Chapter 17

Silence

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's and Ideas

.:+:.

She felt cold and hot all at once, her body shaking without her consent. Her head was in a haze and her eyelids felt heavier than she could ever remember them being. She shuddered involuntarily, her breath catching in her throat as she coughed faintly.

The room was dim around her, and stagnant. She could scarcely see the ceiling above her, if not for the small, faint sliver of light that managed to make it past the edge of the curtains. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she knew she had. She'd been moving in and out of wakefulness for hours, flitting between feverish reality and swirling, nonsensical dreams.

She felt something squeeze around her fingers gently, her eyes trailing sideways from the roof toward that young little boy at the bedside.

Brother....

He was fast asleep, his head resting in his crossed arms on the bedtop- one hand extended just slightly so he could keep holding her hand in his. His fingers twined between hers and limp in his sleeping, yet they still kept locked together.

She blinked, her eyes falling halfway as the haze lifted just enough- she remembered waking up earlier too, and remembered hearing his voice mixed with that of their parents.

"..b-but... I wanna help..."

".... Love, the only thing we can do is let her sleep."

"... Once she rests, the fever will pass and she will be alright.."

".... I...."

"..hmm, I know you want to help her feel better, love....." That was her mother's voice, she sounded sympathetic, and warm.

".... You know what? Sit with her, keep her company. I'm sure that will help her feel better." And that was her Father, a bit louder, but no less warm. 

"..y-yeah!" Her brother sounded a little happier with that, he liked that idea- mostly because then, he would be doing something. "... I-i can tell her a story, if she wants...! Or just stick around, so she's not all alone when she's sleeping..!"

"Great idea." Mother and Father said all in unison.

Her mind was slipping back into the deep, dark depths again as she heard feet move down the hallway outside the door.

She must have fallen asleep before he made it inside, but he'd stayed anyway...

She squeezed his hand back faintly, sighing as her eyes fell closed again.

It felt nice, his hand in hers, after so, so long.....

She coughed again, her eyes snapping shut when a sudden wash of pain ignited in her core where it hadn't been seconds before.

Her hand held tight to his hand- only to find it wasn't there anymore. He wasn't, none of it was- not the bed, not the room, not the warmth nor the familiarity.

She was floating in a chilly sea, the water gripping and cold as she saw her blood stain the water darker around her- her stomach a gaping hole and agony racing though every inch of her being. The silence was crushing, even her own voice as she yelled at the pain was muffled and muted and silent on her own ears. She couldn't make a sound,

W-what the...hell....?!

What happened?! Why couldn't she remem... Wait,

North Wind, Neveleous...... She'd been lying there, bleeding to death among the ice, alone..

And I.... I had to....

She felt her heart sink,

..... Did.... Did I die....?

Is that was this is? Death?

B-but I....!

'You are not dead.'

Hora stiffened, the water and the sea suddenly gone as her feet hit solid ground. She shivered, her breathing slowing down as her eyes dropped to her torso- the hole in her stomach was gone, but the pain wasn't.

"Lixue?" She asked instantly, her voice suddenly back too. She glanced around the dreary grey world bereft of anything but herself.

'You came very close, of course... But somehow, even in your foolishness- you are still alive.' Lixue's voice was floating all around her in the emptiness, Hora sweatdropped. '..... What a rash little girl you are sometimes, you could very well of simply killed yourself from the shock, you know.'

"... But it worked, right?" Hora grumbled, "... According to you, I am still alive.... And I did win, right? Neveleous is dead.... I slayed the Demon."

'..... Hmmph, yes.' Lixue grumbled, '... You did what Arden failed to do... And you lived through it, without letting yourself be consumed by darkness.'

".... Would it kill you, to say 'good job' ?" She sighed, he sighed back.

'..... Fine. Good job.' He sighed, '...... But in the future, Horatia... Perhaps we could avoid near-death situations such as this.... We've run into much too many of them lately.'

"... Yeah..." Hora mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck slightly, before wincing when her stomach flared bright in pain again.

Her head snapped upward at the sound of a bell chiming, her eyes glinting as she paused..... Why does that sound familiar?

Her eyes went wide, her body growing rigid as a flash of panic hit her straight on.

Isn't... Isn't that my Calling Card?!

Hora's hands fell atop her head as she hissed,

..... Did.... Didn't they try and call me... Back in North Wind...?!

"S-shit!!"

.:+:.

She lurched upward in panic and confusion, her breathing jagged and uneven as she looked around wildly- mind racing and having such an utterly hard time coming to terms with what the hell was going on.

