First, Jason asked for some details regarding Tenrou Island Exam and the incident that caused their seven year hiatus. Of course, he reassured them that if it wasn't something they were willing to share, he was more than happy to drop the subject. Fortunately, they didn't feel too emotional about it since it was already history. Sure, it made them remember the dread and the helplessness, but they figured that it would be a way to let the world know that there was a FREAKING DRAGON out there ready to put another island under water.
He said he wouldn't share the article until after the Grand Magic Games. After all, he had more than just Fairy Tail to write about it. He needed to cover the entire event!
Pandora wondered if she could use this interview to avoid other reporters planning on writing about them when they win. It would be nice to avoid all the trouble. Van didn't mind either way. He would just follow what his sisters would do. Clavis would gladly partake in any family related interviews if his siblings would allow him. And as for Karissa, she would clench her hands and try to step out of comfort zone for once.
After learning about Clavis' relationship with the Sinclost and his origin, Jason wondered how he would feel exchanging blows with his siblings. Would he take it seriously?
His response was a cheerful smile and "I'll give it my all. After all, I've heard that trading blows can be one a way to learn about someone! So, I'm looking forward to it!"
Jason laughed excitedly and jotted down his response. "A wonderful answer! I love that!"
"Then prepare yourself, little brother." Pandora exaggerated her tone to sound prideful. "In our family, we don't hold back in fights." She motioned to her little siblings. "They've been raised not to when it counts."
Clavis blinked at Pandora's words, a bit at a loss for his own. "Um..." He looked at his younger sister and older brother who comically held up peace signs with deadpan expressions.
With Pandora raising them... Yeah, there was no way she didn't ram that into their brains. That was the only way to make sure they didn't get caught lacking out on a job.
"But didn't she hold back...?" Clavis meekly pointed at his twin.
There was a pause.
"Yeah, what the hell was that?" Van pursed his lips, softly nudging her temple with his knuckles.
"Call it a wake up call?" Karissa tried sheepishly. "No, I wanted an undisputable victory haha." She then admitted with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"What for?" Clavis wondered curiously.
"Well... people got the impression it was a one-sided battle when they didn't realize it was a clone. My copy was able to withstand blows and stay intact for a while thanks to the amount of magic power I gave it." She summarized for everyone with a playful smirk. "But the moment the real deal steps on the field, the tables turn drastically... it should make you question the strength displayed since it ended in a flash..."
She wanted everyone and the competition to keep guessing what were her limits. She wanted them to be wary so that she could potentially exploit that hesitation. And also, not showing the fact she had wind in her arsenal would serve as a boon. With Fairy Tail's current reputation, everyone would rather spend their time admiring Sabertooth rather than researching the Fairy Tail of yore. Would Sabertooth truly go through the trouble of looking into her, a member they wholeheartedly believed they could beat without looking her up? She didn't think so. They seemed like a proud guild. And so, that would also work in her favor.
Jason saw the way her smirk turned mischievous. He grinned at her and wagged his pen at her. "Ah, I see. Keeping your versatility a secret, huh? Cool strategy!"
Pandora pinched her cheek and affectionately pulled it as she smirked at her. "Typical."
Clavis gazed at his younger sister quietly as she and Jason exchanged a few words. Slowly he was starting to get a better insight on how his siblings were with the few encounters they had. His other half was called a versatile mage, it made him ponder about it.
Honestly, he would like to see for himself what made her so versatile and how she looked like when she fought like that.
I'm curious...
Who would win?
Me or her?
...
...
...
Gray came out of the bathroom to see Karissa brushing her hair in front of a mirror while she spoke to Erza. She looked ready to head out again. An hour ago, she came back from the stadium to rest and tell the others what Jason interviewed them about. Lucy, Natsu and Happy were absent from the room since they wanted to check out something before heading back, leaving only Gray and Erza in the room.
She also told them that Clavis suggested eating together somewhere. He was the one who offered since he had been to the capital a few times so it gave reason for him to know good places to eat.
And even if she didn't show it, she seemed excited. Gray could tell from the way she prepared her wallet and jacket on the foot of her bed. She was ready to go when the time was right.
"Someone's excited." Gray mused when he moved to sit on her bed. Bored, he picked up her wallet and started looking inside. He would never not be surprised by the amount of cash she had stored in there. Casually, he stuck his thumb and index to pull out a few bills. That didn't go unnoticed in the reflection.
"Think I don't see you, thief?"
"I don't feel safe with this much money on you."
Erza shook her head at the amount he waved at her for emphasis. "That is quite a lot."
"See? Even Erza agrees with me."
"I don't lose my wallet."
"I don't care. I'm keeping this with me until you get back."
"What are you, my dad?"
"You gonna call me that?"
The way his brow quirked with a teasing smirk made her pause and stare at him. Erza was obviously clueless about the inside joke that just occurred that had Karissa restraining an amused smile.
She pointed her brush at him. "You're stupid."
