Fairytail Next Generation: The New Beginning

The Creek

After getting the girls up we were on our way. My one concern being we weren't the only ones looking for food. Who knew who was out there lurking in that forest. I know I didn't. I might have fibbed the night before when I said I knew a stream near by. I used to go fishing all the time with Happy when I was young. But that was a long time ago. So we wondered in the forest for a bit.

Our spirits were noticeably lifted as we traveled through the forest that morning. I didn't see anything familiar. I might have been able to find it if I had left from my house, but I couldn't very well lead us there not knowing if our home had been compromised.

"Look at this" Layla said pointing at a tree.

"What is it?" Rose asked as everyone gathered around the tree.

"Are those initials?" Hikari looked at me with a questioning grin.

"Ya, they're Luna's and Storm's." Layla said.

"Ya, we carved them when we were kids, to commemorate our friendship." I blurted out.

"Oh really now just friendship?" Hikari looked at me as if she were staring into my very soul to find a deeper meaning. She's like her mother, interested in other's love life's but weirdly like her father, kinda dark and brooding which makes her interest seem quite scary.

"Ya, I'm positive." I shot back. "You know what this means. It means we're close to a stream!" Not the one I was looking for but that wasn't important.

"Lead the way" Hikari looked impressed.

Memories started coming back. I remembered all the times we spent out in that forest. We were training, training so that one day we could be a better us. Although our parents are "friends" my father wanted to train me to be the very best so I could defeat anything that came my way, including the son of his rival. But as it turns out storm had a similar up bringing. His father had been training him to defeat anything and everything, including me. I liked to train out there by the stream. I felt that if I trained near the water, fires opposite, I would become stronger quicker. In my mind the water could put out my fire so easily and when I could defeat the water with my fire that would be the day I was ready to face him. That would make me strong.

Storm also liked to train out there and I'm not really sure why. I always figured it was because of his mom. Maybe being her son made his powers greater near water. Even to this day I'm not really sure. I didn't always know he was out there training, in fact there was a long period of time in which neither of us knew the other was out there. One day while I was out by the stream I saw a shadow in the distance. I didn't know who else would be out there, that far into the forest. We were both around 6 at the time. I wasn't allowed out on my own but found it easy to escape my home and get passed the sleeping guard that was my father. The shadowy figure could have been a bandit, so I did what anyone would do and hid in a tree, waiting to come down on my kill. But it wasn't a bandit, it was a little boy, about my age. I recognized him, he was my enemy, the boy I would one day defeat.

Who was to say that it wasn't fate. I believed it was fate then and I believe it was fate still today. Although I believe that for different reasons now than I did then. I thought him showing up here was a sign that I was ready and I suppose I was right.

I jumped down from the tree ready to attack "Fire Dragon roar" fire spewed out of my mouth hitting the boy. I could tell he was in shock but I didn't stop. He scrambled behind a tree trying to compose himself as I readied my next attack. "Fire Dragon punch" I came around the corner hitting the boy. I was determined to make my father proud. The boys face seemed worried, maybe even scared. His hands shook.

"Ice make, lance" just like that a lance shot right past my face.

I ran at him with flaming fists but he dogged them quite easily.

"Why are you fighting me?" His voice cracked as he held back one of my attacks. "We're in the same guild."

"You're my rival, it's only natural we fight." I said readying my next attack.

He looked confused by the whole situation. We exchanged a couple more punches and it became clear that neither of us was going to give in. However; we were both young therefore our power was weak. Our fight moved in the direction of the stream and as my feet landed in the water I knew this was the day I would defeat the water. I lunged at him knocking him down in the stream. He seemed defeated, I pinned him down in the water.

"Please don't hurt me." He said it in the most defeated voice I had ever heard.

"Hurt you?" I was confused by the very idea. "Why would I hurt you?" The boy became confused as well.
"This was all fun and games right? You know just practice?"

The boy was puzzled but slowly his puzzled look turned into a shocked anger. "Fun? Games? You threw FIRE at my face!"

"Ya in the spirit of fun. Geez it's like you've never fought anyone before."

"That's because I haven't!"

"Oh... we'll why didn't you say anything? I wanted a fair fight." I got off him and sat in the water, I then proceeded to cross my arms and pout. He lay there in the water flabbergasted by the whole situation. "This simply won't do. I can't go to my father telling him I beat my opponent in an unfair battle.... I'll just have to train you myself."

Suddenly he shot up "WHAT! How did you get that out of this?"

"Look I want to beat you in battle fair and square. I can't do that if you're not trained. So... I'll just have to train you myself." I smiled.

Storm argued with me a little more but it didn't work. He accepted my offer and promised to fight me when it was fair. We carved our initials into that tree to remember the day we decided to be friends. And it was from that day on that we would would come down to the stream together to train. He taught me to be more level headed and I taught him more effective ways to hit things. We were a perfect team.

I could see the stream coming up in the distance. I thought fondly of all the memories we made there. Sun was shining more brightly now, making the water glisten. It looked just as pleasant as it was when we were kids, untouched by the events occurring around us. Looking around at the rest of the group I could tell they were more than pleased to have made it to the creek. Layla and Rose helped Sylvia over to the water. She's her mother's daughter, a real rain woman some might say. Layla thought because of this some water might do her good and help with the healing process.

I followed not to far behind them. Watching the girls down the by water I noticed something strange. It was extremely quiet. I turned around to see Hikari standing in the distance with the same look of concern on her face. The only sound other than the girls to be heard was the rustling of the leaves. Hikari nodded in the direction of one of the trees. She prepared herself to strike the tree but before she could a mysterious figure jumped out the tree slamming me into the ground.