Oak Town: July 21st, x778
This city of Oak Town was quiet since the uproar that Sorcerers Weekly caused over Jose's new student a couple of weeks ago; the sleepy town had returned to its natural habitat. The residents worked their daily jobs, and the guild at the top of the hill was the focal point of all the noise and rowdiness. Oak Town was, at heart, a peaceful town.
"Hey, did you hear..."
"Jose destroyed Clover..."
"Says he fought Makarov..."
"Wizard Saints..."
"Jose lost..."
Now, though, after the news that the most well-known figure in that sleepy town was reportedly in a fight with Makarov, the guild master of Fairy Tail who also held the prestige of a Wizard Saint, everyone was talking.
"What's going on..."
All except one: a blue-haired teen who had been in the most isolated guild in Fiore and, therefore, hadn't been keeping up with the news.
"Why's everyone so noisy?" Siegrain murmured to himself as he got off the train from Cait Shelter. His head turned confusedly as he saw the usually quiet town bustling with people. Their heads tilted towards each other as they gossiped about this and that. Honestly, the only thing Siegrain could catch was Clover, which didn't help him at all.
Why are they talking about plants...
Siegrain wasn't well studied in the geography of Fiore. Vera took care of that part of the mission.
Maybe it's another holiday?
Siegrain tilted his head at the thought before shrugging and deciding to look into it later. His ears idly caught a few stray whispers as he walked through Oak Town. He wanted to get back to his apartment before figuring out what the fuss was about. Cait Shelter was fun, but the entire nearly dying multiple times ordeal was draining. Now, he just wanted to rest.
I wonder what happened while I was away...
Preferably, after he met up with Vera again and apologized for ditching him earlier—or at least apologized for feeding him to the wolves known as paparazzi. Even by Siegrain's high standards, that was a cruel fate no one should face alone.
Wonder if Vera-
"Siegrain," a deep yet familiar voice called out as Siegrain's mood grew instantly. A slight smile grew on his lips as he turned around to see Aria appearing out of thin air behind him, "Hey Aria, what's..."
Siegrain stopped, his words dying as he saw the seriousness that laced Aria's image. Siegrain's initial excitement turned to a sudden confusion and dread as he watched Aria tilt his hat back and speak somberly, "You should come with me."
Siegrain never thought he'd say it, but...
"I need to show you something."
He would have preferred it if Aria was crying.
Magnolia: July 21st, x778
The city of Magnolia was a loud one. Noise was its business, and it made a significant profit. When Magnolia was loud, it was in good spirits, and no day other than this day was it ever in such high spirits.
"Hey, Makarov's back!"
"Makarov's back... really?"
"Oh, that's good. I thought he was hurt."
"That news article was so cool."
"A fight between wizard saints..."
"Yeah, and ours won..."
"That's awesome..."
The people in Magnolia were bustling with laughter and pride at the news. The wizard saint in charge of the biggest guild in Magnolia had defeated another with the same title. It was an incredible story for people to tell each other during the morning rush, and their whispers of excitement reached every ear.
I wish they wouldn't make it such a big deal...
Including the old man responsible.
They reminded me how much money I had to pay for the damages.
Makarov nearly burst into tears with that single thought. His face was crestfallen as he walked through the busy town and gave a few words of greeting to the residents. The smile on his face was as cheery as ever, hopefully enough to distract the slight wince he gave every time he took a step—a remnant of the battle that had destroyed Clover.
His ghosts sure do pack a punch...
Makarov was pretty sure his chest would be aching for the next few days courtesy of the surprise attack that had caught him off Gaurd. A full-powered beam to his chest wouldn't heal quickly; it was still stinging at this very moment. Along with the other injuries he had gotten from the battle.
Or a bite.
Makarov's ankle was swollen, with teeth marks still indented in its skin from those nasty ghouls with endless hunger. He was honestly hoping he could visit Porlyushica later to get it checked out if she didn't strangle him for getting injured first.
Ah... she's going to kill me.
Makarov sighed resignedly at the thought as he walked through the town. His mind wandered to the foreboding tongue-lashing he would get in the future before his attention was caught by a recent issue of Sorcerer's Weekly being offered by a nearby vendor. Makarov quirked his eyebrows as he saw the title that wasn't about his battle in Clover before his lips curled up in a fond smile. Not even a moment later, he bought the newspaper with high expectations and a bustle of pride.
Laxus cements himself as the top youth sorcerer in Fiore! Read about his latest achievements!
