Wendy and Cynthia took refuge in a small abandon house, using the time to catch their breath and regain their magic. Wendy opened her mouth, inhaling the air around to recover her magic power. "That was too close…"
"Agreed…" Cynthia sat down on the floor, panting heavily.
"Why are they after you!?" Wendy spoke in a hushed tone in case there happened to be any wandering Council guards in the area.
"I-I…" Cynthia sighed before looking up at Wendy, realizing that she didn't want Wendy caught too deep in this. "If I tell you…you'll probably turn me in…"
Wendy blinked a few times, unsure on why Cynthia was saying what she was, "Why do you say that…?"
"Because…they aren't wrong…" Cynthia looked down at the broken wooden floor, sighing.
"W-What do you mean?" Wendy was unsure if she should take a step forward or a step back.
"I'll tell you everything…and let you decide…" Cynthia sighed as she began her tale. "Seven years ago…I placed into a magic research facility. The head scientist there is…er…was a little crazy…"
"Crazy…? How so…?" Wendy asked, unsure if she should have.
"I wasn't the only person trapped in this place…" Cynthia continued. "There were more…but I was the one that got the most attention for several reasons…I was always the favorite because I was told I had untapped potential…"
"What does that mean…?" Wendy asked again, taking a seat next to Cynthia.
"It means I had a lot of magical energy in my body for such a young age…it wasn't exactly all that healthy, as I got sick from time to time…It didn't help that I was basically tortured all day everyday with little time to actually enjoy myself…" Cynthia replied as she continued with her story. "I actually used to have a Sister. We weren't related by blood, but...she was there for me for a while, until she suddenly left. I don't know why..."
"You have a sister...?" This was the first Wendy was hearing of it. But at the same time, she felt bad. One of the few people in Cynthia's life to give her comfort was just...gone for some reason.
"Anyway…the head of the facility…he wanted to create the most powerful flame in the word, and put it into my body…"
{Flashback}
The head of the facility was a male with black hair, and blue eyes; wearing a lab coat that reached down to his legs, black pants, and black shoes. "I have a surprise for you d-"
"Don't call me that…" A six year old Cynthia replied, huddled on her bed with her back facing the head. "You don't have the right to call me that…"
"Oh, relax," the head replied with a false smile. "I've come up with something that will help bring out that sealed potential of yours."
"I'm not interested…I want to go home…" Cynthia replied, sniffling as tears started rolling down her cheeks.
"Ohoho! That's cute. I don't think you've noticed that this IS your home now," the head replied once again, his tone a bit more condescending.
{End Flashback}
"The most powerful flame…?" Wendy tilted her head slowly.
"Hai…" Cynthia nodded slowly, placing a hand on her chest. "The head said that he wanted the flames of a god, but there was a problem…The only person he knew he could capture a God's Flames from died on some island…so he was stuck with the next best thing; a dragon's flame."
"Where did he get a dragon's flame…?" Wendy asked once again, the surprise in her voice slowly rising with each time she spoke.
"I'm not sure. I was told he created it, using magic of course…though, as you can tell, the flames he made were much stronger than a normal Fire Dragon," Cynthia nodded slowly. "I was placed on a surgical table…and that's when the lacrima was implanted into my body…the day I became a Dragon Slayer…" Cynthia sighed. "But that was only the start of my troubles…every day…nonstop…I was put through rigorous training…no, torture…"
{Flashback}
"L-Let me go!" The young Cynthia struggled as she was restrained on a surgical table, a few of the scientist looking down at her menacingly, at least in her eyes. The head appeared with a red triangular lacrima, grinning widely. He handed the lacrima off to one of the scientist as he sat afar and watched the procedure of the lacrima being embedded into Cynthia's body. The process was clearly painful, as Cynthia screamed and cried during the entire process. "STOP IT! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! WHERE'S MOMMY, I WANT MY MOMMY!"
"Oh, silly Cynthia…your mother isn't around anymore, remember?" The head chuckled softly, shaking his head from side to side slowly, grinning as the lacrima gave off a glow, signaling that the process was working. "Soon…you will become the dragon that everyone fears…that will bring the Council down to its knees…the dragon that will help me rule Fiore with an iron fist!"
{End Flashback}
Cynthia started to tear up at the memories. "It was horrible…I was yelled at every time I failed to meet expectations…every time I did one little thing wrong…for seven years, I had to endure that...the lacrima took my anger…my fear…my sadness, and changed it into power…that's what made me so special…my power comes from my feelings, and with that…I was bound to be the tool that was used to take over Fiore with an iron fist…that's all I was to him…a tool. Well…I fought back…countless times…over and over…I didn't stop…I didn't want to be just a tool; I wanted to be a person. But no matter how many times I escaped, I was always caught…"
{Flashback}
A fiery explosion caused a large set of two metal doors to fly forward, slamming into the steel wall, a loud "CLANG" sound breaking out. A ten year old Cynthia stood at the broken doorway, panting heavily as red flames surrounded her bruised body. "Today..." She muttered to herself, running forward with a slight limp due to her semi injured leg. She whimpered softly as she ran through the hallways, but she knew it would be worth it if she could escape. She knew where to go, and she always took a different route in hopes of throwing the guards off, but it never worked. Cynthia made a sharp left turn down a corridor, only to skid to a halt when her path was blocked by several guards, and the head of the facility.
