Fairy Tail, and the animes referred in this story do not belong to us.

Chords of Fate

A place to go

Lana didn't feel well at all.

It had been a few hours since what happened in what was now his old house. The four left the place, they were almost arriving at the outskirts of the woods. Lana was partly happy for this, after so many years wanting to know the world, her dream would finally come true.

Now she could have many more aspirations, like getting more friends, going out and having fun with them, experiencing whatever was out there, discovering the world! But the most important thing was that she would finally rediscover herself, know who "Lana" really was.

Speaking of friends, she had already made two, or she wanted to believe that after what those two had done for her hours ago.

Joanna was kind with her. Most of the time they had been walking the woman was trying to comfort her, and although Lana said it really wasn't necessary, she liked it, it made her feel a fussy feeling inside. Little by little, Joanna and Lana, when they spoke, knew each other better, and the blue-haired girl could see that the shell of rudeness and fierceness of the black-haired woman housed inside her no more than goodness, nobility and compassion. Although she could also assure Joanna would never admit that.

However, Dio was a completely different case. He was a whirlwind. The blond could be everything in Lana's eyes, his attitude was unpredictable. Lana could tell he was proud, very very proud, and self-centered. Sometimes when she and Joanna talked, she could see that from time to time the man stole a look at the brunette without her noticing, that caught the young woman's attention. Joanna had already told her to be very careful around her, that he was not to be trusted, but something deep inside her told her that something was wrong with him, that inside, deep inside the blond, maybe he only occupied someone who understood him.

That's why she wanted to unmask the mystery that Dio was.

But what about her? Even if she was happy for what was happening, she couldn't stop thinking that her father had lied on her a whole lifetime... that he had used these "stories" to excite and entertain her when they were rather the story of her father's life, and that even thus, he refused to tell her the reason why he had done it and held her captive for so long.

All off this made her eyes watery; she didn't want to think about it anymore, but she couldn't help it, she felt betrayed by the only family she had and that hurt her, more than anything had ever done. Lana knew that this feeling wouldn't last forever, after all Ban was her father, and she loved him above all, the think was that she really would need time to forgive him.

Joanna, seeing how Lana once again mired in her thoughts, and once again beginning to cry without even realizing it; decided that it was time to intervene, again. She had been comforting her the hole trip. It wasn't like it bothered her to do it, only that she was already a little tired from the fatigue of everything that had happened. Joanna really needed her beauty nap, NOW.

"Thinking again about your father, aren't you?" Joanna asked the girl walking next to her.

That brought the blue-haired girl out of her thoughts. "Yes." she smiled sadly. "It's hard not to do it."

"I told you, time heals all wounds, some last longer to close than others, and sometimes even take help of others to finish doing so. But don't worry, I'll be here for you." Smiled the brunet, comforting the girl again.

Lana could not help feeling good with those words, made her remember that she was no longer alone, that everything was no longer just her father and her. That made her smile, and cry. Of course, She wasn't crying because she was sad, rather she did it because of how happy she felt.

"That smile suits you better." Joanna said, tapping Lana's shoulder gently and making her stagger. That made both laugh.

While the two girls were having fun talking now, Dio watched them from behind the group. It was still weird what was happening. Honestly, he didn't give a damn what the pair of girls were talking about. The only reason he was with those people was because he needed more power, he told himself that repeatedly. Power, power could with everything and if the price to pay to get it was to be with that woman and the girl, he would pay it. After all the key to this new power was right in front of the group, Ban.

His plan was simple, he was going to keep up with these people and make Ban train him. Thus, probably his powers would reach a level he could never imagine and once he succeeded, he would take care of the woman and the fox.

Is that really what you want Dio?

Exalted, suddenly Dio heard a voice, a voice that he had not heard for a long time. The voice of the person in charge of frustrating his search of power from the beginning. The voice of his brother, Jonathan.

