"Why the hell do I have to do this again?" Skye gazed lazily out the window of the black Cadillac as it made it's way up the street. It was a sunny day, and the streets were crowded with cars, bicycles, and people. Makarov and Laxus were sitting in the back seat of the car. Laxus took a look outside, and closed his eyes. "Always moving..." he muttered.
"Because Black Mask wants you educated. He can't have you be as dumb as the rest of his boys. And don't talk like that. You're supposed to be a well brought up young lady at this school." replied the driver. He was one of the men who were assigned to watch Skye. She turned and glared at him, "Che'....That's not gonna happen. I'll be surrounded by spoiled, rich kids..... I'm going to go insane."
The driver didn't respond as the car entered a tunnel. Skye went back to staring out the window. She watched a boy and a girl fighting each other over a video game. They were yelling and hitting each other until the girl started to cry. The boy watched her crying for a few seconds before handing the girl the video game. She stopped crying and smiled at him.
"Laxus..." She mumbled. Laxus opened one eye.
"What?" asked the driver.
"Nothing...none of your business." Skye snapped.
"Can the attitude, we're here." he replied.
They pulled up into the driveway of a large, old looking stone school building. Skye turned her attention to the sign in front of the school that read: 'Augustine Academy for Gifted Young People', and wrinkled her nose.The car stopped, and Skye got out and opened the trunk. She grabbed a very full duffel bag, and swung it over her shoulder. The driver had gotten out of the car too and handed Skye a phone.
"You'll receive your orders on this. Your registration is all set up, and all you need to do is go inside. Your name is Skye Sionis while you are here, got it?"
Skye nodded, and he got back into the car. Skye turned to go inside when the driver called her back. He beckoned with his finger for her to come closer.
"Don't you even think of running. We know where you are, wherever you go." He warned, then drove off, leaving Skye in a cloud of exhaust fumes. She frowned and looked up at the building. It looked like a huge historic mansion, with a heavily gardened courtyard. There was a large, fountain in the center, with what looked like an angel surrounded by cherubs that were shooting water from their wings. On her way through the courtyard, Skye passed several students already in uniform and happily talking with their peers. The girls wore a dark blue coat over white shirts and the skirts were also dark blue and ended just above the knees. The boys wore a similar uniform, only they wore dark blue pants instead of skirts. Many of them glanced at her as she passed by, but she ignored them. She was wearing black pants, and a black tank top, and wore a cold expression; very different from everyone around her, but she didn't care. She went up the steps, opened the door and was blasted with cold air escaping the entrance hall. The entrance hall was filled with new students and their families being shown around by older students and staff. One of the students, a boy wielding a clipboard, walked up to her.
"Welcome to Augustine! My name is Evan. Are you one of our new students? Can I have your name?" He smiled at her with a mouth full of brilliantly white teeth. His uniform didn't have a wrinkle, and his orange hair was neatly parted straight down the middle of his head. Skye nodded and told him her name.
"Sionis.....lets see. Sanchez....Shalot....Here we go! Sionis, Skye" Evan ran his finger down the list on his clip board. He then began to thumb through a folder that was also on the clip board, and took out a plastic card, "Here's your student I.D card, Skye. The girl's dorms are in the building down the right path through the courtyard. You can check in there, and get settled. The welcoming ceremonies are tomorrow at 7am in the theater. See you there!" He turned and hustled up to another family and started reciting his greeting to them. Skye rolled her eyes and went back out to the courtyard. She looked to her right and saw a large, brick building at the end of a path. Frowning, she started down the steps. Makarov frowned as she passed between him and Laxus. Her eyes were dull, and her skin was pale. It looked like she hadn't smiled in a very long time, and they couldn't blame her.
Once she reached the girl's dorm building, Skye opened the door and headed to the desk where a staff member was organizing a filing cabinet. She cleared her throat, and the lady turned around.
"You....of course." Skye narrowed her eyes as Shiva smiled at her.
"Hello! My name is Ms.Chen, and I'll be helping out in the dorms this year. Your name and I.D card please." Shiva pleasantly chirruped. Skye raised an eyebrow and mouthed, "Wow", as she handed Shiva her I.D.
"Very good! Please come with me." Shiva walked out from behind the desk and led Skye up the stairs, weaving through families and students,"Your room is number 314, and your roommate's name is Heather Mitchell. She's already checked in and getting settled."
"Sionis put you up to this?"Skye muttered. Shiva glanced back at her.
"I'm here to keep an eye on you, and resume your training. Copperhead will be involved as well." She replied. Skye said nothing as they came to a stop in front of room 314. Shiva handed Skye the room key and left her to go back downstairs.
Skye turned the handle and entered her dorm room. It was a medium sized room with bunk beds against the left wall, and two desks and dressers against the right wall. One of the desks had a calender which was turned to September. On the top bunk, a black haired girl sat stuffing her pillow into a bright green pillowcase. Skye shut the door and tossed her duffel bag onto the bottom bunk. The girl looked down and saw Skye standing there. She put on a huge grin and leaped down right beside Skye.
"Hi! My name is Heather! You're Skye right? It's so great to meet you! I hope we get to be great friends!" She said all this very fast as Skye took out her uniforms that were bought two weeks before and packed them away in her dresser. She looked at Heather coldly, and lay down on the bottom bunk. Heather didn't seem to notice or care. Instead, she continued to question Skye.
"So what do your parents do? Your last name is Sionis right? Does that mean your parents run Sionis Steelworks? That's a huge company! You're so lucky! My parents own a software company called MitchellWare! It's decently big! A lot of kids here have parents that are lawyers, or surgeons and things like that!"
Skye gave Heather another cold look and turned to face the wall away from her. "I guess you must be tired, sorry. I'll wake you up later and we can go to dinner together!" Heather chirped. Skye grunted in reply, and she lay there while Heather went back to making her bed on the top bunk.
Later, Heather hopped down from her bed and shook Skye's shoulder, "Hey! Come on Miss Sleepy, lets go get some food!" Skye turned over, and sat up.
"Hey," Skye said. Heather looked down at her and grinned, "Yeeees?" She replied.
"Stop talking. I don't care what you have to say. Just leave me alone." Skye said icily. She got up and walked to the door. Heather looked taken aback. Laxus frowned at Skye.
"That's not how you should talk to your friends." Heather recovered.
"I don't have friends, and I don't need friends...or anyone for that matter." And with that, Skye left the dorm room, and the memory faded.
Laxus and Makarov stood in silent blackness for a few seconds before they were back in the dorm room. It was night, and the calendar read March. Skye had entered the room in her assassin clothes. She had on a different expression than the one they had seen previously. Instead of a bored, icy look in her eyes, they saw despair. She was starting to take off her wristblades, when Heather's voice startled her, and her eyes went cold once more.
"Where were you?" She clicked on a flashlight in her hands. She wasn't smiling, and her eyes were hard. Skye didn't answer as she took off the braces and stuffed them in her duffel bag.
"What are those?" Heather's voice took an accusatory tone and she climbed down from the top bunk. Skye didn't look at her as she sat down on the bed and began to take her light boots off. Heather scowled at her and grabbed the boot out of her hand,"Hey! You will get in serious trouble if you keep doing this. Where do you go every couple of weeks?"
Before Heather could react, Skye jumped up and slammed her against the wall. Her eyes flashed angrily as she aimed her fist at Heather's face.
"Drop it..." Skye snarled. Heather dropped the boot and stared at Skye, shocked. Skye narrowed her eyes and withdrew from Heather, who rubbed her neck. She sat back down on the bed and put her boot back on.
"What the hell is your problem!? Why do you hate me? What did I ever do to you?" Heather gasped. Skye ignored her, and started for the door, but Heather stepped in her way.
"I have nothing to say to you. Get out of my way." Skye's voice turned into a soft growl. But Heather stood her ground.
"No, I want to know just what I did to make you hate me. You avoid everyone, and you are always alone. Aren't you lonely? I'm not exactly the most popular girl in the school either, but at least I don't go around like a-"
"SHUT UP," Skye shouted, her eyes wild with anger, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME??!!" Heather jumped, but said nothing as Skye continued shouting in her face, "You don't know anything about me, and you think that if everything is rainbows and puppies, I'll come around and be your friend? Nobody likes you and nobody wants to be your friend! You're an annoying, fake little bitch who can't deal with not being the center of attention!"
