Chapter 2

I Wish....

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

.:+:.

"Worthless rat!!!" Master boomed, grabbing Horatia from her hair and tossing her across the building to smash into a wall easily, as if she was nothing more than a doll.

Horatia yelled out in pain as she hit the wall, hitting the floor again with a loud thud. She looked toward the looming figure of Jiemma from her humiliating position on the floor, too stunned and beaten to fight back- not that fighting him would do her any good. She knew better, for her... It was best to accept the beating, instead of giving him reason and incentive to go ahead and kill her.

... Being as mad as he was, he may just do that...

Minerva smirked from where she sat casually upon the balcany overhead, watching the scene with sickening amusement. Everyone else in the building stood back from the two, all silent and tense, standing in uniform rows on orders from Master, watching with horror and fear- they wanted to look away, but knew doing so may anger the Master further. He did like making the other Members watch punishment, it kept them in line. Kept them afraid to stand up and fight back against his cruelty.

And what deserved her this? This torture? She helped another Guild, one down on their luck. She helped locate a number of lost people and eventually allow them to be returned ri the people they loved the most... And innreturn, she was being beaten so brutally, because Master thought it was weak to help anyone so weak and helpless in his eyes.

Kindness of a stranger... The need to return four Slayers to the world.... Because she believed Balance need be restored... That cost her this.

"How dare you submit like that?!" The man yelled, she hissed at the pain, eyes scrunched closed against it. "No SaberTooth Mage submits to helping weak pathetic Wizards!!" His massive foot came down on top of the young woman harshly, making the floor under her cave in. A sickening crack echoed from her already beaten body around the hall, causing the onlookers to sweatdrop and even flinch.

This time, Horatia kept her mouth shut, unwilling to show the pain, though it was clearly visible in her blue gaze. Master had always been brutal.... But this was extreme, and the Members of the Guild knew it. Master had always been harsh with Horatia of all people, though they were never sure why...

"We are the strongest Guild in all of Fiore! What you have done is an insult to this Guild!!!" His foot repeatedly came down upon her, each time harder, and each time getting harder for Horatia to keep herself quite.

Since she had been sent here by Minerva, Jiemma had continued to beat her bloody, in the most harsh way he could muster- and Horatia only endured it, knowing better than to fight back. To fight back was quite frankly suicide- everyone in the Guild knew that the Master would not take kindly to the resistance of anyone, and they feared the consequences. Horatia knew the severity of the consequences all too well, and wouldn't dare push her luck more than she already had.

She hated that she couldn't do anything...

"Even worse, to go behind my back and do as you please?!" In a blast of Magic, Horatia was launched into the air to smash into the ground, her body bouncing off the stone painfully. "Who do you think you are?!!!!!"

Master's anger boiled over as he began to hit Horatia with an insane amount of Magic- the likes of which shook the air, buffeting the watching members, the blasts hitting her relentlessly for what seemed like forever. In the beginning she didn't make a noise, but soon the power behind the attacks increased and her yells of pain ripped through the heart of everyone watching, many of them shut their eyes, their hearts dropping and bodies tensing.

The last attack echoed with a boom, and the form of the young woman lay motionless on the cracked stone floor, limp, beaten, bloody, and broken.

Everyone's eyes grew wide, never before had the cruelty of the Master reached this level before..... And it scared them. It terrified them, they may want to stop this... Many of them did, but sheer terror stopped them. They knew this was wrong, very, very wrong... Master was already angry, he was so powerful and violent.... They couldn't work themselves up to be put in the firing line of the man's sudden insane wrath.

Horatia didn't blame them for staying still. Even despite her agony, and her own hatred... She understood their fear, and didn't hold it against them. She couldn't.

"Oh... No......" Yukino breathed, hovering at the edge of the gathered onlookers, trembling at the sight.

"This is insane...."

"He's gonna kill her..."

"She might already be dead..."

Murmuring broke out among the watchers, all of them low, all of them terrified, and all of them to scared to do anything. Jiemma didn't hear the murmurings, all his attention was turned on the one who had made him angry- and he lift his foot again to strike down upon Horatia's motionless form.

"Hora!" Rogue and Sting stepped forward, eyes wide in horror at the scene. They had been trying to stay out of it for as long as they could manage, ever aware of Minerva's attention on them in case they tried to intervene. But Horatia had been their friend for many years- and to see her be beaten so brutally was too much, they couldn't stand back and let it go on anymore. They themselves were nearly past breaking point with Jiemma's brutality toward the Guild, and now seeing Hora enduring this.... They had no choice, they were going to st-

"Stay.... Out of... It.... Idiots....!"

The both of them came to a sudden halt, astounded to hear Horatia hiss the words with such conviction, just low enough that only they would have been able to hear it with their heightened hearing. They stopped, eyes wide and sweatdropping as one of her eyes opened to look their way, alight with the brightest fire they had ever seen in them. There was no mistaking the pain on her gaze, but brighter than that was something they hadn't been expecting- anger.

Unbridled anger she was only just managing to keep from spilling over... They faltered, seeing immediately she meant it when she told them to stay put. It was an order.

With yet another sickening crunch, Master's foot came down upon Horatia as hard as he could manage. The young woman's entire body tensed at the almost unbearable amount of pain that flared up inside her, she tensed her jaw, biting down on her tongue as she kept herself absolutely silent.

It was an unspoken rule really, the more noise anyone made while being hit or punished by the Master, only entailed the punishment more harsh. The Master hated anything that could be seen as weakness in the Guild, therefore... You had to stay as quiet as you possibly could. Horatia knew this rule, and yet trying to stick to it was harder than possibly imaginable... But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of hearing her yell, her anger was bubbling more and more.

"If I ever find you doing anything like this again, you are out of this Guild." Jiemma growled in a dangerously low voice.

Horatia scrunched her eyes closed, now wouldn't that be a blessing? If only he were actually willing to let her go... That was never going to happen. Ever.

Jiemma whipped around and stalked off toward a back hallway in the Building, toward his throne room. "Don't any of you dare try and help her, or you'll get the same treatment." He warned the onlookers; who all seemed to gulp- looking frantically between the daunting figure of their Master, and the bloody and broken figure of Horatia uncertainly.

"Minerva, I wish to speak with you." Master called and Minerva frowned slightly, putting on a small pout.

