The Problem Child (Fairy Tail Fanfic)

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{NADIA'S POV}
                        Welcome to Castillia Town,
                         where everyone is familia!
                                   Population: 27_

That is the sign that greets me when I first exit the little train station at Castillia Town with Cindy, Rio and everyone else. Three men are taking down a 6 and replacing it with a 7 so the sign reads Population: 277 instead of 276.

"What's with the change?" I point to the sign.

"Well, you're joining our familia, aren't you?" Cindy rolls her eyes like it's obvious. My heart warms from the attention to detail they have.

It feels like home, almost.

The girls practically drag me to the school and get me admitted and registered for classes. I'll start school tomorrow. It's all happening so fast.

"You want to look around town?" Cindy and Rio come up to me. I nod.

"I'm in your hands." I tell them. They show me the shopping district and the residential area where everyone lives.

People greet Cindy and Rio by name, and everyone knows everyone else. It reminds me of Fairy Tail. I like it here.

Then Cindy gets a sparkle in her eye, bouncing from excitement while Rio rolls her eyes. Cindy practically drags me to the woods that surround the lively town. Half a mile in, there's a small clearing full of tall grass. Some logs have been positioned in a circle around a fire pit in the center.

"This has got to be my all time favorite place in Castillia!" Cindy bounces up and down. "We have campouts and stuff here all the time."

"Huh." I look around. It is rather peaceful here.

I think I'll stay here. It's better than continuing to ruin everything for my guild mates in Fairy Tail. Even though I want to go back, I'm sure they'll be happier if they're far away from me.

*6 years later*
{CINDY'S POV}
What in all of Fiore is Natalie doing? I stare as she stands on a log in the Clearing, eyes closed and focusing, her arms raised. Is this some newfangled meditation technique?

Her black hair, which was super short when we met but has grown out, flutters in the wind. Her broken star barrette is clipped in her hair like always.

Then, a little ball of fire springs to life in front of Nadia. My jaw drops. I rub my eyes. Surely I'm hallucinating. But the ball of fire is still there. Nadia furrows her brows, and it grows in size.

Natalie's been here for the better half of a decade. Why didn't she tell us she's a wizard?

I hide behind a tree and continue watching intently. Natalie grinds her teeth and a few more balls of fire appear. She wipes sweat from her brow. She manages to summon fifteen fireballs.

Natalie tenses. She clenches then relaxes her fists.

The fireballs flicker, and slowly change color from red to blue. Then they begin to waver, like she's losing control of them. I bite my lip.

"Come on!" Natalie cries.

Her eyes open and her arms drop, causing the balls of fire simultaneously explode. They send her flying backwards into a tree.