The trail had not yet run cold. The Fairy Tail mage was doing something completely untoward of a member of the guild. She was being helpful. She had been recruited by a local jail to reclaim a prisoner who had made their escape within the last couple of hours. It was not a job that Celestia would normally have taken but the prison had made the request on the fly and they wanted the prisoner brought back quietly, no interest from the press if possible.
The Moon was getting high by the time Celestia had been able to pick up the man's trail and begin her pursuit. He had gone through great lengths to be able to hide himself from those who would try to pursue him. First there was the pine forest, then the crossing of the river and even then he would drop items to be washed much further away than he had. This guy was sneaky to say the least. It was nearly dawn when the Slayer finally found the man. He was panting hard and honestly looked exhausted. A smirk almost came to his face when he saw the mage standing in front of him; "Oh come on, I thought I lost you a way back." He chuffed. Celestia took a single deep breath to regain her stamina. "You nearly did lose me when it came to the river, but thankfully my sense of smell is stronger than most." Her sharp incisors glistened slightly as she spoke.
The prisoner made no attempt to continue on his sprint but instead stood straight and offered his hands. The motion caught Celestia slightly off guard to the point she assumed he may be trying to prep for an attack. "Listen, I don't want any trouble. My home is just over the ridge there... I am willing to go back with you, no trouble. Hell, I'll even lead the way back. All I want is to be able to sit and watch my family for just a little while. The prison won't allow visitors... Please." The man's voice cracked slightly and Celestia had to swallow hard. She had a job to do but this was something that, given the chance, she wished that she was able to do. It was so long ago that her village was destroyed and even now, just to be able to sit and look upon any of their faces would be a blessing.
"Fine... Any wrong moves and you're toast." Her maeve eyes narrowed upon his own. A ripple of lightning went up her arms. The man nodded as a grateful expression crossed his face. The pair began a slow and steady approach up the hill. Once they reached to the precipice the pair looked out upon a small cottage. A woman stood in the window, washing up by seem of things. A young child came to join her and the pair laughed as the child threw bubbles upon the mother. A contemplative sigh left the man. "They are happy... I wish I could be with them..." He spoke in a gentle tone. "Sorry pal, you gotta go back. Give it time, with good behavior you'll knock that sentence down." The man chuffed as he turned and offered his hands to be bound. "Y'know, I got locked up for not paying my tax? I simply couldn't afford it so I knew this would happen, but hey, my family needed food on the table." The weight of this made Celestia's chest feel heavy. She knew the guy could well be lying and he could well be, but that didn't deduct from the fact he was just a man trying to do what was right for his family. "come on, let's get you back." The man nodded as Celestia bound the man.
By midday, the pair were back at the prison. "Oh thank you!" The warden spoke. The sound of relief was tantamount in his voice. "Did her really get put here for not paying tax?" Celestia ignored his joviality. "Uh... Well, we shouldn't speak about our prisoner's crimes but that about sums it up." Celestia clenched her fist slightly. "Don't punish him for getting out. He only wanted to see his family. You have my word he won't do it again." The warden simply chuckled. "Take your coin and leave." The bag of coins fell at Celestia's feet as the doors closed in front of her.
Total WC - 740 words
The Moon was getting high by the time Celestia had been able to pick up the man's trail and begin her pursuit. He had gone through great lengths to be able to hide himself from those who would try to pursue him. First there was the pine forest, then the crossing of the river and even then he would drop items to be washed much further away than he had. This guy was sneaky to say the least. It was nearly dawn when the Slayer finally found the man. He was panting hard and honestly looked exhausted. A smirk almost came to his face when he saw the mage standing in front of him; "Oh come on, I thought I lost you a way back." He chuffed. Celestia took a single deep breath to regain her stamina. "You nearly did lose me when it came to the river, but thankfully my sense of smell is stronger than most." Her sharp incisors glistened slightly as she spoke.
The prisoner made no attempt to continue on his sprint but instead stood straight and offered his hands. The motion caught Celestia slightly off guard to the point she assumed he may be trying to prep for an attack. "Listen, I don't want any trouble. My home is just over the ridge there... I am willing to go back with you, no trouble. Hell, I'll even lead the way back. All I want is to be able to sit and watch my family for just a little while. The prison won't allow visitors... Please." The man's voice cracked slightly and Celestia had to swallow hard. She had a job to do but this was something that, given the chance, she wished that she was able to do. It was so long ago that her village was destroyed and even now, just to be able to sit and look upon any of their faces would be a blessing.
"Fine... Any wrong moves and you're toast." Her maeve eyes narrowed upon his own. A ripple of lightning went up her arms. The man nodded as a grateful expression crossed his face. The pair began a slow and steady approach up the hill. Once they reached to the precipice the pair looked out upon a small cottage. A woman stood in the window, washing up by seem of things. A young child came to join her and the pair laughed as the child threw bubbles upon the mother. A contemplative sigh left the man. "They are happy... I wish I could be with them..." He spoke in a gentle tone. "Sorry pal, you gotta go back. Give it time, with good behavior you'll knock that sentence down." The man chuffed as he turned and offered his hands to be bound. "Y'know, I got locked up for not paying my tax? I simply couldn't afford it so I knew this would happen, but hey, my family needed food on the table." The weight of this made Celestia's chest feel heavy. She knew the guy could well be lying and he could well be, but that didn't deduct from the fact he was just a man trying to do what was right for his family. "come on, let's get you back." The man nodded as Celestia bound the man.
By midday, the pair were back at the prison. "Oh thank you!" The warden spoke. The sound of relief was tantamount in his voice. "Did her really get put here for not paying tax?" Celestia ignored his joviality. "Uh... Well, we shouldn't speak about our prisoner's crimes but that about sums it up." Celestia clenched her fist slightly. "Don't punish him for getting out. He only wanted to see his family. You have my word he won't do it again." The warden simply chuckled. "Take your coin and leave." The bag of coins fell at Celestia's feet as the doors closed in front of her.
Total WC - 740 words
