The Lost Forest Girl
It was before dawn when Bacon started to stir awake, bringing a relieved smile on Wendy's tired face. She rubbed her eyes and suppressed a yawn, having not slept a wink over the night. Not wanting to disturb Carla who slept beside her at the foot of the bed, Wendy carefully shifted around so she was right at Bacon's side.
He seemed confused at first as his blue eyes wandered the ceiling of Porlyusica's home under the dim light of the room, but when he finally noticed Wendy he immediately smiled and sat right up before the girl could stop him. He kicked the blankets off, accidentally covering Carla and waking her up, and moved to sit beside the Dragon Slayer, his bare feet dangling over the edge. Carla crawled out from under the covers yawning and then stretched out like an ordinary cat before giving her partner a grumpy scowl.
Wendy returned her companion's displeasure with a small apologetic smile before facing the boy. "You're feeling better now? Does your head still hurt?" she whispered, lighting touching the top of his messy blond hair. His green hat was hanging on one of the bedposts and his boots sat neatly on the floor nearby.
Bacon reached up to touch the same spot on his head and gave her a questioning look.
Wendy didn't really expect an answer from him. She smiled nonetheless, feeling more than relieved now that the boy was obviously alright. "I'm glad you're okay. You had me worried all night. Do you remember what happened, Bacon? You fought against a mean raptordile and you defeated it! You used magic against it. Magic. Ma-gic." As she slowly pronounced the word, she made her right hand shine with a cool blue light, calling forth her healing power to demonstrate what she was talking about. A very gentle breeze surrounded her as she held her magic steady, lightly stirring their hair.
All around, everything was aglow with an icy blue, even the boy's wide eyes. Bacon had seen her magic many times and yet he was still fascinated by it. He reached out and grasped her hand only to frown in disappointment when the Dragon Slayer dismissed her spell.
She quietly laughed at his expression. "And you dreamed…" Wendy continued, giving his hand a little squeeze. The skin of his palm was rough and calloused most likely from the constant use of his sword and bow. There was no longer any doubt that Bacon was a skilled fighter, both strong and brave. If the small boy could defeat a great beast as ferocious as a raptordile on his own, what other vicious monsters or enemies could he have fought before? Her grip tightened at the thought, making her recall the terrible state she had found him in back at the ancient temple. "Do you remember what you saw in your dreams?" Did you see a piece of your past? Do you remember who hurt you and left you to die?
The boy did not answer. He only blinked at her a few times before turning his attention elsewhere. He stared at the nearest dark window, attracted to the sound of heavy droplets of water pelting the glass. The rain from yesterday evening was still falling and it didn't sound like it would stop anytime soon.
Wendy furrowed her brow, saddened that Bacon didn't fully understand every word she said. Gently slipping her hand free, she rubbed her weary face.
"Wendy, did you sleep at all?" Carla asked her, padding to the girl's side.
"Um, a little," the Dragon Slayer lied, looking bashfully away.
Sighing, the Exceed didn't believe her. Carla hopped onto the floor, landed softly on her padded feet, and stood before the two, arms crossed. Her sharp eyes studied Bacon briefly before meeting Wendy's. "He's fine now. Why don't you get some sleep before morning arrives?"
The thought of closing her eyes for a little nap was very tempting, but Wendy didn't want to just yet. "I'm not that tired," she said with a false smile.
Before Carla could reply to that, Porlyusica spoke from her desk across the room; "He's finally awake now, is he?" With her only bed occupied, she had to resort to sleeping at her work desk and it wasn't the most comfortable place for an elderly woman to rest. The advisor's wrinkled face was noticeably grouchy under the faint glow of the Lacrima lamp hanging above her head and nearly every joint in her body soundly cracked as she stood up and stretched her stiff and sore limbs. Massaging a crick in her neck, she snapped her fingers to turn on all the lights in her home, momentarily stunning everyone from the sudden brightness, and slowly made her way towards the three sitting on her bed. She stopped before the boy and closely looked him over.
Bacon pouted and shrank away from the older woman's touch as Porlyusica tried to feel his forehead. "His fatigue is gone and he's fully alert, it seems," she murmured, nodding in satisfaction. Beneath her red, flowing cloak, she produced a familiar glass bottle full of red liquid from a pocket within her robe. She smirked when the boy instantly recognized it and made a sour face. "His current memories are still intact. That, at least, is a good sign. Have you observed any new behaviour?" she questioned Wendy.
The girl shook her head and shrugged. "He doesn't seem any different. However it's still too early to say… He only just woke up."
Porlyusica tucked away the red potion and glanced out her windows, seeing nothing but darkness and rain-streaked panes. "Morning has yet to arrive. We can keep a close eye on him until you head back to town." She started for the door. "I suppose I'll get breakfast ready," she grumbled before slipping outside.
The sound and smell of rain coming through the open door highly intrigued Bacon. He hopped off the bed and was about to run out but Wendy quickly grabbed his arm and ordered him to stay on the bed. "It's cold and wet out there," she told him, trying to sound stern. She wasn't sure if he understood her completely, nonetheless he didn't try to get up after that.
Not before long, a slightly damp Porlyusica returned with a wooden basin full of fresh water. She filled a kettle and set it atop a lit burner on her desk while Wendy and the others took a drink of water and freshened up. To warm up the room, the advisor activated the Heat Lacrima that hung in the centre of the room like a tiny chandelier. The crystal was shaped into a flame and its inner core burned as red as hot coals.
Breakfast consisted of sliced bread full of nuts and grains and smeared with a sweet, delectable berry jam alongside an assortment of dried and fresh fruits. Porlyusica's herbal tea was fragrant with mint and cloves but bitter to the taste and needed to be sweetened with spoonfuls of honey before Bacon could drink it.
Right after Wendy finished her mug of tea, she suddenly felt extremely tired. She didn't realize she fell asleep until she found herself waking up in Porlyusica's bed to the sound of the old woman's voice; "… slowly, like this. Yes, that's the way – no! Don't dump it all like that, boy!" A large amount of water noisily spilled on the floor followed by splashing and giggling. "Stop stomping in that puddle!"
