~2 Years later~

I squat in the forest, clearing my mind as I focus my magic on a small tree frog.
"So there's a cave that way?" I ponder while staring off into the distant thickets, seeing into its memories, jotting my findings down in the leather notebook my client handed me.
*RIBBIT* 
"GAAAH GET OFF ME!! GET OFF GET OFF GET OFF!!!!" I shriek, the frog bouncing and landing on my face, it's slimy feet sticking to my skin. I lose my footing with all the tangled shrubbery and tree roots below.
"KYAA!"

I managed to brush off most of the mud and leaves, my notebook was also a bit scaped up after the fall but I have to continue my journey through this wild forest.
220,000 jewel to navigate and map out The Lost forest, I snatched and took it on as soon as it was hung up. That's just the amount I'll need to buy the cottage on the outskirts of Magnolia I've had my eyes on for a while. 'After this job, I'll finally have my own home! NO MORE BEING AN ORPHAN!!'
"I wonder why this forest hasn't been mapped out yet?" I question out loud, stepping over some large ferns. 'It's very strange, it doesn't seem that dangerous. But it is the largest forest in Fiore, spanning all the way over into the next nation!'

"Hopefully after I do this job, some paths will be constructed... This is just insane!" I huff, climbing a tall ridge. Suddenly a cold hand brushes against my shoulder.
I jolt, my boots slipping. 
"OWWWW!!!" 
'My poor plump booty will be flat by the end of this job!!' 
I quickly scan my surroundings, there was no one around that could've touched me.
"What the heck was that?"

I look up, realizing it was just a stupid flower shaped like a hand that brushed against me as I was climbing. 'Gods I'm an idiot' I sigh in shame.
Back on track, I eventually find the cave I saw in that frog's memories, jotting details of it down in my notebook. I felt I should probably avoid it for now since the frog did... often.  

*RUMBLE*

"Just my luck!" I shout out, annoyed at the growing storm clouds. I groan despair, staring into the looming darkness of the cave, debating with myself whether to go in for shelter or not. 
'Something might live in there and I'd very much like to not be eaten today'
'Well this forest, as we've mapped out, isn't inhabited by anything dangerous aside face latching frogs'
'Well, one face latching frog seemed to avoid going in here for good reason...'
"I really should've looked into why" 
'NO DUHH BRAIN!'

*Drip.. Drip... Drip. Drip*
*Patter*

"That cottage better be worth this" I whine while unsheathing my short sword, cautiously approaching the gap in the cliff faces.  
'Nothing so far... Good... Good, we're good, everything's good' I mentally freak out, I should've brought someone with me. I've trained with this flimsy sword but I've never had to use it on anything yet.

I strike up a light lacrima, the whole area in cave unveiled.
*SCREEEEEEEEECH*
"NOPE!!!" 
I throw my sword at whatever direction and run.
"NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE!!!" I scream, hearing the heavy beating of large feet pounding closer. I quickly glance behind me, the soft rain slowly getting heavier and...
"WYVEEEERRRRRRN!!!!!" I screech, my eyes popping out of my head and my legs now moving on their own. 

/// Imagine this is you\\\

*ROOOAAAAAAARRRR*
"EEEEEEEEEE!!!!" I bolt faster than I thought possible, ignoring my footing, I slip in mud, skidding along into a lovely thick tree.
'Ohh thank you tree... FOR BEING THE THING THAT ENDS ME!!!'
*STOMP STOMP STOMP*

I shudder, trembling as I turn around slowly. 'I'm dead...'.
A huge winged beast with powerful hind legs flicks it tail staring down at me. I'm backed up into a tree, more trees surrounding me, I'm stuck. 
*GROWL*
The wyvern lunges, its huge ugly maw wide and ready to feast.
"EEP!"

*CRACKLE*
*RUMBLE*
*BOOOOOOOOM*

A strong blast of powerful wind forces me against the tree, it's so strong, I thought I was going to fuse with the tree. A brilliant light flashes and lights up the entire area under the heavy rain. The winds soon die down, I slowly sag to the mud, flopping down on my face.
"A-Am.. I... dead?" I whimper, paralyzed with shock. I hear beyond the rain footsteps and a huff.
I muster up the courage to lift my head and see what's going on. A tall man in a long black cape walks away casually from the scene. The wyvern had a huge hole severing straight through its abdomen. 'DID HE DO THAT!?'

