2016 will be here in a couple of hours and I thought of updating the last chapter of 2015. Hope everyone will have a great year, with lots and lots of fun and Fairy Tail. Happy New Year to everyone from me!
The next morning, Levy and Jet got up early and started getting ready. Jet gave clothes to Levy and tied her hair up in a bun.
"What will our prey be, nii-san?" Levy asked as they started walking to the city.
"This city is contaminated with those human-dragon bastards, called the dragon slayers. They kill everyone that dares to come against them. The king decided to hire every person that will be able to kill at least one of those beasts. With our skills combined, I will be able to get a place in the king's army. The payment is huge and the glory also." Jet explained.
"I saw their wings yesterday. In the city." Flashes of the amputated wings came to Levy's mind.
"Today we will go to a place that it's going to be full of dragon slayers. It's the Fantasia Festival, where women are not allowed, this is why I dressed you to look like a boy. They blend with ordinary citizens and it's hard to find them. Their canine fangs shows them away and so does their scent."
"And the tattoo. A guard I met yesterday explained that to me. But what is their weakness?"
"Whatever will do. But if they get angry, their wings and nails come out and some of them also have scales. If you get the wings, they die instantly. It's like cutting their souls off."
"Is that so?" Levy looked down and bumped onto her brother's back as he stopped walking.
"Here it is Levy. The Fantasia Festival. Try to stay close to me or else you'll get lost."
Levy's eyes widened in awe for what she saw before her. It was a huge open place with multiple tents in both sides of the road. Sakura trees decorated the streets and the pink leaves on the ground added a special kind of beauty to all. As they passed under the huge gate, she noticed that women were standing in from of the tents, calling men to come and 'keep them company'. She immediately understood what this place was for. Without her realizing it, Jet was gone and she was grabbed by a couple of women, offering her to join them in their tent. They didn't know she was a girl of course.
"Please I'm looking for someone." She tried to get free.
"Come on. We're going to have a great time together." One woman pulled her from her left sleeve.
"No, I think he prefers me." Another woman pulled from her right.
"There you are." A third, masculine voice was heard. "I've been looking all over for you, Shrimp." Levy raised her eyes, only to see the studded man from yesterday.
"Shrimp? You're a girl? Then why are you here?" One of the women pushed Levy to the man's chest. He caught her and he was sure he saw her blush before she pulled back quickly.
"Making life harder for us." Another woman pouted.
"Damn right she is a girl." He placed an arm around her shoulders making her blush even more than before. "And she's mine!" He smirked.
"Oh, she's with you, Kurogane?" One woman said, with a frightened expression.
"Pretty much." The man said.
"Then go. And come drop us some money another time."
The man turned, Levy still under his arm, and headed to the opposite direction. He waved to the women but remained silent. Levy took a glance on his face, seeing how serious he was. They turned into an alley, hiding from the crowd, and he let his arm loose, allowing Levy to go.
"Um, thank you." She said shyly, fumbling with the fabric of her kimono.
"This happens when you're dressed like that. I guess these are your brother's." He said, scanning the male clothing, and Levy just nodded. "Come follow me." He turned and started running.
"H-hey!" She protested.
"I won't hurt you. This way." He looked at her over his shoulder.
Levy gripped her gun and followed him. After a couple of minutes of walking, Levy saw the man stop in front of a shop. "Blue Pegasus…" She read the sign. The man entered but she decided to wait outside, although she didn't have a choice. The man reached his hand and pulled her through the curtain that was used as door. It was a clothes shop. A rather expensive one too. She looked up to see all the beautiful and colorful dresses and kimonos hanged from the roof. The selves were full of shoes and accessories.
"Why are we here?" She asked, not removing her eyes from the dresses.
"I'll buy you something. As a thanks for yesterday. Pick whatever you like." He smirked.
"I-I can't just choose anything." She blushed deep red as she got close to the shoes.
"Look who came to visit. My old friend Kurogane." A man said from the upper floor.
"Ichiya-san. Find a dress for my friend here that will suit her." The red-eyed man said, leaving Levy in the owner's mercy.
"Oh what a beautiful face. Come this way child, I've got just the one." Ichiya scanned Levy at first and then pulled her to the back room. "You stay here." He ordered the studded man.
Kurogane grunted and walked around the store. He seemed bored waiting for them to finish, until his eyes landed on a pretty piece of cloth. He examined it and smiled, thinking that it would suit the girl perfectly and placed it back on its place. During that time he had heard a couple of grunts and pouts from Levy, mostly 'this doesn't suit me' or 'I can't wear this.'
