Lisanna rested her head on the bar and looked outside the window to watch the rain fall on Magnolia town. Three months had passed since her little adventure in the mountains and now it all seemed like a dream to her. When she had woken up in the doctor's office the bounty hunter was gone and had paid for her medical expenses. Once she had returned to the guild she told Mirajane of her little adventure getting worried looks from her sister when she had mentioned the danger and doe-eyed looks when she mentioned the tall bounty hunter who had helped her. Her sister could be such a crazy romantic sometimes.
Life at the guild was normal enough right now, her sister was attending the bar as usual while Cana enjoyed her afternoon mug of ale, Natsu was in the corner fighting with Grey while Juvia watched from the sidelines cheering Gray on, Macao and Wakaba enjoyed the show having a drink together and the Master was sitting on the bar enjoying his pipe and a mug of ale of his own, her brother was off on a job with Evergreen and Lucy wasn't at the guild today for some reason, things were normal as usual and she wouldn't have it any other way.
She watched the puddles outside as rain drops caused them to ripple and rise the soft patter could be heard despite the loud din of the guild. She closed her eyes and focused on the sound of the rain blocking everything else out. She found it easy to block out the loud commotion of the guild hall once she had something to focus her mind on. The light pitter patter of the falling rain almost seemed like the only sound it the guild. She almost dozed off when she realized the rain had become the only sound in the guild, that and the distinct sound of heavy boots walking towards the bar.
"Can I help you sir?" Her sister asked as the boots stopped, Lisanna could feel the person standing next to her.
"I'd like a glass of whiskey," a deep familiar voice said to her sister, "and I'd like to speak to a Miss Lucy Heartfilia, I've been hired to protect her."
Lisanna opened her eyes and turned her head to see the massive form of the gun mage Heckler standing beside her with both hands on the bar soaked from head to toe from the rain.
"You!?" she exclaimed looking up at him, his dog browning stood at his heels shaking off the rain getting her, his master and the floor all wet. Heckler looked down and smiled politely at her while Mirajane poured him that glass of whiskey.
"Evening Lisanna," he said pulling his long stemmed pipe from his duster already packed full of tobacco lighting it with a match.
"Who is this Lisanna?" Mira asked, but judging by the way she took fleeting glances at him and his metal arm she knew exactly who this man was. Lisanna wondered if this worn looking man in front of her drinking a glass of whiskey was what she had envisioned, knowing her sister she had probably envisioned some handsome faced knight in shining armor, not a scar faced behemoth armed to the teeth with guns and other magical weapons.
"This is Heckler," she said introducing the man, "that bounty hunter I told you about."
"I see," she said turning back to the man, "why do you need to see Lucy again?"
Heckler took a long draw off his pipe before speaking again, "Like I said I've been hired to protect her."
Mira raised an eyebrow and refilled the man's glass without him even asking to, "Protect her from what if I man ask?"
Heckler nodded in thanks as he accepted the refilled glass, "I'm afraid that's between me and miss Heartfilia ma'am."
Master Makarov was approaching them apparently just about everyone was staring at the large wet stranger who had entered the guild, "I'm sorry to correct you young man but that's where your wrong, you see if there is reason for you or anyone to protect one of our guild members it is very much our business, especially if that person is Lucy Heartfilia many people have attacked her before and he cannot help but be cautious when we hear that she could be in danger."
Heckler turned to the master, "I can understand that but nonetheless I'd like to explain everything once Miss Heartfilia is here to listen. Can that be arranged?"
Makarov rubbed his chin as he considered this, "I find that agreeable," he conceded, "Does anyone know where Lucy is?" he asked the guild, Natsu was the first to step forward.
"I think she's at home," he said looking at the gunslinger cautiously, "I'll go and get her."
Makarov nodded to him as she ran out the guild hall and turned back to the guest standing at the bar, "While we wait I'd like to ask you to disarm, please understand that we've had to become cautious and would like not to take risks with strangers in our guild."
Heckler put his pipe down and reached for his rifle putting it down on the bar in front of him, "I understand sir, just please take care of these weapons some of them are very special to me."
Makarov nodded, "I understand rest assured they will be kept in good hands."
