Hi hope yall enjoy this chapter and give feedback and sorry for not getting this out friday it needed a little more editing. I'll try to have one out by Monday. Again enjoy the chapter
Varion stepped through the doors of the Fairy Tail guild hall the next morning, the sun casting long shadows across the wooden floors. His wounds from the fight with Jose were already healing remarkably fast—thanks to Porlyusica's gruff but effective treatment and his Dragonoid resilience. The gash over his eye was a thin scar now, the bruises faded to faint yellows, and he moved with only a slight stiffness in his shoulder. The kids trailed behind him, chattering about the house and yesterday's chaos, while Erza walked at his side, her presence a quiet comfort after her help the night before and this morning's moment.
The guild erupted in cheers the moment they spotted him. "Look who's up and walking!" Macao called from the bar, raising a mug. "Thought you'd be laid up for days, kid!"
Wakaba laughed. "You look a lot better—Porlyusica must've worked a miracle."
Cana grinned from her table. "Glad you're okay. We were betting on how long it'd take you to bounce back."
Varion waved them off with a small smile, but then he paused, smacking his fist into his open palm as a realization hit him. "Hold on—you kids still need your guild marks!" he said, his voice bright with excitement, a genuine grin spreading across his face.
Wendy's eyes lit up like stars. "Really? We get to be official now?"
Sting pumped his fist. "Yes! Let's do it!"
Rogue nodded quietly, a rare spark of enthusiasm in his eyes. Gajeel crossed his arms, grumbling but with a smirk. "Tch, fine. If it's gotta happen."
Natsu pouted from the side, already sporting his red mark on his shoulder. "you guys are gonna love it, being in the guild is awesome!!!!"
Makarov watched, chuckling as he pulled out the guild stamp. "Alright, line up! Where do you want 'em?"
One by one, the kids chose—Wendy on her left shoulder in blue, Sting on his left pectoral in white, Rogue on his right shoulder in black, Gajeel on his right forearm in iron-gray. The magic glowed as the marks set, the guild cheering each time. Varion watched with a warm swell in his chest, this was their family now, official.
Over the next month, life in Fairy Tail settled into a rhythm that blended chaos, growth, and quiet joys, days blurring together in laughter and lessons.
That first afternoon, Varion gathered the kids in the guild's back area—a wide, grassy yard perfect for "play." "Come on," he said with a grin. "Let's have some fun." But it was training in disguise, tag with dragon slayer twists. Natsu chased with fire bursts for speed, Wendy used wind bursts to dodge, Sting vanished into light flashes, Rogue melted into shadows, and Gajeel turned limbs to iron for poles to push him away. They laughed and shouted, not realizing they were honing control and reflexes. Varion joined in, his starlight claws swiping playfully.
Erza wandered out midway through, her armor clinking as she watched. "Mind if I join?" she asked, her tone casual, but her eyes lingered on Varion a second longer. She didn't say it was to spend more time with him, but the way she positioned herself near him during the game, dodging Natsu's flames with a requipped shield or tagging Sting alongside Varion, spoke volumes. Their interactions grew warmer: a shared laugh when Wendy "tagged" them both with a gust, or a quick glance after a close dodge that left them brushing shoulders.
After he was fully healed, Varion started taking missions solo to hunt monsters harassing villages. With his flight, he covered ground fast: soaring over forests to ambush a pack of vulcans, his Star Dragon's Roar blasting them from above before they could react. Jobs that took others days, he finished in hours, returning with rewards that stocked the house and funded small treats for the kids. The guild buzzed with stories, "Kid's a machine!" Gildarts boomed laughing one evening. Makarov watched approvingly, noting Varion's precision for the upcoming S-class trials.
During one quiet evening, Varion penned a letter to Lucy, detailing his new life in Fairy Tail, the house, reuniting with the slayers, and even a subtle mention of "making friends" (thinking of Erza). He sent it via magic post, the envelope vanishing in a puff of light.
A reply came days later: Lucy's neat handwriting shared how her mom was recovering well, walking more each day; her own magic progressing with new celestial keys and spells; and excitement about a new friend, Brandish, who'd arrived with an old family maid—Layla had offered them stay, bringing her granddaughter along. "She's quiet but fun," Lucy wrote. "Hope to see you soon!"
