Author's Note: For everyone waiting on the next chapter to 5DtD, I'm not giving up on that! Work has been very, very hectic to the point where I put in over 50 hours last week. On the bright side, the cash has been nice but it's left me with no time to beta read the next chapter and ensure that there's minimal errors and such. In the meantime, have this story. I have most of it written and already beta read, so I can post these without problem.
So here's this!
I want you all to know I was inspired by fics such as Mate Hunt by RavenNM and Fate Decides by Desna. These pics INSPIRED this one, but I am in no way stealing either of their plots. This story has a plot of it's own, though a short one, but I adored the concepts behind both of these fics and wanted to create my own spin on them.
Just like An Underground Romance, another fic by yours truly, there's no set update dates. Until I can get a little closer to finishing 5DtD (probably around chapter 27ish), there won't be set update dates on any other fic. I'll update them as I can, but my priority will be on 5DtD. I hope you all understand and enjoy this fic as much as you have been my others.
The ships will be shown next chapter, by the way. c;
Mira leaned against the bar in front of her, her elbows pressed firmly against the wooden countertop. Her blue eyes scanned the area, saddened to see no pairings in the making speaking with one another. Most mages were out on missions, as they knew the love season was coming and knew to stay away from her… Which hurt, yes, but all the same she understood a lot more than people knew. Sitri was demanding and Satan was longing. Combining those two souls with her own- which genuinely just wanted people to be happy in life- created a demanding barmaid who loved to play matchmaker.
She hated it.
But, unfortunately for those around her and herself, it wasn't like she could change who she was. Or the souls within her, either. What she didn't notice was the brunette drunkard watching her like a hawk. Cana had been in the guild, and around Mira, long enough to know little cues. The way her eyes lidded wasn't in boredom, but struggle. The way her lip quivered wasn't in sadness, but rather out of spite of the souls within. And, unfortunately for the barmaid trying to hide things, Cana was quick on the draw.
"What's got your panties in a bundle now, Mama?"
Startled out of her reverie, Mira blanched and looked to the brunette. Her eyes saddened again. "Same as always," she whispered. "I just… Want people to be happy and fulfilled."
Cana smiled sadly to the white haired woman. "...You know some people can be fulfilled without a relationship, right?"
And Mira banged her forehead against the bar. "Of course I know, but it doesn't…"
"Doesn't stop the souls?" Cana asked.
Mira nodded as best as she could from her head being on the bar. A deep sigh left her yet again. "It sucks." She didn't know where this was coming from nor why she felt comfortable talking to Cana about it, but the drunkard understood. She didn't understand exactly, but Cana still tried to understand the best she could. And that little effort meant a lot.
Cana shrugged and took another swig of the frothy beer in front of her. "The Slayers are destined to take mates, if that means anything."
It was meant as an off handed comment, but ended up doing more than the brunette ever anticipated. Mira's entire body froze a moment before she slowly lifted her head. "I… I don't understand your magic fully but can't you do, like, some sort of reading for them?"
Cana blinked but shook her head. "I'd need to be in front of them and I'd also need their complete consent." She paused, seeing the dejected look in the woman's face. The drunkard hated that look. She hated it so much. Was there anything she could do?
Well… There was one thing…
Cana hesitated but spoke up after a small pause. "I can't change destiny, but I might help move things along a little faster, if that's what you want."
Mira blinked and tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Cana sighed, downed the last of her mug, and pulled her cards out. "I can't change destiny, meaning if Lisanna and Natsu are destined, I cannot create a spell forcing him to be with someone else… But what I can do," she lifted her deck and shimmied them in her hand, "is usher it along. Maybe."
It wasn't lost to the barmaid that Cana was rather insecure about her magic, about how strong it was- or, rather, how weak she perceived it to be. "...Keep going?"
"So," she lay the deck down on the bar, "I can't cast a spell like what I'm thinking without good intentions. I can't do it for personal gain, for selfish reasons, or if it may hurt anyone. But your intentions are pure, as are mine. I want my friends happy. So what I'm thinking is casting a spell to the Mother Goddess. A Love Spell, for lack of a better term. Casting the spell with good intentions, to speed up the process and helping them find true happiness, should work."
