Flaming Stars

"It happened when I was very young," Haruka explained, calmly taking a sip of apple juice. "My mother died when I was… I must have been three or four. She was a really powerful Celestial Mage. I remember that she always promised to teach me Spirit Magic, but then she got ill and there just wasn't a chance."

Natsu never said a word. He was strangely subdued as he sat across the table in the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. Happy sat on the table, staring with wide eyes. Mirajane was serving drinks nearby, but Haruka knew that the white haired waitress was listening closely. Gray and Elfman were sitting down at the table, trying not to appear interested.

"Anyways…" Haruka continued, growing slightly awkward. "After my mother died, my father didn't take it very well. He loved my mother, but once she passed away… He was always so cold and distant and… well… I think he might have been scared."

"Scared?" Natsu asked quietly.

Haruka shrugged. "Scared of raising a child by himself," she explained gently. "He never knew what to do. So instead, he just… distanced himself, and left my wellbeing to the butlers and maids. At the same time, he became overprotective, and confined me to my own wing at the side of our estate. I think… I think he must have just been really lost without my mother."

She took another sip of her drink. "Anyways, it wasn't a good time for me," she admitted. "I was young, my mother was gone, I had no friends, and everyone was just so distant. The staff kept me well fed and clothed, but they never treated me as anything other than their job. For most of the time I was locked in my room. I was so lonely. I had a room the size of a small house and all the expensive toys in the world, but no one to play with."

The mood became uncomfortable. Haruka forced a grin. "But it got better!" She continued. "One day, I was in my room, with my mother's old Gate Keys, and trying to learn Celestial Magic by myself. I was young, I had no training, no idea what I was doing, but I just really, really wanted some company. I was just playing with Magic blindly, trying to summon a spirit. I'm still not sure how I managed to do it, but then somehow I summoned the most powerful Celestial Spirit of all."

Her tone became brighter. "The Celestial Spirit Dragon Celestica," Haruka recalled. "And she was amazing. Celestica said that it was a combination of my attunement to the Spirit World and the circumstances that drew her to me. I thought the dragon was like a genie, and I begged her to bring my mother back. We talked for hours, and Celestica was just so calm and understanding. She comforted me. She stopped me from crying. I asked her to come back tomorrow, and she agreed. And then the day after that. Eventually, Celestica just kept on coming to me every day."

Natsu didn't reply, but there was a flicker in his eye. The two Dragon Slayers eyes lingered on each other for a long time, instantly recognising a shared experience.

"This happened in your room ?" Mirajane queried gently, with slight confusion, serving two drinks to Gray and Elfman.

Haruka grinned. "Celestica is the only being capable of moving between the dimensions without restriction," Haruka explained. "She never needed to use Gates, she just materialised in my bedroom from the Spirit World. And she was half-spirit too; she could change her size at will to fit in my room easily."

She took a deep breath. "Celestica was there when I needed her the most," Haruka continued. "She was my adopted mother. She gave me my childhood back. She comforted me, she played with me, she taught me how to be strong, and then she taught me magic." Her grin widened. "And all that time my father thought I was safely locked in my room, I was actually flying through the Spirit World on the back of a giant dragon."

Happy stared at Haruka in awe. "Wow," the cat exclaimed. "Celestica sounds amazing. What happened to her?"

Haruka glanced at Natsu again. "She vanished. Seven years ago. Celestica left without trace and no human or Spirit has seen her since."

Everything went quiet. "Seven years," Natsu repeated. "The same time Igneel disappeared."

Haruka nodded. "Yes. I ran away from home looking for her. I searched everywhere I could think of in this world and the other, but there was no trace," she explained. "Eventually, I realised that if Celestica wanted to disappear, she would disappear. She could be quite literally anywhere in the universe, or perhaps even beyond that."

"So instead I started researching why she left," Haruka continued. "I started hunting down the other dragons to ask them. When I couldn't find a trace of any other dragon either, I went after the next best thing; the other Dragon Slayers."

"Your dragon vanished the same year that Igneel did," Natsu said after a moment's pause.

She nodded. "Yep. On the 7th of July."

Natsu's eyes widened. "That's the same day!"

"The 7th of July, X777…" Mirajane realised. "That can't be a coincidence."

Natsu stared at Haruka. "Do you think that Igneel and Celestica left together?"

She held her arms up in despair. "I have no idea," Haruka admitted. "I was hoping you could help me with that one."

There was an edge to her voice. Haruka looked at Natsu almost expectantly, with a faint gleam of hope in his eyes. Natsu gulped nervously, not meeting her eyes. The Fire Dragon Slayer shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't know," Natsu murmured, standing up slowly. "I know nothing more about why they left than you do."