Varion stepped through the doors of the Fairy Tail guild hall, the familiar chaos washing over him like a warm wave—mages brawling in the corner, laughter echoing from the bar, and the scent of ale and fresh-baked bread mingling in the air. It had been a month since he'd joined, and the place felt like home now. The kids had settled in remarkably well: Wendy reading books with Levy, Sting and Rogue sparring with Gray, Natsu, Gajeel, who grumbled less as he bonded through rough play-fights. Erza… well, she'd been around more often, joining their "play" sessions that were really disguised training, her presence a steady anchor that made Varion's heart skip in ways he was still getting used to.
He'd just returned from a quick errand in town when Makarov waved him over from the bar, his small frame perched on a stool like a king on his throne. "Varion! Come here, lad. Got something for you."
Varion approached, nodding respectfully. "Master?"
Makarov handed him a crumpled mission flyer, the paper worn from handling. "This came in this morning. Village in the southern region of Fiore, a small rural town called Osha (made this name up). They're asking for help defeating a demon that's holding two kids captive. Nasty business. You up for it?"
Varion scanned the flyer quickly—descriptions of a shadowy figure with demonic powers, terrorizing the town, keeping the children in a cursed forest nearby. He nodded, his expression calm. "I can handle it."
Makarov eyed him thoughtfully, stroking his mustache. "Good. But… something feels off about this request. Demons don't normally hold children captive—they destroy or possess. Keep your wits about you, my boy."
Varion met his gaze steadily. "I'll be careful. Thanks for the warning."
Makarov clapped him on the shoulder. "Go get 'em. And come back in one piece."
Varion turned, spotting the slayers scattered around the hall. He called them over with a wave. "Hey—Wendy, Sting, Rogue, Natsu, Gajeel. Come here for a sec."
They gathered quickly, Wendy tilting her head curiously, Natsu bouncing on his toes. "What's up, big bro?"
Varion knelt to their level, his voice gentle. "I have to go away for a bit longer this time—maybe a day or two. Guild job in the south. You all stay here, behave for Makarov and the others, okay?"
Wendy's eyes widened, but she nodded bravely. "Be safe, Varion." She rushed forward, wrapping her small arms around him in a tight hug.
He hugged her back, the others chiming in with "Good luck!" and "Kick butt!" from Natsu and Sting. Gajeel grunted an "Don't die or whatever," but there was concern in his eyes.
Varion stood, ruffling Wendy's hair with a warm smile. "I'll be back before you know it." He waved over his shoulder as he walked out, the kids waving back enthusiastically.
Outside, he spread his wings, launching into the sky toward Osh.
Varion descended toward Osha under the midday sun, his wings cutting through the warm air with powerful strokes. The town came into view below—a quaint southern Fiore village nestled in rolling hills, with thatched roofs and a central square surrounded by modest shops and homes. Smoke curled from chimneys, and people milled about their daily routines. He landed in the square as he normally did with other villages.
He landed with a soft thud, his draconic traits on full display. The impact sent a ripple through the nearby crowd, and heads turned.
Gasps erupted first. A woman dropped her basket of bread, loaves tumbling across the cobblestones. "Monster!" a man shouted, backing away. Children screamed, clinging to their parents, while others froze in terror, eyes wide at the "monster" in their midst. Whispers turned to shouts—"Get the guards!" "It's a beast!"—the villagers scattering like frightened sheep, some grabbing pitchforks or whatever was at hand.
Varion froze for a second, He'd never had this kind of reaction before. In the villages he'd passed through, people had been wary at worst but normally enthusiastic and interested, but this… this was different. It made him uncomfortable, awkward, like he was some freak that they were afraid of. His cheeks burned slightly under the stares, a rare self-consciousness creeping in as he realized how "strange" he must look to them.
Quickly, he willed his traits back—wings folding into his back with a soft hum, horns receding into his scalp, scales fading beneath his skin until he looked fully human again, just a 14-year-old with crimson hair and a torn cloak.
"Wait—please, calm down," he said, raising his hands palms out, his voice steady but with an edge of unease he couldn't quite hide. "I'm not a monster. I'm a mage from Fairy Tail. I'm here to help with your request about the demon holding the kids captive."
