Time seemed to slow down as all mages watched the girl jump, horrified. Wendy let out a piercing scream, tears running down her face. Erza was frozen in place, much like Jura, Gray, and Natsu. Ichiya was still keeping himself from peeing his pants. Happy and Carla still couldn’t use their Aera Magic. The soldiers and Lahar couldn’t make a move.

But Lucy didn’t stop.

“VIRGO, PLEASE!”

She couldn’t use any magic, but if Virgo came by herself, then she might be able to save the girl. Then, answering her call, the maid appeared, using her own magic. The pink-haired Spirit didn’t waste any time in asking, already knowing what to do, and sent her chains down the cliff to catch the black-haired girl.

After a few seconds of tension, Truth was suddenly brought back up. She gasped as she hit the ground, shaking violently, and the maid bowed before disappearing as the blonde mage ran to the girl’s sides.

Kneeling next to her, she then slapped Truth.

Hard.

Tears ran down the teen’s cheeks as she stared at the brown-eyed girl before her, confused and terrified at the same time. Then, before she could react, Lucy wrapped her arms around her and brought her in a tight embrace.

“Idiot!” she exclaimed, somewhat angry. “What the hell were you doing!? You think death is the solution!? Jumping like that, what a stupid move! What were you thinking!?”

“… I don’t want to go back,” the teen gasped, desperate. “Please don’t take me back… I’d rather die… than go back there…”

“You can’t say that!” protested Lucy, not letting her go. “Death isn’t a solution! It’s a one-way track, a trip from which you’re not coming back! The dead can’t come back, can you understand that?”

“Why would you care? Whywhywhywhywhy…” The teen cried harder, growing hysteric.

The wind picked up again, the earth started shaking, and Lucy tightened her hold on her.

“I’m no one! I’m not a child, not a girl, not a person! I’m a weapon, a tool! I’m useless now, I’m weak! No one needs me and I can’t defend myself anymore! If they take me back there, they’ll hurt me again and they’ll take my only friends away!” cried the teen.

“You’re not a weapon! You’re not a tool! You helped us destroy Nirvana, you saved Natsu’s life, you defeated Zero! You’re not weak, but everyone has their limits!” retorted Lucy, desperate for her to understand.

“I’m a monster, damn it!” Truth screamed in the girl’s chest, choking on her sobs. “I’m a monster, so stop treating me as if I wasn’t! I killed people, stole stuff, destroyed all sorts of things and damn it! I can’t regret any of it! Because if it wasn’t them, then it was me!”

“That doesn’t make you a monster! You stopped Zero because you didn’t want to destroy, right? You killed those people because they would have been the ones to kill you, right? You stole because you were ordered to, right? You’re not a monster, you’re loyal, and no one can blame you for it! I understand this, I really do! As a Celestial Mage, I never break my promises, never betray the trust bestowed upon me by my friends, no matter what!”

“We’re not the same…” The girl’s voice grew weaker. “You’ve got friends… mine… are taken away… always… I don’t want to be abandoned again, yet I can’t stop it… if I’m useful, then I can’t be abandoned… but now…”

She sobbed harder, her words ineligible.

And Lucy made her decision, not really thinking clearly.

“You’re not alone. I’m not letting them take you away,” she assured firmly. “I promise.”

The girl instantly stopped shaking, the sobs racking her body dying down.

“Wait, Lucy!” Gray tried to protest. “The Magic Council—“

“You are in no place to make such a promise to a criminal,” Lahar stepped in, gritting his teeth. “Take the Oración Seis member.”

“I’ll take full responsibility!” then yelled Lucy, keeping her embrace tight around the teen. “I’ll take her back to Fairy Tail, where she will fall under my jurisdiction! I am ready to take full responsibility for any crime she might commit under my guard!”

“Lucy!” protested Erza, going pale.

“If I may…” Jura’s calm voice seemed to ease the tension somewhat as all eyes turned to him. “Richard-dono has mention psychological scars. Worsening those, and adding barely controlled Magic to the mix, could very well result in the unintentional deaths of your men and yourself, Captain Lahar. She is dangerous, yes, but even more so when restrained.”

