ⓡⓐⓔ ⓚⓘⓝⓖ
"Tmisva wood!"
Rolling his red eyes, Rogue Cheney suppressed a sigh at his friend–guildmaster getting hyped up because of food and his mouth was completely stuffed but he was still talking. "Sting, don't talk while you are eating, please." Rogue wiped his cheek and spared a glare to him, one inch away from punching his stuffed face and Sting just gave him a simple grin, even asking him if he wanted food as well. Rogue just shook his head and walked ahead.
"Yaa, I miss our home!" Lector, an exceed exclaimed excitedly as he was drooling over Yukino's cooking. He couldn't wait to go home and spend his whole day eating fish. His fellow exceed, Frosch nodded happily and said the same too. Apparently they were just finishing a job in some rural area and now, they were on their way home. As a token of appreciation, they were given a lot of foods and Sting being Sting just took all of them with him even though Rogue refused to have them at first.
Sting swallowed the burger and patted his stomach like it was his baby. "Aaa, it feels so good!" He draped his arm around Rogue's neck and clinged to him like a baby koala childishly. The Shadow Dragon Slayer pushed his face away and tossed him on the ground. Sting quickly rolled his body to land on his hand and smirked at his hidden meaning. It had been a long time since they had a duel and they got spare time at the moment. Lector brightened up and his paw pulled Frosch to stand aside.
"You're thinking what I am thinking?"
Rogue just looked at him with an uninterested face. "You are like Natsu-san, Sting. Everyone knows what you have in your head. Food and fight." The corner of lips curled up and he rolled his sleeve of his light coloured leopard patterned kimono that only covered the right half of his torso–no doubt he was clearly anticipated for it. His hair was brushed to the right side of his face, covering his right eye. Though, he still had his calm face on and behind them, were ecstatic Lector and Frosch.
"Sting! You can do this!"
"Rogue too."
The spiky blond guy smirked at the cheering and threw away his vest, exposing his perfectly muscular body, standing straight with his white Sabertooth was shown clearly on his left shoulder. "Don't mind me going all out. Holy Ray." He joined the open palms of his hand together and light was generated in the hollow part between his hands. Lector cheered for him for making the first move and Frosch frowned cutely, worried for his partner but Rogue had it handled. He easily dodged Sting's attack by turning into shadows and wrapped himself around Sting.
Sting caught his shoulder and chuckled. "Totally see this." He slammed Rogue on the ground and moved his fist to punch him on the face. They changed it to a combat fight and they had fun. Getting each other on the nerves was something they always did–mainly it was Sting but they felt it. It reminded them of their usual old days, playing around and having fights to see who's stronger and since they were all caught up in the excitement of fighting, both of them were ignoring the fact that there was a foreign smell in the air.
Sting stopped his movement all of the sudden and inhaled the air, smelling blood. His heart raced and without saying anything to Rogue and others, he took off, turning around to go somewhere else. "Sting, don't just run away like that!" He ignored Rogue. The fear thoughts looped around in his mind until there was no room for anything else. He didn't know what it was but that smell of blood reminded him of the incident happened last year. His nose wouldn't lie to him and the smell was just getting stronger.
Rogue and others tried to chase after him and once Sting stopped running, they saw his face. He looked paler and they knew, it was not something good. Sting gulped and looked straight at Rogue in the eyes. "Rogue, I sense her. Don't you smell her?" Adrenaline flood Sting's system, it pumped and beat like it's trying to escape. He thought that his heart will explode and his eyes were wide with fear. Rogue creased his forehead, asking him who did he mean by her and what was he expecting certainly not that.
"Rae-chan." Sting wanted to run to search for her and he did, leaving Rogue was struck speechless by his answer. His adrenaline surged so fast–he almost vomit, Rogue can taste saliva thickening in his throat and beads of sweat trickling down his brow. Frosch and Lector looked at each other in disbelief and couldn't believe what they were hearing earlier. Did Sting just say he smelled Rae? Frosch looked up at his partner and asked him in a small voice about Rae, finally snapping Rogue out of his trance.
The Shadow Dragon Slayer scooped the exceeds in his arms and ran after Sting–within a few seconds later, his heart dropped once he saw Sting kneeling down in front of a body with a pool of blood surrounded them. He caught a glimpse of blonde hair and Rogue slowly made his way closer. It was really her. When she first came into view, Rogue almost didn't recognize her. Her skin was more purple and red. Her right eye was swollen and her face bore congealed blood. Her white dress was an utter mess and there was a stab wound on her stomach.
"Wh–wha–what's going on?" Lector covered his mouth and Frosch was crying.
"We need to get her healed immediately. She's losing blood." His voice was strained and Rogue took a second to calm down though he still couldn't shake the feeling of fear kicked in. Sting still didn't move from his spot. "Sting. We have to hurry." His stern voice snapped Sting and the blond guy nodded. Sting bit his lower lip and carefully placed his hands under her frail body to pick her up. Tears stained his face as he felt her was lighter than before. Rae King looked so lifeless in his arms.
Thanked goodness, they were only a few miles from the guild and Sting was aware to not make any rough movement that could hurt her. His body was covered by her blood and he didn't even care about that. All he wanted was to get her treated and by the time they reached home, Rogue quickly slammed the door open and asked for Yukino, Sorano and Minerva. To say the whole guild was shocked was understatement since it was not their everyday to see Sting bringing someone–whom they thought was dead home.
And it was Rae King.