There was sniggering coming from Carla.
"You be quiet, cat, or else I'll have you mop up this mess," the elder warned in a disgruntled tone.
"Apologies," the feline murmured. "Perhaps you should teach the child how to do that too once he stops making a bigger mess out of it."
"Bacon. Stop. Right now," Porlyusica demanded firmly.
The splashing stopped and the boy quietly groaned.
At that point, Wendy slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She peered around the room and saw daylight coming through the many windows, indicating that she had slept for a few hours at most. Gathered around Porlyusica's indoor garden were the old woman and Bacon with a pool of water around their boots. Carla was safely standing on a crate right behind them, looking rather amused.
In the boy's hand was a big aluminum watering can that Wendy assumed was where all the water came from. "What's going on? How'd I fall asleep?" Wendy asked, yawning.
Porlyusica snorted as she grabbed a handful of gray towels from a crate. "What does it look like? We're making a mess of my home," she snapped irritably. "And I slipped a little sleeping extract into your tea."
Wendy slightly tensed from Porlyusica's bitter mood and didn't dare complain about being drugged. Probably wanted me to get some rest, she thought as she quickly put on her shoes to help the old woman clean up. Bacon broadly grinned at the girl's approach and lifted the watering can for her to see. "Are you trying to help Porlyusica?" she asked him, unable to hide her amused smile. She hastily grabbed the spout of the can when he tried to pour whatever water was left sloshing inside, preventing another spill.
"'Helpful' does not appear to be one of his traits," Carla quipped. She went on to explain the other little mishaps that occurred around the house as Wendy slept. Since Bacon was restless and there was nothing around to entertain him, the Medicinal Advisor got him to do a few things with her. However, even the simplest of tasks turned into disasters; everything he was supposed to pour ended up on the floor or desk, instead of delicately plucking the wanted part of an herb he ripped out the whole plant from its roots, when he accompanied Porlyusica outside to fetch more water he got distracted by the rain and nearly wandered off into the woods alone.
"It was more like he was searching for something within the trees," the old woman corrected as she finished wiping the floor dry with one of her magic towels; enchanted pieces of woven cloth that could absorb copious amounts of liquids within seconds. "He wanted to venture into the forest and would not follow me back inside. I had to drag him back – thankfully not kicking and screaming." Wendy was quick to give her a hand as the old woman stood up, her knees popping. The advisor sighed from the effort before dropping onto a nearby crate, clearly exhausted.
Wendy furrowed her brow as she pondered over what the elder had said. "You didn't see anything that would have likely attracted his attention?"
"Nothing shiny or glowing if that is what you're referring to. It was still early in the morning and fairly dark to see much of anything." Porlyusica leaned forward, her crimson eyes narrowing in Bacon's direction. The boy was kneeling on top of a large crate nearby, gazing out one of the rain-spotted windows as if yearning to go outside. "Has he ever been intrigued by something in the forest?"
That was a difficult question to answer. Pretty much everything drew the child's attention, especially things he had never seen or heard before. Back when they first came through East Forest to see Porlyusica, Bacon would only go as far as Romeo as they played among the trees. Perhaps the boy was sick of being stuck inside and only wanted to play out in the rain. Or maybe there really was something in the forest that he wanted to find, making Wendy wonder if was because of his dreams.
The Dragon Slayer wanted to investigate, however it was still raining and cold. They did not have any rain cloaks on hand or any extra clothing to keep warm. They had to at least wait until it stopped raining before they could venture out into the woods.
"I want to give him something," said Porlyusica when Wendy spoke of her assumptions. The Medicinal Advisor started to rummage through her small crates that Wendy had neatly piled in a corner last night, all the while grumbling about where she had put 'it', until at last she found what she was looking for. From a small, polished wooden jewellery box, she pulled out a gold-chained necklace with a beautiful clear gem pendent. The jewel was the size and shape of a small marble and set within thin golden spirals that held the gem in place. Under the light of the nearest lamp, the dangling jewel shone with all the colours of the rainbow, astonishing all who laid their eyes upon it. "Dreamstone. It will grant him dreams whenever he sleeps, both good and bad," the advisor explained. "This may benefit him or it may not. I will let you be the judge of that, Wendy. Be warned: nightmares can persist. Take it off if his sleep is constantly disturbed."
The girl nodded as she accepted the necklace and clasped it around Bacon's neck. He curiously tugged on the chain and rolled the gem between his fingers as he examined it closely in awe, liking the many colours shining inside.
It's a gift from Porlyusica, Wendy wanted to cheerfully say but was suddenly interrupted by a heavy knocking on the door. Soon to follow was Master Makarov's urgent voice; "Porlyusica! Quickly! We need Wendy's help!"
The advisor was at the door within a heartbeat.
Wendy covered her mouth and gasped in horror the moment the door swung open. Behind a frantic, out-of-breath, and soaking wet Master were an equally distressed, panting, and drenched Gray and Erza, both dragging a barely conscious Natsu up the pale stone steps. Natsu was badly wounded; visible beneath the orange hooded rain cloak around his shoulders were white bandages bound around his upper torso that were heavily stained red and wet with seeping blood on his right side. His breathing was weak and ragged, each breath a struggle and sounding just like his last. Sweat dampened his pale brow if not the rain and dark, glistening blood dripped down his chin from the corners of his mouth.
"W-What happened?!" Wendy exclaimed as the group rushed inside with Lucy and Happy not too far behind. They tracked rain and mud into Porlyusica's home but that was the least of everyone's concern.
By Porlyusica's order, Gray and Erza carefully lowered Natsu onto the bed and sat on either side of him to keep him upright. Wendy wasted no time as she stood before Natsu and immediately summoned her healing power. Eyes closed in concentration, she placed her hands over the bandaged, bleeding area, trying to ignore the strong smell of her companion's blood as she listened to the others talk.
"I-I… W-We were…" Gray tried to explain but was stuttering badly, clearly distraught.
