〖Unison Raid!〗A Fairy Tail RP [Frost/Ironic]

[F R O S T]

The first thing he remembered was waking up to the sounds of screams...

The other captives had been dragged off one by one and none of them returned... some of them he recognized, the sounds of their blood-curdling screams making it impossible to sleep even despite the exhaustion he faced. Around his little body were the others; people who were kidnapped by this group of monsters in human skins and held against their wills in the darkness, occasionally being taken out of their cells to work... or dragged off to the Keep to never return. They were all afraid, many of them almost as old as he was, some even younger. How many days had it been since he had been taken? He had no idea... he couldn't see the sun in his cell, only able to eat sleep, and do the strange tasks the monsters forced him to do... to pick up crystals that burned his hands or punch dummies on the wall. At times they could come with strange devices to test him or the others. All he could remember was confusion. His young mind did not understand what was going on. Why would they do this to him? Was it because he was an orphan? The children they took were a lot like him, wearing rags that the monsters provided or that they were dragged in with. The prisoners were all deathly quiet save for whimpering and sobbing, any speaking meant that they would be dragged off or tortured on the spot, anyone who tried to resist them were brought to the one they called "Master" They screamed the loudest.

It was the screaming that stirred the boy that morning... they had been taking people with greater and greater frequency over what seemed to be the last couple nights, and the sound of a thick door being jarred open was what shook the boy to action. The red-headed orphan lifted his head to take in the sight of two tall men in heavy robes... they wore strange white masks with an unusual symbol on it, the symbol was stylized, a pattern the boy did not recognize, some sort of plant. He tried in vain to get away, struggle against them but he was so weak, and was easily lifted into the air and carried away, his cries for help unheeded by the other prisoners, met only with blank stares as just another of the cattle was dragged away for the slaughter.

They dragged him through several rooms, then outside. It was the first time he had seen sunlight in so long... it was blinding! One of the cultists looked down at him, likely leering under the mask. "Its nice, isn't it... its gunna be the last time you feel it so enjoy it while you can" Harsh laughter followed as the two men carried him towards a building that seemed to block out the sun... a tower that reached the sky and grasped the clouds! Their pace sped and the tall one murmured something about the master waiting before they carried him through the doors and into a chamber that was almost pitch black where they dragged him to the far end and listed him onto a bed with straps and clamps, tying his little body thoroughly to the altar.

The room smelled funny, like metal and sweat; a thick smell that seemed to get worse and worse as he lie there... there was also the sound he remembered, shuffling feet and murmuring cultists, but one sound was more deeply disturbing than the wet squelching that came from the center of the room and it was only when the torches lit he discover how horrifying the situation he was really was.
More of the cultists stood in a center of a large magic circle that encompassed the entire room, surrounding a lone figure who knelt at the center. The metal smell came from a liquid that flowed slowly through the lines of the circle from the center and the squelching sound was the little girl in the arms of the Master, and the sound of the dagger cutting through her flesh to let her blood spill into the center of the large pit. He worked with the precision of a butcher, slashing her wrists, legs and other arteries, each time making her eyes bulge and throat heave with silent screams; she was still alive! The boy on the altar screamed for her, seeming to come to life as he thrashed against his bindings despite his pain and dispair. He knew this girl; She had short blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. She had shared a cell with him, come from the same village and here she was having the blood let from her body right in front of him, her twitching body writhing in his arms while his knife carved into her flesh over and over again. What did these monsters want?! He would find out soon.

The little girl was finished with a line drawn across her thin neck and her body was dropped to the side like a used toy, after which the Master stood and met eyes with the boy on the Altar. He moved away, swaying as he walked. Unlike the rest of the monsters this one did not wear a scary mask and appeared to be human... well... mostly human. His hair was long and dark, wavy and loose around his face which was pale like the corpse of the little girl he had just discarded... most terrifying were his eyes, eyes that would haunt the boy for the rest of his life, eyes that burned with the most unholy shade of green and glowed in the darkness of the room. Those eyes focused on the boy on the altar and he approached him, holding the dagger he had used just moments ago to drain a little girl dripping in his hand, black metal flashing in the dim lights.

"We have finally found you... little one" He flashed a devilish grin, teeth showing white in the darkness. The boy tried to speak, tried to ask him why they were doing this, but no words came out, only a choked rhasp. The man's cold hands found their way to his face. "All this searching, all this sacrifice for the perfect vessel... you were really hard to find" His voice cut into him and put even more questions in his mind, only able to focus on the horrible grin that this man had. "Don't worry though, their sacrifices will not be in vain, and neither will yours."