Hora yelped, her eyes snapping shut as she doubled over, her arms hooking around her body as pain surged upward from her stomach and through the rest of her like a fire. Her head spun from the sudden exertion, sweatdropping heavily as she stayed utterly still, hunched over and hardly daring to breathe as she bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself quiet.

O-owww.. owww........

"M-Miss....?!"

Her eyes opened to harsh sunlight, her head snapping upward at the shaky voice she didn't quite recognize, her eyes scanning the near empty room with it's white walls, tile floors, empty, clean beds and a shut door- all the way over toward a very stunned and jumpy looking young man in soldiers' clothing. His green eyes glinted feverishly as she stood at the bedside, looking entirely unsure of himself and seeming to have jumped upward from the chair he had previously been sitting in when she lurched upward.

"A-Are you alright?! You sh-shouldn't be moving, o-or sitting up like that..!" He stammered, Hora blinked.

This... this looks like a... hospital... and he's...

Her eyes dropped, seeing underneath the loose shirt she now had, her stomach was wrapped in bandages, similar lengths of them covering wounds on her arms and legs- she could feel and slightly see some bandages wrapped around her nose and cheeks.

Hora stiffened, rounding on the young man now as he jumped.

"How long have I been out?!" Hora snapped, her voice full of urgency as Ira recoiled, looking terrified and very out of his depth.

"E-Eh..?!"

"Ira, how long have I been asleep?!" She asked again, he stiffened.

"O-oh, ah.. about a week.. M-miss...." He stumbled to answer, Hora felt her heart drop.

A WEEK?!

"Crap! Crap, crap, crap!" She hissed, "Did you find my Card?!"

"C-Card...?" He stammered, eyes wide and glittering.

"Calling Card! I had it with me!" Ira blinked, sweatdropping a little more.

"O-oh.. ah, yes.... but..." He mumbled, turning slightly as he picked something up off the nightstand by the bed, and hesitantly held it out toward her. Hora halted, her eyes widening as she reached forward- taking the Calling Card from him and swallowing.

It was stiff, drenched in scarlet and the Card Face black and dead... she couldn't feel any Magic come from it as she touched it, it was broken and she hissed.

What if they were still trying to call her? Would the Call read as unable to connect to her Card, or would it just keep ringing? She honestly hadn't a clue- and either way it wasn't good. They tried to call her, she had heard it ringing- and she had never answered. It had been a weeeeeeeekkkk!!!!

She winced, her eyes snapping shut as one hand moved to hold her stomach when it flashed bright in pain again. Ira flinched slightly, his hands reaching toward her uncertainly.

"..... w-when we found you.... you'd lost so much blood..." He mumbled nervously, ".... y-you are seriously injured, even though you did your best... to... y-you know......." He trailed off, Hora sweatdropped.

'brash fool' as Lixue put it.... Hora remembered that part well enough.

"........ c-close the wound..... keep it from bleeding any more... by.... b-burning it.... closed..." Ira stammered softly, Hora bit the inside of her cheek.

Yes, she remembered the smell of her own flesh burning... maybe a bit of an extreme measure, but she had been bleeding to death.

She hissed, shaking her head, her eyes snapping up from the now useless Card and toward Ira again.

"I need a pen and some paper." She told him shortly, he blinked,

"B-but... Miss, you need to rest...." Ira replied shortly, Hora shook her head.

"This first." She cut him off with ease, he seemed to deflate a little. "Ira, please."

The young man cast an anxious glance at the closed door, before nodding slightly and twirling his finger in air. Into his palm fell a pen, and into the other fell a clipboard with paper attached to it. He held both toward her, looking exasperated as she took them from him shortly.

The pen scribbled across the paper feverishly, her eyes trained to the words and slow enough only to allow herself to be careful not to make the writing look as frantic as she was feeling in that instant. The words reached the end of the paper, before she folded it up and started on another- fast, yet precise strokes across the paper that formed the visage of the same bird she had drawn oh so many times.

Ira watched her in stiff silence, his eyes flicking from the pen to her on repeat.

Hora set the pen down and lift the paper with the bird up in hand, wincing again at another stab of pain that rammed into her through her stomach, before the burning feel of the Markings started as they began to creep down her arm. Her eyes fell closed, warmth pulsing into her hand as she concentrated on the paper, what little Magic she had left and regained was channeling into the Spell, the paper in her hand suddenly engulfed in light, nearly shimmering gold flame. She noticed Ira watching her, near transfixed as his green eyes reflected the glow of the fire.

