Chapter 4
Levy looked at the doors again.
Gajeel and Laxus had been gone for almost three hours now.
Were they in trouble?
"Relax child, those boys can't be taken out so easily. Laxus is pretty tough and Gajeel is the current King of the Dragons."
"I know, it's just..."
Mira came to sit beside her on the couch.
"You're worried about Gajeel anyway." Mira said.
"He...said he wanted me as his Mate."
Mira smiled. "That's wonderful Levy. Gajeel is very rarely so straightforward with any woman. Hell, I haven't seen him interested in a woman since I've been married to Laxus."
Levy balled up. "I don't know what to do. I'm still a cop, but he wants me to quit."
"Yes, you would be better suited here. You could work with me. Or Gajeel. Or even Gray and Juvia at the sweet shop."
Levy shook her head. "I mean, should I really give up being a cop just because Gajeel wants me to?"
"Do you really like being a cop?" Mira asked.
"I like helping people." Levy said. "I jumped on this job because I loved the thought of working with these books and finding the person stealing them."
"Sounds to me like you just want to work with the books."
"I..."
"But that isn't my concern. You can talk to Gajeel about that. I'm more worried about you breaking his heart." Mira said. Levy looked at the beautiful woman. "I've known Gajeel for a good three years now, and I can honestly say he's a good man. Rough on the edges, but good. And you soften him in a way I've never seen."
"What...is it like being with a Dragon?"
Mira smiled. "Like nothing you can imagine. Just picture a man who will never cheat on you, never lie to you, hold anything back if you ask him to talk to you. A man who cherishes your very existence like the rarest metals, who will support and protect you at every turn, and best of all who would fight even gods to see you happy with them. Trust me Levy, Laxus has his faults and he gets a bit obsessed with his work sometimes, but he's never pushed me away or denied my attempts to break him away from that work to spend time with me."
The older woman laughed. "Hell, sometimes he'll realize he's gotten completely tied up in it and pull himself away just to come steal me from my work and take me out. I do love that Dragon, despite all our problems. Demons and Dragons don't exactly correspond well. But he loves me anyway and tries to make us both as happy as he can. Which is why I try just as hard to make him happy."
Levy nodded. "Gajeel has said he'd do anything to make me happy."
"And he will. He'd quit his job that he loves, fighting crime and containing rogue Mages, just to dedicate himself to that task."
"I don't want him to quit. I just...I think I should stop being a cop."
"I'm sure Gajeel can find something for you to do as part of Dragon Scale." Mira said.
Levy sighed. "When...they get back, I'll report in that the thieves have been caught and I'll quit."
Mira nodded.
She was quiet for a moment.
"So, has Gajeel tried to bite you?"
Levy frowned. "No."
"Good. You might want to make sure you schedule is well clear before that happens. Trust me, with him, it'll be so much stronger than Laxus and I. Laxus isn't pure like Gajeel, nor as powerful."
"What is this bite? He'd hurt me?"
Mira laughed. "Oh no, he'd never hurt you on purpose. But lets just say that this is one bite you'll like."
Levy frowned more until movement from the doors caught her eyes.
She stood up as Gajeel and Laxus came back in with the two young Dragons.
xXx
Gajeel groaned as he stepped back into the mall.
Rogue and Sting were very subdued as they followed between him and Laxus.
Laxus carried the bag of rare books they'd taken.
As they passed the computer shop, Laxus leaned in.
"Freed, take these over to the library and tell Hibiki the issue is solved."
Freed nodded and hurried to go do it as Laxus took his place.
Gajeel led the boys to the back door of the bar.
"Gajeel, I'm not old enough to be in here." Rogue said, his sixteen year old voice shaking.
"It's fine. I own this place. Bacchus and Cana won't serve you alcohol, but you can come in here whenever."
Gajeel nodded at the man at the bar.
Bacchus held up the empty glass he was wiping down as his wife brought another tray of wet glasses from the washing room.
Gajeel led the boys to the elevator.
They were quiet as they went down to the main room of Dragon Scale.
Gajeel dropped into the chair at the computers.
"What the hell were you thinking? Getting in a fight with the cops like that?" He rubbed his head.
Rogue sat on the couch near the desk.
"I'm sorry. Dad told me to never trust the police. And after they..." Rogue started to tear up.