"Jonathan, where are you! Show yourself, it's impossible that it's you!" However, he had no answer. Dio now was even more confused, if his mother's words were not enough to make him think a lot, now suddenly he heard Jonathan voice telling him things? Was he going crazy?

Bullshit.

"We will rest here until tomorrow morning." At least Ban had decided to stop the group, maybe a little bit of rest was what he needed to refocus his mind. Dio didn't have time for little things ,but right there he remembered something very important that he hadn't taken in until just now.

If he came out into the sun it was the end, again.

"It's not that I want to ruin your plans." The blond said making the group turn their eyes in his direction. "But I am very sure that if I expose myself to the sun I will die and believe me that it is not a sensation I want to feel again."

"Again?" Lana asked confused and curious, turning her gaze to Joanna.

"Long story." Joanna said seriously. "And as much as I hate to admit it, Dio is right. By the time he is exposed to the sun there will be nothing left but his ashes. Any plans Ban?"

Ban nodded. "Yes, that he stops being a puss."

Well, nobody expected that. If Dio's surprised face on his own was already funny, Joanna's laughter along with Lana's scolding towards her father made that of an entertaining situation if someone was watching them.

Maybe he had heard wrong, it was what the blond thought. Maybe Joanna was laughing at something else...

Was he really going crazy? Was he really listening things?

"Wait, what?" Dio asked, still ignoring Joanna's cheeky laughter. Yes, he had heard wrong. "I think I heard wrong."

"I said that you could stop being a puss and just go out into the sun light. Nothing will happen." Dio was exempt from what he heard. Slowly he could feel the blood starting to rise to his head, but he still couldn't believe it, he didn't want to believe it. It was not possible for someone to be that stupid.

"Well, before jumping to deliberate conclusions, I think it's time for me, Dio, to review what you are implying point by point." Ban was paying attention now.

"Are you telling a vampire to expose himself to the sun light?" Said the blond, emphasizing the words sun and vampire.

"Basically, yes." Ban replied.

"You're telling a vampire... a VAMPIRE, to expose to the sun?" Dio did not know if he was laughing now because of grief or some kind of involuntary reaction, but when he saw Ban nodded again, he was convinced that what was said was serious. "That's it, I'm leaving."

Ignoring Lana's calls and Joanna's scolding, He turned and walked away from the group, to hell what he had said about putting up with these people. he simply couldn't believe that this idiot of a man was that strong. Maybe he was able to train him and give him more power, but he was definitely going to look for some different way to achieve his goal that didn't include the company of an idiot and his daughter, and the unbearable woman.

"Hey! Do you think you can ignore me like that, I'm talking to you!?" Dio didn't realize Joanna was following him until he heard her by his side. The woman was hysterical, it was obvious that she had been screaming for a while, but the blond was too irritated to take Importance to it.

"I am doing that, and I will continue to do that until I please, now stop following me or I will destroy your skull." He responded without taking notice of her.

"You... YOU!... You are unbearable!" Joanna had had enough of him and exploded in rage. She though giving the blonde what he deserved, but Dio was not worth the effort. He decided not to talk to the blond the rest of the day.

They were being followed at a safe distance by Lana and Ban. The first was because before Joanna went after Dio, she told her to stay at a safe distance. Ban only did it because he felt like it.

"Well, I think I tried his temper enough...Jeez, his temper is short, and he can also be serene, bad combination…" Ban thought as he kept his gaze fixed on Dio.

Next act, in the blink of an eye, Ban appeared right in front of the blond. Both Dio and Joanna were surprised by the sudden appearance of the light-blue haired man, but what had really surprised both, and especially Joanna, was the arm through Dio's chest.

Joanna didn't know whether to scream, run or just do something. At one point she was angry with Dio and suddenly she felt... Strange. Seeing Ban's arm through the blond's chest was disturbing for her. It was simply contradictory, because she wanted to beat up the blond personally, so she coludnt explained why she felt strange if she still knew that a wound like that was equal to a paper cut for the blond.