Erza took over, calmer than the other but her voice still noticeably trembled; "They were playing around with one of Bacon's things."
"W-We weren't playing! We were only looking at it!" Gray argued angrily.
"And what exactly caused this?" demanded Porlyusica.
Gray's guilty reply nearly made Wendy lose her focus; "This pointy hook and chain thing… I… I pulled the trigger on it and accidentally hit Natsu… point-blank…"
Wendy bit the inside of her lower lip, recalling the moment she wanted to test out the strange heavy object when she first saw it. It was a good thing Carla had stopped her. She took a deep, steady breath and held it, doubling her effort. She could feel sweat trickling down her cheek and her hands shaking from the strain.
"It's a powerful, devastating device," Master added, his tone grim. "It had enough force to throw Natsu across the room and almost pierce him completely through. Four of his ribs are shattered and his right lung is torn open. It all happened within a second." He let out a wavering sigh and soundly scratched the side of his face. "Macao's locked it away with the child's bombs. The same incident won't happen twice, though I worry about that strange purple lens the boy has in his possession. What could it possibly do?"
There was a breathless chuckle coming from Natsu, bringing a sense of relief to wash over the group. "M-Maybe… it shoots… deadly lasers," Natsu rasped.
Wendy smiled and opened her eyes, hearing the joyous cries of Happy and Lucy and the relieved sighs of the others. She kept her healing going, glad to see colour returning to Natsu's face.
"For once you had me worried, lizard-breath," the Ice-Make mage muttered, feigning annoyance.
The flame-user huffed, pulled back his arm from Gray's shoulders, and lightly jabbed an elbow into the other's side. "Damn it, pant-less bastard," Natsu growled, his voice gaining strength. "Next time you pull a goddamn trigger on something, don't point the freaking thing at me!"
"I've got pants on, dumbass!" Gray double-checked to make sure before looking away, guilt-trodden. "I'm sorry… Really, I am."
Natsu wiped the sweat and blood off his face with a damp cloth given to him by Porlyusica. "Whatever. Was an accident," he said, his voice muffled. "Didn't think the chain would shoot out like that. Bacon sure has some weird things."
Erza lightly smirked as the Fire Dragon Slayer pulled back his other arm, no longer needing any support to sit up. "Only two of his items are strange: the hooked chain and the purple eye lens. Everything else is self-explanatory," informed Erza.
Natsu rolled his eyes and snorted at her smug tone. "I'll bet you two thousand Jewels the purple thing shoots lasers or some kind of deadly beam."
Erza crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze at the wager. "Four thousand. If it is not a weapon."
"Five thousand it's a treasure finder," Gray joined in, sneering.
The word 'treasure' made the master noticeably perk up. "Maybe that is how he found all those gems…" he murmured, a greedy thought passing over his wrinkled features.
The three gamblers shook hands to seal the deal. Everyone's mood was gratefully back to normal.
"Are you feeling better now, Natsu?" Wendy wearily asked, dispelling her magic. She was light-headed and weak, but strong hands behind her held her up. It was Porlyusica. The old woman guided the girl to sit on the bed by Natsu after Erza promptly jumped to her feet.
"Of course!" was Natsu's happy reply as he ripped away the bloody bandages around his naked torso. "You're healing magic is incredible! Feels like I can go straight to training!" However, when he abruptly stood up, he started to wobble on his legs and would have fallen over if Porlyusica had not shoved him back onto the bed.
"You've lost a lot of blood, boy," the elder told him sternly before handing him a mug full of reddish-brown liquid. She also gave Wendy something to drink, but hers was darker and had a green tint to it. "Drink this to regain your strength and rest for a few hours. Both of you."
Natsu made a face after he sniffed the contents of his concoction and when he took a sip, his face further distorted in disgust. "Yuck! The hell is this stuff?!"
Wendy's didn't smell or taste any better. The greenish-black potion was as thick as syrup and pungent on the tongue with a hint of sourness followed by a nasty, acrid aftertaste. Both Dragon Slayers horribly cringed as they tried to swallow their repulsive drinks.
Porlyusica scoffed at Natsu. "It's a rejuvenating potion, boy. Added a little extra ingredient hence why the bitterness is a little stronger."
Natsu coughed. "Tastes like dirt. Did you add mud to it?"
Crimson eyes flashed dangerously as the corner of the old woman's mouth twitched. She looked ready to slap him, or to be more precise, she wanted to smack him over the head with her broom. "Not mud, you ingrate. I added a few drops of Bacon's red potion for experimental purposes."
Natsu wasn't really any happier to hear that. "Oh, great… By the way, where is the kid?"
"Bacon?" Lucy questioned, glancing over her shoulder. "Why he's right… here?" Her brown eyes went wide. "Uh oh…"
Wendy choked on her potion and immediately leapt to her feet, her eyes sweeping across the small room. To her horror, Bacon was gone and so was Carla and the door leading outside was wide open.
On white feathered wings, Carla swooped under hanging branches and swerved around the thick trunks of trees, following the boy in green running through the rain and mud down below. Not wanting to get her feet dirty, she had taken to the air, staying close to the child who refused to listen to a single command she said. She could have wrapped her tail around him and carried him back to Porlyusica's home, but the Exceed decided not to – too curious to know what exactly Bacon was so eager to look for in the forest.
Shortly after Gray and Erza carried Natsu to bed, the boy had run out the door that was left open without anyone but Carla noticing. Trusting Wendy and the others to take care of the situation, the Exceed had wordlessly chased after Bacon outside.
Overcast and raining, the weather was cold and miserable, but the small boy was hardly fazed by the elements. Winding and zigzagging through trees and bushes, up rocky, vine-covered ridges, down muddy, slippery slopes, and splashing through deep, murky puddles, it didn't seem like the boy knew where he was going. However, he didn't stop moving, even when he tripped over hidden roots and snags and scraped his knees and cut his arms and hands. Drenched and dirty, his blue eyes were constantly searching and his head was always turning, looking more lost than anything. But that was not the case. Not once did he hesitate and think of going back to Wendy. This was the first time he had ever gone so far on his own without anything visible to entice him.