The paper was eaten away by the fire, but the flames kept away from the lines of the bird she had drawn- eating everything but the illustrated animal. There was bright yellow-orange flash and suddenly Hora's hand fell away, the illustration puffing up into substance, the wings beating as she now suddenly alive bird flapped in air before Hora, its wings dancing with small flames and embers that refused to eat away its still paper body.

Drills flapped his wings before her, letting out a somewhat strangled, started squawk when he lay eyes on a very tense, bandaged Horatia.

"M-miss...?!" Drille squeaked, flapping his wings faster in nervousness. "Are you alright..?!"

"I'm fine." Hora replied shortly, holding the folded letter up toward the very disturbed little bird. "You need to get this letter to Sting and Rogue,"

Drille blinked, stunned for half a second as Hora's eyes flashed.

"Double time!"

Drille jumped, plucking the letter from her hand before speeding off out the window in the blink of an eye. Hora watched him go, her eyes following the small smudge in the sky until it was gone, holding her breath to try and keep herself from wincing- to which her entire torso (stomach in particular) was throbbing painfully. She was a little afraid to breathe at all, thinking what pain would follow if she did.

Her eyes snapped away from the window and closed, doubling over slightly as she groaned, taking in a short, shallow breath that she regretted nearly immediately.

..... Tch.... I really had a number done on me, huh...?

"M-miss Hora... Are you ok..?!" Ira asked quietly, yet his voice was clearly shaking in concern and nervousness still. Hora nodded stiffly, her eyes glittering as she opened them to glance up toward him again.

"... Yeah.... I'm fine.... Sorry, just give me a minute to get over..." she mumbled,

... Freaking out, I guess..

"..... Uh... Do you..... Need me to... Get the doctor....?" He asked hesitantly. Hora shook her head,

"... no. I'm alright.... I apologize, for jumping up like that... And snapping at you." Hora replied softly, "... But maybe..... Tell me what happened?" Ira blinked,

"....You mean... do you not remember...?" He asked,

"I remember Neveleous." she responded quickly, ".. I remember winning, too.... And what I did with.... My wound..... Just not the after bits. Like how I got here?"

"O-oh. Right, well... I tracked you down, using my Magic.... And that ribbon I gave you." Ira started slowly, gesturing toward said ribbon that was tied loosely around her wrist. Hora blinked, her eyes falling to see the ribbon- she hadn't noticed it was there until he pointed it out. "Knight-Captain Lahar, Mr. Doranbolt, and I found you near the Demon, where you... ah.... killed it.." He tapped his index fingers together nervously. "..... you were hurt pretty badly, so we rushed you to the nearest hospital we could find to get help... once the Doctor's patched you up as best they could, Knight-Captain Lahar ordered me to stay here, till you woke up... along with a few of the other Knights." Ira tilted his head toward the door, Hora's eyes flicking over toward that direction.

..... so... am I under lock and key...?

"....ah, am I in some sort of trouble..?" Hora asked slowly, Ira sweatdropped a little.

"Uhm.. well, when Knight-Captain Lahar sent the preliminary report of the battle at North Wind to Era, and the Magic Council.. they were.... ah, a little taken aback." He tapped his fingers together a few more times, his eyes flicking away from her all the way and toward the floor. "...... the number of Mages that were apprehended and arrested in one sitting has reached well over the 300 mark. There have been several dozen Magical Artifacts recovered that we had not anticipated to find, and to add atop that; both Eider and the Demon of Zeref were defeated in the span of only a few hours..... and by one Mage." Hora blinked as Ira trailed off a second,

"... Ah... And to add atop it all... There were no casualties on either side, and few injuries as well... The Magic Council is a little... Ah, stunned..." Ira mumbled, ".... They're having a hard time wrapping their heads around the idea that this Mission went so smoothly, and in so little time- and they're appalled at the idea that one Mage- ah, uhm.. That you- took on Eider and Neveleous on your own, won, and lived through it."

".... So the Chairman has ordered you be kept in custody.... so you can testify as to your actions, and your involvement. To explain what happened, and how you managed to win.... Given no one else was around to witness it." He smiled nervously, Hora stared.

"..... So I'm...." She mumbled. "...... under arrest then, for doing my job..?" She grumbled, Ira sweatdropped.

"Ah.... yes. More or less..." He stammered, ".... We had to mention in the Preliminary Report that you were a 'Devil Slayer', and the Magic Council has no record of that Magic. They want to know more about it, as well as questioning you about what went on in North Wind." He smiled slightly, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, but for now you're in the custody of the Magic Council... as soon as you're well enough for it, we'll head to Era and you'll meet with the Magic Council."