Tears were running down Heathers cheeks. She covered her mouth with her hands, and moved away from the door. Without a word, Skye left the room, and slammed the door.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Chapter 4: Crossroads
Darkness surrounded Makarov and Laxus for a few minutes. Then the area around them started to blur, and then came into focus, and they found themselves in a small, windowless room that smelled like old cleansers. The paint on the walls was peeling, and it was so tainted by chemicals, that it was hard to tell the exact color. Shelves that were once firmly attached to the wall were now loose, and hanging by bent, rusty nails. The only light was coming from a single hanging bulb above a table in the middle of the room. Sitting at the table softly whimpering, was Skye. Laxus stepped forward to get a better look at her, and found that she was bound to a chair with thick grey tape. Her face was swollen and there was a dried streak of blood coming from her nose and ending at her chin. The tape had stuck to her skin, and he could see irritation marks on her arms. Laxus reached out to touch her shoulder, but his hand passed through her body as if she was made of smoke.
"We are nothing but ghosts," Makarov appeared at the other side of Skye's chair, looking up at her sadly, "She has gone through so much in one day, with no one to turn to."
They watched the tears rolling down the battered girl's cheeks as the door to the room swung open behind them, and in came two large men in black suits wearing black skull masks. One of them stood next to the door, and the other sat on the corner of the table, looking down at Skye.
"Our boss wants to have a word with you." His voice was thick and gruff, with no sign of sympathy or compassion. Laxus glared at the doorway as the masked man in the white suit entered the room and closed the door.
"Well, well, well....this is quite the unexpected turn of events," His voice was just as smooth as before as he sat down on the opposite side of the table," It was just a normal deal with Two Face's crew, and it ended with my best man lying dead in the dirt. And his killer is nothing but a little girl. How did a kid like you manage to kill my best man!?" He leaned forward so that his face was inches from Skye's.
"Please....I don't know! I didn't mean to. I didn't... I'm sorry!" Skye whimpered. She could hear him breathing from inside his mask, and his breath smelled of strong tobacco.
"You. Didn't. Mean. To," The man repeated slowly, "Well! That makes everything better, doesn't it?" His voice was dangerously flat, and Skye looked down at her hands.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He grabbed Skye by the hair, yanked her head up and smacked her, "I asked you a question...Do you think everything is all right because you're sorry?"
Skye shook her head, "No" her voice shook.
"No....that's right....Do you even know who I am, kid? You're dealing with Black Mask....Roman Sionis!" The masked man released her hair and fumbled with the back of his mask. Skye stared as the man removed his mask; His black eyes were angry and cold, with a curved scar around his right eye. "Now..." Sionis got up, and began to circle the table, "We need to figure out how you are going to repay me for taking my right hand man from me. There's a saying kid: 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth......a life for a life'."
Skye's eyes widened with fear, "No! Please! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!!!!" She cried in panic. Sionis stared at Skye for a few seconds before he burst into laughter and turned around, "Hahahaha!!! You think I'm going to kill you? Oh, no girly. I'm not going to take your life by killing you! You are going to work for me and 'take care' of people who get in my way."
"You mean...kill people??" Skye trembled in her seat, "No! I don't want to kill again! I never want to kill again!" Sionis whipped around and thrust a large knife down into the table in front of Skye, "You will kill for me if you don't want to die," He roared, "Bring them in!" He turned to the thug standing by the door. The thug nodded and left the room. A few seconds later, he returned with a large duffel bag and unloaded it's contents on the table: A black bladed Katana, a time bomb, a sniper rifle, a pair of braces with blades inside, and a set of vials and small bottles with different colored liquids inside.
"Choose..." Sionis ordered. Skye closed her eyes and shook her head. Sionis scowled, and sat back down at the table across from Skye. "If you do not choose," He pulled out the gun from his suit, cocked it, and pointed it at her head," I will shoot you in your face." His voice was alarmingly calm. Skye stared down the barrel of the gun, shivering. She then turned her attention to the weapons in front of her. Shaking, she nodded at the braces to her right.
"Take her away, and tell Shiva that she has a student," Sionis holstered his gun, got up and walked to the door,"I look forward to working together." He sneered as he left Skye alone with his two men. The man in the corner approached her. "Lets go kid."
Skye screamed in pain, as the thug took hold of the edge of the tape and ripped it off her arms. She feebly struggled, as the masked thug grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Laxus and Makarov followed them as they left the room. Skye was led down a dark hallway, passing several doors that stank of alcohol. Eventually they came to a steel door at the end of the hallway, and the thug leading Skye opened the door, threw her inside, and slammed the door.
"No! Let me out! I want to go home!" Skye screamed through the door. There was no reply from the other side. She banged her fists on the door, but again, there was no reply. Giving up, she turned around and looked around her new surroundings.
The room was small, and very much like a cell. A dirty mattress with a thin, moth-eaten blanket was in the corner across from a dirty toilet and a sink that was dripping water of a questionable color. Skye threw herself onto the mattress and began to cry.
"It wasn't my fault...please someone help.." she sobbed into the dirty fabric. Makarov walked over to her and sat down on the mattress beside her.
"Gramps, do you know what she did to that guy? It was like she was controlling him, but I've never seen her do anything like that before. And she's not a magic user." Laxus asked. His chest tightened and anger surged inside him as he watched Skye cry.
"No, I'm afraid I have no idea. I know next to nothing about bending, but it seems that it just happened by accident." Makarov sadly gazed down at Skye, "An accident that killed a man. I can't imagine the turmoil going on inside her head." They watched her until she cried herself to sleep, and the memory faded once again.
Skye's memory came back into focus and they were still in the small room. Skye had been woken up by a woman entering the room. She was a young woman, looking to be in her mid to late 20's with short jet black hair and a stern expression on her face. Skye looked up at the woman apprehensively as they stared at each other. Then finally, the woman spoke.
"What is your name and your age, child?" Her voice was laced with a strange accent that Skye had never heard before.
"S-Skye Clive... I'm 12." Her voice trembled as she quietly answered. The woman stared at her for a few moments again. Her stern expression had changed into one of curiosity, and pity.
"So young...you should be home with your family. But it seems life has chosen a different path for you," She extended her hand to Skye," I am Shiva, and I will be your mentor. Come with me."
Skye reluctantly took Shiva's hand, and Skye's memory changed to a large empty room that resembled a dance studio. The floors were hard, and the far wall was covered with a huge mirror, which was cracked in some places. Shiva led Skye to the middle of the room.
"In this room, you will learn the art of death. You have chosen your tools," She opened her coat to reveal small braces attached to her belt," but you don't know how to use them. I will teach you to be a shadow, killing your victims without a trace. I will also teach you to fight, and read body language to turn your enemy's energy against them." Shiva explained.
Skye looked down,"I can't do it...I won't..." She balled her hands into fists, "I want to go home!!" She yelled at Shiva. Shiva's face remained calm as Skye began to cry once more.
"Black Mask will kill you if you refuse. Do you want to die?" She asked. Skye rubbed her eyes and shook her head.
"You are at a crossroads in your life, Skye. You have only two choices and going home isn't one of them. You can either cower and die, or you can fight and live. I have no love of Roman Sionis myself, but while he pays me I shall do as he says. Now...what will it be? Death, or life?"
Skye stared at Shiva for a few moments before looking down,"Okay...", She quietly answered.
"Then let's begin, come at me with all you've got. I need to assess your current skill in combat." The memory faded once more as Laxus and Makarov watched Skye charge at Shiva.
Skye's memory came back into focus, and they were now back in Skye's room. She was sitting quietly against the wall on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. Her hair was longer, and pulled up into a high ponytail. Her clothes were similar to that which she was wearing outside her memories, and she had the wristblades on her arms. She turned her head and Laxus and Makarov saw her face. Her eyes looked dull and bored, and she had small scars on her jawline. There was no trace of the smile she had had when she was with Laxus or her father.
The silence was broken by Shiva entering the room. Skye gazed up at her without changing her expression of boredom.
"It's time. I have the name and address of your first job." She handed Skye a manilla folder. Skye got to her feet and looked inside, "Howard Upton...He's not far away."
"I'm going with you, to watch and make sure the job gets done." Shiva said. Skye got up as Shiva turned to leave the room. As they made their way through the corridors, Skye sheathed and unsheathed her blades repeatedly.
"Nervous?" Shiva asked.
"A little." Skye answered. It was very dark outside when they left the building. They made their way in silence up the street for a few blocks before they turned off into an alleyway. Skye stopped at a fire escape and looked up, "Second from the top, third window on the left?" She looked at Shiva, who nodded. She pulled the flap of cloth on her shirt over her face, so that her mouth and nose were covered, and jumped up to hang on the bar of the fire escape. With relative ease, she pulled herself up and quietly crept up the stairs with Shiva close behind her. The stairs were sturdy and didn't creak as they made their way to the second floor from the top. Once up at the correct floor, Skye jumped to a ledge, and quietly prowled to the window of Howard Upton's apartment. All was dark, and quiet inside as Skye peered in the window. She tried to open the window and found that it was unlocked. Sliding it up, Skye and Shiva sneaked into the apartment.