Meanwhile Dio could not understand what had happened. He couldn't saw a thing, when he knew he was feeling pain on the chest and seeing the serious, but at the same time mocking, Ban's face in front of him. He tried to get his Stand out, or use his powers to defend himself, but he simply couldn't. He felt so at the mercy of the sin...

"Gift." That single word rumbled through the silence of the night. Beams of light shone from Dio's body, mowing a very worried Lana and the still stunned Joanna. Then, as the light subsided, silence enveloped the place again. Ban's arm was no longer in the blond's chest. Dio had his eyes lost in the sky, while he could see how his body trembled and his strength gradually left his body.

"What... did you do to me..." Dio asked with little breath. The silence was then interrupted by Dio's hard fall to the ground. He had fainted.

Joanna, instinctively or who knows why, ran to Dio's side and knelt beside him. She checked his entire body, but still there was no trace of any kind of injury.

However, something caught her attention.

When she met the vampire for the first time, she remembered that his skin was extremely cold to the touch and very pale; just like touching and seeing a corpse, but now, it was warm and colored, like that of any normal person. He looked at his teeth, his fangs continued as usual. His lips however had taken more color and the scar on his neck was now more noticeable. Joanna's thoughts went a thousand miles per hour, and every single one of then made her jump to the same conclusion.

He is no longer a vampire...

"What did you do to him?" Joanna asked worried. Ban only looked at his sideway as he walked back to his daughter's side, who watched the whole situation with curiosity and concern. "It can be said that I have taken away what makes him a vampire, but I have left the advantages of being one. So, you could say I had made some configurations on him, advantages of being able to manipulate life force as you please." Ban finished with a smirk.

"And what does that mean?" Joanna asked again, this time intrigued.

"Will he be ok…?" Lana added as she slowly approached the place where Dio and her friend were.

"Yes, he will; and It means that I have given him enough life force to keep him from worrying again about things like burning to ashes in the sun and needing blood to survive. He is practically now a human with vampire qualities. By doing so I had taken away his immortality, however, his longevity will remain being long, nor do I know how slow he will grow old, but he will do it slowly. " Ban was taking his luggage off his back while explaining what he had done. The two women looked at him with curiosity and the same question was in their minds.

How strong is Ban/Dad?

"Since the blondie tantrum made us leave the clearing in which we would camp, we will do it here, we are near of exiting the woods." Ban said, again sitting down and getting ready to light a fire.

The group settled in place after a few minutes. When the girls were able to return to each other minds after what they had seen, the two attended the blond by accommodating him near the fire and putting a blanket over him. After that, with Dio out of play, the rest of the group were sitting around the fire. An awkward silence for Lana, but normal for the other two, surrounded the place. The girl still didn't feel good about her father, but she knew that sooner or later she would have to speak to him again and decided that this was the right time. Everything to stop feeling so uncomfortable...

"So, what will we do now?" Lana asked seeing the fire again, avoiding her father's gaze and drawing Joanna's attention.

"Near the woods there's a city. In it there is a place where we will find a job to live on while fulfilling my goal." Said Ban while stoking the fire. Joanna looked at him for a while with curiosity, so far, they had walked with him only aim to leave the forest. That was where he began to think and realized something. What did she want to do? Okay, she wanted to accompany Lana and prevent Dio from doing his own things on this world, but other than that, what did she really want to do? Now she had powers, training with them was an option, but apparently Ban already had something in mind for them in that aspect. Maybe there was a martial art organization she could enter? She decided to ask Ban first. "And what is your goal? What do you intend to do with us?"

"Jotaro!" Suddenly Dio rose screaming and then fell back to sleep.

"Ok... what just happened?" Lana was not the only poor one who didn't understand, or perhaps it was just that nobody expected Dio to speak asleep... the point was that he diverted them from the topic of conversation.

