Chapter 5: Evia Lockheart

"Guess who's joining our guild?" Natsu annunced as he kicked the guild doors open. All heads turned at once.

"Wait, you don't mean to say that she's actually going to be a Fairy Tail member?" Levy gushed. Wendy squealed in delight and soon, the whole guild burst into cheers. Evia looked around nervously. She had never been around so many people before, not in a very, very long time anyway. Part of her wanted to make a run for it but her legs weren't cooperating.

"Come on now, don't be shy," Erza said. She pushed Evia forward and she tried to resist, but her feet skidded along the wooden floorboards and there was nothing much she could do about it.

"Well, hello there," Mirajane greeted with a smile. Evia tried to smile back, just faintly. The guild was getting noisier and she was starting to get uncomfortable.

"Now where would you like your Fairy Tail mark?" Mirajane asked.

"My what?" Evia asked.

"Your Fairy Tail mark, it shows that you're an official member of Fairy Tail," Lucy explained helpfully. "See? Like mine!" She lifted her right hand up and showed Evia her pink mark.

Evia nodded. She looked around her body and tried to find the perfect spot. Nowhere too revealing, she decided. She inspected the guild members from afar. Most of them had their marks on their upper arms. She decided against that, too. After a few minutes of making up her mind, she instinctively patted her left shoulder blade.

"Ah, just like Levy," Mirajane responded with a smile. "And what colour?"

"Purple," Evia replied, and then hesitantly added, "please?"

"Yes, of course," Mirajane said and prceeded to give her the mark, but in order to do that, Evia would have to take her cloak off, which is something she doesn't do very often, but she dismissed it this one time. She unbuttoned the clasps and let it drop to the floor, revealing a thin, underfed body hidden in a sleeveless, tattered black dress made out of thin material. Mirajane took a better look of Evia. Her hair fell aross the middle of her back in messy, untamable waves. Her eyes wre deep purple and there was a small, prominent cut above her right eyebrow. Her lips her pale pink, dry and cracked. Her chest wasn't that big, probably due to the fact that she has been eating nothing but berries. Around her waist was a belt with a small pouch attached to it. Her arms and legs were covered in scratches, but nothing too serious. The cloak, it seemed, was made out of a thicker type of cloth, possibly to keep her warm at night.

Mirajane had never met someone as intriguing as her.

"Tell me, Evia, what exactly do you live on?" she asked softly, not wanting to offend her in any way.

"Berries and nuts, but a hare or a deer once in a while isn't so bad," Evia replied. Suddenly, she felt a funny, tingling sensation on her shoulder, but as soon as the stamp was lifted up, everything felt the way it was before.

"There, all done!" Mirajane announced.

Evia turned her head to examine her new mark but all she could see was just a glimpse of what seems like a purple bird.

"Now you're one of us!" Lucy exclaimed.

Evia gave Lucy a quick smile and quickly draped her cape across her shoulders.

"Wait, you can hunt?" Erza piped up all of a sudden.

Evia nodded, a little surprised by the question.

This is it, Erza thought. This was the moment she's been waiting for. Maybe she can finally get some answers to the restless questions.

"Hey!" a cheery voice called out behind them. It was Levy, accompanied by Wendy and Carla, Wendy's guardian/pet Exceed.

"Hi, Levy, Wendy and Carla," Mirajane greeted.

"Hi, and what's your name again?" Levy asked, meaning to ask Evia.

"Evia," she replied.

"What kind of magic do you do?" Wendy questioned, hugging Carla to her chest.

Evia shrugged. "I don't know. It just allows me to materialize whatever I want."

"Arc of Embodiment," Erza said helpfully.

"Wow," Levy gushed. "Show me!"

"Eh?"

"Make something!" Wendy said excitedly. She perched herself on one of the stools and looked on eagerly.

Evia was growing nervous. "Like what?"

"Well, let's start by something simple," Levy said. "How about an apple?"

Evia shut her eyes and racked her brains for the perfect visual of an apple, but all she got was nothing but a blurry blob of red. It's been quite some time since she ate an apple and she had no idea of its appearance. Sweat was beading on her forehead.

"What's wrong?" Wendy asked when she saw Evia befuddled expression.

"I can't do it, I'm sorry," Evia said shamefully. She felt her face heat up and buried it in her hands. The others became confused. How was that possible?

"There, there, don't cry," Levy comforted, patting her one the back.

"I am not!" Evia suddenly snapped. Levy jerked her hand back in shock and everyone stared.

"Sorry," Evia apologized, hanging her head again.

"Um, that's alright," Levy said with an awkward smile. She was keeping her distance and Evia wished she hadn't been so rude. Darn it!

"Let's try something else," Wendy suggested, trying to break the tension. She reached out to something on the edge of the counter. "Try making a duplicate of this coffee mug."

That seems fairly easier. Evia rubbed her eyes and focused on the mug while everyone else looked at her work intently. Then she blinked.

Evia then placed both hands on the counter, one apart from the other. Moments later, a soft white glow appeared between her hands and when it slowly fades away, an identical mug was in its place.

Everyone ogled and stared. Some even proceeded to clap and cheer.

"Do it again!" Wendy squealed.

Evia smiled shyly.

"Evia, how is it that you can forge a mug, but not an apple?" Erza asked doubtfully.