“So you’re saying we should simply let her be!?”

“I-I think I understand Lucy-san’s proposition…” Wendy bit her lower lip at the sudden attention she got from everyone. “T-Truth-san could go live with her while waiting for her judgment. T-that way, you still know where she is and she w-won’t lose control either… a-and Lucy-san is ready to take w-whatever punishment if Truth-san commits any crime…”

Lahar sighed heavily, pondering over it for a moment. While their job was to take back any evildoer, they had a point. The girl’s magic was clearly unstable, and she might kill them all without even knowing it. Plus, her terror wasn’t merely acted either. She had just tried to commit suicide, merely to avoid the restraints. For one so young to go that far… She wasn’t running from her sentence, but from the chains.

It annoyed him greatly, but he understood it was for the best if he wished to avoid unnecessary losses. So, replacing his glasses straight on his nose, he let out a heavy sigh.

“Very well,” he gave in. “Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail, you are hereby charged with Truth of Oración Seis. Any crime committed by the criminal under your jurisdiction will be held against you. She is to never leave your side until further measures are taken by the Magic Council. Until then, you are to return to your Guild and stay there. She isn’t allowed to take missions, obviously, and her charge will be taken from you if you aren’t able to respect those rules. Have I made myself clear?”

Lucy relaxed at that, relieved. “Yes! Thank you very much!”

“Men, let’s go.” Lahar simply turned away to go back to the carriage. He glanced back to the mages. “As for you, Fairy Tail… The Council will hear of everything. And I mean everything”

They watched as the legion, lead by Lahar, soon left the forest. Then, all eyes fell back on the black-haired teen’s form, as Lucy let go to place her hands on the girl’s shoulders. Said girl had her right hand against the ground, her face half hidden behind her left one. Tears still streamed down her face, and none could tell if she had been aware of what decision had been made or if she was still panicking.

A moment later, she fell limp in the blonde’s arms, a soft murmur escaping her lips.

“My prayer… was simply… to be free…”

Her breathing slowed down and her eyes closed, and she soon went to sleep due to sheer exhaustion. Lucy exhaled softly, gently hugged her again.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I got you now. And I’m not letting go. You’ll be free. I promise.”

----------------------------------------

"Where did Erza go?” asked Happy.

All too tired to move, the mages had simply settled down in place to gain back some energy. Truth was still sleeping soundly, her head on Lucy’s lap. The rest of the wizards was very well awake despite being exhausted, but the redhead had disappeared to God-knows-where sooner and still hadn’t come back.

“Let’s leave her alone for a little while,” simply said Lucy, running gently her fingers in the black hair of the teen.

“Aye…”

“Still, I don’t think it’s a good idea, Lucy,” then said Gray, eying the sleeping teen with suspicion. “Taking responsibility like that… it was reckless. How can we trust her?”

“Don’t listen to that striper, Lucy,” instantly replied Natsu, grinning. “Truth’s a nice girl. He’s just grumpy because he wasn’t as awesome as me.”

“What was that, flame-asstard?”

“You heard me, ice-sucker!”

“You wanna go!”

“Bring it on!”

For a second, they shook their fists at each other, before slumping back to the ground.

“Maybe later,” they said as one, too tired to argue anymore.

Lucy let out a short laugh at that, before glancing back at Truth.

“She’s just lost,” the Celestial Mage remarked softly. “She’s unstable… searching without knowing what or why… I’m sure I can help her. In fact, I’m sure Fairy Tail can help her. In a way, she reminded me of myself, when I was still at the mansion…”

Wendy eyed her for a few seconds, some sort of understanding in her eyes.

“Lucy-san… have you ever tried to… well…” She lowered her eyes, unsure of how to say it.

But Lucy understood perfectly what she was asking. “… Yeah.”

“EH!?” Gray, Natsu, and Happy snapped their heads to the cheery blonde in shock, while Jura’s eyes merely widened.

