The Birth of a New Demon
Part Two
"Please . . . I'll be the one corrupting the world in my darkness . . . not the other way around . . ."
Hello fabulous readers! First off, I'd like to thank anyone who's bothered to leave a review for reading the first part, and favored this story. I really appreciate it. Now, if you are reading this, you're probably wondering 'Why would she post up another chapter if this is a one-shot?' Well, I originally meant for this story to be a one-shot, but I've just recently read the latest Fairy Tail Chapter (Chapter 370), and I am awed and angry at Hiro Mashima at the same time. Now, before you all go rampaging on me and screaming at me for voicing my opinions, let me justify myself.
Hiro Mashima is pretty damn good. He's got it all. The drawing style, the story, characters. And I'm congratulating him for doing an awesome job at this manga, while at the same time, cursing the SOME of the characters he's created. Poor Mira :'( . . .
Anyways, I've seen the character that I've described in this story re-designed per say. And WOW am I impressed. She looked so badass (even if she is like that . . .); I couldn't help but find some inspiration in that! This part of the story will continue off from the first part, with a few additional things as well. I've modified the beginning (part one) slightly, so re-read it and maybe you'll find something better than what I've originally wrote. I'll leave the ending to this story up to Hiro Mashima (as it should be). But, if you guys really want me to, I'll write a third part of this story to finally conclude it. It all depends if you guys really want me to. If you want to, look down at the bottom for details.
I hope you all enjoy this part of the story!
~kani-leek-lover
Normal POV:
A few days later . . .
Minerva had spent the last few days in a tank filled with strange liquid located in the headquarters of the dark guild, Tartarus. She had absolutely no idea where exactly Tartarus's headquarters was, but right now, that wasn't the problem.
During these past days, she had overheard a conversation take place in this room. She had heard that she was undergoing the transformation process of turning into a demon (courtesy of Kyouka) and had heard that the mage guild Fairy Tail was involved somehow as well.
Fairy Tail . . .
Just the mere thoughts of those despicable people had sent her blood boiling. Fairy Tail seemed to be involved in practically everything. Their involvement was all their faults. They ruined everything for her. If it wasn't for them . . . She would still be who she was.
Minerva, the strongest wizard of Sabertooth.
Minerva, the Territory user.
Minerva, the strategist.
Minerva, the king.
Minerva, the human.
As she stayed in her tank, mentally cursing the Fairies for ruining her hard earned reputation, she was unaware that her appearance was drastically changing.
Her hate for that pitiful and weak guild was consuming her mind; only one thought running through her mind as her hate continued to grow.
However . . .
She didn't realize that soon, her revenge would be all she would ever think about.
She didn't realize that it was soon going to be too late for her.
Her body was changing. Even if she couldn't see, she could feel the changes.
All her flaws, everything that made her human, were being eliminated.
It was only a matter of time before she would notice.
But by then, it would be too late for her.
The demonic traits would've taken over.
Darkness.
How long has it been since I've been here?
Voices.
What is happening outside?
Changes.
Was Fairy Tail eliminated yet?
Thoughts.
And what about Tartarus?
Questions.
What will happen to me? Will I . . . still be the same?
Needed answers.
I can feel the changes.
Anger. Frustration.
It's all Fairy Tail's fault that I ended up in this situation.
Boredom.
How long do I have to stay in here?
Fear.
What will happen when I get out?
Why is it always me?
How complicated life was. The innocence of one person can be broken so easily, shattered completely, unable to return.
That's exactly what happened to Minerva.
She had changed, her once pure heart being stained and corrupted by blackness. Her old personality morphing from the wickedness she had been exposed to, her sadistic nature growing over time.
All this, eventually leading to the person she became today.
The past is in the past, but she can't seem to recover from it.
Thus giving birth . . . to a new demon.
A/N: Warning! Spoiler Alert! This part of the story is not technically apart of Minerva's memories, but it is a memory. If you want to continue reading, keep going. If not, skip on.
A black haired woman was humming happily to herself in a kitchen. While stirring something that was boiling in a metal pot, she danced about around the room, preparing a fine dinner for her husband and herself.
Such a fine dinner was only prepared for a fine occasion. This was something special, and she wanted to treasure every moment with her husband.
Her husband was a busy man, always fussing over her health, doing as many jobs as he could to support the both of them.
The woman suddenly giggled to herself. Well, soon it would be the three of them. Her husband would have a pleasant surprise when he returns from his latest job.
Suddenly she heard the front door slam open. A heavy pair of feet walking across the room and a heavy male sigh sounded her husband's return.
"Honey!" The woman threw herself at her husband's surprised body. "Your back!"