"My Lord, preparations are complete for the transfer." He glanced to the side and waved away his minion. "Very well, start it" He glanced back at the boy and gave an almost caring smile, lips parting to reveal a set of long fangs. He noticed the questioning look in the boy's eyes.

"A long time ago, a very beautiful thing was sealed away... we are going to free it using your body. These things are very hard to control after all, and put in a mortal form we can control it" He chuckled darkly and the altar began to move. Soon the boy was lifted up, arms spread out to make his body into a cross. The Master's fingers traced across his skin, from his jawline down his naked arm and finally to his hand which he carefully examined. The boy was unable to move, and sheer terror flickered across his young face "Such purity, I envy you... You should be happy... you are about to become my perfect weapon after all" His fingers grasped the boy's wrist with an iron grasp, wresting a cry from him and then with a swift movement plunged that black dagger into the palm of his little hand.

The sound of the boy's scream was drowned out by the sounds of wind rushing through the chamber. Pain coursed through the dark-haired boy's little body as the blade bit into his skin... bright crimson light spilling out of his hand instead of blood. The dagger did not seem to pierce his skin at all but instead melted into his hand, spreading out from the back of it in thin lines that quickly took the form of thorny vines racing up his arm and towards his heart. His eyes closed and body shook, heart racing and mind breaking.

Then... everything went black.

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Later
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It was raining in Magnolia and the sun was long on its way down past the horizon. The glow of the city could been seen for miles with the lights of windows and streetlights and a flash of lightning occasionally split the sky to herald the roar of thunder. The people of Magnolia had long gone inside to shelter out the storm and the streets were completely empty...

Well, almost completely.

Bare feet splashed in muddy puddles alongside the cobblestone streets as the boy padded slowly down the street towards the towering building on the water's edge. He had been walking for what seemed like days, was hungry, thirsty, and in so much pain, but he managed to put all that pain aside... at least until he got there. Around him they watched, pale faces and whispering voices of the Dead that had woken him in the forest just outside of town. It was those spirits who had guided him here and given him strength, following him and picking him up when he fell. They were frightening at first but it was clear they meant him no harm, especially the girl in white who they seemed to gather around. He was frightened, miserable, cold... but still she gave him hope where he had none before.

She stood several paces in front of him, walking with bare feet soundlessly down the street and unphased by the rain and dirt like he was... She was almost like an angel, only stopping when he would trip or slip to the ground to provide him with encouraging words and lead him further to the light. In time he arrived and she walked easily through the massive oaken doors. They were opened a crack and light poured out from within them, the light of his salvation, just as she had promised. He reached for the door and gave it a hard push, stumbling back when more ghostly hands reached out after him and the door flew open.

Inside it was a typical night at Fairy Tail, drinks were being served and wizards big and small were enjoying the night. What a surprise it would be when the doors seemingly flung themselves open with only a half-starved and exhausted child on the other side. Two men near the door stared blankly while he staggered inside out of the rain. He was beaten and bloody, what counted as clothing soaked through and skinny body covered in scratches and bruises. He wore nothing but tattered rags and hastily applied bandages, a single black large shirt provided by his captors covered his modesty and leaving him with bare arms, legs and feet. His left arm was bare, but his right arm, the one that that man had plunged his dagger into was wrapped in bandages that were stained red with his blood and black from dirt and ash. Tears filled his eyes; he was here, he was finally here... the place that the girl had talked about, the place where he would be safe.

In moments he was noticed, voices rising above the crowd.

"Hey There is a kid here!"

"Holy Crap, hes bleeding! Get the Guildmaster"

And in no time at all people were rushing out to get the stray inside, to offer help just as the girl had said. Once again, Fairy Tail was in an uproar.

 

[Ironic]

“Woah! Look at all the stars up there!” Sprawled out and looking like a starfish on top of her house’s hay roof, Nevaeh gazed up at the celestial sky that seemed to be only inches away from her little fingertips. Laying right next to her left side was her mother while her father laid on her right side. For being ten years old she was fairly close to her parents, appreciating each time she spent with them as they were always gone with work. Long strands of chestnut hair pooled around the hay, small pieces of it getting stuck within the locks. The tiny shack they lived in wasn’t much, but she was thankful for having at least something. It was better than having nothing at all.

Samantha and Carl were both wizards, going on quests together to gain jewels for bills and other things. They were not casters though, but instead equipped weapons that gave them a fair amount of high magical power. Wanting to be just like her parents, Nevaeh found a love for dueling blades. While they were away this would leave her plenty of time to train and show her progress, and even on the sidelines reading magic books on how to enhance her magical power. Now she could teleport directly on top of somebody for a deadly blow with her blades, obviously a dummy and not a real person as of for now. Excitedly the young girl would show her parents just how far she had come along, only to wait eagerly for tips and tricks from the masters themselves in her eyes.