Gray couldn't help but laugh to himself as he brought his own wallet, hiding away her money inside. No room for argument now. This made her roll her eyes and put down the brush on her side of the night stand.
"Well, you enjoy the night with your family." Erza told her as she put on her black jacket. "I think it's great that you're reserving some time for it despite this huge event."
Gray tossed her wallet up and down in his hand. "It's not like the games are taking our whole twenty-four hours." While in mid-air, she snatched the wallet and tucked it in her back pocket. Her jacket was long enough to cover her butt so it wouldn't give any pick-pocketters any great ideas.
"You guys going to stay in here for the night?" Karissa went to the door to put on her shoes.
"I'm thinking of heading out." Erza said. She wanted to explore the capital a little since she was the only one who didn't do much sightseeing.
"I think I'll go look for that restaurant we saw before." Gray shrugged. After Clavis and Lyon found them in the capital, they went straight to the inn. He'd like to at least find one place he could easily find if he were to come back to Crocus again. He was certain Juvia would try and force him to go with her to some restaurant... which would lead to freaking Lyon jumping on the headache train.
Yeah... he should hurry up and go eat.
Karissa tapped her heel of her sole on the floor, looking ready to head out. "Alright. You guys have fun then!"
As Gray said, she was excited to go and hang out with her family. Mostly because Clavis was going to be there. After slowly getting to know him, she wanted to be around him more. She couldn't quite explain it. But perhaps kinship was starting to kick in? Or those mysterious twin stuff that works on a spiritual level are kicking in? She didn't quite know. All she knew was that she wanted to be more familiar with him.
"Don't stay out too late." Gray added just as she went out the door. He knew she wasn't comfortable hanging around at night. You could also call him protective, but he wouldn't care. Characters of all sorts are in every city or town.
Or just freaking Raven Tail.
On Karissa's way out, she passed by Natsu, Lucy and Happy. They probably said something to her. But she was too eager to leave and join up with her siblings at their meeting place. They chose that one spot halfway away from the entrance and near the bakeries that a lot of flowers in giant rectangular pots . It was the most obvious sight when coming into the capital, very hard to miss. It was also a surprisingly quiet place despite the number of people present.
When she stepped out of the building, she took at least four steps before hearing her name being called behind her. As if her feet stuck to the ground, she lurched a bit while staying rooted and then straightened up to look behind her. Smiling, her older brother, Van, was walking to her with his hands in his pockets. His long black coat swayed behind him with every step.
"You were waiting up on me?"
"Of course. It's dark out, and this is our first time in the capital. You could get lost." He told her with a light ruffle to her hair. She nearly pouted if he mussed up her hair anymore than necessary.
"I could fly and try to find you guys..."
"Fly? What if the capital guards thought you were suspicious and shot you down?"
"Then, I guess I'll die. And the guy gets charged for manslaughter."
"He'll have to finish the job." Van snorted, leading the way. "You're pretty sturdy. After all the times you've fallen several times while trying to fly for the first time with wind magic, I wouldn't doubt it."
Karissa scoffed when she recalled those first times. Sometimes, Gray and Van (sometimes even Cana) would position themselves underneath her and try to break her fall whenever she just flopped. There were times when they caught her... but for the times they didn't... well, it wasn't fun. But thanks to those painful falls, it helped her be extra careful when using wind magic to fly.
"Yeah, but not from the freaking sky itself!"
"There are houses around."
"Don't smile as if that makes it better. I wouldn't want to fall through someone's roof and land on a random sword displayed in a room."
"Ahh, why you have to bring up such dark humour?"
"Because I'm Karissa Sinclost, the dark child of the legacy."
Van threw his head back and laughed. "And what am I?"
"Vanitas Sinclost, the chucklehead in the background."
Hearing his full name correctly had him stagger for a moment, causing his little sister to bump into his back. He didn't know why hearing his first name just gave him a whiplash. And all of sudden, like a cat, he could feel the hair on his neck stand. It also made him itchy. The younger Sinclost cocked a brow when her brother didn't look back for a second. She thought he was staring at something up ahead. Curious, she peered over his shoulder to try and take a good look at his face.
However, he gave her a close eyed smile and booped her nose. He found it cute how her face just froze with quiet surprise.
"Pandora Sinclost, the guardian of the legacy. Clavis Sinclost, the lost boy. Fitting, no?"
Karissa stared at her brother in quiet confusion as he lowered his finger. That was an odd reaction just now...
"Sure."
Choosing to set aside the subject, Van shifted the topic to Clavis. He wondered if they would be able to visit the mystery house of their past once the Games were over. They missed any opportunity to go all together before the Grand Magic Games. Perhaps, when they found time, they could finally investigate. But that had to depend on Clavis and whoever he needed to locate the house. They didn't want to impose on the guy if he was busy for some reason.
That's when Karissa realized the distance they had with Clavis. They were still tip toeing around him, treating him like family but with courtesy born from unfamiliarity. That was good wasn't it? They didn't want to scare him off or offend him. It felt like they were taking easy and slow steps.