"W-What... The h-hell!?" I gasp, slowly rising to my aching feet.
The man stops upon hearing my voice and turns around. With the heavy rain, I found it hard to see his face but I could tell he was looking straight at me. I could just make out his tan skin and a strange necklace of claws. 'Or are they teeth?'
I squint trying to see him better but he turns and continues on his way. 
"H-HEY! WAIT!" I shout out to him, he ignores me and just keeps walking. The rain pours down heavier, I start shivering from the cold and wrap my arms around myself. 

'He's got the better idea... I need to keep moving and find somewhere to camp'
I struggle to walk in the thick slippery mud but I manage to find that cave again and considering what was inside is now dead, I felt more at ease walking in.
I relight my lacrima, finding my short sword lodged in a few rocks.
"That's the best aim I've had with you" I chuckle at the sword.

I wait out the storm in the cave, curled up in a ball next to a small fire, wondering who that man is the whole time. If he intentionally saved me. If he even knew I was there before he killed the wyvern. 
"Well whatever... If I see him again, I'll be sure to thank him in any way possible" I smile weakly, staring at my little fire, my clothes hanging nearby to dry. 
*Step step step*
I flinch, quickly turning to see a tall figure looming over me.
"AH!" I shuffle away in the dirt, frightened at how close they got so quickly.

"W-Who are... wait" I examine the figure, it's that man, though his face is covered by the shadows of the cave.
"You're the one that killed the wyvern!" I smile, standing up and approaching him slowly.
"Uhm.. I don't know if you knew... But you saved me earlier.." I try but still can't see his face, his hair and the darkness shrowd it.
"I-Is it alright if you crouch down a little... I can't see your face" I chuckle awkwardly at my request, the man, however, doesn't answer or lean down, he just stands there like a statue.

"Uhmmm... Are you.. okay?" I ask nervously, looking him up and down. His pitch-black cloak hides his body, I can't see anything of him. I start worrying, feeling that I'm in danger. The man suddenly moves, his face that of a monster. His skin black with sharp scales, flesh-ripping fangs line his jaw and his piercing beady eyes bore into mine. He opens his drool dripping mouth and bites down.
"AAHHH!!!" 

I jolt up, my heart racing, cold sweat coating me. I must have fallen asleep at some point. 'It was just a dream... just a dream... A dream...' I try to calm my breathing down looking around for any kinds of threat. For the past two years, I've been having horrifying dreams, my magic sometimes goes haywire during the day and has me see things that aren't real and most of the time all I can think about it that dragon, Acnologia... 

I calmed down after a while, my clothes were still damp so I tried to pass the time making music out of the strange rocks around me. Smacking them against each other made a beautiful metal humming sound, similar to a xylophone or little music box. I sing out whatever comes to mind after figuring out some rhythms in my new literal rock music.
"I'm so bored sitting here practically naked!
I don't know where I am or what to do!
Too long have I banged rocks and waited!
I thought this was a rock but it's actually poo!"

I throw the 'rocks' away, wiping my hands thoroughly in disgust. I notice the rains cleared up so I put on my still damp clothes and hope they dry as I continue my job.
'This day can't get any more ridiculous'

~5 Days later~

I returned to the guildhall with cash in hand and see that more members have left. Macao took up the role of Guild Master after Tenrou. I knew the answers they sought when they went out to search for our lost guildmates, but couldn't bring myself to tell them they weren't lost. We soon struggled with jobs, clients are slowly no longer giving us any work. I'm thankful for the job I got when it came in.
Despite completing my job and getting paid, I'm not excited nor proud of myself. I'm exhausted in every way possible.
"I need my fix!" I groan, flopping on the counter of the bar, Kinana giggling at me.
"I saw you finally come back and prepared it straight away" She smiles, serving me the only thing that brings me joy anymore.