The stars twinkled and sparkled against her blue irises, intrigued with something that looks so heavenly… divine and just perfect in every way possible. “Watch my finger, tell me if you see the dipper in the sky.” Samantha spoke softly, smiling as she watched her daughters fascinating eyes wonder off in the route of her fingertip.

“I see it mom! Isn’t it so cool how they can form like that? I bet an angel did it.” So naïve to the world she was, but that’s what kept her imagination alive.

“Maybe. But not even an angel could be as pretty as my little princess!” Carl poked at her nose, chuckling as he looked at his wife with a heartfelt smile painted on his nude lips. It seemed as if this moment was perfect, nothing could possibly get in the way of it.

So it appeared…

A scream in the near distance grew louder, the blood-curdling shriek making Samantha and Carl sit upwards. Both began to place a hand on Nevaeh’s torso to keep her laying down in her sprawled out position. Blinking blankly as everything began to register to her, Nevaeh tried to sit upwards only to be denied access. “Mom, Dad… What is that?”

“Stay down, honey.” Samantha’s eyes were attentive on the direction the screeching was coming from, and though Nevaeh wasn’t making eye contact with her it was apparent that a grim look was smeared on her face. In spite of how much she wanted to get up and see what was going on for herself, she did just as instructed and stayed laying there. She tried to regulate her breathing in a soft and slow tempo, not wanting to panic although everything around her told her to.

It was a man. Bloody and beaten with arbitrary scabs and open wounds speckled on what was visible of his pale skin. “Somebody! Help me! Please, I’m begging you!” Both palms cupped his face, fingernails burrowing in his flesh as something greater was happening deep within his chromosomes that he couldn’t begin to comprehend. People started to gather outside of their homes, peeking to see what all of the commotion was.

Gasping in utter horror, everyone was absolutely dumbfounded as to what they had just seen that they were paralyzed in their own flesh. One brave soul, however, approached the man that begged to be helped. Extending out a hand he would grip at the bloody shoulder of this cringing man, making his eyes meet with his own in question. “Tell me, what happened to you?!” He enquired as he gave the frightful man a firm shake, seeming that he could jiggle the answer out if he put enough exertion into it.

“I-It w-w-was… Argh!” Just when he was about to spit out the answer both of his knees collapsed to the ground. Thrashing his body from side-to-side, something horrific began to happen to the emaciated and malnourished man.

His muscles would bulge outwards, shearing away the clothing that use to lay so limp against his body. Everything began to increase in size, veins protruding out and pulsating with his rapid heartbeat. He was turning into a beast! Black goop dripped from his widening maw, large and thorn-like teeth popping into view. Before the man that tried to help him could scurry away, a large hand would severely clutch at his waist. The echo of bones crushing would fill the night air, quickly to follow was an excruciating scream that died down to nothing. The beast would drop his body, blood pouring from its gaped mouth and widened glossed-over eyes.

“Take Nevaeh to the shelter vault, now!” Carl commanded as the beast would begin to vandalize anything that came into arms reach. “I’ll go down there and try to do something, this is an order!” Without another word Carl would swoop in to kiss the foreheads of his wife and daughter before jumping off the roof.

“Dad! No!” Tears boiled up in the young girl’s eyes, reaching out for her father that was out of sight. Scooping up her distraught daughter into her loving arms, hastily Samantha slid down the roof and landed on both feet. Dashing inside the shack she sat Nevaeh down and quickly tore away the bear furred rug that laid in the middle of the home, only to reveal a locked door.

“We only want the best for you sweetie. Please, do us a favor and stay in here. I know you want to help us but we cannot allow this to happen. You’re a big girl and I know you understand the situation.” Sweat glistened on her forehead, not wanting to tell her daughter that this may be the last time they will see each other. “I’m going to lock this with magic, setting it so it will not open until everything is safe. There is food and water to help you if things are unsafe for a while.” Unlocking the door she would open it bleakly, turning towards Nevaeh only to see her sobbing irrepressibly.

“I want to help! I’ve been practicing and I can do something! Please?!” Holding onto her mother’s shirt she would bury her face in it, holding her closely and not wanting her to leave. This broke Samantha’s heart, and all she could do was hold her everything close in her arms.

“I know sweetie. I do too… But this will be for the be-“

Her sentence was cut off abruptly as the roof of their shack began to collapse down, exposing the black night sky with the shimmering stars, only to have the beast obscuring the vision of it. Samantha was too late, she didn’t have enough time to save her daughter from the further destruction of this beast. Cradling her closely against her torso, she would catch glimpse of Carl wielding a katana in his hand, thrashing it downwards to strike the beast on its back. Bellowing out in pain, it would pound its arm horizontally, knocking Samantha and Nevaeh out from one another’s grasp.