"Ok... back to the point..." Ban said trying to suppress a laugh. "I plan to train you, you have great potential and I will be the one who turns you into what you owe, then we will simply wait for what fate holds."

"Good for me then." Joanna answered selflessly and lying on a log. Lana was surprised that the raven will accept her father's words so easily. That he was just going to assume what he wanted? Wasn't he going to object to anything? I didn't think it was that simple everything… more when the idea I had of her was contrary to someone who let herself be sent so easily.

After that, silence covered the place. Joanna decided it was a good time to sleep and relax before starting the day. There were a few hours until dawn, and she didn't know how early Ban was going to wake them up.

And so, time went on, Dio was still knocked out, muttering odd things time to time, and Joanna slept peacefully with her hands clasped on her chest lying on a log. The only one who seemed unable to sleep was Lana...

With his father sleeping a few meters away from her, he couldn't help looking at him and continuing to think about what happened, and if she was honest with herself, she didn't know how to feel about it yet. Her life had suddenly changed after all. She had recently discovered her powers, but Lana still didn't know what they could do, and now his father was supposed to train those powers with her. In addition to that, she felt anxious, anxious for whatever the future held. This fear, call it anxiety, wasn't because she always wanted to experience what was outside the woods, but because she was afraid it didn't go as she expected.

"Lana, I know you have something." Ban's voice was soft and pleasant in contrast to the silence the girl was in. Lana hadn't noticed that while she was immersed in her thoughts her father had sat right next to her. The Ban who looked at Lana at that moment was completely different from the last hours version of himself, it was the Ban that Lana had known all her life, the one she called a father. The blue haired knew it with total certainty thanks to the look he gave her, that look full of tenderness and affection that, coupled with his soft smile, used to fill the heart of the girl with warmth.

"You know that I am your father and you can tell me anything." Ban said as he continued looking at her.

Lana smiled at him softly, feeling satisfied with her company for the first time since they left the cabin. "I… I'm only afraid of the future dad."

The girl's voice trembled with fear, Ban could tell that. He attracted his daughter to his arms, giving her a hug and rubbing her head. Lana felt tense at first, but then she relaxed and let her father comfort her. Maybe it was what she occupied after all, that someone comfort her.

"It's all my fault." Ban said. Causing an impact on Lana.

Lana wanted to try to see her father again, but the position they were in didn't allow it. "All this time I had you under the shadow of what I was, hiding from the world and filling your head with false illusions. Did it hurt? That the only person you knew and trusted have lied to you all your life? That that person was your only family? And now thanks to that you don't even know what to expect from the world, I'm right, right? "

At that moment, Lana realized two things. First, that the body sometimes reacts only in ways that you cannot control and second, that words could hurt more than any action. She couldn't control herself for more than her head told her not to cry. She couldn't help hugging her father tightly and burying her head in the middle of his chest no matter how much she wanted to get away from him. She couldn't help accepting the fact that his father was not blind to what she felt...

"Why?" Among sobs, Lana managed to ask.

Her father never stopped hugging her and caressing her head. He smiled sadly as he saw the state of his daughter. Images of his past experiences flew in front of his eyes, he remembered the reason why he had hurt his daughter so much and wondered if it was really worth it.

"Losing your mother was touch for me… You were barely one year old and seeing you… when I saw you, I didn't want you to get involved with who I am, and what I had been entrusted with. I wanted you to have a normal life, out of any danger, so I excluded ourselves in these woods, ignoring who we are."

Lana remained silent in her father's embrace. Little by little, her cries ceased, and Ban continued to comfort her. "Shhh... Everything will be fine, Dad is here... I regret with all my being what I did, and I promise never to deceive you again."

