Chapter 17 ~ 17 Ways to Speak Your Truth

Rien couldn't sleep that night. Her mind was spinning. Was she making the right decision? How was she going to tell the guild? How was she going to tell Natsu? Would he even understand? Well, obviously she'd have to tell him in the morning before they went to the guild. She couldn't blindside him with the news.

The girl desperately tried to think of anything else to distract her mind. She didn't want to use her powers to look forward, not after the disaster of yesterday; and she didn't want to wake Natsu either. The poor dragon slayer was exhausted. He'd climbed into bed after her, immediately wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his head in her shoulder. Her first instinct had been to run her hands through his hair, soothing him with the reassurance of her presence. It wasn't long after that until he fell asleep.

As she reflected on everything that had led to this moment, Rien let herself think back to the first member of Fairy Tail she encountered on her way back to the guild after her years in the forest.

"Wynn, let's walk for a little bit. Once we get back to Magnolia I won't be able to stay with you all the time. At least not until after I tell the guild about you. Still, I would prefer to say hello to people in town as well, and I fear that you will be far too intimidating to the average citizen" Rien giggled as she walked beside her Wyvern. The beast whined slightly but knew that he would be happy to go wherever she wanted. She was his pack; from now on they belonged together.

"Well well, what have we here?" A voice asked. Rien cursed softly. She knew she should have scanned the area with her magic before they landed. A quick check led her to sense over 50 men surrounding them. She wouldn't be able to take on the men alone, but she may have a fighting chance if she and Wynn combined their magic together.

"A creature like that could probably sell for a pretty jewel or two. Why don't you make this easy and hand it over?"

"My personal beliefs require that I ask you to withdraw your request before I go on the offensive. I warn you now, the outcome of this fight will not be in your favor. In fact, I'll make sure of it."

"A pretty mouth like yours sure does a lot of talkin'. Let's see if your fists can follow. Attack!"

"Kinesthesia: Relative Connection" Rien recited. Immediately, both she and Wynn were surrounded by the same red glow. The girl's magic had opened their senses to one another. They could feel each other's movements as well as the poachers around them. Their minds were connected, and Rien could plan Wynn's movements just as well as her own.

The two stayed close together. Wynn held a perimeter using vines, swatting away anyone that got too close. Of those who breached the barrier, Rien was ready to melee them into submission. Unfortunately, she didn't know what kind of magic they had until they got close, so she was guessing most of the time. A few blows managed to strike her on a first or second go, but once she had enough data her magic kept her one step ahead.

Unfortunately, Rien's magic had its limitations and so did her body. Keeping a connection open between herself and Wynn while also constantly predicting new outcomes and acting accordingly was taking a toll on her magical containers. They were depleting rapidly, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out. She needed to plan a final move and quickly.

"Water Slicer"

Rien flipped out of the way just in time to avoid the torrents of water blades approaching her and the man she was fighting. As she landed beside her wyvern, she realized that the attack had never been aimed at her, and instead had taken out most of the men who'd jumped them. The girl looked up, surprised to see another mage had entered the fight. She berated herself for not having noticed her presence before. She needed to be more focused on her predictions. She was better than this.

"Water Lock"

Now those who were trying to get close to her were encased in a large sphere of water. The mage from before approached her, an apathetic look on her face. She wore a conservative blue dress with matching headwear in shades darker than her own blue hair. White and yellow accents slightly brightened the outfit.

"Juvia was heading to an escort mission when she heard fighting. She observed until she noticed the Fairy Tail mark on your neck. As you are a fellow guildmate, she has decided to step in."

"I-I see. Thank you for your assistance." Rien cursed. Why was this girl so beautiful?! It was intimidating. "W-we are very grateful. Unfortunately, o-offensive battle is not the st-strong suit of my magic. I apologize that we have not met before. I-I've been gone on a mission for a very long time. My name is R-Rien Lobelia. Member of Fairy Tail, and this is my Wyvern, Wynn. Y-you are Juvia, c-correct?"

"Yes. Tell Juvia, how do you feel about her Gray-Sama?"

"Gray Fullbuster? H-He seems nice. I c-can't say I've conversed with him before."

"Gray-sama is the nicest, most charming man in all of Fairy Tail. He is-"

"Damn it, did you forget about us?!" One man shouted. His fist was reared back, coated in a layer of a gelatinous substance. Juvia glared.