“I-it was a long time ago!” she protested, instantly lowering her tone when the girl shifted on her lap. “It’s just… It became too much, you know? But when I tried, Aquarius stopped me. I think that’s kind of why she doesn’t like me very much, but… Well, I realized it was a stupid move and never tried again. I wasn’t alone at that time like I believed, I still had my friends. But her… she didn’t have anyone. If I hadn’t stopped her with Virgo, then who would have?”

They listened as her voice shook a little.

“I want to be that special someone to her… to be that person who made her see the light. I want to be her friend, someone she can count on… I want to save her, just like Aquarius and Cancer and Taurus and all the others saved me back then. Because… because she’s worth it. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

Silence followed, before Natsu’s face broke in a grin.

“Guess we’ll have to help, uh?”

“U-uh?”

“Well, we are Fairy Tail,” Gray sighed with a defeated smile. “We can’t just turn our back to someone who needs our help.”

“Guys…”

“Aye, sir! When she wakes up, I’ll give her some fish!” exclaimed Happy.

Unable to help herself, Lucy laughed a little, glad she wouldn’t be alone in this. While she didn’t regret her decision, she had been afraid it would drive her friends away.

Well, I should have known better. After everything we’ve been through together… you’ll see, Truth. Fairy Tail will change you just like it changed me… for the best! I promise!

Wendy and Carla exchanged a smile at that, before going to find Erza. Ichiya muttered something about ‘the beauty of friendship, men!’ and Jura simply nodded in approval.

If any of them had been paying attention, they would have seen a single tear escape Truth’s eye as a slight smile stretched her lips.

----------------------------------------

“So cute!” squealed Lucy.

The following morning, all of the mages of the Allied Forces had gathered at Cait Shelter, along with a still somewhat weak Truth. They had been invited for a special dinner by Wendy’s Guild. If wary at first, the other wizards however soon understood the position of the ex-member of Oración Seis and said no more, though still somewhat keeping an eye on her from time to time.

All the girls had been gathered in one of the houses, before being passed new clothes to replace those that had been torn to shreds in the previous fights.

“Oh?” Sherry raised an eyebrow. “But I’m far cuter!”

Truth wasn’t joining in the fun, though. Sitting in a corner, she was watching everything with wary curiosity. She too had received some clothes, but she couldn’t bring herself to put them on.

“The entire village here is part of the Guild,” then informed Wendy. “So, clothing production if a thriving business!”

“Is it some kind of Nirvit traditional sewing?” inquired Lucy.

“Now that I think about it… maybe it is?”

“You didn’t realize that the Guild was all descendants of the Nirvit, did you?” remarked Sherry, turning away from her reflection.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Well, I’m the only one who joined afterward…”

“Erza, won’t you try them on? They’re really cute!” proposed Lucy.

Truth glanced at the redhead, who was sitting opposite to her. Since yesterday, she had sported a dark expression. The girl knew that one too well, though. It must have been about that Jellal guy or something of the sort. Were they close? She hadn’t asked.

“Sure… you’re right,” relented the Requiping Mage.

Lucy deflated a little at that, before turning to Truth.

“Ne, Truth! Why don’t you try yours? I bet you’d be really cute!”

“… It’s because of the scars.” The black-haired girl averted her gaze. “They’ll show.”

“Scars?” repeated Wendy, tilting her head. “Do you want me to take a look? I might be able to heal them…”

“They’ve been there for a few years, so they won’t go. But thanks for the offer,” simply refused the teen, offering a tentative smile.

The little girl beamed back while the white cat eyed Truth in suspicion.

“Ne, Wendy,” then called over Sherry. “When did Cait Shelter joined the League of Guilds? I apologize for being blunt but, until this mission began, I had not even heard your Guild’s name.”

“Now that you mention it, neither have I,” blinked Lucy.

“Is that so?” Wendy scratched the back of her head. “My Guild must really be one of the most obscure ones…”

“Who cares?” Carla stepped in. “Everyone is waiting, come on.”

“Oh, right.”

The girls headed for the door, but Truth stayed seated, unsure.