Makarov wouldn't be a good grandfather if he couldn't admire his grandson's accomplishments.
A blue-haired boy silently stared at his bandaged friend in an apartment in Oak Town. An IV dripped from the rack attached to the black-haired boy, who slept deeply in a bed. The drawers were littered with medical supplies, and clothes he didn't recognize were scattered around the apartment, yet the blue-haired boy didn't even notice it.
"What happened..."
All he could see was the person in front of him.
"What happened while I was gone," Siegrain whispered as he continued to stare at his unconscious friend. The dull yet steady breathing sounded like a loud explosion in Siegrain's ears as he heard Aria say, "Vera took an escort mission."
Siegrain slowly turned his eyes away from Vera as if he were prying the glue off them. He watched as Aria pointed him to a newspaper on the bedside counter.
"It didn't end well."
Siegrain snatched the newspaper up immediately. He started reading it for an explanation while Aria waited quietly. The room grew quiet until the windows began rattling, a constant strain on their glass panes as Aria watched with profound attention. His gaze was a mix of melancholy and pride because this was the first time Siegrain had done it.
He grew while he was away...
It was the first time Siegrain's vast ocean of magic had been transferred into a crushing pressure.
Hopefully, it was in the right direction.
Aria hummed at the thought as he watched the window start to crack near its corner. Aria gently touched Siegrain's shoulder to calm his rage as the boy stiffened at his touch. The magic pressure fell from a downpour to a trickle as Siegrain got control of himself. His head hung low as he promptly burned the paper in his hands and whispered flatly, "Can you leave Aria... please."
Siegrain's voice was robotic, and his eyes were empty.
"Of course."
Aria took that as a sign to leave him be so he could process his feelings.
"I'll be atop the guild hall if you need me," Aria said as he turned his head towards the window, ready to leave before he stopped. His covered gaze flickered towards the bandages wrapped around Vera's chest before he spoke with a slight hint of resignation, "If you would, could you change Vera's bandages?"
Aria had been the one to do it for the last few days. He wouldn't let the other kids do it. He didn't want them to see the scar left behind, and even if he thought they could handle it, he wasn't sure if Vera would have allowed them to see it.
"I haven't been able to do it in a while."
Aria was confident that Vera would have allowed Siegrain to see it.
"It's hard to look at," Aria mumbled somberly as he watched Siegrain tilt his head back in suspicious and confused silence. The blue-haired boy opened his mouth in question before Aria vanished in a breeze of air that snuck out the window, leaving Siegrain alone with the dull drip of an IV echoing through the messy and chaotic room.
It was an annoying sound, but Siegrain couldn't care about it. He didn't really care about anything at that moment.
Siegrain's emotions had become void. It was as if his brain had shut them off to protect him from this new sensation flooding his system. A new emotion his body didn't recognize and therefore needed to keep at arm's distance. It was odd, like boiling water that was slowly pouring onto his chest or a poison that was claiming his blood inch by inch.
Siegrain couldn't figure out what it was.
He honestly couldn't be bothered to try.
That's why Siegrain didn't linger too long on Aria's strange behavior or the new clothes added to their apartment floor. He didn't question why the girls' clothes were stacked in the corner or the reason for them being there; he just grabbed a roll of bandages and went to Vera's side. His fingers moved swiftly as he began unwrapping the old bandages that covered Vera's chest.
That was when he saw it.
The scar on the right side of Vera's chest. The in the trailer, from his pec to his shoulder, with a jagged scar, like a burning pipe had been placed on his skin.
"Ah..."
Yet when the windows, not just in his apartment but in the entire apartment complex, shattered, it wasn't for that scar. It wasn't good, but it wasn't what had made his vision tint red and the blood rush to his ears. It was what was left behind on Vera's right pec that caused his magic to roar uncontrollably until he bit his tongue to soothe it back into submission.
"Fairy Tail..."
Yet, it didn't stop the new feeling from festering. The feeling Siegrain had never felt once in his entire life, not to the extent that he was experiencing now. He couldn't name the bitter taste. The boiling feeling gripped his heart, but he didn't need to. He just had to bathe in it, so he did that. He bathed in it until every sensation returned to that one nasty emotion.
"I'll never forgive you."
For the first time in Siegrain's life, after learning what it meant to love a place so much, he tore himself to pieces to return to it...
"Bastards."
He learned what it meant to despise something so much that he wanted to see it burn.