"Juvia believes it is rude to interrupt a conversation. Water Cane."

A torrent of water blasted the man back, slamming him into a nearby tree. Rien took a defensive stance, reactivating her magic.

"A-allow me to join you. It w-would be rude to expect you to d-defeat them on your own."

"Juvia can do so easily, but she will honor her guildmates wish. Let us fight together."

Rien smiled fondly. She had talked to Juvia a few times since then, though neither had mentioned the encounter. At first, Juvia had avoided her, calling her a love rival, but once she noticed how clingy Natsu was to her she trusted Rien to leave Gray alone. Although her 3rd-person speech was kind of off-putting, she thought Juvia was a sweet girl. Perhaps she would help her get to know Gray better. Well, if she even had the chance.

She still didn't know how the day's announcement would go over.

"Rei? What's wrong?" The girl startled. So lost in thought, she hadn't felt Natsu shift. Though his arms were still around her, he'd tilted his head up to examine her face.

"It's-"

"Don't say it's nothing." He warned.

"-better we talk in the morning. I think." Rien finished, her voice growing small. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet. Then again, would she ever be?

"Let's talk now." The pinkette responded. He moved to sit up against the headboard, keeping only one arm around Rien so that she was secured against his side. "You don't have to keep anything from me."

That's right. Natsu was her...mate. The word still felt foreign to her, but in a way, it didn't feel wrong either. She never skipped a beat when she thought it or spoke it aloud, it was only when she reflected on it that she began to feel uncomfortable. And Natsu had said so earlier himself; as her mate he was always going to be there for her. She didn't need her magic to predict that he wasn't going to let her go back to sleep now without saying what was on her mind. That was just how the stubborn dragon-slayer was. Beside's, she had promised herself that she would work on being open with him and accepting him as her mate, and she meant that promise. What difference did a few hours truly make?

"Actually, There is something I want to talk to you about…"

It took several hours of talking for Natsu to completely accept what she had told him. He was still visually upset by the news, but he'd promised to support her no matter what, and this was no exception.

"It's okay Rei. I'm still gonna be here. You can't get rid of me that easily." Huh? Why was he comforting her?

Oh. She was crying.

"Come here." The male sighed, pulling her into his arms. The natural warmth of his body was more soothing than anything else in the world. And he'd put just enough pressure to make her feel safe and secure without hurting her. Her heart skipped a beat. What would she do without this boy?

"Th-thank you Natsu." She sniffed.

"One day… I hope you'll come back Rei."

"I will. I promise I will."

Natsu shushed her softly. "It's okay. Try to get some sleep, yeah? It's a big day tomorrow."

"Technically today." The mage joked. Natsu chuckled.

"You're always right, aren't you?"

"Well...not always…" She trailed off, her mind pulling her back to what she'd done to Lucy. That would never be the right decision. Ever.

"Go to sleep Rei."

"I don't think I can."

"Then close your eyes and stop talking." The dragon slayer teased. He slid down, bumping his forehead softly against her own. Their breath mingled, which was oddly comforting. Rien felt herself slowly slip into unconsciousness.

The next morning went by with the brunette in a tizzy. Her heart was beating with anticipation. A large part of her was scared of what she was about to do, but there was another part of her that couldn't wait for the freedom she would feel to have this burden taken off of her shoulders. She hadn't realized until now how taxing it had been on her mind.

She made herself and Natsu eggs and toast for breakfast. It was the fastest thing she could whip up from what she had in the house. That day, she decided to wear a white off-the-shoulder long-sleeved top tucked into a red tulip skirt. She paired it with black over the knee boots. If she had to talk to the whole guild today, then she might as well dress up a little. She accessorized the look by tying her hair up into a messy bun and placing a black choker around her neck. If Natsu hadn't been there, she probably would have done a full face of makeup just to waste time, but since he was she went ahead to only put on mascara and lip gloss. Her palms were already sweaty by the time she was done, but there was no backing out. Not this time. She placed her keys in the pocket of her skirt

"Natsu, are you ready to go?" She called tentatively. She wished there was a way to fast-forward time so she could be where this was already over.

