Here's chapter 2! I will be trying to get chapters out as often as possible but I know I won't have much time to write the next few days since my family is visiting. I hope this chapter can tide you over until then.
It was dark by the time Levy was finally heading home. Her meeting with Queen Mavis had taken much longer than she had anticipated. Queen Mavis had been fine with all the plans made by her tactician but she had argued against the plan to send her daughter to the eastern mountains. Levy had tried in earnest to convince the royal for nearly a half hour before the princess herself walked into the room and argued with her mother. She had apparently just arrived back from training with friends she had in the army and had overheard whispers of war from a few soldiers and hurried home. Having overheard Levy's as she walked into the throne room she helped the tactician to convince her mother. Erza was determined, she wanted to do everything she could to protect her subjects, as was her job as the future Titaina of Tenrou Forest. With Erza's support Levy argued that sending Erza east was the safest place for her in comparison to letting her fight on the frontlines. Eventually, after hearing what protection would accompany her daughter Mavis agreed and Levy was finally dismissed in order to rest up for the next day.
Levy flew back to her home on heavy wings, so tired now she had completely forgotten her shadow following her home. She entered her home and turned on the light lacrima. She went to her room and changed into a simple nightdress and washed her face. She was about to climb into bed when she suddenly remembered her shadow. She looked about her bedroom and then peeked out into the front room to find them both empty. She walked into the front room and looked out of the window, wondering if maybe her shadow had gone home for the night. To her surprise she in fact saw Gajeel sat on a tree branch opposite her window, watching.
"Erm…" Levy called out, unsure what to say at first. "Excuse me… Erm… Gajeel right? You don't have to sit out there all night."
"Yes I do." Came the short, gruff response.
"No I mean… You can come inside." She nodded back into her home.
"I'm fine."
Levy huffed "That tree is not going to be very comfortable to sleep in you know. My couch would be better…even if a little small."
"Doesn't matter, I'm not sleeping."
Levy's eyes widened. "What! You have to sleep."
"No I don't. The Queen said watch and protect the short blue tactician, and here I am."
Levy huffed and stepped away from the window before stomping into her bedroom. Gajeel smirked to himself, thinking he had won his first little interaction with the tiny fairy. However, to his immense surprise Levy came back out of her room wearing a jacket and exited her home completely, flying over to him. "You need to sleep." She stopped right in front of him, hands on her hips.
He raised one studded eyebrow at her, she was currently eye to eye with him and seemed completely unintimidated by him. "I said no shorty."
He smirked as she visibly bristled at the comment. The after a second of glaring she grabbed his wrist in both hands and starting pulling. He nearly fell on the branch at the sudden tug but soon regained his balance and Levy found herself trying to pull on a brick wall. She glared "You'll be a pretty useless bodyguard if you're too tired to react quickly."
"I'll be fine." He grumbled, refusing to accept she was right.
"You'll also be able to get to me quicker, if I'm in danger, if you're already inside." She pointed out trying to reason with the dragonfly.
He sighed "Fine! Ok fine!" He threw his hands up in defeat. Unfortunately Levy was still gripping his wrists so she got pulled up in the sudden movement, much to Gajeel's amusement. "Nice grip shrimp."
"I'm not a shrimp! I'm a fairy… we're supposed to be small."
"Not this small." He chuckled, stretching his wings and lifting off the branch. Levy let him go and started flying back to her home. "There's a blanket on the couch… shut the door behind you."
Gajeel chuckled slightly to himself before following the interesting fairy into her home.
"Good morning Levy." Lucy smiled as Levy stepped into their shared office, the room they would work every day, but today was different, now they were at war.
"Good morning Lu-chan." Levy smiled back as she dropped her bag on her desk. "Our office his awfully crowed today huh."
"Mmm I noticed that." Lucy nodded with a small giggle.
Levy sat down in her chair and turned her attention to the crowd in her office. "Can we help you?" She asked. Besides from their shadows stood behind them in their little office the remaining five Dragonflies where crammed into the small space.
"We're here to get our orders mam." A dragonfly with black hair as well as black horns, wings and tail spoke up.
