Fairy Tail. Up until today, Axis had never heard of it. He'd come across a few wizards that belonged to some guild during his travels, and often they were all out on jobs and the like. So this would also mark his first time seeing an actual guild hall in person.

"This is a wizard guild?" Elfman inquired, surprised with its outlandish exterior in comparison to the rest of Magnolia. "It looks strange."

Lisanna rubbed her palms together nervously. "Are we allowed in there? Wizards can be kind of scary…"

Axis took a second to ruffle her short hair. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure they'll be good people. If not," Axis flexed his arm, scales rippling briefly. "I'll take care of 'em."

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Mira said, head down and brimming with anxiety. "Maybe we shouldn't."

Elfman parked himself in front of his older sister, trying to look her in the eye. "I heard these are some of the best wizards around. If anyone can help you, it has to be them."

"He's right," Axis joined in. "This is our best chance to cure you. I'm not sure when we'll come across another opportunity like this."

"Yeah!" Lisanna held Mira's hands in hers. "And then you can smile and have fun again, just like before!"

Mira frowned, but she had to admit she felt touched by their sentiments. She took a deep breath and looked straight ahead to the large double doors of the guild hall. She had been relying on those three for the past few months- Axis about a month ago and her siblings even longer. She had to pay back their kindness. She had to try- not just for her sake but for theirs as well.

"Alright," she relented. "I'll try."

The three smiled. They, too, were building their confidence. Axis, however, was devising an escape plan. His last encounter with a wizard did not end so pleasantly, and he did not want to repeat that with Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna in the crossfire. He really hoped the wizards at Fairy Tail were more friendly.

The four approached the large double doors. Some hearts were pounding more than others, but they didn't stop or hesitate. Axis placed his hand on the wood and pushed it open.

The atmosphere was light and calm. The smell of wood and alcohol dominated the air, but not so much that it was overbearing. Honestly, it fits considering the hall resembled a tavern of sorts. Small talk and laughter filled the audio space, and it looked like everyone was too caught up in their own thing to notice the four newcomers. Strangely, they could even see some kids conversing deeper in.

Axis nodded to the others, opting to lead their expedition himself. The others followed as he led them up to the nearest table, where two men were conversing lightly with one another.

"You should have seen it! They were all over me!" The first man said to his friend. This one had spiky blue hair with a matching blue shirt. He held a charismatic grin.

"Can't keep the ladies off of ya', huh? Even in your twilight years!" The second man mocked, his brown pompadour and sunglasses giving him a unique look.

"Twilight years!" The first man yelled incredulously. "I only just hit thirty!"

The second man hit the table, howling with laughter. "Old man Macao! Can ya even keep up with me anymore?"

The first man, allegedly Macao, smirked. "Keep that attitude up, Wakaba. Soon enough you'll be joining me up here."

Axis, wanting to make a good first impression, stepped up to the table and made himself known. "Ahem."

The two men looked over curiously at who had interrupted their conversation. Their curiosity turned to surprise once they spotted the small group of children.

Seeing as how their reactions were more inquisitive than hostile, Axis continued. "Yo. My friends and I are looking for some wizards who know a lot about magic. Do you two know anyone like that?"

Tch!

"Y'know, we know a lot about magic. Us being Fairy Tail wizards and all." Wakaba said in a strained voice.

"Yeah," Macao added. "What makes you think we wouldn't know enough to help you out?"

Axis felt some sweat accumulate on his brow, sensing he had said something to annoy them. "Uh…"

Lisanna cut in front of the boy, and she could practically feel his silent thanks for doing so. "I'm sorry about my friend. It's just, my sister is cursed and we need someone to help cure her. Can you help us?" She ended her statement with the biggest puppy-dog eyes she could muster.

Macao leaned back, calmed. "A curse? I'm sorry but I'm pretty far from an expert on curse magic. You?" He referred to his friend.

Wakaba took a whiff of a cigar. "Nah, not me. You'd probably get better luck with our guild master, though."

Lisanna tilted her head. "Guild master?"