"I'm ready." The dragon-slayer stood up and turned, taking in her appearance. A small blush appeared on his cheeks. She looked beautiful. The boots and skirt made her legs appear longer than they actually were, and the shirt clung tightly to her body. Since she was completely uncovered above the breasts, he found his eyes drawn once more to the junction between her neck and shoulders which was emphasized by the choker. Realizing he was staring, he cleared his throat and turned away, holding out his hand to her. The tinkling sound of her giggle made his heart sore. He didn't care if she was laughing at him or not; he just wanted to hear her happy.

He hoped, more than anything, that the choice she was making would make her happy.

When they arrived at the guild, the place was packed. Several people called out hello's to them, and Rien even got a teasing catcall from Cana. The brunette felt guilty returning their greetings, but that only reaffirmed in her mind the reason she was making this decision.

Natsu walked her over to the stairs before she stopped them.

"Thank you, Natsu. For staying by my side. Unfortunately, I believe that I must be strong now and do this part alone." She hesitated for a moment. Why did she have to sound so informal? She'd meant to thank him for the strength he was giving her and for being by her side, and that's what he gets? For a moment, Nastu looked slightly off-put and hurt, but he shook it off quickly and replaced the look with a smile.

"Okay. I'll be right here the whole time."

The brunette bit her lip. Maybe there was another way she could express her gratitude.

Quickly, she pushed herself up onto her tip-toes (even with the heels on her boots Natsu was much taller) and pressed her lips against his cheek. It was just as warm and soft as she remembered it being last time. However, this time she refused to linger, and she dropped down just as quickly to turn and rush up the stairs and hide her blush. Right. She was also a bit drunk last time. Idiot.

Her feelings of turmoil on the matter disappeared when she reached the Master's office. Her hand went up, pausing just before she could knock on the door.

The moment of truth was now.

"Natsu, where is Rei going? I thought she'd want to talk to me first…" Lucy trailed off. She wasn't mad at Rien anymore and she was hoping they could clear the air now. Was Rien avoiding her because she was still mad?

"You'll find out soon," Natsu answered. His eyes followed Rien up the stairs and continued until she disappeared behind the door to the master's office. He wanted to respect Rien's privacy even though he could have listened in if he wanted too.

"Why not tell us now?" Erza wondered.

"She'll say it when she's back."

"Damn, what is with people keeping secrets around her suddenly." Gray groaned, throwing up his hands. "I thought we didn't do that anymore."

"It's not a secret if you'll find out in a minute ice face." Natsu gritted out. He was not going to let Gray ruin his mate's moment and he especially wasn't fond of the tone Gray was using, almost as though he were accusing Rien for the recent slew of problems.

"I'm just saying, first she won't say what she erased from Lucy's memories, now she won't even talk to us before she goes to talk to the master?"

"Gray. Enough. I have had many talks with the Master that have remained secret. You will respect Rei's privacy." Erza ordered, a dark look on her face. The ice mage backed off, though he still looked put out.

Natsu felt a gentle touch on his arm and looked over into the brown eyes of his best friend. They looked concerned.

"Natsu, are you okay?"

"Neh? Lucy, I'm fine." He smiled. Still, she could see the sadness in his eyes. His posture was stiff even though he was bent over to rest his weight on the counter. She wondered if Rien and Natsu had a fight. Then again, they'd come together holding hands and everyone had seen the brunette kiss his cheek before she fled up the stairs, so they couldn't be fighting, could they? What other explanation was there?

"You know you can tell me if you're not."

"It's complicated," Natsu explained. He turned his gaze to the opposite wall, but Lucy felt that he was seeing father than that. "I've never cared for someone the way I'm starting to care for Rien. It makes sense, she's my mate. But I never realized how difficult it would… I know what I want her to do, but that isn't what she wants to do. And if I got my way, she wouldn't be happy. So I have to learn how to be happy this way because I don't want to lose her. Man, that doesn't even make sense." He chuckled at the end. Lucy's eyes softened.

"It does. I just don't understand what you're disagreeing on."

"Have you had a miscommunication?" Erza pondered. Natsu shook his head.

"Nah. She was pretty clear about it."

"Well, did she take into consideration what you want?" Gray asked seriously. Natsu would forever be his rival, and yet another part of him knew he was also his friend. Besides, it was no fun arguing with him if he wouldn't reciprocate.

"She did. Man, I'm making it seem worse than it actually is. I sound like a girl~" Natsu whined. Lucy growled.