...
...
...
Van and Karissa stopped near some flowers.
They arrived at the meeting spot five minutes early. Van was very tempted to go check out the nearby souvenir shops until Karissa leashed him with her words, reminding him that she won't go looking for him if they show up earlier than planned. It made him a pout a little. He stayed.
Van bowed down a bit to peer at the flowers blooming before them. "Pretty little things." He remarked, admiring the shade of pink and blue appearing on its petals. He smiled softly at the colours. His finger came to brush one of the petals as if curious if the hues would change. "Do you think Pandora would like to grow some flowers at home?"
Karissa crouched to be somewhat at an eye level with the flowers. "I dunno. Why, you want to grow some?"
"Not really. I just thought Pandora could use a new hobby. If she wanted to grow some, I wouldn't mind helping her out." She looked to the left to see more kinds of flowers blooming in the night. "Do you think we'd find a space to put them... The house is big but I think it would be better to put it somewhere obvious where the sunlight is. But we'd have to move around some furniture."
Van only thought of one spot where they could put a couple of flowers under the sun. It wouldn't require any annoying moving around. It could be exposed to the sunlight underneath a window that was situated in a corner. It wouldn't bother anyone nor would it stand out much.
It was good enough to be remembered.
As he visualized this, he found it oddly comforting.
A tiny little smile came on his face.
"No need to think too much about it." Van told her. "It doesn't need to show off. Flowers are just there to complement the house, right?"
Odd way to put it.
But he's not wrong.
Karissa didn't respond to this. She chose to stand back up to look back and check if Pandora or Clavis arrived yet. Instead, her back bumped into something. Surprised, she backed away and turned around when she heard a human-like noise behind her. However, she froze when her eyes took in the sight before her. Her brain quickly registered the information and went on high alert.
Ivan Dreyar was standing behind her. He was wearing an ornate cloak with a dress shirt with an ascot tie. He was smiling at her eerily while her brother finally stood up when he heard his sister's clothes rustle roughly. With a growl, he tried pushing his sister behind him. Tried.
Their bodies stiffened when they felt a pressure on their bodies. It started with heaviness followed by the sudden feeling of something akin to twisting inside of them. Karissa's eyes widened when she recognized the feeling. Her equilibrium was robbed. Her knees buckled and she quickly extended an arm behind her to stabilize herself. But the strength in her arm was sapped, causing her hand to harshly slip off the cement box of the flower bed. Her left temple collided with the edge of it, stunning her when she fell against the cold ground. Van was barely hanging on when he saw what happened to his sister. Glowering, he tried using his magic to capture Ivan until he felt a burning sensation whip him behind the neck, the area that could determine his consciousness.
And as if a single thread that kept everything together, it snapped, forcing it all to collapse.
Karissa gasped for breath, fingers clenching.
Van weakly glared at Ivan. He could see his selected members from the games standing behind him. He could already figure out that the bitch with the red hair was the one who struck him.
Ivan crouched down and smirked at the two siblings.
"Consider this my welcome home gift to my former guildmates."
...
...
...
"Karissa! Can you hear me?! Van!"
Pandora found them first.
Clavis arrived last.
He found her panicking, trying to wake her younger brother awake while her younger sister remained dazed, unable to form full sentences with how she was falling in and out of consciousness. This was the first time he was seeing Pandora so distressed. The way her voice cracked and how her face carried perturbation. She looked like a parent freaking out over her kids' wellbeing. Unable to witness on the side as an audience any longer, he quickly flew to her side with a call of her name so that she wouldn't feel defensive and guarded after what just happened.
"Clavis." Pandora uttered. Seeing a innocent face helped her. There was a bit of relief knowing that she wasn't alone right now.
"What happened to them? I can't sense any magic from them."
"I don't know." Pandora supported her little sister gently, paying attention to the wound on her temple. She was being extra careful with her now that she fell asleep again. T "Both of them are out of magic. And that's not good. It's not good for their constitution...! They need to see a doctor just in case. And- And... I need help to move them... I just—!"
Clavis observed the way Pandora's features reflected the weight of her worry. He found it almost unbearable to watch her fret so badly over them. He wanted to help her. He wanted to help them.
He placed a hand on her shoulder to assure her. Pandora could almost see Karissa's face when he looked at her seriously.
"I'll help you. We can move faster if we use my magic. Come."
Clavis went to pick up Van by holding his arm around his shoulders and supporting his weight by placing an arm around his waist. Pandora effortlessly carried her little sister in her arms. When she was set, she saw Clavis wrap his fingers around her arm firmly to create a green glow around her it. The light faded as quickly as it appeared.
"Alright, just move at your regular pace."
