that way…" he tugged on his scarf. "I've got some things I have to do, but I'll give you a pass for the Archives. I want you to study the growth of Magical Energy in people, kay?"
"Aye, sir!" Natsu ruffled her hair and she headed to the Archives. "Bye Professor Dragneel!"
"Call me that again and you'll be eating charcoal!" he cried after her. "I told you to call me NATSU!" Ember just laughed, Natsu was so much fun to get riled up.
The Archives was a huge, dark room filled with books from floor to ceiling. The easiest (nearly only) way to find anything specific in the place was to use the Lacrima at the main desk.
"Hi Levy." Ember greeted the blue haired Archivist, who smiled at her from behind her red-rimmed wind reader glasses.
"Hi Ember. Natsu let you off early today?"
"Yeah, I used a lot of Magic Energy, so he wants me to take it easy."
"That makes sense. Constantly draining your Magic to its limits isn't good for you. Natsu learned that the hard way when we were students here."
"That I can believe." Ember laughed.
"Were you looking for anything in particular today?"
"Magical Energy and the way it grows in a person. If you don't mind." she replied, bowing slightly.
"Not at all." Levy passed her hand over the Lacrima orb on her desk and a handful of books flew from the dark corners of the Archive to stack neatly on her desk. "Here you go. If you need anything more just tell me, okay?"
"Thanks Levy!" Ember skipped off with the books and went to find a table to sit at.
About an hour later, Ember looked up from her books when the bell rang, signaling the end of the traditional classes. She had tested out of those over a year ago - which is why Natsu tutors her on advanced Fire Magic. "Guess I better be going…" she sighed, closing the book she had in front of her. She stacked them neatly, knowing that the magic of the Archive would re-shelve them better than she ever could, and started out of the building.
She was walking down the main hallway when she felt it. A cold tingle down her spine. She stopped short and turned to try to find the source of her unease. One of the doors was ajar and she stepped closer, peeking into the room. "Jarred?" The navy haired boy didn't even look up from the rune circle he was powering up. "Jarred what are you doing?"
This time he did look up. "I'm trying this spell I found in a book." The circle glowed brighter - but the light made Ember feel sick; her eyes fell on the book in question. And the spell he was attempting. Blue eyes widened in horror.
"Jarred don't!" She begged. "I know you're a Summoner but this isn't something you can do!" She lunged forward, only to be rebuffed by the power of the spell. "Jarred!"
"I can handle this, Em!" But as the circle reached half power, Jarred's determined expression changed to one of worry. "This is more power than I thought…"
"Cancel the Summoning!"
"I can't!" There was real fear on his face now; and the circle continued to power up. There wasn't just Jarred's Magic Energy fueling this thing anymore, something else's power had joined his; taking hold of the Summoning.
"JARRED!" Ember screamed. She had to sever the connection between whatever had taken over the spell and her friend and fast. Jarred wouldn't last much longer. "Think, Ember… think!" Then it hit her. Gold Flames were the purest flames in existence, it's why they take so much power.
Jarred cried out in pain.
"Just hang on Jarred!" Her entire body was wreathed in flames - skipping straight to a bright blue that then flared gold, flickering back to blue. "No way… I can't... give up..."
Ember's scream harmonized with Jarred's and her vision turned gold before fading to black.
Someone was carrying her. A few moments later she identified the person as Natsu based on the mount of body heat they were radiating. She groaned weakly.
"I've got you Ember… you're okay." Natsu's voice confirmed her suspicion of who was carrying her.
"Nnnn… Jar...red...?"
"He's fine too. We're taking both of you to the infirmary." With that assurance, Ember allowed herself to slip back into unconsciousness.
When she woke again, Ember was laying on one of the beds in the Infirmary - domain of the fearsome Porlyusica. She looked over and saw Natsu asleep with his head by her hand, and just past him - on the next bed over, was an unconscious Jarred.
Natsu shifted and opened his eyes. "Ember." He straightened quickly, then froze, staring into her eyes.
"W-what?"
"Your… your eyes…"
"What about them?" Natsu turned away and rummaged around until he found a compact mirror. "That's your wife's isn't it?" she teased lightly but he didn't respond at all - which is extremely unusual. "N-natsu…?" he opened the compact and held it out to her. She took in a startled breath. Her eyes… were GOLD. And not a golden brown, but gold. Pure gold.
"It must be from the Gold Flames; I've never seen any that powerful before. They might fade back to blue, or they might not."
"Then the flames worked? Jarred is okay?"
Natsu nodded. "Your flames were able to stop the Summoning just in time, and then they fortified Jarred's nearly nonexistent Magical Energy." He grinned at her. "You saved his life, Ember. I'm proud of you."
Ember smiled shyly, glancing over at Jarred again. "I'm glad."
Her eyes never did change back to their original sapphire, but Ember rather liked her new color - it was a reminder of the lengths she was willing to go to save a friend. She and Jarred became nearly inseparable, both of them exceeding in their Magic Lessons.
But just as Ember thought nothing could get any better - nearly two years after she had succeeded in casting an inferno of Gold Flames - she watched in horror as The Dragon of Chaos, Acnologia, descended on the town. The best in Fiore had already tried - and failed - to stop him. Even Natsu was lost in those attempts.
A hand slipped into hers and she turned to see Jarred beside her. "Ember…" he whispered. "I'm scared."
The thirteen year old smiled gently. "So am I. But we can't let that fear control us. I'm right here, and I have you by my side."
"Yeah…" Jarred's gaze was drawn inexplicably to the sky where Acnologia circled.
Ember had faced down the darkness once before. She wasn't going to crumble now. With her hand holding Jarred's, she set her jaw and waited for the final attack.
And everything went black.
.
She woke to Mickey calling her name.
"Ember! Ember wake up!" She groaned, her extremities tingling. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Her reassuring smile widened into an ecstatic grin. "Better than fine. I just remembered something I've been trying to remember for a very long time."
"Huh?" Mickey seemed confused but Ember just shook her head, still smiling. "Well, I guess that's good then. I was still worried about you when you passed out."
"Thanks, Mickey, for worrying. But I really am okay." She stood up to prove her point, flexing her hands to dispel the pins and needles sensation. She nearly laughed aloud when she remembered what that sensation actually was. Her magic. She held out her hand and grinned as flames danced across her fingers, then she closed her hand into a fist - extinguishing the flames. She had used up too much Magic Energy and couldn't afford to be playing around.
Just as she was turning to face Mickey, a swarm of Unversed spawned. "What the-?" The monsters crashed over Mickey like a tidal wave. "MICKEY!" Ember called, summoning Soulfire and sprinting towards them. Mickey's response was lost in the rush of Unversed.
Ember wound up standing on the edge of a cliff, staring at where the river of black had vanished with the other Keybearer. "Mickey…" She was worried about her friend - but at the same time, somehow she knew that he would be okay. He was a Guardian of Light so the Light would protect him, but he was also her friend, so the Darkness would as well.
"I trust him to your keeping, Ancient Sentinels. Protect him... please." With those final words, she activated her armor and took off into the sky.
Yes. Ember's Homeworld is based off of Fairy Tail. My friend got me addicted to it, so... yeah.
Next Chapter: Disney Town
