Lost Echoes, part 1

It was another warm spring day in Magnolia. Everything was peaceful and everyone was happy. The only thing out of place was the letter Makarov had received that morning. Taking no notice, Natsu and Happy went fishing, dragging Lucy along. The normal noise of the guild filled the building with laughter and chatter. When the door swung open, only Mira and Kinana seemed to notice. A trio of strangers stepped in. The man in the center seemed calm and collected. He had dark skin, glasses, and twin green stripes on each side of his face. Beside him, someone pale with blonde, curly hair scouted the room excitedly. Lastly, the group was rounded off by a girl with a tan, mint hair and golden eyes, who seemed to be sniffing the air. "This is definitely the place", she confirmed. A few mages glanced over as Mira made her way toward them.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail", she said with a smile. The man in glasses extended a polite hand. "You must be Mirajane", he said evenly. She nodded and shook his hand. "We're from Serpent Wing. I believe your master is expecting us", he continued. "Yes. Right this way", replied Mira, leading him to another room. Before they parted, he gave an icy glare to his cohorts that said, "Behave." They slipped into the back, leaving them free to mingle. The pale man seemed intrigued by absolutely everything. He bounced around the guild, inspecting whatever caught his fancy that second. "Hello", ventured Kinana, offering a warm grin. The man did a double take, unsure she was actually talking to him. When he pointed at himself with a sheepish smile, she nodded. That was all the encouragement he needed. He bounded forward into a hug before she knew what hit her. "Aren't you friendly?", she said nervously. "Down, Blythe!", shouted his team mate. He immediately retreated, bowing apologetically. The woman with him stepped forward. "Sorry about that", she sighed. "It's all right", replied Kinana. Blythe's eyes swelled with joyous tears. "I knew the mages here would be nice!", he beamed.

Nearby, Macao and Wakaba were drinking and saw the entire interaction. "Well now, who's this?", grinned Wakaba, clearing the smoke from his lungs. The minty haired maiden grabbed Blythe, forcing him into a head lock with a wide grin. "We're from Serpent Wing!", she stated proudly. Rubbing her knuckles into his blonde locks, she said, "This is Blythe. He's pretty useless, but Kavi likes keeping him around." Blythe squirmed at the noogies, plaintiffly saying, "Yona-chan, stop it!". The fairies exchanged glances, trying to take this duo in. "And I'm Yonaguni", she added, pointing at herself with her thumb. "Kavi-kun's in the back with your master", explained Blythe, smiling nervously as she released her hold. "I don't think I've ever heard of Serpent Wing", said Macao, thinking out loud. "Maybe they're new", shrugged Wakaba. "I'm sure they're a very nice guild", offered Kinana, causing Blythe to idolize her kindness once more. "We came from pretty far way", stated Yona, stealing Macao's drink. "It's true. Out where the sea meets the mountains near the flower fields", added Blythe cheerfully. Again, the fairies were at a loss. None of that information helped them pinpoint this strange guild.

Before more could be said, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy returned with a huge basket of fish. "Check it out, guys! I told you we'd catch a lot!", beamed the dragon slayer. "Natsu!", shouted Yona, charging him at full speed. He barely had a change to recognize the blur headed straight for him before he hit the ground. Laughing, he greeted her. "Yona! What are you doing here?". Happy jumped into a hug, asking, "Did you come to join Fairy Tail?". She hugged the exceed and replied, "Nah. I'm here on business." She smiled at Lucy, uncaring that she still pinned her fellow dragon slayer to the floor. "Where are Rani and Ronen?", asked Lucy. Yona froze, seeming to just now realize they weren't with her. "Uhhh...", she trailed. Natsu cleared his throat and gave her a look that said, "Do you mind?". She got off him and helped him to his feet. Seeing the basket of fish, her eyes grew wide and she almost seemed to drool over the catch. "Would you like some?", offered Lucy.

Gray walked in through the back door, followed closely by Juvia. Upon seeing them, Yona pointed and yelled, "Popsicle! Did you miss me?". Taken aback at first, he sighed. "Great. She's here", he muttered. Juvia peered around him in curiosity. "There's my water buddy!", beamed Yona. Back near the bar, Blythe smiled innocently at her antics. "Fickle, isn't she?", teased Wakaba. "And here I thought you were the hyper one", taunted Macao. The man from before stepped into the room with Mira and Makarov. "They're both hyper", he stated plainly. "Kavi-kun!", called Blythe, doing his best to look like he hadn't caused any trouble. With a deep breath, Kavi strode forward. Holding an even expression, he tapped Blythe over the head with his book. Blythe laughed nervously as Yona got the ice glare. "I heard someone fall. Don't tell me you tackled someone again", he said. She shrunk a few steps away from Natsu. "We're old friends", she smiled. Glancing over the staring mages, Kavi simply said, "I see. Please, sit down. We have much to discuss."

