Last Winter's Gift

Chapter I

Walking through the market square, somewhere in Fiore, was a young girl, with striking white hair and shining golden orbs. With her beautiful ice-themed bow strapped to her back along with her starry quiver. Her dark blue cape hanging on her shoulders, trailing behind her. All eyes were on her but she paid no mind, for she was on a mission. A mission she would never give up on. A mission she has been working on for years. A mission to find her brother.

So far, all she knows is that he is in a guild. Though she has no clue which one. Her mother and father had disappeared before an attack tore through her village. Her brother told her to run, but she couldn't, so her brother carried her to a cave, where they spent the night. During the night, she heard noises coming from the woods, so she decided to go check them out, resulting in her stumbling upon a dragon who took her in. The dragons name was Aquamarine and she taught her elemental dragon slayer magic, but she disappeared on x7777.

The young girl arrived at a huge hall, with an emblem on the front. She took a deep breath, tugged at her hood and threw it over her hair then opened the doors. All eyes were on her once again and she shrunk, again.

"Who are you?" spoke a small girl with reddish hair. "I am Cheila!"

"I-I am... Call me Dove... It's my nickname." she hesitated. She was unsure if she could trust these people with her name. Her brother was the only thing on her mind at the moment. "E-Excuse me," she said fiddling with her thumbs, "Do you, by chance, know who Gray Fullbuster is?"

As the name was mentioned, a man with white hair and blue eyes perked up. He turned his attention to Dove. "What do you want with Gray?"

"Lyon! Don't be rude!" scolded an older version of Cheila.

"I-I.." she couldn't think of a good enough excuse. No one would believe her. No one ever has. She began to quake in fear. Fear of humiliation. Fear of being laughed at. Fear of being shut out. She turned swiftly on her heel and ran out of the building with tears budding in her eyes.

"Wait!" she heard a sweet voice calling behind her. "She was pretty too.."

Dove has always been like this, shy and timid. Though, when she was around her brother and Aqua, she was different. She was happy and upbeat. But she was afraid to trust people.

After running for a while, she stopped. More like froze. Not out of exhaustion or because she was next to a cliff. She stopped because she saw someone.

A woman with bright red hair. She was absolutely breathtaking. Dove decided to ask her for directions. So she timidly walked up to her. She stopped to tap her shoulder, making her turn around, and crouch down to eye level.

'I hate being short' Dove thought.

"Yes, what is it little one." Her voice was strong, almost masculine, but it had a strong sense of femininity in it too.

"I-I am really sorry to bother you b-but I was just wondering if you could give me directions on w-where I am.." she whispered softly, "s-sorry."

"Oh dear it's no bother, you are in Magnolia."

"M-Magnolia? B-But that's not possible! I can't be in Magnolia!" She panics, staring at her palms. "Excuse me, Miss, do you know where Fairy Tail is? I must speak to Master Makarov." She asks, not shaking anymore.

"Oh yes, I myself am a member of Fairy Tail, follow me." She says sweetly. Turning around and walking south. Dove examines the woman from the back. The woman's ripe red hair swishing behind her in the wind, making a marvelous view. She was stunning. Dove had heard the rumors of beautiful women in the Fairy Tail guild, but she never imagined this!

Now you may be wondering how Dove knows Master Makarov, well that is because Dove is the tenth wizard saint and she had met him at a conference with the magic council.

Dove was only ten at the time and Aquamarine had just left her. Dove wasn't a wizard saint but she worked for the council, learning magic such as Infinity Magic and Heavenly Water Magic, both lost magics, which she was learning under the Magic Council's wing.

Dove had been so lost in thought that she didn't notice that she had arrived at the Fairy Tail guild hall.

"I never asked your name." The woman said to Dove.

"My name?" The woman nodded, "Call me Dove."

"Well Dove, I am Erza. Erza Scarlet." She smiled, holding out her hand for Dove to shake. Dove just stared at Erza, eyes wide, mouth agape.

"You mean you're The Erza Scarlet? Titania of Fairy Tail?" Dove said in shock.

Erza giggled slightly, "I get that reaction often. And yes I am."

Dove smiled brightly at Erza, the first time she had smiled properly for years. Dove was shocked and quickly covered her mouth, not wanting someone as important as Erza to see her smile.

Erza turned away, oblivious to what had happened and opened the doors, causing the fighting to stop. A table was flying Dove's way so she whimpered in fright and tried to block the table with her forearms. She tensed up, awaiting the pain. But it never came.

Dove felt a demonic aura build up near her, so she slowly opened one eye, only to see Erza standing with the table above her head and a dark aura around her.

"WHO THE HELL THREW THAT TABLE?!" Erza screamed and everyone cowered away and pointed towards two boys, cowering into the corner. One looked familiar and the other didn't.

"GRAY!" 'Gray?! Is it him?' Dove's eyes widen as she took in Grays features. Erza's screaming died out. Everything was muffled. She couldn't hear anything clearly. She tried to scream. Scream for help. Scream. But no one heard her. Tears collected up in her eyes. She screamed one last time, but no one batted an eyelid.

Dove began to choke. Clawing at her neck, trying to open up her airway. She kept coughing and choking.

Doves eyes started to flutter close, and the room began to spin. Erza's shouts began to fill her ears once again. Relief floods throughout Dove's body she had never been so happy to hear someone scream before.

Dove shucked in one last breath, she was going to try one last time. Maybe it wasn't too late, maybe this time, someone would hear her.

"ONII-CHAN"

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Word Count= 1106