Fairy Tail was a boisterous guild as loud and obnoxious as the city it resided in. Yet, Fairy Tail was silent as Laxus walked into the guild hall for the impromptu talk his grandpa had called him up for. It was a waste of time that he could only attend because Gildarts refused to let him leave. He refused to let him take a mission, which grated Laxus's nerves.
This is a waste of time.
It also didn't help that all these weaklings were getting on his nerves.
What's with all these losers...
Laxus raised an eyebrow as he entered the guild, and all the guild members stopped their conversations and stared. It was like everyone was holding their breath. Some shot him with judgemental glares, others looked at him in confusion or disbelief, and a few looked at him like they were seeing him for the first time.
They should be thanking me.
Ever since he'd beaten that loser, everyone in Fiore had been talking about Fairy Tail. In a single day, they had gone from a guild everyone kept writing off to an actual contender for the number one guild in Fiore. That was because of him, not anyone else.
Fucking idiots...
Laxus really needed Freed and the rest of the Thunder God Tribe to return from their mission so he wouldn't have to spend time around these bottom feeders.
They couldn't see a good thing even if it hit them in the nose.
Laxus clicked his tongue as he ignored the looks and went to his grandpa's office in the back of the guild. The ungratefulness of the masses reminded him of the idiot who ran off to Phantom Lord of all places. The ungrateful bitch that took his offer and spit it back in his face. It was honestly disappointing.
What a waste.
Laxus knew she was an idiot, but he didn't think she would be that fucking stupid. Phantom Lord was a fake guild; they were number one in Fiore because Laxus hadn't yet become a guild master. As soon as he did that, the trash can of a guild would fall back in line with all the rest. Hell, he had made one move, and people were already talking. It was only a matter of time before he put Fairy Tail on the map as the best guild in Fiore.
Phantom Lord's mages are trash... well, most of them.
Laxus scowled as he idly reached up to his nose, still bruised from the giant asshole he had fought a few days ago. The only decent thing he could begrudgingly say came from Phantom Lord's trash heap of a guild, like a diamond in the roughest terrain.
Aria of the Great Sky...
Laxus had done some research after fighting the big dunce. It wasn't every day he had someone stupid enough to try and make a fool out of him.
I'll settle the score with him later.
Laxus grinned viciously at the thought, his face settling in a cocky manner as he opened the door to his grandpa's office and walked in. Laxus's voice was a mixture of boredom and annoyance as he closed the door behind him and jumped on the couch. His head tilted back as he saw his grandpa sitting in his chair with his head down and palms clasped on the table, "Hey, gramps. What's so important you needed to see me? You finally ready to retire and give me-"
"Stop talking, Laxus," Makarov said in an exhausted voice that stopped Laxus, and a shiver crawled up his spine. Laxus blinked in surprise as he looked around the room and realized this wasn't the usual visit. It was just him and his grandpa in the room, and the only thing of note was the newspaper on the desk that his grandfather's eyes never seemed to leave.
"For once, just listen, foolish grandson of mine."
It didn't take long for Laxus to realize what this was all about.
"Do you know why Fairy Tail was created?" Makarov spoke somberly, watching as Laxus looked at him suspiciously and fidgeted uncomfortably. The silence stretched as Laxus waited for an answer and was confused, "The first guild master wanted to know if Fairies had tails."
"The fuck are you talking about old man?" Laxus murmured as Makarov proceeded to talk lowly to himself as if Laxus wasn't even in the room, "Do fairies have tails? Why would they? Are fairies even real? Where would they be? An endless list of questions with endless answers."
Laxus felt the air chill as Makarov looked up from the newspaper for the first time since he entered the room and looked at him with an iron gaze. His words were laced with an emotion Laxus wasn't used to receiving. He didn't even think his grandfather was capable of it.
"That's the essence of Fairy Tail Laxus. It's an endless adventure in search of endless answers."
It was a pure and unfiltered disappointment.
"I thought you knew that, Laxus," Makarov murmured somberly as he heard his stiffen in response, with a few seconds passing before his grandson scoffed defensively, "What the fuck is this old man? Are you trying to guilt-trip me or something? Why? Cuz I showed that loser-"
"HE'S A BOY LAXUS! A BOY!" Makarov roared so suddenly that Laxus stumbled back onto the sofa. Laxus watched in stunned silence as Makarov jumped on the desk and spat through clenched teeth, "A boy you put into a coma!"
