VERiTY (Fairy Tail Fanfic)

9. Shifting Bonds

"I'm fine--"

"No, I'm walking you home."

It's dark out. The Rune Knights had something to say about Karen's indiscriminate lightning attack (10 burned, 13 traumatized, 5 sobbing children, the reports finalized to say,) and so it was nearly eight in the sky is fucking dark by the time they were released and Eir got his pay.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Eir treated Karen to a heartful meal to make up for the horrid day they both had. Then it was really way too late for her to really be making an effort to return to her guild, so Eir did the logical thing and offered to walk her home.

"Uh... I'm sorry," Karen said, looking away.

"What are you apologizing for?" Eir managed something to say.

"Well, you uh, look really angry."

Eir pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy breath, brows furrowing. When he opened his eyes again, the world swirled. He stilled, riding out the dizziness.

"It's nothing," he said. "Just... forgot my meds."

"Huh?"

"No... is this the right way?" Eir turned the topic quickly, "do you stay in your guild, Karen?"

"Uhn!" Karen held his hand as they began walking again, letting him push branches aside to clear the route for them, "Master Bob is kinda weird, but everyone's nice. There aren't a lot of girls, and they're all older, so I stay with them in the Guild Dorms."

"Hehh," Eir lifted Karen up when she stumbled over a tree root, then set her back on her feet. "Why did you become a mage, Karen?"

"Because it's cool!"

"Hehh, well... I suppose it's pretty fun, with all those spirits you have."

"Really?"

"You could brush Aquila's feathers-- can he take you on flights? Have you ever tried playing tag with Circini?" Eir sounded mildly excited.

At that, Karen looked away, a little conflicted, "oh-- uh, we don't really... have that kind of... thing. I mean... I'm just their contracted Master."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind playing with you if you ask," Eir assured her.

"Eh?" Karen actually gaped, "but-- but, they're... spirits."

"So?"

And that made Karen stop in her tracks. Eir paused, looking at the girl curiously. His eyes narrowed, sensing something off with her reaction.

"It'll..." she started when she managed to get her will to speak, but she never looked up from the ground. "It'll be like I'm playing with dolls. It's meaningless-- I mean, spirits don't die.. They're just... summoned for battle."

Eir tightened his fist.

It was moments like these that made him remember that he was in a world of magic now. Talking animals, furniture with personality, and spirits in the wind-- all these meant different things here. Even if something spoke, they weren't human and that drew an invisible line to everything.