Crybaby

Chapter 1: The Day There Were 10

Fear.

That's the only emotion I can remember from my childhood.

A loud, horrid scream shook the hallways of Magnolia Elementary, located within the worst areas of the city. Teachers simply sat in their rooms, not having the time to deal with delinquent children and their fights as other students ignored the noise, accustom to such chilling cries for help.

Three girls stood over the small, bleeding Lucy Heartfilia, scratching and pummeling the weak child's pale skin in the corner of the corridor. The blonde sobbed, gasping for air through her screams as she struggled to escape. Minerva kicked her in the head, slamming Lucy's body against the wall. The trio laughed wickedly at the ugly bruises covering Lucy's face and the blood smearing her once beautiful skin.

"S..." She coughed, wiping her mouth with her small hands, "S-Stop."

"Oh c'mon!" Angel cackled nearing the timid victim's face with a twisted smile, "We're just practicing! Y'know, the big kids in high school are a lot stronger. They even use weapons."

Lisanna snickered cruelly, folding her arms, "Yeah. We're almost in Middle School! We need to practice our skills on something."

Minerva shoved her forehead into Lucy's forehead as the nearly-unconscious 8-year old panted, tears pouring down her scratched up cheeks. "You should be thanking me. At least we can make a little cry-baby like you useful!" She sighed, removing her foot from her forehead, letting Lucy's head droop down. "What do the Fairies see in you?" A slight agitation erupted in the 3rd grader's eyes at the sentence, "Crybabies don't deserve friends. You can't even fight! What good are you to anyone here?"

Lucy swallowed, attempting to wobble to a stand before feeling her legs give out and fall back into a curled up position.

Pain. That was a feeling I felt everyday. And hate. So much fucking hate.

"No matter what we do, you don't even fight back!" Angel hissed, grabbing a fist full of Lucy's gorgeous, blonde hair. "God, it's so annoying! Even dogs fight back if you kick them around! You're more pathetic than a pet!"

"You should do your friends a favor and just disappear." Lisanna growled, bending down to glare into Lucy's eye level, "You're just causing Natsu and my sister problems. Everyone here hates you. Do you get what a damper on their reputation you'll put on them once we get older? The Fairies are strong and cool! And they're gonna be super good when we're older! You'll drag them down!" She hissed darkly, "How dare you think you are their friend! All you do is cry!"

"Damn crybaby!" Minerva kicked the held-in place head once more, "If you promise not to bother them, we won't touch you. "

"B.." Lucy desperately struggled out a weak voice, barely able to keep her eyes open, "... They're... my friends."

"Shut up!" Minerva shouted loudly, "Only super strong people can be their friend! Not stupid girls like you! Not freaking crybabies! Are you kidding me!? You're just a punching bag! They're just too damn blind to see that yet." The raven haired girl hissed lowly, "And it's our job to clean up the trash before you start stinking them up."

In this shit town, gangs infested the streets, so much so that gangs basically ran the cities. It infested the schools too. To the point where the main goal wasn't a wealthy job or to have a career, it was to be in a top tier gang. Or if you were really good, you could find yourself in a internationally-feared mafia.

Elementary School was where it started. We'd see the awesome High Schoolers beating up some kid on the side of the street on our way home. Or they'd be smoking and chilling next to their motorcycles. And we would aspire to be like them. There weren't jocks or any cheerleaders. Only the gang kids were the cool ones.