Mira smiled happily and nodded excitedly. "You'd do that?!"
Cana nodded, her smile genuine. "Of course. You struggle too much, and if I can help you get a little peace, I will."
The barmaid launched herself across the bar and hugged the card mage tightly. "Thank you."
"Anytime."
Cana strode through her house, gathering what she needed for the spell. Salt, rose quartz, the five candles… What else?
Carefully, the brunette glanced to her Book of Shadows, well worn and thoroughly wrote through. Skimming through her own writing, the notes and the runes, the Rede and the deities… She had to look through it all, looking for a way to plausibly make this work. She had the incantation, it was a full moon, Venus was well in view so late… It was the perfect setting. But, she's never had interest in love spells and had only a vague idea of what to do.
Previously, she assumed that love spells could only be harmful. It was, quite literally, impossible for her to do a spell that would cause harm. Impossible to do it this way, anyway. Her cards aside, she just wasn't the person to do that.
A soft meow alerted her to her black cat- Pudge, her familiar- sitting on her cabinet. He was batting at a few jars of herbs and, never one to guess her familiar's guidance, Cana plucked them up. Looking down, she smiled warmly. Always trust the familiar, they'll never guide you wrong.
Acacia was great for awakening love and enhancing strength, like what would happen when mated. Clove buds were essential, as she's heard, for love spells. Patchouli and Oak were great as well, eliciting both the emotional and physical aspect of love. Her eyes then turned to where Pudge was wandering to, watching carefully as he rubbed himself affectionately against her lavender incense.
"Good boy," she praised and reached down to scratch behind his ears. He purred happily and allowed a small meow out in response. "Do you want to watch me make the circle?"
Another meow had him following her into her spell room. She had everything already on the table and she carefully dusted a light layer of salt around the circle marked with paint on the table. Standing in front of it, she noted when Pudge jumped up onto the Altar and sat next to her book, watching her Craft carefully. She flicked through her book and lit the four small candles in order, beginning with North and rotating clockwise. She paused to send a prayer to the Mother Goddess in thanks before continuing.
The miniature 'cauldron' of sorts was where she placed all of her herbs, including the twigs from the other sacred woods. After striking a match and lighting that, then her lavender incense, she made sure to carefully place the rose quartz in the center of the circle. Her hands met one another above her heart in yet another prayer, but this time, a casting spell.
"With hope in heart, sound of mind,
I call to you, oh Goddess of mine.
Intentions pure and love in need,
I call to you, without any greed."
Unaware of her surroundings, since her eyes were now closed, Pudge's blue-green eyes began to glow faintly. He began to purr loudly, sounding much like a motor. His eyes watched the flames of the candles flicker from an unseen and unfelt wind and his purring grew louder still.
"Friends of mine are bound by fate,
I seek them love, no shred of hate.
Six of age, seeking their mates,
I seek you out to provide a date.
Mine own, I care not, I wish for them
To find their loves without problem."
Her cat meowed but didn't do much more than that, stalking along the edge of the salt circle in a curious manner. She ignored this and kept on with her spell, knowing unless she got specific nothing would happen.
"Dragons they slay, instincts they call
Help their destiny, their love fall.
Poison of one, a loner by nature
Gift to him someone to care for and nurture.
Lightning, a second, and full in head,
Give him a stone where he can stress shed.
Iron is the third, full of spirit,
Land him a mate who won't mind to hear it.
Light and Shadow are brothers by bond,
Lend them both mates for them to grow fond.
Fire, the last, the Truest in South,
Grant him a mate who is not loud of mouth."
Cana felt the pull from her stomach, the warm and happy feeling flooding her system. She felt calm, collected, and absolutely happy in the moment. When she got to practice her Craft, it never failed to make her happy. Yet, for some reason, now it was even stronger. The happy feeling making her want to jump and dance. It was strange, but she only assumed it was because this spell would actually work to some degree. She took a deep breath to continue speaking from her heart.
"Mother Goddess, I beg of you
Allow this love to show all through.
Assist the move of Destiny's design
And give them each a clear sign.