She tumbled and tumbled against the rocky ground, laying limp with her stomach on the gravel. The beast would pick her up, only to smash her down thrice back down. It felt like her organs were tearing in her small body, blood exiting out from her cracked open mouth and trailing down her flared nostrils. Iron was all she smelt, and the screams and cries died down sympathetically.

Was this how it felt to be dying? She felt weightless, the room spun and her eyes couldn’t lock down on one object. The last thing she would remember seeing was her mother being picked up by the beast, crying and lashing around, and before anything would become too graphic to see…

It all went black.

Slowly her consciousness was slipping away from herself and there was nothing she could do to grip it back into place. “No… Stay up! Don’t give in!” Encouraging herself she would try to fight the fuzziness that struggled to obstruct what was left of her cognizance. But everything hurt her tremendously. Would it be better to let go and not live life with this pain? Maybe this was her fate… and instead of denying it she should just accept the realization of it. “Yeah… That sounds nice, eternal life.” Nevaeh was beginning to accept this unpleasant reality. She stopped fighting, struggling as she was being tugged closer to stand almost one foot into death’s door.

“I will not let this happen to you, child.” A soothing voice played beautiful inside of the young girl’s ears, the hum of it enough to make the hairs on your skin do handstands. It was a woman, the honey seeping out of her words seemingly calming every ache and torn on her body. It was hard to peek open her eyes to catch a glimpse of someone who sounded so beautiful. “Don’t strain too hard, m’dear. Just let me help you…” Her hands began to touch Nevaeh’s forearms, working their way up to her shoulders, having them stop as she cupped both of her cheeks lovingly. “I have to change you in order to save you, please forgive me Nevaeh.”

After a few moments of trying to pry her sealed eyes open they would finally give-way, taking in the glowing radiance that was Her… Long snowy while hair curled spirally as it fell against her shoulders, stopping down the arch in her slender back. White pupils with no irises casting down over her battered and torn body. Angelic wings that sprawled out longer than her length positioned on her backside, the long feathers flowing as the breeze picked it up. A long frilly white dress hugging closely on her body, the lengthy hem of it pooling around where her feet would be. “Is this… real?” The young girl would ask, taken back by who was standing in front of her. Chuckling at her naïve question, she would nod her head ‘yes’ in response.

“Your mother and father signed a contract with me to always be your guardian angel. It was a hard mission to get something so rare but they only wanted the best for you. Here I am, and as much as I wish I could have met you on better terms I can only appear when things get nasty. So we cannot waste any more time!” Both of her palms would place on her chest in a position similar to CPR, closing her eyes as a majestic white glow began to emit from them. A light wind would swirl around the two, making both of their hairs swirl around chaotically in a beautiful trance. The angel began to chant a weird tongue, slurring words together and adding emphasis to some. What was she saying?...

Nevaeh’s fingertips began to discharge a strong white light, her toes and eyes soon to follow with this bizarre new feeling. It felt holy, divine and heavenly, and soon the internal damage would no longer become present. This raw source of magic was healing her, as if none of the incidents of the day had ever happened!

Starting from the top her hair would slowly fade from the brown it was to the paperwhite shade that matched the angel’s own tresses. “W-what’s happening? My hair…” She almost forget that during the process her body would forever change, but as long as it meant to keep her alive she did not mind. Looking around the room of her once known and loved home it would become something foreign. Everything was destroyed, thrashed around carelessly and definitely something that couldn’t be fixed… Just before she would turn her head to cast over where the bodies of her deceased parents would be was when the angel rudely turned her head to face away from the miserable mess. Soon she would get the hint, but no tears trailed down her crimson cheeks… only a void in her heart from the loss of her parents.


After another moment, the chanting simmered down to nothing but the silence that use to be in the air. It was disturbingly quiet, and again it made things hard to accept that this silence was the sound of death. All around her everyone was dead… But her parents manage to slay the beast the caused the destruction to their small village. Thanks to them, no one else would get hurt from whatever had happened.

“You have transformation magic, now. How you trigger it only you know. You need to find it deep within your heart and soul, and from there you will activate the unstoppable.” Helping Nevaeh up on her two feet, she would brush off the dust that was on her frayed clothing. “I have to go, my child. But always know that I am here for you when things get rough. Even if you talk out to nobody, I will always be listening with careful and attentive ears.” Leaning in to kiss her exposed forehead, she would fade away as if she was nothing more but a hologram.