Hora sighed, her head falling in her hands as she grumbled under her breath a few minutes.

"..... so I take it no field trips in the meantime..?" She mumbled, her heart sinking as she bit the inside of her cheek.

"... ah.. n-no...? I mean... you're still hurt, M-Miss...... you should try resting, not... ah, running off..."

I've been asleep for a week.... oh my god.... how many times have they tried to get ahold of me since then? Do they think something's gone wrong? I can't believe I've been...

Hora's hands covered her face as she hissed, her shoulders hunching slightly.

.... please hurry Drille..... they need to know I'm not.... shit.

She let herself sink back down into the bed, hands still covering her face as her elbows remained up in the air.

I'm awful

".... how long is talking with the Council going to take?" Hora mumbled, Ira blinked. "..... if I've been asleep for a week... that means that the GMG starts pretty soon, right?"

"Uh, yeah... the first day of the Grand Magic Games is in five days." Ira replied softly, "As for how long talking with the Council will be... I'm not sure. This whole business with North Wind is taking longer than anticipated to wrap up." Hora cracked open one eye and glanced sideways toward the younger boy. ".... and you only just woke up, Miss. You should probably wait another day or two before even thinking about traveling to Era."

Hora glanced away, her arms falling on either side of her as she stared up at the roof.

I have to see them... I need to make it back to Crocus, I said I would be there for the Games....

Her eyes narrowed slightly,

......... though..... I don't know..... I almost feel weird.... that I am still alive.

She sighed,

.... I was determined to live... but I guess even I'm surprised that I didn't end up dead in the end...... huh...

"Uhm... are you alright, Miss?" Ira asked softly, after hearing Hora sigh for about the fifth time.

"Yeah, I'm ok." She replied softly, "..... I just hope the questioning part doesn't take too long.... I told my friends I would be back in time for the Games...." Hora sat up again, leaning against the headboard with another small sigh.

"..... Have you been here the whole time?" She asked, he blinked, blushing a little.

"Oh, uhm... yes, I have..." He mumbled nervously, ".... Knight-Captain Lahar gave me orders, after all.."

"... and where is he?" She asked,

"I think he's still overseeing excavation and search of the North Wind Guild Hall." Ira replied, "He should be back sometime later, I think, if you were looking to talk with him." Hora blinked, glancing downward toward the red ribbon tied around her wrist.

".... is this thing still set to track me?" Hora asked easily, lifting her hand and gesturing toward it. Ira blinked, looking a little taken aback by the question for a moment.

"... ah... yes..." He said slowly, "..... uhm... Lieutenant Doranbolt told me.... I should keep it with you.... " Hora blinked, eyebrow quirking at the comment.

Wow, that dude does not trust me all that much, does he?

She laughed, just once- and hissed when she did so, but kept laughing regardless. She held her stomach lightly, Ira sitting beside the bed and looking entirely taken aback at the sudden change in mood. "..... sneaky little.." Hora chuckled, shaking her head slightly as Ira stared. ".... heh, he's already got me pegged pretty good, huh?"

"Uh.... Miss..?" Ira asked softly, head tilting as Hora cast him a small, sly smirk.

"Well, since you're supposed to keep track of me, I guess that just means I'm gonna have to drag you along." Hora smirked, Ira sweatdropped a little, his head tilting.

"H-huh...?"

"We're gonna do a little jail-breaking, you and I."

.:+:.

"M-Miss Hora.. this is a really bad idea..."

"Tch... It's fine, Ira. You're supposed to keep tabs on me, yeah? You're doing that."

"B-but M-miss... You're still hurt!"

"Trust me, I'm tougher than I look. I'm fine... And quit with the 'Miss' thing. Just call me Hora, or Horatia.. Or even Atia if you want. Just no more 'Miss'."

"..a...ah.... Alright... But...."

"Try not to worry so much. I'm just fine."

Well, actually walking hurts- but not bad enough to make me stop.

"..... Knight-Captain Lahar is going to kill me..."

"Just tell him you couldn't stop me- I mean you are watching me still. Its not like I've run off and ditched you."

"......."

Hora smiled slightly, casting the look over her shoulder as Ira trailed behind her looking somewhere between scared and worried, and even a little exasperated.

"... Look, I know this isn't what they wanted but I have places to be- people to see." Hora told him, "I have to try and get things moving along as quickly as possible, I've already been asleep a week- I have literally lost any time I thought I had."

He grimaced slightly, looking cross as he looked away from her.

".... Injured in a hospital bed for a week... And now you're walking around not a hour after waking up... That all definitely screams 'fine' and warrants walking around a crime scene when you shouldn't be..." He grumbled hotly, Hora blinked, smirking slightly.

