Sin And Sacrifice
Chapter 2-Welcome To Fairy Tail,Meredy!
A/N: Thank you for the follows and reviews! Although it wasn't much,It still made me happy :D I have already written the next chapter but I won't publish it until I have 5 favorites and 5 Reviews :D I know I'm an extortionist :D
Markrod10: That's what I wanted to do too :D If you like LaxusXMira you can also read my other Fairy Tail story,Fairies Choice! :D Although it's new,I plan to have LaxusXMira in it.
princessforeveralone: That's good,because Meredy will be one of the major characters in this story :D If you want more frequent updates,please review as much as you can! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its character and content.
-Town Of Magnolia,Fairy Tail Building-
"W-What's wrong? What happened?" Juvia asked in concern while the rest of the guild listened in silence.
"I-I didn't have anywhere el-else t-to go." Meredy said,trying to wipe the tears. Juvia hugged her and patted her back while the guild's main members closed in on them,to see what's going on.
"What do you mean? What happened to Jellal and Ultear?" Erza asked,her voice in concern. "Did something happened to Jellal?" was all she could think about.
Upon hearing Ultear's name,Meredy broke down completely. This scared most of the people in the room. Erza was almost shaking. Gray was further away from the rest,sitting on a booth by himself. He squeezed his fist.
"U-Ul i-is d-d-de-" Meredy couldn't finish her sentence but everyone understood what she meant. Erza and Lucy crouched to face Meredy who has on her knees.
Erza hugged her while Lucy patted her hair.
Gray couldn't hold back anymore.
"I knew it! I had a feeling." He thought in pain. He could feel the tears forming around in his eyes. He knew it was Ultear who had saved Gray from death by turning back time with her Time Ark. But hearing it for real had a heavier impact on him.
They comforted her for a few more minutes until she finally calmed down. Almost everybody in the guild was watching her. Including Laxus and the Raijinshū,The Master and Mira,Natsu and Happy,Wendy and Carla,Cana,Macao,Wakaba. Even Nab,Max,Warren were watching the young pink haired girl cry her guts out. Gajeel and Pantherlily were further away but still closer than Gray.
"I'm so sorry Meredy." Erza said,before helping Meredy get up.
"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just busted in and cry on your doorstep." Meredy replied.
"What are you talking about? We're always there for you if you need us." Juvia answered before Erza could react.
"She's right. But Meredy,could you tell us what happened? If you're okay about it,of course." Erza said.
Then Meredy brought out the letter Ultear had sent them via the oldlady in Crocus. Erza took it from her and read it out loud.
By the end of it,most of the people hearing it were crying. Even Elfman.
"TH-THAT WOMAN IS A MAN!" Elfman yelled after hearing Ultear's sacrifice.
"Be quiet,Elf-niichan. Now's not the time." Lisanna said towards her brother.
It took another minute before Erza asked another question.
"Wh-what happened to Jellal? Why isn't he with you?" Erza asked.
"He brought me here. He said that the roads we must take should be different. He then disappeared." Meredy said,with sorrow in her voice.
Erza was angry after hearing this. How could he have just left her by herself.
"So he's still here? In Magnolia?" Erza asked,trying to hide her anger.
"No,he's probably long gone." Meredy answered.
They slowly walked to one of the booth's and sat down.
It was Juvia,Lucy and Meredy sitting across Erza,Natsu and Gray and Lisanna,Mirajane and Levy across Gajeel,Wendy and Cana in a square shaped booth. The exceeds were on the table.
Meredy explained everything that had happened since the end of the Dragon attack and the Grand Magic Games.
"So,what are you gonna do now?" Lisanna asked slowly.
"I-I don't know. For as long as I can remember,I've been with Ul. And after we broke Jellal out of prison 6 years ago,It's only ever been the three of us. I don't know what I'm supposed to do now that I'm alone." Meredy said,anger and sadness filling up her eyes.
"You're not alone Meredy."Juvia started
"We're your friends. And If you want..." Erza started,just as everybody in the table looked at Meredy with a smile on their face that warmed her heart.