"Mm... But I wanted to play with her a bit more, Father." She called in a sickly-sweet voice.

"NOW!" Was the reply and Minerva sweatdropped, before following him quickly. In a few moments the two were out of sight,

The rest of them remained in strained silence for a moment or two, all of them motionless as their minds sluggishly tried to process what they had just seen...... It was... Terrifying... Awful.

The sharp gasp of pain that Horatia finally allowed to escape her throat brought a few back to the present, and Rogue and Sting rushed forward immediately. The air started to shake with painful, tearing coughs as Horatia coughed harshly, blood splattering onto the floor, wheezing as the scarlet liquid dripped from the edge of her mouth continually.

"Atia...!" Lector and Frosch half cried, half choked as they followed their Partners up to her, tears in their eyes and trembling. Never before had they seen Horatia wounded to this extent, and by their own Master no less....

"Easy, easy...!" Sting warned quietly, crouching down on his knees with Rogue beside the young woman, sweatdropping heavily at the sight of her bloody and broken body trembling and shaking violently as Horatia tried to sit up. She failed to do so, and only allowed herself to continue to wheeze while still lying on the floor, propped up on her elbows slightly, too broken and weak to move the way she wanted.

"Hora..." Rogue murmured, red gaze sweeping over her as he took in the damage. The look of sheer horror and utter worry that passed over his features was shared by Sting, who's eyes were wide and glinting, feeling his heart racing as he saw how badly hurt she was.

Hora's eyes flicked toward the Shadow Dragon Slayer, before they fell closed, seeming to begin to fall into unconsciousness, the only relief she would have from the pain of her beaten body. It was no surprise she would pass out, given her state- Sting and Rogue just felt themselves grow tense to think, being as beaten as she was....

"......... Hold on, we'll help..." Rogue murmured softly, barely finding his voice, then adding to Sting; "She needs Medical attention, quickly."

Sting nodded, but looked a little panicked. "Where the hell are we gonna get that?" He muttered lowly, "No doctor here in the city is going to help knowing Master did this..." His heart began to race, as Rogue's eyes fell. They both knew that was true... The townspeople were so afraid of SaberTooth, and especially the Master- if they knew it was that man who had done this, and ordered Hora not be helped, no one would be brave enough to help her at all. But she needed help, now. They didn't know the full extent of the wounds, no- but they knew she needed medical attention and quickly, otherwise....

They felt their hearts nearly stop, and their blood run cold at the thought- without help, and in this state... Hora might die.

"... You... Two... Shouldn't be.... Helping me....... Either......" Both their eyes fell at the sound of the voice, immediately knowing it was Horatia who was whispering them between her harsh, strained breaths. "... Master... Forbade that... Didn't he...?" She muttered, managing to force one eye open to look at them- glazed over now with pain and weakness, completely void of her earlier fire and true anger that had made them stop themselves from jumping in to intervene. "... I won't... Let you two... Dumbasses risk...... Helping me..... If you're gonna end up... The same way... Tch....." Horatia hissed through gritted teeth, each word hurt to simply say.

"Leave me... Be..."

"Hell no." Both men said at once, surprising her with the amount of conviction in their eyes. She faltered, looking rather shocked for a moment before pain overtook that feeling and she cringed, teeth grinding down on one another.

"...d....am....n... It......." She wheezed, her entire body ridgid and shaking under the gentle hands that Sting and Rogue had placed upon shoulders in an earlier plan to help her up, but they didn't dare for a few moments- thinking moving her may not be the best idea... Though there wasn't a choice.

Not for the first time they were reminded with what they had thought for a long time; that perhaps the cruelty of the Master was too much to endure- to much of a high price to pay for being here and remaining in the Guild. To see such an old friend as Horatia be broken and quite frankly tortured as this was almost too much- and it should have been to much.

The only thing standing in their way of leaving this Guild- was no small amount of fear and common sense.

".... You two are.... Gonna get killed.... If you.... Help....." Horatia made one last attempt to dissuade Rogue and Sting from what they had already determined they would do- it was useless, and was made more so when she had to break off in the middle of her sentence to cough up more blood onto the stone floor.

"We don't care." Sting hissed back, perhaps in a tone more harsh then he may have wanted.

"Let the Master do as he wants," Rogue growled,

"You're our friend, no threat the Master could make is gonna keep us from helping you." They said simultaneously and Horatia allowed her eyes to fall closed again, fully aware that there would be no changing their minds. A part of her loved them for that, and a part of her hated that they were so willing to let this- this brutality she had just endured, happen to themselves.

"Atia....." Lector and Frosch whispered with fearful and frightened eyes, inching closer so that they could both lay a paw on her arm gently. One eye opened half-way to see the two, and suddenly she hated that they were dealing with this. With her.

If there was anything she wanted more than all the riches of the world.... The thing she wished for most was the prospect of them being safe. Of Rogue, Sting, Lector, Frosch and everyone she cared for to be safe.... Away from harm and happy....

... She couldn't give them that, and she knew it deep inside.

She wasn't sure why, or when it happened... But after first meeting the four, she fell in love with them. She cared for them deeply and a sense of protectiveness so strong it had shocked her suddenly raged through her being. She wanted them happy, it made her the happiest person in the works to see them happy, to see them smile..... She knew in her heart she'd do anything for them.

That's why she told them to stop when she saw them about to rush in to her aid. She didn't want them getting hurt, not over anything... And if she had to endure agony in their place, to spare them harm- then so be it. That was her one true wish.... That she could keep them safe, and happy, and protected....

..... But I can't.

Suddenly, a great black wave crashed over her vision, and her throat and lungs flared up in fiery agony, as she was forced to let a great pool of blood rise from her mouth and on to the floor in front of her, before everything was silent and black.....

The last thing she heard was her name being called somewhere far off, lost to her in the distance between herself and it.

.:+:.

Two young men walked along a road together, accompanied by the small figures of two cats at their sides- their shadows cast out behind them from the light of the dying sun. The orange glow of the setting Celestial figure painted the surrounding land in warm gold and deep russet, the eastern horizon fading to deep violet.

"Where are we going, Sting-kun?" The red cat asked as he looked to the blonde man before him.

"Fro wonders too." The other cat said with a raised paw, looking weary from the walking they had been doing all day.