"Oh? You're actually being sarcastic now?" She chuckled, he huffed. "What a change from being so nervous all the time."

She heard him let out a low growl but said nothing otherwise as Hora looked ahead again. She tugged the bottom of her shirt away from her stomach a little, grimacing just slightly as she made her way through the tents and carts and Magic-Mobiles, and of course- Soldiers and Knights too. They looked up and around as Hora moved through them with Ira in tow, eyes wide and surprised as they murmured amongst themselves- gesturing toward them, staring.

Hora's hands moved to subconsciously tug her sleeves down- only to remember that she wasn't wearing a shirt with long sleeves at all. What little clothes she had packed, this shirt was one of the few not destroyed nor blood-soaked- so she'd been forced into wearing it where usually she probably would not have.

I'll have to take some time to find a store and buy something new... I doubt I'll have time to go home before heading to Crocus for the Games....

"She's alive then?"

"I had no idea she woke up..."

"... Why's she hanging around here, though?"

"She's supposed to be confined the the Hospital, right..?"

Ira pressed closer, moving from following her to staying at her shoulder as he grimaced slightly, looking less than thrilled as he heard the murmurs start to grow more frequent.

".... Doranbolt is gonna kill me too....." He mumbled, she nudged him with her shoulder a little, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, I'll let him hamper on me instead of you." Hora smirked, "After all, this was my idea- he can't expect you to be able to control me, yeah? I am a big, bad, scary Devil Slayer~"

Ira blinked, smiling slightly in amusement. "You are kinda scary." He mused, Hora chuckled.

"Ouch."

"You said it, not me." Ira shot back, Hora smirked.

"You've gotten suddenly cheeky!"

"Might as well, I'm not gonna be alive much longer once we find Lahar and Doranbolt."

"Ah, it can't be that bad-" Hora hummed, breaking herself off as they reached the huge, heavy stone doors, her eyes catching sight of said men standing together with Lahar looking at a few papers in his hands and Doranbolt looking over his shoulder. "- there they are." Ira deflated, sweatdropping heavily as his head hung a little.

"And so I go to die.."

Hora flicked him lightly across the nose, earning a small half-glare from him. "Oh lighten up!" She smirked, his lips twitched at the edges despite himself. She stepped forward, Ira slowing up a little to follow her as she moved up behind both of them.

"-Once I'm done reviewing the last of the artifacts recovered, we'll head to the Hospital. I'll still need to write up the rest of the report for today and send it to the Chairman." Hora caught Lahar's voice as she started forward, Doranbolt nodded slightly.

"You think she's awake yet?" Doranbolt mumbled,

"She lost a lot of blood, and the amount of Magic Energy she must have spent alone... I'm not surprised she's been unconscious so long, but I do think she should be awake soon. At least I hope so." Lahar answered, shaking his head slightly. "... I will admit I was a bit curious why Master Jiemma only sent one person to assist in this matter, I didn't think much of her before- but she certainly shattered any doubts I had."

"... she still ended up in bad shape though." Doranbolt grumbled, "... she has to be a little crazy to have charged in alone like that, regardless if she won or not. More so seeing she used her own Magic to sear that wound closed-" Hora frowned slightly, shaking her head as she halted right behind the both of them, hip cocking a little as she leaned in and lightly flicked her hand against his back.

"Well tell me how you really feel, why don't you?" She grumbled, her eyes flashing slightly as he stiffened under the gesture- his back rigid as both Doranbolt and Lahar jumped. They whipped around, sucking in air in shock and eyes wide as they jumped back a little, eyes whited-out and jaws dropping as they lay eyes on her.

"W-What?!" Lahar stammered,

"Y-You?!" Doranbolt snapped,

"You're here?!" They both said in unison, Hora nodded stiffly.

"Clearly." She mumbled, shaking her head at the both of them slightly. "Calm down, you didn't need to freak out about it."

"But how..?! Why..?!" Doranbolt snapped, his eyes moving from her toward Ira behind her- who smiled nervously.

"Ira!" Lahar and Doranbolt snapped, Hora stepped sideways to put herself a bit more in front of him.

"Don't yell at him, you told him to babysit me- be happy he came with." Hora grumbled, her hand raising as she waved her wrist and the length of red ribbon meant to track her still tied tightly. "Besides, its not like you can't just find me anyway if I did run off- you put a freakin' leash on me!" They grimaced slightly while Ira blinked in surprise at how quickly she placed herself between them and him.

