Fairy Tail: Swallow the Fire

24. A New Dawn

.

.

.

"Lyssa? Hey, wake up?"

...

"Come on, Lyssa. I know you're not a heavy sleeper."

...

"Fine then. You asked for it."

An extremely pungent odour entered my nose, so disgusting it startled me awake. The moment I saw a person standing above my prone figure I reached out and grabbed them by the throat.

The person started to tap on my arm in a gesture of surrender and I noticed the familiar black and white hair and the familiar black and red Elite Guard uniform. Instantly I let go of his neck and slid further backwards into the alley I was sleeping in.

"T-Totomaru!?"

"*cough* *cough* Nice to see you too, I guess," the familiar swordsman said as he rubbed his neck, a slight bruise already forming around his skin.

"How did you find me?"

"I didn't, I came to Oak Town for a different reason," he said bluntly as he sat against the wall of the alley. "But when I saw people giving this alley a wide birth as they walked, it drew my attention. And there's only one thirteen-year-old I know wearing this uniform. The captain had said that you went through some...changes, but white hair? If you were jealous I could have helped you dye it, you know."

"I don't think you realise how little my hair colour matters in comparison to the rest of the changes..." After I spoke a white smoke popped out of me for a brief second, making the horns and arms I had hidden with Transformation Magic.

Totomaru just looked at the horns and the second set of arms with mild interest before shrugging, "Not surprised."

"Huh?"

"I've seen you accidentally cut off your hands before and reattach it like it was nothing. You being an...ogre or whatever doesn't really surprise me much," he said nonchalantly.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be back in the village?"

"There isn't a village anymore. Mayor Enpece and Captain Tatsuo told everyone that it would be years before they could clear the basin of ash. With it there they won't be able to rebuild, the ground won't be solid enough to provide support."

Those words sent a sharp sting through my heart. "W-What about all the people there? Where will they go?"

Totamaru just sighed as he leaned his head against the wall.

"The Magic Council came to investigate everything. They're helping most find jobs and homes in the aftermath of everything. But some of us decided to strike out on our own, yours truly included. Now onto the important questions," he pointed at me, more specifically at the ashe, blood, and dirt that stained me and my torn clothes, "When was the last time you ate? Had a bath?"

"...How long has it been since...?"

"You've gotta be kidding me? You haven't eaten anything in two weeks!?"

I flinched the moment he raised his voice, curling myself up into a small ball in the corner of the alley.

Frankly, I was just as surprised.

I didn't think about self-preservation at all, I just ran.

I ran and ran and ran, only stopping when I could hear the blisters on my bare feet popping with every step.