CONTROL - Ver. 2

II

"Sabertooth?" Natsu Dragneel voiced his confusion.

"Sabertooth, as in the tigers with the saber-like canine teeth," Romeo explained. Rin stood uncomfortable at the bar, sipping on her keg of beer as she listened to them speak about her least favorite guild in all of the continent. "They've surpassed Pegasus and Lamia and are currently the strongest wizards' guild in Fiore."

"Never heard of 'em."

"Because they didn't really exist back then," Rin cut in. She could feel her irritation rising in her throat just thinking about them. "They're incredibly overconfident and have all of Fiore in the palm of their hands."

"Then they've suddenly risen to prominence these past seven years, huh?" Gray asked.

"What did it was changing their guild master and the induction of five extremely powerful wizards into their ranks―"

"Why does it matter?" She cut in again. "They're strong. But now we are too." She sighed and tipped the rest of her liquor down the back of her throat.

"Why do you sound so eager?" Lucy asked. As much as Rin loved her, she couldn't help but scowl at the blonde. So many intrusive thoughts ran through her head. Fairy Tail's repeated humiliation, the Twin Dragons, their Guild Master... She wanted to vomit just thinking about them.

"It's none of your concern. All that matters is that we reclaim our number one title."

"Incidentally, how is our guild ranked?" the innocent Wendy asked. That was the final straw. Rin stood from her seat and readjusted the cape around her shoulders. She hated this time of the year. All anyone ever talked about were the Grand Magic Games and the ever-amazing Sabertooth. She couldn't stand even the thought of them. They were all absolutely unbearable and even smelling them made her sick to her stomach. Yet, she couldn't escape them. She knew deep down that no matter how far she ran from them, they would always reside in her mind.

"Rin! Wait for me!" Leese flew quickly behind the mage as they trekked home.

"I fucking hate Sabertooth," the brunette grumbled.

"I know."

竜

While a majority of the guild went off on a retreat to prepare themselves for the Grand Magic Games, Rin continued busying herself with work assigned to her by the Council. While none of Fairy Tail knew exactly what her connection to them was, they knew that she worked closely beside them and did as she was told.

"You've been more on edge lately." The serene, yet booming voice startled her out of her lunch and brought her attention to the glimmering bald head and long beard that was Jura Neekis, the sixth strongest of the Ten Wizard Saints. "While your character is always a bit bland, you've been pushing incandescent." Rin huffed, indulging in her sandwich once more. She gave a false laugh, humouring the monk a bit.

"You know I always get pissy this time of year," she joked.

"And does that have to do with your Dragon Slaying magic?" She halted, her mouth inches from her sandwich but paused. Why was he making it sound like some kind of seasonal thing, like menstruation? She glared at him slightly. "Or is it a certain someone?" Suddenly, she lost all appetite, tossing her sandwich away and crossing her arms with a pout. "Struck a nerve, have I?"

"You know I don't like talking about it," she warned. He chuckled, smiling down at her smaller form.

"I know," he mused, "but you and I both know that you'll have to come to terms with it eventually."

She side-eyed him. This fucker knew too much and it was her fault for constantly confiding in him over the years. For someone who praises peace and serenity and crushed mountains with his hands, he acted like a teenager.

"Sure," she drawled. "Maybe in a hundred years." Her eyes widened, playing into his charade. "I know! Why don't I go down to Sabertooth right now and pay him a visit?"

"That's a good idea!" His teasing only made her huff. As much as she loved being a Dragon Slayer, she couldn't stand this curse she was dealt at birth.

"It's bullshit," she muttered.

"It's really not that bad. Don't fight what you can't control."

竜

Three months flew by in a blur. Rin had constantly stacked on the jobs from the Council in order to occupy her mind from the impending doom that was the Grand Magic Games. Said event was quickly approaching, by the way. She was anxious. As much as she wanted to participate and personally kicked some Sabertooth ass, she couldn't be bothered with being selected for Fairy Tail's team when everyone from Tenrou had returned. Plus, she had never wanted to participate before, so what fair was it to join in now?

After destroying yet another dark guild under the Council's jurisdiction, Rin and Leese began their trip home from a distant city in Fiore. The Exceed could sense how uncomfortable her partner was being in the area that they were. A certain guild was just a few blocks away from the path they walked on and Rin decided she had to go incognito while passing through. She didn't want to risk drawing attention to herself.

"Man, I'm starving!" A rowdy blonde skipped through the town in the opposite direction of Rin with his brooding partner trailing behind him. Her heart skipped a beat, panic rising in her throat like vomit. She tightened her cloak around her and threw up the hood, concealing her identity from the approaching mages.

Just my luck. She cursed her existence and every god that played a role in her fate. "Hurry up, Rogue! Yukino said she'd have dinner waiting for us when we got home!"

"Shut up," groaned the moody teenager. Rin kept her head down, hoping they would pass by without picking up on her presence, but luck never worked in her favor. She could hear the blonde's nose running laps as it tried to identify her scent. It was familiar, delicious, intoxicating even. So much so that he forgot about dinner and stopped walking, his eyes following the cloaked figure that attempted to speed past them.

"Hey, you!" Rin tensed up but kept moving. Until his hand stopped her with a grip on her wrist. He spun her around, trying to peek under the hood that obscured her face from his sight. "Don't you know it's rude to ignore people?"

"Don't you know it's rude to touch people without their permission?" She was quick to fire back, her irritation bubbling over the cauldron that was her body.

"Then grant it," he flirted. She ripped her limb away from him in disgust, attempting to step away without further interaction. Then, Rogue's nose followed suit and began sizing her up.

"You... You're his―"

"Do you two know no manners?" The three―Rin, Sting, and Rogue―were all startled at Leese's abrupt shouting. "Show some respect for Council Members!"

Sting's sapphire eyes trailed back and forth between the mage and her Exceed. Sure, she was clearly a Council member, but who did they think they were talking to? He was Sting of Sabertooth!

"Does your cat always speak for you?" With each step he took, the woman felt more on edge. He was getting too close, but she couldn't risk causing a scene. "Can I at least get your name?"

"No," she refused quickly. "If you'll excuse us, we have to leave now." The male finally allowed her to retreat, admiring her from afar.

"Feisty," he snickered. "No worries. We'll get to know each other soon." His flirtatious nature was enough to make her roll her eyes. How obnoxious.