"You have good fortune tonight." Shiva whispered in Skye's ear. The window they had come in through, was of the target's bedroom. Skye looked down into the bed and found her target lying asleep beneath the blankets.
"Go ahead, it's best that you don't hesitate." Shiva nodded to the sleeping man. Skye walked forward, unsheathed a blade, and held it close to her victims throat; But she did not act. She stared at him for a few minutes, before sheathing her blade and stepping back.
"I don't know if I can do this..." She muttered.
"You must. Close your eyes if you have to, but you must kill this man. This is what you have been training the past year for." Shiva replied.
Skye nodded and returned to the man's bedside. She hesitated once more, but not for long. Unsheathing her blade, she stuck it through the man's throat. The spray of blood startled her almost as much as the sick gurgling noise her victim made when he opened his eyes. She had cut through his trachea so he couldn't call for help, but still he tried. Wheezing, and drowning in his own blood, the man had fallen out of his bed and was staring wide-eyed at Skye. At last, he made one last gurgle, and died in a pool of blood. Skye stared at the body, in shock, then looked down at her blade, which was crimson. Tears started to well up in her eyes and run down her face. Shiva smiled slightly and went to her side.
"You did well. It only gets easier after the first one." Then the memory faded to black.
"We are nothing but ghosts," Makarov appeared at the other side of Skye's chair, looking up at her sadly, "She has gone through so much in one day, with no one to turn to."
They watched the tears rolling down the battered girl's cheeks as the door to the room swung open behind them, and in came two large men in black suits wearing black skull masks. One of them stood next to the door, and the other sat on the corner of the table, looking down at Skye.
"Our boss wants to have a word with you." His voice was thick and gruff, with no sign of sympathy or compassion. Laxus glared at the doorway as the masked man in the white suit entered the room and closed the door.
"Well, well, well....this is quite the unexpected turn of events," His voice was just as smooth as before as he sat down on the opposite side of the table," It was just a normal deal with Two Face's crew, and it ended with my best man lying dead in the dirt. And his killer is nothing but a little girl. How did a kid like you manage to kill my best man!?" He leaned forward so that his face was inches from Skye's.
"Please....I don't know! I didn't mean to. I didn't... I'm sorry!" Skye whimpered. She could hear him breathing from inside his mask, and his breath smelled of strong tobacco.
"You. Didn't. Mean. To," The man repeated slowly, "Well! That makes everything better, doesn't it?" His voice was dangerously flat, and Skye looked down at her hands.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He grabbed Skye by the hair, yanked her head up and smacked her, "I asked you a question...Do you think everything is all right because you're sorry?"
Skye shook her head, "No" her voice shook.
"No....that's right....Do you even know who I am, kid? You're dealing with Black Mask....Roman Sionis!" The masked man released her hair and fumbled with the back of his mask. Skye stared as the man removed his mask; His black eyes were angry and cold, with a curved scar around his right eye. "Now..." Sionis got up, and began to circle the table, "We need to figure out how you are going to repay me for taking my right hand man from me. There's a saying kid: 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth......a life for a life'."
Skye's eyes widened with fear, "No! Please! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!!!!" She cried in panic. Sionis stared at Skye for a few seconds before he burst into laughter and turned around, "Hahahaha!!! You think I'm going to kill you? Oh, no girly. I'm not going to take your life by killing you! You are going to work for me and 'take care' of people who get in my way."
"You mean...kill people??" Skye trembled in her seat, "No! I don't want to kill again! I never want to kill again!" Sionis whipped around and thrust a large knife down into the table in front of Skye, "You will kill for me if you don't want to die," He roared, "Bring them in!" He turned to the thug standing by the door. The thug nodded and left the room. A few seconds later, he returned with a large duffel bag and unloaded it's contents on the table: A black bladed Katana, a time bomb, a sniper rifle, a pair of braces with blades inside, and a set of vials and small bottles with different colored liquids inside.
"Choose..." Sionis ordered. Skye closed her eyes and shook her head. Sionis scowled, and sat back down at the table across from Skye. "If you do not choose," He pulled out the gun from his suit, cocked it, and pointed it at her head," I will shoot you in your face." His voice was alarmingly calm. Skye stared down the barrel of the gun, shivering. She then turned her attention to the weapons in front of her. Shaking, she nodded at the braces to her right.
"Take her away, and tell Shiva that she has a student," Sionis holstered his gun, got up and walked to the door,"I look forward to working together." He sneered as he left Skye alone with his two men. The man in the corner approached her. "Lets go kid."
Skye screamed in pain, as the thug took hold of the edge of the tape and ripped it off her arms. She feebly struggled, as the masked thug grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Laxus and Makarov followed them as they left the room. Skye was led down a dark hallway, passing several doors that stank of alcohol. Eventually they came to a steel door at the end of the hallway, and the thug leading Skye opened the door, threw her inside, and slammed the door.
"No! Let me out! I want to go home!" Skye screamed through the door. There was no reply from the other side. She banged her fists on the door, but again, there was no reply. Giving up, she turned around and looked around her new surroundings.
The room was small, and very much like a cell. A dirty mattress with a thin, moth-eaten blanket was in the corner across from a dirty toilet and a sink that was dripping water of a questionable color. Skye threw herself onto the mattress and began to cry.
"It wasn't my fault...please someone help.." she sobbed into the dirty fabric. Makarov walked over to her and sat down on the mattress beside her.
"Gramps, do you know what she did to that guy? It was like she was controlling him, but I've never seen her do anything like that before. And she's not a magic user." Laxus asked. His chest tightened and anger surged inside him as he watched Skye cry.
"No, I'm afraid I have no idea. I know next to nothing about bending, but it seems that it just happened by accident." Makarov sadly gazed down at Skye, "An accident that killed a man. I can't imagine the turmoil going on inside her head." They watched her until she cried herself to sleep, and the memory faded once again.
Skye's memory came back into focus and they were still in the small room. Skye had been woken up by a woman entering the room. She was a young woman, looking to be in her mid to late 20's with short jet black hair and a stern expression on her face. Skye looked up at the woman apprehensively as they stared at each other. Then finally, the woman spoke.
"What is your name and your age, child?" Her voice was laced with a strange accent that Skye had never heard before.
"S-Skye Clive... I'm 12." Her voice trembled as she quietly answered. The woman stared at her for a few moments again. Her stern expression had changed into one of curiosity, and pity.
"So young...you should be home with your family. But it seems life has chosen a different path for you," She extended her hand to Skye," I am Shiva, and I will be your mentor. Come with me."
Skye reluctantly took Shiva's hand, and Skye's memory changed to a large empty room that resembled a dance studio. The floors were hard, and the far wall was covered with a huge mirror, which was cracked in some places. Shiva led Skye to the middle of the room.
"In this room, you will learn the art of death. You have chosen your tools," She opened her coat to reveal small braces attached to her belt," but you don't know how to use them. I will teach you to be a shadow, killing your victims without a trace. I will also teach you to fight, and read body language to turn your enemy's energy against them." Shiva explained.
Skye looked down,"I can't do it...I won't..." She balled her hands into fists, "I want to go home!!" She yelled at Shiva. Shiva's face remained calm as Skye began to cry once more.
"Black Mask will kill you if you refuse. Do you want to die?" She asked. Skye rubbed her eyes and shook her head.
"You are at a crossroads in your life, Skye. You have only two choices and going home isn't one of them. You can either cower and die, or you can fight and live. I have no love of Roman Sionis myself, but while he pays me I shall do as he says. Now...what will it be? Death, or life?"
Skye stared at Shiva for a few moments before looking down,"Okay...", She quietly answered.
"Then let's begin, come at me with all you've got. I need to assess your current skill in combat." The memory faded once more as Laxus and Makarov watched Skye charge at Shiva.
Skye's memory came back into focus, and they were now back in Skye's room. She was sitting quietly against the wall on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. Her hair was longer, and pulled up into a high ponytail. Her clothes were similar to that which she was wearing outside her memories, and she had the wristblades on her arms. She turned her head and Laxus and Makarov saw her face. Her eyes looked dull and bored, and she had small scars on her jawline. There was no trace of the smile she had had when she was with Laxus or her father.
The silence was broken by Shiva entering the room. Skye gazed up at her without changing her expression of boredom.
"It's time. I have the name and address of your first job." She handed Skye a manilla folder. Skye got to her feet and looked inside, "Howard Upton...He's not far away."