"Rae-chan–?" Sorano quickly ran to Sting and took the girl from him with tears.
"What had happened? How–How is she alive–Does Fairy Tail know about thi–"
Rogue cut Rufus off. "We didn't know. We just found her on our way home." His red eyes shifted to Sting who sat on a chair, just staring at his bloody palms with silence. Frosch and Lector had gone with the girls to help them. "Sting, go clean yourself." Seeing him wasn't moving from his spot anytime soon, Rogue told him to take a rest as he knew he was tired. Sting shook his head, saying he wanted to wait for Rae. Actually, he was thinking. "Just go, Sting. You moping here doesn't help the situation. She will be fine."
There's something off with Rae.
Sting lifted his head and nodded slowly, standing up and forcing his legs to move internally with everyone else looking at their master being quiet for once in a blue moon. Usually, he would be screaming for parties whenever he finished his jobs. Looked like, this time was different. And Rogue finally decided to sit down. Too many things had happened and it was a question to everyone, didn't she die last year? Orga gave him a glass of water to cool down and Rogue stared at the glass silently.
In the infirmary room, the girls were really shocked to see many scars and bruises besides the stab injury on Rae's body as if she was abused. But, they couldn't believe it. She was alive all along. Sorano clasped her mouth and closed her eyes, couldn't find the courage to look at her. What had happened to the strong and powerful Rae King? How did she end up like that? Who did this to her? Her condition broke her heart and Minerva clenched her fists, getting angry at whoever made Rae like this.
After hours treating her, finally they were done and fortunately, Rae wasn't in a critical condition even though she had lost lots of blood. Yukino smiled at the unconscious girl and admitted that she was a survivor. "Let's get her something to eat, she must have been starving." Yukino noticed that Rae was skinnier and it looked like she hadn't eaten for days. Sorano smiled slightly and told her to leave the cooking to her since Rae used to like her soup when they lived together last year.
"Okay, nee-chan."
Sorano yelped at the word. "Who are you talking to?!" Yukino giggled at her sister's antic and Sorano turned red instantly because of her cute giggle. Minerva shook her head and told them to stop playing around. The girls left the exceeds to take care of Rae and Lector saluted. The door was closed and Frosch sat on the bed, right beside Rae's head. His big eyes stared at bandages all around her body and he couldn't help but cry when he was thinking about the pain she had gone through. Frosch was too cute for this world.
"Oh come on, stop crying! She is strong!"
Frosch wiped his tears and nodded. "Uh! Frosch thinks so too!" Just as they shared a smile together, they heard a little shuffling sound from Rae. And she was stirring around as if there was something troubling her. Her fingers moved a little and her lips let out a small wince with her chest rose heavily. The exceeds gasped and ran outside to tell everyone that she was waking up. Just as they left the room, her fists clenched together and she was in deep pain.
I, Emperor Spriggan, take you, Blaire Heartfilia to be my lawfully wedded wife.
I love you, Blaire Dragneel. Jellal, isn't it? Then, go.
Rae!
Mama!
Thousands of images merged together in her head and the girl cried out in pain. What was happening to her?Why were they calling her Blaire? Why were they calling her Rae? Who was that man? What was happening? Who was she? Who was she really? The voices were getting louder and they were calling for these–Rae and Blaire. She didn't know them. She wanted to shout. She was scared. But she couldn't. Fear was taking her and she couldn't do anything to stop it.
"Please, no more!" With a scream released, her silver eyes were opened and she felt the panic began like a cluster of spark plugged in her abdomen. Her eyes quickly looked around her and that place was foreign to her. Tension grew in her face and limbs, her mind replaying the last memory of her mind. Her breathing became more rapid, more shallow as she lowered her head to look at her bandaged hands. Where am I? The thoughts were accelerating inside her head. Her heart was hammering inside her chest and the room spun.
"Rae!"
Her eyes were wild when an unfamiliar blond guy suddenly slammed the door open and she backed away in the corner as he was rushing to her. Her fingers were white knuckled holding onto the white sheet and Sting stopped on his track once he sensed her fear. "Hey, hey, it's me. It's alright." He held his hand out towards her and Rae turned her head away as if she was scared that he was going to hurt her. He had a hurt look on his face and Sting swallowed hard, trying to calm her down. "Rae-chan, it's me."
There it was, the name again.
"Don't come near me!" Her eyes were puffy red and she even screamed at her. "Please, stop it! No more, please." She hid her face behind the sheet.
"Rae-chan–"
"Sting, stop. I think she doesn't know us." Rogue touched his shoulder.
"But–Rogue–this is Rae–"
Rogue nodded and told him, maybe they should let her calm down first, resulting Sting clenching his fists and turning around to hide his tears from others. Minerva looked at Rae with a disturbance, never knew the Dark Enchantress would look like that. Rogue then carefully stepped forward to gain her attention. "Hey, it's alright. We found you earlier and brought you here. They treated your injuries. You are safe now." He was soft-spoken and Rae slowly lifted her head to look at the girls.
Their faces looked sincere and perhaps, they were good people. Rae looked at her bandaged hands once again and nodded her head. "Thank you." Everyone smiled at her and she felt a little small under their gazes. Yukino walked forward and placed a tray of food and a glass of water beside the bed. Rae spared a glance and she swore she had seen that kind face somewhere but still she didn't have any courage to talk about it. But her eyes did catch a sad look dawned on that blond guy's face.
Why is he crying?
"Excuse me, earlier–you call me Rae. Is that my name?"
16/10/20