Heckler continued to disarm himself pulling a black flanged mace that hung from his belt by a ring, his lever action shotgun, his two revolvers, a flair gun, two stubby lugers and a long bowie knife everything was kept in their holsters lastly he dropped his bandoliers loaded up with ammunition, he even took off his pauldron that carried a shell holder loaded up with multi colored shotgun shells.
"Would you like me to remove my arm as well?" he asked holding up his left arm, Lisanna remembered how he could catch spells in that metal arm of his and send them right back.
Makarov shook his head and looked at the collection of magical weapons before him, "I think you can be trusted enough to keep your own left arm, dangerous or not I won't ask you to remove a part of yourself, but I must say you certainly carry a frightening arsenal with you young man." Makarov picked up the light mace and inspected it carefully.
"Every tool here helps me with my work sir, like that gravity mace you're holding, criminals find it hard to get away when they weight twice as much after getting hit by it."
"I'm sure it is," he agreed, "so how about you we get you another whiskey son and you can tell me about yourself before Lucy arrives."
Heckler picked his pipe back up and nodded, "I think I'll take a coffee instead I shouldn't drink too much when I'm on a job."
Mirajane nodded to and went to make him a cup of coffee, "Of course sir, can I get you anything to eat as well?"
"Some meat and potatoes ma'am if it isn't too much trouble," he said politely.
Mira gave him one of her customary smiles, "It's no trouble at all sir," she turned around and began making a fresh pot of coffee for their newest guest.
Heckler and Makarov moved to an empty table to talk in private leaving Mira and Lisanna alone at the bar, the rest of the guild returned to their normal business politely ignoring the tall stranger's presence and letting him and their master talk privately.
"So that's the tall bounty hunter who carried you back after getting shot?" Mira asked her moving to make a bowl of stew while the coffee brewed.
"He's the one," she said eyeing the arsenal, "I didn't expect to ever see him again to be honest," she confessed, "And here he is three months later walking into our guild hall."
Mira smiled to her younger sister, "Maybe he just wanted to see you again," she teased.
Lisanna ignored her sister and turned to see Heckler smoking his long pipe and talking to Master Makarov, Mira finished his coffee and was bringing it to him when the guild's double doors opened as Natsu and Lucy walked in.
Heckler sipped his coffee as the blond girl took a seat across from his, Makarov had called over Lisanna, he guessed he knew about the little run in they had together a few months back, hopefully the silver haired mage would be willing to speak up on his behalf, he clearly wasn't trusted around here, but then again most people were wary about the scared behemoth with a ton of guns who happened to capture and kill people for money. Part of the job was not being very popular, and he felt naked without his LeMat revolvers. The salmon haired mage who everyone called Natsu stayed as well, no one had invited him but he stood behind the Hearfilia girl protectively, probably her boyfriend by his guess.
"Hi I'm Lucy," she said nervously introducing herself, "You wanted to talk to me?"
Heckler nodded aware of everyone's eyes on him, "A bounty has been placed on you Miss Heartfilia, and I've been employed to protect you."
Heckler reached into his duster and pulled out a piece of folded parchment unfolding it to show her a picture of herself above a posted award.
"Fifty million jewel!" she exclaimed looking at the reward listed for her capture.
"That's for you and your gate keys," he explained, "and it's very specific that they want you alive, no reward if you're dead they are still willing to pay half the bounty if someone brings in your gate keys."
Makarov's face turned to stone, "What madness is this? Where were these posted?" he demanded through clenched teeth.
"This one showed up in my guild hall on my job board, meaning it probably showed up in various other bounty hunter guilds as well."
"So then why are you here?" Lucy asked looking as nervous as ever, "Why are you here to protect me and not trying to collect this fifty million jewel reward?"
"I've been employed to make sure whoever posted this bounty doesn't get their hands on you or your gate keys, meaning you can be assured that I or anyone in my guild will try to collect your bounty."
"So then what are you getting out of this deal?" This time it was the salmon haired guy that spoke up presenting an obvious question.
Heckler looked at the people sitting around the table his eyes stopping on Lisanna, "That's between me and my employer, but I'm not interested in the fifty million, and I hunt criminals not women who've gained the attention of dark guilds."