“No, please, don’t go! I have so many questions… I need answers!” But it was too late, she was gone. What If she could have helped her parents? Or can she only help the living, not the dead? Gulping at the lump that was in her throat, she would revolve her head around to catch glimpse of the bodies of her parents, and there she fell to her knees and cried. She cried her heart out, letting everything seep out from the new cracks in her heart. And she did this for an hour before leaving her once known and loved home. It was nothing more than just a memory.

Just like her parents.

There was no point in sitting here crying over something that couldn’t be changed. The tears she shed wouldn’t help either, but it was okay to let them out if need be. Sniffling as she wiped away the mucous that was caked on her nose with the back of her hand, she would get up from her knees and turn her back on the corpses. “They’re just bodies. My parents aren’t there, their souls are free in a greater place than I can imagine.” And those were the encouraging words she would forever live by, knowing that one day she would meet them again. Sooner or later? It was not known, but fate always lead down to death, and that seemed to be the only promise in life. Finding her way out of the collapsed house’s door, she would begin to walk down the graveled path that would lead her to somewhere her parents always talked about.

Until a soft weep caught her attention.

Amongst the clattered wood and hay was a quaking small body. Crying obviously from the mess that had happened in the village. She was too far away to see who exactly it was so she would begin to creep closer towards the commotion. Each step would make the ‘thing’ crying more visible. It was a girl but with… was that six tails?! Why didn’t Nevaeh see her in the village before? Were they hiding her all this time so no one would see her unique features? Crouching down, she would extend a hand out to the balled up girl, rubbing her back only to startle her.

“Don’t worry, I am here to help you… I lost everything too, let’s be friends?” Blunt and straight to the point she was, but really, what else was there to say? The little girl was hesitant, but willingly and out of a sense of feeling lost, she would grab at the awaiting hand that would help her stand up. Though she didn’t respond, it was apparent that the two would be sticking together for a long time.


It began to get awkward with the little one not talking on their journey. Her skin was fair, short blondish-white hair in pig-tails and side swept bangs shielding her dirty forehead. Rags for clothes shielded her body from being exposed, and her small body looked famished and ghoulish. “What’s your name?” Nevaeh would attempt to make the little girl talk, hoping that the small period of quietness would help her to talk or open up. Nothing. She was still too scared it would seem until, out of nowhere during the trip, she would respond.

“I am Harley.” Randomly she would say, walking right alongside Nevaeh’s side. If only she knew what the poor little girl had been through and the sights she had seen. She felt as if she had to take care of her, to feel the void that was left after the chaotic events.

“Nice to meet you Harley, I am Nevaeh. Thank you for tagging along. We will be good friends, I can tell already.”

“Where are we going, Nevaeh?” It almost hurt her to hear the uncertainty coming from the fox’s inquire. She had to be strong not only for herself but for Harley, too. It was the right thing to do.

“You see, my mommy and daddy always told me about this amazing guild in Magnolia. It’s called Fairy Tail.” She would begin to explain, already capturing her attention with intrigued eyes glossed over her as they walked. “They would tell me how they regretted not joining a long time ago, and though they still had the option to they decided not to. I do not know why and I wish I did, but I wanted to fulfill what they couldn’t do. Fairy Tail will take good care of us. Mom and Dad always talked about the guild and what all they had achieved. I want to be the best member! Hey, we both can!” Smiling from ear-to-ear, the two would walk and search for the mysterious guild. A week had passed before they finally stood at the doors of the large guild hall, the emblem showcasing just below the roof.

“So, this is it…”

Staring at the building as it seemed to stretch out and touch the sky, she wouldn’t know what further actions to take. Does she just walk inside? Knock? She was shaking all over, and to be honest she didn’t think they would even get this far. A loud banter of commotion was coming from inside the hall, and it appeared to make things pleasing. Everything would be okay, there was no harm in this building.

“I’m scared…” Little Harley spoke under hushed tones, twiddling her small fingers as she kept her eyes glued onto them. She was five years younger than Nevaeh, being five while she was ten. Her blue eyes searched Nevaeh's face, trying to find the answers in the universe within her features.

"We can do this. Remember, if we put our mind to it we can do anything." Reaching towards the cowering girl, she would grip her right hand tightly, giving it a firm shake and a soft nod of her head. With a push of the door, forever their lives would change. A new beginning.

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● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Two Years Later ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
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Every new day brought greater hopes, yet the haunting past would never leave their memories. It was hard at times to get through the day, but Nevaeh and Harley continued to remind each other what really mattered right here and now. Throughout all of those two years - that seemed to fly by - their relationship grew substantially. Going on missions together, living together in a nearby apartment, just... everything. They were best friends despite the motherly/daughterly connection they shared.