Lana's teary eyes now looked at her father. The young woman felt great astonishment when she finally looked at this one. Tears ran down his cheeks like rivers as he continued to hold her placid gaze and smile. Lana felt one thing, relief. Relief that her father really understood her, she felt that there was no need to be uncomfortable around him anymore. The tears that Ban shed were those of a truly regretful father, Lana saw no reason to not accept his apologies.

"Dad?" Said the young woman snuggling deeper into her father's chest as she began to sketch a tender and warm smile.

"Yes?" Ban replied hugging his daughter tightly but delicately.

"Thank you… I love you." With that, the fatigue caused by the day made Lana fall asleep in her father's arms, not letting her see the smile of relief in Ban.

"Me too… you are my everything Lana."

Dio was having a wonderful dream. He was breaking Jotaro's face while he cried sadly when he saw his dead friends. The best thing was that in that dream he was accompanied, accompanied by a beautiful black-haired woman who supported him in his ways of acting.

However, every dream came to an end, regardless of the moment or whether you want it or not.

Dio could feel warmth on his face. If he was sincere, in what he had been living he had never felt so relieved and full rested. He refused to open his eyes and get up from where he was for the mere fact that in a long time, he didn't feel so good. It was as if he was brimming with energy, vital force and warmth, mostly warmth. Feeling warm was something he had forgotten long ago, since he had become a vampire to be exact.

First, he opened one eye. The sun's rays dazzled him to such an extent that they made him wake up completely. Dio brought his forearm to his eyes to protect himself from sunlight while with the other hand he helped himself to his feet. Once standing, Dio realized what was happening...

"What the hell?! The sun!" The blond looked incredulous and amazed to his hands. They weren't burning or crumbling to ashes. The first moments, Dio felt terror, fear of not understanding what was happening, he could feel that his powers remained the same, everything remained the same, but still something had changed.

His bloodlust was gone. He didn't feel the need for even a small drop.

But he was starving...

Dio didn't remember the last time he had been so hungry. At that moment, Dio could eat anything in order to have something in his stomach!

"I'm starving..." He muttered. Why had this happened? Did it have to do with what had happened last night with Ban? Probably, but what really worried him was his immortality. Did his regenerative powers remain the same? Was he still immortal? There was only one way to know.

Undoubtedly, the blond with one of his sharp nails pressed under his wrist until he made a rather deep incision and then violently pulled out, leaving an unpleasant cut on his arm. Not knowing that he was holding his breath, he let out a sigh at seeing that his wound healed, and even better, made it faster than normal.

"Wonderful." He said while smiling pleased with the result.

While he still didn't know what had happened to his immortality, he already knew with certainty that his regeneration not only remained the same, it had improved. He later took the time to stretch and contemplate the sun, the morning breeze and the feeling of warmth on his skin. It had been so long that he had already forgotten how it felt.

"I think there are small pleasures that until you lose them you realize that you missed them." He reasoned while with his eyes closed and looking at the sky he enjoyed the morning, outlining a legitimate, although very slight smile.

"Who would say it, the great and malevolent Dio can enjoy the small pleasures of life."

...ugh...

Dio's pleasure quickly vanished when he listened to Joanna. He already felt the woman was going to start to irritate him, with his mocking smiles and his way of making him angry; however, when he looked at her, she was simply whit her arms folded, smiling as she watched him. Maybe that made Dio not respond sharply.

"How long have you been standing there woman?" The blond asked, turning his gaze back to the horizon.

"Mmmm, I think from about five minutes before you woke up... Yep, since then." Joanna answered.

To be honest, at that time Joanna didn't want to bother the man, just wanted to enjoy a good morning, she didn't need the diva complaining about everything since now. So she just wanted to talk, in peace, without fights or anything like that. "It's good morning, isn't it?"

"It could be better if you weren't bothering." The blond answered dryly, making Joanna's laughter disappear and annoying her a little.

