Chapter Seven — Saphira
Even though my eyes were open and my body had been interacting with other people, I was not awake.
I could see everything going on around me but it was as if there was a veil of darkness cloaking my eyes. As time went on the veil progressively faded away until my vision was restored to it's previous state.
"I love you, Rhi," I faintly heard a voice say.
Upon restoration of my sight, I saw something in the distance crumpled into a ball. It lied there, motionless, barely breathing. It wasn't until I looked down at my necklace, which was still glowing, that I figured out who it was. That lifeless lump was Skye, and, as she grew weaker, the connection between our jewels weakened along with her.
"Skye?" I implored her to respond.
Gray sprinted over to her and held her closely. Natsu stood guard in front of them as Gray analyzed Skye's condition.
"She's barely breathing," he stated.
The flames swelled inside of me, burning furiously, just waiting to be wielded.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Don't you recognize your own work?" Lavond questioned from behind me.
"What did you make me do?!" I raged as my head snapped back towards her.
My whole entire head of hair burst into flames as I ejected my needle-pointed claws yet again. My already sharp canines elongated into razor-sharp fangs. I could feel my skin morphing into dragon scales. I went into full dragon force, which I had done before, however this was different.
The power that coursed through my veins was darker, and more powerful than my usual. Dark thoughts and emotions accompanied the magic. I wanted to kill her for making me hurt my sister. I needed to make her pay for what she had done. Murderous thoughts swarmed furiously in my head like an agitated swarm of wasps.
Lavond was taken back a little by this form, which showed evidently on her face.
I advanced towards her slowly enjoying the fear spread across her face.
"But how are you able take on such a dark form?" she said trying to hide the fear in her voice.
"What's the matter, Lavond?" I taunted. "Don't you recognize your own work?"
Flames swelled in the palm of my hands. I watched her face contort in horror as she saw the combination of the scarlet and ebony flames burn in unison.
"It doesn't matter, you cocky little pyro. I still have my necklace," she taunted and grabbed ahold of the pendant dangling from the choker chain around her neck.
"Why should I be afraid of your necklace?" I questioned still slowly striding over to her.
"Do you not know why I obtained it?" she asked seeming rather pleased with herself.
"Because you have a shopping problem?" I stated bluntly.
"NO!" she exclaimed as her face reddened a bit. "It's there to weaken you."
"What are you gonna do; accessorize me to death?" I rebutted.
"No. The orb within the dragon's claws is filled with your blood," she responded.
"Well that's creepy," I responded. "Obsessed much?"
"NO! This pendant has magical properties that make it so I can control your power, using your own blood," she responded as my blood began to swirl around inside of the orb.
"How many of those exist?" I questioned.
"Just this one. It was specifically designed for you. Its the only one like it in existence," she bragged. "After genetically making you stronger, I had to ensure that I could still control you, after all."
"Cool. I guess I'll just have to tear it apart along with you," I responded and lunged at her.
My wings ejected mid jump and rocketed towards her at maximum speed. My body collided with hers, knocking her to the ground.
"Dark Grab!" Lavond yelled and created the shadow silhouette of a hand.
The hand's fingers wrapped around my torso and threw me backwards, sending me flying into Natsu.
"Sorry!" I yelled to Natsu as I sprinted off towards her again. "Fire Dragon, Wing Attack!"
My attack proved to be near ineffective, because of her anti-Saphira pendant weakening my flames.
"I need to get that necklace off of her. I can't really use my magic against her until I do," I thought to myself.
"You can't win Sapphire!" Lavond teased. "Just come home, where you belong."
"You don't get to call me that!" I yelled. "I'd sooner die alone in the woods."
I ran at her and tackled her to the ground. I reached for her necklace, hoping I could get it off with just one try. Luckily for me, the next thing that I heard after trying to rip it off her was the sound of the chain snapping.
"Natsu! Take this!" I yelled and threw it to him.
He caught it in his left hand and gripped it tightly, nodding to me in understanding.
"Don't break it," I demanded as I ignited the dark flames in the palms of my hands.
"I don't break everything!" he rebutted.
"Yes, you do," Gray responded.
"SHUT UP!" he yelled back at Gray.
"Fire Dragon Roar!" I announced and struck Lavond directly in the chest. She flew back and hit the ground.
"Fire Dragon Wing Attack," I yelled letting my anger strengthen my flames. "This is for Skye!" I growled as I struck her in the face.