"You're a godsent miracle!" I drool over the chocolate oozing dessert, my eyes watering.
After another dozen or so plates of pudding, I slowly shuffled to the guild library, the only space I get some peace. I slump down in a pile of books, seems people don't know how to maintain this place. I touch a random book and read into it with my magic, trying to distract myself from my fatigue. I spent what felt like forever doing this until I touched...

"The Dragon King Festival" I whimper, quickly throwing the book away from me, it slams into the bookcase across from me.
"You shouldn't throw the books around" A quiet delicate voice ushers, I gasp in fright, only now noticing I wasn't alone in here.
"H-How long have you been here!?" I stammer in panic, a girl around my own age, maybe younger, sits at a table in a dim corner. She's slim and pale, wearing a very basic dark blue kimono. A small black hat dawned her head with a long veil dangling down from it, covering most of her face.

"Longer than you" She replies, her high pitched gentle voice seeming sad but also serious.
"Sorry" I mumble, she slams her book shut, staring at me with cold dark eyes. She sat like that, examining me, for a painfully long minute.
"The one that haunts you should be sorry, not you" She finally sighs, shuffling off her chair and leaving her book on the table. 'What?'
"Uhh.. Do you kno-"

"Quite a fascinating book you threw. The Dragon King Festival" She leans down elegantly to pick it up, her short deep blue hair falling down over her face, making it harder to see her.
"But I recommend something a little less violent for someone of your age" She places the book up in an empty space on the bookshelf next to her.
"Y-You're the same age a-"
"I'm much older than you" She interrupts me again, glaring at me with those soulless black eyes.

"Sorry" I had to look away before I started trembling under her gaze. 'What's with this girl? Or.. woman? How old is she?'
"Who are y-" I turn back to her but she was gone. 'That was scary'
I finally get up after lounging about like a miserable potato for who knows how long and inspect the table she sat at. 'What was she reading?'
Geography of Fiore
Hand to Hand combat for dummies
Teleportation properties
Psychology 101
Diets over rolls
'That last one rubs salt in the wound'

Investigating the random assortment of books the girl was reading, I thought to read them myself, feeling I should give memoir a break, I properly read them.
And so my training begins.

~4 years Later~

We had no jobs come in for a long time three years ago, more members kept leaving and debts started piling up. Macao went to beg another local guild, Twilight Ogre, for a place to set up a new guildhall. We were given this crappy old flour mill, I lost my huge assortment of books with the library but I managed to sneak the few that aren't found in stores back to my cottage. I've made a pretty decent living, but it's still a struggle, I've thought many times about leaving but...

Sand swallows me, I hold my arms up to protect my eyes and focus back on what's in front of me. 
*ZIIIP*
"That almost got me" I smirk, appearing behind Max in a split second. He just barely avoids my sparring sword.
"Are you getting tired already Maxy?"
"I'm just gettin warmed up!" Max exclaims in excitement, ripping up one sand attack after another, I teleport inches away, effortlessly dodging them, no doubt I looked like I was just zipping about the small field.
"Gahhh stay still!" Max growls in utter annoyance, raising his hands and summoning a wave of glass-like sands, I dodge again, the wave crashing against our crumbling guildhall. 

The worn wooden walls groan under the force of the indirect attack, distracting Max long enough for me to land the finishing blow.
*RIIIP!*
"WAAAAHHAAAAAAHAA"
"HOLE IN ONE!!" I cackle, Max screams and collapses in a flustered heap to the grass, his mouth foaming.
"Well, today's training ended rather quick" I continue laughing, petting the paralyzed Max on the rump, near where my sword was lodged.
"Ohh my GOD!!! (YCN)!! PULL IT OUT!" Kinana cries, dropping a basket of wet sheets and rushing over to help. 

Max can't sit now for a while but he'll be fine... Not the first time something like that's happened to him I found out thanks to a quick memoir check.
I watch Romeo reading a book quietly, he's become really distant over the years, barely smiles either. Sometimes I feel the same as him, like I can't smile. Nothing's the same without the Master Makarov... Or our other friends...
I smile anyway, I have to keep everyone in good spirits, not let the last of our members lose hope... Even though our friends are never coming back. 

