Author...
Everyone was tired. Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, and Lucy were breathing heavily as their battle ended. Ryuu laid on the dirt, looking up at the trees that covered up the sky, only few light passed through, and it just so happens that one of the rays shined down on him. He clearly remembers the first day he stepped on this land, in this forest. They were in their fifth year of searching for Lady Dracul, and he was actually in the verge of giving up.
"You guys find a place we can stay at, I'll do some canvassing." The white-haired man ordered cheerfully to his guild mates as he went off to look around. He's more cheerful after Dracul had left him; his friends played a big part on his recovery the same as how he played a part on theirs. Still, deep inside, he missed Lady Dracul; he wondered why she left him.
He always started at the nearby forest. Back then, he looked attentively, making sure he checked every hole, bush, and cave he saw. Now, he was just walking aimlessly. He only snapped out when his whole surrounding just started to darken. He was inside the dark side of the forest.
"Geez, Lady would love this place." he chuckled to himself and looked around. It was too dark for him to even recognize anything with only a few light rays passing through the leaves to lead his way. He stopped in front of the cave that was like a pure abyss inside.
"Get away, human."
But then he heard a voice too good to be true.
Two orbs of red suddenly appeared from inside of the cage and a roar came out that sounded oh so familiar. It's the same roar that brought him to tears when he was young, and it still did the same now. But back then, he cried because of fear, now he is crying out of accomplishment. The one he has been looking for all this time was finally in front of him.
The dragon went out of hiding and plunged at Ryuu, but not as an attack, more like an intimidating action – so that he would be sent running. Ryuu did run, but not away, he ran towards her and gave her a big hug!
“I missed you, Lady!” he shouted to the top of his lungs with tears falling from his eyes,
“What? Lady? Why would you—“ Realization only dawned upon her when light reflected in the cave through the puddle. She recognized that white hair anywhere. “Ryuu? How did you find me?!”
“I never stopped looking, Lady! I’m so happy I found you again!”
“My, you’ve grown.” She stated with sentiment, though she still was able to remain composed. She wasn’t like Ryuu who couldn’t control his tears and emotions anymore.
“I did everything you taught me, Lady. You’re the reason I survived. I missed you Lady Dracul, I really did!” It wasn’t normal for a man his size and age to whine like a baby, but he just couldn’t help it. He finally found what he was looking for.
“Oh Ryuu. Please don’t call me that anymore. I go by Chi now.”
His head snapped towards Lady, “What? Why?”
“The name Dracul carries a lot of horrible stories with it. I don’t want to be associated with that name anymore.”
“No Lady, you are kind. You took care of me-“
“I left you alone.”
Ryuu flinched. Yes, she did leave him alone, and he still didn’t understand. “Why did you leave me alone?”
“If I stayed with you, then you’ll be pushed to use your powers for the evil, Ryuu. I was nothing but a bad influence to you. We had to go our separate ways. After that, I never associated myself with a human ever again because I didn’t want the same thing to happen again. I isolated myself inside this forest with the light rarely visiting me. Never, in my entire life, did I expect that you’d find me.”
“You’re still an idiot, Lady.” Ryuu couldn’t help but chuckle. Lady had a stupid reason, he thought. He didn’t care if he’d turn bad because of her; as long as he was protecting her then he would be happy and content. “I’m just happy that I get to see you again.”
“The feeling is mutual, child.”
Ryuu told her about all his experiences. How he helped other people, how they travelled around Fiore, how they went on a lot of missions, and how they had one priority.
“And what is that?” The blood dragon asked.
“To find you, Lady.” He answered looking into her eyes.
“Why?”
“You accept anyone, you give everyone a chance! You saved me from being lifeless, for heaven’s sake! We look up to you. We actually want to swear our undying loyalty to you.” He answered with so much enthusiasm.
“Oh Ryuu, don’t. I swore that I won’t deal with humans anymore.”
“Too bad Lady, you’ll be dealing with me and my guild mates more than you think. I’ll bring them over here tomorrow.” Ryuu stood up and gave her a grin. Though Lady was dead serious that she didn’t want to see them, he left with dismissing her words. He was too happy, too glad that their searching would be over.
Their Lady Dracul was a though puppy, she never accepted their pledge of undying loyalty and she always drove them away, but not without feeding them some freshly picked fruits from the forest. That’s why humans stay when they meet her, and she wonders why. Soon enough, they meet Aka and everything gets better.
The film of the motion picture gets cut when Aka just decided to end their Lady and ever since that day, they vowed vengeance. Mission number two: Make Aka Pay.