"I'm going with you, to watch and make sure the job gets done." Shiva said. Skye got up as Shiva turned to leave the room. As they made their way through the corridors, Skye sheathed and unsheathed her blades repeatedly.
"Nervous?" Shiva asked.
"A little." Skye answered. It was very dark outside when they left the building. They made their way in silence up the street for a few blocks before they turned off into an alleyway. Skye stopped at a fire escape and looked up, "Second from the top, third window on the left?" She looked at Shiva, who nodded. She pulled the flap of cloth on her shirt over her face, so that her mouth and nose were covered, and jumped up to hang on the bar of the fire escape. With relative ease, she pulled herself up and quietly crept up the stairs with Shiva close behind her. The stairs were sturdy and didn't creak as they made their way to the second floor from the top. Once up at the correct floor, Skye jumped to a ledge, and quietly prowled to the window of Howard Upton's apartment. All was dark, and quiet inside as Skye peered in the window. She tried to open the window and found that it was unlocked. Sliding it up, Skye and Shiva sneaked into the apartment.
"You have good fortune tonight." Shiva whispered in Skye's ear. The window they had come in through, was of the target's bedroom. Skye looked down into the bed and found her target lying asleep beneath the blankets.
"Go ahead, it's best that you don't hesitate." Shiva nodded to the sleeping man. Skye walked forward, unsheathed a blade, and held it close to her victims throat; But she did not act. She stared at him for a few minutes, before sheathing her blade and stepping back.
"I don't know if I can do this..." She muttered.
"You must. Close your eyes if you have to, but you must kill this man. This is what you have been training the past year for." Shiva replied.
Skye nodded and returned to the man's bedside. She hesitated once more, but not for long. Unsheathing her blade, she stuck it through the man's throat. The spray of blood startled her almost as much as the sick gurgling noise her victim made when he opened his eyes. She had cut through his trachea so he couldn't call for help, but still he tried. Wheezing, and drowning in his own blood, the man had fallen out of his bed and was staring wide-eyed at Skye. At last, he made one last gurgle, and died in a pool of blood. Skye stared at the body, in shock, then looked down at her blade, which was crimson. Tears started to well up in her eyes and run down her face. Shiva smiled slightly and went to her side.
"You did well. It only gets easier after the first one." Then the memory faded to black.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Chapter 3: Smiles to Tears
"This is..." Laxus started to say, but Makarov lifted his hand for silence.
"We will watch...no need for speaking." The old man said quietly. Laxus saw movement out of the corner of his eye and his heart skipped a beat when Skye suddenly ran through him. She was 12 years old at this time. Her hair was down in a red, tousled mess and she was running around gathering clothes and throwing them hastily into a leather bag on her sleeping mat. Skye stopped packing for a moment and looked in the direction of Laxus and Makarov. They turned around as Gildarts' voice sounded behind them.
" I guess you're leaving soon? Do you have everything you need?" Gildarts had entered the small house and was standing between Makarov and Laxus. He was smiling a fatherly smile at Skye, who grinned back. "Almost done! I'm just doing some last minute packing.....have you seen my copy of 'Ancient Histories and Cultures of Earthland'? I can't find it anywhere....wait! Nevermind, I found it!" Skye pulled a large book from behind a pot.
"Why did you put it there? Do you think you will have much downtime to read during your mission work?" Gildarts asked.
"Because Laxus called me an egghead when he saw it, and we will have downtime in the evenings. I wont have time during the daytime to read." Skye said as she was stuffing the book into her bag. "Okay, that's it! I'm good to go! I told Laxus that I would meet him in South Gate Park before I left." She swung her bag over her shoulders as Gildarts walked forward and pulled her into an embrace.
"You're such a good girl, I love you. I might not be here when you return, I took an S-Class job in Bosco, and I don't know when I will be back." Gildarts held his daughter closer as she hugged him back.
" I love you too, Dad. And I'll be here when you do come back!" Skye said cheerfully.
"You better get going if Laxus is waiting for you." Gildarts withdrew from Skye and watched her walk towards the door.
"See you later then!" Skye grinned as she left the house. Suddenly, Makarov and Laxus were following her through the streets of Magnolia without taking a single step. Laxus looked down to find the ground moving beneath him. "Ugh..." he groaned, bringing his hand up to his mouth. They followed her all the way to South Gate Park, where a much younger Laxus waited.
"I remember this....It's the last time I saw her before she disappeared." Laxus watched Skye approach his younger self. She had snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. Young Laxus turned around to face her and fumbled with his music player.
"Took you long enough. I was starting to think you'd ditched me." He frowned disapprovingly.
"I'm really sorry, I had last minute packing to do."Skye smiled sheepishly.
"I thought you were going to take care of that last night?"
"Hehe...yeah. I never got around to it."
"So irresponsible" He smirked at her.
"Hey, shut up! You're one to talk, mister lets climb up Kardia Cathedral." Skye stuck her tongue out at Laxus, who thumped her on the head. "You went along with it....anyway, how long are you going to be gone for?"
"10 days, nine nights. I think I might ask Dad if I can join the guild when I get back too. My bending is a lot better than it used to be! And if I join, we can be a team!" Skye grinned excitedly. Young Laxus smiled and put his hand on her head, "When you get back, sure. Um...hey, I've got something I want to tell you," He looked away with his face starting to go pink.
"BONG......BONG" They both jumped as the bells sounded from Kardia Cathedral. "Oh crap!" Skye checked her watch, which read noon.
" I have to go! It's later than I thought. Sorry, Laxus...tell me when I get back, okay?" Skye started to run across the park, but doubled back and ran at Laxus.
"Hey! What are you-" He started to say as Skye jumped up and hugged him around the neck.
"See ya, Scar Face!" She grinned and took off back across the park.
"Don't call me that!" Young Laxus called after her.
The ground beneath Makarov and Laxus began to move again as Skye ran through Magnolia. Makarov looked up at his grandson and asked, "What were you going to tell her?" Laxus glanced down at Makrov for a moment before looking back at Skye.
"I was going to tell her that I love her....that was the plan anyway. Don't know if I actually would have said it."
"I see..." Makarov muttered. They came to a stop in front of a church. Skye ran up to a nun sweeping the entrance and caught her breath.
"Is Father Michaelis still here? He didn't leave did he?" She asked between breaths. The nun stopped sweeping for a moment and smiled at Skye. She told Skye to wait a moment and went inside the church. While she waited, Skye opened a water skin on her hip and waved her hand over it. A large amount of water followed her hand as she guided it around her head. She twirled around and the water followed her every move. She raised her other hand, exhaled, and fire appeared around her hand. Grinning, Skye started to spin around with the water and fire criss-crossing each other. She could see the fire through the water, waving and rippling in the sun.
"Well, well, you have become quite good at Bending, Skye." Said a kind voice behind her. Skye jumped and the fire disappeared and the water fell to the ground. Turning around, her eyes rested upon a middle-aged, clean shaven man in a black priests cassock. He had sincere eyes that looked slightly large behind his glasses, and his dark brown hair had begun to grey.
"Father Michaelis! It's good to see you!" Skye bent the water that had spilled on the ground back into her water skin.
"Shall we? We have one other person to pick up before we leave town. It won't do to keep them waiting." He gestured towards the street. Skye nodded and they set off up the street. They passed by several shops and houses before the priest led them down an alley.
"She lives in a rather isolated place, and doesn't get out much. I managed to convince her to come with us to hopefully make some new friends, and do some good in the world." He explained. They took a few lefts and rights down the alley, and came to a dead end with a door at the end. Skye peeked around Father Michaelis and looked at the door. It looked well worn, and ready to fall off it's hinges if you tried to open it.
" Is this it? No offense to this lady, but the place kinda looks like a dump." Skye screwed up her eyes trying to see inside the grimy, dirty windows surrounding the door.
"No, This isn't the place we are looking for...we must have taken a few wrong turns. And don't judge a book by it's cover Skye, you never know who or what may reside inside. Still...It might not hurt to ask for directions." Father Michaelis sighed and approached the door. He knocked three times, and waited for a reply, but none came. Shrugging his shoulders the priest turned around and began to walk away from the grimy building. *Knock Knock Knock* Skye and Father Michaelis turned around and stared at the door. For a few seconds the door stared back at them in silence. Skye wondered if she had imagined the door knocking back. The priest walked back over to the door and grabbed the door handle. A low hum sounded from behind the door as he turned the handle and slowly opened the door. Skye stifled a small scream.
"What?!" Makarov exclaimed. Laxus' jaw dropped at the sight before them. Instead of a room beyond the door, there was a dark city street with various closed shops along the sidewalk. Skye took a couple of steps forward to get a closer look.
