Veribex Hassim didn't know what to expect when he stowed away in the hold of the rickety old ship. Everything smelled of beer and rotten meat. At this point, he didn't know which he preferred. He didn't even know if the old ship would make it across the ocean, with the state it was in. But he had no other choice.
He had nothing left, except for that one clue. A small picture book that his late mother had given him, one that told him of a magical place, where wizards ran free, where mountains and green lush ruled the terrain instead of sand.
A place called Fiore.
And so he had set out on his journey. His family - and their fortune - was gone. He had nothing to lose now. No one would miss him if this little ship went down in the middle of the ocean.
He curled up and sighed. Only fourteen, and having to leave by himself. He had nothing to defend himself with; well, he had nothing to be taken besides the rags he wore. But he was determined. He would make it to this place his mother spoke of, and become one of the mighty wizards she spoke so much about, and then return to his country, and avenge his family.
The boat rocked sharply, and he turned about in his hiding place, his stomach lurching violently. He wondered if he would really make it to this place, if it was really the way the book said it was. He clutched the book to his chest, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
After a month and a half on the ship, Veribex was starting to get very sick. He had little food left, and had not had water for a day and a half. He would not survive much longer the way things stood.
He looked at the blank wooden wall he had seen so much of. He didn't think he would make it to Fiore.
"I'm sorry mother, I don't think I'll mak-"
He was jarred out of his thoughts by the boat suddenly hitting something. Something that felt a lot like land.
His suspicions were confirmed when the crew began to shout on deck, and many of the surrounding crates were moved. He quickly crawled inside an empty barrel to hide as the ship was unloaded. He was moved out of the ship, and onto what he thought was a wagon.
He spent the next few hours being shaken around, when the wagon finally came to a stop. He heard voices outside for a while, but they slowly subsided. After it had been silent for a while, he slowly raised the top from the barrel, and peeked out.
What he saw took his breath away. Mountains, tipped in white snow, under a great cover of stars. Lush greenery spread throughout, as far as the eye could see. It was beautiful. And cold.
He pulled his coat tighter around him and shivered. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was at a camp, and the inhabitants were sleeping. He decided this was his best chance to escape without being caught.
Lifting himself out of the barrel, he quickly got down from the truck and began to make his way down the nearby path. It wasn't long before he came up on a small village.
Suddenly, the realization hit him. Now what?
He had made it to this strange land, in this strange place. But what now?
He had no money, no magic, no marketable skills. He didn't even know if they spoke the same language as he did. He had no where to go, not even a place to sleep. And it was oh, so very cold. He shivered, and looked around him for shelter.
Seeing a small barn, he decided the farmer wouldn't mind too much if he settled down in the hay for the night.
There was a small padlock on the doors, and he found a small rock, and broke it open. He pushed open one of the big double doors, and upon seeing that no one was inside, he slipped in and closed the door behind him.
Looking around, he saw a ladder that led up to a hay loft. He supposed that was as good a place as any to spend the night. He climbed up the ladder, and collapsed on the hay.
As he slowly drifted off to sleep, he contemplated his future. But as his eyes finally closed, he had only one thought.
I made it mother. I made it to Fiore.
Bright sunlight shone through the cracks in the old barn, waking Veribex from his slumber.
He had never known hay could be so comfortable, as he had slept like a baby. He sat up and stretched, and his stomach growled. Time to find something to eat, and hopefully, a form of employment that would give him a place to rest that he didn't need to break into.
Quietly slipping out of the barn, he strolled along the path he had been taking yesterday before someone yelled at him to stop. He froze. A woman with dark brown hair approached him with a scowl. She looked a few years older than him.
"That barn is under my protection. How'd you get in?" She asked, taking an offensive stance. Veribex blinked rapidly before putting his hands up.
"I- I'm sorry. I o-only s-spent the night," he stuttered, relieved they spoke the same language. "I'm from the other continent! My name is Veribex Hassim," he explained. The woman tilted her head and relaxed.
"You don't look like a mage," she observed. Veribex smiled, hopefully reassuringly.
"I hope to become one. It was my mother's wish for me to come to Fiore and become one," he said softly. He felt a pang of loneliness.
The woman blinked before putting a hand on her hip. That's when Veribex looked at her properly. She had long, dark brown hair. Her skin was pale, which was strange to Veribex. He wondered if he looked strange to her. She wore a bikini top and capris, leaving the tattoo on her stomach in full view.
"Well, I guess I'll help you learn," she smiled. "My name is Cana, and if you have the aptitude to learn magic, I'll teach you what I know."
Veribex smiled happily at her. "I would be very grateful," he bowed. She stared at him, not used to such manners. "If I may ask, what is that tattoo on your stomach? I do not recognize the symbol."
"It's my guild mark," she smiled, her fingers lightly touching the symbol. "It's not really a tattoo, but I guess it's kind of like one. It can be removed with magic. It symbolizes my family, my guild. Fairy Tail."
"A guild… Is it like a family?" Veribex asked. He wanted a guild now.