Macao nodded. "Yeah. His name's Makarov. He's probably at the bar." He gestured his thumb to something behind him. Looking past, the children could see a small bar tucked against the wall.

Lisanna's expression brightened. "Thank you so much!" She looked back with a smile, goading the others to follow her.

"No problem. I hope you find what you need." Wakaba dismissed going back to his conversation with Macao.

"They seemed pretty nice," Elfman said, feeling relieved.

"I don't get it, what did I say wrong?" Axis wondered once out of earshot from the duo.

Lisanna shrugged. "Axis, I think you need to learn some social tact."

"I was just trying to get to the point…" he mumbled in response, still not entirely getting it.

"Causing trouble in my guild hall, are you?"

The four gasped, the sudden voice surprising them. They looked up to the bar a few feet away, spotting a small old man sitting cross-legged on one of the stools. His pose was sage-like, and he held an air of mysticism about him.

Elfman gulped. "Are you Master Makarov?"

The old man nodded. "Indeed I am. And to whom do I owe the pleasure, hmm?"

The four kids glanced at one another before Axis stepped up. "My name's Axis and these are my friends Lisanna, Elfman, and Mirajane." he pointed to each Strauss sibling in turn. "We're wondering if you could help us?"

Makarov raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what issue would require the guild master of Fairy Tail?"

"It's a curse, sir." Lisanna stepped in. She placed a hand protectively on Mira's shoulder. "My sister is possessed by something, and we need someone to cure her."

"I see." Makarov hummed, stroking his mustache. He observed the cloaked girl, noting how reserved she was in comparison to the rest of the children. "May I see this curse, young Mirajane?"

Mira flinched, tucking her arm away even further. Elfman joined Lisanna, resting a hand on her shoulder for support. Axis nodded to her with encouragement.

"It's quite alright, miss. I'm not as scary as I look!" The old man chuckled at his joke, lightening the mood somewhat.

Mira, taking in the signals from the others, relented. She slowly brought her demon arm to light, letting a stranger see it for the first time since she had to run away from her home village.

Makarov, seeing her hesitation, tried as gently as he could to examine the cursed limb. The others watched with bated breath, waiting to see what magic the master of Fairy Tail was capable of.

"Ya!" Makarov shouted dramatically, startling the four friends.

"What, what is it?" Elfman panicked.

"Is something wrong?" Lisanna demanded.

Axis unwittingly activated his magic from the exclamation, his eyes slitting and teeth turning jagged. Makarov took quick notice of the subtle magical activation.

"Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all, actually." he smiled warmly at Mira. "You aren't cursed, miss Mirajane."

"She's not?" Elfman asked in confusion. "Then why is her arm like that?"

"Heh," Makarov chortled. "You should ask young Axis here. It seems they share a common magical ability."

The boy in question's eyes widened. "You mean-?"

"It's called Takeover. It's a type of magic," he explained. "You're not possessed by the demon. What's happened is you've taken its power into your own body."

Axis blinked in wonder. "It's like me…?"

Lisanna jumped for joy. "Wow, really? That's so cool!"

Elfman released a tight breath. "Thank goodness."

But even with that striking revelation for the youths, Mira still clutched the arm with disdain. "A demon's power…"

She inwardly frowned.

…who wants that?!

Takeover: Dragon Soul

Part One:

A Place to Call Home

Page 7:

Fairy Tail and the Satan Soul

"So you think you're tough stuff, popsicle-boy?"

"Much tougher than you and you're half-baked fire magic!"

"I'll show you half-baked magic! You wanna fight?!"

"Let's go!"

"Eep!" Lisanna ducked for cover as the two boys she was previously getting along with suddenly erupted into a brawl. "What happened!"

A brunette girl laughed off to the side, observing the fighting with mirth. "Oh, they're at it again!"

"Is this normal?" Elfman asked from his spot under a table, trying to avoid the growing conflict.

"Unfortunately," A blue-haired girl sighed. "You better get used to it, you guys."