"And what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Uhh, well, you know-"

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"

Fairy Tail quieted quickly at the booming sound of their master's voice. There was a large amount of tension coming from the older man who stood atop the balcony, Rien by his side. Despite the distance, it was easy to see that the wizard saint had tears in the corners of his eyes. He gestured to Rien and sat, signaling that the guild should give her all of their attention.

Rien stood tall. The timidness that she usually carried herself with was gone, replaced by confidence. This was it. She drew on the words the master had told her for courage.

"If this is the decision you wish to make, then go and proclaim it boldly to Fairy Tail. That way, your family will know not to worry so much."

"Hello everyone. Thank you for the patience you have graced me with. A few weeks ago, I asked you all to give me six weeks to make a decision as to whether or not I wanted to stay in the guild. Though it comes a bit before schedule, I must admit to you all that my decision is made. There is no reason to withhold it now for I know it will not change. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I tell you today I am leaving Fairy Tail."

For a moment, no one spoke. Rien watched, gut-twisting as she saw the heartbroken looks on the guild's faces. She looked to Levy first, whose hands had come up to cover her mouth. Then there was Erza, whose fists were clenched in her lap. Lucy had turned to Natsu to see if it was true, and a nod was all the confirmation she needed. She noticed that Loke had also appeared by the door, giving her a thumbs up. He'd come to support her. It warmed her heart, knowing he had forgiven her. All she could hear was the blood pumping in her ears. She said it. She'd really said it.

"QUIET!" Makarov order. The brunette hadn't even noticed the uproar the guild was making she was so lost in her observations. She nodded to Makarov and began to speak again, ready to defend her reasoning.

"That fateful day I returned from my greatest mission, I incriminated all of you for not being a family to me. However, I realize now that I omitted my own faults. One cannot expect to make friends if they only study them from afar. While I did my best to be kind and make gestures of goodwill, I also hid and did not take credit for my deeds. I then proceeded to accuse you for not noticing, when the blame should have been mine. And yet as I say this, I know that those faults have not gone away. I still struggle to hold one-on-one conversations, nor do I have an exceptional understanding of what it means to be a friend. I accepted a quest that took several years to complete in order to earn your love when I could have done the same by simply saying hello or asking to join you for a meal. I tried to exploit Wynn, my greatest friend, in order to earn favor in your eyes. And when I harmed Lucy for a reason I cannot yet say, I tried to hide my misdeed because I was scared of losing everything I've been working so hard to build. None of this is healthy. If I want to build lasting relationships, I first need to take time to work on myself."

She paused, letting the information sink in. She wanted to make sure that they all understood; it wasn't their fault she was leaving. It was hers. They had done more than enough to make her feel welcome now; it was by her own violation that relationships were not blooming. Before she could accept their friendship, she needed to become someone who could truly reciprocate it.

"That being said, I could not promise to improve my friendships if I were not planning to stay in Magnolia. So know that I will remain here. While I will not be a member of the Fairy Tail guild, I would be incredibly grateful if you would allow me to continue to visit you all."

"Of course you can!" Cana shouted, raising her beer in the air. "You'll always be family."

"Hear hear!" Macao cried, raising his own drink.

"HEAR HEAR!" The guild cheered. Those who had drinks raised them in a toast, and those who didn't threw up their fists instead. Rien smiled as tears of happiness streamed down her face. She was so incredibly grateful to the Fairy Tail guild. They truly were a family, and she hoped that one day she could, in full truth, say they were her family too.

"And when you are ready child, we will welcome you back with open arms," Makarov spoke loudly for the guild. They all cheered in agreement. Though Rien was leaving, it was only temporary.

"The next time I receive the guild mark, it will be because I am ready to walk amongst you all as an equal." Rien finished. "Thank you for listening."

"Rien you silly girl, you can't leave without a Fairy Tail goodbye." This time it was Mira who spoke, having climbed the stairs to be next to the girl she considered a younger sister while everyone was cheering for her.

"That's right. While unplanned, we will be holding the Farewell ceremony here and now. I ask everyone to please make their way outside. We will join you shortly."

It took five minutes to clear out the guild. Only team Natsu, Makarov, and Rien remained. The brunette stood before the first group of friends she had made with a sad smile on her face.

"This is not goodbye," Lucy said fiercely. "You have to come over for dinner at least once a week. And visit Fairy Tail once a week too."

"Weekends would be great. You did promise to help with paperwork." The master coughed. Rien shook her head.