"Whats all this now? Let's see where this leads shall we?" Father Michaelis stepped through the door with Skye on his heels into what looked like a deserted outside shopping center in a very large city. Skye looked at a nearby sign which read: "Jezebel Plaza". She had never heard of a place like that anywhere in Magnolia. The buildings were all run down with their canopies torn and rotting. A couple of shops had old looking foreclosure signs posted in their boarded up windows and a neon pharmacy sign was flickering on and off. Father Michaelis seemed fascinated with their new surroundings, while Skye backed up and stood next to Makarov.
" Maybe we should go back and let Fairy Tail know about this...I don't really like this place." Skye's voice started to crack, and she looked back at the door where they came from. It was the door to an old closed toy store. Like some of the other stores, it too had a foreclosure sign in the window.
" Now child, where's your sense of adventure? We seem to be in a whole different world! Lets see if anybody is around." The priest took Skye's hand and led her down the street. The further they went, the more nervous Skye became. She adjusted the bag on her back and looked all about her. The city had an ominous feeling to it that emanated from every dark corner and every shadow. The only light was around the corner they were headed towards. As they drew closer to the corner, they began to hear voices.
"Excellent! There's someone here. Let's ask them where this is! Perhaps we're not the only ones from our world in this new one." Father Michaelis' voice seemed different now. Laxus frowned at the priest, "I don't like this..." he muttered. Makarov nodded in agreement.
The voices grew louder as they rounded the corner, and they came face to face with a group of frightening looking people. The most frightening of them all was a man in a white suit, who wore a black mask in the shape of a skull. Next to him was a rather tall man with chains around his arms. Around the masked man there were large boxes with a black skull insignia on the front. The strangers noticed Skye and Father Michaelis right after they had rounded the corner. For a moment the two groups stared at each other for a few seconds before the masked man stepped forward.
"Who the hell are you?" His voice was smooth and cold.
"Terribly sorry, We made a wrong turn and wound up in this place," Father Michaelis swallowed and moved in front of Skye, "We won't bother you anymore." The masked man walked toward them with a slight swagger and the tall man followed him.
"No," He said, pulling a gun from a holster in his suit, "You won't."
The next few minutes seemed to go in slow motion. Skye looked on in horror as the masked man aimed his gun at Father Michaelis' head and pulled the trigger. She jumped back from the falling corpse that once was her friend. Her eyes began to swim with tears and she let out a scream.
"Rico, take care of the girl." The masked man said, while staring at Skye. The man named Rico started moving toward Skye, who stood rooted to the spot, staring down at Father Michaelis' body. His eyes were wide open and his glasses were askew. The bullet hole in his forehead slightly oozed dark red blood, which trickled down the side of his head.
"Run, Skye!" Laxus angrily shouted. As if on his command, Skye looked up and saw the large man advancing on her. Immediately, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, but Rico was faster. She could hear him breathing down her neck and could feel him taking swings at her.
"Daddy!!! Laxus!!!! Someone!! Help!!!" Skye screamed as Rico grabbed her hair and threw her against the wall of a building. She felt a sharp pain on the side of her head and felt something warm run down her face. Then, Rico was on her again, bending over her like she was a broken doll. Skye closed her eyes and stretched her arms out to push him away. A choking noise made her open her eyes and the man had his own hands around his throat. She slightly withdrew her arms, and his hands moved from his throat to both sides of his head. He snapped his own neck as she balled her hands into fists and brought them to her sides. Her eyes were wide with terror, and she looked like she was going to be sick. She let out another long scream as the body of Rico fell down in front of her.
"What the hell? Someone grab her, NOW!" The masked man's eyes flashed furiously at Skye. The rest of the men all charged at her, but this time she did not run. She sat there staring at her hands in horror, "I..I didn't mean to..." she whimpered.
"Hey, kid." Said one of the men. Skye looked up just in time to see a huge fist coming toward her head. Then the memory around Laxus and Makarov went black.
"We will watch...no need for speaking." The old man said quietly. Laxus saw movement out of the corner of his eye and his heart skipped a beat when Skye suddenly ran through him. She was 12 years old at this time. Her hair was down in a red, tousled mess and she was running around gathering clothes and throwing them hastily into a leather bag on her sleeping mat. Skye stopped packing for a moment and looked in the direction of Laxus and Makarov. They turned around as Gildarts' voice sounded behind them.
" I guess you're leaving soon? Do you have everything you need?" Gildarts had entered the small house and was standing between Makarov and Laxus. He was smiling a fatherly smile at Skye, who grinned back. "Almost done! I'm just doing some last minute packing.....have you seen my copy of 'Ancient Histories and Cultures of Earthland'? I can't find it anywhere....wait! Nevermind, I found it!" Skye pulled a large book from behind a pot.
"Why did you put it there? Do you think you will have much downtime to read during your mission work?" Gildarts asked.
"Because Laxus called me an egghead when he saw it, and we will have downtime in the evenings. I wont have time during the daytime to read." Skye said as she was stuffing the book into her bag. "Okay, that's it! I'm good to go! I told Laxus that I would meet him in South Gate Park before I left." She swung her bag over her shoulders as Gildarts walked forward and pulled her into an embrace.
"You're such a good girl, I love you. I might not be here when you return, I took an S-Class job in Bosco, and I don't know when I will be back." Gildarts held his daughter closer as she hugged him back.
" I love you too, Dad. And I'll be here when you do come back!" Skye said cheerfully.
"You better get going if Laxus is waiting for you." Gildarts withdrew from Skye and watched her walk towards the door.
"See you later then!" Skye grinned as she left the house. Suddenly, Makarov and Laxus were following her through the streets of Magnolia without taking a single step. Laxus looked down to find the ground moving beneath him. "Ugh..." he groaned, bringing his hand up to his mouth. They followed her all the way to South Gate Park, where a much younger Laxus waited.
"I remember this....It's the last time I saw her before she disappeared." Laxus watched Skye approach his younger self. She had snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. Young Laxus turned around to face her and fumbled with his music player.
"Took you long enough. I was starting to think you'd ditched me." He frowned disapprovingly.
"I'm really sorry, I had last minute packing to do."Skye smiled sheepishly.
"I thought you were going to take care of that last night?"
"Hehe...yeah. I never got around to it."
"So irresponsible" He smirked at her.
"Hey, shut up! You're one to talk, mister lets climb up Kardia Cathedral." Skye stuck her tongue out at Laxus, who thumped her on the head. "You went along with it....anyway, how long are you going to be gone for?"
"10 days, nine nights. I think I might ask Dad if I can join the guild when I get back too. My bending is a lot better than it used to be! And if I join, we can be a team!" Skye grinned excitedly. Young Laxus smiled and put his hand on her head, "When you get back, sure. Um...hey, I've got something I want to tell you," He looked away with his face starting to go pink.
"BONG......BONG" They both jumped as the bells sounded from Kardia Cathedral. "Oh crap!" Skye checked her watch, which read noon.
" I have to go! It's later than I thought. Sorry, Laxus...tell me when I get back, okay?" Skye started to run across the park, but doubled back and ran at Laxus.
"Hey! What are you-" He started to say as Skye jumped up and hugged him around the neck.
"See ya, Scar Face!" She grinned and took off back across the park.
"Don't call me that!" Young Laxus called after her.
The ground beneath Makarov and Laxus began to move again as Skye ran through Magnolia. Makarov looked up at his grandson and asked, "What were you going to tell her?" Laxus glanced down at Makrov for a moment before looking back at Skye.
"I was going to tell her that I love her....that was the plan anyway. Don't know if I actually would have said it."
"I see..." Makarov muttered. They came to a stop in front of a church. Skye ran up to a nun sweeping the entrance and caught her breath.
"Is Father Michaelis still here? He didn't leave did he?" She asked between breaths. The nun stopped sweeping for a moment and smiled at Skye. She told Skye to wait a moment and went inside the church. While she waited, Skye opened a water skin on her hip and waved her hand over it. A large amount of water followed her hand as she guided it around her head. She twirled around and the water followed her every move. She raised her other hand, exhaled, and fire appeared around her hand. Grinning, Skye started to spin around with the water and fire criss-crossing each other. She could see the fire through the water, waving and rippling in the sun.
"Well, well, you have become quite good at Bending, Skye." Said a kind voice behind her. Skye jumped and the fire disappeared and the water fell to the ground. Turning around, her eyes rested upon a middle-aged, clean shaven man in a black priests cassock. He had sincere eyes that looked slightly large behind his glasses, and his dark brown hair had begun to grey.