"Well, they're also places for mages to get jobs. You really don't know any of this, do you?" Cana asked. Veribex shook his head.
"I had no need to have this knowledge before. Now, it is imperative I learn all I can," he answered. Cana nodded slowly.
"So let's begin!"
The months he spent with Cana were informative, and he learned much about this "card magic." However, Cana soon had to return to her guild, and she left him alone to his magic.
He had found a job, however, while she was instructing him. He had taken a job helping out a baker and his wife with their shop.
Reasonably established, he worked hard, and made a life for himself in the small town.
Soon, he was very well established in his magic, and was officially the bakers apprentice.
The bakers wife had recently had a child, a beautiful baby boy that was set to take over the business. Life was good.
Until they came.
The boy in the dress, the girl with the cloak, and the worst of them all, the girl with white hair.
They came in the night, slaughtering the entire village, burning the houses. There was so much destruction, so much blood. He had tried to save them, he had used all his powers could handle.
But he couldn't do it.
He watched as the baker, his wife, and their child were slaughtered with an icy wave of the silver haired girl's hand.
His entire world came crashing down again in a matter of minutes. Again. But for some reason, they didn't kill him.
The one in the cloak leaned over him as he shivered on the ground. "Come with us." She ordered.
"W-Why?" He asked. He couldn't fathom why he was still alive. And why his village? Why no one else? Why him again? Why couldn't he just have happiness?
The white haired one laughed. "You have potential. Your magic is interesting. Don't you want to advance it, to see what you can do with it?" She asked, gesturing to the decimated town around them.
"This, this destruction isn't right! How can you do something like this, and for fun!"
The black haired boy snarled. "This isn't fun, this is work. Alice just happens to be sickeningly horrible at giving examples." The one in the cloak nodded in agreement.
The white haired girl chuckled, hitting the boy on the head.
"So basically, it's like this. You come join our guild, or I rip your testicles off, sautee them, and shove them down your throat, then use your gouged out intestines as a jump rope."
Veribex shivered at the image. He supposed he didn't have anywhere else to go.
And Cana had said a guild was like a family. He wasn't sure he really wanted such a dysfunctional family, but he supposed it couldn't hurt to try.
And he would be able to advance his magic.
So he stood up slowly.
Surrounded by the burning corpses of his village people, Veribex Hassim joined Moonlight Insomniacs.
Author's Note:
Arts: Well. That was shorter than we expected. But that was fun. Veribex, oh you sweet baby. You hate us soooo much. In other news, this story is also on wattpad under ArtsandHearts, so don't be like yo they're copy pasting.
Eon: Did you really do it under your name only why you I thought we were buddies.
Arts: Ah, well, about that. I didn't feel like making a new account for us, and that one didn't have anything on it anyway. I made sure to put in the proper Wattpad notes that you helped out (;
Eon: Ehhhhhhh, whatever. We are literally just stalling now so we can get to 2000 words.
Stalling Stalling Stalling Stalling
Arts: Don't tell them that, it makes us seem like lazy assholes- oh. Well… We are. I mean, we update Sundays, but we write it on Saturday. Nice job, us.
Eon: We used to be so good about this. We had chapters weeks in advance. Now we just have our shorter than average chapters like, the day before.
Arts: Oh, woe is us. Also, this Wednesday, you'll be getting Chapter 5 and a half becauseeeeee the next chapter is actually written lol and it's also short sooo you're getting a treat~ Now, what could it be about I wonder? Rorian? Maybe an in-between chapter? A flashback? Or - a moment between two guild mates? Cana and Veribex? Oh god, the anticipation is killing you, isn't it? Mwahahhahhahahahah!
Eon: Ohhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhh, Pick me! I know! I know!
Arts: I know you know because we decided this together. Duh. But seriously, when are we going to re-introduce Rorian? Not even we know, audience. But soon. Yeah. Probably. Wink wink. Kidding. We know. Do we? I don't. Shut up, Eon.
Eon: We do knowwwww, we knowwww, it's in the plot! We have everything plotted out until like, the newest arc (For all you manga readers) #Notartscuzsheslame
Arts: Eon is like, oh you're in for shit. And I'm like, yo, anime is pretty good. I don't have time to read manga. I watch the anime. Becauuuuuuuuuse….. I browse tumblr while watching I'mreallysorrypleasedon'tshootme…
Eon: I never watch anime. I like reading. It's interactive. And you can spend alot of time staring at the same frame, i.e. gray in his sexy ass stolen hat after he beats the shit out of that dude during the games!
Arts: Well, because you read the manga, you didn't know until now that in the newest filler arc, Cancer makes Gray dance. And apparently you just told me that you already know that so fuck me sideways goddammit I thought I had that one. I never win!
Eon: I used to watch anime, I know. I just prefer manga, and there a choice few things i catch up on episode wise. Also, i believe that we have reached our word stalling goal.
Arts: P.s. if any of you like Naruto, we've started a Naruto fic that updates every Thursday oh shit we have so many deadlines Eon I can't *flops to ground*
Eon: Noooooooo, Arts I cant live without you! *flops to ground with her*