I head home after a long day of just sitting around and crack into my books, throwing my bag on my bed, I examine my wall of pins, strings and articles. Examining my notes for the thousandth time.
"Sightings around several mountains, the forgotten desert, the lost forest, several other forests and even in the nations of Bosco and Stella.." I sigh hopelessly, slumping back on my dining chair, staring at the tangles of paper.
"There's just no similarities or patterns" I continue to myself. I stare for a while at the drawing of what one person said they saw fly above their town once. 
A giant black bird-like lizard with a long forked tail, and blue markings. It's the most accurate and similar description to the ancient scriptures I've read about Acnologia.

"All but one" I pull out a large map and circle the next region I'm to travel to when I can. Mount Zonia. I have to keep training my hand and sword combat if I'm ever going to be able to confront him. But finding him...
"Please... Please be the place" I mumble sadly, the last of my hope laying in this place. 

~6 months later~

For the past few months, I'd been scraping by on any cheap job offers, with all I've been through with everyone left here, I'm worried I'll have to leave to find better work to pay for all my books and pudding. And my eventual trip away.
I scribble notes down in my books about Acnologia, Romeo has been helpful in telling me all he knows about dragons, which he's spent years furiously researching. It'll be helpful to know what to expect when I find that big ol scaley bastard.
While writing, I flip through notes about the mission I took a few years back to The Lost Forest. I smile at the little picture I drew of the strange man that saved my life, my hero that day. 

I tap on the page with nervous impatience, trying to muster up the courage to say to Romeo.
"I've been thinking about leaving the guild for a while..." I finally whisper, he looks up with a concerned sad expression.
"Dad's been thinking about disbanding the guild..." He replies, looking away and furrowing his brows. I glance up over at Macao, miserably slumped over the small bar counter.
"I've been convincing him not to all this time... But..." He looks down, biting his upper lip.
"I understand" I sigh, my stomach twisting with guilt. 

"How long do you think you could convince him not to disband for?" I question, hoping I may be back before his answer.
"I don't think I..." Romeo hesitates to finish, I nod, figuring out his answer.
"I was hoping I could come back... If the guild was still here" I quietly sigh whilst standing, packing away my books. Romeo hums, resuming his reading.
"I... Might come in tomorrow, to say goodbye" I mumble, leaning on the worn wooden chair.

"You ready for another round (YCN)?" Max smirks, cracking his knuckles while approaching.
"Maybe later" I smile, walking out of the shabby old mill quietly.
"(YCN)?" Max calls out, I teleport home before he could chase after me.
Our guild is broken, there's no way Macao could keep it together for much longer. My throat bobs as I pull out a small tin from under a loose floorboard. My travel money. It should just be enough to get me by for a few months on my personal mission. 

I pack clothes, necessities, my notebooks, weapons, maps and a few rations. I stare at the hole in the floor, a dark tethered book lay among the dust. The Dragon King Festival.
A black snake slithers over it, making me jump back in fright. 'It's just my magic going haywire again'. I take a deep breath, slowly pulling the book out and holding it, staring at its worn cover. I shove it in my bags with my other books.
"Looks like it's gonna rain" I sigh, grabbing my (Favourite colour) travel cloak. Thunder roaring with the dark plumes of clouds out over the horizon.

Before leaving, I thought to write a small note for anyone that may come looking for me. 

 Dear friends, I'm so sorry but I have to go, there's nothing much left for me here in this town, I'm hoping that out there in the world, I'll find my answers, my destiny... Somewhere. 
I will come home. I promise.

Goodbye, Fairy Tail.

(YCN) 

Locking the door, I hold the note, focusing my magic into it. It vanishes, teleporting to the guild for anyone there to find. I sigh all regrets, 'I've been training for almost 7 years for this day, I've bided my time, I've still got a long way to go... But it'll be worth it... It has to be'. 
The dirt crunches under my boots, the breeze whipping past stronger and the trees dance and sway. 

"To Mount Zonia"