σcєαη ѕℓαуєr / / / [fairy tail x reader]

cнαρтεя σηε

The wind brushed the mane of the trees, causing hair to scatter and amble to the ground, adding to the forest blanket of multi-colored leaves. The forest livened with the emergence of nocturnal animals: crickets humming their tune; a deer galloping through the forest; an owl hooting out for its mate. The low waves of small lakes perused their way across, glimmering sweetly in ways that would make jewels jealous. The trees complimented their shimmer, proudly displaying their reflection on their trunks. Occasionally, a stray leaf would land on the lake, causing it to billow around, lightly bobbing. Frantically at first, then slowing down. It kept slowing, and slowing into a lethargic bob that could seemingly occur for--

SPLASH!

The sound of a foot entering the lake, sprinting through the forest. The water droplets flushed out of the lake and dispersed either back into the pool or on the blanket near them. The water billowed erratically at the alien presence of a human limb. The nocturnal creatures of the forest recoiled into their positions, and the forest quieted, its voice silenced in fractions of a second.

Just as soon as the foot entered the lake, it exited quickly. It repeated the process, creating a ripple path of erratic waves and droplets splashing around the lake. The silence of the forest was overtaken with the heavy breaths of the runner, as she darted through the clump of trees and wildlife, her damp bare feet making hard thumps on the forest floor. Her wide eyes darted around the army of trees, scanning them as logically as a fugitive could.

The fugitive continued to dart through the forest and began to look behind her back whilst running. A few minutes passed; she stopped running. The fugitive pranced over to a older oak tree and took the time to let her lungs expand to their full potential, relaxing her body as much as she would allow. She looked around the forest: normal, the occasional bird flying or fox sprinting around. Nothing special or alarming. She moved to sit or lie down, but hesitated. She raised her eyebrows and then narrowed her eyes, re-scanning her surroundings, searching for the slightest suspicious sound.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited more.

She checked every mental box, analyzing the data. She found nothing of suspicion. Perhaps she had escaped, after all. If her calculations were accurate, she should have had another hour before they even noticed she was missing, much less where to locate her. She had time, time to take a short break. She moved the fabric of her long, black cape to the side and felt the leather holster and the dagger on her thigh. If worse came to worse, then she'd use that. She finally sat down, taking a breath that -- for the first time in long while -- she believed not to be for surviving, but thriving.

She was outside.

This time, she didn't have to constantly calculate how much time she had left in the clearing before they slapped on her handcuffs and locked her back inside. She didn't have to get used to their constant disgusting gazes. She didn't have to ignore their insults. She didn't have to constantly brace herself for being slapped, hit, or kicked. She didn't have to drink dirty water and eat stale bread.

She was free.

She was free to shower wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted, however long she wanted without the fear of impending handcuffs or getting thrown back into a cage. No one was watching her, no one was giving her a nasty gaze. Not a single soul was around to open their mouth about her, not to harm her. She wasn't sure about the next time she'd eat bread, but she surely didn't have to have any dirty water. She giggled, realizing the full potential, the endless possibilities, the power.

She located a small lake that gleamed in the moonlight. It was soft and still, no animal or leaf around to create ripples. Not yet, at least.

The fugitive removed her black robe and her thigh holster revealing her petite body just at the beginning of maturity process. She lightly sunk her foot in the small lake, taking in the sensation of cool, calm water. She slowly soaked the rest of her body in the water, taking a deep sigh of satisfaction. She could bathe in the quiet of the forest, alone and undisturbed. She held her hands up, tilting her head up towards the moon, basking in the light of the night. She was outside, she was free, and she was alone. She splashed the water, laughing. They never let her splash the water before. She paused, looking at her hands, extending them.

"I wonder..." she muttered.

She put her hands over the water, closing her eyes. The shimmer of the lake; the hoots of the owl; the falling of the leaves; the occasional squirrel scrambling around the forest floor; the wavy reflections of the trees; they all were a part of something. A natural order, a rhythm, a chant, a song. One that wouldn't sound right if too many of them were there, or if one of them wasn't there. An ecosystem. The fugitive took a deep breath, slowly spinning around. She extended her fingertips, and carefully rotated them palm side up.

"Spirit of the Forest, I call upon you.." she started. She felt her hands glow blue, she felt her heartbeat merging into one with the song of the crickets and her breaths slow with the speed of the waves in the puddle. She felt the rhythm of the Forestlife pulsating through her veins, she felt as if the serenity could occur for--

The fugitive jumped and fell over into the lake. She felt a disturbance in the forest energy. Something was moving quickly through the forest, way too quick for the likes of a fox or squirrel.

It was a mage. A cluster of them.

They found her?

The fugitive scrambled out of the lake, shaking herself dry. She threw on her holster containing her dagger and cloak and spun to start darting through the forest once again--

ZIP.

She heard the all too-familiar sound. She wiped tears away from her eyes as she continued to sprint. She made a possibly fatal mistake.

ZOOM.

She was within range the whole time, she never left for a second. It was only a matter of time before they scoured the forest or she casted a spell before they--

ZAP.

"There ya are, pipsqueak! We were beginning to get worried about ya. Now what did we tell you about running off on your own? Eh, pipsqueak?"

The fugitive dangled from the ground by just her small arm, her arm held by one her captors. He shook her arm everytime he said pipsqueak, causing tears to spill out her. He chuckled at her tears maliciously, enjoying them spill from the small girl.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

The girl sniffed and choked out a response, "Gomen'nasai, Racer-sama."

- - - - - - - - -

Ok so that's the first chapter! It's pretty short and ambiguous, I didn't wanna give too much away, that would make you stop reading, wouldn't it? ;) Anyway, please let me know if you liked it, yada yada. I'd love to hear feedback.