I carve, in this crystal, a single rune
A rune of love to show face soon."
With that, Cana's eyes opened and she made quick work of carving an ancient rune into the rose quartz. Soon after, she closed the circle and took care to leave to go to her balcony. Upon which, she brought her cards, crystal, her miniature 'cauldron' and incense. She placed them on the railing keeping the second story balcony from being a drop off, and sighed happily. Looking to the stars, she shuffled her deck and carefully pulled six cards out but kept them face down. Between the two smokes, she lay them out face down and placed the crystal in front of them. Then, she finalized her spell.
"I beg of you, Mother Goddess. Reach through Venus, through this heavenly night, and reach the hearts of those in need. Leave them smiling, with ideals to help find their mates. Help them find their true happiness. That is all I ask of you."
The six cards began to glow. Cana felt a swell of pride, even more happiness, and excitement. It was working! The six cards lifted, glowed a bright pink color, then promptly disappeared.
She wasn't worried though. Once the cards helped fulfill what they needed, they'd return to her deck. Until then, she could only wait and watch. Wait for the spell to take effect, and perhaps even watch the lovers begin to show their faces.
It may have been wrong, but she wasn't changing their fates nor was she changing who they'd end up with. She was just giving them a little push is all.
But what if they didn't want that little push..?
A sigh left the brunette, her eyes looking up to the moon. A sudden scrape of claws and a heavy weight was added to her right shoulder let her know Pudge had decided to join her once again. The tubby little cat meowed and nuzzled his head against her cheek, his tail wrapping around her neck.
Her mouth held a smile but her eyes seemed a little sad.
"What if that wasn't what I was supposed to do, Pudge?" she asked more to herself than her cat. Her hand lifted to scratch behind his ear while he purred happily at the attentions. "...What if they hate me for rushing things..?"
A prrbt-meou was her response.
She smiled, just a bit happier. "Yeah, you're right. They'll thank me eventually… Hopefully."
A sandpaper-y feeling tongue rubbed upward on her cheek and she giggled. It felt like the little familiar was cheering her up too often these days- especially when she verbally voiced the insecurities she felt with her magic and her Craft. Still, with the monster that was her Father and everyone else from her 'age group' having long surpassed her, it was no shocker she felt this way.
Cana carefully lifted the cat from her shoulder and held him up, bringing his eyes to hers. "How about some tuna and catnip?"
He meowed excitedly and jumped out of her hold.
Cana awoke the next morning with happiness written over her features, a peaceful feeling lingering in her bones. She took her time to start the kettle for some tea, grab some passionflower incense, and make her seat on the balcony. It was a little cold, being mid-January, but snow didn't typically grace Magnolia until February so that was a little bonus.
An autumnal themed rug lay on the concrete of the second story balcony, rectangular and long. Atop that sat a plush, deep violet throw pillow for her to sit. To either side of the pillow were incense burners, and on the railing sat the love crystal she allowed to bask in the full moon the previous night. A soft smile wrote itself on her features as she lit the two incense and placed one on either side of the pillow where she'd be meditating at.
What she didn't see was the pair of eyes watching her from a ways away. The way Pudge jumped on the ledge of the balcony, where her cards sat last night and where the crystal still was, and looked off in that direction. She didn't see the way those eyes paid no mind to the cat, but held deep longing within them.
No, she was meditating.
She stayed stone still, a faint smile lingering on her otherwise trained features. It wasn't until the kettle was about twenty seconds away from screeching that she opened her deep eyes to see Pudge looking out at the courtyard. She tilted her head and looked out there, seeing nothing of interest. The cat meowed and turned to look at the brunette.
"What were you looking at, boy?" she asked the cat.
He lifted a paw to start cleaning it, as though brushing her off.
She rolled her eyes and stood up, the kettle now beginning to scream that the water was ready. Cana poured the water over her porcelain cup containing the tea leaves and let it sit for a moment to cool. In this time, just after she put her cat's breakfast on the table, her Lacrima began going off.
Her brows furrowed but she picked it up nonetheless.
"Yo yo, Cana here. What's up?"
"Did you do the spell?"