“I… I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come,” she then said, drawing their attention. “I helped to activate Nirvana… which nearly killed them… and it’s a ceremony to thank you…”

“But you can’t leave Lucy’s side,” remarked Erza, narrowing her eyes, suspicious.

“I- I know!” instantly assured Truth, waving her hands in mild panic. “I just…”

“You can stay with me, alright?” proposed gently the blonde. “Come on.”

“This is going to get awkward real fast…” muttered the ex-member of Oración Seis, going to stand by the Celestial mage. “I don’t regret it, those were my orders after all, but I’m not exactly the one who activated it… I helped search for it… and I copied it too… Damn, why do I feel ashamed? There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Or is there? I don’t know…”

Sherry shot her a look at that.

Clearly bonkers, that girl. And Fairy Tail, trusting her like that…

But she soon pushed those thoughts away. In a way, they were much alike. She too had been a ‘bad guy’ before joining Lamia Scale and, as much as she hated to admit it, she didn’t feel bad for turning those island people in monsters or whatever actually happened. It was all for Lyon-sama’s love, after all.

That suddenly made her review her position somewhat over Truth. In a way, what the girl had done was merely… another sign of love!

As hearts escaped her eyes, Truth exchanged a mildly terrified look with Lucy before the both of them slightly backed away.

Then, they found the rest of the boys standing before the whole Guild, and quickly joined with them. Truth simply hid behind Lucy, grabbing the girl’s hand. She never had been surrounded by that many people since she went to school, and that was three years ago, so it wasn’t exactly a comfortable position for her.

“Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale… Also, Wendy and Carla. And, not forgetting Truth.” She hid even more at her name, if possible. “You have done well in defeating Oración Seis and stopping Nirvana. As a representative for the local League of Guilds, I, Robaul, say job well done,” stated an old man, Master of Cait Shelter. He bowed. “Thank you.”

For a second, Truth hesitated, before stepping out from her hiding spot and heading for him, her pace calm and slow. She could feel everyone’s suspicion and wariness rising as she approached him, and couldn’t exactly blame them for it. But, when she arrived at one meter of the old man, she stopped in her tracks, and dropped to her knees, before placing her forehead against the ground.

“I cannot apologize for helping in the activation of Nirvana,” she stated firmly. “Nor for helping in the almost destruction of your Guild. However, I do apologize my past Master’s actions against Cait Shelter. As the last member of Oración Seis, I will accept whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

Robaul raised an eyebrow at that, before hitting her head harshly with his staff. All cringed as they definitely heard the skull crack slightly under the blow.

“Ouch! What the hell, old geezer!?” she exclaimed, rubbing the sore spot, stars dancing before her eyes.

“Where is your Guild Mark, child?” he inquired, unbothered by her reaction.

“What is it with people calling me a child?” she mumbled, lifting her cloak to reveal the Guild Mark on her collarbone. “Here.”

He hummed, before placing his staff upon it. There was a flash of light before the tattoo disappeared with some sparkles. She gaped for a second, unsure of what to do with this new development.

“Despite your previous actions, you aided in the destruction of Nirvana. You are no longer part of Oración Seis, child. As of now, you are free from this Guild’s burdens. That is your punishment,” he concluded.

She tried to reply, but couldn’t find the words to do so, and simply bowed her head deeply before going back to Lucy, who placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile.

She’s not fully freed from Oración Seis’ burdens, with the Magic Council still on her back. However, it only brings her one step closer. In the end, only she will be able to free herself. But… I’m sure she’ll manage. I know she can do it, and I’ll help her. We all will.

Next to her, the teen looked down.

“Thank you.”

Was it for Lucy, Robaul or anything else, no one would ever be able to tell. However, one thing was for sure: that was Truth’s second chance, and she wouldn’t waste it.

----------------------------------------

Truth wasn’t really sure of what exactly happened next. Ichiya seemed to take responsibility for their victory and started a weird dance with the Trimens, making her snort. Then, Gray and Lyon stripped, startling Lucy and making the teen wonder just exactly if being weird was a must for wizards in general.