“What are you planning, Ryuu?” asked Natsu when he got back up his feet. He stared down at the defeated man with acknowledgement but at the same time threatening him if he doesn’t answer the question. But Ryuu convinced himself that he won’t let them ruin their plan, even if it means that he has to fight until his dying breath.
“Tell him already, Ryuu.” A familiar voice came out of nowhere that made Ryuu’s head to snap wherever it came from.
A portal was opened behind the three dragon slayers and the celestial spirit wizard and it revealed Erza’s and Mirajane’s team along with their respective opponent, Brad and Heina – who were still fairly wounded.
“You guys were defeated too, huh?” Ryuu couldn’t help but utter coldly, more to himself than to his teammates.
“We’re sorry,” the two said in sync.
“I’m not much different, am I?” their leader just sighed, “Give me a reason – other than them beating me- to tell them what our plan is.”
“Because it’ll fail and you’ll be sacrificing someone in vain.” Gray said with a growl.
Ryuu only raised a brow at him, “And how do you know that that’s going to happen? Aka will drink the blood encasing Lady Dracul and will release her in her suspended animation. That’s what’s going to happen.”
“No. That blood that’s encasing the blood dragon is poisoned by many years of magic, if she drinks that she’ll-“
“Die. I know.”
Levi was cut off by Ryuu’s words. The people around them couldn’t believe what he said. Brad and Heina were just silent. Anger was boiling up in every Fairy Tail member present. How could they let their old member die, just to set off a plan that isn’t even a hundred percent sure would succeed.
“It’s the only way for her to repent. She’s the one who did it to Lady, she’s the one who has to bring her back.” The leader of Darc Dracul stated firmly.
“You are an idiot!” Gray grabbed the man by his collar and looked at him with disgust and anger. It all was too familiar for him; the revival of a creature, the sacrificing of a friend. He didn’t want anyone else to make the mistake he and Lyon did way back then. “Do you really think that Chi would come back?!”
He told him his experience. He told him that he was going to make a mistake. That he would be sacrificing someone for nothing at all. Ryuu refused to believe him, but after a few shakes and one hard slap on the face, he came to. Ryuu was silent, probably lamenting on what he did.
“Tell us how to get to the cave before everything is too late!”
Kuro…
“Aka! Snap out of it!” I shouted as we – Happy, Charles, Lily and I- tried to pull Aka away from whatever she was walking into. She was too strong, even with all our strengths combined. This was a whole new level of her bloodlust; I have never seen her like this before in my life.
It wasn’t long before we could reach the cave she talked about in her past. Inside, I could see the glimmer of red reflecting off something. A closer look showed me that it was a dragon encased in red crystal!
“Is that-?!” Charles couldn’t finish her sentence.
“Chi,” Lily breathed out.
Aka suddenly smacked the four of us away with a strong arm and started to growl. Was it because she heard her name?
She ran inside. We tried to follow but, out of nowhere, the same red crystal appeared in the doorway and it separated Aka from us. It was clear and we could see right through. She stared at us with dead eyes, it was as if she wasn’t herself. She then turned around, knelt in front of the crystal and started to – devour it?!
“She’s eating Chi’s blood?” Happy stated in disbelief.
No. She doesn’t want to this.
I attempted to break the glass shield open by flying at it with my full strength, but I just bounced of like some kind of ball. It didn’t stop me though, I tried and tried again. Aka needed my help. I can’t give up on her! If it was me, she’d never give up.
“Aka!” I called out, not even sure if she could hear me from the other side.
“Kuro, stop!” Charles said worried, but I won’t stop. I will never stop until Aka is safe again!
I flew into the wall again and again, and I felt the wounds I had open again. The pain didn’t stop me , it shouldn’t. I had to save Aka no matter what.
I tried breaking it, I failed and fell to the ground. I tried to get back up again, but a stinging sensation around my small body held me incapable.
No. Aka needs me. Why does my body have to fail me now?!
“Natsu and the others will be here, Kuro. They’ll be able to get Aka out of there. So please, stop hurting yourself.” Charles came to my aid and gave me a hug.
I can’t believe how useless I am. The girl who saved me from the wilderness, the girl who took care of me since I got out of my egg, the girl who made sure that no harm would come our way, the girl who was my very first friend, was in front of me right now, being controlled to do something she didn’t want to do. It was my turn to do something for her, to keep her safe. Yet I can’t.
I burst out in tears.
I don’t know why, but I’ve got this strong feeling that I’m going to lose Aka and I don’t want that.
I don’t want to lose Aka. I can’t imagine my life without her.