The man chuckled before wrapping his arms back around his wife's. "I'm back."
The woman giggled before leaning up to kiss her husband's cheek. Stepping back a bit, she gave him a huge smile.
"I've already prepared dinner. After we eat I must tell you something." Her husband sniffed the air at the scent of the food before looking back down at her.
"That smells good. What is it you need to tell me?" He asked her as he began walking towards the kitchen.
The woman giggled to herself again. "I'm not telling you now. It would ruin the surprise."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Why can't you tell me now?"
The woman raised a finger to her lips and winked mischievously. "It's a secret."
After a delicious meal, the woman sighed and laid back into her seat. Her husband copied her actions and rubbed a hand over his eyes.
"That was a very good dinner dear, but can I ask what the occasion is?" The woman grinned at her husband.
"It's something special. I just learned of some very exciting news."
Her husband looked at her. "Don't give me another one of your riddles Miranda. Well, what is it?"
The woman, Miranda, giggled again. "We're going to have a new member to the family!"
The man looked at his wife, a hand reaching up to rub his eyes frozen in the air, shocked. "What?"
Miranda jumped up, squealing loudly. "I'm pregnant!"
The man looked dazed. "Pregnant . . ." He whispered.
Miranda laughed happily and launched herself at her husband, wrapping her arms around him, gushing with emotion. "That's right! I'm going to be a mother!"
Suddenly the man lifted his wife up and twirled her around the room, laughing with joy at the news. "Pregnant! I'm going to be a father!"
Miranda laughed as she finally regained her footing on the floor. "Aren't you excited? We're finally going to be parents!"
Her husband laughed along with her, his eyes shining with mirth and happiness. "I'm glad," Then he leaned down and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek, much like she did earlier. "I love you, Miranda."
Miranda looked up at her husband, tears in her eyes. "I love you too, Jiemma."
"What should we name her?" Miranda asked her husband. Both of them were lying lazily on their couch, snuggling with each other.
It had already been months since she told her husband. The two of them had immediately used the empty guest room to create a room for the baby. Now Miranda had just recently found out the baby was a girl, and now both of them were deciding to pick a name for her.
"Hmm . . ." Jiemma seemed to contemplate for a moment. "Well, since it's a girl, maybe we should give her a name similar to yours."
Miranda grinned. "I love that idea. So our baby's name has to start with an 'M' right?"
Jiemma nodded. Both went silent to think for a moment, thinking.
Suddenly, Jiemma's eyes lit up. "I got it! Why don't we name our daughter Minerva?"
"Minerva," Miranda tested the word out. Her eyes shone and a smile broke out on her face. "I love it."
"In just a few weeks, we'll get to meet our baby girl!"Miranda giggled in excitement. "Can you believe it?"
Jiemma smiled, and rubbed his hand over Miranda's now large stomach. He smile became wider when he felt a replying kick from his wife's stomach. "Yeah . . ."
The couple had been extremely enthusiastic in the upcoming arrival of their daughter, preparing everything frantically. Jiemma had taken more jobs than usual, bringing home more money so that when the baby arrived, there would be enough money to support all three of them.
"I need something to eat." Miranda announced, heading over to the kitchen. Jiemma chuckled to himself. The pregnancy had affected his wife's appetite, so she ate more than what she would usually eat.
Just as Jiemma was going to offer her his assistance, something made his blood run cold.
CRASH!
That was the sound of glass. And it came from the kitchen.
"Miranda!" Jiemma rushed inside the kitchen to see his wife leaning on the kitchen counter for support while she stood over some glass shards carefully. She was pale and her knees were knocking together. She breathed in quick small breaths.
She gave Jiemma a weak smile. "The bowl slipped from my hands . . ."
Jiemma immediately came to his wife's aid, helping her stand up and had her sit on one of the dining room chairs as he cleaned up the mess.
"Are you alright?" Jiemma was concerned. He put his hand over Miranda's stomach. "The glass didn't hit you or the baby right?"
Miranda sighed. "I'm fine. It just slipped."
Jiemma narrowed his eyes. "I don't think it just 'slipped'. What about you?"
Miranda looked away from him nervously. "What about me?"
"Don't lie to me Miranda." Jiemma turned her face gently so that she was looking at him. He looked at her with stern eyes. "The doctor warned us that having this baby would make you weaker and your health condition potentially worse. Are you sure you're okay?"
Miranda sighed again, and put her hand over the one her husband had placed on her cheek. "I told you already didn't I? I want to have this baby with you. I promised myself that I'd watch our baby grow up. No silly condition of mine is going to stop me from becoming a mother. So you don't have to worry about me."