Gajeel rolled the chair over and pulled him close.
"I know, I'm sorry. Skia was right. Most cops are pretty stupid and will shoot the moment they hear the word Dragon." He felt Rogue hold his shirt.
"I just...I wanted to go home. I wanted to find out how to get back. I didn't think you'd help since Uncle Metalicana hated dad."
"Father never hated uncle Skia. He was just frustrated that your father would leave the safety of our side of the veil knowing he was one of so few Shadow Dragons left." Gajeel said. Rogue buried his face in Gajeel's shirt as the older dragon looked at Sting. "And what's your excuse? You didn't even know you were a Dragon until Rogue told you."
Sting flinched. "I...I wanted to know more about what I was. I didn't even know I had family here. My father left before I was born. You think that made Dragons look any better to me. I knew my mother wasn't a Dragon, so it had to be that bastard."
Gajeel leveled a glare at him.
"Weis is stupid, but he may not have known about you either."
Sting swallowed. "Well...he should have stuck around anyway. Made sure."
Gajeel sighed as he felt Rogue slump against him.
The boy had passed out.
The toll of being shot at and caught in crossfire between a gang wanting them out of their hiding hole for a bunch of cash they'd stolen and police wanting their hides for being Dragons and thieves had been more than his cousin could stand.
Gajeel eased him away and laid him out on the couch.
"Look, I can't protect a little shit who doesn't want to live. You want to be a Dragon, start acting like one. Rogue might be scared of my family, but at least he knows I won't leave him alone anymore. What about you? Do you want to try getting to know your cousin? Laxus can teach you. Might not even care that you're a Tainted."
Sting frowned. "Tainted?"
"You've got Human blood in you." Gajeel said as he pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and laid it over Rogue. "You can either let us teach you and train you, or I can throw you to the Aether and let it decide."
Sting shuddered.
Rogue had known enough about the Aether to tell him it could be hell or heaven, but never both to the same person.
Gajeel watched him sit in a chair.
"I guess...I'll stay here for a while then." Sting said.
Gajeel nodded. "Good choice." He stood up. "I'll take care of your issue with the police and hopefully the gang will stay away knowing I'm Black Steel, but if they don't I'll handle that too. You two will stay put inside here until I get back. Don't make me hunt you down again." Gajeel glared.
Sting nodded meekly.
Gajeel headed back for the elevator.
xXx
Levy sighed as she sat in the passenger seat of the car.
Gajeel was still pissed over the condition of her apartment.
Her few things were packed in a box in the backseat and the rest of the bags were new clothes he'd bought her when they had stopped at a place she knew was run by a gang called Blue Pegasus.
It was the gang in charge of all the prostitution in Magnolia. The police didn't bother them because they kept things running tight and smooth. It was better than the chaos from before Blue Pegasus had moved in.
The young man who had been running the store had actually been nice.
He'd laughed when she'd caught a picture of him, Hibiki, and a younger man on the counter.
Ren had told her the three of them had been best friends for years now and was glad to hear Hibiki had finally gotten the job he had wanted for so long.
The dark, suave man had even picked out some very nice clothes for her and given her a handmade dress for free, stating that it was too beautiful to not go with her.
He had a pretty amazing sense of fashion and told her to come back whenever she needed anything else.
Levy stared out the window of the car.
"You're still mad, aren't you?" Levy asked.
"I'm angry about several things, Ren flirting with you isn't one. He and Hibiki and Yuki are all like that. I'm pissed that your landlord has the gall to charge that much for such a shitty room. I'm still angry over Rogue and Sting. And I'm a bit more than annoyed at the police you work with for even thinking to shoot at me earlier. Were I not a Dragon with a load of patience and control, I may have just wiped the floor with both them and the gang for the hell of it." He growled.
Levy looked at the floorboard.
He reached to take her hand and kissed the back of it.
"But you? I'm not upset in the least with you. I still wish you'd leave the force, but if you really want to stay..."
"I want to leave...but I need to do something too." She said.
"You can work with us. We haven't had an Archival Mage on our side since Freed failed to learn any of their Magic."
"But...I don't know any either."
"Hibiki can teach you the arts. I don't want you doing any Magic without me though." He pulled into the parking lot of the mall and parked behind the building where everyone who stayed there parked.
"But-" Levy started to speak.