"Of course we did!" Doranbolt snapped back, looking annoyed now. "You're up and walking around now when you shouldn't be! I knew you'd try and ditch us if you had the chance!"

"Shut up!" Hora snapped back, annoyed too as they suddenly butted heads- where usually she wouldn't have gotten so worked up and into an argument, but to be honest her nerves were on high at the very real fact that she had been passed out for a week. "Don't act like you now anything about me!"

"I know you're crazy! And you run around doing insane things!"

"You can't just go around calling people crazy!"

"You said you might be a little insane! Let's not forget the fact you talk to yourself!"

"I do not talk to myself!"

"Yes you do! Everyone heard you!"

They both scowled, their fists clenching and tempers on a sudden high- they almost looked like they were about ready to start fighting. Ira and Lahar jumped, looking frantic and taken aback as they stepped in between both Hora and Doranbolt- Lahar pushing his friend back and Ira struggling to hold Hora back as she growled,

"E-enough, both of you!" Lahar snapped,

"Horatia please!" Ira grumbled, he was shorter than her- and she was stronger, her blue eyes blazing as she glared daggers at Doranbolt and he glared right back.

"You little-!" Hora hissed, a vein ticking on her forehead- her nerves really were on a high if she was getting this annoyed this fast.

'Horatia...' Lixue mumbled, though he didn't have the conviction in his voice to really sound like he was telling her to cool it.

Ira puffed, struggling as he pushed back against Hora and Lahar did the same with Doranbolt. "What is your deal?!" She hissed,

"What's yours?!" He snapped back,

Ira let out an unhappy sigh, a vein ticking on his forehead as Hora pushed back against him hard enough he stumbled. "Why don't the two of you just get a damned room already?!" The younger boy snapped loudly,

Hora and Doranbolt went still, their eyes whited-out and jaws dropping at the words. There was a split second of silence before both Hora and Doranbolt rounded on Ira, blushing furiously and looking outraged- Ira simply sighed, looking quite done.

"Excuse me?!?!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Lahar deflated, shaking his head as he sighed heavily- why?

"You two are fighting like an old married couple!" Ira grumbled, 

"Shut it!!"

"Enough!" Lahar ordered sharply, earning Ira, Doranbolt, and Hora's eyes as they stiffened- the latter two looking still rather disgruntled. They huffed, shooting eachother small glares as Lahar pushed himself between the both of them and split them apart. "This is ridiculous! You are both acting like children!"

"He started it." Hora grumbled, Doranbolt growled.

Lahar rounded on her and Hora blinked, "Regardless, you are not supposed to be out of bed! You are injured and you are supposed to be resting! Confining you to that room was not only to ensure you would not move out of our sights, it was also for your own good!" Hora sweatdropped slightly, her eyes narrowing as he halted- his face pulling into a scowl as his jaw clenched, a vein ticking on his forehead.

"You're bleeding!" He snapped, his hand gesturing toward her shirt as she jumped, her attention snapping down to see that shiny crimson was bleeding through her shirt on her stomach. Ira jumped, his eyes widening as all sternness and agitation that had flared inside of him shattered,

"O-oh no, H-Hora..!" He stammered, hands hovering as he started to panic, entirely unsure of what to do-

"...... this was my last clean shirt...!" Hora whined,

"You're worried about your shirt..?!" Doranbolt grumbled,

"I only packed so many! All the other ones are dirty or ruined!"

"I think there's a more pressing issue than your wardrobe!"

Lahar's head tilted back toward the sky, looking utterly defeated as his hands held his head- Ira dodging around like a frantic little rabbit and Hora and Doranbolt arguing (a bit less fervently now) as the four of them stood in front of those massive, gaping doors- and were easily the noisiest thing for miles.

"How has this become my job..?"

.:+:.

"It's nothing serious."

The curtains swished as the doctor pulled them aside, his hands falling into his pockets as his eyes found Ira, Lahar and Doranbolt- all of which has moved towards the wall and had been waiting silently. Hora was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed, leaning back slightly with her hands propping her up behind her and looking a little displeased, her eyes watching the Doctor silently as she huffed a little.

"A few stitches pulled, and I've fixed them up with little issue. Overall her health is quite fine, considering the state she arrived in, in the first place." The man went on, nodding toward the Council-Members. He cast a glance back at Hora, who frowned a little. "I would recommend taking a little more time to rest up, however. You seem the resilient sort, but you did get hurt pretty badly regardless."

Hora grumbled under her breath, her eyes moving away from him as she frowned slightly.

I don't have time....

The doctor sighed slightly, shaking his head a little before smiling.