Jiemma sighed in defeat. Miranda giggled, and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't hesitate to tell me if it's too much alright?"
"Of course silly. Whatever happens, we're in this together."
Jiemma paced the waiting room back and forth, every once and a while stopping in front of the wooden door of his bedroom to listen to the pained cries of his wife before pacing again.
Miranda had gone into labor.
It happened while they were both sleeping. Miranda suddenly jerked awake, panting heavily, waking him up immediately. Both had concluded that the baby was finally coming and he quickly called the town doctor over.
Jiemma squeezed her hand. "Stay strong Miranda!"
Miranda squeezed back. "I will." And that was all he heard before the doctor had kicked him out of the room.
Jiemma inwardly cursed the doctor. He continued to pace in anxiety as his wife's cries became more and more louder and unbearable to hear.
Finally, just as he was about to destroy the door, a new set of cries were heard, and the doctor opened the door and stepped out.
Jiemma immediately rushed over to him. "How is she?" He asked worriedly.
The doctor gave him a tired smile and wiped the sweat from his face. "She's alright. The baby is a healthy born girl. However, you must watch out for your wife's health. Her condition might rapidly decrease."
Jiemma nodded solemnly. "I swear to watch over her."
The doctor nodded back. "Well, I guess I'll be taking my leave then. You should go see them." With that, he left.
Jiemma stared at the closed wooden door. He swallowed nervously, and opened the door.
Miranda was propped up on a few pillows on the headboard of the bed, holding a wrapped bundle, cooing at it. Jiemma smiled at the scene.
Miranda noticed Jiemma's presence and gave a tired smile. She motioned for him to come closer and whispered, "Meet your daughter." She carefully handed him the wrapped bundle.
Jiemma gulped and looked down at the baby. The girl had her eyes partially opened, revealing her green-brown, almost olive, eyes. She was drooling slightly, waving a tiny fist around in the air.
Jiemma chuckled at this and held out a finger for the baby girl. She grabbed it and clenched it tightly, unwilling to let it go. Jiemma looked at the tiny baby girl in his arms with a look of happiness and wonder.
Here she was. Finally out in the world.
His little Minerva.
Jiemma was running. He needed to get home now! His wife needed him! He cursed himself slightly. He finally goes out on a job and she collapses while he's gone. The neighbors, bless them, notified the doctor quickly and now there was only one answer to this.
Miranda's health was failing.
They knew that this would happen. They were given countless warnings, before and after Minerva were born. Miranda was a stubborn woman though. She ignored the warnings, and now looked at what happened.
After what seemed like centuries, he finally arrived at his house, slamming the front door open, startling his neighbors in the process, and running up the stairs to their room.
He slammed the door open. "Where is she?!" He yelled. The doctor was standing over the bed. He looked at the desperate man sadly. He moved towards him.
"I'm so sorry. I've tried everything I can. I'll give you some time with her."
Jiemma was gritting his teeth together and barely holding back his rage and tears at those set of words. He moved past the doctor and towards the bed slowly, like a miracle would occur.
But it didn't. He forced himself to continue forwards to the bed, where his wife lay weakly, breathing in deeply. Jiemma almost missed the sad shake of the doctor's head as he exited the room quietly, shutting the door to give the couple their privacy.
Jiemma looked down at her and grasped her hand. "Miranda," He whispered. "I'm back."
His wife looked at him with weak eyes and chuckled softly. "Welcome back home."
Jiemma's heart gave a twist. "But it won't feel like home soon . . ."
"Don't say that," His wife chided him. "You still have our daughter. Our little Minerva."
"But . . ." He swallowed. "You said . . . You promised that we'd raise our daughter together remember?"
His wife gave him a sad smile. "Looks like . . . I'll have to break that promise."
"Why?" He whispered. His anger suddenly burst. "Why?!" He roared. "If you just listened, you would be healthy! You wouldn't be in bed! You wouldn't . . ." He started to cry. "You wouldn't be dying."
His wife sighed. "It was my own fault. I chose to ignore the warnings from the doctor, and now I have to pay the price for my own ignorance."
"But . . ." Jiemma was sobbing now. "What—what about Minerva? How will I raise her without you?"
Miranda squeezed his hand. "You'll find a way . . . I just know it. You're strong."
Jiemma shook his head. If he was stronger, he would be able to make sure that his wife, the one he loves the most, would be safe and happy and healthy. He wasn't strong at all. He had failed.
Miranda raised her other hand towards her husband's cheek. She wiped away the stream of tears. "Don't cry," She whispered. "It'll only make me sad too.
"You need to smile Jiemma. You have to. For our daughter. For me."