"Bacon, what is out here that you're so desperate to find?" the Exceed grumbled mostly to herself, growing frustrated by this seemingly pointless chase. Her dress and fur were uncomfortably wet and she was starting to shiver. Perhaps she was wrong to allow him to wander through the woods because now she couldn't remember which direction Porlyusica's tree house was.
"He is looking for someone."
Bacon froze while Carla gave a start at the sudden voice coming from their right. They both turned, one more curious while the other wary. Rounding the nearest moss-covered trunk of a giant tree on bare feet was a young girl with emerald eyes and a fair complexion. Flowing down her back was her long, wavy blonde hair, the curled ends nearly touching the forest floor. It was a shade so pale it looked almost white under the forest's shadows. Soft, feathery accessories decorated her hair, looking as if little wings were sprouting from either side of her head. She appeared as old as Romeo, dressed in a light pink robe with the ends of the sleeves and the bottom frilled like an elegant dress. A shawl of the same colour was draped around her shoulders and tied with a bright red bow of velvety ribbon.
Carla had only seen the girl once before but it was a face she would never forget. "It's you… The First… Master Vermilion," the Exceed whispered, shocked to see the founder and protector of Fairy Tail again.
The girl shortly giggled. "No need for titles. I'm no longer a master or alive."
"Yes, of course. Pardon me," was Carla's response as she gave a polite nod. She fluttered down to Bacon's side, flustered. "May I ask why you are here?"
Mavis playfully smiled as she started to walk towards them, her steps soundless. Leaves did not rustle as she passed and no footprints were left in the soft mud. Her hair gently flowed behind her like a white-gold cloak made of feather-light silk. "I got bored waiting around on Tenrou Island so I decided to see what Fairy Tail was up to. You guys sure have a lot of fun. I'm a little envious," she answered with a childish pout.
Bored? Carla couldn't believe what she was hearing from the ghost of the well-respected First Master of Fairy Tail. She only raised her brow as the girl approached Bacon with a friendly face.
"I have been watching the guild for the past two days and was most intrigued by your new member here," Mavis continued, offering her right hand for the smaller boy to take. "It's nice to finally meet you, little one."
Bacon studied her closely before tentatively placing his dirty, bleeding left hand within hers. He looked confused the moment he touched her, as if knowing there was something different about the girl.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Mavis assured kindly before introducing herself, her smile bright and cheery.
His confusion gradually disappeared and a small smile found its way onto his lips, either from understanding her intention or from the tone of her voice.
"If you have been watching," Carla slowly began, crossing her arms and shaking her head, "then you must be aware that he is not exactly a member of Fairy Tail."
Emerald eyes shifted towards the flying cat. "I am aware of that. And that is what intrigues me most. Because, you see, only the ones who bear the mark of Fairy Tail are able to see, hear, and touch me."
The Exceed blinked in utter surprise. "Then… How is it that he can see you?"
Tapping a finger against her chin, Mavis stuck out her lower lip and gazed up at the gray sky through the gaps in the trees, pondering like an actual child. It was rather difficult to overlook the fact that she was far older and wiser than what she appeared to be.
Bacon craned his head to follow her stare, trying to see what she saw. Big droplets of water falling from the leaves above pelted his face but he didn't seem to mind.
"I've been wondering about that for a while, but then…" The girl covered the back of his palm with her other hand and closed her eyes. "You felt his magic yesterday, did you not? It is different, yes, but also somewhat familiar… Almost as if…" Trailing off, Carla was forced to inquire what she meant after a moment had passed. The First opened her eyes and met the boy's fascinating stare. Instead of answering, she asked; "Tell me, Carla, do you believe in fairies?"
The Exceed furrowed her brow at the bizarre question. Fairies were more mythical than dragons since dragons were known to exist at one point in time with the Dragon Slayers as living proof of that. No one has ever seen or heard of fairies in Earthland except in fables and children's stories. Like many other guilds, Fairy Tail was named after a mythical creature and nothing more as far as Carla knew. "I can't say I do," the cat replied in truth. "Why ask such a thing?"
Mavis chuckled lightheartedly and teasingly grinned. "No reason."
Carla suspected the First was purposely hiding something. However, she didn't further question about it for she had a feeling the spirit would avoid answering her. The end of her ribboned tail twitched from side to side when she brought up a previous matter; "You mentioned earlier that he was looking for someone… How do you know this?"
Bacon dropped his arm by his side the instant the First released her hold. His attention was still fixated on her as she spoke, still as curious as ever. "I can see what his heart desires. He wants to find someone important to him."
"Someone important? Then he's starting to remember…" The feline almost showed her excitement. Wendy would surely be ecstatic to hear this.
Mavis reached out to tenderly touch the crystal clear Dreamstone hanging around his neck, prompting him to do the same. "What he remembers could be a distant memory or it could have only been a dream. Whichever one, he is determined to find this person that only he has seen." Her expression became sad as she lightly brushed a hand through Bacon's damp blond hair and caressed his cheek. "But I'm afraid he won't find anyone out here. He has yet to realize this."
Voices shouting in the distance pricked the Exceed's ears. It sounded like Happy and Gray and they were calling for Bacon and her.
"Carla." Mavis gave the white cat a trusting smile. "Please speak to no one of our encounter."
The Exceed didn't bother asking why, assuming the ghost would like to continue observing the guild from afar without anyone knowing. She curtly nodded. "Understood."
The First then stepped closer to Bacon and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Farewell, brave little one. We shall meet again." She embraced him, drawing a gasp of surprise, and whispered something in his ear that only he could hear. When she pulled back, the boy was smiling.
With a small wave and a cheerful grin, Mavis Vermilion took one step back and vanished right before their eyes.