"Ah, well. I'm all done, I'll be getting on to the rest of my rounds." he said easily, Lahar nodded.

"Thank you."

"Of course." He left the room with a wave over his shoulder, leaving Hora with Ira, Lahar and Doranbolt as silence settled for a few seconds.

"..... I told you I was fine." Hora grumbled lowly,

"Regardless, you should not have left this room so soon." Lahar grumbled lowly,

"Why would you?" Doranbolt grumbled, Ira bit the inside of his cheek, looking nervous still.

"... I need this done and over with quickly." Hora replied, her voice dropping as Lahar and Doranbolt blinked in surprise. "I wasn't counting on being out for so long, I promised my Guild that I would be back in time for the GMG, and that's only in a few days. If the Chairman of the Magic Council intends to question me, I want to get it over with soon so I don't miss the Games. More so since it'll take a few days to get back to Era and Crocus from all the way out here."

I've been out for a week and my Calling Card broke... I can't imagine how out of their minds Sting, Rogue, Frosch and Lector have been going all this time....

Her hands tightened around the bed behind her, her eyes flashing.  "..... I just don't have time to sit around. That's why I don't care about sitting in bed 'resting'- I'm fine, I already said that." Hora grumbled lowly,

".... what's the problem with being a little late?" Doranbolt deadpanned, Hora stiffened. "It's not the end of the world, you'll still make it in time to see the Games- just not all the way through."

"Because I've been gone for three months on some dangerous mission and I haven't called them in a week!" Hora snapped immediately, he flinched a little. "Last they knew, I was close to finding North Wind and Neveleous- can you even imagine what they've been thinking the last week? My Calling Card got wrecked and they have no idea what's going on with me!" She hissed slightly, her jaw clenching. "I sent them a letter the minute I woke up... but I have to see them, soon. I can't make them wait any longer, they've probably been worried out of their minds." The men seemed to pause, their eyes flashing.

"..... I understand why you feel the need to rush." Lahar murmured after a little while, "I can't promise you that your meeting with the Council will go any more swiftly than normal, but I can try and speed it along. For today, however- we are still rounding up the last of the artifacts, and won't be leaving for Era until the morning." Hora grimaced slightly, "You can rest for one more night, we will go in the morning, I promise."

She frowned a little more, "... it's going to take forever to get to Era from here."

"Tch... did you already forget?" Doranbolt grumbled lowly, Hora narrowed her eyes at him. "The Council has tools to transport things and people to and from places almost instantaneously. We're far enough out it will take a few trips of Transportation Magic to reach Era, but it won't take more than a day, at most." Hora paused, her eyes widening slightly.

Wait that's right... he uses Teleportation Magic, doesn't he?

"So sit still and go to sleep, we'll go in the morning." Doranbolt huffed, his arms crossing over his chest as an edge worked its way into his voice. "And don't forget, if you try and sneak off we will find you- easily." Hora bit the inside of her cheek,

Right, cause she was still leashed.

Hora's eyes flicked sideways toward the window, eyes narrowing as she halted for a minute Drille was still out there, somewhere- meaning the Letter hadn't been delivered yet....

.... one more night?

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but her stomach was throbbing pretty badly- the rest of her body wasn't a problem, but where the Demon's claws had plunged into her, and she'd burned it closed herself... it wasn't a pleasant feeling. She was pretty tired, but she was also still very worked up. Her eyes fell closed as she bit down on her cheek hard enough to taste blood,

I'm so sorry....

She glanced back at them, nodding stiffly. Her voice was low, and it seemed she had to froce herself to say it at all-

"Fine.."

.:+:.

They heard wings flapping furiously in the silence of the world around them, their thoughts snapped out of dark corners and chasms filled with so much worry and fear they felt sick-

Yukino, Rufus, Orga, Lector and Frosch glanced around the second they heard Sting and Rogue's footsteps halt in the grass behind him. They paused, eyes wide and glittering as they saw the shock dawn on the Dragon Slayer's faces- their shoulders rigid and disbelief showing on their faces- riveted.

A week had gone by and they had tried to call Hora's Calling Card every single day- several times a day. Each time there being no answer and each time fear setting in deeper, their hearts breaking more and more everytime. There had been so much silence between them for that long, none of them knowing what to do, most of them tearing themselves apart on the inside- they felt helpless, and seeing the terror settle in so deeply in the group of Dragon Slayer's and Exceeds alike- that was torture.

They were crumbling and there was nothing they could do to stop it. They didn't talk, they hardly looked at anyone else- they'd pulled in on themselves and they were losing what little will they had left to continue on and toward Crocus- they hadn't even the will to look forward to the Games, or participate in them... because how could they?