Jiemma continued to sob, clutching her hand as close to him as possible. Miranda gave a sad smile, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes.
"I . . . had fun . . . with you . . . Jiemma. You . . . made . . . me happy. You . . . made me . . . feel like I . . . was . . . important . . . even if . . . it was . . . just . . . for a short while." Miranda was gasping for breath now, saying her final words.
Jiemma shook his head. "Don't talk," He begged. "Save your strength."
Miranda continued to speak, ignoring his plea. "We became . . . a family . . . and even though . . . it was . . . a short time . . . I've never been happier. You made . . . my wishes . . . come . . . true." Miranda's eyes were beginning to flutter shut, her chest rapidly rising.
Jiemma squeezed her hand. "Me too," He said in between tears. "You—you made me the happiest man in this world."
She smiled slightly. The light in her eyes were dimming. "Jiemma," She whispered. "Can you . . . promise me . . . something?"
Jiemma nodded. Miranda clutched his hand even tighter. "Promise . . . me . . . that you'll . . . always . . . be there . . . for her. Watch . . . over . . . Minerva . . . for me."
Jiemma sobbed. "I promise."
"Thank . . . you . . ." Miranda closed her eyes and smiled again.
For a moment, both relished the time that they had left together. Both held each other's hands tightly, both reminiscing the memories that they created with each other.
"Jiemma . . . I love—" Her words got cut off as the hand holding his cheek fell back down to the bed and the hand holding Jiemma's hand lost its grip.
Jiemma gasped in horror. He cried with sorrow, clutching her body close, as he mourned over the loss of his beloved wife.
'I love you too.'
A grave stone was marked that day. A lovely person. She was so cold, so lifeless. It contrasted to her usual optimistic personality. Her eyes were shut, her arms folded across her chest, as if she was merely resting. People came and said their goodbyes and farewells to that person. Everyone watched as one of the friendliest people they knew was being lowered into the cold ground, the only thing protecting her body was a dark wooden coffin.
The worst tragedy of all . . . the family that she left behind.
Her beloved husband, Jiemma, as well as her young and precious daughter, Minerva.
X748 – X769
Here lies Miranda Orlando.
A beloved friend, wife, and mother.
Her death is a huge loss. She will be forever missed.
May she rest in peace.
Tears were shed, words were said, and the feeling of sadness filled the air that day.
In his grief, Jiemma had changed. He became a cold and heartless man, neglecting his daughter in the process. From then on . . .
Fate had spun its gears.
A/N: And it's over! Back to the plot!
Something stirred in Minerva's subconscious.
'Wake up!' It seemed to whisper.
Minerva groaned. She cracked open her eyes slightly. Instantly the light in the room hit her eyes harshly, making the teenager hiss at its brightness and close her eyes again.
'It's happening.'
Suddenly, the large thing that attached itself to her limbs was slithering away from her, unraveling itself away from her body.
'It is time.' That instinct seemed to hiss.
The liquid that Minerva was encased in for days drained away, leaving her in the tank alone. Minerva slowly opened her eyes and lifted an arm to rub them slightly.
She suddenly froze. Her arm had been . . . changed. As the slot to the tank opened with a hiss, she stepped out slowly, carefully, as if her new arm was fragile and made of glass, and could break at any careless moment.
Judging by how much her arms have drastically changed, she assumed that the changes have also affected the other areas of her body. As the newly born demon walked, she noticed her reflection as she passed by one of the empty tanks in the room.
The word change couldn't even begin to describe what she looked like now. Not to mention, how she felt as well.
Her head now head two horns sprouting from where her hair buns were, curling slightly behind. She now wore black gloves, which had sharp claws to cover her hands, as well as arm bands circling the rest of her arms. A long black cloak and bandages now took the place of her blue dress, covering her entire upper body, with the exception of some loose underwear that hid her lower torso. Knee guards and knee high black boots fit snugly over her legs, similar to what she had on previously before her capture. But the most distinct change was her eye. Her right eye was now covered in a strange black patch, extending down over her upper body and ending over her left leg. The guild insignia of Tartarus was now stamped over where her Succubus Eye guild mark previously was. Overall, Minerva looked like a completely different person.
While Minerva continued to inspect her newly formed body, her instincts sensed the presence of three other people in the room with her.
"Fafafafafafa," A girl giggled. She bounced about the room, clasping her arms together, a silly smile on her face, being extremely energetic as possible. Minerva would've thought she was a normal girl, if not for the black rabbit ears protruding from the sides of her head, matching the girl's hair style. The girl adorned a fluffy jacket, a dark colored shirt and skirt, a tie around her neck, as well as tights and light colored knee high boots, similar to her own. Minerva concluded that she was most likely another demon, affiliated with Tartarus. "What should I do? What if they're born because of the vibrations just now? What should I do~
"Just kidding~ Worry is . . . UNNECESSARY!" The strange demon girl swung her fist at herself, like she was hitting herself as some type of punishment or scolding of some sort. Her whole demeanor suddenly changed. She suddenly seemed to change personalities, becoming extremely serious just now.