"Weekends will be perfect. I think Laxus would hunt me down himself if I didn't show up."

"Rei, I need to apologize," Gray said awkwardly. "After what happened yesterday, I was starting to doubt your intentions."

"Don't be sorry Gray. You were right to." Rien smiled. "And I'd like to think we're friends, so it's okay. I forgive you."

"Oi, of course, we're friends! C'mere-" The brunette squealed when Gray locked her in a nuggie and gently messed with her hair. Her eyes flashed red, and not even a second later she had escaped the lock in favor of wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

"Thanks, Gray."

"Rei~ Where's my hug?" Natsu pouted, though there was definite possessiveness in the way he pulled her out of Gray's arms. "You'll get a cold if you hug that twiggy icicle too long anyway."

"What'd you call me, flame pixie?"

"This is not the time for arguing," Erza said darkly. "Come, we must join our guildmates for the ceremony." She grabbed the two boys by their scruffs and proceeded to drag them out of the hall, ignoring their protests. Rien looked at Lucy and smiled.

"See you on the other side?"

"Absolutely. And we're going out tonight, to celebrate new beginnings. I'll even pay for you."

"Now that you mention it, I'll have to find another source of income." Rien hummed. "Perhaps I would be good at making pizza?"

"Rei, you'll be good at whatever you do." Lucy giggled. She grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "You're sure this is what you want?"

"I am. Thank you, Lucy, for being my first new friend in Fairy Tail."

The two girls hugged, and Lucy whispered good luck before she headed outside as well. Makarov scratched his beard, pretending he wasn't sniffling as he spoke.

"Here is how the ceremony will go. We'll walk outside together and precess past all of the members. Erza will be waiting for us at the end in her farewell armor. Then I will ask you to agree to the three rules for leaving Fairy Tail. Once you've consented, I'll remove your mark and everyone will launch magic into the air as our farewell to you. Understood?

"Yep. I think I know exactly how it will go." The girl teased, tapping her head. After all, predictions were her specialty.

Before the entire guild, Rien stood with Makarov. Erza was behind them, holding up a large Fairy Tail banner in her commemorative armor.

"Rien Lobelia, do you agree that you will never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others for as long as you live?"

"I do."

"And do you agree that you will never use former contacts met through your being in the guild for personal gain?"

"I do."

"And do you promise that though our paths may have diverged, you will continue to live out your life with all your might; that you will never consider your own life to be something insignificant; and that you will never forget about your friends who love you?"

"I promise."

"Then it is time."

Rien crouched and turned. The bun she'd worn kept all her hair out of the way so that her mark was fully exposed. Of course, that had been her intention in the first place. The master placed to fingers on her skin and mumbled the spell under his breath.

It was gone.

Rien felt it the moment the mark was removed from her skin. It was even more liberating than she'd hoped. No longer would she feel like she didn't live up to the virtues it was supposed to represent, nor would she question if people were more attracted to her mark than her person. From now on, she was just Rien Lobelia.

Well, Rei to her friends.

The sight that followed was one Rien would never forget. Every mage blasted their own magic into the sky which combined together in a beautiful array of colors and styles. There were no words to describe it, not that she would try. No words would ever truly convey this moment. This was her new beginning. From now on, she would give everything she had into becoming someone who was truly worthy of accepting the Fairy Tail mark. The next time she received it, it would be to solidify her place in their family.

The future looked bright.

"Sir, we've just gotten word. The Lobelia girl has left Fairy Tail. Should we reach out and request her assistance?"

"Not yet. With magic like hers, she would know that it was more than a mere coincidence. We have to wait."

"But sir-"

"It is better to work late than never at all. For now, we wait."

A/N: Booiiii I got this out so soon! I'm really glad because this story is going to be entering its second phase.

So yeah… Rien left Fairy Tail. I think her explanation was good enough that I don't need to elaborate. Don't worry though, she's far from done with Fairy Tail and she isn't leaving Magnolia. Besides, a certain Dragon-slayer still needs to warm her bed at night…

I have to take a little time now to regroup and figure out the next direction. I have two big plot points I want to include in addition to the smaller ones but I don't know which order to include them in. Or maybe I do, Idk.

As always, please leave a review. I'd love to hear what you all think about Rien leaving Fairy Tail. Is this what you were expecting to happen? Do you think it was the right choice?

Until next time!