26th: Snow

Summary: It was winter when he joined Blue Pegasus.

For Shadow-chan – for being such a nice reviewer and such an amazing writer.

He was a snow mage. He shouldn't feel cold just because it was winter and he wasn't wearing enough. He should be immune to the cold but he wasn't. He walked through the cold and anonymous streets of an unknown city and wondered once more why fate had been that unkind with him. He would have been a great Rune Knight, he was sure of that, but this dream was over now and he had to find a new way for himself.

Lahar-san, his commander, had told him that he should join a guild but he wasn't sure which guild would be the right one for him. Fairy Tail was too noisy and Lamia Scale's guild master scared him. Mermaid Heel was no option for obvious reasons and he disliked Sabertooth's attitude while he wasn't 'wild' enough for Quatro Cerberus. So there was only one guild left for him to join – if they would accept him: Blue Pegasus.

Though their reputation partially came from the fact that mostly beautiful and fashionable men and women were members of this legal guild, it also was a powerful guild – powerful enough to be included in the alliance of Guilds which had been tasked to destroy the powerful Dark Guild Crimson Blade which had been too powerful for the council to deal with – and only second place to Grimoire Heart. And as the young, blonde mage looked into a mirror, he decided that he might fit in. He wasn't unattractive at all and he wasn't powerless. He had been able to hold his own against most of the other Rune Knights-in-training when he had still tried to become an important member of the security of his country.

But this didn't matter now as he turned around as a troupe of Rune Knights passed him. This could have been his life but someone up there had decided that this wasn't his fate and so all the years he had spent in training had been in vain. Above him, the dark sky with the storm-driven, huge clouds seemed to be endless and maybe, he really hadn't been meant to be a Rune Knight. Maybe this had been a desperate attempt to lie to himself about his true dream because as a little boy, he had dreamed of being the member of a popular guild but when he had been older, he had considered this dream as selfish because his own fame wouldn't help anyone else.

But now, with the other option gone, he had to walk this path. He looked up to the starless night once more, trying to find reason in the black nothingness but failed to see anything. He had to jump into the ice cold water and to hope that it would be the right thing to do. He had come a long way from where he had started as a little child. It had been a way of mistakes and wrong decisions. But this was alright because he was still alive and because he would be able to correct his wrong decisions.

He reached the train station and took the next train to the town where Blue Pegasus resided. He hadn't lost his hope yet and maybe, he could get it right this time. Maybe this would be the better idea – and even if it wasn't, he'd never let go of this idea.

Satisfied with his plan, he rested his head against the cold window and fell asleep.

The sleepy little town radiated a cosy feeling and it was more than easy to find the guild building of Blue Pegasus. The young mage straightened and knocked against the heavy door before he opened – just to be face to face with Karen Lilica who snorted at him before she brushed past him with n disgusted expression on her face.

"I am sorry about that," a tanned man shrugged as he appeared next to him. "Queen Bitch has been mad at Hibiki because he was kind to that celestial spirit of hers. Now she takes that out on anyone who makes the mistake of existing. I'm Ren Akasuki by the way."

"Eve Tearm," the younger mage said with a slight bow of his head. "Nice to meet you."

"Hey there, young man," the more than just eccentric guild master of Blue Pegasus exclaimed as he spotted Eve on the door and phased through the bar counter. "I never saw your pretty face around you … but since you came, you will have to stay, I fear…"

"The name is Eve Tearm," the young blond said as he bowed properly. "It's an honour to meet you, Master Bob."

"I like you, young friend," the master said as he patted his head. "But I guess that you just came in to find shelter because of this cold, am I correct? My, my, Makarov always gets the pretty mages. I really wished that I'd manage to lure at least Erza Scarlet or Lisanna Strauss away from him … too bad that they are so loyal to this guild…" he sighed.

"I actually came because I wanted to ask you if Blue Pegasus has place for me," Eve stated.

"Oh really?" Bob grabbed his upper arm and dragged him over to the bar. "C'mon, young friend. Ren-chan, be a darling and give us a glass or two of that whiskey Serena-done sent me for my second birthday this year … that woman has a good taste, I give her that. And if Fairy Tail's Miss Alberona is allowed to drink, Mr Tearm will be allowed to drink as well."

"I'm a former Rune Knight – we're all used to alcohol," Eve admitted as he saw Ren's hesitating gaze. "Master Bob … does this mean that I am allowed to join Blue Pegasus?"

"With that pretty face?" a taller blond man smirked. "We've been waiting for someone just like you to complete the Trimens. The name is Hibiki Laytes. Nice to meet you, Eve-san."

"Tsk, it's not like I wanted to be a member of Trimens…" Ren muttered as he put down the glasses and glared at the blond Blue Pegasus mage. "That was your stupid idea…"

Hibiki smiled smugly as he bent down to Eve. "Ren is a Tsundere but you'll get used to it," he stated calmly. "Anyway, welcome in Blue Pegasus."

Eve smiled happily and as the snow fell in front of the window, he decided that maybe, just maybe, it had been his fate to join Blue Pegasus.

AN: Usually, I'm no friend of Author's Notes where the writer complains about his/her personal situation but now, I am kinda forced to do so myself. My grandmother is very ill, cancer. It is not curable anymore. The situation drags me down. That influences my writing in a bad way but on the other hand, my gran said that I should keep writing to distract myself a little bit. I am currently working on a novel for her to read. So the consequences from my current private situation are the following: less frequent updates and ugly, slightly rushed chapters.

And now, so that everyone can prove that he/she really read this Author's Note … post the following phrase into the review box [please forgive me for stealing this idea from you, Shadow-chan, but I found no better quote]: Even if I can't see you … no matter how far away you may be … I will always be watching you.