"We could be your family." Lucy completed them just as everybody nodded. Natsu and Gray made a goofy laughing face while Elfman made a manlier one.
"W-What do you mean?" Meredy asked,surprised.
The Master approached their table from Natsu,Gray and Erza's side.
"Our guild is a family. Everybody in it are my shitty brats. We support and love each other. We occasionally fight,well It's more than occasionally. And if you want it child,you can be a part of it too." Master Makarov explained.
"After all,It is our responsibility to show the troubled and lost youth the right path again. Into the light" He finished explaining.
"You can shine in the light,as you were meant to."Meredy remembered Jellal's words.
"O-Okay,I'll join." Meredy said just before everybody started cheering.
"A NEW MEMBER!" Natsu yelled as loud as she can.
"Aye,sir! Lucyy,your role as the newbie is totally destroyed now." Happy said,leering. Before Lucy started chasing him again.
"She's cute. Just my type." Wakaba said,smirking.
"Stop it,you're married." Cana stopped him.
"Okay,I'll bring out the stamp." Mira said before taking off.
"The number of beautiful girls just keep increasing." Max said.
"Yeah,the number of jobs we receive won't be enough." Nab pointed out.
"Say that after you go on a job,you moron." Gajeel replied.
Wendy,Carla and Lily lined up to congratulate and welcome Meredy into their ranks.
"Welcome to our guild,Meredy-san." Wendy said and shook her hand.
Carla was next after Wendy.
"Yes,welcome." Carla slowly said and walked after Wendy.
"Welcome,looking forward to working with you." Lily roughly said and went after Carla and Wendy.
Elfman closed in Meredy.
"The way you held back your tears was so moving,you are a MAN!" Elfman tried to hug her but a sudden flying kick from the rear sent him flying.
"Oh,no you don't. Try to take advantage of this sweet girl and you'll face me." Evergreen emerged after kicking Elfman. She stood in front of Meredy.
"B-But-" Elfman tried to get up from the table he crash landed.
"Doesn't she just like him?" Lucy whispered to Levy about Evergreen and Elfman.
"SHUT UP,LUCY!" Both of them yelled at the same time.
Natsu and Gray closed in on Meredy after Elfman.
"Hello,m-"
"Yo,what's u-"
Both of them talked at the same time.
"Hey,you flamey-bastard. Wait in line." Gray glared at Natsu.
"What was that,Gray? You wanna go?" Natsu and Gray bumped heads,both of them pissed at each other.
Then they started a fistfight,which surprised Meredy.
"U-um,isn't anybody going to break them up?" Meredy asked.
Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at Meredy,even Natsu and Gray stopped fighting.
Everybody stared at Meredy and then each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. Even Natsu and Gray,who were holding each other by their collars.
Everybody stopped laughing after two minutes. They became silent for a second and Natsu and Gray released each other's collars.
The mood was calm until a metal pole flashed through before them. It hit Natsu and Gray,who were standing side by side and send them crashing into a nearby column.
"That was for last time,you bastards!" Gajeel withdraw his Iron pole and it transformed into his hand.
"You bastard!" Natsu and Gray yelled at the same time before launching themselves towards Gajeel.
Happy,Carla,Wendy and Lucy returned to their hideout. Under the counter where Mira stood.
Meredy turned to look around her. She saw people fighting,laughing,drinking. Even crying(The Master). She heard herself laugh for the first time after Ul's death.
Mirajane walked towards Meredy with a stamp in her hand.
"That's good. That's your first smile since you got here." Mira said just as she held out her hand.
"I'm Mirajane. Everybody calls me Mira. Welcome to Fairy Tail,Meredy!" Mira happily said before showing the stamp to her.
"So,where do you want the guild mark? And what color?" Mira asked with a bright smile that warmed Meredy's heart.
In a someplace far away from the country of Fiore,In the middle of a vast,dark ocean a beam of bright yellow light is flowing.