"We'll figure it out." Sting replied to the pale red Exceed, sounding unsure.

"I hope soon." Rogue murmured lowly, walking along at Sting's shoulder with closed eyes. They had been traveling aimlessly for a long while now, with no destination in mind and no place to call home... They were lost, and alone.

"Get down!" They stopped and turned toward the sudden voice, in the few fleeting moments they were spared, before a hand slammed into both Sting and Rogue's faces, promptly making them hit the ground with a smack.

They saw flashes of tan skin and orange hair, and then they were flat on their backs on the ground with someone crouched between them.

The whistle of some airborn projectile passing over their heads at an amazing speed reached their ears, though they couldn't see what it had been due to the hand on their faces.

Lector and Frosch came to a startled halt, eyes wide as they looked to who was holding down the two Dragon Slayers. Their back was to the two Exceeds, but it was definitely a woman.

She let her hands come off of the boy's faces as she got to her feet with a small grumble, facing the way in which she had jumped at them from, looking slightly miffed and not at all paying any attention to the two boys she had thrown into the ground without warning.

"What the hell?!" Rogue and Sting snapped, sitting up in second as they glared at the back of the woman, both their faces bearing the red hand-print of the girl. "Who they hell do you think you are?!"

"Give me a minute boys." The woman answered, sparing a small glance over her shoulder at them so her deep blue gaze met their eyes. She looked to them calmly a single moment, before looking ahead again. "Don't know if you noticed, but I am a little busy."

They blinked, wondering what on earth she could be busy with... And why would that have given her the right to knock them to the ground?!

She shifted slightly, and the ground suddenly turned red, being stained by the scarlet drops of blood dripping from her lower arm- their eyes grew wide.

"Are you alright?" They asked simultaneously, forgetting their annoyance. Lector and Frosch had moved off toward their Partners, looking to the woman with wide eyes.

The woman smiled a little, closing her eyes and shaking her head- looking a little amused with their sudden concern, and not at all bothered by the wound. "It's just a scratch. Nothing I can't handle, don't worry." She smirked at the both of them, and they simply blinked.

"Shit, you missed her dumbass!" Their eyes were torn from her toward a group of perhaps three dozen people in similar apparel all to eachother. Some of them held swords or other weapons, others were lit up with the light of each individual's Magic, basic ones ranging from what looked like shadow, water, light and fire Magic with a few odd ones like Regulus.

The two people ahead of the others were glaring at one another, apparently they had been ones to yell at each other moments before, and probably the ones who had almost hit Rogue and Sting from behind. They blinked in absolute shock, not sure how they hadn't managed to at least hear so many people approaching them from behind... They must really be tired.

The girl cracked her knuckles and rolled her shoulders a few times. "You can always just give up." She called to the group, those who the four behind her guessed were attacking her- based on her wound, and the heated scowls the party of men were giving her. "It would be a lot easier if you did." She murmured and the group seemed to falter a little.

Rogue and Sting stared, was she crazy?! She was seriously planning to take on all those people on her own?!

"Forget it sweetheart." One of the men who had previously been arguing, growled. "The Master put a bounty on you, we intend to collect." They all nodded and readied.

The girl smiled a little more and sighed, shrugging a little at the answer. "Ah well," she murmured. "I did try to give you a chance.."

Suddenly, she ran forward at such a speed that the two Dragon Slayers and Exceed's left behind them looked on with absolute shock, eyes wide and sweatdropping heavily. The hell?!

"You won't be collecting a bounty today!!"

Sting and Rogue jumped to their feet, thinking that this girl was insane after all. How was she supposed to take on all these people by herself? There were a lot more of them then there were her, and she had clearly already been injured while already fighting them.

"Wait a damn minute!!" Sting yelled,

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rogue yelled as well.

"Oh shut up boys!" She called back with an annoyed huff but glanced to them with a small smirk. "I've got this, don't you worry your pretty little heads!" They blinked, and she smirked some more. "I'll protect you!"

They both blushed furiously at the words. Their fists clenched in anger and they glared, starting forward in full force.

"Protect us?! Like hell!!!" They yelled in furious unison as their Magic's blazed about their person in sudden irritation. They surpassed her easily in their newfound anger, though she purposely let up a little- perhaps out of surprise or maybe even out of amusement, her blue eyes gleaming and smirk never fading.

"Get um!!" The group yelled at the oncoming duo, who bowled through the mass like they were nothing but leaves and twigs in their way. The woman stopped at the edge of the battle- however ready she had been to fight, that feeling was gone now as she stood, smirking in amusement at how well she had managed to anger them, and how fast they were to react. The two cats walked up to stand beside her, though she did nothing but glance their way once, before looking back to Rogue and Sting. The two of them needed only use their fists for this fight, it required little more than that and they didn't waste power and effort on doing anything too extravagant for such an easy fight.

For a moment, she watched in quiet surprise, rather caught off-guard by how easily these two men were blowing through her enemies. When she had pushed them to the ground, she had taken them for simple travelers- travelers who hadn't enough skill to hear her or her pursuers coming. But in fact, they were Mages. They could use Magic, she hadn't been expecting it, but she wasn't enitirely shocked.

But then all at once, two of the men pursuing the woman stood side by side and lift their hands together, aiming them toward the blonde and the dark-haired men who had jumped in. Those two had power radiating from them, clearly two of the stronger ones in the group, and they were both looking to hit Sting and Rogue at once- while they were busy tearing apart the rest of the men's comrades.

A stream of light shot from the open palm of one man, and a stream of dark shadow shot from the other. Sting and Rogue turned to face the Magic calmly, not seemingly bothered with the amount of power those two attacks would punch if they got hit.

The woman raised an eyebrow at this, wondering what in earth they must be thinking... She assumed they would dodge, but they made no move to do any such thing. Her head cocked a little, eyes narrowing and arms crossing over her chest- her full attention suddenly on them.

The both of those two opened their mouths and the Magic sent their way channeled in narrow waves into the pits of their stomachs as they devoured the Magic whole, and even smiled at the taste in their mouths.

They ate the Magic.....

The woman's eyes widened and she sweatdropped, looking quite amazed for a moment, and surprised at the same moment.

They were Slayers.... She hadn't believed there to be any left in the rest of the world.... At least, not any more she didn't already know about.