Haruka jumped to her feet. "Are you sure? There's not some clue that Igneel might have mention—"

"There's nothing!" He snapped irritably. A flash of pain flickered through Haruka's face as she stared at him silently. Mirajane look at Natsu sympathetically. Natsu glanced around. "Come on, Happy," he murmured finally. "I need to get something to eat."

"Aye."

The pair of them walked out of the guild abruptly, slamming the door. Haruka stared for a while, before slumping back down on her seat. Kindly, Mirajane took the chair opposite her.

"I'm sorry about Natsu," she said gently. "It's a sensitive subject with him. He's still a little sore after Igneel left him."

Haruka smiled weakly. "Yeah, I know the feeling…" She muttered under her breath. Mirajane's gaze was compassionate.

There was a pause. "I shouldn't have put all my hopes on him," Haruka admitted finally. "I just really want to see Celestica again."

"Yeah, I see that," Mirajane nodded. "What are you going to do now?"

Haruka shrugged. "Keep on researching dragons, I suppose," Haruka sighed. "Look for clues. Search for other Dragon Slayers, I guess."

"How many other Dragon Slayers are there?"

"Not many," Haruka confessed. "I've only heard of one other; a guy called Gajeel Redfox. I thought about going after him first, but, honestly, he sounds like kind of a jerk."

"Yeah, he's with the Phantom Lord, isn't he?" Mirajane mused. "There's a bit of bad blood with Phantom around here. Still, it must be lonely travelling by yourself all the time. I mean, how do you pay for anything?"

"My father's bank vaults," Haruka admitted, putting her finger over her mouth with a cheeky smile. "Shh! Don't tell him."

Mirajane giggled. "Have you ever thought about joining a guild?" She asked. "It makes things easier to have a place full of friends."

Haruka smiled. She liked Mirajane. Mirajane was just one of those people that made best friends on the first meeting. Haruka had read Sorcerer's Weekly for years, but it was a completely different experience to meet the centrefold model in person. Mirajane was just so nice, kind and elegant, as well as being absolutely, drop-dead gorgeous. Still, the blatant implication in the question made Haruka hesitate.

"I'm not sure," Haruka said finally. "I've never really been interested in getting tied down with a guild."

"Alright," Mirajane nodded. "But you'd be welcome in Fairy Tail if you change your mind."

Haruka paused, flicking her hair back behind her ears. "I don't know if this place is right for me…" She tried to find the right words. "It seems very… violent."

Mirajane stared at her disbelievingly. "Do you remember when you first came in and Gray accidently flashed you?"

"I still don't see how anyone could 'accidentally' flash someone," Haruka snorted. "Why?"

"You kicked him through the ceiling," Mirajane said slowly.

Haruka glanced at the Ice Mage, who was currently using his Magic to nurse a tender stomach. Gray still couldn't sit down without wincing. "So?" Haruka asked Mirajane.

"You kicked him twice . And then rolled him up in the curtains and threw him out the door."

"I don't see your point."

Mirajane sighed. "I think you're going to fit in here just fine."

Haruka shifted slightly. "Well, your Guild Master is still an old pervert."

"Makarov is not an old pervert!" Mirajane protested instinctively.

Haruka raised an eyebrow sceptically. When they first arrived, the elderly man had tried to spank Haruka. Makarov was still nursing a sore hand.

"Alright, so he's a bit of an old pervert," Mirajane conceded after a few seconds. "But he's still a great guy, and the best Guild Master you'll ever meet."

They paused for a moment, staring at each other quietly. Then, they both burst out laughing. Next to them, Elfman had said something manly and Loke challenged him to impress two giggling girls. Already they were rolling across the ground in a screaming wrestling match, somehow causing the entire guild to erupt in chaos. The atmosphere was contiguous, and pretty soon Haruka was grinning madly.

"Ok, I'll give you this," Haruka laughed, ducking to avoid a flying bottle. "Your guild is pretty lively."

Mirajane was laughing too. "You would enjoy it here," she promised, standing up to tend to the bar. "I hope you change your mind. If you want, you're welcome to stay at my house for the night. I have a spare bedroom you can borrow."

Haruka's grin widened. Magnolia Town was a maze, and Haruka hadn't been looking forward to searching for a hotel.

"That'd be great, thanks."

"Not a problem," Mirajane said cheerfully, just as Elfman was sent crashing down onto her by Gray. They collided into the bar in a shower of drinks and wood. Still, no one seemed to be hurt, and the atmosphere never died down.

Haruka chuckled. At least I've made a friend here, she thought, staring wistfully at the Fairy Tail crest hanging on the wall.