It was another night in the guild hall. Ruckus and shouting everywhere you go. Silly little competitions all the while having a good heart-felt laugh in between it all. Ah, it was home. Nevaeh could see how her parents wanted to be here so badly. Everyone was so amazing, but it did take a while to adjust to the loudness and commotion. It was all worth while, though sometimes she really did wonder about her decision.

"I bet you I can drink this gallon of beer faster than you ever could!" Alek slurred the challenge to Xavier, who foolishly agreed.

"You just asked the wrong guy! You're already drunk and nearly slumped over!" Little did he know, he was just in the same state as Alek, hiccuping yet greedily holding his wooden jug of alcohol within his grip.

"You guys, knock it off. Enough is enough!" Nevaeh stormed in on the action, pounding her fist on the table to feel it rattle beneath her. Though she was younger than most, she was a very strict person. Often she would be criticizing the bad behavior and habits of the other guild members, causing most of them to apologize, fearing that they might invoke her wrath.

"Damn, okay fine, just don't shout like that! It's giving me a headache!" Alek swattered her away like an annoying fly buzzing around in his ear, later cupping his head as if an explosion just happened inside of it.

"That's what you get for drinking all of the time, you fool." Rolling her eyes she would pivot her heal on the ground and walk towards the table Harley was sitting at, sighing before gripping her own mug of liquid. It was only grape juice, but sometimes she would like to pretend it was alcohol to feel somewhat cool. The thunder would crack in the dark night, roaring and shaking the hall. It was nasty outside, so cold and wet from the constant downpour of rain these last few days. Nothing out of the ordinary until the sound of chatter slowly died down to nothing.

Feeling the awkward tension in the room, Nevaeh would turn her head to see what was just going on, and there he was. A small boy, distressed and obviously looking for a place to stay. He was drenched in rain water, dilapidated clothing barely hanging on his thin body. What was that on his right hand and why was it so badly injured? Rising up from her seat she would walk towards the boy, eyes wide and filled with shock.

"What happened to you?! Are you okay?!" Inspecting him as she asked the rhetorical question, she would reach out to him, almost touching just before the guild master pushed her aside to help the shivering and badly injured child. "I want to help, let me!" Fighting her way to get closer, other guild mates took her by the hands, pushing her back so the master could do her job to comfort the passerby.

Harley stayed towards the back, sniffling and wanting to cry from the strange boy that just came in. "Is he going to hurt us like that monster did? Is that who he is?" Looking up at Nevaeh with large round blue eyes, it was apparent that she was frightened to death by the thought of the events of that night would be reenacted. Gently Nevaeh placed two loving arms around the sobbing child, holding her close as she stroked her head tenderly.

"Shh... no need to cry. I will protect you, remember? I can beat anyone up who dares to mess with my little foxy. You hear me?" Holding her even tighter than before, she would feel an overwhelming sense of sadness as she remembered that Harley was the only thing she had left besides the guild. Everything she ever loved was gone before her eyes, and it would be such a shame if tonight was only a repeat of the chaos. She trained countless of hours, practicing her holy slayer magic and daggers to their greatest potential at such a young age. But, as always, there was still room for practice. It was safe to say that she could hold her ground if needed, but not the strongest member in the guild by far. "I will be right back, you stay near the back and if you feel frightened don't be afraid to run." Taking her arms away from Harley she would make her way through the crowd, her curiosity and urge to help others getting the best of her.

She wore a long white dress with spaghetti straps, her hair long and wavy like the waves in the sea. Those white irises seeming to be emotionless due to no color in the irises, but there was more to her than just her eye color. White flats fitted her feet comfortably, making small clicks as the heal of her soles hit the wooden floor. Beautiful she was, only being 12 and still needing room to mature up, but already she captivated many hearts and gained wonderful relationships with other guild mates.

Jumping in right beside the Master, she would foolishly grab a hold of his right hand, thinking it would be reassuring to him but if only she knew what would happen next. "Hey, I am Nevaeh and I want to help you feel better. Tell me what happened to you?" Just because Harley warmed up so quickly to Nevaeh didn't mean anyone else would have the same reaction to such a blunt and affirmative girl. It needed to take time, to build up that trust and connection, though some can come sooner than others.

"Please? I want to help... Like I helped Harley..."

 

[F R O S T]

The reaction of this... guild... startled the boy. Before this he had only seen misery and sadness, it was all he could remember, everything before those months were blank, the people who had taken him, the village where he grew up, he couldn't remember... these people reacted differently than he had ever dreamed, shouting at eachother to grab medical supplies and food... His eyes widened slightly and the tears slowed for now. Was this a Guild? Immediately several people rushed towards him, looks of concern and fright touching their expression. Who was this kid? Why did he look so beaten up? What was with his arm?

