Chapter 28:Shattered and Broken
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Seriously if I did, Laxus wouldnt have gotten expelled, Erza and Gray would be married and Natsu wouldnt be so DENSE! Actually he would be the darkest charecter there.
Erza looked deep into her heart. The place where she held her love back so it wouldnt distract her in battle. Finally she caught a glimpse of a certain glow. She tried to grasp it but it was a wisp.
"Here. Ground yourself and you can reach her through her element." It was Shô's voice. His hands gently pressed the woman into the ground and she found that her friend was right. The little line was more visible. Easier to grab. Reaching out to it again a blinding light of rainbowish colors surrounded her...
"Why am I a kid?!"
Kuma looked into the crystal garnet waters of her meadow. She had no idea what this place was but she had to admit it was pretty. Sharp blue grass and green skies with a red lake made this place a dark version of wonderland. She loved it!
"Kuma."
The girl turned with a smile on her face. "Momma! Your ok! I was so worried!" Erza too was younger. Around fifteen. She noticed these were the ages that they met. Seven years ago.
Kuma wore a pretty purple dress that fell to her knees and puffed out like an upside down umbrella. Her sleeves started puffy but then became sheer and see through and clung to her arms. Her legs adorned black capris tights and high top tennis shoes. Her hair was in its usual high pony that she wore to school every morning but this time her hair was all curled. Erza smiled. Even then she wore things that seemed like it wouldnt work out yet looks very cute.
Erza wore a deep red dress that reached her knees with a yellow belt across the waist. Her feet were covered with black strappy heels with little gems here and there. Her hair was in simple and loose ringlets. She wore black fingerless lace gloves and a red satin choker.
"You should be worried about yourself. Your dying." She just smiled at her adoptive mother. Kuma walked over and sat at Erza's leg. She gave a giggle as she picked a rose. It was a pretty white one. As soon as her fingers graced the petals, they turned a deathly black.
"I know. And its ok. I knew I was gonna die anyways."
Erza sat down and wrapped her arms around Kuma, drawing her close. "Tell me... No wait I'll ask you some questions. I want to see how well you know yourself." Kuma didnt know what this was going to achieve but nodded.
"Alright, number one. What's your name?" Kuma almost immediately responded untill she stopped. What was her name? Was it Kuma Scarlet? Kuma Akashiya? Takara Vermillion? Did she even have a name?! Luka and Vexel always reffered to her as Princess. Which one was she?
"You dont know your name? It was pretty easy to answer! Number two, what kind of magic do you use?" Again Kuma paused. Was she strong enough to really deem herself as a Dragon Slayer? Was her demonic power dark magic? Which applies to her?
"I dont know..."
"Mhmm. You know, your just afraid to say. One last question. Was it all fake?"
Kuma looked up in confusion. "What was fake?" Erza sighed and ran a hand through her red hair. Her steel eyes looking down at the seven year old. "Everything! Was loving me and Gray and Natsu fake? Was it just to protect you from this whole mess just for it to become a bigger one than from before?!" The girl could just stare at Erza with pain and tears written in her face.
-Random Spot in Abandoned City-
Gajeel Redfox or also known as 'Black Steel' Gajeel ate in scilence as he stared up at the sky. His left forearm still had a slight sting from recieving the Fairy Tail guild mark that afternoon. But it wasnt anything he couldnt handle.
Gajeel grunted and kept facing foward, the air reverated from his deep grumble of a voice. "Oi! C'mon out, I can smell you."
None other than Ms. Latashia, the Magnolia's librarian, smiled warmly at the iron mage. She walked foward and sat next to Gajeel. He chuckled and continued to eat.
"You know, you and Juvia are going to have a long road ahead if you intend on hiding your destinies." She muttered slyly, dropping some bolts and scraps into his lap. She always brought over stuff like these. She says its to compensate for his lovely talks with her. He just believed that she was a motherly figure who loved to spoil people. Again he grunted but you could tell he chewed more slowly.
"You two are the Gamma. The adsvisors of the pure blooded stigmas. You four will clash one day. If you dont tell Juvia, her power will dissappear and she wont reincarnate with you any more. In fact—"
"That's fine. She wont be dragged into this dumb war shit anymore."
"But then you'll become the monster that you dont want to be. I know you hate dragging Juvia through each lifetime again and again but you two are the keepers of history. Even Metallicana agreed when I visited you, when you were just a young lad, that you were the Scribe of Time."
Gajeel turned his attention to the woman, his crimson eyes competing with Natsu's fire. "I know that. I was there! But this war with Zeref isnt going to end any time soon, so why bother? There isnt enough magic in this world or the next to destroy the man. If he even shows up." Ms. Latashia sighed and patted his back. "Your scared for Juvia, I know. But you cant ignore or neglect destiny."
With that said the woman stood up to leave. Gajeel just grunted and laid back down on the grass, resuming his star-gazing.
-Kuma's Subconcious Meadow-
Erza got tackled in a hug.
Literally, she fell back and they rolled down the hill and ended up splashing in the garnet waters.