Clavis demonstrated by moving first. The first step he took covered so much distance thanks to the gravity pulling him forward. Realizing what he meant, Pandora was quick to follow after him while forcing herself to adjust to the speed at which she was moving. Adapting quickly to the gravity was the only sure way she could get her family the help they needed. There was no freaking way she was going to be the reason they couldn't get better. Soon enough, they were walking yet speeding past the crowds to make it to a clinic located somewhere in the capital.
During the search, Karissa awoke again with half-lidded eyes. Her brain wasn't quite up to speed yet. It was like she was running a fever. Could that be why everyone was moving so freaking fast? There's no way that little puppy moved at the speed of light just now. She groaned and closed her eyes when a sharp pain reverberated from the wound she got.
Soon, the moving stopped and she heard voices.
It sounded like they were talking to her.
That sort of brought her back.
With squinted eyes, she forced herself to look at the owner of the voices.
It was Laxus.
Clavis and Pandora ran into Laxus and the Raijin Tribe. No, it was more like Bickslow calling them out when he noticed Van moving suspiciously fast despite looking limp. It took a second to realize he wasn't conscious. Seeing Karissa unconscious in the arms of a worried Pandora had them moving quickly to see what happened.
"What happened to her?!" Freed exclaimed as soon as he spotted her injury. "Someone attacked her and Van?"
"Van doesn't look injured though..." Evergreen noted while she and Bickslow checked on Van.
Bickslow motioned Clavis to turn around a little when he saw something. "No, he's actually got burns on the back of his neck! What the hell!"
Pandora was filling them in on what was happening while Laxus tried to wake Karissa up since he didn't feel comfortable with her being unconscious. Bickslow and Freed had to shoo off unwanted audiences since they were creating a little scene.
The way her dark brown eyes weakly opened had him frowning deeply. He lifted his hand to brush back her hair on her forehead to touch her forehead.
"What the hell... she's burning... and I don't sense any magic coming from her at all." How did she get sick so fast?
Pandora held Karissa tighter with a frustrated voice slipping out of her. "I don't get it! She was just fine a few hours ago! She gets her magic sapped and suddenly gets this high fever... She could potentially die! Both Van and her!" Pandora looked up at Laxus with a trembling lip. "Did someone want to kill them in silence?"
Laxus stared her while his hand remained on the younger mage's forehead. Worry was evident all over Pandora, but fear was the clearest. He knew just how important her siblings were to her. They were irreplaceable pillars she leaned on while growing up. With them leaving such an imprint on her life, he could empathize with just how scared she felt when seeing her family like this.
"I'm scared for them, Laxus...!"
And he detested seeing her like this.
She looked like she could cry at any moment at the thought of someone ripping away these important lives from her.
Who did this?
"I know. We'll get them help. You can count on it."
"We should go see her." Bickslow suggested immediately. "She may be batshit crazy sometimes, but she can definitely help."
He was pulled away from his thoughts when he felt Karissa touch his pinky with a featherlight touch. His gaze was quick to direct to Karissa who stared at him silently. But then, her mouth frowned a little and her eyes slid away from him to hide away. Right, she forgot about that. Ivan. Laxus' father did this. Her smaller hand slipped off and fell on her chest. Then she winced from the wound from her temple.
Meanwhile, a certain crowd of three was walking past the little scene. This crowd involved a Gray, Juvia, and Lyon. Gray just wanted a normal night until he was attacked by Juvia and Lyon, forcing him to get involved in this love spat he wanted no part of. Again, he was forced to have one of the worst dinners of his life. Honestly, it was more Lyon than Juvia this time due to the one-sided bet. He seriously considering blocking his ears and making a run for it.
But would that change anything?
He doubted it.
He'd get found sooner or later.
Currently, he was walking ahead to ignore his stupid childhood classmate's ramblings and to avoid Juvia's arm hugs. His focus on the street in front of him allowed him to also pay attention to his peripheral.
He was quick to spot the Raijin Tribe and two worried Sinclosts: Clavis and Pandora.
And two unconscious ones: Van and Karissa.
Immediately, he slammed on the breaks and stiffened. No movement from Karissa. "What the hell's going on here?" He was already moving, covering the distance in quick strides, ignoring the two he left behind. Without caring much about the ones circulating around, he pushed his way past them to get close.
"What's happening here?!"
They all looked at Gray when they heard his voice. He was quick to glance at Van and then approach Karissa who was tiredly keeping her eyes open. She looked sick.
When she saw him, she just stared at him without saying anything. Gray tried reaching his hand to her, but Pandora didn't let him get close since she was already moving again.
"Later!" She told as she walked with Clavis and the Raijin Tribe. Freed informed her that Porlyusica happened to be staying in the inn that Team B was staying at. Master Makarov was also renting a room there. Instead of going to the clinic, it would be better to see Porlyusica since they could inform the Master at the tsame time. Seeing the agitation on her, Gray didn't press her and simply followed after her. But the burnings questions in the back of his throat would have to wait before coming out. Obviously, he was joined by Lyon and Juvia who both took the sight of the two siblings.
