Obstacles of Normality |A Fairy Tail Love Story|

Prolouge

    "Go away! Just go away!"
        The distressed wail was swallowed by the thick trees, claiming it as its own. Untrustworthy ground seemed to blur beneath the bare feet of the small child as terror induced adrenaline flooded her veins. Thin legs pumped faster and faster, carrying her form farther away from the small house at the edge of the woods.
        She had to escape them. They're always there, lurking in the darkest corners of her room. Watching... Waiting...
        Branches and roots gnashed out, greedily catching at the pure white nightgown that flowed around her body. The moonlight reflected off her pale head, changing her red blonde locks into liquid silver. Lids squeezed shut over bloodshot eyes in an effort to clear the tears that clouded her vision. In the mere seconds those eyes were closed, a gnarled hand had wrapped itself around an unsuspecting ankle, snatching it out from under her.
        The young girl's frail body buckled, quickly reduced to the forest floor. She could not take back the yelp that escaped between her lips as the air was seized from her tiny lungs. Frantically, she scrambled to her knees, but it wasn't enough. Horror filled the green-blue orbs as the all too familiar hisses and whispers of the shadows grew louder in volume as they approached. There was nothing she could do now.
        "Leave me alone!" Throwing her head back, a shrill shriek echoed through the cool evening air, dissipating in a cloud of frozen breath. As the terror filled cry leapt from her throat, a green aura erupted from her small body, pushing outwards like a protective dome around the girl.
        The blinding outburst of magical energy vanished into the night just as quickly as it had come, leaving behind nothing but a gentle breeze that rustled the leaves and stirred the branches of the trees. Timidly, one eye cracked open, fearful of what it might be met with, only to find... nothing. Absolutely... nothing.
        There was no trace of the dark shadows that had driven the adolescent from her home, the one place she had the right to feel safe. Fresh tears mapped new trails down her cheeks; an other-worldly glow illuminating her pale face as they were caught in the rays of moonlight. A moment passed where her gaze did not wander from the starry heavens above, admiring the vibrant lights that cut so clearly, so surly, through the bottomless black of the night sky.
        Reluctantly, her face slowly turned downwards to her shaking hands. The same vibrant green glow that had enveloped the child moments before was now present in the form of a sphere, serenely hovering atop her upturned palms. It's as if it was waiting for her to embrace it and the gifts it had to offer.
        Fingers wrapped around the glowing orb, compressing it until they interlocked, accepting the future it would unknowingly bring. Little did the child know that this night would forever alter the course of her life. The people she would meet, the foes that she would face, and the bonds she would build was all a path mapped out by this orb of magic energy.
        A shudder coursed through her body with a newfound sensation. It was a sense of security that she had never felt before, as if she had a sense of control for once in the short life she had lived. Her hands continued to glow, cool tendrils of the green aura winding themselves up her slender forearms before slowly ebbing away, leaving exhaustion in its place.
        The girl swayed unsteadily on her knees before gravity took hold. She seemed to float into the arms of Mother Nature rather than fall; her body making no sound as it came into contact with the ground. The soft forest floor molded around her weary body, taking away the weak pains that had begun to grow as the instincts of survival vanished. Sleep was tempting, gently tugging at her eyelids. For once in a long time, this child felt at peace.
        Twigs snapped and leaves were displaced as the form of a man pushed its way into the clearing. Lazily, the gaze of the girl refocused, a shadow falling over her eyes as quivering arms up-righted herself. The bright moonlight illuminated the tall figure. A atmosphere of fatherly kindness shrouded this stranger like a mist. She was not afraid.
        "What are you doin' out so late in this neck of the woods, kid?" The small child stared up at the unknown person, not willing to answer his harmless question. He simply sighed in response to the girl's stubbornness. Extending a large hand, the dark cloak he dawned parting ever so slightly, he said, "C'mon, let's get you home."
        A certain tattoo flashed under the parted clothing and was not quick to escape the girl's keen eye. It was black in coloring on the tolerant man's chest and seemed to have a winged design. In her eyes, it resembled something from a storybook. Her blue-green gaze wandered from the helping hand and the stranger's face, the child's mouth forming a curious "o" shape. Finally, she accepted.
        The pair trekked into the trees, following the path of broken twigs and crushed vegetation the girl had made in the flight form her home. All the while she gazed up at the man, studying his face and demeanor. He appeared to be fairly young, the first stages of wrinkles beginning to set around his eyes. One feature that greatly intrigued the adolescent was the color of the stranger's hair; a vibrant shade of orange.
        A roof of a small, modern house appeared through the thick canopy of trees within moments. The child jogged to the back door, placing a small hand on the handle before glancing back at the kind man with a thankful expression.
        "Hey kid. You were given those powers for a reason", he started. The tone he bared was laced with wisdom. "Don't let that magic go to waste."
        Orbs widened at his words. He saw? Back there, that was truly... magic? A broad smile graced the child's features, nodding with firm determination. The man grinned as he turned, retreating back into the woods, casting a lazy wave over his shoulder. She watched his broad frame disappear back into the trees, leaving no trace of his existence.
        Her gaze again wandered down to her hands. Slowly, she curled and flexed her long, thin fingers, examining first the palms, then her knuckles. Finally, they settled into hard fists. A grin danced on her lips. He was right. She was gifted with this magic for a reason. To make a difference. May it be for the better or worse. Either way, she vowed to make the most of it.

-*****-

        People were bustling about the ever busy streets of Magnolia. A young mother was winding her way through the crowd. In one arm, a crinkled paper bag filled with fresh produce from the market. The other, her daughter's small hand. Something had captured that child's attention, causing her to stop rather abruptly.
        "Mommy, what's that place?" She asked innocently, pointing to a massive orange banner displayed proudly on a building. On that very banner was the same symbol that had been present on the man's chest. The man she had only met days before.
        "That, Elisabeth, is the Fairy Tail Guild Hall", the mother replied. Following her child's gaze, she was startled to find it full of curiosity and wonder. There was also something else in her offspring's eyes. It was determination, igniting her orbs with a fire she had never seen before.
        Why had her daughter taken such an interest in a magical guild? And Fairy Tail, of all the ones?