"Thanks for the snack." Sting smirked, he and Rogue stepped up beside eachother as they leaned back, their cheeks puffing up as they sucked in air in perfect unison. It was as if they were talking to one another Telepathically.... How good they seemed to guess the other's plan.

"White Dragon-"
"Shadow Dragon-"

"Roar!!"

Two spinning tornados of raw power tore across the landscape toward the two offending men and all those behind them. They were lost in the thick of the converged white and black Magic spinning in on eachother, and lost to sight as they were pushed back for hundreds of yards into the trees.

Lector and Frosch smiled at the easy victory of their Partners, there were no more men left standing after that landslide to keep fighting, and they were happy to see Sting and Rogue win so easily. Both glanced up to the woman, expecting to see her watching the spectacle in the utmost awe at how amazing their Partner's were-

She wasn't there!!

The woman had disappeared from their sides in an instant, and instead could be seen jumping over the heads of Sting and Rogue, her leg wrapped in the most peculiar golden... Flame?

And then they all noticed the dark figure that had slunk from the trees and lunged out toward Sting and Rogue without even the slightest sound, in fact they hadn't know the dark form was there at all.

The woman's leg swung down upon the figure with so much force that a wave of air was pushed out around them, and the figure was launched straight into the ground just before the feet of Rogue and Sting, where there was now a crater with a man wrapped in black robes was lying completely immobilized by the one kick.

The woman landed on the opposite side of the small crater from Sting and Rogue, the golden flame about her leg disappearing instantly as she stood with her back to them and her hands on her hips.

Their jaws dropped, eyes whited out and completely caught-off guard by the development.

First of all, when could she use Magic?!

"Not bad you two." She said to them suddenly, glancing over her shoulder with a smile. "You missed one though." She smirked, her eyes flicking to the man she had just downed. She turned to them and they finally got a full look at her,

She wore attire of black that consisted of a sleeveless shirt and long pants, both of which fit her figure nicely. They saw the beads in her oddly styled hair, the earrings in each ear, and the bands upon her fingers. Their eyes traced the scar that curled over her shoulder and ran down her arm to her wrist. But on the other arm, now already fading, looked to be some sort of odd black marking, but it was gone before they could make it out.

"Odd though, Slayers are pretty rare now-a-days." She mused, tapping a finger to her chin and titling her head. "Dragon Slayers too...."

"Wha...?" All of them mumbled, their minds running slowly at what they were hearing and what they had seen.

How strong is she...? Who is she....? What was going on...?

She blinked, then smiled at the four of them warmly, "Name's Horatia." She said suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can call me Hora or Atia if ya want to though." She tilted her head their way, "And you are...?" She murmured.

"Sting..." The blonde mumbled, still trying to understand what had just happened.

"Rogue..." The other said then gestured toward the cat in the costume ho had approached with the red one. "This is Frosch..."

"I'm Lector.." The red one mumbled, sweatdropping as the rest of them were. Horatia nodded and smiled,

"Nice to meet you all. And thanks for taking care of those guys, even though they were a bit easy for you." She smirked at Sting and Rogue, and they sweatdropped a little, looking slightly flustered at the comment.

She suddenly cleared the small crater separating them, landing lightly in front of the four, her eyes narrowing as she peered up at both Sting and Rogue, blue gaze glinting in the light of the dying sun behind them, her head tilted a little.

"1st or 2nd Generation?" She asked suddenly, catching both men suddenly off guard at the unexpected question. They blinked,

"What?" Sting asked slowly, she smiled slightly, leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest, hip cocking.

"You're Dragon Slayers. So are you 1st Generation, or 2nd?" She asked again,

".... 3rd." Rogue replied lowly, eyes narrowed at her and looking a little confused-wondering why she was asking at all. Horatia's eyes widened slightly, a look of understanding crossing over her face, before she nodded and smiled.

"Ah, alright then. Good to know." She smirked,

"You know what a 3rd Generation Dragon Slayer is?" Sting stammered out, hardly believing it. He exchanged an incredulous look with Rogue, they had always though they were the only ones...

Horatia nodded, "You two aren't the first 3rd Generation Dragon Slayers." She pointed out in a matter of fact tone. "There have been some before, it's just rare.... For obvious reasons." Her time dropped, as she noticed the both of them men's gazes suddenly drop, and the sweatdropped, looking slightly ashamed... Or maybe haunted. A small flash of sympathy flashed across her features for a moment, before Rogue settled his red gaze on her and it was gone.

"You seem to know a lot about Dragon Slayers." He pointed out, and she nodded slightly. "Are you...?"

She paused a moment, her blue gaze settled on him steadily for a moment or two, before her eyes closed and she let out a silent sigh. "That'd be cool, but no." She smiled slightly, and Rogue's eyes narrowed at the near.... Ruefulness of the smile itself. She opened her eyes again and smiled brightly, "What are you four doing out here anyway?" She asked, deliberately changing the subject- something both Sting and Rogue noticed easily.

"We're just traveling." Sting replied,

"Anywhere in particular?" She pressed, not nosey, just interested.

"Not really." Rogue sighed, earning a huff and a small heated stare from Sting a moment. "We're just... Walking." Horatia blinked,

"What about you?" Lector cut in, earning the girl's eyes.

"Yeah, why were you out here and with those guys anyway?" Sting asked, motioning toward the men that were lying about, unconscious or groaning. Horatia smiled slightly,

"I'm on a job." She replied, catching them completely off guard. She pushed past the four of them, her eyes falling closed as she shrugged slightly. "Which you just finished for me.... I suppose I oughta give you a good cut of the pay in that case."

They turned after her, eyes wide and sweatdropping a little, completely taken by surprise. A job? That would have to mean-

"You're a Wizard?!" Sting said quickly, as she moved over toward a nearby fallen tree stump, sending him an a odd look.

"Yes, though you already saw that, didn't you?" She replied lightly, her eyes flicking toward the man at the bottom of the crater she had thrown him into. He shook his head,

"That's not what I meant.." He replied quickly,

"You're a Member of a Wizards Guild?" Rogue asked for his blonde compatriot, the sheer surprise in their eyes was clear, though she wasn't sure why they were so surprised at all. Maybe it was first appearances? She had managed to shock them with her small little display of Magic earlier she recalled.