"He was out of control, old man! I saved his life! So what's the big-"
"BULLSHIT!" Makarov roared as his muscles grew, and he towered over Laxus, his head touching the room ceiling as he grumbled with the voice of an ogre, "Do you think I'm a fool, Laxus! I know what was written in the newspaper was a farce! You could have knocked that boy out without hospitalizing him, and you CHOSE NOT TO!" Makarov's voice fell like thunder as his head broke a part of the ceiling, and the desk beneath his feet shattered. The grumble of his anger echoed through the room as he towered over Laxus, "Why did you do it, Laxus?"
A crushing magical pressure fell over the room as Laxus growled and glared defiantly, "Because it fucking worked, old man! Fairy Tail is finally being taken seriously!" Laxus clenched his fists as he spit through clenched teeth, "So what now, old man?" Laxus's lips curled up in a smirk, "You gonna 'punish' me for finally making Fairy Tail something other than a laughing stock."
The room was silent moments after Laxus watched his grandfather for any sudden moves before Makarov slowly shrunk. The debris from the ceiling trickled down as Makarov shrunk back down to size. His eyes were downcast as he stood before Laxus with a frown: "Is that really what you think matters, Laxus? That this guild is 'recognized' for what? It's strength?"
"Strength is all that matters." Laxus replied flatly, his arms crossed as he watched a vein grow in Makarov's forehead, "Family is what matters!" Makarov ground his teeth as he spoke with deep frustration, "That's what Fairy Tail has always been about, Laxus!"
"Then why did you kick him out!" Laxus roared as his temper snapped, and he growled with a tremor in his voice; his throat was hoarse as he watched his grandfather flinch in surprise, "Why did you banish Dad!? He loved this guild! He loved us! So why-"
"BECAUSE HE NEARLY KILLED YOU LAXUS!" Makarov roared as the room fell to silence. Laxus stood stock still. Laxus's face turned red in anger before Makarov silenced him with razor-sharp words that ripped a hole in his chest and made his world stall, "You weren't supposed to survive that operation!"
Laxus couldn't believe what the bullshit he was hearing. It took all he could not to roll his eyes at the blatant lies he was being told. His dad wasn't like that. The old man must be going senile.
"That lacrimal that he shoved inside your chest was supposed to kill you! It was a miracle that you survived Laxus! A MIRACLE!"
That had to be it... no, that had to be it.
"It's a miracle I am eternally grateful for," Makarov murmured as tears rolled down his eyes. He saw Laxus's eyes waver hesitantly before Laxus gnashed his teeth stubbornly and refused to meet his gaze. Makarov sighed deeply as he clenched his fists and tore his emotions out of his chest.
"But you went too far, Laxus."
Makarov had called Gildarts before he told Laxus to come see him. He knew about the scar.
"You crossed a line and tarnished everything this guild stands for—every. Single. Thing."
The disgusting, unforgivable scar Laxus left on that boy.
"I should banish you for it," Makarov said as he watched Laxus freeze. Laxus's eyebrow was raised in disbelief before subtly, gradually, his green eyes widened in surprise once he realized Makarov was sincere. Laxus should be banished.
"But I love you, Laxus."
If Makarov were a better guild master, he would have done it. But he wasn't. He was an incompetent leader who failed to deliver his promise to Priecht. He was an old fool blinded by his family and always would be. That's why he had failed to see this coming.
"I refuse to send you to the man who tried to kill you."
This long overdue attempt at reprimanding his grandson would be another one of his countless failures. It was a far cry from the correct course of action, yet he couldn't go further. Makarov couldn't banish his grandson because Ivan was still out there, and Makarov still loved Laxus, even after all he had done.
"I won't banish you."
That's the kind of man he was—the kind that failed to separate his duties as a grandfather and a guildmaster.
"Understand that your punishment will be far lighter than what is truly owed," Makarov mumbled dully as he returned to his broken desk and began picking up the pieces individually. Splinters were scattered across his aged hands as he spoke without turning around to see Laxus's reaction. He didn't trust himself to. All he heard was the shaky breath and the clenched fists of his pitiful grandson.
"I, Makarov Dreyar, the third guild master of Fairy Tail."
Laxus Dreyar was a prodigy among prodigies. He was one of the youngest S-class mages in history. He was the youngest S-class mage in Fairy Tail's history, and on July 21st, x778, four days after the incident, that shook up the magic community and put Fairy Tail in the spotlight of all of Fiore's mages.