The boy's own reaction to this was one of fear. His eyes widened with fear and his bare feet stepped backwards away from the men and women who were approaching him, and his bare feet taking a couple steps back before they gave out on him altogether and he fell to the ground, splashing mud all over himself and sobbing. His mind was so hazy and his emotions were running rampant, he had seen so much senseless death, and this thing was eating away at him, he could feel it. The first couple of people who approached him stalled when he did this and he glanced left and right with wide and sunken eyes. The bags under his eyes informed those approaching to help that he had gone for days without sleep; he was exhausted and starving, cold and miserable. "Help.... Help me.." He struggled with the words through his sobs, all these people approaching him made him even more afraid. Two men and a woman approached, both of the men were in their thirties, but the woman looked older than the others and they moved to the side respectful when she approached him. She looked like she was in her late fifties, had long dark hair, graying already and stress and tied in a single, messy ponytail. She wore a white coat around her form that reached to her ankles, decorated with fur linings and exquisite decorations, including a badge that the boy did not recognize, one of the symbols of the 10 Saint Wizards. The Guildmaster aged gracefully, the boy couldn't guess her age by look, but she appeared to be older and wiser than anyone he had seen before... The Guildmaster approached the boy cautiously, kneeling about three feet away from him and offering him a reassuring smile. Something about this woman put him at ease, and for a moment he stopped trembling for fear, eyes shifting to the much younger girl who pushed her way through the crowd that had gathered.

This girl looked like she was only a couple of years older than he was; her features were unusual even compared to the other colorful individuals bustling around the guildhall, with white hair and even whiter eyes. Her eyes looked almost emotionless, unlike his own, which were a dull red and filled with fear. The boy regarded this girl as she approached him, biting his lower lip and recoiling as she brazenly approached him and reached out her hand. The whispers increased in volume as she approached, becoming violent as she reached for him. She moved in brazenly, past the woman and reached out, introducing herself before reaching out and grabbing his right hand. Immediately those whispers became screams in his ears, drowning out the voices of concern and orders for food and blankets.

The boy reacted suddenly and violently when she grabbed that arm that was wrapped in bandages. Pain exploded through him, as if he had been stabbed all over again time and time again, something felt like it was wrapping around his arm and spikes were digging into him. Those bandages stained red again. His reaction was startling at best, those eyes lighting up with pain and a cry of pain found its way to his lips, still weak and raspy. His muscles moved on their own accord and his eyes went wide. His body seemed to move on its own and he *ripped* his afflicted arm from her grasp, almost swatting at her before pulling that arm tightly into his belly and grasping it with his other hand and pulling it into his stomach, doubling over in pain. At the same time of his reaction she might feel something that felt strangely like several hands pushing her away from him.

The boy seemed too focused on the pain in his arm to pay attention to anything else, not seeing the guildmaster place her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Nevaeh, now isn't the time for that, hes afraid and hurting." She said, immediately kneeling by his side and gingerly lifting his arm, shushing him. The Guildmaster examined his arm gingerly, and something she saw made her frown. Without a word she stood and looked over to one of the men who had joined her at the doors. "Alek, get some food, stew, something filling and easy to eat" Then her eyes shifted to another man, this one younger than the other "Mason, get fresh bandages and some medical lacrima from the basement. Finally she looked at another man, this one had been sitting in the back of the crowd with a large mug. He had white eyes and looked old. "Sirus, I need you to send a message to Varrius, tell him to get to my office immediatly, emergency" Varrius, the Blademaster, a name that Navaeh would recognize as one of Fairy Tail's most feared members, a magic swordsman whos skill helped the Guilds win the Great War... he was elusive, but capable of moving very quickly. The older woman then looked down to the boy. "Everything is going to be okay, you are safe here, but I am going to need you to stay still and come with me, no more pushing" With that she scooped the small and wet little creature into her arms and picked him up off the ground. "Nevaeh, if you want to help, find some clothing for this young man, there should be some clothes upstairs that will fit him, check the closets, Ill be in my office, bring them when you find them." And without a further word she turned and stormed out of the room with the starving child in her arms, quickly walking to her office.

He didn't resist her, he couldn't anyway as she carried him into a large and well decorated room with a heavy door, setting him down gently on the desk and pulling up a comfy chair to sit in herself, drawing lines in the air and making a gesture. Immediately two complex designs made out of light appeared in front of her and her right hand was surrounded by the same light. The light formed into two screens and something that resembled a smaller screen with many little squares on it. His eyes widened slightly, having never seen such magic being used... "You aren't used to magic, are you, this is called archive magic, it helps me gather and categorize information, very handy for someone in my position. She turned to him and sat down by his side. "Now, I am going to remove your bandages and look at what is underneath... they are old and need to be replaced, if they get infected your health will decline even further." Really she had other purposes. With a stern hand she lifted his arm, carefully avoiding touching his hand and swiftly unraveled the bandages. It was pretty clear she had some sort of experience and soon his entire arm was revealed and the guildmaster's expression darkened, frowning at what she saw underneath.