But her amusement suddenly deflated at Rogue's question, her eyes moving away from them and seemingly a little tense... And maybe even unhappy. Rogue noticed the change in attitude, and so did Sting- but they didn't question it.

She crossed a leg over the other and reached around into the tied sack bag on her back, pulling it into their lap as she rummaged inside of it, looking for some thing.

"... Yes." She replied after a moment to his question, her eyes fixed on the inside of the bag and not on them. "I am a Member of a Guild." She pulled out a roll of bandages, setting her bag down and teeth clamping down in the end- beginning to wrap the cut across her forearm.

Rogue blinked, nearly having forgotten she had been injured- he would have moved forward to give her a hand with wrapping the bandages so she didn't need to use her teeth, but stopped himself. He didn't really know her, and wasn't sure if she would appreciate his help at all.

Sting beside him was looking ecstatic, as he should- that had been his hope, to find a Wizards Guild and join up. But maybe not just any Wizards Guild, one that was strong and powerful, and had people like.. Well, Horatia. Strong Wizards, which she clearly was- considering the crater she managed with a single kick.

What sort of Magic was that anyway?

"Really?" He asked, smiling a little. "Which one? Is it a big one? Popular? Are there lots of other Mages?"

".... We've been thinking of joining a Wizards Guild." Rogue out in, Horatia stiffened slightly, sweatdropping when she felt she knew where this conversation was going, her heart dropped a little, despite herself.

.... She couldn't honestly say she wanted them to join her Guild, if that was their plan. It wasn't out of selfishness, or dislike for them....

"SaberTooth." She replied softly, mumbling around the bandages in her teeth as she pulled them tight, wincing a little at the pain as she tied them off. She still didn't look their way, her eyes falling to the ground.

"SaberTooth?!" Was the collective shocked gasp.

"That's one of the strongest Guilds out there!" Sting nearly beamed, looking excited. "Only the top Mages get into that Guild!"

"That's one way to put it." Horatia murmured, letting out a small sigh as she replaced the unused bandages in her bag.

"You're a member though. Which means you must be a serious Mage yourself." Rogue pointed out. She blinked, smiling just a little.

".... Well, I do have my talents." She murmured, "But clearly so do the both of you." Rogue and Sting blinked at the words.

"Does that mean you think we'd be let in if we decided to join?" Sting smirked, Horatia glanced toward him, sweatdropping slightly.

".... I'm not sure its a good idea." She replied slowly.

"Why not?"

"My Master is........ Strict." She mumbled,

"He can't be all that bad." Sting replied, his hands falling on his hips.

"There are rules." She murmured,

"Then we'll follow them." Sting replied again, his eyes firm and countenance.... Determined.

Why is he so determined?

She paused a moment, eyes narrowing as she sweatdropped. She didn't know how to explain it to them.... Nobody really understood what SaberTooth was, what its Master was.... Nobody knew, until it was too late.

Her fingers gripped her injured arm tightly as her eyes fell closed, she had the feeling.... She could warn them against it, but it wouldn't matter. The look on Sting's face told her he was set on the idea.... Which in itself made little sense.

Sure, they may have been looking to join a Guild... It made sense, if they had no place to go and nothing to do with their lives. Their little show was quaint, but it wasn't their full potential, she could feel power bubbling inside of them. She knew in her heart that they were powerful, as all Slayers were..... But it needn't be SaberTooth. They could probably get into any other Guild, so why did he seem so set on hers?

She couldn't in good conscience let them join SaberTooth. In good conscience, she couldn't let anyone suffer what she was forced to.... Especially not young, good people with their whole lives ahead of them.

"..... Listen. SaberTooth isn't all its cracked up to be, you don't understand how..... Strict and even ruthless my Master is. There are rules he forces members of the Guild to follow, consequences if you don't live up to what he wants from you and the Guild. He cares about the Guilds Image, about it staying.... The best and most powerful." She said lowly, her eyes glinting as she willed them to heed her warning. She couldn't explain to them really, words couldn't describe it at all......

They all blinked at her, eyes narrowing in confusion at the sudden apprehension they could see on her face. They weren't sure what she seemed so hesitant.... Because how could it be that bad? SaberTooth had a reputation, sure... But it was a Guild, and no Guild could be purely awful.

".... It can't be that bad." Sting said at length, giving her a reassuring smile. "We can handle ourselves."

"Besides, you're a Member. And certainly if someone as seemingly strong, and even friendly as you can make it inside of SaberTooth, it can't be awful there." Rogue put it. "If it was, wouldn't you leave?"

She stiffened, though they didn't see that.

Wouldn't you leave?

I..... I can't.

But she couldn't explain that either. She wasn't even hardly a person, she wasn't free, she was owned... A slave. She couldn't leave SaberTooth, the Master owned her... She was trapped.

She would leave, if she could. But she couldn't, she was stuck there and she would be for the rest of her days.... She just didn't want them stuck too.

But what was she supposed to do? She had the feeling they would go ahead and join anyway- and yes, Master would take them in a heartbeat. Any chance to add more powerful Wizards to his fold, he would leap at the chance.

If Sting and Rogue were to come to SaberTooth, Master would snatch them up... And never let them go. He doesn't let anyone leave on their own.

She smiled slightly, eyes glinting. It was a sad, uncertain smile.... Seeing the determination in their eyes. The longing even.... She got the feeling they had been wandering nearly aimlessly for a long while now. They hadn't a place to go and now suddenly... Unfortunately... She had given them a chance to fit in somewhere, without meaning to. To them, her appearance was a chance to involve themselves in something big, something great.... SaberTooth was renowned. It was powerful, famous even... Any Wizard out there aspired to be a part of such a legend, as the SaberTooth Guild.

Its up to me.... To make sure they don't get sucked in.

They were going to come with her no matter what she said.... So maybe, she had to make sure they just didn't.... Get hurt. Make sure that she did her best to make sure they were kept as safe as she could manage... If she couldn't keep them away, she could try to keep them from getting too hurt.

They thought this was their chance... And it might be. But it was also a mistake and she knew it.

".... Travel with me a few days then." She said at length, "Show me what you've got up your sleeves. We can get to know each other a little more, and test out your skills." She smirked slightly. "Make sure you've got what it takes to be SaberTooth Wizards, hmm?"