Levy chuckled "Firstly call me Levy not mam and secondly I'm not the commander here, just the tactician."
"The commander told us to come here." A blond with white wings and tail spoke up with a roll of his eyes, which in turned earned him a jab in the gut from the dragonfly that first spoke.
"Excuse me…" Levy turned to the girl "The commander said… You would tell us where we would be working, and then we could take orders from whoever was in charge there."
"Oh I see." Levy nodded "That's fine. Natsu let me know what you're all good at yesterday. So, Cobra…" She waited until the purpled winged man nodded his head before continuing "I'd like for you to accompany out princess and her guard to the east, I've heard you and your companion are good at sensing danger."
"Kinana and I would be honoured." He nodded
"I'll take you to meet her later." Levy nodded back "Sting and Rouge." Levy was already looking at the two males that had originally spoken and she was proven to have guessed right when they both straightened up. "I'd like for you to work under commander Makarov, but tell him I'd like for you to stay in the capital for now." The nodded.
"Good… Now, Luxas." She looked to the tallest, grumpiest looking dragonfly, with bright yellow wings. He barely raised his eyes. "I've heard you're a loner but I'd like you to report to Captain Freed… His squad is small but powerful and effective, you should fit in well there."
Luxas did little more than grunt in response so Levy tured her attention to Wendy. "Wendy, I've heard you're a healer?"
"Yes Ma- I mean Levy." She lowered her head shyly "I'm not the best fighter."
"Aww come on Wendy you're a dragonfly just like the rest of us!" Natsu spoke from behind Lucy in encouragement.
"Thank you Natsu… but still I'm better at healing… a-and support spells."
Levy nodded "It's ok, I'd like for you to help my friend Lisanna for a while. She's our head medic. She'll need help collecting and organising the medical supplies in preparation for the war."
Wendy's eyes brightened up "I-I can do that!"
Levy smiled "That's great." She stood up and stretched "Sting and Rouge I'll assume you can find your way back to Makarov?" She got nods in reply "In that case you can go now, I'll take the rest of you to your posts. Lucy, you can hold down the fort?"
"Sure." Lucy smiled "Just be back by lunch~"
"I promise Lu." Levy chuckled as she headed out the door with four dragonflies in tow.
First they went to the medical wing to find Lisanna, levy knew she was away from the hospital that day in order to organise the royal medical stores. "Lisanna?" Levy called as she entered the room. Lisanna's grey head soon popped up from behind some boxes.
"Good morning Levy!" She smiled skipping out from behind the boxes to greet the other, only to stop dead in her tracks as she noticed all the dragonflies. "Erm…?"
Levy chuckled "Don't worry I'm only going to ask you to watch over one of them. This is Wendy." Levy ushered Wendy forward "She's a healer."
"A healer? Great I can use all the help I can get." Lisanna smiled "Hey Wendy, I'm Lisanna." Lisanna put her hand out and Wendy shook it tentatively.
"Nice to meet you Mam." Wendy smiled shyly.
"Oh, just call me Lisanna, I'm not commander or captain." She chuckled "Come on I'll show you around." Lisanna waved at the mess of boxes behind her. "I made a bit of a mess but you'll have it all down in no time."
Levy smiled "I've gotta go Lisanna, I'll see you later ok?"
"See ya Levy~" Lisanna waved.
Next they went down to the training grounds outside. It was the best place to find both Erza and Freed's squad at this time of day. She spotted Freed first and waved the green haired male over. "Freed."
"Good morning Levy." He bowed which made Levy chuckled as it always did. "How are you?"
"I'm good thanks." She smiled "and yourself?"
"Well." He nodded "How is your translating going?"
"Oh, it was going great, I've had to put it on pause for now though." She sighed."
"Of course." Freed nodded "What can I do for you today?"
"Actually I was hoping you'd take a Dragonfly into your team." She waved back at the three men behind her.
"…One seems to be glaring at me…" Was his response.
Levy turned around to find Gajeel glaring at Freed. "Gajeel." She said his name to get his attention and his expression softened slightly as he looked at her. "Quit glaring at Freed." She rolled her eyes and looked back to her friend. "Don't mind him, my bodyguard is just… moody. But no… I'd like you to take Luxas." She pointed to the yellow dragonfly.