The rain had finally stopped in the middle of the afternoon. By then, Wendy had showered, changed, finished her laundry, and packed a week's worth of clothing into a one-handled suitcase at her dorm in Fairy Hills. The sky was brighter with the sun starting to peek through the layer of white clouds and the damp, cool air was beginning to warm up. Through the wet streets, Wendy lugged her suitcase with Carla not too far behind. Around the feline's shoulders was her small purple backpack filled with her own necessities.
Their trek through town was a quiet one with each occupied with their own thoughts. Bacon's runaway incident kept coming to Wendy's mind.
"I believe he was looking for someone… Someone that might be important…" Carla had told her after Gray and Happy had returned to Porlyusica's home with a dirty and scuffed up Bacon in tow. The boy was visibly upset when Wendy had scolded him for running off and making her worry. He didn't leave her side soon after that. (She had to quickly apologize however, for she felt absolutely terrible for making him sad.)
Who was he looking for? The Dragon Slayer kept wondering. She was desperate to know because she wanted to help him any way she could. But it was so difficult to get any answers from the boy. Communicating with him was always a challenge; he didn't understand every word spoken and he didn't try to speak.
After taking a few wrong turns due to their lack of attention, the pair eventually found their way to Macao's blue and gray stone-brick house one hour later. Macao greeted them at the door after Wendy had knocked. "I told you before, Wendy, you can use the laundry room in the basement. I wouldn't mind at all," the older man generously offered as the girls trotted inside.
"I needed to get some more clothes and a few other things anyway," the Dragon Slayer replied with a timid smile. The main reason was because she didn't want any of the men to accidentally see her underwear. Thinking about it made her shy and embarrassed.
Before she could ask about the boys' whereabouts, she heard a sharp and familiar sound coming from Romeo's room down the hallway. However, it wasn't the usual awful, shrill noise of a badly played ocarina; it sounded like actual notes that melded into some sort of repetitive melody.
"Bacon has been at it for almost an hour now," Macao explained as he closed the door, chuckling.
"Bacon is the one playing?" Wendy asked, a little surprised. She quickly slipped off her shoes and started down the hall.
The man soundly smirked and followed behind her. "He's been trying to play something. He keeps playing three notes over and over again and it's kinda driving me crazy. But when he tries to deviate from there, he stops and stares hard at his flute, like he's trying to remember how to play the rest. You'll see."
Just as Macao had said, after the three notes were repeated several times, the music abruptly stopped. The door to Romeo's room was ajar and Wendy quietly peeked inside. Sitting cross-legged at the head of the older boy's bed was Bacon, properly holding his blue ocarina and frowning deeply at it as he slowly shifted his fingers over the holes, contemplating on which ones to cover. His face was aglow from both the newly mounted Light Lacrima hanging from above the window and the circling pair of glowbugs that always accompanied the crystal during the day. (Romeo went as far as naming the two insects 'Fairy' and 'Tail' even though it was impossible to distinguish between the two.)
While Wendy was gone, Romeo had given Bacon a bath and helped him change into a fresh set of clothes – clothes that were new and the right fit thanks to Macao purchasing a few things for the boy yesterday. Bacon looked like an ordinary boy dressed in a fiery red, short-sleeved, knee-length, yellow-trimmed jacket cinched at the waist with his own belt and wearing a pair of black shorts sporting a silver-blue, stylish feathered wing embroidered on the left side.
With a book opened on his lap, Romeo sat right across from the younger boy, verbally encouraging Bacon to keep on trying. When Bacon looked at the other, he spotted Wendy at the door. Immediately, his frown turned into a happy smile. He bounded off the bed and ran over, holding out his blue ocarina for the girl to take.
The Dragon Slayer gave him a meek smile and lightly shook her head as she entered the room and dropped her suitcase on the floor at the foot of her mattress. "You know I'm not good, Bacon. You were playing a lot better than me just a moment ago!" Giggling, she gently pushed the instrument back to his chest. "Go on. Play again for me. You can do it."
He glanced between the ocarina and Wendy until the girl nodded in assurance. His blue eyes widened with realization before he nodded confidently. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he brought the mouthpiece to his lips and played those three ascending notes again without flaw. Three times he repeated them and then, to everyone's surprise, his next set of notes differed from the last, melding together into an actual song. He didn't stop and he didn't make a mistake throughout the entire melody. It was a cheerful, energetic tune that brought a joyous smile to Wendy's lips and made her feel like dancing.
When the song ended, Bacon looked fondly at his ocarina, pride beaming on his face. Wendy was first to praise him, followed by Macao. Romeo hopped off his bed and patted Bacon on the back. "Wait till everyone at the guild hears this!" exclaimed Romeo, excited. "He's finally remembered something. I wonder if he learned the song from the person he was looking for…"
Wendy's smile turned sad. "It's possible," was all she said.
"This is proof that he did not just dream it," Carla assured her. "He is starting to remember and this is only the first piece of many. I don't want to admit it, but I believe Erza was not wrong in pushing him to his limit."
Wendy knitted her brow and bowed her head, her eyes falling on the small green pouch belted around her waist. Inside were Bacon's six potions Porlyusica had given her in case the boy passed out again. The blue ones were very potent elixirs that replenished both stamina and magic energy and should be taken in small quantities, the old lady had advised. "I know… but I don't want to keep forcing him to remember – I don't want him to experience any more pain."
Carla frowned and crossed her arms. "But what if–"
"No," Wendy interrupted with an abrupt shake of her head, "His life shouldn't be constantly put at risk. What if… What if he faints in the middle of a battle against another ferocious monster? He could get seriously hurt…"
Like Natsu… It was hard to forget this morning's incident. Natsu was on the verge of death and would have likely died if he and the others reached Wendy a moment too late. What if I was too late to save Bacon if he ever got badly injured? Erza had promised she would never allow that to happen, but the risk was always there, especially with her method of doing things.
She hardened her gaze and furled her hands tight by her sides. "I don't want that to ever happen."