They smiled at the words, finding it as a sort of challenge, feeling excitement well inside of them. Immersed in a new sense of adventure and even an inkling sense of... Hope, they failed to notice the fearful look in her dark blue eyes, and the clear apprehension to the idea in her gaze. They didn't see the look of worry and fear on her face as the grinned at her, following along behind her as she lead the way forward toward the north, they didn't see the haunted look on her face as she looked ahead, the clear unhappiness.

They just.. Wanted somewhere to go, to call home, to belong......

........

..... I should have stopped them. Done anything I needed to make sure they never came to SaberTooth.... I should have kept them away.... Instead I let them join... I lead them into this... Nightmare.

It had happened so fast, one minute they were strangers, the next... In those few days heading back toward the Guild, something changed. They grew closer, they became friends... True friends.

She cared for them, wanted them safe...... She loved them, without knowing she could ever love anyone like she loved those four. They were her family, she never thought family would be a part of her life again.

Now... Now she wished they weren't with her. She wished they would leave SaberTooth, get away from the pain and the brutality..... Even if that meant leaving her. Even if it meant she'd suffer for their freedom.

She didn't want to lose them, but them being free and away from the Guild- even if that meant she was left alone- it was better than watching them get hurt, watching them suffer and be afraid.

I should have...... Made them stay away.....

I should.... Have kept them away.... From me... From the Guild... From Jiemma......... Now they won't ever be let go. They're never gonna be free.....

.... Its my fault. I'm trapped... And now they're trapped with me.... Damn it......

.:+:.

The room remained in deep shadow, the air stagnant and silent apart from shallow, ragged breaths and the occasional rattling, wet cough that shook the air and shattered the quiet.

Frosch let out a small, concerned mew as the small Exceed curled himself up next to Horatia's figure, her chest rising and falling rapidly in her pained, feverish breaths, body tensing at the pain and the torrent of the sickness coursing trough her body in reaction to the violent brutality she endured....

She was laid out in the bed, the sheets and comforter pulled up to her chest, fidgeting just a little, breathing frantically and shallowly. Her person was wrapped in bandages, skin bruised and cut where it was visible- broken and fractured bones, a damp cloth rest in her forehead, her hair falling about her face and shoulders in loose strands, her accessories stripped and placed on the table beside the low bed, beside a bowl of water and a few more cloths.

Rogue remained motionless from where he sat in the small raised platform of the floor to the bed, his head resting in his folded arms across the edge of the top of the bed, eyes closed and breathing deeply as he slept on.

The room was quaint, with a large empty space across the floor, another bed beside the one Hora was in, raised on a separate platform. The windows were shut by curtains, a small kitchenette set in the corner and a sofa and a coffee table set in the center of the room, surrounded by various pillows and the like around it- settled in a small dip in the floor.

On the other end of the room sat a pair of desks and dressers, with various items thrown about the room- it was messier in the corner surrounding the second bed, where around the room sat clothes and papers. It was neater near where the three were in the dim, a clear sign however the bed owned to, was a bit neater and more well kept than whoever owned the other empty one.

As made sense, Horatia had been given Rogue's bed to lay in, while Sting's lay untouched- this was the Twin Dragons apartment. Sting had never been the neatest person on the planet, while Rogue was considerably neat- the opposite of his blond compatriot.

Rogue's eyes fluttered open as the air shook with a serious of harsh, painful coughs from Horatia, his red eyes glinting in worry and exhaustion. He let out a weary sigh as he shuffled forward, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder as her body heaved with the coughing until she quieted down, gasping for air and wincing harshly. Rogue sweatdropped, feeling the insane heat radiating from her skin like a furnace, before his heart dropped feeling her skin grow suddenly icy cold to the touch... Deathly cold.

And then her skin burned fiery hot again, her fever was insanely high... And her temperature kept fluxing between insane heat, to deathly cold.... It was unnatural, it was impossible... And it scared the hell out of him.

What was he supposed to do.....?

They'd all known she had been hurt severely, beaten and broken beyond comprehension.... But the sudden sickness, they hadn't been prepared for that, and they, he.... He had no idea how to help her.

There remained a cold, hard lump in the pits of his stomach.... A sickening sense of worry inside of him that wasn't going to go away, and with each passing hour that Hora wasn't getting better, but seemed to be getting worse- that sickening worry in his heart only continued to grow worse.

He gently lift the damp rag off her forehead, replacing it with a different, much more cool one- hearing her let out small sigh at the feeling, before breaking off in a wince.

Frosch was curled up on her other side, head resting against her hand gently, the small Exceed's features pulled into a worried frown even in sleep- Frosch's paw settled lightly on her hand, tail twitching softly.

Rogue leaned against the bedside again, one arm resting atop the sheet and the other falling into his lap, red eyes seeming to glow in the darkness as he simply gazed at Hora for a long time. His eyes slowly moved toward the small slot between the curtains covering the window over the bed, seeing their hometown bathed in silvery moonlight as silence and sleep fell over everyone and everything in it..... It was nearly peaceful.

And then he felt that cold sickening sense of worry again and cringed a little, his eyes closing as his fingers gripped the bed sheets tightly, jaw clenching.

... What am I supposed to do...?

He had never seen Hora in such a state as this before. In all the years they had been friends, all the missions and the battles they fought in.... She'd never been this hurt before, and certainly never so sick. Hora was strong... Stronger than he and Sting in all honesty, and to see her like this... All at the hands of the Master... It put into perspective just how sheerly brutal Jiemma had been to her. Rogue knew very well that Horatia was strong... Strong enough to stand against both Master and Minerva at once, and yet she didn't ever do it. She always just took the punishments, she didn't stand up against it.... And he didn't understand why.

He had noticed it over the years, that Horatia seemed to be hiding some things.... She seemed to be hiding the real reason she didn't fight back. She wasn't afraid, he knew that..... It was something else.

But what?

He never could figure it out, and prompting her on the subject had never given him any answers.

He and Sting, they knew they needed to do something to stop the brutality and abuse of the Master. They knew that now more than ever... But what could they do against someone as Powerful as the Master? And then his daughter? They weren't strong enough....

..... It had to end. Things had gone too far, they needed to find a way to stop all of this from happening again. Enough was enough.