"'Cause they've totally already been reborn! Fafafafafafa!" The girl seemed to switch back into her original personality again. She turned to look at another demon that was also in the room with them, giggling to herself.
"So this is my body is it . . .?" A newly resurrected demon mused. He had a human appearance, light locks of hair at neck length surrounding his shoulders, with the exception of a distinct strand of hair near his forehead, that seemed to curl inward. He wore a partially ruined cape that was wrapped around his forearms, a strange vest that covered his chest, reminding Minerva of a swirling storm. A light colored ribbon seemed to rest around his neck, as well as a sash that was wrapped around his waist, covering his left leg. He inspected his left arm, the Tartarus symbol located in the middle.
"That's right Tempesta-kun~" The rabbit demon girl cooed over the new demon. Minerva raised an eyebrow at this. 'Tempesta . . . isn't he the one who spoke to Kyouka while I was still being transformed?'
"Tempesta . . ." He repeated. He glanced over at the overly excited demon standing next to him. "So that is my name."
"Hey hey~ you're so cool!" The female demon swooned over the resurrected demon's appearance. "Cause I made you look like a hunk! A hunk!"
"My appearance is unimportant." Tempesta stated, waving off her comment.
"What's this?" A new voice chimed in. "Tempesta's gettin' all the attention . . . Pretty unfair, ain't it?" Another demon stood nearby one of the many empty tanks, leaning on it casually by resting his left arm on it. He had somewhat a build of a human man, with the exception of the furry ears and tail that were on his body. A black scarf was wrapped around his neck, arm length gloves adorned his arms, a sash was wrapped around his waist, and he wore dark colored pants that left him bare foot, showing off his black claws. The Tartarus insignia was also displayed on his chest.
"But but . . .," The rabbit demon was instantly by the new demon's side, clutching his body close, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "Jackal-kun, you've always been super kawaii~" She laughed her strange laugh, another silly smile on her face.
"Fuckin' gross," The demon, Jackal, said disgusted. "Get off me."
"Jackal-kun . . .?" Tempesta repeated. He had a questioning and blank face on as he looked at Jackal, as if he knew the answer but couldn't quite say it.
"Oi oi," Jackal was confused. "Don'cha remember me remember me, Tempesta?"
"Every time Tempesta-kun is revived he unfortunately, loses his memories . . ." The rabbit demon explained, sniffling slightly as if she was crying. "Is it a side effect of the sin particles? Such a pity for him . . . But a blessing for me!" She swung her fist at herself again, switching her personalities. Tempesta seemed to ignore what she said.
"I ain't gonna forgive that fireball bastard and his blue cat . . ." Jackal growled. "I'm gonna fuck them up real good."
"Your angry face is so cute~" The female demon swooned over his anger. "I think I'm going to get pregnant~"
"Screw you!"
Tempesta seemed to be the first to register another unfamiliar presence near the three of them. He turned towards the new demon. "And who is that?"
"Hm?" Jackal seemed to notice this as well, turning towards the direction of the new source of power. "Who the hell are you?"
"Ah!" The rabbit demon giggled to herself. She lightly punched herself on the side of her head. "I almost forgot!"
"So this is what it means to be a demon . . .," Minerva mused to herself. "My power is overflowing . . ." She continued to inspect her newly formed arm with interest.
"Some human that Kyouka-nee captured or something," The rabbit girl sighed as she explained who their newest member was. "I think her name is Minerva. Anyway I . . . I really couldn't care less about women, so . . ." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Minerva." Tempesta tested the name out, watching the new demon with stern and serious eyes.
"A new nakama, eh?" Jackal raised his eyebrows and grinned, showing off his sharp teeth.
Minerva smirked. 'This should be fun.'
"Oh well," The other female demon sighed to herself again. "Even though I don't really care about girls, I guess I might as well just modify this one too . . ." She pressed herself against another tank, one that contained another human woman. She peered inside through the glass.
"Mira or something, was it?" A beautiful white haired woman, who appeared to be unconscious, was also inside the tank, something that looked suspiciously like tentacles merged itself with her limbs and body. Upon closer inspection, Minerva realized that she had a familiar white guild insignia stamped on her left thigh.
Minerva narrowed her eyes. 'Fairy Tail . . .'