The palm of the boy's hand still looked as if it was wounded, a complex diamond-shaped mark marring his small hand on the front and back... From there marks spread and wound up his arm, the marks looked almost like a lattice of thorny vines extending from the design at the center, wrapping around his wrist and spreading all the way up his arm to the shoulder, crisscrossing and gripping as they went. Should Nevaeh Peek into the room at the moment she might see it and the dire expression on the Guildmaster's face. She was worried, this was no normal tattoo, and that symbol was unmistakable... The mark of Zeref lie on the center of his hand. The thorny tattoo was not still on his arm either, but instead seemed to move through and over his skin like a living creature, thorns digging deep cuts to draw blood in his arms and hand. It almost seemed that the tattoo was straining to climb his arm, and was the source of her concern. The Guildmaster carefully examined the mark before reaching into her pocket and extracting a large golden pen, getting to work on writing something on one of the screens before turning to him. Her gentle hands moved to his shoulders and chin, further examining him cautiously and even glancing under the tattered rags he was wearing.

"What is your name?" She asked patiently, sitting before him. The boy only shook his head. "Do you not remember?" His reply was a meek nod. He couldn't remember anything, and although this woman had been kind to him, he still didn't trust her. It would be a long time before he trusted anybody. She shook her head and smiled. "We can worry about those things after we get some food in you" She stood before him and with that pen leaned over and touched his upper shoulder. My name is Asca Connell, and I am the Master of this guild, Fairy Tail" She smiled at him, giving a reassuring look and smoothing her hand on his cheek. "You know, my granddaughter is about the same age as you, she is in this guild too, I am sure she would be excited to meet you." She smiled brightly "In the meantime though we will have to do something about that mark as soon as we can, this is going to sting but I am going to try to keep this mark from spreading even further."

The guildmaster leaned in and closed her eyes, focusing her magic power on the pen and grasped his hand gently. A sphere of golden light surrounded the tip of her pen and she moved quickly. Before he or any of the spirits around him could react she grasped his hand and quickly drew that light across his arm. The vines climbing into his shoulder shattered and were replaced with a new design that quickly formed into a bond around his upper arm. The vines leapt from his arm, for a moment trying to attack the guildmaster, but a quick swipe from her pen forced them back. She forced them down and down until they were stuck just above his elbow and the light could force them back no longer. The boy was oddly still during this whole event, the pain caused by the vines was overwritten by calming warmth from the pen. His entire arm went numb so he could only watch as the powerful magic user fought with his curse. After a couple more moments, she finished, winded and with sweat beading on his brow. She quickly took fresh white bandages and evenly wrapped them around his arm all the way to his shoulder

The boy had his eyes squeezed shut the entire time, only opening them when the sensation stopped, noting that the guildmaster was winded. "You are to show no one else that mark, okay? It must remain a secret of you and all the rest of us are in big trouble... It is a dark thing, but can be controlled, and we can help you control it" She glanced to the side, noticing that the boy seemed to be looking at someone. "If you let us" She said, and he frowned, looking down. "I... I have no where to go" to which she immediatly responded, cutting him off. "This is Fairy Tail, many of us started like you, even some of our most beloved members came to us as orphans and lost, this place is safe, no, more than that it is a family, and you are more than welcome to join us." It was at this moment that she turned around and smiled. "Nevaeh, you may enter" And when she did she stepped to the side, showing the boy and his newly bandaged arm, looking as miserable as ever.

"This boy will be joining us in Fairy Tail, he has lots of potential and has lost his family." She trailed off, a lot like the white-haired girl did really, his family was likely sacrificed to feed that mark on his arm. "He doesn't remember his name though" She grinned and turned to reach out an arm and press a finger to the bottom of his chin, manually raising his vision, wiping the tears from his eyes much as she had done for the girl years ago. "He kind of looks like a fox, doesn't he" With his piercing eyes and slender features he did really. "Perhaps Reynard? Its a heroic name, the name of a heroic fox that liked to play tricks on other animals...

He glanced up at her, smiling for the first time in days, for some reason he liked it... Reynard. "Reyn" He almost whispered the word, choosing a name for himself. The Guildmaster clapped her hands together and cheered. "Very good! Reyn it is! Welcome to Fairy Tail!"