"Now strip you of your S class title and all the privileges that reside along with it."
Laxus Dreyar became the youngest mage in Fiore's History to lose the title of S class.
On a castle atop a hill, a tan man with a blindfold sat atop the tiled rooftop and watched the rowdy city of Oak Town. His head was turned towards an average apartment complex on the main road where a boy struggled to contain his vast magic power.
Ah...
So far, the boy has only partially succeeded.
Siegrain's taking it better than I expected.
Aria hummed at the thought as he kept his eye on Siegrain. He was ready to head back to the apartment if the boy couldn't control his magic and scared the nearby civilians, but that wasn't an issue. The magic power was kept under a thin lid; even if it was burning, it wasn't scaring anyone anymore. Aria could leave it be.
"Wow, Aria, did you actually encourage such a violent reaction..."
He had another conversation to address.
"Color me impressed," Jose smirked as he floated down to the roof. His image was as pristine as it was when he left the town, but he knew his ace wouldn't buy the little illusion he'd placed on himself to hide all the countless injuries he sported from fighting Makarov.
"What are you doing here, guildmaster..."
Jose's ace had always had good eyes.
"You should be resting," Aria frowned as he turned back to Jose, who rolled his eyes and wiped a trickle of blood that escaped his lips. Courtesy of the bruises that lined his body and the broken rib, he would have to get treated on the down low later on.
"Not even the dead rest, Aria, so why should I."
Jose snapped his fingers, and his illusion returned to full power, hiding the blood stain on his chin. His violet gaze turned back to Aria before he spoke with a deep-seated bitterness: "Now shut up and listen. I will be absent from Oak Town for the last five days of every month."
Jose had learned a lesson in Clover.
"In that time, you'll be in charge."
He planned to make use of it.
"Is that clear," Jose ordered as he watched Aria raise an eyebrow before the air mage frowned. The gentle giant then turned to the town and nodded dryly, "Yes, guild master."
Aria didn't mind watching over Oak Town every once in a while. He didn't enjoy it but could handle it for a few days every month.
"If you're looking for a place to train, I would suggest the ruins of Joye. That place is now a wasteland."
Aria wasn't one to try and stifle someone's growth.
"No one will notice if it grows a couple of inches each month," Aria commented flatly as he heard Jose hum in consideration, "I'll consider it."
Aria then heard Jose float a little higher, the guild master ready to return to his office, before Aria asked, with a thinly veiled intention, "Did you remember what I told you over the lacrimal call yesterday?"
"Oh? About the new talent you brought back. Yes, I remember," Jose commented with a dry smirk as he gave Aria a little verbal parting gift, "I'll be waiting in the main hall later this evening."
Jose would be lying if he said he wasn't intrigued.
"I hope she's as good as you built her up to be."
Aria wasn't one to heap praises for no reason.
"In the meantime, you should pay attention to your other budding talent," Jose smirked as he descended towards the gate to go to his office, leaving a silent rooftop in his wake. The tension lasted only a few seconds before Aria commented with a dry breath, "I suppose I have the time."
Aria tilted his head slightly, returning to the blue-haired boy standing on the roof behind him. Having just arrived, the boy immediately raised an open palm and murmured, "Sorry, Aria..."
A ball of orange flame flickered to life, cradled beneath his touch like a gentle flower.
"I need to blow off some steam."
The ball imploded, and a gushing orange flame burst from the top of the guild hall. The fire roared over the rooftop and soared, lighting up the top of the building like a beacon atop the highest point in town. The flames burning a snap was heard and all of them were snuffed out in an instant, and a man was left standing in their wake without a scratch on him.
"Do not feel sorry, Siegrain..."
Aria lowered his palm before a 'pop' was heard, and he flickered in front of Siegrain. A ball of air was in his hand as he held an open palm to the boy's chest.
"That is what I am here for."
There was a 'pop'; Siegrain was sent flying towards the forest before he could blink. Siegrain's chest ached as he fell through the sky and splashed into the river. His breath was heavy as he swam to shore, pulled himself to his feet, rubbed his bruised chest, and turned to the man waiting patiently in the sky.
"Anytime, anywhere, if you need to throw yourself at a wall you can't break, just find me. I'll never refuse."
Siegrain took a deep breath as electricity ran through his palm and built in his finger. His vision was tinted with that same boiling itch he felt from his time in the apartment, but a new sensation combatted it. A soft feeling grew as he watched Aria open his arms invitingly and declare just as he did when they first met in that tower years ago.