"Look at her, with that fuckin' pretty face," The demon glowered at the human, her face twisting with hate. "You're gonna be the world's ugliest caterpillar by the time I'm done with you, you bitch."
Minerva smirked slightly. Then, something happened. The new voice spoke. 'Let the elimination of the fairies begin.'
Something within her roared.
And she welcomed it whole heartedly.
The two other demons she met, Tempesta and Jackal, left to continue their own missions that they've been assigned ahead of time. But Minerva was to do something else.
She met Kyouka again in the main control room. This time, the elder demon welcomed her.
"Welcome . . ." She smirked. "To Tartarus."
Kyouka filled her in on what exactly was happening. "We are aiming to unseal Face, the ultimate weapon that was hidden by the council."
Minerva raised an eyebrow in question. "The council?"
Kyouka nodded, a dark glint in her eyes. "Face is truly a destructive weapon. Because of its power, the council attempted to hide it, sealing it away by tying it to the lives of three other people who were affiliated with the original council," She explained. "By killing those three people, we've gained access over Face. This weapon will help bring the downfall for humans."
"What does Face do?" The former human asked. Her inner sadistic blood thirsty nature practically purred at the sound of the end of the human race.
Kyouka smiled darkly. "Face . . . is a weapon from the White Inheritance. It has the power to eliminate all magic on the entire continent."
To say Minerva was shocked was an understatement. "A weapon . . . that can eliminate magic? Such a thing exists?"
Kyouka simply smiled at her. "Of course, we demons use curses. Magic doesn't work on us. Therefore the effects of Face won't work on us.
Without any power to rebel or fight against us, the humans will be powerless. Thus meaning, using the powers of our curses, we will reign over the entire continent. It will be the beginning of a new age. No one will be able to stop us."
Minerva's eyes gleamed. "Not even Fairy Tail."
Kyouka laughed slightly. "They are but thorns in our sides. It seems we've underestimated them. They are not just humans. But, with the Face project in motion, even they will be helpless. We already have four fairies in our possession. I believe Sayla, another one of the Nine Demon Gates members, has something planned for the rest fairies as well."
Minerva chuckled to herself. 'Things are getting interesting.'
"A new age of demons," Kyouka said, her eyes glazing over. "And it's all for the sake of our master, Zeref."
According to the timer in the main control room, there was exactly 9 minutes left until Face was launched.
9 minutes left until all the magic on the continent vanished.
That mere thought made Minerva's blood boil with anticipation, her inner beast rumbling. Minerva could envision it. The mere looks of despair and anguish as everyone on the continent watched as Face was launched and they couldn't do anything to stop the magic power from disappearing.
'That marvelous thought though,' Minerva mused to herself. 'Will soon become reality.'
All Minerva had to do were move the pieces to exactly her preference. Stall time, destroy the fairies, and made sure no one would interfere with the project.
A new age of demons, where Tartarus and their curses would forever reign over humanity.
A world like that didn't sound so bad after all.
The Underworld had its advantages.
The Fairy Tail guild headquarters were destroyed.
Due to Sayla's intelligent plan, she had used one of Fairy Tail's own members to destroy their guild building. Fairy Tail's headquarters were annihilated. That should've made Minerva happy.
But it didn't.
In fact, Minerva was the opposite of happy. She was well beyond furious. Why?
Because none of the fairies died in the explosion. They had all survived.
Thanks to Sayla's ignorance and underestimating Fairy Tail's wizards, a big mistake that she herself once made, Fairy Tail managed to escape the blast, relatively unscathed. All the Fairy Tail wizards, with the exception of the four captured in Tartarus, were now fighting fiercely in what Tartarus calls, the undercube, against the battle units deployed.
They were winning. This was one of the things that Minerva despised the most. Losing.
'Calm yourself,' The new voice chided. 'We'll have our revenge soon. We must be patient.
We must take things one at a time.'
The battle was not going so well.
Each time, it seemed like the battles were either in Fairy Tail's favor, or Tartarus's favor. It kept changing.
It was like an eternal battle.
The four captured fairies have successfully escaped their prisons, and have now joined the battle alongside their comrades. The Face project had failed, Ezel seemingly beaten by one of Fairy Tail's mages.
The Fairy Tail mages were seemingly on par with each of the members of the Nine Demon Gates, and vice versa as well. Even though each of the members of the Nine Demon Gates are demons from the Books of Zeref, a select few from Fairy Tail were able to defeat two, and are still able to battle against them. It just didn't make sense to her, and it rather perplexed Minerva.
