Oncoming Storm (Fairy Tail)

Chapter 13

Kayla woke up to being draped over someone's shoulder and the smell of a forest. Opening her eyes, she was met with a black and dark blue striped back. It took her a second before she realized she was being carried by Bickslow. Keeping quiet, she decided to listen in on what was happening.

"Unhand me you pathetic fairies!" Someone shouted, it was the same boy that called himself the 'Storm Bringer'. Kayla looked trough the corner of her eye to see that he was being held by Bickslow on his other shoulder, his hands tied together and sparking angrily.

"No way in hell." Laxus said, "You're going straight towards the magic council."

"The... magic council?" The boy asked, his entire attitude changing in a split second. "S-Sir, please don't take me there!" His voice was higher, cracking a bit as he begged.

"Hm?" Laxus stopped, causing he whole group to stop walking. "What's with the sudden attitude change?"

"I never wanted to do this! Someone—"

"You think this little act will cut you free? Nice try." Laxus said, not even turning to look at the boy.

"No! You've... please you've got to believe me!" He begged, and Kayla could see that his eyes were starting to water. "I was hired by someone to do this! He... he gave me enough jewel to provide for me and my little sisters!"

"Really?" Laxus asked, still skeptical.

"Wait." Kayla piped up, getting the attention on her. "Bickslow, put me down." Silently Bickslow placed her on the ground, she was a bit unsteady but was quick to regain balance and look at the boy, her eyes narrowed slightly. "The name, what was this man's name."

"I-I don't know. He never act-actually gave me his name." The boy said. "But I remember one thing. He had this mark on his hand, it was a stormy gray cloud in the shape of a skull, lightning bolts in the eyes."

Kayla tensed and her eyes widened in panic. We have to leave."

"You bossing me around, newbie?" Laxus asked.

"Yes. Because if we stay here, we're going to end up dead. So we need to head to the boat and leave this island, now."

"What do you know?"

"I know that that's the Death's Storm guild mark, and if we linger here any longer our return to Fairy Tail will be when they send back your corpses, if we even get sent back at all."

"How do you know this?" Freed asked, suspicion in his voice.

Kayla paused for a second, looking over at Freed. "They're a dark guild and if they hired someone to do something I don't think that they would leave him unsupervised. So best bets are that there is someone near by or getting close that will kill you on the spot without hesitation."

Freed narrowed his eyes slightly before looking towards Laxus, to await what the Slayer was going to say.

"Even if I hate being bossed around by a newbie, she makes sense. Now let's get a move on." He turned and started walking, this time in a faster pace than before. They got to the shore and quickly got onto the boat, preparing to head back to the mainland, and as they were sailing out, Kayla looked back at the island, watching as a familiar figure stepped out of the forest. The man stared at the boat, his blue eyes seeming to glow with malice and his sword hopping with lightning.

The further they got, the more Kayla calmed down. She hadn't moved from her spot and kept an eye on the island as if got further and further away into the horizon. The others stayed back, Laxus sitting down with his eyes closed and arms crossed, Evergreen and Bickslow were watching over their captive, and Freed—

"You were very panicked back there." He said, getting Kayla's attention. She watched as he walked up to stand beside her.

"You weren't panicked enough." Kayla responded, "There were Death's Storm members on that island, and if were any slower getting to the boat..." She balled her fists. She looked at Freed and saw the suspicion in his eyes, "I know you're suspicious of me. But, don't worry." She looked at him and gave him a sad smile, "I'm not associated with that guild." At least, not anymore.

"I don't know. In my eyes, you're still a possible threat to us and the guild, so don't go expecting me to trust you too quickly." With that he walked away and towards the captive, leaving Kayla standing where she was.

"How long can I keep this up?" She asked herself as she turned around and stared at the island, watching as it disappeared into the horizon.

Once they turned the boy into the Magic Council— he might of been paid to do the job but he still did it and needed to be turned in for his crime— and were given the reward, the Thunder Legion headed back to Fairy Tail.

It wasn't long to get back to the guild, one train ride that was about half an hour and walking from the station to the guild. They each parted ways before they went in, Freed and Laxus heading into the guild hall, Bickslow was going to train a bit, and Kayla and Evergreen were hearing to Fairy Hills.

The walk to the dorm was quiet, Evergreen working on fixing her hair and Kayla lost in her thoughts. Death's Storm knew where she was now, and it was only a matter of time before they came for her, and when they did Fairy Tail would be attacked.

Maybe I should just go back. If I stay Fairy Tail will be I danger and... I can't face to know that Laxus— the guild might be hurt because I was here.

"You okay Kayla?" Evergreen asked, breaking Kayla out of her train of thought.

Kayla looked up at her, "Yeah. I'm f-fine." She said. "Just shaken up after that job. I just need to rest."

Evergreen turned her attention from Kayla to a mirror, "I guess you're right. You did take a lot of damage from that guy."

Kayla nodded, walking into Fairy Hills, "I'll see you in the morning." She said as she and Evergreen parted ways, each going to their own rooms.

Looking around her own room and taking in the sights of it that hadn't changed since the day she got it, Kayla let out a sigh, "Yeah... I just need to sleep." She said.