His mind had begun to give way to darkness, exhaustion and the strain of worrying so much catching up with him again, sleeplessness pulling at his senses and dragging him further down. His eyes fell closed against his will, the small sliver of moonlight seeping into the room lost to the dark void beginning to claim him.

... They'd do something about this.... But first... First they needed Hora to be alright. Neither he nor Sting, nor Frosch or Lector could imagine losing her.... They couldn't imagine being without her, without her smile and her encouragement, her silent guarding presence over them- the way she could keep them in line, and the way she brought out their true selves.... Where their true selves had begun to be lost to the act and the role they had to play for Master and his laws.

".....Please.... Just get better, ok...?" He sighed, his words too low for anyone to hear, if there was even anyone listening.

Black pulled at his mind and the room and Hora's strained, feverish breathing was lost on his ears.

.:+:.

"R...... Ro.... rogu...e...."

He shifted slightly, the waves of black still clinging desperately to his mind, trying to keep him still, keep him from moving toward his senses.

".... R... Rogue...."

His eyes scrunched closed harder, his face brushing against the sheets as he shook his head a little in attempt to brush off his exhaustion, trying very hard to place here the voice was coming from... It seemed.... Weak... Pained.....

.... Familiar.

His eyes snapped open, head lifting from the top of the bed as he scrambled, eyes wide and glinting in the dark around them, seeing the dim, feverish gleam of Horatia's dark blue gaze fixed on him.

Her breaths still came in harsh gasps, having a hard time getting in enough air, the pain and the exhaustion in her gaze was unmistakable, and he felt his heart clench, just as it began to race.

"Hora...!" He breathed, quickly moving forward and sitting up straighter, on his knees as his hand landed gently on her shoulder in what was supposed to be a reassuring gesture, he flinched at the sheer fire that seemed to radiate from her skin. Her eyelids dropped a little in sheer exhaustion, her blue gaze glinting slightly as she settled her sights on him. She must have seen the panic spread on his face, because she seemed to frown a little- before her eyes shut tight in pain and her jaw clenched, letting out a harsh wince- in the same instant he felt her skin lose all heat and turn deathly cold.

"..... Yo...u...... Where..... Is.... Sting... And Lector.....?" She managed to breath, the pain subsiding enough for her to make out the words. He blinked, his red eyes still gleaming in utmost worry and slight panic- but now in slight surprise at the sudden question. ".... You... Guys... You..." Her eyes opened halfway, locking to him almost uneasily.... She seemed.... Worried.

".... Master.... Minerva.... They didn't..... punish you..... For hel.... Helping me.... Did they....?"

Rogue's eyes widened, seeing the pure fear in her feverish gaze in that instant- the dread at that thought of himself, Frosch, Sting and Lector having been punished for helping her- as had been forbidden.

He felt a tug in his chest, a little shocked, and a little angry.... How could she be worried about that, of all things- when she was in this state? He would have told her she should worry more about her safety than anything, because he was unhappy she seemed to put them before herself on so many occasions, but he stopped himself.

That was sheer terror in her eyes at the thought, pure concern.... She was truly concerned about it, and right now, with as hurt and sick as she was.... He couldn't bring himself to scold her and her thoughts.

He let out a small sigh, his heart lurching uncomfortably when her skin burned fiery hot again- he slowly withdrew his hand, eyes falling a moment.

"No." He replied softly. "We weren't punished, Sting and Lector are out on a Mission with Rufus and Orga- under the guise I went with them, as not to draw attention, and keep it hidden we are helping you. I stayed to look after you, and Yukino helped to treat your wounds when we first brought you here." His eyes opened to see the sheer relief pass across her glassy gaze, her eyes closing again as she let out small sigh, only to end in a fit of ragged coughing.

"Easy, Atia.... Easy...." He sighed, eyes glittering in the dim, her coughing slowing to halt, leaving her gasping in short, harsh, irregular breaths.

"..... How..... L.... Long... Have.... I....?" She breathed, swallowing hard against the metallic tang of blood rising up her throat,

"Almost a week...." He replied slowly, his voice low enough not to arouse Frosch. Her eyes moved away from him toward the roof overhead, unfocused and nearly distant.

"... Damn.... It...." Her words were barely audible. Rogue opened his mouth to question why it was her temperature seemed to fluctuate so immensely, not that he was sure she would have a clue.. But she stopped him.

".... Rogue. You, Frosch.... Sting and Lector.... You have to leave.." She said suddenly, her voice mush stronger suddenly, eyes falling again.

Rogue stiffened, eyes widening and blinking a few times at the sudden words, at the suggestion.... Leave?

".... You guys..... You need to leave the Guild... Get far away, get away from the.... Master... From Minerva.... You have to leave SaberTooth, and this city... All behind...." Her blue gaze suddenly moved to him, the feverish haze seeming to fade for a small moment, her eyes clear and intense.

"Leave SaberTooth. Get far away, you can't stay here anymore... I should have never let you join. That was my fault, everything that happened from then on.... That is my fault. And now I need you to just leave...... Leave it all behind and escape Master and his brutality."

The firmness of her words and the way she said it caught him off guard, eyes wide and simply staring for a long while. It had never occurred to either him nor Sting to simply leave the Guild.... In all reality they felt they couldn't. And it certainly never occurred to either of them that Horatia would want them to run. She wasn't like that... She didn't run from anything.

And the fact she thought it was her fault.... That wasn't true.

".... Atia... None of this is your doing." He replied softly, and she shook her head a little.

"..... But it is..... I should have tried harder to keep you away from the Guild... I didn't."

"We wanted to join." He said firmly, "You couldn't have stopped us, we would have went ahead and joined even if you had told us not to- so don't think its your fault." He nearly growled the words, a little miffed he could think any such thing.

She didn't look convinced.

"... You have to go." She whispered, blue eyes glittering as the feverish film over her gaze returned again.

"We can't just leave the Guild, Atia..." He replied seriously. "What about everyone else? Yukino, Rufus, Orga?" They couldn't just run away and leave all their friends behind, especially not to suffer Master's brutality all alone. Her eyes seemed to grow a little sad, and deep in them he could see her fear returning. It was a rare thing to see her truly afraid.... That just went to show how serious things were, but they couldn't just run!