The weather is bad,it's constantly raining like it's pouring down from a glass. It's cloudy and there are thick layers of mist everywhere.
But even from far,the bright light forming around the beam can be seen.
It floats with high speed,almost at the speed of sound. Breaking through the mist and the ocean. The beam of light reaches a piece of land after it's long journey.
It passes lakes,jungles and canyon's before finally reaching upon a huge cave. The cave's inside is deep,it goes as long as the eye can see.
It's almost as if an inside out mountain.
The bright light hits the ground just outside the cave's entrance. A robed silhouette comes after the light disperses. The robed figure removes the hood from it's head and looks toward the inside of the giant cave.
He prepares to enter. He tries to remember all the information he has about the cave. He already knows that magic doesn't work in anywhere in the cave,so if he were to use Meteor the spell would fail and he would probably die from the fall.
Just before he could take another step,another figure appears behind him.
"Hello young man." The figure speaks behind the robed man that couldn't even sense his presence behind him. He turns to face him.
But he is surprised to see an old man,looking weary and tired in front of him. The old man doesn't have any hair but he has a long,thick white beard that reaches his neck.
"H-Hello." The robed man responds,he realized he didn't have to be hostile towards him.
"What can a young man like you,traveling alone could be doing here at this hour?" The old man slowly but sincerely asked.
"I came to see the cave." He replied.
"The cave! I know it's a marvelous sight to behold,but it's also quite dangerous. Even during the day. A lot of people,young people like you too went in. Never to return." The old man explained the last part with sorrow in his eyes.
"And what is an old man like you,doing here during this time of night?" He counter-objects.
"Oh,a smart lad aren't you? Hehe,fine. I am just a farmer that checks these places so that people with bad intentions doesn't desecrate it." The old man explained.
"Don't worry. I posses no intention like that. I'm not too fond of going into dark caves in the middle of the night,either." He tries to reassure the old man.
"So,what is it then? Why are you here?" The old man asked with a serious face.
"I want to go into the inner circle. The place where it is said that the High Monk Of Ishval found inner peace." He explained,honest in every word.
"A mage you are,then?" The old man asked with a sly smile forming around his face. The robed man nodded.
"And what you seek is just inner peace?" The old man asked again. The robed figure nodded again
"Yes,that is what's written. But the idea of risking your life for just inner peace seems a little redundant,don't you think?" The old man asked while raising an eyebrow.
"He's a clever old fox." The robed man thought.
"You're right. That's not the only reason why I'm here. But I have a feeling you already know why I'm here." The robed man said.
"You're right,I do. A lot of young mages came here. Looking for power. Looking for a way to obtain the magic that the monk had obtained." The old man said.
"But most of them quit after hours. Some of them even died because they couldn't use their magic in there. Some got lost in the deepest reaches of the cave." The old man explained.
"But what it comes down to at the end,is this. Why is it that you want power?" The old man asked.
"Does it matter?" The robed man asked.
"How should I know? I'm nothing more than a mere farmer." The old man said before laughing.
"Well,this is something I must do,no matter what." The robed man stated, with determination in his eyes.
"Even if that is so,there's no reason for you to go into there right now. You should do it when you're more prepared. Come,you look tired and hungry. I'll give you some food and a bed to rest on." The old man suggested.
The robed man finally gave in. He nodded and started following the old man into a forest.
"By the way,young man. What is your name?" The old man asked.
"Jellal. I didn't catch yours either." Jellal passed the question.
"Ulrich is what people call me." The old man,Ulrich answered.
"Nice to meet you,Ulrich." Jellal said politely.
"There's more to this guy then what meets the eye." Jellal thought before following the old man further into the forest.
A/N: So,we got a hint of why Jellal suddenly left. What did you think about it? If you're worried about the story being focused on Jellal,don't worry. After this chapter,we won't see him for a while :( I'm sad because he's one of my favorite characters. Anyways what did you guys think about the chapter and the story generally,please tell me in a review. And don't forget to favorite the story if you liked it :D And follow it too,I almost forgot :D
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