"Fight to your heart's content..."
Siegrain still had that bitter feeling in his chest, but...
"I will witness all of it."
It felt lighter with Aria around.
The air in Makarov's office felt heavy.
What went wrong...
Makarov stood alone at his broken desk, staring at the newspaper he did not know of until that day. The echo of a thunderous rampage somewhere deep in the forests as Laxus worked off his frustrations only worked to upset him more as he looked at the photograph.
Was Laxus always capable of this...
The boy looked at death's door.
Did I not notice it?
Makarov bit his lip as he reached to crumble the paper before stopping. His eyes watered as he took the newspaper and put it in his requip space. It would serve as a reminder that he could take out when he needed to remind himself of what had happened under his reign as guild master. It was under his supervision that he had allowed this to happen.
This came out on the day of the guild conference...
Makarov had a lot to make up for; his children's faults were the fault of their teacher.
If he saw this before, I did...
Makarov would take responsibility.
"Dammit," Makarov murmured tiredly as he took out a lacrimal orb and called a number he wasn't expecting to answer. The orb reached the last ring before a flat voice picked up, "How funny. The internal bleeding must be getting to me."
Makarov didn't expect Jose to pick up if he was being honest.
"I'm certain you aren't idiotic enough to call me after Clover."
He did expect the insults, though, and he wouldn't try to deny them this time.
"I am truly sorry, Jose."
Only an idiot of a guild master would allow such a mistake to happen.
"I didn't know my grandson would-"
"Do you take me for a fool, Makarov?" Jose's voice cut in with the sharpness of a knife. Makarov couldn't find it to speak up as Jose's sarcastic voice echoed through the quiet room like a gong of judgment, "You didn't know? You're sorry? Bullshit."
Makarov stayed quiet, his face ashen as he listened to Jose begin to scold him syllable by syllable.
"You knew somewhere in your bleeding old heart what he could do. Maybe you never thought he would do it, but you still knew it was there. You knew there was a part of his shitstain of his father in him. Otherwise, every other question you asked me in Clover wouldn't have been about helping your raging egomaniac of a grandson."
Jose could have taken a sledgehammer. It would have done less damage.
"You knew but chose to ignore it and hope he magically fixed himself."
Even if Makarov didn't agree completely, he knew an ounce of truth was in those words. Makarov had been worried about Laxus going down the wrong path. He never considered that his grandson could have already started walking it.
"As for your half-ass apology, save it."
Jose's following assumption, however, couldn't have been wronger.
"It's a load of shit. It's just a bandaid you want to place on a problem your negligence and wishful thinking were the cause of. You don't care that the rodent nearly died. You just care that your grandson was the one who did it."
"That isn't true Jose! I-"
"Then is Laxus banished from Fairy Tail? Is that the article I will read in tomorrow's paper, Makarov? Or will it be some slap on the wrist that you should have given him months ago?" Jose interrupted flatly, shooting a hole in Makarov's voice box as silence fell over the office. The silent guilt was enough to kill any chance of a counterargument.
"I thought so."
Or at least any counterargument that Jose would believe.
"Don't contact me again, Makarov. I don't have time to waste on this. Unlike you, I actually have a guild to run."
Makarov's gaze fell as the line flickered, and he was left alone to stew in his failure with a parting shot from Jose. One that cemented the end of Makarov's hopeful idea back in the bar. Along with any chance he had at being considered even a halfway decent guild master. Not after this colossal failure.
"Oh, and word to the wise, don't let me catch any of your fairies in Oak Town."
On July 21st, x778...
"Otherwise, the next article will be about them."
Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord cut all forms of contact.
In the forests surrounding Oak Town, hours after the sun had reached the sky's peak, a blue-haired boy lay on his back, surrounded by burnt, crushed, and soaked trees. His breath was heavy as sweat dripped down his bruised skin, and he looked up at the blindfolded man hovering above him in the evening dusk.
"You've taken a step forward, Siegrain..."
The ace of Phantom Lord floated in the air with nothing more than dirt and dust on his clothes. This was the most damage Siegrain could pull off in the spar.
"Although I fear you took a step backward as well," Aria murmured as he tipped his hat to avoid the boy's gaze. He tilted his head toward the guild and spoke with a small sigh, "I suggest you stop by the guild if you're not in a hurry."
