Laxus sighed dispairingly as the guild's rowdiest party to date raged on. He'd barely slept in days and was looking a relaxing night. Only an hour back from Tenrou, he'd given up such hopes and he was already fairly certain his grandfather would certainly be cringing at the bill he'd inevitably get for repairs the following day. However, there wasn't a force on the planet that could stifle a full out Fairy brawl, save the guilds S class mages. All of whom, minus himself and one other, were currently engaging in said brawl. Chuckling at the thought, Laxus gazed around in amusement.
Fairy Tail was abuzz with excitement, for the first S class trails since the Acnologia incident, a tragedy had cost the majority of the guild a good seven years being frozen in time, had finally been completed without a single hiccup. The candidates, Elfman, Freed, Levy, Wendy, Gray, Juvia, Gajeel and even the hot headed, Natsu had been defeated. Yes, as fate would have it, the lovely Cana Alberona, a card mage and wielder of Fairy Glitter had finally joined the guild's elite. In Laxus's opinion, Cana was long overdue for success.
Laxus pondered on Cana's win, while Cana had failed to join the S class rank many times, the woman had by far the best experience in the challenges that S class trails brought out and he'd openly, to the dismay of the Raijinshuu, placed a hefty bet with Mira for her victory. The odds had certainly been in the card mage's favour, as the initial challenge had been a rowing race, a fate which had knocked two dragon slayer's out instantly as Gajeel and Natsu failed to even reach shore before needing rescue. Wendy, had barely made it in time. Cana's strongest competitors were effectively knocked out at the start.
The next challenge was to be a battle round, similar to that of the previous trails. This left a distraught Juvia to face off with Gray in an epic battle destroying at least an eight of the islands forest which, although the ice mage won marginally in Laxus's opinion, resulted in neither advancing due to their injuries. Elfman met Mira, and ultimately lost due to bickering (or blatant flirting in Mira's opinion) too much with his partner. Levy, the poor girl, had met Erza and was left traumatized out of her wits, although she seemed to lack chemistry with her partner being unable to pair with Gajeel this year. She lost but didn't seem too phased by it and vowed to do better the next time.
Freed had faced off with Laxus and it had been a mere five minutes before Freed surrendered realising that Laxus knew everything about his fighting style. Laxus rejected the meek surrender of course, and proceeded to force the reluctant rune mage to fight back. Freed still lost but at least he didn't give up. Which, to Laxus, was all that mattered in the end.
Wendy Marvel, fortunately had claimed route without an opponent, while Cana Alberona had been forced to face off with her father, none other than the infamous Gildartz Clive. Now Laxus could only theorise what exactly had led to Cana's surprising victory, however he was pretty sure it had to have been something big since Cana used Fairy Glitter on Gildartz, an uncharacteristic move on her part. Gildartz had actually required Wendy's aid at the end of it whilst Cana had practically been seething in violent rage, prompting them all to attempt to soothe the irritable mage with excessive amounts of liquor. The Cana he knew was not one to let wayward emotions dictate her game play however the woman had certainly been more upset about defeating Gildartz than she ought to have been.
The final task was hardly as exciting as Laxus had thought it would be, although he couldn't deny it had been an interesting match up. The inexperienced first timer Wendy Marvel faced Cana's Alberona, an S Class trail veteran. Young Wendy was quickly overwhelmed but Laxus had to give the, now teenaged, dragon slayer praise for her efforts. She'd made it further than he'd thought she would. Cana, still fuelled by undiluted wrath had cruised through the challenge with violent gusto, finally earning the right to call herself S Class. A small part of Laxus had been insanely proud. After all, Cana was one of his oldest friends and he'd known how much being the next S Class had meant to her.
However now, while the exotic brunette ought to have been enjoying the spoils of victory and waging war with the guilds other fools, the woman appeared to be drowning her sorrows at the bar. Cana drinking was hardly an unusual sight, especially during brawls so most of the guild seemed to blow off her behaviour as her own private way of celebrating her amazing victory. However Laxus knew better, Cana was drunk. While Cana was often tipsy, one doesn't simply get Cana Alberona drunk. Save Bacchus, Laxus didn't know anyone that could do it. Maybe Gajeel or himself could get her close but they'd certainly never gotten her past severely tipsy. So he watched Cana curiously, his gaze on lingering her dark hair, wondering if he should dare to investigate any further.
So when the card mage violently set down her bottle of sake, cracking the already distressed bar and marched off, leaving a bewildered Kinana wondering what on earthland had just occurred, Laxus groaned as his guilty conscience conquered his desire to remain uninvolved. Despite all this time, he still couldn't leave Cana alone. It was a habit he'd picked up as a child and now in his adult days he was still following her out of the guild trying to make her feel better. Mavis have mercy on his soul or Cana Alberona would be his undoing. They were a few streets away from the guild when he caught up to her. Grabbing her wrist harder than he'd intended, he practically growled at her before noticing her damp eyelashes and blood shot eyes that gazed up at him as she landed against his chest with a thud.
"Cana, I what's wrong? You're S Class, are you not happy?"
She hung her head dejectedly. He honestly wondered if he would have to deal with the drunk mage dramatically bawling her eyes out. Cana wasn't one to cry but looking at her distraught face, there was certainly a good possibility that the woman was going to do something out of character. Panicking at the idea of Cana crying, he hugged her tightly, wondering what could've possibly happened. He was in unknown waters here, usually in his childhood an upset Cana meant an angry one who'd easily be calmed with the promise off letting her join him on a mission. However she wasn't a child anymore and he'd certainly coudn't use the same methods to distract her from her problems.
"Gildartz is marrying Laki! He told me on Tenroujima. How could he? We are the same age Laxus!"
Laxus stared at the mortified woman in his arms with surprise. True, Cana's dad had always had a reputation for courting young woman, however Laki, was really the same age as Cana. If you included those seven years to Cana's age. He hadn't expected the unlikely romance but he didn't mind it. Gildartz had stepped in to be a proxy father to him when Ivan had left. Laxus knew the man deserved happiness for his efforts. Laki was a difficult woman but she would need to be if she wanted to tame the nomadic ways of Gildartz. Still, he understood Cana's point of view.
Cana had barely had Gildartz as a father in her life. To surrender him to Laki, her friend, so soon after finally telling the man she was his daughter must have greatly upset her. Cana had always had a possessive streak in her. To Cana, she was the most important thing in Gildartz world and now she would have to share his attention with another young woman. She was just a jealous little girl, although her irrational worries did bring up obvious questions. Could Gildartz settle down and let Laki have the life that her own mother, Cornelia couldn't? To Cana, the very idea must seem absurd and completely confuse her about why Gildartz had left her own mother in the first place.
"Cana, I understand its uncalled for but you want him to be happy, right?"
Cana nodded, silently burying her head in his chest. Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper as she spoke.
"Laxus, what if I'm alone again?"
Laxus stared at her sad face realising how beautiful his guild mate was, despite her tears. Watery dark blue eyes that reminded him of the darkest sapphire stared up at him. Her chocolate hair cascaded down her back loose and wild. Her pale skin looked luminous in the moonlight as her perfect body shivered in her bikini top and capri pants. Not for the first time Laxus wondered how such an exquisite creature would ever be left alone. He handed her his coat - his most prized possession - before speaking.
"Silly drunk girl, if I'm here you'll never be alone."
He let her go, allowing her to contemplate his words in the darkness. He knew Cana would be fine now that she was reassured. Turning his back on the beauty before him, Laxus headed back to the guild.
He was sure, Cana Alberona would never be alone. Laxus Dreyer would never allow it.