Jackal POV (Flashback)
I heard the familiar shouts of Mom against Grandfather from my room. They were fighting over me again. Mother was yelling at him for threatening to throw me out if I didn't learn the family magic. He also made it obvious that I couldn't learn Grandmother's Fairy magic, saying that it was a girl's magic. I stood up from my desk and walked out of my bedroom. I could hear Lucy's muffled cries through the wall and took that as a clue to go comfort my sister. She couldn't handle it when fights were going on; her ears were still sensitive to loud sounds.
Without knocking, I walked into her room to find her curled up on her bed in the dark. She was still fighting her magic to keep balance. I stood by the door for a moment, watching her hair go from blonde to black every few seconds. Letting the darkness inside me take over, I walked over to her, seeing as this is the form of magic she responded to best.
"Lucy…" I wrapped my arms around her and whispered to her quietly, trying to get the tears to stop flowing. Her hands were clamped on her ears trying to block out the sound of the fight downstairs. "Lucy, just focus on my voice, nothing else."
I repeated this until she finally released her red ears and looked up at me with teary eyes. "Brother… Make them stop! Just learn Grandfather's magic and make them stop! Please!"
I hated seeing her cry. I was her older brother and I was supposed to protect her. I hated seeing her beg. It didn't suit her. She suffered so much already.
I held her close to me and tried my best to lie to her. "I will, Lucy. I promise you that."
There were a few moments of silence before she crawled out of my embrace and climbed off her bed; her eyes a bluish-brown colour and a strong mix of blond and black. She took graceful steps towards the piano situated into the corner of the room by a long window and sat on the bench in front of it. She placed her fingers on the keys and tapped the C note a few times before playing out whatever melody came to mind. The sound of the piano was the only music she could handle with her ears.
Suddenly she stopped and played a more somber tune and her words sang out.
I was always walking alone
When I looked back, everyone was far away
Nevertheless, I walked on
That was my strength
I'm not afraid of anything anymore
Or so I whisper to show you
Eventually, everyone becomes alone
And only live on within memories
So that I can even love and laugh at loneliness
I'll fight
I won't show my tears
I was always walking alone
A cliff was waiting for me at my destination
Nevertheless, I walked on
For the proof of my strength
A strong wind blows against me
My shirt sticks to me with sweat
If I end up being able to forget it someday
Then living - It's just a simple thing
If I fall into the yonder of oblivion
That's running away, right?
Even the meaning of having lived will vanish, right?
The wind soon calmed down
My sweat dried, too
And I felt hungry
Did something happen, hm?
A nice scent came along
With lively voices
I was always walking alone
Everyone was waiting for me
Someday, people will be alone
And only live on within memories
Even so, that's okay
I call my peaceful feelings 'friends'
Someday, I'll forget the days I spent with everyone
And be living elsewhere
By then, I won't be strong anymore
With the weakness of an ordinary girl
I'll shed tears
I looked at my sister, not in worry, but in sadness. She knew I wasn't going to be able to protect her, or even be there for her for that matter. I got up to hug her when I saw Grandfather slam open the door which caused Lucy to cry out in both surprise and in pain. I rushed over to stand between her and Grandfather.
"Get out, boy. Filth like you should know better than to be near perfection." He snarled at me much like a dragon in a fit of rage.
"Dad, leave Jack alone! I don't have the family magic and you still kept me around! He's your blood! Your family! You have to keep him here! He has nowhere to go! Think about Lucy! She wouldn't be able to take it! You know how close they are!" I watched Mom push her way into the room and stand in front of us as I finally pulled my sister into my grasp. She was crying and clutching her ears painfully at all the noise.
I looked down at my sister and grasped her shoulders, forcing her to look at me.
My heart broke at the sight of tears pouring down her face.
"It'll be okay, Lucy. Just listen to the sound of my voice," I said with the best smile I could muster as the words formed on my lips out of habit. I turned to Grandfather and frowned. "Fine. I'll leave, but on one condition. You gave me no choice in the matter." I raised my hand outward so my palm faced Grandfather. The magic circle that formed made his eyes widen and a smirk to befall my lips. "I place this seal using the water within your blood to explode if you ever lay a hand on my sister." With those words the mix of my two magics hurtled toward him, unable to be avoided and knocked him off his feet.
Without another word, I walked away, from my parents, from this life, and most of all my little sister. And every step tore at my heart a little more.
Jackal POV (Present)
I woke to a brightly lit room, or as I thought. It was only the sun shining into the room. The only noise in the room was the soft breathing of the person at my side. It was the messy mop of blonde hair, sleeping over the side of the bed and tightly holding my hand.
I didn't want to wake her. She was the one who kept me sane at that house. She was me reason to live and keep fighting. She was my baby sister. I would do anything for her, even if I hated it myself.
Slowly, I sat up, watching her sleeping form when the door opened to reveal the lightning Dragon Slayer that she is so infatuated with carrying two plates of morning food. I gave a small nod as a form of greeting before motioning for him to remain quiet.
Once he set down the food on the bedside tables, he nodded and sat down in the chair at the end of my bed. He avoided looking at me before I finally broke the silence.
"She really does love you," I said quietly.
I watched his eyes fall onto her sleeping form. "I know that. Just sometimes, it's hard to remember with everything going on."
I understood him. I remembered Lucy's difficulty to keep balance and now that that balance has been disturbed there's no telling what could happen to her mental frame. I watched Lucy stir slightly and look over at me then her Dragon Slayer. She gave us a small smile before sitting up and stretching.
"Ohayo!" She chirped at us.
"Mornin'." I said as a smile was coming onto my features.
"How long have you been up? You should have woke me up." She frowned lightly, as though she was finally registering the thought that I was awake.
"It's only been a few minutes. Besides, I haven't seen you sleep so peacefully since we were kids. It's comforting."
She gave me a sad smile and turned to Laxus with a bright smile on her face. "Hey."
"Hey." He said as he handed her a plate of breakfast
I started to pull myself out of bed and move to the stack of clothes resting on the bedside table when I realized that I was only in my boxers. I looked down at my chest to see that scar from so long ago. It was small and faint, and one would have to look really hard for it, but it was there. The thin line from the small blade that Grandfather forced Lucy to drag across my skin all those years ago. I gently traced it and turned around to find her eyes locked onto the angry, ridged scar that ran up my leg.
"Lucy…"
She shook her head and walked out of the room, clearly unable to take the sight of it anymore.
I let out a small sigh and pulled the shirt over my head. It was a dark orange silk vest. For some reason, I felt the urge to cry. I hated to see her look at me with so much pain in her eyes. Laxus had left after her, to see what was bothering her and left me to finish getting ready on my own. Pulling on a pair of black pants, I made my way down to where rest of the guild was waiting.
I had just touched down on the bottom step when the ground shook violently and the roof of the guild hall was blasted open.
It was time for war.
Ohayo, Minna!
I'm sorry it's been so long. I started school two weeks ago and hadn't been able to sit down and write on much of my stories. Also, I'm participating in GrayLu Week 2014 which started Sep 1 and carries on to the seventh. The chapter for Day 1 is already up.
Song: Brave Song - Angel Beats Ending
Again sorry for the wait!
-Jay