"Father Michaelis! It's good to see you!" Skye bent the water that had spilled on the ground back into her water skin.
"Shall we? We have one other person to pick up before we leave town. It won't do to keep them waiting." He gestured towards the street. Skye nodded and they set off up the street. They passed by several shops and houses before the priest led them down an alley.
"She lives in a rather isolated place, and doesn't get out much. I managed to convince her to come with us to hopefully make some new friends, and do some good in the world." He explained. They took a few lefts and rights down the alley, and came to a dead end with a door at the end. Skye peeked around Father Michaelis and looked at the door. It looked well worn, and ready to fall off it's hinges if you tried to open it.
" Is this it? No offense to this lady, but the place kinda looks like a dump." Skye screwed up her eyes trying to see inside the grimy, dirty windows surrounding the door.
"No, This isn't the place we are looking for...we must have taken a few wrong turns. And don't judge a book by it's cover Skye, you never know who or what may reside inside. Still...It might not hurt to ask for directions." Father Michaelis sighed and approached the door. He knocked three times, and waited for a reply, but none came. Shrugging his shoulders the priest turned around and began to walk away from the grimy building. *Knock Knock Knock* Skye and Father Michaelis turned around and stared at the door. For a few seconds the door stared back at them in silence. Skye wondered if she had imagined the door knocking back. The priest walked back over to the door and grabbed the door handle. A low hum sounded from behind the door as he turned the handle and slowly opened the door. Skye stifled a small scream.
"What?!" Makarov exclaimed. Laxus' jaw dropped at the sight before them. Instead of a room beyond the door, there was a dark city street with various closed shops along the sidewalk. Skye took a couple of steps forward to get a closer look.
"Whats all this now? Let's see where this leads shall we?" Father Michaelis stepped through the door with Skye on his heels into what looked like a deserted outside shopping center in a very large city. Skye looked at a nearby sign which read: "Jezebel Plaza". She had never heard of a place like that anywhere in Magnolia. The buildings were all run down with their canopies torn and rotting. A couple of shops had old looking foreclosure signs posted in their boarded up windows and a neon pharmacy sign was flickering on and off. Father Michaelis seemed fascinated with their new surroundings, while Skye backed up and stood next to Makarov.
" Maybe we should go back and let Fairy Tail know about this...I don't really like this place." Skye's voice started to crack, and she looked back at the door where they came from. It was the door to an old closed toy store. Like some of the other stores, it too had a foreclosure sign in the window.
" Now child, where's your sense of adventure? We seem to be in a whole different world! Lets see if anybody is around." The priest took Skye's hand and led her down the street. The further they went, the more nervous Skye became. She adjusted the bag on her back and looked all about her. The city had an ominous feeling to it that emanated from every dark corner and every shadow. The only light was around the corner they were headed towards. As they drew closer to the corner, they began to hear voices.
"Excellent! There's someone here. Let's ask them where this is! Perhaps we're not the only ones from our world in this new one." Father Michaelis' voice seemed different now. Laxus frowned at the priest, "I don't like this..." he muttered. Makarov nodded in agreement.
The voices grew louder as they rounded the corner, and they came face to face with a group of frightening looking people. The most frightening of them all was a man in a white suit, who wore a black mask in the shape of a skull. Next to him was a rather tall man with chains around his arms. Around the masked man there were large boxes with a black skull insignia on the front. The strangers noticed Skye and Father Michaelis right after they had rounded the corner. For a moment the two groups stared at each other for a few seconds before the masked man stepped forward.
"Who the hell are you?" His voice was smooth and cold.
"Terribly sorry, We made a wrong turn and wound up in this place," Father Michaelis swallowed and moved in front of Skye, "We won't bother you anymore." The masked man walked toward them with a slight swagger and the tall man followed him.
"No," He said, pulling a gun from a holster in his suit, "You won't."
The next few minutes seemed to go in slow motion. Skye looked on in horror as the masked man aimed his gun at Father Michaelis' head and pulled the trigger. She jumped back from the falling corpse that once was her friend. Her eyes began to swim with tears and she let out a scream.
"Rico, take care of the girl." The masked man said, while staring at Skye. The man named Rico started moving toward Skye, who stood rooted to the spot, staring down at Father Michaelis' body. His eyes were wide open and his glasses were askew. The bullet hole in his forehead slightly oozed dark red blood, which trickled down the side of his head.
"Run, Skye!" Laxus angrily shouted. As if on his command, Skye looked up and saw the large man advancing on her. Immediately, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, but Rico was faster. She could hear him breathing down her neck and could feel him taking swings at her.
"Daddy!!! Laxus!!!! Someone!! Help!!!" Skye screamed as Rico grabbed her hair and threw her against the wall of a building. She felt a sharp pain on the side of her head and felt something warm run down her face. Then, Rico was on her again, bending over her like she was a broken doll. Skye closed her eyes and stretched her arms out to push him away. A choking noise made her open her eyes and the man had his own hands around his throat. She slightly withdrew her arms, and his hands moved from his throat to both sides of his head. He snapped his own neck as she balled her hands into fists and brought them to her sides. Her eyes were wide with terror, and she looked like she was going to be sick. She let out another long scream as the body of Rico fell down in front of her.
"What the hell? Someone grab her, NOW!" The masked man's eyes flashed furiously at Skye. The rest of the men all charged at her, but this time she did not run. She sat there staring at her hands in horror, "I..I didn't mean to..." she whimpered.
"Hey, kid." Said one of the men. Skye looked up just in time to see a huge fist coming toward her head. Then the memory around Laxus and Makarov went black.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Chapter 2: Difficult Truth
16 years earlier
"Hurry up Skye, we're almost there." Skye ran after her father as they made their way through the streets of Magnolia. She grabbed onto his billowing cloak when she caught up to him.
"Where are we going Daddy?" She asked as she tucked herself behind his cloak.
"I'm taking you to meet our family." He smiled down at the little girl's puzzled face. Skye could hear a loud ruckus coming from one of the buildings nearby. It had a large cloth on the front with a symbol that looked like a fairy.
"And here we are," Her father ushered her inside the loud hall. There were a lot of people that were all quite loud, but they all wore smiles. At once, every one of them looked at her father in a split second of silence, before they erupted, "GILDARTS!!!!" Skye jumped and hid behind her father's legs. She watched a small old man hop off of the bar and walk towards them.
"Welcome back Gildarts! It's been a while since you've been home." The old man smiled kindly.
"Master Makarov, I've brought someone I want to introduce to everyone. Come on out Skye, It's alright," Skye resisted a little as her father's arm came down and pushed her out from behind him. "She's a little shy. Say hello, Skye." Gildarts knelt down and smiled at her. Skye looked at the old man who was smiling at her pleasantly and around at the other people in the hall, who were looking at her curiously.
"Hello..." Skye said quietly. She felt her face grow warm. Gildarts put his arm around her
"I adopted her from the orphanage a few days ago. I'm going to be her father now, and I wanted to bring her to the guild to meet the rest of our family." Gildarts beamed at her, and she smiled back. The old man smiled at her too.
"She's a pretty little girl too! Welcome to the family Skye," Makarov gestured to everyone in the hall, who broke into loud shouts of welcome. Skye jumped and hid her face in her father's arm. Gildarts laughed and turned her to face Makarov again.
"How old are you Skye?" The old man asked.
" Five." She replied.
"I have a grandson a bit older than you, but it might be nice for you to have a friend around your age. Laxus! Come here for a minute." Makarov turned around and beckoned to a small boy with yellow hair. The boy ran over to them and grinned at Gildarts.
"Hi Gildarts!" Laxus said happily.
" Laxus, this is Skye. She's the new member of our family, and you're the only one here around her age. Do you think you could be her friend, and show her around a bit?" Makarov nodded toward Skye. Laxus turned and looked at Skye for a while before grinning and taking her hand.
"Sure Grandpa! Come on, there's a lot you have to see! Fairy Tail is the best wizards guild in the whole world!" Laxus led her away from her father and Makarov, and brought her to the different tables and introduced her to everyone.
"What kind of magic do you do Skye? I can make lightning! But I'm not very good at it yet." He looked at Skye expectantly. Skye felt her face go red again, and she looked down at her feet.
"I don't know any magic...but I can move water and earth and stuff." she mumbled. She took a glass of water off of one of the tables and waved her hand up and away from it. The water followed her hand like she was charming a snake. Laxus watched in total awe, and he reached out to touch the water. However, before his hand reached the small stream of water, Skye gasped and the water splashed back into the glass and in Laxus' face.
"Sorry! I dropped it! Are you okay?" Skye watched as Laxus wiped the water from his face, and burst out laughing.