Some lessons couldn't be taught; doing so would make them meaningless. They had to be learned by the mage themselves to have any value.
"A new member might be joining us soon."
Aria was confident that Siegrain would learn the lesson sitting in front of his nose with time. In the meantime, Aria would be there for him to test his skills against for as long or as little as he sought. Aria would be Siegrain's benchmark.
"She's going to introduce herself at the guild hall."
Then maybe one day Aria could see the nameless boy he found years ago soar far above him.
"I have a feeling you won't want to miss her debut," Aria said with a small smile as he vanished in a slight breeze and left Siegrian alone. The seconds ticked by as Siegrain closed his eyes, sighed, and rested his head on the cold dirt, "That jerk..."
Siegrain still had a lot to learn, it seemed.
"One day, I'll make you take that blindfold off."
Aria was still far out of his reach.
"One day," Siegrain murmured as he pulled himself off the ground and dusted off his clothes. He rolled his shoulders as he walked towards the town and through the forest, his mind racing as he utilized the cool head he had been gifted after Aria mopped the floor with him.
Three... no two years.
Siegrain was fourteen.
I'll make S class in two years.
He would pause everything and make S class by the time he was sixteen. Then, he would search for his brother again.
Sorry Jellal...
Maybe he would have the power to do something once he found him.
Just wait a little longer, okay?
Siegrain's gaze turned downcast at the thought as he walked into town. His feet carried him a few minutes until his gaze turned towards the apartment, and he winced as he saw the landlord angrily inspecting all the broken windows. Siegrain immediately took a left into an alleyway as he decided to take a new route to avoid his expensive outburst.
Shit...
Hopefully, an S-rank salary would help him pay for all the damages in the future.
We were almost out of debt, too.
Siegrain sighed as he made his way up to the guild hall. His footsteps were heavy with the thought of more money on the tab he and Vera already had running before he stumbled upon an interesting sight as he made his way to the end of an alley that would have spit him out right next to Phantom Lord's entrance.
What are they doing...
Siegrain hadn't expected two white-haired children, one boy, and one girl, to peek their heads out of the alley. Their eyes were glued on a cloaked figure standing before Phantom Lord's giant doors in a stiff and lonely silence. The sight would have been comical if it wasn't so obviously suspicious.
Are they trying to rob us?
Siegrain didn't know whether to feel annoyed or sorry for them. Robbing Phantom Lord was a bad decision, like a blow-up tower on the edge of town levels of a wrong decision. If they were lucky, they would get crippling debt. If they weren't, they would die.
"Hey..."
If he was being frank, Siegrain didn't want to witness either outcome unfold.
"It's not good to steal," Siegrain whispered as he saw the two kids keeping watch jump in fright. Their heads whipped towards him as Siegrain saw their crystal blue eyes widen before the little girl's eyes quirked in confusion. "Steal?"
Well, that was awkward...
"We aren't stealing."
After insinuating they were a thief, Siegrain didn't know how to continue conversing with someone. Thankfully, the girl seemed more curious than offended by his abrupt question.
"Who are you?" The girl asked as Siegrain rubbed his neck sheepishly and held up his guild mark, "Uh... my name is Siegrain. I'm a Phantom Lord mage."
Siegrain noted how their eyes became glued to his guild mark, and their attention seemed to be focused entirely on his following words, as if reverent: "Sorry if I assumed wrong. I was just confused as to why you were all waiting outside our guild hall."
These kids must really like Phantom Lord if they were in this much awe from just his guild mark.
"You're not locals. Can you tell me why you're here?" Siegrain asked, seeing their eyes widen before they exchanged a glance, and the two broke out in matching grins. The girl spoke up with little bounces in her feet as she pointed towards the cloaked figure by the door: "That's our sister. She's going to join Phantom Lord today."
Siegrain glanced at the cloaked figure; his attention pulled back to the little girl as she asked with a grin, "Can you please open the door for her? She's been standing there for half an hour."
Well, that was double awkward...
"I think it's locked."
Phantom Lord's doors were permanently unlocked.
"Um... sure," Siegrain murmured since he didn't have the heart to tell the little girl the truth. His footsteps were heavier than when he left the forest as he walked up to the cloaked figure and tapped her shoulder, "Um, excuse me."
Siegrain watched as the figure flinched and turned around with a frightened expression. He noticed that her white hair and crystal blue eyes matched her siblings as he spoke, "The doors are always..."
Then he saw what was under the cloak.
"Uh..."