"My, my...if you wanted a late night snack all you could've done was ask..." The head said shaking his head slowly.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Cynthia's flame flared dangerously as they started to go darker. She was more afraid of being caught again than anything else.
"Oh my, it seems your power is progressing faster than I was expecting..." The head grinned at the results Cynthia was producing. "In a few years time you'll be the most powerful dragon slayer in the world."
"I DON'T WANT TO BE A DRAGON SLAYER!" Cynthia screamed out. "I WANT TO GO HOME! I WANT MOMMY!"
"I already told you that your mother isn't here; she's dead, how many times do I have to tell you. SHE IS DEAD, AND SHE'S NEVER COMING BACK FOR YOU."
"S-STOP IT!" Tears started flooding from Cynthia's eyes as she formed a sphere of dark red fire in her hand, immediately throwing it at the Head and his guards.
"You never learn...you have to harness your power, or I'll harness it FOR you..." The head waved his hand, creating a red barrier; fire resistant. The sphere hit the barrier, clashing with it for a few seconds before the barrier shattered, blowing the Head back a few feet, but a smirk appeared on his face. "Excellent, your power is coming along just nicely...It's only a matter of time..."
{End Flashback}
"But…you escaped…" Wendy said quietly.
"I had help…from the other kids who weren't getting as much attention as I was…" Cynthia replied. "During a session where my magical power was getting amplified, they just attacked. There was a woman, a scary one...she had a strange arm and she was pretty angry. I never caught her name, but she was the one that caused the most damage. They broke me out, though the explosion left me bruised and battered. I made my way to the stairs and the front door; the only thing that stood between me was the head of the facility and a few guards. He smiled from my pain…I had to leave…and I did…I caused an explosion and I walked out to freedom…only to pass out and roll down a hill…and when I woke up, you were the first thing I saw. I honestly don't even remember fighting with Natsu, it was all just a blur."
"Cynthia…" Wendy listened carefully, the story too heartbreaking. She was just a little girl, yet she was tortured for seven years.
"I'm a threat because when I lose control, my flames grow dark, wild, violent…I could've burned down Fiore if you weren't there to stop me…" Cynthia stood up slowly, keeping her gaze away from Wendy. "I'll just go turn myself in…and say that I forced you to protect me…that way you won't get in any trouble…"
Wendy stood up and reached for Cynthia's hand, holding onto it tightly. "Cynthia…don't…"
"Why not? I'm just a tool waiting to be used; right…it's better if I'm not used at all…" Cynthia kept her eyes on the door, refusing to show Wendy the tear rolling down her cheek.
"You're not a tool…" Wendy replied. "You're a person…you're a member of Fairy Tail…and you are my best friend. Whatever your problems are…we'll get through them together…"
"But…it's the Magic Council, Wendy…" Cynthia replied. "You know what they do to people…? I've heard everything they've done while I was in that place…the Wizard Saint Siegrain…the way they do justice isn't just," She continued. "I don't want you to suffer because of me…"
"I'll be fine…You'll be fine…" Wendy turned Cynthia around, hugging her tightly. "I won't let them take you away from me…from Fairy Tail…" Cynthia remained silent, though she returned Wendy's hug.
"You're so stubborn…" Cynthia giggled a little bit.
"What can I say?" Wendy smiled a bit, pulling back from the hug and wiped away a stray tear. "Aheh…Oh, that reminds me..." Wendy dug in her pocket for a second before pulling out a picture of the two near a Ferris wheel, smiling together.
"What's that...?" Cynthia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's the picture we took at the festival, remember?" Wendy said with a smile as she held the picture up for Cynthia to take.
(Flashback}
The troia spell just wore off on Cynthia while she and Wendy were on the Ferris wheel, causing Cynthia's motion sickness to act up. "Ugh...can we get down now...this was a lot more fun when I wasn't dying..." Cynthia groaned, leaning on Wendy for support.
Wendy let off a nervous laugh as she put her arm around Cynthia's shoulder to help support her. "I told you it would wear off on this one..."
"I thought we'd be down by noooooow!" Cynthia whined, shifting around uncomfortably. About twenty minutes passed before the Ferris wheel ride ended, and Cynthia limped out the cart with Wendy, placing her hands on the ground. "Oh sweet ground! I never thought I'd be so happy to see you!"
"Are you okay?" Wendy asked, holding her hands behind her back.
"Fine now!" Cynthia stood up and grinned. "Oh, look!" Cynthia pointed over to a picture booth. "Let's get our picture taken!"
"That sounds like fun!" Wendy grinned, pulling Cynthia over to the picture booth.
{End Flashback}
"Oh...I do remember that!" Cynthia grinned slightly, taking the picture from Wendy's hands. "You don't want it...?"
"I want you to keep it," Wendy replied. "In case you feel lonely for some reason..."
"I...okay..." Cynthia nodded, sliding the picture into her pocket.
The girls hid out in the house for about an hour before deciding to take a look outside. "The coast seems clear…" Wendy said quietly.
"Should we head to the train station now…?" Cynthia asked.
"Yes…we might have to fight to get back…" Wendy and Cynthia slipped out of the house, and snuck off into the night. Little did they know that the third captain, Correll, was quietly stalking them.