She laid there unmoving, barely breathing. I ejected my claws and went to finish her off once and for all. I felt someone wrap their arms around me, pinning my arms to my side.
"You're with Fairy Tail now; we don't roll that way," Natsu whispered into my ear.
"She ruined my life. She hurt my sister. She deserves it," I answered, sounding as if I were begging him to let me.
"I know," he responded. "But you're not in a dark guild anymore. You can't do that."
I retracted my claws and wings and took a deep breath. My hair's brilliant blaze settled down to a gentle flame as I calmed myself down. Tears started falling from my eyes, thinking of all that I had lost.
He grabbed my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine.
"You have us now, Sapphire," he added. "You can start a new life, in Fairy Tail."
I turned back to Lavond, who had lifted her head to meet my gaze. "If I ever see your face around here again, so help me God, I will end you, and he won't be there to stop me," I spat venomously and then knocked her out cold.
I ran over to Skye and wrapped my arms around her. I laid my head against the top of hers and tried not to squeeze her too hard, in fear of hurting her more.
"I'm so sorry; that wasn't me. Well it was, but it wasn't," I rambled trying formulate an intelligible sentence.
"I know. I'm just glad I didn't lose you again," she said quietly and attempted to grab my hand.
"Why wouldn't you want that? All I do is hurt people," I rebutted.
"No. None of that was your fault. You never meant to hurt anyone," she coughed.
"I love you, sis," I choked out and hugged her a bit tighter.
"I love you too," she whispered back.
"Uhm, Sapphire?" Natsu asked sounding concerned.
"Yes?" I responded.
"You're bleeding a little bit," he elaborated as he pointed at my torso. "We should take you back to the guild hall and get you both medical help."
I looked down at my torso and saw a large laceration spanning from my hip to right below my bust line.
"Oh," I murmured and wiped away some of the blood secreting from the wound.
"Oh?" Natsu laughed. "That's all you have to say for an injury of that severity?"
"Eh, I'll live," I said and put pressure on the wound with my hand.
"Can you even walk?" I asked Skye.
"I don't think so," she responded sounding weak.
"Someone needs to carry her then," Natsu stated.
I scowled slightly at that thought. I couldn't help but get kind of angry at the thought of Natsu carrying her the whole way back. Gray made the same facial expression.
"Are you okay, guys?" Skye asked. "You suddenly look upset about something."
"I'm fine," Gray and I stated in unison as Natsu scooped Skye up off the ground.
"Help Saphira," Skye demanded.
"I'm fine," I stated, trying to walk normally. I limped with each step.
"You can barely walk," Gray said with one eyebrow raised in question.
"I'll be fine" I snapped as my hair combusted.
"Come here," Gray demanded and wrapped one of his arms around my torso to stabilize me.
I didn't fight back any further because I realized I couldn't deny help from the people that cared for me any longer.
"God, you're really hot," he said and pulled away a bit as an attempt to avoid being burned.
"Repeat that, Gray?" Natsu questioned with a threatening glare.
"She's physically too hot! Can you see her flaming hair?" he rebutted.
"Oh," Natsu replied obviously misinterpreting the situation.
"I'm sorry! I'm always like this," I responded. "It came along with the being genetically mutated thing."
"Why don't you just wear Lavond's claw necklace?" Skye asked. "It may help to keep your power in check if you keep it with you. It may give you more control."
"I didn't think of that," I responded.
"I still vote that Natsu and I switch twins just in case the whole necklace thing doesn't work," Gray responded.
"I agree," Natsu said as he handed Skye over to Gray. I fiddled with the chain of the dragon claw necklace and secured it to it's new place around my neck.
"I'm definitely cool with this," I thought to myself as Natsu switched places with Gray.
"Are you okay? You don't look like you're feeling so great," Natsu said and tightened his grip a bit.
"Uh, is it normal for things to be spinning?" I asked, slurring my words together.
"No. That's not good," Natsu said and watched me trying to function normally.
"Why are Gray and Saphira so blurry?" I asked as I started to stagger instead of walk.
"Uh, you're Saphira," Natsu said now seeming really worried.
"Oh, are you sure?" I asked, and everything went fuzzy. "She looks like the person I see in the shiny box every morning."
"You mean the mirror?" Natsu asked with a concerned chuckle.
"That's the word!" I giggled hysterically.
Everything then went from fuzzy to black and the last thing I remembered was hitting the ground.