"NO! It wasnt fake! I love you guys with all my heart! Ok I dont know my name and Im not sure what my magic is but I know damn well that your my family. Your my momma, for always. Those nitwits are my Uncle Natsu and Uncle Gray! I have plenty of cousins in Fairy Tail. Laxus is my brother and Master is my Jii-chan. We're a rowdy bunch but I can assure I would want nothing else and give up everything if it means I get to stay with my family! I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU MOM!" Kuma had errupted into tears and Erza saw the little girl who walked into the guild. The one who wanted nothing more than to feel normal. Who wanted to give love. The woman's arms wrapped tighter around the girl. Tears were streaking down her cheeks too.
"Then fight! Wake up and come back home! We cant loose you. I refuse. I swear if you die right now I will hunt you down and kick your ass. Dont leave me!" Her voice was racking with sobs at the thought of her daughter dying. She didnt think she could handle it. Kuma just nodded and hung on tighter.
'As long as I stick to Momma...I'll always know who I am.'
-Tower of Heaven-
Luka continued to laugh maniaclly as he walked around the room. Kuma was lying on her back and eyes wide in shock. She was dead he knew. Well at least going to be in the next two minutes.
He had to admit that he had missed his Princess. But he had to make sure she wouldnt make it to the war with Zeref. Luka wasnt a fool, this tower was just a key to unlocking Zeref from his prison. It wouldnt ressurect him. But the plan that Ultear made was delicioulsly evil. Jadin and Pricella were his pawns in this game as well. He used them just like Ultear used Jellal.
If Luka had been paying attention, he would have noticed that the gaping hole in Kuma's stomach was stitching itself back together, as though there was never a hole in the first place. Her eyes repeatedly blinked turning from her amythest to red and her hair shifted from black to white. They settled on her demonic form and she quietly stood up. She lazily strolled behind Luka in her own pace. Not even making a sound her foot went right between his legs from behind and he buckled. She grabbed him by his hair and chuckled murderously.
"What was that about being more careful, Reiga?"
"Where'd you...learn that name? How are you alive?!"
Swinging him across the room, Luka hit the wall with a choked off scream of surprise. Not giving him time to recope with himself, Takara sped towards him in an unhuman pace and kicked up, hitting him square in the face, knocking him into the 'cieling'. Luka cried out in surprise and Takara slowly let her leg fall back to the ground. Her white hair fell in her garnet eyes and her scowl seemed permanately sketched onto her porcelien skin.
Luka chuckled and finally got hinself together. "So you finally wanted to come out, Princess?! It's been so long! A century or so I believe?" Inside Takara, Kuma's spirit twisted in confusion and hate. She watched through Takara's eyes, as she simply tossed her head side to side getting rid of any kinks.
"So your the one who woke me? Big mistake."
Jumping up and down from foot to foot, Takara seemed to be getting her self loosened up. "Watch closely, Bastard. This'll only take three hits." Luka's eyebrows rose in amusement. "Three hits is going to defeat me? Even if you are a princess, that doesnt make you as strong as Queen Moka." Takara's mouth twisted into a disturbing smirk on her beautiful face and she got in an offensive postition. "No. Im not Mother. But dont underestimate my strength. I meant three hits to kill you."
"LIKE I WOULD FALL TO YOU!" Luka threw out his hands and a black smoke appeared. It surrounded her and tightened around her, squeezing her arms together by her side. She blinked in surprise but soon enough just stretched and the shadows dissperesed.
"T-that was... suppose to show you your worse nightmare!" Takara scoffed and flipped her bone straight white hair. "The one Kuma calls her father, Mystogan, has stronger illusions that'll scare Zeref himself by just lifting his pinky. Youve been slacking, Reiga."
Takara was suddenly behind Luka, kicking him in the back. "ONE!" He went flying but again she was near him and raised her balled up hands and stroke down. "TWO."
"How did you get so much power? You just awakened!" Luka coughed, Takara pulling on his hair. He yelled in pain and she almost smiled. The spirit of Kuma twisted in grief, knowing what was about to happen.
She didnt answer. She was going to give him no answer. Instead she pulled up her hand and with a chopping motion cut at his neck.
Luka's head fell to the floor.
"Three!"
She laughed and laughed, relishing in her victory. It was over finally! Jellal had underestimated her ability and now his right hand man was lying on the ground before her feet, decapitated.
Suddenly she clutched her stomach in agony. The wound wasnt completley healed, just enough to not let her die. Takara turned back to Kuma and the girl started breathing hard. The girl felt pain whereas Takara could put up with it, Kuma was dying all over again.
She laughed and crawled over to Neeya. She clutched the cat to her chest and cried with joy. Her black hair covered the two and her amythest eyes watered. She could finally stop running.
It was over!
The Etherion had fired.
Kuma had hung on to Neeya the whole time, welcoming her impending death that awaited her. She had promised her mother that she was going to make it out alive and in a sense Erza promised the same. It's seemed as though one had lied to the other as they waited it out with their partners.
Erza hung on to Jellal, free from her nightmares at last. It was just a huge mistake, nothing else! They could finally relax in peace once again. Their minds and hearts are no longer heavy.
And as the light of the heavens shined down on the tower, a man and a boy ran towards their death as they went looking for these two girls. Mother and daughter, waiting for their end. The voices of the man and boy rung throughout the tower and possibly the heavens themselves. They each screamed a diffrent name but at the
same time.
"ERZZAAAAAAA!"
"KUUUMMMAAA!"
At 12:22 A.M., on the morning of October 16, the R-System was destroyed by the Etherion cannon.