"What makes you so sure a dark guild posted the bounty?" Lisanna asked finally speaking up.
Heckler took a draw off his pipe before speaking, "The bounty doesn't list who gave it just a couple of drop off locations and contacts to speak to, usually only dark guilds do that, also from what I can tell Miss Heartfilia here doesn't have a serious criminal history, but the biggest tipoff is that they want you're gate keys with you with them and I don't think any legal guild would try hiring bounty hunters for such specific tasks, they want trained individuals who know how to take people in alive."
"It sounds like they just want to use my gate keys, I mean I have ten of the twelve keys and they are all one of a kind," Lucy said trying to wrap her head around all of this.
"I'm not an expert on celestial wizardry Miss Heartfilia, but you know as well as I do that if that was the case the job would be to take your keys and leave you as a corpse thus breaking your contracts with all your spirits," Lucy looked down at the table solemnly, Heckler cursed his own lack of tack, Natsu's face hardened, the last thing Heckler wanted to do was scare the girl or anger her friends. But then again nothing could be gained by sugarcoating anything.
"So what are your plans in protecting Lucy then?" Makarov asked folding his arms and looking at the sullen girl, from the ways things were playing out this wasn't the first time this had happened in this guild.
"I'd like to escort her to my guild hall where she'll be safe, the location of my guild is kept secret so it's unlikely anyone will find her there," he explained.
"Not a chance," Natsu growled, "we take care of our own around here, and like we'd let you whisk her away to who knows where."
Makarov glared at Natsu making him quiet down, he then turned back to Heckler, "Forgive his outburst but he's right, Lucy is a member of our guild meaning it's our responsibility to protect her no matter who's after her and it would be unwise to allow you to take her to an undisclosed location by herself."
"I was going to suggest a couple of her guild mates accompany her," Heckler said clearing things up, "But I can understand what you mean, but unlike my guild everyone knows your location and it's no secret Miss Heartfilia is a member of Fairy Tail, it won't be very long until you have hunters knocking at the doors of your guild hall, and if one dark guild is trying to get their hands on her there is a good chance other dark guilds are involved as well."
Natsu cracked his knuckles cracking a smile, "You make it sound like we have something to be worried about, it's not like this is our first time fighting off the guys in black robes."
Heckler looked up at Natsu, "That might be true, but for fifty million some people will be willing to bring out some pretty big firepower."
"If we don't allow you take Lucy with you then what will you do?" Makarov asked him ignoring Natsu's bragging.
"If you would allow it I'd like to stick around and protect Miss Heartfilia however I can," he said looking back to Lucy.
"You want to follow me around?" she asked eyeing him, "watch me when I sleep that kind of thing?"
"Not unless you agree to that," he said, "I'd prefer to be near you at all times but I understand that that could get uncomfortable."
Makarov turned to her, "Lucy would you me ok with this man accompanying you around?"
"Will mean he'll have to stay in my home?" she asked unsure of herself.
"No, I can find somewhere to observe your residence from a distance if that would make you feel more comfortable," he said seriously.
Lucy didn't say anything for a while thinking, after a long moment of silence she nodded and spoke, "Ok I think I can deal with that. How long will this be for?"
"That depends on how long the bounty lasts," he said, "So could be for a while."
Lucy looked down, "Ok."
Makarov nodded, "Well then if Lucy is alright with you watching her back for her then I won't stop you, you can enter and exit the guild hall as you please."
"May I retrieve my weapons?" he asked finishing his mug of coffee.
"You may," Makarov conceded, "just don't go waving those revolvers around without reason, this guild gets banged up enough without bullet holes."
Heckler nodded and stood to retrieve his weapons, "Of course, I am a professional after all," he turned back and looked at Lucy, "Miss Heartfilia, I hope we work well together and please don't mind my presence I'll try not to affect your day to day life.
As he left to retrieve his gear Makarov turned to Lisanna, "Lisanna you've met this man before, do you think we can trust him?"
"He did help me before, and I don't think he's lying," she said, "I think he's just a guy trying to do a job to be honest."
Makarov nodded, "If that's what you think than very well, we'll allow him to stay for now."
