Chapter Text
I stand at the edge of the cliff looking over at the ocean below. I feel the gaze of my one and only friend on my back, waiting to see if I'll jump. I have faith in her; she'll catch me while I'm falling. It's not the first time we've done this, sometimes she lets me fall a little then catches me even dropping me from higher up on occasions and catching me again, sometimes she lets me fall halfway down the cliff face and catches me and we fly towards the ocean, sometimes she lets me fall all the way down and catches me just before I hit the water letting me feel the cold spray as we fly back up. I feel like I need to fall far but she always knows how far to let me. I still can't believe this is the only way I can stop thinking about that stupid Gajeel.
The thought of his name makes me clench my fists and I remember the pain in my arm from our encounter this morning, the last day of term and the last day I'll see him, a new college next term. I bend my knees and launch myself off the cliff, immediately I hear my friend's wings flap and her ginger ears come into my view, I now know how far I'll fall, I only ever see her when I'm falling all the way. I feel the cold spray of the water as small but strong paws grip the back of my shirt and we fly back up into the sky. I look back at my small ginger cat friend. "Flash, you always know how to make me feel better!" I say with a small laugh.
"Of course I do Crista! We're best friends after all!" She exclaims back. As we reach the top of the cliff Flash puts me down and we walk back towards our house both with grins on our faces. We skip through the forest to avoid the school completely, I had a free period last but I know he is still there and I'm really not in the mood for a beating.
***
I feel a pinch on my leg and wake up, looking down to the end of my bed I see Flash fighting in her sleep, I kick her to wake her up and accidentally knock her off the bed. I look to my alarm clock and see it's half 6 in the morning, "There's no point going back to sleep, it'll be time to wake up when I eventually get back to sleep" I mumble to no one in particular and fumble around with the clock to disable the alarm. I slide out of bed and slip on the first thing I pick out my drawer, I didn't bring much to Fiore Sylva College and they're all pretty much the same. I grab my watch off the desk and look towards my roommates bed, worried I've woken her but to my surprise it's already empty. I wonder why she'd be awake at half 6 in the morning but dismiss it, struggling to even remember her name. I open the curtains, gaining a hiss from a half asleep Flash, and look out over the college's allotment.
It truly is beautiful, a vast sea of multicoloured flowers all leading towards one cherry tree, currently in bloom. I glance down at my watch; "Shit, it's 7:30!" does time flow faster here or something. I hurry out the door, grabbing my bag as I leave. At least I was planned yesterday! I look back at my door where the names of the occupants are "Wendy Marvell, Cristallia Draco" I sigh, I hate my full name. I walk further out and see all of the students in my dorm milling around the lobby, I remember how quiet it was just a few days ago, the holidays had gone fast and having to pack and move halfway across the continent meant I didn't have much time to enjoy it. I'm not good with people so I hug the wall as I leave the dorm, keeping my eyes glued to the floor.
It didn't take me long to reach building 3, my first class is in room D of building 3. I look at the letter on the first room, A. I use the map I was given to try and find my own way to the room. As I pass through the corridor with room C I smell that familiar scent, there were dragon slayers in this corridor. I'm a dragon tamer, a very rare type of dragon slayer, unlike traditional dragon slayers we gain our power by combining it with the power of our dragons; I was the strongest wizard around when I had my two dragon friends - Sapphire the crystal dragon who was my mother and Spiral the fusion dragon who was my sister - then they disappeared 6 months ago and Gajeel the iron dragon slayer turned up and the tides turned.
It didn't take me long to figure out who the dragon slayers were, there were two, one blonde haired boy and one black haired boy - they both smell strong. It didn't look like either had noticed me so I slip into the crowd and head for the next corridor hoping to find room D. As I turn the corner I see the room and sigh a tired sigh, room E. Where did room D go? I look around for someone to help me, tired of wandering around lost. I spot a young girl with white, short hair. She seems nice enough, I walk up to her and poke her gently in the shoulder. She turns around "Yes?" she asks.
"Umm, do you know how to get to room D?" I ask, my voice audibly nervous, I hate talking to people - especially ones I don't know.
The girl smiles at me, "Are you new here then?" I nod slightly, "I'm Lisanna, I'm in room D next, you can walk with me if you like ..."
"Crista" I introduce myself as. Lisanna says her goodbyes to the others, who look like they might be related to her, and leads me to room D.
We walk back along the corridor towards room C and I smell the scent of dragon slayers again, although not as potent, possibly only one. We continue straight along a narrow corridor - I'm not surprised I missed it - and into room D. As soon as I enter I wish I hadn't. The room is half covered in ice and two shirtless boys are throwing even more ice around; before today I'd never seen an ice wizard, now I've seen two in one room and both were shirtless.
"SIT DOWN AND PUT A SHIRT ON BOTH OF YOU!" The woman at the front shouts at the boys, both ignore her and it's not until a red haired girl at the back of the room repeats the request that either of them do. The bell rings signalling the start of lesson and Lisanna walks to take her seat wishing me luck as she leaves. The teacher turns to me, "You must be Cristallia" she says with a smile, "Take a seat at the back next to Natsu." I look towards the back and see a pink haired boy waving me towards him. I make my way towards him and halfway across the room I realise he's the dragon slayer I'd smelt. Great, first lesson and I'm next to a dragon slayer! I take a seat next to him and I know he can smell the dragon on me.
"You smell like a dragon, but a little different to a dragon slayer, what are you?" Natsu asks, his eyes full of curiosity. At first I forget how to speak, I knew that dragon slayers and dragon tamers smelt slightly different but most couldn't tell the difference unless they already knew I was a dragon tamer and this kid sure as hell didn't! I'd never met a dragon slayer with such a strong nose before.
"I-I'm a dragon tamer" I stammer out, still slightly in shock. Before I have the chance to explain what a dragon tamer is the door burst open again and another figure stands in the doorway. Dread courses through my body at the sight of him. Just my luck! Gajeel Redfox is standing in the doorway.