His thoughts froze.
"The doors..."
And his mouth said the first and probably worst thing he could think to say in that situation.
"What are you wearing?" Siegrain asked the girl, who was wearing a very gothic and revealing outfit. She had a dark skimpy shirt, leather shorts held by a studded belt, and black boots. The entire outfit screamed, 'I will hurt you if you comment on it,' in Siegrain's stupor, he had done just that, but in his defense, he was in a bit of a shock. He had never seen an outfit like hers, especially in Oak Town.
"Aren't you cold?"
Siegrain wasn't saying it wasn't hot; it was summer, but Oak Town was still on a giant hill. The updraft kept it windy year-round, and since the sun was already getting close to the horizon, it was decently cool outside.
"Or does your cloak keep you warm? It doesn't look that big, though," Siegrain murmured as he watched the girl's eyes widen in confusion as if she wasn't sure if she was supposed to be offended, flattered, embarrassed, or all three simultaneously. Eventually, she settled on being confused, "Um... no. I'm not cold. Tough skin, I guess."
The girl crossed her arms uncomfortably; one was human, and one was demonic, which meant she was probably using some takeover magic if Siegrain had to guess, as her sharp eyes flickered to his bruised skin, "You're injured. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it was just Aria," Siegrain replied dismissively as he watched the girl's eyes widen in surprise before they narrowed, and she hissed accusingly, "Aria wouldn't do that."
"I know." Siegrain admitted seamlessly as he held up his guild mark, "That's why I asked him to spar with me. I'm a mage from Phantom Lord."
Siegrain saw her eyes widen in surprise before she asked with a slight hint of surprise, "You got in?"
"I did."
"I thought there was an age limit."
"My friend and I were exceptions," Siegrain replied with a shrug, seeing the girl's eyes widen with a bit of awe. Her eyes wandered to his guild mark before she clenched her fingers around her bicep and asked almost begrudgingly, "How'd you do it?"
She looked nervous.
"How'd you get in?"
She was probably scared about how she would try to get the guild master to forget the age limit. That could also have been why her siblings from earlier wanted him to talk to her. Maybe they were hoping for him to give her a pep talk or something. Unfortunately, they didn't expect him not to have the slightest clue how to do that, so he ended up saying the first thing that came to his mind.
"We blew up a tower."
It just so happened to be the truth.
"The guild master was impressed and let us in afterward," Siegrain recounted as he watched the girl's jaw drop. Her eyes searched his for signs of guilt for the ridiculous lie he had told, only to find nothing. The seconds ticked away before the girl burst into laughter, and the tension from her shoulders seemed to melt away. "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"That's what it took?" the girl asked, tears in her eyes that she wiped away as she watched him nod bluntly. A smile grew on her face as she took off her cloak and asked, with a newfound mischief, "Then if I destroy something, will he let me in?"
"Probably."
"Awesome... I'm pretty good at that," The girl grinned as she dropped her cloak on the ground, her footsteps falling quickly as she stood an inch from the door. Her breath came out in one shaky puff before she gulped, reared back her shaking demonic fist, and looked back with a slight hesitation in her eyes, "Hey. What's your name."
She probably thought she looked scared.
"Siegrain."
He thought she looked brave.
"Ah," the girl murmured, her eyes widening in recognition before her smile reached her ears. She turned to the door, clenched her trembling fist, and punched straight at the large oak gates. "Thanks, Siegrain."
Siegrain opened his mouth to respond, the air in his lungs leaving in disbelief as the girl's demonic fist hit the door and a loud 'bang' from the force. The oak gates, the entrance to Phantom Lord, flew off their handles, and the girl walked into a silent guild. Her footsteps echoed through the room as she planted her boot on the fallen wood and gave a vicious grin. Her display caught all of their attention, with even the guild master standing by with a smirk that bordered on impressed as the girl roared boldly.
"MY NAME IS MIRAJANE STRAUSS!"
On July 21st, x778, Siegrain met a girl named Mirajane Strauss in front of the guild hall.
"LET ME JOIN YOUR GUILD!"
She joined Phantom Lord less than an hour later.
A/N Hey, just a heads up: the next chapter will be the last chapter of this arc before I go back on break to plan more and do the whole trail system. If you need an explanation for my schedule, it'll be in the chapter Oak Trail 1 in the AN. Feel free to ask any general questions before then so I can try to answer them in that chapter. I can't explain any plot-related stuff, but general questions are fine.