In an attempt to finally end the battle, Minerva had decided to finally join the battle. It didn't seem fair that everyone else got a taste of the action, and she still wanted to inflict her revenge on the fairies. She also wanted to 'test' her new powers that had been given to her. With the fairies in Tartaros's headquarters, this was the perfect opportunity for her revenge and to try out her power. It was practically a win-win.
After wandering around the large headquarters, she finally found a battle she could take part in. There was dust and debris everywhere, the vibrations of the human and demon battle practically helping to spread its destruction.
On the supporting pillars for the ceiling of the large room, Kyouka was engaged in a fierce battle with the human that she hated the most.
Conqueror of Pandemonium.
The victor of Mermaid Heel's strongest mage.
The reaper of Minerva's glory.
Fairy Tail's strongest female mage.
Titania.
Erza Scarlet.
'Erza Scarlet.' Minerva's eyes narrowed with hate, her hands clenching together at her sides. Rage filled her every being, sense and logic disappearing from her mind altogether.
'Do it,' Her inner demon encouraged. 'Get your revenge. This is what you want. What you deserve. Take the chance!'
Minerva followed this order without question, jumping down towards where the two of them were clashing.
In midst of her battle, Kyouka seemed to register her presence. Erza however, continued to slash at the demon with her katana blades, completely focused on their battle.
Kyouka finally seemed to realize that the Face project had failed somehow, and decided to flee from the battle.
"Damn!" Kyouka cursed, turning away and running.
"Are you running away?" Erza yelled back at her retreating form, ready to follow her if necessary.
"I leave this to you," Kyouka called after the bystander. "Destroy those fairies!"
"Of course." She replied.
Erza seemed to register the familiar voice and presence, her eyes widening as she looked above her.
"This is the perfect setting to meet you in," Minerva smirked, a hand on her hip as she looked down at the human mage. "Erza Scarlet."
"Minerva!" Erza said, shocked. Her eyes held surprise at the presence of the dark mage.
"My name is Neo Minerva," Minerva corrected her, a dark smile on her lips. "I'll show you my power now that I've been reborn as a demon."
Erza trembled, not from fear, but from the shock that Minerva would willingly do such an incredulous thing, going as far as to give up her humanity. "Why . . . did you . . .?"
'Shall we start the battle now?' The inner demon inside her mused.
Minerva inwardly grinned. 'Let the hunt begin.'
And then she jumped into the frenzy of the battle, lunging for Erza's throat.
It was a pleasant day. The sun was shining brightly, the birds singing, people chattering and bustling around town, doing whatever they needed to do.
A little girl, around the age of 6, was walking in the busy streets, a little skip in her steps as she hummed an old melody to herself. Her hair was placed into buns and braids, her small blue dress swishing in the breeze.
The girl suddenly stopped her cheerful walk, turned right, and entered a shop.
"Hello!" The girl smiled at the elder woman at the cashier of the shop as she walked inside.
"Welcome! Is there anything you'd like today?" The elder lady asked politely. She gestured at the items on her shelf, decorating the entire shop with a bright scene, different smells covering the area.
"Let's see . . ." The girl seemed to think about this to herself for a moment. Then she smiled, her eyes brightening as she pointed at a specific item. "I'd like a bouquet of those pretty flowers!"
The elder lady smiled, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Do you mean the lilies?"
The girl nodded her head, sending black hair flying around her, a huge grin on her lips. "Yes please!"
The lady smiled before gathering a bunch of the requested flowers, wrapping them together into a plastic bundle. After neatly placing the flowers on the counter, she looked at the girl again. "Will that be all for today?" She asked politely.
The girl nodded again, reaching up the counter and handing the lady the right amount of money for the flowers before taking them and leaving the shop, leaving a generous tip for the lady and a smile before going on her way again.
The girl, noticing the time, quickly hurried towards her destination. She wanted to make sure her father didn't find out where she was going, being extra careful about what she planned on doing while he was away on an important meeting for his guild.
The young girl continued to hum her melody to herself, taking a dirt path towards a building that was quickly arriving in her field of vision. With excitement getting the best of her, the girl began to run, holding the bundle of flowers tightly to her chest as she sprinted down the path.
Entering the holy building, she quickly shouted her greetings to the people inside, then continued her sprint towards the one place she has been yearning to go to for years.
Finally arriving at the empty place, she slowed down, taking deep breaths to calm herself, forcing her feet to take slow steps towards the silent stone.
Her mother's grave.
The girl kneeled down in front of the grave stone. She gently laid the lilies down in front of her, leaving the bouquet of flowers amongst the others placed there with tender care. The girl smiled to herself slightly. The church people have been taking good care of her mother's grave, washing and cleaning it, making sure that not a speck of filth was on the grave of such a pure person, and people who knew of her mother or were friends with her have been leaving her with such wonderful presents.