Macao soundly cleared his throat and ran a hand over his gelled hair, wearing an uneasy expression. "Good luck trying to tell Erza that…"
Wendy's stance faltered at the thought. She gulped and nervously wrung her hands together. "I… I can stand up to her… I think." From the horror stories Natsu had told her, rarely did anyone succeed in winning an argument against Erza and rarer still did anyone ever come out unscathed. When the girl met Bacon's stare, she regained her composure and determination. "Yes. I can do it!"
However, as the group neared Fairy Tail atop the hill by evening, all of Wendy's courage had left her. She hung behind Macao and Romeo as they passed through the double doors and into the noisy building. The place was full and a party had already started. Laughter rang amongst the crowd and chatter was abuzz. Dinner and drinks were being served by Lisanna and Kinana, the two lovely girls moving from table to table. They both had an extraordinary talent in balancing numerous plates of food in their arms while handling several glasses in their hands without dropping anything as they maneuvered between constantly moving bodies.
Greetings were exchanged as Wendy's group passed through. Many came over to voice their admiration for Bacon's bravery and his victory over the raptordile, playfully ruffling his hair and patting his back. They were all glad he was feeling fine too. All the attention made the boy laugh and beam with happiness. Wendy wasn't left out either, receiving praise from every direction for saving Natsu's life in the nick of time. The Fire Dragon Slayer himself was most thankful, waving sporadically and calling out her name from his table. The girl swelled with pride and duty, extremely honored to be a part of a wonderful guild.
Throughout it all, Wendy had yet to spot Erza and her evil, evil smile, so Bacon was safe for now. Macao departed to join Wakaba, Elfman, Cana, and Mirajane at the bar while the children and Carla headed to their usual table not too far away. Levy was seated in one of the chairs with Jet and Droy on either side of her, their meals already set before them. Levy waved and gestured to the remaining available seats when she saw the four coming through.
"Saved you guys your spots," said Levy while the two men of Shadow gear nodded in greeting. "So how's Bacon feeling?" she asked, leaning forward on her elbows and giving the boy a warm smile.
"Better now," Wendy answered as she sat down next to Jet. The boy took the chair beside her, accustomed to the routine. He knew exactly which table to go to and where to sit whenever they entered the guild.
"That's good to hear!" Levy chirped, clasping her hands together in joy.
"Everyone's been talking about him all day," Jet chimed in after taking a sip of his beer. He gave the boy, who was currently watching Romeo play around with his bright and sticky purple fire, a lopsided grin. "He's amazingly strong for a small kid. That sword spell of his was incredible."
Droy slapped his big belly and loudly chortled with a mouthful of food. "He could be as good as Erza with a sword in hand!" he boasted.
"And speak of the devil…" Jet murmured under his breath, catching sight of someone Wendy feared was Erza coming up behind her.
"Wendy."
The first instinct that kicked in when the Dragon Slayer heard Titania's voice was to wrap her arms protectively around Bacon. The boy made a small sound of confusion before embracing her back, lightly giggling in her ear. "Stay away from him, Erza!" she blurted out without thinking. She quickly slapped a hand over her mouth and took a cautious peek over her shoulder. "I-I mean… Don't you dare endanger him again!"
Erza was standing right over them, an amused smirk adorning her lips. "Don't worry, Wendy," she reassured.
However, Erza has already said that more than once and each time resulted in Wendy panicking and overwhelmed with worry instead of the opposite. Not believing the older woman, Wendy tightened her hold on Bacon and tried to look crossly at Erza, but she couldn't stop her lower lip from quivering with apprehension.
"I'm not here to do anything to Bacon. I promise," the warrioress continued, sensing Wendy's disbelief.
Wendy managed to glower. Erza had made the very same promise before and that didn't end up well at all either.
Erza's expression softened. "I'm not lying, Wendy. I actually wanted to give you something that I couldn't get to you earlier with Natsu dying and Bacon disappearing." She extended her right hand where a small white envelope was held between two steel fingers.
Wendy looked between the envelope and Erza and slowly pulled away from Bacon. After the boy let go and leaned back in his chair, she took the offered envelope and raised an eyebrow. "What is this?"
"Seventy thousand Jewels. It's the bounty reward for that raptordile."
The Dragon Slayer gaped at the woman in surprise. "Why are you giving the money to me?"
Erza nodded at Bacon who was eyeing the envelope in Wendy's hand with mild interest. "Bacon was the one who slew the lizard. It's really his reward. But since he doesn't know how to use the money, I'm giving it to you. And not only that…" she lowered her voice and gazed upon the floor, "it's a form of apology for what happened. I'm sorry, I didn't intend to cause any harm to Bacon."
Even though she murmured her last few sentences, it seemed like everyone heard her. A dead silence suddenly fell over the previously boisterous crowd as all eyes turned towards Titania, wide with shock. Someone dropped their glass on the floor where it loudly shattered to pieces and spilled its contents among the silent crowd.
And then Natsu started choking at the table next to Wendy's. Lucy slapped his back hard while he pounded his chest until he coughed out a half-chewed piece of meat. "D-Did you a-actually apologize for purposely endangering someone's life?" the flame-user wheezed right after regaining his breath, completely flabbergasted. Around the same table was Gray, agape at Erza, his jaw to the floor. Alongside him was Juvia who was looking around at all the stunned faces, just as confused as the other newer members of the guild.
Happy was aghast as he stood upon the tabletop, both paws clutching the sides of his face in horror. He pointed a trembling paw at Erza. "Im-Imposter!" he accused.
Titania's glare was as sharp as a knife, resulting in a quick, panicked retreat for the blue feline. Squealing, Happy leapt onto Natsu's shoulder and cowered behind the teenager's head.
Erza shortly huffed to the side, her sun-burnt face turning a shade brighter. "Why is everyone so surprised? I've apologized before."
"No, this is actually your first time admitting you have done something wrong," Mirajane spoke up cheerfully.
Erza snorted and hid her face in the shadow of her hair. "I did not want Wendy to stay angry at me."
Wendy was taken aback by that. "I'm not mad at you, Erza," she replied with a slight shake of her head. "Last night I realized you were trying to help Bacon in your own way so I forgive you. However, I… I would like to ask you to stop with your uh… risky ideas… Please? For Bacon's sake!" And, not to mention, for her own sake as well.