The villagers paused, some peeking from behind doors or carts, but the fear didn't fade easily. Murmurs rippled through the crowd—"Looked like a monster…" "Those horns… unnatural…" "We don't want freaks here…" Their stares were wary, laced with suspicion, not just fear but something uglier, prejudice against anything "weird," non-human traits that didn't fit their norm. A few crossed their arms, whispering about "cursed blood" or "half-breeds," their unwelcoming glares making it clear: outsiders with strange features weren't trusted. Varion shifted uncomfortably, the awkwardness settling in his stomach like a stone—he'd never felt so… exposed, so judged for what he was.
A burly man, likely the village head, stepped forward reluctantly, his face twisted in distrust but desperation winning out. "Fine. But if you're lyin'… that thing's in the cursed forest east of here. Took two kids—a young boy and girl with white hair. Siblings, they are. Looks like a demon girl, with a strange arm. Evil magic. Free 'em, and get out."
Varion nodded, ignoring the hostility as best he could, though it left him feeling off-balance and out of place. "I'll bring them back safely."
He turned toward the forest, the villagers' stares burning into his back, racist whispers following like shadows. This town didn't welcome "weird" traits, but that didn't matter. The mission did.
Varion stepped into the forest east of Osha, the trees closing around him like old friends. To him, it felt and looked like any normal woodland, tall oaks and pines swaying in the gentle breeze, birds chirping overhead, sunlight filtering through the canopy in dappled patterns. No eerie fog, no twisted branches, no sense of malice in the air. He scratched his head, confused. "Cursed forest?" he muttered to himself. "Looks pretty ordinary to me. Maybe the villagers are exaggerating."
He widened his sensory range, letting his magic extend like invisible threads, probing for auras. Three signatures pinged back almost immediately: one very small girl, radiating innocent energy; one medium-sized boy, sturdy but young; and one older girl with a large amount of magic for her age, heavy with a demonic tinge, dark, chaotic, but not evil. It felt more like raw power unchecked, laced with pain and fear. He could already start to piece the situation together: no real demon, just a scared mage with unusual abilities, probably misunderstood by the town.
Following the signatures, he wove through the trees until a rundown house came into view, a dilapidated wooden cabin, its roof sagging, vines creeping up the walls like nature was reclaiming it. Smoke curled lazily from the chimney, and faint voices drifted from inside, children's laughter, muffled but warm.
Varion approached the door carefully, not wanting to startle anyone. He knocked gently, the sound echoing softly against the wood.
A moment passed, then the door cracked open just a sliver. A girl around his age peered out from under a hooded cloak, her white hair peeking from the shadows, her blue eyes sharp with suspicion and a hint of fear. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice low and guarded, keeping the chain latched.
Varion raised his hands slowly, palms out. "I'm Varion, from Fairy Tail. The villagers hired me to get rid of a demon that's been causing trouble."
The girl's eyes widened in panic, her grip on the door tightening. She immediately assumed the worst, he was here to kill her, to drive her out like the monster they called her. Her magic flared instinctively, a dark aura flickering around her as she started to slam the door shut. "No—get away!"
"Hold on!" Varion said quickly, stepping back but keeping his tone calm and non-threatening. "I'm not here to hurt you. I want to hear your side of the story first."
She paused, the door half-closed, breathing heavy. Her eyes searched his face, weighing his words against the fear churning inside her.
Varion held the girl's gaze steadily, his hands still raised in a non-threatening gesture. "I'm not here to hurt you," he repeated, his voice calm and even. "The villagers sent me to deal with a 'demon,' but I think there's more to it. Please, tell me your side first. I promise I'll listen."
The girl, Mirajane, though he didn't know her name yet, trembled, her blue eyes darting between his face and the path behind him, as if expecting a mob to appear any second. Her grip on the door was white-knuckled, but after a long, tense moment, she nodded shakily. "Fine… but if you're lying—"
"I'm not," Varion assured her.
She opened the door a bit wider, revealing more of herself, white hair framing a pale face, her cloak hiding most of her body. Behind her, the two younger kids, a boy about 11 with short white hair and a sturdy build, and a girl around 9 with long white hair and big eyes, peeked out, clinging to each other. They looked scared but curious, the boy stepping protectively in front of his sister.