As they gathered at the tables, introductions were made. "Natsu, I'm glad you're here", said Makarov. "I have a job for you." The dragon slayer grinned, ready for the details. "These are mages from Serpent Wing", offered Mira. "They've come with a very special assignment", she added. Pointing each out, she introduced them. "This is Kavi Drupada, Blythe Sandrunner, and Yonaguni ...I'm sorry, I didn't get your last name", she ceded. Yona looked up, her cheeks stuffed with raw fish from the catch. She mumbled something unintelligible and continued to gorge herself. Kavi sighed and apologized for her behavior. "It's all right. We have our hands full here, too", grinned Makarov. "What kind of job is it?", asked Gray, ignoring Juvia's yearning stare. "You're welcome to come should you wish, but we only require the dragon slayers", replied Kavi. As those words left his mouth, the other two of Fairy Tail walked in the front door. "Jeel-kun!", beamed Blythe, leaping over the table. He got half way there before he froze with a nervous expression. He shyly turned back toward Kavi, who simply waved him on.

Jumping onto Gajeel, he hugged his old friend tightly with all four limbs. "Get the Hell off me!", shouted the dragon slayer. Levy chuckled beside him, Jet and Droy holding their laughter at Gajeel's death glare. Lily smirked, but said nothing. "It's good to see you again", grinned Levy. Blythe dropped to his feet and stared at her with tearful eyes. "You remember me?", he asked coyly. "Of course I do", she said with a smile. Squeezing her next, he swung her small frame around, cuddling her close. He seemed a bit taller than she remembered. "Levy-chan is still so sweet!". A yank at his scarf from Gajeel told him that was enough. Wendy and Charle watched with wonder. Who was this man and why did he love Gajeel and Levy so much? Straightening her clothes, Levy turned to introduce her guild mates. "You remember Jet. This is Droy, Wendy, and Charle." Jet met Blythe's beaming face with a look that said, "Please don't hug me." Blythe bowed politely. As he settled his eyes over Wendy, he seemed to glow with anticipation. "This is Wendy-chan?", he asked. She nodded with a grin. "The dragon slayer?", inquired Blythe. "Yes, that's me", said the girl. Blythe dropped to his knees and embraced her. "You're adorable!", he cried, snuggling. At the tables, Kavi coolly said, "That's enough." Like magic, Blythe jumped back onto his own feet and stepped a few paces away from the fairies. Gajeel glanced between the two men. "How did you do that?", he asked in shock. Blythe shyly twiddled his fingers. Faintly blushing, he replied, "Kavi-kun is in charge." Yona stared at Gajeel and Wendy, sniffing the air lightly. "Don't do it", said Kavi, calmly looking over the papers he had brought. She stuck her tongue out and pouted, but obeyed.

Several minutes later, they, too, had joined the conversation. Kavi gave a brief review of their mission. They were to head into the woods to retrieve something he wouldn't exactly name. "That's it?", asked Natsu, unimpressed. "Find some old totem? Why would you need three dragon slayer for something like that?", scoffed Gajeel. "We don't", replied Kavi calmly, "We need five." "Five?", repeated Wendy, unsure. Natsu gave her an assuring grin. "Yona learned from the sea dragon", he offered. "Sure did!", added Yona enthusiastically. "That makes four, but who's the fifth? Laxus?", inquired Lucy. "Only first generation can help with this task", explained Kavi. "So?...", trailed Gray. "You're looking at him", beamed Blythe. Everyone looked to Kavi in question. "You?", asked Gajeel. Kavi calmly cleaned the lenses of his glasses and said, "Is that so hard to believe? Not all dragon slayers are loud and reckless." Replacing his spectacles, mixed expressions stared back at him. "Don't worry, Jeel-kun. Kavi's strong", assured Blythe with a shy smile. Levy grinned softly and politely said, "Blythe, I didn't think you were a mage. When did you join the guild?". "Me?", said Blythe. Waving his hands, he said, "No, no. I can't do any magic." Gray glanced at him, mildly confused. "Then how did you join a guild at all?", he inquired. "I pulled some strings. After all, he saved my life", explained Kavi.