Titania met the girl's pleading expression and lightheartedly laughed. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. I'll be leaving town tomorrow. Master wants us to resume our training."
"That's right," Master Makarov announced as he hopped onto the bar counter. With a wide greedy grin, the short old man eagerly rubbed his wrinkled hands together. "Four more months until the Grand Magic Games, everyone. Thirty million Jewels are at stake here! And of course, we have to show Fiore who is number one again!" When he pointed to the ceiling, the crowd roared in agreement, hands pumped into the air, eyes raised to the sky beyond the wooden beams above them. Some pounded the tables and some stomped their feet while others clinked their glasses and gulped down their drinks. The noise went on until the master raised a hand.
Makarov looked around his guild; his keen eyes assessing each face of his children. "I want you kids to be ready when the time comes. Only five will be chosen to represent our guild but do not neglect your training. All of you. There might come a time when your team needs your help. Am I right, Levy?"
Levy soundly nodded. "Correct. I've read the guidelines from front to back. Substitutions are allowed if one team member is incapacitated during an event and cannot participate in the next," she informed knowledgeably.
The master grunted and crossed his arms. "If that were ever the case, I need to make sure the rest of my guild is in tip top shape. That's why during the three months before the Games begin, I want those who are willing to grow stronger to concentrate on nothing but training." His gaze fell on Wendy. "Understood?"
There was a booming chorus of "Aye!" before everyone resumed the party, more excited than before. Gradually, the noise inside the building returned to what it once was and food and drinks were steadily flowing out of the kitchen door again.
Before Wendy could thank Erza and wish her luck on her training, the older woman had already left, joining the others at the bar.
It wasn't long until tonight's dinner was set before Wendy, Bacon, Romeo, and Carla by Kinana all in one go. It was around that time that Master Makarov stopped by their table, taking a seat on the edge of the table between the boys.
"Bacon, how are you doing tonight?" he asked, lightly patting the boy on the arm.
Bacon only blinked at the old man as he nibbled on his dinner roll.
"He's doing better," Wendy answered for the boy.
Makarov raised his brow. "Still not a word from him, huh?"
Wendy slightly frowned as she buttered her bread. "No, not yet. I'm not sure if it's because he can't follow the sound of the words or because he just doesn't want to."
"Maybe he's really shy," said Levy.
Carla smirked and casually gestured at the boy with her paw. "I don't think so. He can get very vocal when he's excited. You heard him the other day."
"The fall was more fun to him than frightening," Levy agreed, smiling.
Wendy groaned, recalling the heart-wrenching dread from that terrifying moment.
Makarov chuckled before giving Wendy a knowing look. "There's something I'd like to ask you to do, Wendy, and I've already asked everyone of this. Bacon's magic is very unique and easily detectable. To keep him safe and protected, it's best that he does not use it."
Wendy nodded. "Is that why you wanted Erza to leave town to train?" she inquired hesitantly.
"Partially. I really do want to win the thirty mil – err, our guild to win the Games. There's no doubt Erza will be one of the chosen five." He winked at the girl. "I am considering you as well, Wendy. Your Sky Dragon Slaying magic might come in handy in one of the events. I understand your hands are full with young Bacon to properly train, but you must remember that we are all here to help out."
"My offer to look after him while you're out training still stands," reminded Levy.
"Dad and I can keep watching over him too," said Romeo, grinning. "He's already used to our house. And maybe the rest of his memories will start coming back to him now that he's remembered something."
Those that overheard were instantly piqued by the news.
"He remembers something?" Jet echoed, surprised.
Romeo nodded. "He remembered how to play a song on his ocarina!"
It was after they had finished eating dinner and their delicious slices of strawberry cream-filled swirl cake (forced upon them by none other than Mirajane) did Romeo pull out the blue wind instrument from his pocket dimension and handed it to Bacon. Romeo had to scream and yell over the rambunctious noises to get everyone's attention.
Bacon's first response was to give the ocarina back to Wendy again. "No, no," she said as she gently pushed it back. "Play your song for everyone to hear. You know…" She hummed the first six notes of his melody.
Smiling, he nodded and brought the ocarina's mouthpiece to his lips as he closed his eyes. All remaining voices died down when the boy began to play.
Notes filled the air, blending smoothly into a happy tune that brought looks of wonder and amazement on every guild member's face.
On that night, Vijeeter wasn't the only one dancing.
Three glowing moons loomed above in a pitch black sky, each the shape of an eye and shining a bright silver-gray. One was vertical and positioned higher above the other two and, like eyes, they stared at him; unmoving; unblinking; unyielding.
When he was about to take a step forward, they suddenly disappeared, as if the eyes had forever closed, leaving nothing but complete darkness all around.
"Hello!" A shrill, feminine voice suddenly cut through the silence, making him jump.
On his heel, he twisted around and was elated to find the same glowbug he had seen before – the one that flew on four wings and with its entire body hidden by white light. Did the glowbug actually speak to him?
He started for it but paused after taking the first step because something was very, very different. He felt taller, feeling as if he was standing atop a chair or box and looking below. But he was standing on neither. When he looked down, he noticed his dirty brown boots were a little farther down to the ground which was rather odd.
"Hey!"
He snapped his head up at the shouting glowing orb and saw it suddenly take off in the opposite direction.
"This way!" it called, leaving a sparkling trail.
Smiling, he went after it. His movements were awkward for his legs felt longer, making him stumble a few times. He eventually got the hang of it after nearly tripping over his own two feet.
There was something waiting in the distance that the orb of light was leading him to. As he neared, his eyes grew wide when he recognized the old, broken stone steps spotted with moss. No great walls of rock bordered the stairway, only the empty darkness, but at the top, he could see a pale light where the glowbug was waiting.
He hopped up the steps, skipping three at a time with a longer stride, and reached the top in no time. The instant his foot landed on the last step, the shadows receded to reveal the area he was anxious to see once again.
