Chapter Text
“Shadow Dragon ROAR!” I keep my attention fixed on the centre tree, where I’d painted a target. My roar heads straight; until the last minute when it deviates, destroying a different tree. I groan out in annoyance at my latest failed attempt to control my magic.
“So this is where you’ve been, Mattia. I see you’re still training hard.” I’d been too focussed on my attack to notice Rogue approaching. He’s wearing his usual black cloak with his black hair covering the right side of his face.
I sigh in frustration as I turn to greet the shadow dragon slayer. “Hi dad. It seems like no matter how hard I train I still can’t control my magic!” I vaguely wave around the clearing I’d made in the forest while I talk. One tree was still standing strong in the middle, the one I’d been aiming at with a target painted on it.
Rogue gives me a sympathetic smile, “I’m sure soon enough it’ll all click in place, then you’ll be stronger than anyone else in Sabertooth.” I shake my head at him; even if I did get control of my magic I’m still a long way from matching Dobengal so I’d definitely not be the strongest in Sabertooth. Rogue continues before I can complain, “we should probably head back into the guild, Yukino says the food’s ready.” I hadn’t noticed how late it had gotten; I nod and follow Rogue back to our guildhall.
Entering the guildhall we head to our normal group, “hey look, it’s the failed shadow dragon prodigy; she still can’t even control her own magic!”
I sigh; I didn’t even need to look at Rogue to know he would be glaring daggers at the young, spiky blonde boy. “Lux, that’s enough!” Sting is quick to scold the youngster before another fight breaks out.
Lux has his usual cheeky grin as he turns back to face the white dragon slayer, “aww don’t worry dad, Mattia knows I’m only joking around!” Even though we call them ‘dad’, Sting and Rogue aren’t actually our biological fathers – despite Lux looking like a younger version of Sting, and even I look like I’m related to Rogue with my black hair and red eyes. We’d grown up in the same village, after it was attacked by a dark guild Sting and Rogue saved us. It took a lot of begging but eventually Sting let us join Sabertooth despite neither of us knowing how to use magic. After even more begging I managed to convince Rogue to teach me shadow dragon slayer magic. Over time we became so close that we were more like father and daughter than guildmates; so now Rogue may as well be my dad – same for Sting and Lux!
We take a seat opposite Sting and Lux, who are still arguing, Yukino places a plate of food in front of both of us. Rogue immediately starts eating while I don’t even touch my food. “Is something wrong with the food, Mattia?” Yukino sounds worried as she notices that I’m not eating.
I shake my head at no one in particular, “no, nothing’s wrong with it. I’m just not feeling very hungry.” Sting and Lux are too engrossed in their arguing – which has now dissolved into name calling – to notice we’d even been talking. Yukino looks as worried as she sounded, I don’t look at Rogue.
“You’ve been training a lot lately, at least try and eat some of it.” When I do reluctantly meet Rogue’s gaze he looks concerned. I sigh, I suddenly feel too tired to argue so start eating. We pretty much stay like that for the whole meal, Yukino, Rogue and I eating in silence – I must’ve been hungrier than I felt as I ate the whole plate – Sting and Lux arguing between bites.
When we’ve finished eating Yukino offers to clean up for all of us. Sting and Lux’s arguing has now dissolved into wrestling, leaving Rogue and I alone at the table. I quickly stand to take my leave, “I think I’m going to go shower, then I’ll turn in.” I’m not speaking to anyone in particular; Rogue gives me another concerned look but doesn’t say anything, he just nods.
I head back to the room I share with Rogue, Sting and Lux. Most people seem to think it’s weird that I stay in the same room as three guys, but Rogue is my dad, Sting and Rogue are so close they may as well be brothers so Sting is more of an uncle to me which makes Lux like my cousin. After my shower I curl up in my bed and pretty much fall straight to sleep, I don’t even notice the other dragon slayers turning in.
***
I wake up before any of my roommates, it was becoming a habit lately; Sting and Lux’s snoring didn’t exactly help me sleep! I quietly change into my usual outfit, a short, black dress and black cloak both with gold trims, similar to the cloak Rogue usually wears. I sneak out of the room; Sting and Lux wouldn’t wake up for anything short of the guildhall exploding but I still had to be careful to avoid waking Rogue. I make my way back to the clearing I’d been training in yesterday, it was my favoured training spot as it’s reclusive and the trees had magic in them making them grow back overnight.
“Shadow Dragon Wing Attack!” Another failed attempt as my attack slides either side of my intended target. I groan out in frustration. My training is cut short when a loud explosion suddenly occurs in the distance. “What was that? Wait, that’s where the guildhall is…” I stare in shock until realisation dawns on me, “…Dad! Uncle Sting! Lux!”
I start running towards the guildhall, the same direction the explosion had come from, hoping I’d made some horrible mistake and our guildhall hadn’t just exploded. “Mattia!” I hear Rogue call out my name. I come to a skidding halt, looking around frantically to find him. I spot him running through the trees towards me, Frosch close behind him, I dart towards him and practically throw myself into his arms. “Thank God you’re OK.” I can hear the worry in his voice.
“Dad!” I push myself far enough away from Rogue so I can see his face, “what happened? What was that explosion?” I can hear the panic and confusion in my own voice.
Rogue shakes his head slightly as he speaks, “the guildhall was attacked,” now it’s my turn to shake my head, hearing my worst guess come true, “there’s practically nothing left.”
I shake my head again, “how, who did this?” Realisation strikes again before Rogue can reply, “what about Uncle Sting and Lux and Lector, and all the others?”
Rogue puts a hand on my shoulder, silencing my ramblings. “Sting’s fine, Lux and Lector too, we’d all headed out to find you for breakfast when the attack happened. They’re back at what’s left of the guildhall, sorting through the rubble to find the injured.” He pauses as I sigh in relief, they’re OK. My attention is drawn back to Rogue as he continues talking. “Mattia, you know where the Fairy Tail guild is, right?”
I nod slightly, confused as to why Rogue would ask me about another guild, “yeah, it’s in Magnolia, right?”
Rogue nods as he continues, “go, as fast as you can, go to Fairy Tail.”
I shake my head at him, “but dad, I can’t just leave you!”
Rogue squeezes the hand he has on my shoulder, stopping me from arguing anymore. “I need to go back and help Sting, but we’re in no position to fight if they come back. That’s why we need Fairy Tail’s help. So you need to go there, now. Take Frosch with you and get Natsu’s help.”
I think of arguing more, but the stern look Rogue is giving me and him pushing me in the direction of Magnolia makes up my mind. I nod, turn on my heels and start running, Frosch follows flying behind me. I hear Rogue start running in the other direction so call back over my shoulder, “Dad! Take care of yourself!” Rogue nods back at me, the look in his eyes telling me what he’s thinking, ‘you too’.