Something really bad happened, they felt that so deeply in their hearts- and they knew it had happened to Hora. Something had gone utterly, terribly wrong... and she had gone as silent as they had.

But suddenly, out of nowhere at all- the silence was broken. And their hearts leapt in their chests, nose's twitching and eyes shinning when the scent of fire and embers hit their nose.

Sting and Rogue whipped around back toward the way they had come, starting forward up the hill they had left behind and leaving everyone else behind in stunned surprise- before they followed as quickly as they possibly could.

It can't be-

They were stumbling up the hill, the grass torn up under their feet, hearts racing.

It has to be-

They were huffing by the time they reached the top, eyes wide and fixed to the sky, searching.

It-

"DRILLE!!" Sting and Rogue yelled, their eyes locking onto that small, burning brilliant creature in the indigo sky above them.

They'd jumped up at the same time, their hands reaching out as they both grabbed tight of the poor creature before it had time to understand what was going on- it let out a strangled squawk, it's wings flapping feverishly as it did it's best to stay afloat- to no avail.

Sting, Rogue and Drille smacked into the ground in a tangle of limps, wings and paper- the Dragon Slayers hissing as they bonked their heads against one another but caring little as they picked themselves up, on their hands and knees, leaning over and in toward the small Firebird- eyes wide and frantic.

"What happened?!"

"Is Hora ok?!"

"Why hasn't she been answering?!"

"Drille please!!"

Drille jumped up onto it's feet, looking frantic and rather angry, it's wings flapping and fire sparking off his feathers more brightly as it turned- throwing the letter it had been clutching tightly in it's beak straight at the both of them- smacking Rogue in the face hard enough the contact was audible.

"How dare you snatch me out of the air like that?!" The little bird snapped, Sting and Rogue didn't hear him at all- their hands were fumbling quickly to open up the letter.

Both boys pressed shoulder to shoulder, faces close to one another and one hand each on either side of the letter- their eyes flashing the instant they recognized Hora's handwriting and small whiffs of her scent floated up from the paper.

'I'm fine! I am so sorry, my Calling Card got wrecked- I had no idea idea if you guys were trying to call me or not- But I'm fine! I swear, to you I am, I am so so sorry! I'm sorry but I'm not going to write a lot- so I can send Drille out even sooner, you guys have been waiting long enough- please, I didn't mean to worry you for so long, I should have called you before- "

Whatever was supposed to be written there next had been scribbled out.

"-no, I'm not getting into it right now. I will tell you everything when I get back, I'm going to see you soon! I swear I will see you in a few days, I'll meet you in Crocus- I said I would comeback and I am! Please, please, forgive me for going so long without hearing from me! I'm sorry!"

Their hands on either side of the paper tightened, their jaw's clenching a little as their shoulders hunched.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry.... A week, I can't believe it's been a week! I can't imagine what you've been thinking happened- shit. I am really ok, I promise you I'm ok- crap I can't believe I've done this to you guys again..."

The penstroke trailed away before starting again lower on the paper.

"... I am so sorry, I can't say it enough. Please, forgive me... and don't worry about me, please. I'll be back safe and sound before you know it! I promise! I'll be there, I'm coming- please just don't freak out, or worry anymore, please... I'll see you soon. I swear to you, I will."

They were shaking, their hands falling as they pressed them against the ground, hissing.

"- Hora"

The group of Rufus, Orga, Lector, Yukino and Frosch made it to the top of the hill, panting and frazzled- their eyes immediately landing on the hunched figures of Sting and Rogue on the ground; their heads hanging and the letter held tightly in their hands on the ground between them.

The group stiffened, eyes wide and glittering when they saw the tears falling to the ground, spilling fast passed the Dragon Slayer's eyes, their breaths shaky and their bodies trembling as they sobbed.

"..tch.... she.... she's..." Rogue hissed,

"... H-Hora...." Sting stammered,

Their fangs ground down on eachother, their hearts thrumming in their ears as they continued to cry- small, shaky little smiles growing on their lips. They'd never felt their hearts pounding like this, never felt their stomachs churning, their bodies warm-

Everyone else stiffened, their eyes glistening- those were the first smiles they had seen since....

Sting and Rogue sobbed, their voices shaky and their smiles too- eyes glittering and the tears never stopping.

"..... she's alive..... she's ok.....!"

.:+:.

Short and Simple!

GET READY THE GRAND MAGIC GAMES ARE NEXT AND STUFF WILL GO DOWN!

Anyhoo, hoped you enjoyed this chapter!

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