"What happened to them?" Lyon was definitely following them into that damn inn. He wanted to know what was happening with Karissa. Why the hell was she like that? "She looks like that time when she passed out in the snow when we were training." He said, speaking to Gray specifically.
"Were Karissa-san and Van-san attacked?" Juvia wondered. She actually caught sight of the burns on Van's neck first.
"Most likely."
Laxus was the one who replied.
His tone was notably irritated.
One's magical powers are tied to one's life force.
And the greater a mage's powers, the more painful the conclusion of magic sapping is.
Karissa was resting on Laxus' bed while Van was on Juvia's.
Currently, Pandora, Clavis, Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen, Cana, Makarov, Porlyusica, Gray, Lyon, and Juvia were present in the room. Freed and Bickslow were able to gather the Master and Guild Physician quickly when they ran ahead. This would be much better than going to some regular ass clinic that didn't know much about Karissa and Van's conditions.
Lyon was beside himself as he watched Karissa take in slow haggard breaths in unison with Van. She had just taken some type of concoction that the medic made. The lady said it wouldn't take long for the effects to kick in.
He and the others were standing behind Porlyusica to let her attend to the two. Pandora and Clavis were the only ones assisting her with helping them drink.
"This is a cowardly tactic." Makarov crossed his arms as he watched the two rest. "To think we'd have competition that would be willing to attack the competition outside the games. Isn't that grounds for disqualification?"
"Yes." Freed answered. "It is explicitly said in the rule book. Any attempts to sabotage a competing team by another is considered a violation of sportsmanship. Hence, disqualification."
"And that's exactly what they did." Makarov growled angrily. The fury he carried was almost akin to the one he displayed when he found Shadow Gear crucified on a damn tree. "Karissa is on Fairy Tail Team A. They attempted to create a disadvantage for us. And let's not forget the fact that they also harmed Van. That means they knew what kind of mages these two were. This is unacceptable. This could be considered an attempted murder. I will not standby and let this go unpunished! I demand compensation this!"
Cana and Juvia tensed when they felt the anger the old man emitted.
"But do we know who did this?" Juvia voiced after a pause of silence. She held her hands together, worried about what could happen next.
"The only ones who would know are the victims themselves." Freed responded. "But as you can see, they have yet to awaken."
"Karissa was falling in and out. Mostly likely from her injury." Pandora finally spoke after staying silent. She gently brushed her sister's forehead with her thumb. She remained melancholic, staring at the bandage around her head. Clavis, who was sitting next to Van, turned to look at his sister who looked incredibly disturbed by the recent events."But Van is just out of it... They knocked him out good."
Pandora got up from Karissa's side to towards Van's side of room so that she can lean back against the window and stare outside it. Cana moved past everyone to get to her. She placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, reassuring that Karissa and Van would be fine, and that they would find out who did this.
Laxus quietly eyed her.
"I'm placing my bets on either Sabertooh or Raven Tail." Gray said flatly, remembering the way Karissa expressed her suspicions towards Raven Tail. Okay, so maybe just Raven Tail could be the culprit.
"Sabertooth has never attempted to cheat in the Games." Lyon refuted his argument. "They're too proud for that."
"Then it has to be Raven Tail." Evergreen huffed. "They're obviously participating because we're here. For goodness sake, the leader created a guild in opposition to us!"
Porlysucia sighed loudly with a roll of her eyes. She turned to Evergreen and gave her stink eye. "Could you get any louder? Can't you see there are patients here? Why do you humans always have to sound like you're shrieking?"
"... Excuse me?!"
Just then, a rustle sounded from Karissa's bed. Everyone quickly directed their attention to her. She was attempting to push herself up. Gray and Pandora both took a step to get to her.
But someone else beat them to it.
Laxus was already at her side, trying to get her to lie back down, but seeing as she refused, he chose to support her instead. Her complexion already looked better thanks to Porlyusica's concoction. She was squinting from the brightness with a scowl.
Karissa wasn't exactly realizing who was in the room. She just knew there were many. Too many for her to catch up with. So, she focused on her main concern.
"My brother.. Where is my brother...? Van...?"
"He's right next to you sleeping." Makarov quickly assured her, moving to join Laxus. Karissa turned to where the old man was pointing. Clavis was sitting next to Van, and he was smiling gently at her. She wasn't expecting him to be here. Was it him that found her and Van?
She didn't know what he did so far...
But she appreciated him being here.
"Master Makarov..." Karissa mumbled. The little old man held her hand in both of his smaller ones in a comforting manner. Just from his touch, she felt security and pleasant warmth that reminded her of home. Everyone gave her some space with the two Dreyars instead of crowding around her.
"How do you feel, child?"
"How I feel...? I feel angry and humiliated... I feel like a sack of shit."
Typical Karissa.
Cana couldn't help but laugh once through her nose. "Of course."
"My body is weak... it took two hundred percent just to sit up."