However, it wasn't the same as the last time.
No warm sun welcomed him for the sky was covered in dreary, dark gray clouds. The vibrant greens of the grass and the bright colours of the flowers that grew in the meadow were replaced with dull yellows and browns of dead and withered things. Stringy weeds and ugly, thorny plants were the only things that thrived in abundance. The long branches of the giant trees that surrounded the area were all bare, the ends sharp and pointed to look like reaching clawed fingers. Twisting and gnarled, the touching arms of the trees tightly entangled one another as if vying to choke whatever life was left in their neighbors before their own demise. The limbs even sank deeper into the pale stone of the distant building, breaking and cracking the thick walls and further crumbling the wide open entrance above a high ledge. Black was the colour of trees' bark, making them appear as tall, standing shadows under the gloom.
He slowly looked around, disturbed by the sudden change in the area. He trudged through the dead grass and thorny weeds, a little surprised that the tallest stalks only reached up to his knees instead of his stomach. Nothing flew out when he passed through, not even an insect.
The glowbug was hovering above the familiar tree stump that sat empty and alone. It looked smaller and shorter than he remembered.
He frowned, saddened that the girl with green hair and blue eyes and the same kindness as Wendy was not here to play her song.
A strange, pleasant sound filled the air – the sound of music. But it was not the sharp notes that came from an ocarina. He turned and craned his head in the direction of the soft noise, seeing a person sitting atop the remains of the only tree that was not merged within the surrounding wall of black. Fingers wrapped in white bandages strummed across a line of strings tightly strung on a golden instrument, producing the gentle notes that highly piqued his interest.
The fingers stopped thrumming and with it, the music ended as well. Behind fringes of blond hair, red eyes, neither cruel nor friendly, peered down at him as he slowly approached the lone dead tree with the glowbug following above his shoulder.
"She is not here…" said the man whose voice was low and slightly muffled by the white shawl that covered the lower half of his face. The white cover draped down his front and back and was badly frayed around the shoulders and bottom ends. A red mark decorated the white fabric, depicting some sort of eye weeping a large crimson tear. He wore a skin-tight suit underneath that was two different shades of blue and his shoes were of the same design. Bandages wrapped the top of his head and the wrists of both arms, the unbound ends hanging loose and swaying with every subtle movement. "You will never find her… not until you find yourself."
The boy cocked his head, clueless to what was said. He only stared, waiting for the man to pluck the strings of his golden instrument. Instead, the man kept talking, stringing words he didn't quite follow.
"The flow of time is always cruel… A thing that doesn't change with time is the memory of younger days…" The man ran his fingers over his strings, creating an ascending tone. Then he strummed a series of notes together to form a short melody and repeated it twice. "Do you remember? The song to bring you back to this once sacred place…"
The man dropped down to quietly land in front of the other in a crouch. When he stood straight up, he was actually a little shorter than the boy!
The boy blinked in astonishment, not knowing why he was taller than the man. Every man in Fairy Tail, except for the old one, was taller than him. The thought quickly passed him by for the man with blond hair and red eyes soon pointed to the boy's left hand.
Unknowingly clutched in the boy's grip was Wendy's blue ocarina.
Without a word, the man strummed his golden instrument, playing that same song as before. Twice he played again before he stopped and looked at the other and nodded.
Did the man want him to play the ocarina? He looked at the smooth object in his hand and watched its glossy surface shimmer as the glowbug danced above him as if wanting him to play it too.
The man only thrummed the first note of his melody, prompting him to do the same. It took a few tries until he made the right sound to match the man's desired note. Then the man struck the second and the boy followed suit. Seven notes in total in the first set. The second set was different, a little more complex. He made mistakes but the man was patient and never said a word throughout the process. Red eyes constantly watched him while bandaged fingers elegantly strummed the next note repeatedly between short intervals until he got it.
Once the boy managed to complete the song, the man held up a finger to grab his focus. Silently, the man nodded and played the first part of the melody then gestured towards him, inciting him to repeat it. When he went onto the second half, the man joined in, strumming the same notes in the same rhythm. Before the song ended, the boy finally understood what to do. It suddenly came back to him; he has played this song before because… He wasn't sure why exactly. But he just knew how.
Together they played the melody once more, their notes flowing as one, blending into a pleasing harmony that alleviated the weary soul. The glowbug spiraled between them, dancing to the wonderful tune that brightened the dismal forest.
The final note plucked on the man's strings lingered throughout the empty meadow. A small smile reflected in the man's red eyes. Wordlessly, he turned around and, in a single bound, leapt back onto the tree before disappearing over the crumbling walls of the ancient stone building.
When the boy's astounded gaze fell upon the deep black hole atop the high ledge that was the entrance to the building, he froze. He remembered now… the girl with green hair was inside the cold, dark, dank, and haunted depths of the temple. He has wandered inside before... through halls overgrown with creeping vines and through passageways that were oddly twisted. Inside, shadows turned into giant hands or white, bony faces with eight skinny legs and dark, vast chambers echoed with cackling laughter. It was inside that he had searched for the girl who used to sit on the stump and play her wooden ocarina.
'Saria is waiting,' said the mysterious voice that came from all directions. Tensing in caution, he glanced around and found no one. 'But she can never leave… Not here… in this time… Even her song will not bring her voice…'
There was a sense of sadness in the hidden speaker's tone. Before he could wonder or even think about it, the world suddenly faded to black.
The glowbug was last to vanish. It bobbed up and down and hid away in endless shadow, whispering, "She will always be your friend… and so will I…"
A/N: There is a beautiful rendition of Minuet of the Forest on Youtube by spencersocarinas. After listening to it, Minuet of the Forest has become my favourite warp song in Ocarina of Time. Imagine Link and Sheik are playing the song just like that!
I have a new poll up! Please take a moment to choose four of your favourite (maybe not so favourite?) members of the Fairy Tail guild that you'd like to see appearing more often in this story. Wendy, Carla, and Romeo are not included on the list for obvious reasons. Choose wisely.
Thanks for reading!