It had been a week since the Strauss siblings came across the guild, and things had gone fairly smoothly. Lisanna and Elfman had joined up almost immediately, despite the fact that the other two were still quite hesitant. The two youngest siblings had spent their first week getting to know people around the guild- most of all the other kids. Mira kept to herself, always sitting by herself around the bar and never talking to anyone. Axis was nowhere to be seen,

Lisanna flinched when a piece of dark cloth came flying towards her and draped across her face. She picked it off with disgust. "Where did this shirt come from?"

Elfman sweat-dropped. "Shouldn't we stop this?"

The brunette girl held up her fingers in response. "Hold on, just give it a few seconds. In about 5…4…3…2…1…!"

"Enough!"

Bang!

The brunette held a satisfied smile. "There she is."

"Natsu! Gray! Enough fighting, you're scaring our new guildmates!" The sudden appearance of a scarlet-haired girl dressed as a knight startled both Lisanna and Elfman- especially after she had punched the two quarreling boys in the head and promptly ended their fight.

"I think that was you, Erza." The blue-haired girl exhaled.

"Nonsense, Levy," Erza the scarlet-haired knight dismissed the comment. She approached the hiding Strauss siblings with a warm expression. "Hello, there. My name is Erza Scarlet. I take it you two are Lisanna and Elfman Strauss?"

Lisanna shifted her gaze between the friendly knight and the unconscious boys knocked out on the ground behind her. She put on a brave face and shook the knight's hand. "Nice to meet you, Erza."

Despite her apparent toughness, Erza's hand was warm and comforting to the touch. Lisanna felt a pillar of confidence from the girl, and that feeling made the smaller girl feel safe in the relatively unknown environment.

"Likewise," Erza agreed. "So, has Fairy Tail been treating you two well?"

"Yeah! Everyone's so nice and friendly!"

Elfman rubbed the back of his head. "It's much more friendly than I thought it would be."

"Of course it would be," came a voice from behind Erza. One of the downed boys, Natsu, had recovered. "It's Fairy Tail, after all."

The sentiment carried through the group of kids, none more so than the two newcomer children. They had been wandering for months, through so many towns and environments, fending for themselves. Finally, they found somewhere with other kids just like them, who understood their feelings and accepted them for who they were.

Lisanna felt excited. Her heart fluttered with a fluffy and light feeling she hadn't truly felt in a long time. She turned to the bar, hoping to spread her feelings to one certain individual. But the bar seats were empty, and she frowned once she saw a cloaked figure exit through the front doors alone.

"I'm sure she'll come around," Elfman reassured her. "I mean we did, right?"

"I hope so." she plainly stated before going back to the gathering of kids, and subsequently laughing once a mysterious pair of pants landed on Elfman's face.

"Gray, not in front of the newcomers!" The brunette, Cana, sputtered. "Put your dang clothes back on!"

Gray, the boy previously fighting with Natsu, looked down to notice he had stripped to his underwear unwittingly. "How did that happen?!"

The kids all laughed as the boy rushed to dress back in his clothes. Lisanna felt a little better already.

I hope they both come around to this guild. She thought. It just wouldn't be the same without Mira and Axis here, too.

…

It was a great day today. The wind came in as a light breeze, off-putting the slightly warmer-than-usual air. This created the perfect weather for some physical activity without too much uncomfortable sweat build-up. And it was also a nice day to have some fun.

"Get back here!"

Axis turned back to the large man closing in behind him. "Not on your life! I earned these fair and square!"

"The hell you mean you earned 'em?!" The heavyset man was steaming. "They're mine!"

"Not anymore, I guess!" Axis mocked as he sped up, gaining distance between him and the man. He took a bite of a peach he had repossessed, angering the man further.

"Hey! I'll get you for that!"

Axis chuckled, turning his legs draconic. "Not likely!"

"What-!"

Axis could barely hear what else the man had to say before he diverted some of his magic into his legs, giving him a massive speed boost. He laughed full of childlike jolly as he sprinted down the cobbled street, avoiding all kinds of people as they stared at him in wonder.

"Yeah! Try and catch me now- woah!"