"That's because you're suffering from hypomagia." The guild's physician interjected. "A sudden loss of large amount of magic which also weakened you physically. If your brother and sister didn't find you when they did, you could have died on the streets of Crocus."
Hearing the physician say the truth so bluntly didn't help anyone feel better.
"... Die?" Clavis whispered.
Makarov looked at him and nodded, removing one of his hands from Karissa's. "Van and Karissa were born with great amount of magic energy, something quite abnormal among mages. If one's magic power is tied to one's lifeforce... then you can imagine the damage. You could die. It's extremely dangerous for people with their constitution. If you are the same, I suggest keeping in mind that information."
Clavis nodded quietly. I am the same.
"I will."
"That explains why I couldn't hold myself up." Karissa lifted the hand that failed he, slipping out of Makarov's hand. "I was falling after my magic was drained... so I tried keeping myself up by holding onto that box thing where the flowers were in. I slipped and hit my head..."
"But who did this to you?" Laxus got straight to the point.
Pausing. Karissa looked at him hesitantly.
She remembered who did it.
It was hard to forget.
... But, she just didn't feel like saying it when Laxus was around.
The last time they spoke about his father, he was upset that Makarov kicked him out. He was so upset that it started changing who he was, a foundation for his new self. But as adults, it was a bit easier to understand where Makarov was coming from if he considered Ivan unsuitable to be in Fairy Tail, a guild that welcomes people with open arms.
She didn't want to step on a landmine and potentially make him upset...
This was Laxus' father.
She didn't want to say it out of respect for him.
And despite her silence, Laxus was beginning to understand who was the culprit.
It was the way she was looking at him.
She looked like she didn't want to tell him.
With a sigh through his nose, Laxus plopped his big hand on her head. It surprised her.
"It's okay."
Karissa met his eyes and frowned a little like a child. Laxus just lightly shook his head to dismiss any kind of concerns she had.
In that moment, it looked like they were thrown back several years when Laxus would actually pat her head like this to comfort her.
"It was Ivan."
"Yeah."
Makarov closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, anger towards his own son bubbling in his gut. "Of course, it was." Laxus removed his hand from her head and dropped it on the bed next to her side. "He knows about you and Van."
"He said it was a welcoming home gift to his former guildmates." Karissa clenched the bedsheets. Makarov clicked his tongue while growled with a twitching eye. The audacity of that man to lay his hand on one of his children with such mockery! "His little team was there too, watching us. That girl that fought Lucy burned Van's neck when he tried to attack Ivan for doing this to us..." She suddenly slammed her fist on the bed. "I didn't even sense him behind me...!" she spat, angry.
Her guard was down and she let this happen to her. How could she not have sensed a grown ass man sneaking up on her? She was attentive to her surroundings.
He must have learned different types of magic.
Like freaking brainwashing Grand Magic Games staff to sneak in.
"Alright, stop." Laxus grabbed her hand and flattened it against the bed. "You're already weak. Stop it."
"The brat is right. If you just exert force like that, you might just bring yourself more pain." Porlyusica said flatly, shaking a vial with purple liquid in it. "But if you like pain, then be my guest."
Karissa didn't entertain the woman with a response. She was right. What's the point of venting out frustration right now when she just brought herself pain? It was too much of a hassle to endure self-infliction.
"But will she be okay?" Lyon suddenly asked the woman. What he needed to know was if she would make it through this near death state. He wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep well tonight without knowing that much.
"I'm here. Of course, she will. As long as she doesn't do something stupid and sneak off." Porlyusica almost mumbled that last part. She said this while remembering how Karissa would secretly investigate around her house to satiate her curiosity. "Now, shouldn't you do something instead of crowding this room. They need rest." Any second now, she was going to pick up a chair and start swinging to get them to leave. They were all in her way for goodness sake.
But Porlyusica was right.
They had other things to deal with.
Karissa and Van were going to be just fine in Porlyusica's care.
Bickslow and Evergreen were going to look for Warren and Max, mostly Warren so that he can spread what happened to nearby members. From there, they can tell others that were not within his range.
Cana and Juvia were going to search for Erza since Juvia claimed to have seen her somewhere.
Makarov, Laxus, Freed, and Pandora were going to find an officer to file a complaint and try to get Raven Tail kicked out of the Grand Magic Games.
Lyon and Clavis were going to head back to their own inn. It was Lyon's suggestion since someone like Clavis could possibly die if he ended up in a state like that. For now, he'd watch him get back safely.
As for Gray, he'd rather stay with Karissa. And he would rather keep watch on the two than let Raven Tail get the jump on them again. Despite Porlyusica insisting he leave, he was adamant about not leaving for now. Seeing no point in arguing with the ice mage, she sighed and left the room to go get her necessary equipment that she left behind in a haste. She was going to need more tools at her disposal than just the ones she gathered in a rush.
He took his place near Karissa bed after checking on Van. The older brother had his neck wrapped up since Porlyusica put healing salve on him. When he sat down next to Karissa's bed, he noticed how she kept staring at the foot of the bed with an impassive visage.