After what, the situation turned even weirder as Cait Shelter’s Master broke the mood to apologize for hiding their true ascendance as Nirvit and, next thing they knew, the Guild wasn’t real, Robaul was some sort of spectral form and soon, the members of Wendy’s Guild started disappearing.

“Thoughts projection,” recognized Truth in a low tone.

“What is this? Everyone!” panicked Carla.

“Magna! Pepel!” Wendy started shaking.

“What’s going on here? They’re all disappearing!” exclaimed Hibiki.

“No! Everyone! I don’t want you to disappear!” tears escaped Wendy’s eyes.

“I apologize for deceiving you,” Robaul sighed. “But… all of the members of the Guild are illusions created by me.”

“Say what!?” yelled Natsu.

“Illusions with their own personalities?” added Lyon, wide eyes.

“What incredible magic power,” whispered Jura.

“I lived alone in these ruins, protecting Nirvana. Seven years ago, a single boy came here. He asked me to take care of a little girl. I couldn’t turn down the request of that boy and his fierce, honest eyes. Even though I had promised myself I would stay alone… I created an illusory family.”

“That Guild was created all for Wendy?” Lucy placed a hand over her mouth.

“I don’t wanna hear that!” protested the little girl, hands over her ears. “Bask, Naoki, don’t you disappear too!”

But the last two illusions disappeared despite her pleads.

“Wendy, Carla… you no longer need a foster family.” He then pointed at those standing behind her. “Don’t you have real friends, now?”

He, too, started disappearing as Wendy only cried harder.

“Your future… has only just begun.”

“Master!”

She ran to him, extending her hand in hopes to catch him in time.

“Everyone, truly… thank you. I leave Wendy and Carla in your care…”

He fully turned to nothingness, and the girl dropped to her knees as the Guild Mark on her right shoulder disappeared too.

“MASTER!!!”

She screamed and cried as the rest could only witness her despair. But… Truth was done watching and standing by. So, not caring about the rest, she made her way to Wendy and kneeled, before hugging the girl from behind. The Dragon Slayer kept on weeping, Truth never letting go.

Then, Erza came over and placed a hand over Wendy’s head. At that very moment, Truth understood the pain the three of them shared. The pain to be lied to, to be betrayed, to be abandoned… That pain… was one she wouldn’t wish upon anyone.

So, she didn’t let go.

“Bury the pain of losing your loved ones… into the arms of your friends,” then said Erza, the girl’s cries dying down. “Come, to Fairy Tail.”

Without a warning, her second hand gently landed on top of Truth’s head, who stiffened.

“The both of you.”

----------------------------------------

“Ah, swaying in the sea breeze feels so nice!” sighed happily Natsu.

“Isn’t it great, Natsu?” concurred Happy.

The pink-haired boy started running around, yelling something about the amazingness of transportation.

“The Troia will wear off soon, you know,” gently warned Wendy.

As if on cue, the Dragon Slayer slumped to the deck, now sick.

“C- cast it again!” he pleaded, literally green.

“If you do it over and over again, it’ll get less effective,” replied the little girl.

“Just leave him be,” grinned Gray.

Lucy laughed, and Truth Requiped her Book.

“Eh? What are you doing?” blinked the blonde mage.

“I’m curious to see if I too will be sick if I use Dragon Slaying Magic,” informed the girl, searching for the good page.

“I doubt it’d work,” Erza shook her head. “You have to cast a spell or attack to do so. You’re not a Dragon Slayer.”

“Oh, right…” She sent it back, a little disappointed.

“Still, I’m very curious about your Magic, Truth,” then said the Celestial mage. “It’s still kind of confusing…”

“Well, my real Magic is Telekinesis, which allows me to move objects with my mind. I can also compress them, extend them… That allowed me to crush bones or things of the sort, to make people implode and—“

“The details aren’t necessary,” sweatdropped Lucy.

“Sorry, sorry. Anyway, it also allows me to fly, in a way, because I lift myself. However, I also learned a Lost Magic called Thief Magic. I explained it to Happy and Wendy when they were kidnapped by Brain. In short, I can copy, or steal, the Magic of any mage I had physical contact with. After that, each spell used by the mage will write itself in my Book, which then allows me to use them as I want to. Of course, I have to respect a few rules if it is to work.”