His joyous escape was cut short when suddenly a leg popped out of an alleyway, tripping him up. He threw his arms up before faceplanting, instead rolling a few feet to a sudden stop. The fruits he was carrying went everywhere. In his disorientation, the man caught up.

"Damn kid!" The heavyset man cursed at him whilst picking up the dropped fruit. "You're old enough to get a job, so you better start givin' me business instead of stealing from me!"

The man completed his task, retreating with Axis' bounty just as the young boy recovered. Axis shook his head to set things straight and was about to retort, but stopped once he saw a hand extended out to him.

"It's only been a week and you're already stealing?" Mira asked plainly.

"You didn't have to trip me, you know." Axis moped, accepting her gesture. His stomach growled once he got to his feet, causing his cheeks to flush. "Excuse me. Heh heh."

Mira sighed, holding up some sandwiches she had brought with her from the guild. "So, I guess you're hungry?"

…

They set themselves sitting next to each other on a park bench in the aptly named Magnolia Park. They watched families play in the grass and others walk by on the stone path. A slow breeze rustled the tree leaves, shimmering them like stars in a grassy sky.

"Man, that hit the spot!" Axis rubbed his stomach in satisfaction. "That place got some good eats!"

"Mhmm," Mira hummed in agreement. "Since Lisanna and Elfman can't work yet, we get to eat for free. I'll say the chef has some good stuff."

"Man, they just give you guys food?" Axis leaned back. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Then why haven't you joined?" Mira inquired. "You'd get treated the same way, and I think you'd fit right in with the other kids."

Axis waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, not my style. Joining a guild comes with a lot of responsibility, like needing to conform to guild rules and all that. It'd tie me down. Plus," he watched a sparrow fly from a tree, flapping its wings and sailing above him. "I think I like it out here more, doing whatever I want without anyone telling me 'no'."

Mirea crossed her arms. "That's exactly the answer I thought you'd give. At least come visit more. Lisanna's been missing having you around, and I think a lot of the other kids really want to know about this mysterious boy she keeps talking about."

"Maybe, maybe not." Axis shrugged. "So why haven't you joined yet?"

"Actually," she revealed her left thigh from her cloak, showing the Fairy Tail guild mark. "I have."

Axis whistled at the sight of the mark, its effect looking permanent. "Really? You don't seem too excited about it, though."

Mira nestled her thigh back away under the cloak. "Lisanna and Elfman can't work yet, but I can. I'm gonna need to make money for them eventually, which means I need to learn."

Axis' eyes widened as she stood up in front of him. "You mean-!"

She looked into his eyes, her blue orbs half determined and half disgusted at the prospect. "I want you to teach me what you know about your Takeover magic."

Axis stood to meet her, concerned. "Are you sure about this, Mira?"

She nodded, a tight expression written across her face. "I am. I can't make a lot of money without magic. I need to control it, no matter how much I hate it."

Axis examined her fire. She was serious about this, that was for sure. She always was when it came to her siblings, and she seemed to be doing this solely for their sake. He respected that, even if it seemed she was hurting herself in doing so.

"You bribed me with the sandwiches, huh? Fine," his expression hardened. "Lesson one, let's get that arm under control."

With some hesitance, Mira brought her demon arm to light, its grotesque, purplish form looking even worse in broad daylight than at night. Axis set his arm beside hers, transforming it into its draconic form in turn.

"Now remember, I only just learned how to control my magic like a week or two ago, so I won't really be able to tell you exactly what to do," he warned her. "But I can at least try to help you transform. The rest you'll have to figure out on your own."

"That's fine," she obliged. "Just tell me what you did to conquer it. I need to gain control."

"It was the night that weird Gorian attacked us, remember? Elfman and I had this huge argument and I was going to leave, but you came after me."

"Yeah, I remember." Her eyes turned a bit sad thinking back on the memory. "That night was… stressful. Your magic went out of control, and you almost hurt Elfman. But then, suddenly, it's like you mastered it once you fought the Gorian."