She felt tired... but she didn't want to sleep just yet.
Not after replaying the scene in her mind.
Creepy ass Ivan and his little minions just jumped her and her brother and rendered them in this state.
As an introvert, she liked to think that being cautious was part of that nature and not simply because she could get shy and anxious. She didn't like being caught off guard. She didn't even like showing others her sleeping face because of how vulnerable she would be. So, for the one time to get caught unguarded and turn out like this... well, to put it simply, she hated it. It made her feel humiliation and anger, as she told Makarov.
Hm?
She felt Gray carefully wrap his arms around her and rest his forehead on her good temple, almost cradling even. Blinking, she paused when she felt his nose brush the top of her ear. He closed his eyes and just breathed in her scent. Concerned, she shifted her head to look at him, resulting in his forehead pressing against hers. She grew a bit timid from the closeness. His brows were knitted while his eyes remained closed. He was just relieved after everything that happened. Lightly, her head butted against his to get his attention in lieu of her hand touching his arm.
He detested it when she was drained of magic like this because he understood it brought nothing but immense pain during the process. A form of torture for someone like her. It made him so angry that someone purposely did it knowing full well the possible upshot.
Why couldn't Ivan just piss off and leave them alone?
"Gray?"
He opened his eyes and looked directly into hers.
"I swear... every time you get some near death experience, I feel my lifespan grow shorter." His voice sounded exasperated.
"It's not like I'm making it a habit..." Her voice was a bit apologetic with how low it was.
Gray pulled away and held her face gently. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I know it sucks."
Karissa closed her eyes and grimaced slightly. "If only you knew."
"Is your head feeling better?"
She blinked once. Without saying anything, she slid her eyes towards the side of her head that was treated.
She took a moment to just feel.
"... It doesn't hurt as much as when I got it. I can tolerate it just fine."
Good. Gray pulled his hands away and sat down on the stool. "Yeah, Porlyusica rubbed some special healing salve on it. It should heal in no time even without Wendy's healing magic. The same goes for Van. He got burns on the back of his neck."
"Ouch... poor Van. That's going to be uncomfortable." Karissa mumbled. Her hand came up to gently touch the side of her head. She blinked slowly after feeling the effort it took to lift up her hand. Choosing to set it down, she lowered her head too to sigh softly. "I seriously could have died back there... me and Van. Would... Ivan really want to kill me and Van over some damn games?"
"I'm sure the Master will get the answer later. For now, you just rest, alright? I want you to get better. We'll focusing on making the jackass pay later."
For her sake, he would set aside his anger and just focus on helping her feel better. She didn't need all that negativity right now. As he said, the Master would deal with it.
Karissa scoffed sourly. "Yeah... no point in wondering..."
But... Get better...?
Obviously, I won't be better by tomorrow...
That means... I can't participate tomorrow...
What if I can't play at all anymore?
... I... I want to participate...
I want to help Fairy Tail win.
But... I can't...
Gray noticed how she became quiet and a bit restless with her hands. And now she was frowning while slightly looking around. What's up with her? He called her name once. It was enough to have her look at him. He blinked when he saw the sour look on her face.
Ah.
"You're really upset, huh?"
"About what happened, of course. But... I can't play in the Games now." Karissa lamented with a heavy sigh. "I can't play now that I'm a... a noodle." She whined. It was only now did she realize how much she actually wanted to be there and play.
It was so unfair!
"Come on, you heard Porlyusica. She'll help you get better. Maybe, if you beg hard enough, you can heal before the end."
"I'm not laughing."
"It was worth a try." Gray patted her hand when she deadpanned. They both knew it wasn't the end of the world if she couldn't play for the team. Sure, they lost a main power, but Wendy was there as reserve for a reason. The Master didn't choose her to simply fill in the spot for the reserve team member. They had faith in her.
I guess Wendy will take my place until I get better. I'm not happy about that.
But I think she'll be fine.
She trained hard too. I saw her notes. She was working on some interesting stuff. I hope she can apply them if when she participates in the event...
All of a sudden, Karissa's stomach growled, stopping her thoughts. The sound was loud and clear when it fell silent between them. Surprised, Gray stared at her while she just stared back without even the smallest reaction, not even a blink.
Great.
She was sad and hungry.
Sungry.
"Oh yeah." Gray just realized she didn't eat dinner because of Ivan. There wasn't anyone else but him keeping watch over the siblings. He didn't know when Porlyusica would return either. Instead of imposing on him, Karissa lazily shuffled around with much difficulty so that she can lie back down.
"You know what? Skip the food. Imma sleep."
"Don't be stupid. You need to eat."
She paused to give him a tired look in response to his reprimanding tone. "But you gotta think about who will watch us and stuff just to get food... too much trouble."
His index touched her between the brows, poking to relax them when they furrowed. "It's not. I want you to eat and rest. What, you don't want me to take care of you?" She shouldn't have to worry about bothering him when death was lurking around her before. Right now, she and her brother took priority over anything else.