Mira took a deep breath, her voice steadying as she spoke. "It started a few months ago. My name's Mirajane these are my siblings are Elfman and Lisanna. We're mages, or… we were trying to be. Our family magic is Take Over. It lets us absorb and control powers from other things. Lisanna does animals, Elfman does beasts. Mine… it's demons."
Varion nodded encouragingly, leaning against the doorframe to show he wasn't rushing her. "Go on."
"We were on a job at a church in a nearby village that was plagued by a demon beast. It was supposed to be a simple job, the rampaging monster was about to hurt Lisanna. I couldn't let that happen. So I… I absorbed the demon's power instead. It was instinct, I just wanted to save them. The transformation was huge; it released this massive blast that destroyed part of the area. I stopped the beast, saved my family… but now I'm stuck like this."
She paused, her eyes dropping to the floor. "The villagers saw me after—called me a demon. Said I cursed the forest, that I'm the monster now. We've been hiding here ever since. I don't know what to do… I can't control it. It's spreading, changing me more every day. If I lose it completely…"
Varion's expression softened. "You're not a monster. That's just magic out of control. I've seen things like it before, power that's too much to handle at first. We can figure this out."
Mira looked up, hope flickering in her eyes for the first time, mixed with doubt. With a shaky breath, she let her cloak fall open slightly, revealing her right arm. It was demonic—covered in dark, scaly skin with jagged claws at the fingertips, veins pulsing with unholy black energy that seemed to writhe under the surface. The transformation looked painful, incomplete, like it was fighting to spread further up her shoulder. "This… this is what it's doing to me," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I don't know how to stop it. It's like the demon's soul is still inside, trying to take over. Please… if you're really here to help, tell me what to do."
Varion studied the arm without flinching, his mind racing. It reminded him of the slayers' own transformations he had been shown by his dad. "First, we get you and your siblings out of here. Then, we work on control. Fairy Tail can help, we've got people who know about all kinds of magic."
Mira's tears finally spilled over, but she nodded, a glimmer of trust breaking through her fear.
Varion stepped forward gently, his eyes soft as he reached out and carefully pulled Mira's cloak closed over her demonic arm, hiding it from view without judgment. The gesture was protective, almost tender, and he met her gaze with a reassuring nod. "Pack your things," he said calmly, his voice warm and steady. "You can come back to Magnolia with me. I'll talk to master Makarov. He's wise about magic; if anyone knows how to fix it, he might. And you can even stay at my house until you get your feet under you. There's plenty of room, and the kids will love having you around and the other 2 around."
He smiled softly at them, his expression genuine, like he was offering not just help, but a real chance at safety and normalcy. Lisanna's eyes lit up with hope, tugging at Elfman's sleeve excitedly. "Elfman, did you hear? We can go with him!"
Elfman, the sturdy boy of about 11, stared at Varion with wide eyes, his lower lip starting to tremble. He was usually the one trying to act tough for his sisters, but the weight of their situation, the hiding, the fear, the constant running, had worn him down. Tears welled up suddenly, spilling over his cheeks as he sniffled, rubbing at his face with a sleeve. "R-Really? We… we don't have to hide anymore?" His voice cracked, turning into a full sob as he clutched Lisanna's hand. "Th-Thank you… mister…"
Lisanna patted his back soothingly. "It's okay, Elfman. He's nice, he's gonna help us!"
Mira watched the scene, her own eyes misty, but a small blush appeared as she looked at Varion. The way he handled everything, so calmly, so kindly, without a hint of fear or disgust at her arm, it made her heart flutter in a way she wasn't used to. She stared at him a little longer than she meant to, the pink on her cheeks lingering as she nodded. "We'll… we'll pack quickly. Thank you for this, you have no clue how much this means to us."
Varion's smile widened just a fraction. "No need to thank me. Let's get you out of here."
They hurried inside, grabbing what little they had—worn clothes, a few keepsakes, some dried food. Elfman sniffled the whole time, wiping his eyes between stuffing items into a bag, his crybaby nature on full display as he mumbled grateful "thank you"s under his breath. Lisanna buzzed with excitement, while Mira moved quietly, stealing glances at Varion whenever he wasn't looking.
Soon, they were ready, stepping out into the forest with Varion leading the way back to town—and toward a new beginning.