The girl looked at the words inscribed on the stone, carefully memorizing them as to not forget them in her mind.
X748 – X769
Here lies Miranda Orlando.
A beloved friend, wife, and mother.
Her death is a huge loss. She will be forever missed.
May she rest in peace.
She looked at the grave stone, tears beginning to sprout from her eyes as she looked at the grave with happiness and sadness.
"Hi Momma . . ." The young girl whispered to her mother's grave. "It's me. Minerva."
She paused for a moment, letting the silence sink in. After a minute, the wind suddenly picked up its breeze, blowing her hair towards the direction it was blowing.
"I'm sorry I couldn't visit you when I was younger," Minerva gave a sad smile to the grave. "Father wouldn't let me come. He told me never to come near this place. I never knew why he forbade me, but I decided to come and visit today anyways, seeing that Father is at a very important meeting." She brushed some dirt off of her dress. "Right now I'm 6 years old, and Father told me that he will start my training next year." Minerva babbled on about her life, anxiety twisting her nerves. "Father is having me study different magic books. Soon, once I find out my preference, he'll start explaining to me what magic is. Can you believe it Momma? I'm going to be a mage soon."
There was a small gust of air, the wind pushing against Minerva's face.
"Isn't it sad Momma? I've never seen your face before, and yet, as I'm growing older, I have the feeling that you're looking out for me." A tear trickled out from her eye as she chuckled bitterly.
The wind blew back in response.
Minerva didn't stop the tears from leaving her eyes. If she tried to wipe at her eyes, more would come anyways. "I wish . . . that . . . you were still alive." Minerva began to cry. "If you were . . . Father wouldn't be so sad! He wouldn't be so mean to me! And we would all be a happy family! Together! I want to spend time with you! I want to tell you about my future dreams, play with you and then hug my father and then have us all share stories together!" She sobbed loudly. "But I can't do any of that! Father won't talk to me, he only focuses on his work and he won't pay attention to what happens to me! He gives me these demands and expects for me to follow them! He won't give me a say in my opinion! I want to make him proud, but I don't want to do it if it's going to be like this! If—if you were here . . . I'm sure he would be different!"
Minerva cried for a long time in front of the grave, shedding tears as she continued to wail to her mother. At last, Minerva finally seemed to calm down, wiping the tears away from her now blood-shot eyes, sniffing to herself. "I'm sorry Momma. I couldn't help myself." Minerva glanced at the sky, the sun was now beginning to set. She looked back at the grave. "I need to go now Momma. Father will return home soon. If he finds out where I went, he'll punish me."
Minerva stood up, brushing dirt off of her dress and knees. She began to walk away, taking small steps away from the silent grave.
Suddenly, she stopped. Minerva turned back and gave her mother's grave a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Bye Momma . . ." She whispered. "I'll visit soon."
Minerva turned away from the grave, slowly walking away from the grave as she continued her walk home.
The wind seemed to blow in her direction, fanning her face gently.
The grave was silent.
After that day, for the next 14 years, there wasn't a visit from Minerva. People still came to visit, but Miranda's spirit couldn't rest in peace knowing the pain that her daughter was experiencing.
Yet all she could do was watch.
For the next agonizing 14 years, all Miranda could do was watch helplessly as her daughter changed. From the sweet loving girl, to the evil sadistic powerful mage she was today.
A woman was walking by herself in a golden plain, swinging her feet slightly as she walked. The field seemed magical, the wind blowing against her body slightly as she listened to the different voices and sounds of laughter.
And yet, she couldn't see anyone else with her.
It felt lonely. For so long, she became a wanderer, drifting around this place, and yet . . . she never was able to find a way.
A way out.
A way to find out the answers she desperately needed.
The woman looked down at the world below her. Her brown-green eyes became filled with pain as she watched one specific person. She shook her head sadly, and continued her journey forwards. A tear slipped down her face, and dropped towards the other world below her feet.
"No matter what, I'll always be watching."
Phew! Done! As you can tell by the lengthy amount of words in this part, it took me quite a while to type it. I had writers block for a while, so that delayed me a bit too. But it's done and finished! So what do you guys think? Good? Bad? Could've been better? You can write your thoughts, ideas, and comments on reviews.
As for people who may or may not want me to write another part for this, I have three conditions.
1) You are not allowed to write down 'yes' or 'no' as a review. I'll just ignore that.
2) You vote at least once on a poll. I've already set it up on my account, so just click on the link to my account and just vote!
3) Vote before the end of April. I'll ignore all other late votes, so better hurry!
Thanks for reading! Don't forget the lovely reviews!
~kani-leek-lover