"That was awesome Skye! I've never seen anything like that before! I bet you'll be really strong once you get good at it! Starting today lets be best friends, okay? We can play together every day. It'll be fun!" Laxus held his hand out to Skye who took it with a smile.
"Okay, we're best friends!"
Present
"I missed you so much. Jeez you grew tall." Skye broke their embrace, and grinned up at her childhood friend. He was so different from what she remembered, but that didn't matter. Laxus looked her up and down too, and finally rested his eyes on Skye's chest.
"And I see you finally grew boobs..." He smirked.
"Hey! Don't make fun of me because I was a late bloomer! Still a jerk..." Skye sighed, and covered her chest, "I see that you guys rebuilt the guild hall, it looks really nice!" She turned away and looked around the guild hall. Her eyes lowered to the floor and she fingered the brace on her forearm. She had a feeling she knew what was coming next.
"Where were you?" Laxus' voice lost it's humor, and Skye turned to see him frowning at her. She opened her mouth to explain, but instead, she said, "It's complicated..."
"Complicated!? That's all you have to say? Do you have any clue what we all went through when you disappeared, or how worried we were?! Laxus advanced on her, steadily raising his voice.
"You have no clue what I went through! I went through Hell for nine years, so excuse me if I don't know how to start explaining myself!" Skye snapped back.
"What is all this yelling about!?" Skye whipped around to see Makarov standing on the stairs leading to the second floor. He looked at both of them with a stern expression, before regarding Skye.
"Who are you? If you are here to join Fairy Tail, you should come back in the morning."
"Grandpa Makarov..."Skye's eyes filled with tears again and she ran a hand over her head. Makarov's narrowed his eyes and walked up to her. He circled her a few times and looked up at Laxus, who nodded, "Yeah, It's her."
"We've missed you my dear! I never thought we'd see you again!" Makarov's voice quivered as Skye bent down to hug him.
"I tried to come home, but I couldn't." Skye let go of Makarov and glanced at Laxus, before looking away.
"Why not?" Laxus frowned. Skye's chest grew tight and her heart started to beat harder. She shifted the brace on her forearm again and held it out in front of her. In one swift movement she flicked her wrist up and a long blade slid out of a slit in the brace.
"I've done things....that I'm not proud of. Frankly, I'm ashamed of myself. I was being watched constantly, and I only just had an opportunity tonight ." Skye relaxed her wrist and the blade slid back into it's sheathe. Makarov walked over to the bar and sat down on the counter. Laxus walked over and sat on one of the bar stools.
"I didn't come home after I left with Father Michaelis because I was kidnapped." Skye explained. Laxus' head snapped up and his eyes met hers. Her eyes were like melting ice as tears started to roll down her cheeks.
"Tell us, what happened to you?" Makarov asked quietly. Laxus kept his gaze on Skye as she walked to the bar. She looked down at her hands and and back up to Laxus, who looked shocked.
"It would be easier to show you...I can project my thoughts and memories to other people. It's a bending trick I figured out on my own. It's going to seem like a long time, but it will only take a few minutes," She raised her hands and placed them on Laxus and Makarov's foreheads, "I'm sorry... it won't be pretty to watch. But I can't think of any way to properly explain myself." Skye closed her eyes and reached out with her mind.
Laxus sat in silence as Skye closed her eyes. After a few seconds he looked over at his grandfather, who also had his eyes closed. He did the same, and at once felt like he was floating. Lights were swirling in front of him that started to take shape, and he soon found himself and his grandfather in Gildart's house.
"Hurry up Skye, we're almost there." Skye ran after her father as they made their way through the streets of Magnolia. She grabbed onto his billowing cloak when she caught up to him.
"Where are we going Daddy?" She asked as she tucked herself behind his cloak.
"I'm taking you to meet our family." He smiled down at the little girl's puzzled face. Skye could hear a loud ruckus coming from one of the buildings nearby. It had a large cloth on the front with a symbol that looked like a fairy.
"And here we are," Her father ushered her inside the loud hall. There were a lot of people that were all quite loud, but they all wore smiles. At once, every one of them looked at her father in a split second of silence, before they erupted, "GILDARTS!!!!" Skye jumped and hid behind her father's legs. She watched a small old man hop off of the bar and walk towards them.
"Welcome back Gildarts! It's been a while since you've been home." The old man smiled kindly.
"Master Makarov, I've brought someone I want to introduce to everyone. Come on out Skye, It's alright," Skye resisted a little as her father's arm came down and pushed her out from behind him. "She's a little shy. Say hello, Skye." Gildarts knelt down and smiled at her. Skye looked at the old man who was smiling at her pleasantly and around at the other people in the hall, who were looking at her curiously.
"Hello..." Skye said quietly. She felt her face grow warm. Gildarts put his arm around her
"I adopted her from the orphanage a few days ago. I'm going to be her father now, and I wanted to bring her to the guild to meet the rest of our family." Gildarts beamed at her, and she smiled back. The old man smiled at her too.
"She's a pretty little girl too! Welcome to the family Skye," Makarov gestured to everyone in the hall, who broke into loud shouts of welcome. Skye jumped and hid her face in her father's arm. Gildarts laughed and turned her to face Makarov again.
"How old are you Skye?" The old man asked.
" Five." She replied.
"I have a grandson a bit older than you, but it might be nice for you to have a friend around your age. Laxus! Come here for a minute." Makarov turned around and beckoned to a small boy with yellow hair. The boy ran over to them and grinned at Gildarts.
"Hi Gildarts!" Laxus said happily.
" Laxus, this is Skye. She's the new member of our family, and you're the only one here around her age. Do you think you could be her friend, and show her around a bit?" Makarov nodded toward Skye. Laxus turned and looked at Skye for a while before grinning and taking her hand.
"Sure Grandpa! Come on, there's a lot you have to see! Fairy Tail is the best wizards guild in the whole world!" Laxus led her away from her father and Makarov, and brought her to the different tables and introduced her to everyone.
"What kind of magic do you do Skye? I can make lightning! But I'm not very good at it yet." He looked at Skye expectantly. Skye felt her face go red again, and she looked down at her feet.
"I don't know any magic...but I can move water and earth and stuff." she mumbled. She took a glass of water off of one of the tables and waved her hand up and away from it. The water followed her hand like she was charming a snake. Laxus watched in total awe, and he reached out to touch the water. However, before his hand reached the small stream of water, Skye gasped and the water splashed back into the glass and in Laxus' face.
"Sorry! I dropped it! Are you okay?" Skye watched as Laxus wiped the water from his face, and burst out laughing.
"That was awesome Skye! I've never seen anything like that before! I bet you'll be really strong once you get good at it! Starting today lets be best friends, okay? We can play together every day. It'll be fun!" Laxus held his hand out to Skye who took it with a smile.
"Okay, we're best friends!"
Present
"I missed you so much. Jeez you grew tall." Skye broke their embrace, and grinned up at her childhood friend. He was so different from what she remembered, but that didn't matter. Laxus looked her up and down too, and finally rested his eyes on Skye's chest.
"And I see you finally grew boobs..." He smirked.
"Hey! Don't make fun of me because I was a late bloomer! Still a jerk..." Skye sighed, and covered her chest, "I see that you guys rebuilt the guild hall, it looks really nice!" She turned away and looked around the guild hall. Her eyes lowered to the floor and she fingered the brace on her forearm. She had a feeling she knew what was coming next.
"Where were you?" Laxus' voice lost it's humor, and Skye turned to see him frowning at her. She opened her mouth to explain, but instead, she said, "It's complicated..."
"Complicated!? That's all you have to say? Do you have any clue what we all went through when you disappeared, or how worried we were?! Laxus advanced on her, steadily raising his voice.
"You have no clue what I went through! I went through Hell for nine years, so excuse me if I don't know how to start explaining myself!" Skye snapped back.
"What is all this yelling about!?" Skye whipped around to see Makarov standing on the stairs leading to the second floor. He looked at both of them with a stern expression, before regarding Skye.
"Who are you? If you are here to join Fairy Tail, you should come back in the morning."
"Grandpa Makarov..."Skye's eyes filled with tears again and she ran a hand over her head. Makarov's narrowed his eyes and walked up to her. He circled her a few times and looked up at Laxus, who nodded, "Yeah, It's her."
"We've missed you my dear! I never thought we'd see you again!" Makarov's voice quivered as Skye bent down to hug him.
"I tried to come home, but I couldn't." Skye let go of Makarov and glanced at Laxus, before looking away.
"Why not?" Laxus frowned. Skye's chest grew tight and her heart started to beat harder. She shifted the brace on her forearm again and held it out in front of her. In one swift movement she flicked her wrist up and a long blade slid out of a slit in the brace.