"What happened?", asked Wendy with concern. For the first time, she looked at Blythe and he wasn't smiling. "Kavi-kun was in a bad place", he said, nostalgically. "No need to be shy", said Kavi, collecting his papers. "Simply put, I wanted to die that day and he changed my mind", he stated. "What kind of dragon slayer contemplates suicide?", asked Juvia, coming off harsher than intended. "The lonely kind", replied Kavi, seemingly untouched by her tone. "You seem fine now", offered Lily, trying to lighten the mood. "You have a guild and friends. I'd say you're doing okay", said Natsu with a grin. Lucy glanced down at the floor, unsure what to say. She spotted Kavi's bag of books near her feet. Some titles within were incredibly rare. Noting her interest, Kavi invited her to take a closer look. She and Levy dove at the chance, asking how he managed to find such tomes. He chatted with them politely about novels, writing, poetry, and the joy of reading in general. At the other end of the table, Natsu and Yona were arm wrestling. Blythe stayed close to Gajeel, asking how he had been since the foray into his homeland several months ago. Wendy, Charle, Lily, and Happy listened to Gray's version of how they met Yona and the chaos that ensued, Juvia adding in here and there.

Jet and Droy had joined Macao at the bar, trying not to pry. Wakaba watched the table full of mages with interest. He grinned to himself, amused at something he had overheard. Makarov and Mira had left them a while ago to let them acclimate to one another, but enough time had passed. The master returned to his children. "So, will you do it?", he asked keenly. "Wendy readily nodded, glad to help. Natsu agreed, too, excited to get a change of scenery. With a pitiful stare from Blythe, Gajeel cracked. It was agreed. "Who else is going?", asked Kavi, writing notes in his ledger. "Won't the rest of us get in the way?", inquired Levy. "What you do with yourselves isn't my concern, but if you wish to assist, feel free to volunteer", replied Kavi, still writing. "Come on! Let's make a trip out of it!", encouraged Yona. "I think I'll pass", said Gray. He had no interest in gallivanting around the woods looking for something unnamed. "May I ask a question?", ventured Lucy. Kavi glanced up with interest. "What exactly is the purpose of this mission?", she asked, unclear on the details. Closing his book, Kavi met her gaze calmly. We need to retrieve an idol from a lost civilization. I can't go into specifics here, but know that our guild master's life may well depend on it." Taking it in, she said, "I'll help." Yona grinned. It would be a chance to start over and with luck, she might see Valentine again.

Details were hashed and a count of hands taken. Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, Lily, Wendy, Charle, Lucy, and Levy would join Serpent Wing on this job. As plans were finalized, two small forms entered the guild. "Are you sure this is the place?", asked Rani. "Of course it is", assured her brother. "See? There's Yona", pointed Ronen. They rejoined their partner. "You're late", stated Kavi evenly. "You went exploring without me, didn't you?", squinted Yona. Ronen grinned, "You know how Rani likes to shop." Yona grimaced at the thought of shopping. "I still don't know where she got that habit", she shuddered. Natsu looked over the head count. "Five dragon slayers and five exceeds", observed Lucy, following his line of sight. Realizing the matching number, he glanced back to Kavi. He didn't seem to have a feline companion. Guessing his thoughts, Kavi stated, "It's not a requirement." Lucy chuckled at Natsu's expression. He was still getting a feel for this new comrade. "Excuse me, Kavi-san", said Wendy shyly. He offered a small, but kind grin in response. "What dragon did you learn from?", she inquired. The chatter around the table died down as the fairies looked on with interest. Yona smirked, waiting for their reactions, while Blythe simply beamed toward his team leader. "I suppose it never comes off as obvious", sighed Kavi. Evenly meeting the keen faces before him, he replied, "I learned from my mother, Gita, the sound dragon."

"Sound?", repeated Lucy. "Why not? Sting and Rogue were light and shadow", grinned Natsu. "It has more applications than one might expect", said Kavi, blushing faintly. "It's kinda cool really", offered Yona, "Sound is vibration, right? You should see him destroy something. It's awesome." Blythe chuckled, "Such high praise from you, Yona-chan." She glared at him mildly, but let it drop. "Now that introductions are over, I suggest you all gather what you need and meet us by the train station", said Kavi. As the fairies scattered, Lucy watched Wendy closely. She was staring at Kavi with a very worried expression. Stepping beside her, she quietly asked, "What's wrong?". Wendy slowly turned her face to see her friend's face. "Can't you feel it? The sadness?", asked Wendy. Lucy offered a kind smile and assured things would be all right. As he made her way home, she kept thinking about what her young guild mate had said. She was right. There was something about Kavi that just screamed out in pain. She had heard about Blythe from Levy and knew he had his share of hardships, and she knew Yona personally, but Kavi was still a mystery. Perhaps once they all hit the road, he might start to open up a bit. If nothing else, she knew she could count on Natsu to offer his friendship.

To be continued...