"I suppose it's what you call photographic memory," Evia answered. "It's like when I blink, I keep the 'picture' of the mug in my head for future use. Or anything else for that matter. If it's something entirely made out of my imagination, that can be harder to create, because I have to fully concentrate so that it doesnt go wrong."

"How about something big this time?" Wendy suggested in excitement. The others nodded in agreement.

Evia's face fell flat. "Rather not."

Wendy's mouth fell open. "Why not?"

"Because the bigger the object I make, the more magic it consumes and I'm still feeling a little lightheaded," Evia reasoned. It was the truth, she's been there before. Hopefully it doesn't sound much like a lie to the others.

"Right," Erza said. "And when did you discoaver this power of yours?"

"A few years back, I think," Evia said. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Erza replied simply. "How did you discover it?"

Evia pursed her lips tightly and everyone knew she didn't want to talk about it. Everyone except Erza, that is. She was too determined to get her answer.

"Long story," Evia muttered.

"I have time," Erza said, sitting on one of the stools and leaned in.

"I don't feel like talking about it," Evia said curtly, hoping that Erza would just buzz off already.

Quite the contrary.

A murky expression clouded Erza's face and it was clear from there that she dislikes it when people go against her.

Fortunately, Mirajane came to Evia's rescue.

"Let her be, Erza," she said. "She'll tell you when she feels like it."

I won't ever! Evia felt like screaming.

Erza glared at Mirajane, then at Evia. Evia was going to stay her ground no matter what.

Unfortunately, Erza had the same thought.

This time, Carla spoke up. "Take it this way, Erza. How would you feel if someone asked you something that you don't feel like talking about? Take Jellal, for instance."

"I can talk about him just fine!" Erza snapped.

Carla sighed. "Alright, how about Sho then? Milliana? Wally? Simon? The Tower of Paradise? And what about—"

Erza slammed her hand on the table so hard that it shook. Everyone jumped back at once, realizing that Erza was going to blow.

Carla kept her gaze straight. "You don't like it, don't you Erza?"

"Fine!" she roared. "You win this time! But mark my words—" Erza drew out her sword and pointed the blade straight at Evia. "—I will get the story out of you!"

Evia raised her eyebrow and tried to look as if she wasn't afraid, although inside she was shaking. What was her problem?

Erza drew her sword back into the sheath but accidentally, she cut off the pouch on Evia's belt. The bag dropped to the floor with a silent thud and the contents spilled out, revealing the bag to be filled with a few berries and acorns.

"You never told us you ate acorns, Evia," Levy said, picking one of them and played with it with her fingers.

"I don't, Kibble eats them and—Oh my gosh, Kibble!" Without warning, Evia jumped off her stool and made a mad dash for the door, but before she was halfway across the building, she felt something tightened around her neck and she was yanked back. She landed on her bottom and fell flat on her back. Her face scrunched up as pain shot up across her spine.

"Not so fast, where do you think you're going?" a voice said sinsterly. Evia glanced up and saw Erza glowering at her.

"Please, you have to let me go back one more time!" Evia pleaded.

"No!" Erza said sharply.

She felt tears threatening to come out. "Please! You have to let me! Kibble is still out there!"

"Who is Kibble?" Lucy asked.

"He's my pet," Evia explained quickly and turned back to Erza. "Please, I'll do anything!"

Erza considered this, then bent down and whispered in Evia's ear. "Even let me in to your secret?"

Blackmail! That was the first word that popped into Evia's mind. But it doesn't look like she has any other choice.

"Yes, yes, I'll tell you," Evia was begging now. "Now can you please let me go?"

Apparently, it wasn't enough for Erza. "How will you know if you're going to come back?"

"Because I have my mark!" Evia yelled. She's had enough of Erza. "I'm a part of your guild now, can't you just accept that?"

Erza wasn't quite convinced but she dismissed it. She narrowed her eyes and came up with a deal. "You're going to get this Kibble of yours, and come back yes?"

Evia nodded hastily.

"If that's the case, then I'm coming with you."

Evia was speechless. He whole guild was silenced too, too shocked to speak.

"I can't risk the guild losing someone like you," Erza said, her voice suddenly soft and kind.

Now Evia's mind was in a muddle. First she was demanding of her secret now she's complimenting her on her skills? What on earth has got into this girl?

"Erza..." Mirajane started.

"Don't mind me, Mira, I know what I'm doing," Erza said in a breeze. "So, shall we go?"

Evia didn't hear her the first time since she was so muddled up in her thoughts, that Erza had to repeat herself louder. Evia snapped out of her reverie and hastily replied, "Yeah, yeah, we should go!" and out she ran, with Erza not far behind.

"What on earth has gotten into Erza?" Lucy wondered aloud.

"She can be overly demanding, huh?" Wendy said, more like a statement rather tahn a question.

"That's Erza for you," Mirajane said. "Gosh, it's barely noon and we've got some interesting events unfolding, haven't we?"

Everyone nodded.

"Goodness, I just realized that I haven't introduced Evia to the Master," Mirajane gasped.

"Don't worry, they'll turn up in no time," Levy said. "They'll make it back alive."

"Correction, if Evia makes it back alive," Carla pointed out.

They all stared at Carla and denied it, but secretly they were wondering if the white-furred Exceed could actually be right.