"I see…No problem." Freed nodded.
"Great, Luxas." She waved the reluctant dragonfly forward. "This is Freed, you'll work with him and his squad of two others."
"That's a tiny squad." He grumbled.
"It's an effective squad." Freed replied, as you we'll find out. Come on." Freed turned around and Levy watched as Luxas reluctantly followed.
"Good… Now we just need to find Erza… She's normally sword fighting at this time of day."
"Swords… four hundred meters north." Cobra said softly as he turned his head. Levy followed his gaze and spotted the flash of red she was looking for.
"Wow… You really are perfect for this job Cobra." She smiled at him before heading over to where Erza was going sword to sword with her friend and guard Simon. She stood and waited for the two to stop clashing swords, it was always nice to watch Erza fight; she was elegant and swift with her motions, a beautiful but truly formidable foe on the battle field. Simon eventually held up a hand in surrender and Erza sheathed her sword with a chuckle.
"Sorry Erza… I surrender."
"It's perfectly alright." She nodded "Few could last as long as you friend."
"Levy!" Levy had been so busy watching the fight she had noticed Milanna sneaking up on her until the girl was shouting her name and leaping onto her back. Levy squeaked and was about to greet the excitable girl when suddenly the weight was yanked from her back with some force and as she spun around to see what was going on all she could see was black.
A heavy silence fell over the courtyard as everyone took in the scene. Milanna was on her ass in the dust with a look of dazed shock on her face. Gajeel was half crouched in front of Levy, his metallic looking wings spread wide, Erza had her sworn drawn once again, pointing it at him. Levy gaped in surprise before she quickly flew up and over Gajeel, landing lightly in front of her. "Relax Gajeel…" She said softly before turning to Erza. "Lady Erza please lower your weapon."
"He attacked Milanna!" Erza frowned
"She attacked Shrimp first." Gajeel growled, thought Levy noted he had at least stood up properly now.
"He's a bodyguard assigned to me by your mother, you remember he was there last night?" Levy explained with her hand raised in a calming manner. "He didn't realise Milanna is my friend, he'll apologise."
Erza sighed and sheathed her sword again. Simon, sensing the tension was dispersed hurried over to Milanna and helped her to her feet.
"Gajeel…" Levy turned to the other and nodded her head towards Milanna with a look on her face that told him he'd better do what she says.
"Sorry Catgirl…" He nodded at Milanna.
"You're forgiven Dragonman!" Milanna giggled tugging at her cat ears happy with the nickname that had probably been meant sarcastically.
"With that out of the way… Did you need something Levy?" Erza asked.
"Yes. I came to introduce Cobra." She waved her hand at the purple winged dragonfly who had stayed silence throughout the earlier exchange. "He's the dragonfly that will travel with you three to the east."
"The one that sense's danger?" Simon asked.
"He has very good hearing." Levy nodded
"Nice to meet you Cobra." Erza nodded to the man. "We'll you join us for some training."
"If you wish… I am under your charge now."
"Good… I've always wanted to fight with a Dragonfly."
"Levy~" Milanna inched over before eyeing Gajeel and asking him a question "Permission to hug Levy Dragonman?"
"Hn." He nodded his head.
"Yay!" Milanna giggled and leapt at Levy who hugged her back. "Levy, are you and Lucy going to join us for lunch?"
"Sure." She nodded.
"Great. Erza! Lucy and Levy are coming to lunch!" And with that the overexcited girl was skipping over to Erza.
Levy chuckled to herself before rising her hand and waving "I'll see you guys at lunch. I've got some work to do."
"Byeeeeee~" Milanna waved wildly while Simon and Erza both merely waved.
Levy left the training field with a small smile still on her face. As they entered the much quieter inner tree Levy whispered something she knew only her Dragonfly friend would hear. "Thanks, for protecting me." Behind her Gajeel said nothing but a small smirk curved his mouth.
As always I havn't been able to proofread my work so sorry for the bad spelling and grammar~
Please comment and review as it goes miles towards motivating me.