"I've done things....that I'm not proud of. Frankly, I'm ashamed of myself. I was being watched constantly, and I only just had an opportunity tonight ." Skye relaxed her wrist and the blade slid back into it's sheathe. Makarov walked over to the bar and sat down on the counter. Laxus walked over and sat on one of the bar stools.
"I didn't come home after I left with Father Michaelis because I was kidnapped." Skye explained. Laxus' head snapped up and his eyes met hers. Her eyes were like melting ice as tears started to roll down her cheeks.
"Tell us, what happened to you?" Makarov asked quietly. Laxus kept his gaze on Skye as she walked to the bar. She looked down at her hands and and back up to Laxus, who looked shocked.
"It would be easier to show you...I can project my thoughts and memories to other people. It's a bending trick I figured out on my own. It's going to seem like a long time, but it will only take a few minutes," She raised her hands and placed them on Laxus and Makarov's foreheads, "I'm sorry... it won't be pretty to watch. But I can't think of any way to properly explain myself." Skye closed her eyes and reached out with her mind.
Laxus sat in silence as Skye closed her eyes. After a few seconds he looked over at his grandfather, who also had his eyes closed. He did the same, and at once felt like he was floating. Lights were swirling in front of him that started to take shape, and he soon found himself and his grandfather in Gildart's house.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Chapter 1: Homecoming
Night had fallen over Magnolia Town, and lights from the lamps were dancing on the river. The sky was clear and stars were shining brightly over the Fairy Tail guild. It was late and the mages had started to go home for the night. At last there were only two remaining in the guild hall, Makarov Dreyer and his grandson Laxus.
"I won't be around forever...I think it's time for me to pass the torch to Gildarts." said Makarov.
"You know he will just throw the title back at you. The old man's never been one for staying in one place for very long." replied Laxus. "Besides, the guild hall would probably need to be rebuilt every month if he was left in charge."
"You aren't ready to lead this guild yet my boy..." Makarov sighed. He watched Laxus stand up and start walking toward the door.
"Yeah, I know Gramps. 'Night." Laxus smiled slightly and left the guild hall. He walked down the stone steps out onto the street. It was a nice night, and a warm breeze blew against his coat, causing it to wave behind him like a cape. The dragon slayer was walking past South Gate Park when he closed his eyes to feel the breeze against his face, when his eyes snapped back open. He smelled something coming toward him, something oddly familiar. Then it struck him...literally. Someone ran into him, almost knocking him over. The person recovered rather quickly, and glanced at him before continuing on. Her lower face was covered by a mask extension of her shirt and her red hair was tied up.
"Sorry!" called a young woman's voice.
Laxus was watching her run away when he noticed she was heading directly for Fairy Tail. Frowning, Laxus turned and followed her.
Home! She was finally home, after nine years in that city. Running down the alley and out into the streets, her heart was overflowing with relief and happiness. Twirling around, she took in everything around her.
"It hasn't changed a bit! Not even after all these years!" she said to herself. Looking in the direction of Fairy Tail, she cocked her head. "Never mind, that's definitely different. Looks like Fairy Tail's got bigger" she smiled. Her stomach lurched as she remembered what she had to do....what she had to say. But how was she going to say it? What would they think of her when they heard what she had been doing all this time? What would he think?
"Maybe I should lie... maybe it's better if they don't know." She thought. No. She knew that she would have to tell the truth, as hard as it would be.
"It would be easier to show them though."she mumbled staring at her palms. Taking a deep breath, the girl took off toward the Fairy Tail guild hall. Her heart was racing as she sped past South Gate Park. She looked to her side at the Sola Tree, when suddenly she crashed into something very solid that knocked her on her butt. Quickly she got up, brushed herself off and looked at who she ran into. He was a very tall, muscular young man with yellow spiky hair.
"Sorry!" She called over her shoulder, as she ran past him.
Finally she reached the Fairy Tail Guild. Her heart sank as she pulled on the door handle and found the door to be locked. Kneeling down, she removed her one-strap backpack and took a lock picking tool from one of the inside pockets. One by one she felt each pin click up and voila! The door swung open and she stepped inside. The guild hall was deserted, and dark, but it was still warm and cheery. She could smell alcohol and tobacco around the bar. Walking between the tables, the sounds of laughter and happy conversation rang through her mind.
"What are you doing in here?"
The woman whirled around to see the man she ran into standing in the doorway. He had a serious expression, and stood with his arms crossed. He looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The man then stepped into the moonlight coming from a window, showing a lightning scar over his right eye.
"Oh my God," The girl took a couple steps back and stared at the man in front of her, "Laxus?????"
"Do I know you?" Laxus narrowed his eyes as the girl walked back toward him. Her eyes widened, and he saw that her iris's were ice blue.
"It's been too long, Laxus..."She said with tears welling up in her eyes. " I don't blame you for not recognizing me. It's been 9 years after all. But I knew it was you when I saw that" She pointed at his scar, pulled down her mask and looked up at him.
"No way..." Laxus stared at the girl in disbelief. "I thought you were dead." He stared at the girl for a few seconds before pulling her into his arms.
"Skye..."
"I won't be around forever...I think it's time for me to pass the torch to Gildarts." said Makarov.
"You know he will just throw the title back at you. The old man's never been one for staying in one place for very long." replied Laxus. "Besides, the guild hall would probably need to be rebuilt every month if he was left in charge."
"You aren't ready to lead this guild yet my boy..." Makarov sighed. He watched Laxus stand up and start walking toward the door.
"Yeah, I know Gramps. 'Night." Laxus smiled slightly and left the guild hall. He walked down the stone steps out onto the street. It was a nice night, and a warm breeze blew against his coat, causing it to wave behind him like a cape. The dragon slayer was walking past South Gate Park when he closed his eyes to feel the breeze against his face, when his eyes snapped back open. He smelled something coming toward him, something oddly familiar. Then it struck him...literally. Someone ran into him, almost knocking him over. The person recovered rather quickly, and glanced at him before continuing on. Her lower face was covered by a mask extension of her shirt and her red hair was tied up.
"Sorry!" called a young woman's voice.
Laxus was watching her run away when he noticed she was heading directly for Fairy Tail. Frowning, Laxus turned and followed her.
Home! She was finally home, after nine years in that city. Running down the alley and out into the streets, her heart was overflowing with relief and happiness. Twirling around, she took in everything around her.
"It hasn't changed a bit! Not even after all these years!" she said to herself. Looking in the direction of Fairy Tail, she cocked her head. "Never mind, that's definitely different. Looks like Fairy Tail's got bigger" she smiled. Her stomach lurched as she remembered what she had to do....what she had to say. But how was she going to say it? What would they think of her when they heard what she had been doing all this time? What would he think?
"Maybe I should lie... maybe it's better if they don't know." She thought. No. She knew that she would have to tell the truth, as hard as it would be.
"It would be easier to show them though."she mumbled staring at her palms. Taking a deep breath, the girl took off toward the Fairy Tail guild hall. Her heart was racing as she sped past South Gate Park. She looked to her side at the Sola Tree, when suddenly she crashed into something very solid that knocked her on her butt. Quickly she got up, brushed herself off and looked at who she ran into. He was a very tall, muscular young man with yellow spiky hair.
"Sorry!" She called over her shoulder, as she ran past him.
Finally she reached the Fairy Tail Guild. Her heart sank as she pulled on the door handle and found the door to be locked. Kneeling down, she removed her one-strap backpack and took a lock picking tool from one of the inside pockets. One by one she felt each pin click up and voila! The door swung open and she stepped inside. The guild hall was deserted, and dark, but it was still warm and cheery. She could smell alcohol and tobacco around the bar. Walking between the tables, the sounds of laughter and happy conversation rang through her mind.
"What are you doing in here?"
The woman whirled around to see the man she ran into standing in the doorway. He had a serious expression, and stood with his arms crossed. He looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The man then stepped into the moonlight coming from a window, showing a lightning scar over his right eye.
"Oh my God," The girl took a couple steps back and stared at the man in front of her, "Laxus?????"
"Do I know you?" Laxus narrowed his eyes as the girl walked back toward him. Her eyes widened, and he saw that her iris's were ice blue.
"It's been too long, Laxus..."She said with tears welling up in her eyes. " I don't blame you for not recognizing me. It's been 9 years after all. But I knew it was you when I saw that" She pointed at his scar, pulled down her mask and looked up at him.
"No way..." Laxus stared at the girl in disbelief. "I thought you were dead." He stared at the girl for a few seconds before pulling her into his arms.
"Skye..."
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