"... Didn't say that..." she mumbled.
He assisted her in lying down comfortably when he saw her struggling to move. "Someone is bound to show up and check up on you and Van. When they do, I'll head right out and buy food for you. For now, I guess... just get some sleep. I'll wake you up later."
Karissa couldn't help but smirk a tiny smirk to herself when she technically got what she wanted. Gray tucked her in and leaned his elbows on his knees when he sat back down and scooted his chair closer. Now that she was lying back down, she felt so much better. Her body breathed in relief as she allowed herself to melt in the comfort of the bed. In addition, putting her trust in Gray for her and Van's safety gave her twice the relief. If she were alone, she'd feel too paranoid about Ivan appearing in her room without warning like last time. But he had to come through the building door where some Fairy Tail members would most likely keep watch, and he had to get past the guardian of the room, Gray. In any case, the Fairy Tail members wouldn't let him near her or her brother any time soon.
She was going to be okay.
She chose to believe that.
She turned on her side, facing Gray, so that she could tuck her arm underneath the pillow. This was also the best way to nuzzle into her pillow... or Laxus' pillow... Yeah, they told her she was sleeping on his bed for now, explaining the distinct dude smell on it. Oh well.
Curiously, she peeked at him. "You're staying right?"
Gray leaned his head and quirked his brow, smiling a little. "I thought I made that clear?"
Chuckling softly, Karissa closed her eyes and squished her cheek into the pillow until one eye was pressed by the fabric. "How sweet of you..." she brought the blanket higher to cover her chin. "Didn't think you cared about me that much..."
He snorted. "Me neither." He properly tucked the blanket. "Go to sleep, you weirdo."
...
...
...
Lyon eyed Clavis by his side discreetly.
All he could see was a darkness hovering over his eyes, a darkness caring hatred despite the blank expression he had.
Clavis was usually a walking ball of sunshine. He was always smiling and being kind to others. But, he was still prone to anger or any sort of dark negativity if pushed too far.
However, those who worked closely with him, a small number of people counted on one hand, could tell there was a hidden side to him that went beyond basic anger. It wasn't the typical 'the-happy-one-is-the-worst-person-to-piss-off' side. No, for some reason, it felt different. It wasn't something he could unveil with how Clavis always seemed happy.
Lyon wasn't even sure if Jura was aware of it.
"What are you thinking about, Clavis?"
Quietly, the black haired mage looked at the ice mage. He shrugged once and smile a bit, appearing sheepish and nonchalant. "Van and Karissa. I'm hoping Raven Tail gets the proper punishment after hurting them... I know she won't be able to participate. A person doesn't recover from that in just a few hours. It sucks since I was, um, actually looking forward to possibly fighting my twin sister. I mean, it sucks for her too... but, yeah."
Lyon raised a brow. He wasn't expecting him to say that. "Oh? Why is that?"
"Well, she is my twin. The reporter called her versatile... which I believe I am as well in my own way. You and Jura said nice things about her in terms of ability when you told me about the alliance... I got to see it for myself today. And I guess I'm just curious." Clavis looked up at the stars that scattered across the dark sky.
There wasn't anything wrong in seeing who was stronger.
"But Raven Tail ruined the fun, nearly killing Van and Karissa..."
Lyon narrowed his eyes at the name of the guild. It was very upsetting to learn what happened. It gave him reason to believe that Fairy Tail was correct in insisting that Raven Tail was a dark guild. After all, they put two people on the verge of death. One of them being someone he cared very much about. He still wasn't calm after Porlyusica told him Karissa would be fine. He was still freaking angry that this happened.
"This is an event meant to challenge us to see which guild comes out on top. It's not an event where people get murdered on the street." Lyon spat. "I really hope Raven Tail gets removed and charged for attempted murder."
Clavis laughed lightly at his words. "You really care about her." He remarked.
Lyon scoffed. "I won't deny it. But anyway, there's still time until the Grand Magic Games are over. I think she could make it back before it ends. I also want to take a turn going up against her since our score is still at a tie." He mused to himself. Their fight on Galuna Island was inconclusive thanks to Natsu Dragneel bursting from the ground.
"I hope so."
Lyon and Clavis finally made it back to their inn. The first was the one who entered the building first. The gravity mage didn't quite follow him right away. He simply stared up at the dazzling stars once more. He actually hoped a shooting star would appear so that he could make a wish for Karissa and Van's recovery.
I'm curious...
Who would win?
Me or her?
And... if I win against a living legacy... won't that let me be like them?
Will they... cherish me?
OOOOKAAAAY WE BACK. HAPPY NEW YEAR! This chapter was kind of Clavis centered (with a sprinkle of Van) since this Arc will go more into him~ Also, I didn't want to go over 10k words so I stopped here x_x.
There was going to have another scene for the end of this chapter... buut... it's too soon for that shh.