"Because I gained control." Mira obviously wanted him to elaborate, so he did. "Before then, I thought my magic was some other being, something that thought for itself and only activated when it wanted to. I was wrong. I realized, the whole time, that it was me. My power and no one else's. I was the one behind its activation the whole time, no one else was responsible."

Axis released a slow breath and focused. His draconic arm shimmered briefly, losing its scales and transforming back into flesh and bone. Mira watched the process with interest.

"Once I etched that into myself, well, it all just came naturally. The magic flowed how I wanted, and I could do things I couldn't believe."

Mira scowled. "But how? How did you make peace with it? All this magic of mine has done is make my and my siblings' lives harder. We had to abandon our home and live on the run for months. I couldn't show my arm in public for fear of someone retaliating. I can't just make peace with something that has never even done me any good."

"How did I do it?" Axis echoed. He placed his arm comfortingly on her shoulder. "Aren't you forgetting something? You're the one who helped me do it. You're the one who told me that my magic was more than a detriment or a harm to others. You taught me that it was a blessing, something I could use to help more than just myself."

Mira tightened her arm into a fist. "I don't know if I can ever think of this arm that way."

Axis' gaze softened. "Hey, I'm just saying that's what worked for me. Again, I'm not really the end-all-be-all teacher for Takeover magic. You just gotta find what works for you."

"What works for me?" She repeated his sentiment, her mind elsewhere. She focused on her arm, trying to feel anything that might work. She flexed it and turned it a few times, but it remained the same. She started to get visibly frustrated. Her arm started to shake.

"We suffered for months because of you." She said to the arm, losing her sense of surroundings. It was only her and the arm as far as she was concerned, and Axis let her keep it that way. "We had to leave our home. I couldn't show my face. I couldn't help my siblings when they needed it. I had to let them take care of me."

She gritted her teeth, her frustration turning to anger. "You never helped me. Not when we had to scavenge for food, not when we had to find a place to sleep, and definitely not when a monster attacked us. All you did was sit there and watch. No more."

Axis backed up a few paces, feeling a well of magical energy erupting from the girl. His eyes widened at the power. It felt potent. It felt dangerous. He didn't stop her.

"I will not make peace with you. You don't deserve it." Mira's cloak fluttered in the magical pressure. "I'm going to control you. I'm going to turn your misfortune into something I can use to finally protect my friends and family."

"Holy crap…" Axis muttered when the arm started to glow. The ground beheld a light tremble from the immense magical power radiating from the girl. It was just now that he realized that Mira was hiding immense power all this time.

Not hiding. He corrected himself. It was untapped. I don't think she ever knew herself.

Mira was now panting, the pressure of what she was doing getting to her. "You will listen to me, Satan Soul, and turn back to normal."

To Axis' surprise, it did. The arm, like an obedient anima;, heeded her words and transformed. For the first time in months, the arm returned to the pale color of Mira's flesh. Mira had finally gotten back control of her arm.

The magical pressure faded. Mira's cloak stopped fluttering. The ground stopped trembling. The world returned to how it was, and it seemed like no one had taken notice of what had just happened. The world went on just the same as before.

But to these two, life had just changed forever.

"You did it!" Axis was ecstatic, jumping up and down in excitement for his friend. "It actually worked!"

"Yeah… I did." Mira stated this without much emotion. She studied her hand in wonder, seeing her arm normal again stupefied her. Before she knew this was magic, she had dreams of seeing it again. To be fully human once more. She thought it was just that- a dream. But she had made it a reality.

But why, after this huge accomplishment, did she feel even more disgusted with herself than she ever had previously?

She stuffed the arm quickly back into her cloak. "Thanks, Axis."

"Don't mention it, that was all you!" He was too excited to notice her melancholy. "Hey, maybe we can start practicing fighting! We can go a few rounds, and get you used to combat? Oh, but we should probably get you used to your transformation, first. What did you call it? Satan Soul? Man, that sounds so badass…"

Axis kept rambling, obviously pumped up for his friend. He felt more pumped up about this than she did. All Mira did, however, was look at the ground in shame. Things would be different now. And she wasn't sure whether she would ever truly accept how it would be.