The brunette smiled at the barmaid's inquiry. "Yeah, I did. It seemed to go over very well, actually."
There was a pause from Mira's end. Some clattering could be heard, but it was otherwise silent. "I think it may have worked a lot better than you think."
Cana sat at her table, allowing Pudge to jump up there with her as she stirred her tea with her right hand mindlessly. "What do you mean, Mama? Nothing should happen yet. Spells to the Mother Goddess take time."
"You said your spell was to speed it along though," she countered.
To which Cana bit her lower lip. "Yeah… It was. But it still shouldn't be instant, no matter how well it worked." She stopped and sighed, looking over at the chubby black cat. His breakfast food dish was about half gone now and the swishing of his tail let her know how happy he was in the moment. "What's going on, anyway?"
A sigh- a happy one- came from Mira. "Are you planning to come to the guild today?"
"Well duh," she replied. "What else would I do? Mope around? I have to go on a job soon, anyway. This new place is too nice to give up and rent is coming up."
Mira giggled at this. "Lucy may be rubbing off on you, honey!"
An echoing laugh fell from Cana's lips. "Yeah, well it's something to worry a lot about when you live alone." She took a small pause to sip at the still hot tea. "You never answered my question, Mama, what's going on?"
Another pause from Mira's end. Cana sipped a little more on the tea, not minding the wait at all. She could be patient when she had to be.
"Hold on, let me get to my office to make sure Natsu and Gajeel don't hear."
"Damn," the brunette whispered, "what the hell are they doing at the guild so early?"
"That's part of why I'm calling! Hold on!"
Though Mira couldn't see it, Cana did nod her agreement to wait. She resituated the Lacrima in her left hand, held to her face, and only seemed to grow more giddy in anticipation as the seconds ticked by. She knew it would be really suspicious for Mira to finally go use her S-Class office after virtually never using it before, but she also knew that the S-Class offices and the Master's office were the only areas in the guild that were soundproofed thanks to Freed.
A pang of envy hit her heart.
Five failed attempts to reach that level…
Before the thought could consume her, Cana took another long drink of the tea, suddenly wishing it were spiked. It took too much booze for her to feel drunk, or even buzzed, but perhaps a little vodka to her tea would help chase those thoughts away… Perhaps.
Before she could go grab a bottle from her freezer, Mira was back.
"Okay, so! Master told me earlier that we're having guests and more guild members join. Specifically members from Crime Sorciere."
The brunette blinked and opened her mouth to say something- only to close it. Opened again, closed again. It made sense, after the war with Alvarez, they were all pardoned… But still. "Wait what?"
Way to go, Cana, so very intelligent.
"Right?! Sabertooth will be here, and Lamia Scale. I'm not sure about the others, but I think Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel too… But that aside. With Sorciere and Sabertooth here…"
"All six dragon slayers will be here," the brunette finished on a whisper. Her dark eyes widened and she looked back to her balcony. "B-But it shouldn't… Uh, it shouldn't be working… Just yet…"
"Cana, honey, listen," the white haired woman began. "You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You take leadership roles when needed, you don't goof around unless you're fully drunk, you know what the right balance of work and play is, and you're honestly one of the strongest women I know. If you believe in yourself and have more confidence in your abilities, you'd open more pathways than you could think of right now."
Cana felt the tears burn her eyes and she squeezed them shut, trying to force them back. "I know… It's just… It's hard, okay..?"
"I know… But you should definitely come down when you're ready."
Cana drank the last of the tea and stood up, picking Pudge's empty plate up with her. "Yeah, I need to get ready and finish a few loose ends. I should be there within two hours at most."
"Alright. It's before noon so I can't officially serve you anything, but I may be able to slip a little something something into a glass of orange juice for you."
"Hell yeah," she replied immediately. "I knew I could count on you."
The two shared their goodbyes and hung up. Cana slipped the plate into the sink but paused before the cup. Her eyes looked to the tea leaves floating around in the small amount of remaining tea and she could only grow more confused.
"Happiness..? Love..?"
It was obvious that the leaves were telling her of the spell and it's success. That had to be it.
...Right?