"A dragon flight rules over a territory, which is divided up into individual domains, domains shared by a mated pair or siblings, and familial nesting sites. Dragons new to a flight, or a trespasser in a flight's territory, may show aggressive behavior to stake their own claim..."
~ Dragon Historia, pg 14
Chapter Two: Previously Aggressive
It was raining; only slightly, but enough to dampen a person's clothes were they to stay out too long. Gajeel was thoroughly soaked. His hair lay limp and heavy, while his clothes clung to every curve. Between the pounding of the rain, the thick wooden door, and the stampede of voices coming from the tavern he was forced to wait outside of, Gajeel couldn't hear a damned thing. And just inside, no doubt beside a warm fireplace with ale in hand, Laxus and his new pet were talking to Master Makarov.
'Wait out here,' they had said, 'We'll only be five minutes!'
"Well five minutes my ass!" Gajeel swore and turned to kick the doorframe he had been leaning on. "And who the hell is that twiggy fuck, anyway? Struts around like he's some big deal, all he'll get coming to him is an iron fist to the face!" Unable to think of further ways to curse out someone who wasn't there, Gajeel let his eyes fall to the dent he'd left in the doorframe. The wood was splintered and would likely make it slightly difficult for anyone to enter or exit the tavern.
But hey, the door deserved it! Appeased for now, the iron dragon settled against the undamaged side of the doorframe and crossed his arms across his chest, ready to continue the waiting game.
He was the only one at the booth who didn't flinch when the wall of the tavern thudded, some of the brick-a-brack falling off the old walls. It took a lot more than that to surprise him; he knew everything that was coming, anything that anyone planned to do.
Cobra held his tongue as Laxus and the Fairy Guildmaster looked back at the door and exchanged glances with one another. The poison dragon would have made a whole slew of comments about the iron dragon - how impatient he was, how uncouth he was, how low-bred he was - but he could hear that it wouldn't score him points with the old man. That and, on the other hand, Makarov was Laxus' grandfather. Cobra could show the man respect.
"What an impatient moron," Laxus grumbled.
Master Makarov sighed. Cobra could hear that Makarov agreed, but also thought that most of the Dragonslayers were impatient and loud, Laxus included.
"Mhm," Cobra sounded in agreement, as if it were all a fresh conversation. He idly played with the sling his right arm was slung in.
"But back to the matter we're here to discuss," Makarov went on, "About this young man here changing sides. Taking in a man like Gajeel, from Phantom Lord, which at one point was a legal guild, is one thing. Explain to me why Fairy Tail should be risked to take in someone hailing from one of the big Balaam dark guilds?"
Cobra would give the old guy some credit; he wasn't stupid. Makarov had made a point not to directly mention the name Oracion Seis around here.
"Because I asked you, Gramps," Laxus stated. "Cobra's an old friend of mine. He... just needs someplace else to go."
Damn right, Cobra wasn't about to go to prison. He'd heard what went on in there.
"And if it's that legal crap you're worried about, the Council and the Rune Knights can't touch him if he joins a legit guild. Like how they can't go after that shithead outside for what he did in Phantom."
The blond went to pat Cobra on the shoulder, only instead of a pat it felt more like a punch with his injury.
"Watch it," Cobra hissed through gritted fangs.
The old Saint eyed Laxus' interaction and Cobra's reaction. "Tell me, how did you get that injury? Did Natsu do it to you?"
Cobra froze. He could hear that Makarov knew the story. Salamander had loudly bragged about the whole encounter, told the story about facing one of the Demon Generals - yet oddly enough, Cobra couldn't hear that the pink-haired nitwit had said anything about beating him.
"No." It was a simple answer.
"Then how did it happen?"
He wants me to admit it. Again Cobra held his tongue, opting to swallow instead. "I got shot."
"Shot by whom?"
Taking in a controlled breath, Cobra again held his temper at bay. His eyes shifted away from the elder Fairy. "M... My old Master." There was so much anger, so much betrayal and venom in that sentence that Makarov got the message to not press it further. Calling Brain 'master' seemed like such a fucking farce. A moment of silence passed before Cobra started again. "It's like Laxus said. I do not have anywhere to go back to; I can't keep running from the Council forever. I can give you my word that I'll keep my nose out of things that might bring the guild trouble."
The words seemed to weigh with Master Makarov, at the very least.
"Besides," Laxus threw in, "Fairy Tail kind of owes him a new place."
Cobra's ears lightly twitched, the thoughts of Makarov coming to him. Wait, is the old guy really thinking like that? "And," Cobra carefully decided to indulge in that last thought, "You'll have the complete set of Dragonslayers."
Bingo. That, oddly enough, seemed to seal the deal. "Fine. Then if you're really going to be held to your word and join us, I've got three requirements for you, Cobra. One, you aren't to engage in any illegal activity and are to cut all ties with your former dark mage associates. Two, if I find out that you are harming or betraying anyone in Fairy Tail - well, let's just say that there won't be a chance for you to be tried in the Council's court. And Three, try to stay out of fights in the guildhall. I don't need four rowdy dragons tearing the poor old place down."