“Rules?” repeated Erza, now curious too.

The girl hummed.

“First, as said before, I need to have physical contact with the mage I copy. I also need to have my Book in hands, so as to permit the copying, and I also need to know the name of the mage and the name of the Magic I’m copying,” listed the teen. “After that, if I want to use one of the stolen Magic, I absolutely need to have my Book with me. I also can’t use more than one Magic at a time, like mixing spells or something like that. I can’t create my own attacks either. I also need to have the magical capacity to copy the Magic. That’s why I first took yours and the others’ when Oración Seis and the Allied Forces faced each other the first time. It expanded my magical capacities. Nirvana was an enormous stretch that nearly killed me, and it’ll be a while before I can do that again. However, the strength of the spells and attacks depends on my own magical abilities. If I’m out of power, then I can’t cast the spells.”

“And you learned to do all of that in a few months?” Gray raised an eyebrow. “That’s impressive.”

“I was determined,” she shrugged, looking away. “I needed to get stronger, and fast. I still do.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because that way, they won’t be able to take me back,” understanding they couldn’t ask more of her, they dropped the subject.

The black-haired Thief mage then tilted her head to Erza.

“Still, Erza… why did you invite me to join Fairy Tail? Wendy and Carla, I can understand, but from what I understood, I’m still waiting for my judgment by the Magic Council, and I was a member of Oración Seis. Why would you do that?”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” she smiled softly. “We accept everyone seeking a change of heart, Truth, and all those looking for their paths are welcomed among us. I believe you are still looking for yours?”

“It’s not like I’m really searching for anything,” she shifted in place, slightly uncomfortable. “I just… want to be free. That’s all. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to achieve it.”

“Then it’s no problem at all,” concluded the redhead.

“… I guess it isn’t,” sighed the teen.

But she was smiling too.

----------------------------------------

“And so, that’s why I’ve invited Wendy, Carla, and Truth to join Fairy Tail,” concluded the Requip mage.

“I- it’s a pleasure!” Wendy bowed.

“I’m not good with people, please don’t look at me…” whispered Truth, bowing too.

“SO CUTE!!!”

“There’s a girl Happy!”

“And that one’s eyes are so pretty!”

“How old are you, misses!?”

Truth, extremely uncomfortable by now, simply ran to hide behind Lucy, who chuckled a little at her sudden arrival as a blue-haired girl and two older boys stared with curiosity.

“Do you mind if I stay here?” she asked quietly. “Oh, I must bother her… Damn, but what can I do? It’s not like I can leave or anything…”

“Don’t worry, you’re not bothering me!” assured Lucy, smiling. “Oh! Truth, this is Levy, Jet, and Droy! They’re the Shadow Gear team. Guys, this is Truth! She just joined with Wendy and Carla.”

“Oh, I love your eyes!” beamed the blue-haired girl, taking the teen’s hands. “Purple is such a rare color! Ne, ne, I heard about your Thief Magic! Do you mind showing me later?”

“Calm down, Levy-chan, she’s not going anywhere,” laughed Lucy.

“Truth?” repeated the ginger, Jet.

“That’s a weird name,” remarked Droy.

“Not as weird as your hair,” instantly retorted the teen.

She slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. It had been a while since she had to watch what she was saying around new people, she practically lost the habit since she never really cared to mind her tongue in Oración Seis.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to take offense, while Jet started laughing.

“Man, she got you on this one,” the ginger snickered.

“Well, she’s going to fit in alright,” Droy ruffled the girl’s hair.

“Whatever,” she looked away, a light blush on her cheeks.

Lucy then grabbed her arm.

“Come on, I’ll present you to Mirajane. She’s the barmaid, and she’s very nice!”

“W- wait!”

But she was pulled to the bar anyway and found herself sitting on one of the chairs as a white-haired woman approached.

“Hello there!” smiled Mirajane. “What can I get you?”

“… she’s beautiful,” mumbled the teen, staring with awe at the woman.