"Ugh, and here I here I was thinking that I could have a normal conversation with you... What is your problem? You should be grateful that we are with you and not trying to kill you, I know what you are capable of. Ban could easily exterminate your existing, and if I would liketo, even I could with a little more effort." Joanna sighed, staring at Dio with her arms crossed, with a sharp and unfriendly look.

"What are you implying..." The blond replied in a dangerous tone.

"What I am telling you is that you should have another attitude! You are in a completely different place from your world. Here nobody wants you dead or nobody has hurt you-." The woman was abruptly interrupted by Dio's hand. The blond had quickly cornered Joanna against the tree she was leaning against, supporting one of his arms right next to the brunette face, trapping her between the tree and his body. Joanna didn't know what the motive was, but his way of reacting had taken her off guard. It seemed as if she was trapped in a typical romantic drama scene, with the man cornering the woman against a wall. That made her blush, she had never experienced anything similar…

However, looking at Dio's eyes, apart from seeing anger in them, she observed... Pain. Something she had mentioned that caused him pain? she didn't know what to answer, Joanna just felt the incredible need to...

"I'm sorry ..."…Apologies.

The blond just growled and walked away, freeing Joanna. The young woman let out a sigh she didn't know she was holding on and quickly composed herself. She just watched the blond. He turned his back at her and dared not to look at her. So it was for a while, until Dio spoke.

"I don't want your pity. I have my reasons woman, to be as I am. Don't try, or dare, to say that you know my motives, nobody except one friend of mine has ever been interested in them, and because you think you know them, it doesn't mean that you are right." A sepulchral silence fell between the two. You could only hear the creak of the leaves of the trees against the wind, accompanied by the singing of the morning birds. "And get that thought out of your head that because in your world I am part of a simple show to entertain masses you know everything that has happened to me. You know nothing, so stop with that useless crap. "

"GOOD MOORNING!" The tension in the air was quickly dispersed by Lana, who, accompanied by her father, had reached the place where the youth were. The girl radiated happiness, something had happened Joanna observed, because this was completely another person compared to yesterday's version of light-blue haired girl.

Dio just walked away from Joanna and headed to another place. He passed by Ban and his daughter and leaned back next to a tree just behind them. Picking Ban's curiosity.

"Did we miss something?" The fox asked. Joanna just approached where they were and hugged Lana tightly and with love. "I see you woke up much better than yesterday! I guess all is better with your dad."

"Oi, don't ignore me." Ban Deadpanned. He didn't know that Joanna wasn't just ignoring him. She was going to ignore what just had happened with Dio until she could come to a truce with him.

"Yep! We in good terns again, now I only care of the future. I have a lot to catch up to once we are out of the forest!" Lana answered effusively to Joanna's hug.

With a quite disoriented Ban, the group set off again towards their destination. Dio followed the group from behind as he seemed to be lost again in his thoughts. It was almost noon when they reached the edge of the forest. Lana watched in amazement at what rested in front of her. The floral fields decorated the plains that adorned the valley, the reflection of the rivers that ran through it dazzled the girl and even Joanna had to admit that it was a spectacular landscape.

"Wow... It's beautiful..." Said Lana.

"You're right, I honestly didn't expect this." Joanna was equally surprised.

"Tch... Then what now." Dio interrupted, He had been silent throughout the Day. The two girls were so amazed at what rested in front of them that they didn't even listen to the blonde. However, Ban had heard his question.

"Do you see that city in the distance?" Ban was pointing to a city that looked far away. It was right next to a large lake that decorated the valley of the beautiful reflection that the sun generated on it. "That's where we will go."

"And why exactly?" Dio asked without taking his eyes off the city. He thought that once he was there, he was going to have to act with discretion. The blonde didn't want anyone to suspect him and it seemed like a pretty busy city. Whatever the reason for visiting the place, it was not going to make the blond take his eyes off his target.

"We will join Fairy Tail." It was what Ban replied.

Dio didn't know what this "Fairy Tail" was, but he still didn't think it was going to became an obstacle to him and his ambition.

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