"A toast, then, to new homes and not giving a shit!" Laxus said and downed the rest of his beer in one go, signaling the end of the deliberations. Makarov followed suit, though more sedated, leaving just Cobra and Cobra's suspiciously non-alcoholic drink.
"It's been a while since we've welcomed another into our family," Makarov said, looking to Cobra with a glint of humor in his eye. "I believe the last was Wendy, after- well, she didn't have much of a home to return to after the Nirvana incident. Isn't it funny how these things turn out?"
"Yeah, yeah, enough with the sentimental bullshit. You've still got an iron dipshit outside to babysit."
Laxus' point was punctuated by the sound of the door slamming inwards and falling off its hinges; a group of bargoers seeking to drop in for the night were unable to open the jammed door, and Gajeel was kind enough to knock it open for them.
Makarov could only gawk in horror, already tallying the damage expenses in his mind.
"We'll just pretend he's not with us..."
"Agreed," Laxus and Cobra both said.
The sun was just setting when the Guildmaster walked back through the large wooden doors of Fairy Tail, two figures begrudgingly trailing behind him. Laxus had stayed behind, as per the current arrangement he had with Makarov.
Most of the Fairies knew the irate Gajeel, but who was the young man with the crimson hair?
Cobra could hear them; their questions, their concerns, their... opinions on how nice his butt was? He shook his head and pretended he hadn't heard that last part. He was uncomfortable with such things.
His ass aside, everyone wasn't as annoying as he was expecting. That was, until...
"HEY, GRAMPS!" the voice echoed, but Cobra wasn't sure if that was the building or simply how loud Natsu was to ears. "WHERE DID YOU GO WITH GAJEEL?" Natsu approached the three, still covered in medical tape and recovering from the damage Cobra had done to him.
Cobra couldn't help the prideful smirk that crept up on his flat features. At least he only had a shot shoulder.
"WAIT, WHAT'S COBRA DOING HERE?"
"That would be your new guildmate," Makarov responded with a mischievous smile.
Natsu wasn't convinced. The pink-haired dragonlsayer squinted and stared at his former enemy as if he could make things make sense faster by peering harder. This bout of thinking caught Cobra's ears and made him shudder, tossing an annoyed look at the scarf-wearing fire dragon.
"Stop it," he hissed lowly.
"STOP WHAT?"
"That."
"WHAT?"
Cobra motioned with his hand, up and down.
Confused, Natsu spun in a circle. Clearly there was something on his back, and that bastard Gray must have put it there!
Natsu's hour-long plan to catch his own ass was met with unparalleled success when Erza approached with the guild stamp in hand. She pushed the dizzy fire dragon away from the poison dragon, for now. After a nod of encouragement from the Master, Cobra turned away from the rest of the guild and reluctantly lifted the front of his shirt, oddly protective of letting anyone but the necessary see his exposed skin. He allowed just enough room for Erza to press the stamp against his stomach. A hum and soft light emitted from beneath the enchanted wooden block. When the light faded, Erza pulled the stamp away and stepped back. Cobra's skin bore the mark of Fairy Tail, crimson in color.
It took until Cobra rolled his shirt down for this act to sink in with the rest of the guild. All at once, pandemonium erupted.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S OUR GUILDMATE NOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR REMATCH YET!" Natsu enthusiastically shouted, no longer dizzy.
"Are you a nice Dragonslayer like Wendy, or do we gotta put on our new-friend helmets again?"
"Nice ass!"
"What's with his arm?"
"COBRA, FIGHT ME!" Natsu shoved his way through the crowd again.
"SILENCE!" Erza's commanding presence at once stymied the flood of questions and surge of curious fairies. Her glare emptied a small perimeter around the new fairy, but the rest were too intrigued to return to what they were doing. "Now that I have your attention," she continued, turning her glare to Cobra and Gajeel, "There are some ground rules you must follow."
'Rules that don't exist and that I have just made up'. Right, Titania? Cobra let out a sigh through his nose, pushing back the need to be snippy with the woman.
"Until such time as we deem you trustworthy, Gajeel is to accompany you on all jobs. You can redeem yourself, Cobra, and Gajeel can prove himself responsible."
From the force of Erza's tone it was clear the only judge involved would be herself.
Gajeel bristled under the insult, but with the Master behind her and onlookers surrounding them, a rare moment of wisdom urged him to caution. "So what, I get the babysitting detail? I don't need the help in the field, and I don't need a pet snake. I-"
"Will recover stolen goods for Lord Taillefer with Cobra or get both of your memberships revoked." Erza stared down the two Dragonslayers, daring either to protest.
"Any questions?"
Yes, I have one, Cobra mentally snarked. He placed his free hand on his hip, under his cloak while listening to Erza go on about how she was going to keep an especially good eye on him. Are you still angry that I got the better of you in that fight, or are there any monthly reasons why you're a bitch?