“Aw, thank you!” Mirajane beamed at her. “You’re Truth, right? Do you want something? I’ll put it on the house.”

“Err… Do you have some orange juice?” the girl scratched the back of her head.

“Orange juice? Sure thing! What about you, Lucy?”

“The usual, please!”

“Coming right up, then!”

As Mirajane prepared their orders, Truth couldn’t help but listen as Natsu, not so far away, counted his fight against Cobra.

“And then there was this snake with wings!”

“Snakes can’t fly!” retorted a white-haired man. “It’s not like they’re a man!”

“What kind of point is that?” wondered the teen lowly.

“I’m the Sky Dragon Slayer!”

At Wendy’s affirmation, silence fell over the Guild. For a moment, Truth thought they didn’t believe the little girl... until they all exclaimed in noisy cheers. They were so loud the entire building shook upon its foundations.

“Today, we’re having a celebration! A party to welcome Wendy, Carla and Truth! Live it up! Live it up!”

“Oh yeah, I’m getting fired up!”

And just like that, the Guild erupted in a monstrous party. The teen gazed around, worried and awed at the same time. It was such an energetic Guild…

There was a light tap on her shoulder, and she turned to see an old man.

“He’s really small, uh?” she remarked to herself. “Must be Master Makarov…”

“Yes, I am,” he confirmed, ignoring her first comment. “Come with me, child. We have much to discuss.”

“… right.”

Escaping the chairs that started flying around with some alcohol bottles, they went upstairs to his office. She sat on a chair as he closed the door before himself settled on top of his desk.

“I have discussed your situation with the Magic Council,” he then announced.

“S- so soon?” Her hands clenched in sudden fear. “W- what did they say!?”

“We have come to an understanding,” assured the Master in a soothing voice. “You will join Fairy Tail and stay under Lucy’s guard for a five-years-long probation. Once these five years have passed, if the Magic Council judges you have repented for your crimes, then you will be allowed to leave and do whatever you want, I guess, all in legal terms of course. Until then, any actions you take will be under Fairy Tail’s banner. Also, you will always have to be accompanied by at least one Fairy Tail mage when you take a mission.”

“So… I can really join? They won’t- they won’t take me back…?”

The man nodded in confirmation, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, before rubbing her wrists absently.

“However, I must admit that I am wary,” he then sighed. “While I do not doubt your intentions, it is clear you don’t always have control over your powers and, from what I have gathered from the mission report I was given earlier, you aren’t exactly mentally stable—“

“I’m not crazy!” she instantly exclaimed. “I swear I’m not!”

“Even if you were, we’re all insane in this Guild anyway,” sweatdropped Makarov.

She couldn’t help but snort at that, and he indulged her with a smile.

“All I ask of you is to not hurt any of your guildmates,” he then said. “Here in Fairy Tail, our bonds is what makes us stronger. One’s happiness is everyone’s happiness. One’s tears are everyone’s tears. We are nakamas. Respect these bonds, and you shall profit from them as well.”

“I understand,” she assured. “I swear not to hurt a fellow mage from Fairy Tail, and also swear to you my full allegiance.”

“Such ceremonials,” he chuckled. “Now go out and have some fun, would you? We’re partying all night long!”

With that, he went back to the Guildhall. She stayed in place for a few seconds.

She wasn’t Oración Seis anymore.

She wasn’t Brain’s tool anymore.

She was now a proud member of Fairy Tail, and she was free.

----------------------------------------

With a smile, she gazed down at the purple mark now tattooed on the back of her right hand.

“Free,” she repeated to herself. “… Finally.”

‘Now let’s get this party started!’

‘Be careful, they all look like perverts’

“Truth, coming?” Lucy passed her head through the door’s opening, curious as to what was taking the teen so long.

“Yes!”

She jumped on her feet to join the blonde mage. As they started heading back down to the main hall, the teen remembered something she had wanted to do earlier but had completely forgotten about until that moment.

“Ne, Lucy?”

“Yes?”

“My name’s Kaelys.”

The blonde startled a little, before smiling. "Got it."