"What about you?" He said next, seeing a deeper sadness and utter regret and wash of pain appear in her gaze that made his heart skip a beat. It was such deep and true sadness that seemed to fill her entire being in that moment, a sudden chill fell over him.

"..... You have to leave me."

He hardly believed he heard those words come past her lips, he never thought he'd hear her say something in such a heartbreaking, defeated voice... All the fire he knew that burned inside of her was just..... gone. She was broken, shattered.... She had given up.

"Never!" He snapped lowly, his eyes burning in sudden anger and a sternness, his tone cold and scathing, Horatia flinched a little, her eyes falling closed. He felt anger rise inside of him, he couldn't believe she had suggested it at all! He couldn't believe... Believe she had given up!

"There is no way in hell we would ever even think about leaving you behind! Are you crazy?! Have you really given up after all this time?!" He had a hard time keeping his voice to a whisper. "You can't seriously believe we would ever do that! We can't just leave you!"

"You have to!" She growled, sounding pained, her eyes still closed. She wouldn't meet his furious red stare. "You four need to get out of SaberTooth, you have to leave it!"

"We can't run, and even if we did- we wouldn't leave you behind. If you want us to leave, you have to come with us." He replied, his tone steely. Her jaw clenched, whether it was in pain or frustration he couldn't tell, "If we go anywhere, you go with us- there is no way around it. You have to come with us."

"I can't!"

Her eyes snapped open to land on him, glittering and watering- filled with more profound sadness and regret than he had ever seen all in one person, and never in her. He stiffened, his heart dropping to his stomach and all anger suddenly destroyed to see the tears pricking at the corners of her blue eyes.... She.... She was on the verge of tears....

"A-Atia..." He stammered, heart dropping at the sight. He'd never once seen her cry, and certainly he'd never seen her even come close to doing so.... He didn't know how to react to it, in her there was so much pain and regret, and sadness and utter despair it made his heart ache... It made his heart ache in a sudden unbearable pain to see those tears in her eyes now, and he could only stare.

"I can't..... You have to leave.... Please...." Her eyes glittered in the most unbearable pain, he felt his heart breaking. "... I don't want... To see any of you get hurt... I can't bear to watch you guys suffer... Or be in pain... I want you happy..... And you can't be happy in this Guild.... You have to go.... And you have to leave me behind.... Please....." The tears spilled over, small glittering trails falling down her cut and bruised cheeks softly,

How... Had he never seen this much pain... And sadness... In her....?

"... What do you mean.... You can't...?" He manage to stammer, her eyes closed again.

"... I just... I can't..."

"Hora." He murmured softly, shaking off some of his shock and the sudden tearing he felt in his heart at seeing her like this, he pushed it all away a moment. "Please.... I want to understand..... Why do you believe that you can't leave?" She didn't reply, and he let out a small Tch, his eyes narrowing a little as he softly lay his hand on her arm. ".... You've been hiding something all these years, something deep and dark.. And clearly painful.... We're friends, we are Family.... Please just talk to me."

She shook her head a little, ".... Rogue.... I can't tell you... I'm sorry.... I just... Ca-" her words came in a tired whisper, shaky and faint- as she suddenly stiffened, her body lurching in a painful spasm. Her entire body went rigid in an unbearable wave of agony that swept through her being, making her cry out at the pain- only to be cut off as she rolled over slightly, body convulsing as she was forced to cough up a few small pools of sticky blood onto the bed beside her, the crimson liquid streaming from the edges of her lips continually. She clapped a hand over her mouth, breaking into a fit of coughing- her hand soon stained crimson and running with it, unable to take in air.

Rogue was on his feet in an instant, eyes wide and panic spread across his features, "Hora!" He gasped, his hands falling onto her back and shoulder as she rolled over, feeling her broken body shake with her coughing under his touch.

Frosch was jostled awake, springing up and eyes wide in terror and fear- seeing Horatia immediately and eyes pricking with tears at the blood dripping through her fingers.

Rogue went rigid, his heart racing and leaping as he felt her body shake violently under his touch with her coughing, no small amount of fear rushing through him at the amount of blood she was coughing up. Coughing up blood was never a good thing, and certainly not a lot of it.

Had there been some sort of serious internal damage inflicted on her they hadn't been aware of?! If there was, he didn't know what to do about it- he wasn't a healer, and as they had already known- no doctor in this city would help them. They were all too afraid of Master Jiemma.

Shit! What am I supposed to do?!

Her temperature was changing in seconds between hot and cold, too unnatural, and all of it scaring him more and more. He had no idea what was going on, or what had made her this sick in the first place. Certainly even the beating she had sustained shouldn't have gotten her this sick, so unnaturally sick... He was so out of his depth, and so helpless.

"A-Atia....!" Frosch stammered frantically, sprouting wings and floating above the bed, trembling from head to tail.

Her coughing slowed a little, finally allowing her to gasp in a few ragged breaths of air- but the flow of blood from her mouth didn't cease, and gave no indication of doing so. Her hands fell away from covering her mouth, the crimson liquid shinning from the sliver of moonlight filtering through the window, her body heaving and shaking, too weak to move and hardly able to breath, tense and rigid in pain and sickness.

Rogue leaned down a little, quickly using one of the wet rags to try and wipe away what blood he could, before pressing another cloth against her forehead- her temperature was off the charts now, and she was unresponsive... He wasn't even sure if she was conscious any more.

"This isn't right....!" He hissed frantically. "I don't understand, this sickness..... The fever... Its all so unnatural...." He bit his lip a little, "... What the hell is going on...? I.... Don't know what to... Do..." His voice dropped to near nothing,

At this rate.... Could she really...

.... Die....?

His gaze snapped sideways, suddenly hearing a small hissing sound- eyes widening as he saw the bowl full of water on the nightstand suddenly steaming, the water evaporating quickly as Horatia's temperature fell to a deathly cold.... And then burned like lava, heat radiating around her and into the room in powerful drafts.

She coughed again, her eyes fluttering open as his attention snapped toward her, seeing her gaze unfocused and groggy. "R.... Rogue..."

"Hora... What is going on...?" He questioned lowly, but quickly. Her eyes were falling fast,

"... Its..... Over-Drive...." She breathed, her eyes falling shut and voice fading away to nothing but a small airy breath,

Her breathing stopped all together.