Into the fitting room, Ichiya was helping Levy tie her dress. "Is he your boyfriend?" He whispered.
"N-no, it isn't like that." She blushed.
"He's not easy to approach but he is a very good boy. Despite his appearance and thick as iron exterior, he is a wonderful person"
The two finished and exited. Kurogane had his back turned but as soon as he heard them he turned. And froze. His eyes and mouth hung wide open and there was the pink color forming on his cheeks. "Wow…" He whispered. He rubbed his chin and got close. "There's something missing." He cleared his throat. Without any more explanation he turned and grabbed the piece of cloth he saw before and handed it to Ichiya. He then untied her hair from the bun and wrapped the cloth on her head, letting her blue hair down and out of her eyes. Now she was complete. An orange dress reaching her thighs and a white ribbon in front of her chest, tying behind her neck. And as a finishing touch, a yellow headband with two pink flowers on the side.
Kurogane looked at Ichiya and grinned. "We'll take it." Levy got out of the dress and put on her kimono, giving the new clothing to Ichiya, to wrap them up for them.
Their walk back was silent. Levy kept close to her chest the bag with her new clothes, while Kurogane was walking a couple of steps behind. He had a dead expression in his eyes that were looking directly at her. When they reached the festival, Levy turned abruptly, snapping him out of his thoughts, bowed and thanked him. "Thank you, for the clothes and walking with me back here."
"I was just returning the favor. See ya around Shrimp." He turned and started walking away.
"What's with 'shrimp'? I have a name." She pouted.
"Alright, Levy then." He turned.
"How do you know?" She asked.
"I saw it on the letter." He smiled while he headed to leave again.
"How about you tell me your name? Kurogane cannot be your real one."
"You're right" He looked at her over his shoulder. "It's Gajeel." And with that he disappeared into the crowd.
Levy took a deep breath stepped into the square in search of Jet. She located him under the central clock. "Nii-san!" She shouted as she ran to him.
"Levy, I've been searching everywhere for you. The parade is about to begin." He caught her wrist and dragged her to stand in the crowd.
"Nii-san, I can't see anything." Levy jumped but the men around her were too tall and she was just too short.
"Come on, I'll get you on my shoulders." Jet lowered, allowing Levy to sit on his shoulders, but as he got up he lost his balance and fell, Levy landing on the cart that was passing in front of them.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, it was an accide-" Levy stood and tried to help the woman that she had fallen onto. But as soon as she caught her hand, a shiver went through her spine. She sniffed the air, recognizing the beast smell and immediately searched for any tattoos. The woman's dress had ripped from the fall and the white tattoo on her left calf was visible.
"You're one of them…" Levy whispered. The white haired woman smirked in return, revealing her canine teeth. She laughed while she stood, jumping playfully.
"She's a dragon slayer!" Levy shouted, grabbing her rifle and pointing at the woman.
"Catch me if you can." The woman mocked and ran away.
Jet pulled his sword and shouted "Everyone evacuate! Levy, get on the roofs, maybe we will be able to surround her." Levy nodded and climbed on a house, while Jet took the streets.
After a while of chasing, Levy got on shooting range and aimed at the fleeing woman. Sweat ran down her forehead as she whispered "Connected." and shot, hitting her on her shoulder. She, now badly injured, fell and landed a couple of meters away. Levy followed the blood trail, finally finding her half dead sitting under a tree.
Levy raised her gun and asked, "Why do you kill people?"
"You must be new, I've never seen you before. So this is what they told you? Silly girl. We don't kill anyone. Only the ones who deserve it." She said as she geared on her scales and winds, colored white with pink patterns.
"Levy!" Jet ran in front of Levy, raising his sword to the woman's neck.
"Do it. I knew my time was coming. And you girl, find out the truth, I know you can." She smiled at Levy.
"How did you know?" Levy let down her rifle.
"You're a girl alright. Those clothes cannot deceive me."
"Shut up!" Jet shouted and with a swift movement, chopped the woman's wings off, causing her to die instantly. Jet panted heavily from the shock. He turned to look at his sister, his face and clothes covered on blood.
"We did it Levy." He smiled and dropped on his knees.
They both got startled when they heard someone cry out the word "LISANNA!" but the source was nowhere to be found.
Hope you bros enjoyed. If you did, go ahead and give a review and a favorite. See ya in the next one (next year).