"No." Gajeel growled. "Last time..." He sighed. "Last time scared me. I don't want to risk you getting lost in your Magic again. I...I was terrified Levy."
She looked where he rested his head on the steering wheel and held his hand tighter.
"I thought I lost you. If you hadn't come back to me, I'm not sure I could have survived believing I got you killed."
"I would have snapped out eventually. Passed out or something." Levy said.
"No baby, you wouldn't. When a Mage sinks into the Aether inside them like that, there is very, very little chance of coming out again on your own. Most never come back at all. Even with help and guidance. A Dragon is the only being that can forcibly pull a Mage out. But I couldn't do that to you."
"Why?" Levy felt nervous about his answer.
"You'd be changed. If I had pulled you out by force, I could have seriously hurt your mind doing it. It'd be like striping away the ability to control your mind. I had to do it to a man once and he now fears his own Magic. His ability to rationalize his fears is gone. He feels afraid of everything. He copes, but he's not the same as before. I couldn't do that to you."
She shuddered. To not be able to control her emotions would be horrible.
"Laxus...he's a Light Dragon technically, and his Light Dragon mother left him the ability to become a beacon, but even that isn't a guarantee of return if the Mage gets pulled under harder by their fears and worries." Gajeel said.
Gajeel looked at her. "Please don't try to use your Magic without me there."
She nodded. "I won't."
He sighed. "I don't say this to scare you Levy, I just don't want you to think using Magic is an easy thing. Winning control of your inner Aether from the Flow is a difficult task. And it's a constant battle for some."
"Do Dragons fight too?" Levy asked.
Gajeel shook his head.
"We don't pull from ourselves. We pull from the Aether around us. Even on this side of the Veil Aether is abundant enough for most Dragons and Mages to access freely. Mages pool it inside and have to constantly replenish. Dragons have a kind of bond with Aether and mold it to our will. Story says that Aether came from the evaporated blood of the first Dragon when Humans killed her in order to take her Magic. I think a part of that might be true because I've never had to fear the Aether taking me over like with a Human."
Levy frowned. "Story goes that Aetheris despised the Humans who killed her so much that even in death, her energy still tried to consume them. And that is why Humans have to fight to use their Magic unless they pay proper respects to the ancient Dragon's Temple. Freed underwent the trials when he was younger and ever since, he's never had to fight for his Magic. You might try asking him. I can only take you to the Temple, I'm not allowed inside the trials due to being a Dragon."
"I...I'll think on that." She said.
He nodded. "Lets get your stuff inside."
She felt the cool air on her hand as he let it go and got out of his car.
xXx
Gajeel wasn't entirely ready to face the boys yet.
He carried most of Levy's bags inside and she grabbed the backpack she had stuffed her uniform into along with the few outfits she had.
He glanced at his shop, glad to see Cobra and Kinana hadn't abandoned the place while he was gone.
Levy followed him to the bar and they went to the elevator.
He looked up at the camera in the elevator and sighed as the doors opened.
As they stepped out he heard talking stop.
They both looked at Rogue and Sting.
Rogue started to get up.
"Sit. I don't have time for your shit right now."
Gajeel kept walking to the elevator leading to the veil.
Levy stood beside him in the enclosed space.
Her scent was addicting.
It was why he'd had to speed home.
Much longer in the confines of his car and he might have just pulled over.
The doors opened again and he led the way to the veil.
"So...you have family here after all?" She asked.
"Rouge is somewhat family, yes. His father is my fathers cousin, so I guess he's a cousin of sorts to me. Had I known he would be using his Dragon magic for stupid shit like this, I'd have kept him on this side of the veil." He sighed as he reached to open his bedroom door.
Levy followed him in.
He set her bags down on the floor.
"I'm sure...all you need to do is teach him. Be his family. He seems like a good kid. It's that other one I don't trust. He glared at us and that says a lot."
"He hates Dragons, despite being one." Gajeel said. "But I guess you're right about Rogue. He's a good kid, or at least, he could be."
"You should go talk to him."
Gajeel scoffed. "I have plenty of things I'd rather be doing." He said. "Laundry, cleaning, cooking, getting every scale on my body ripped off with pliers."
She visibly cringed and he regretted adding the last bit. He honestly enjoyed cooking, and sometimes doing laundry, and he usually kept his part of the Sanctuary clean.
"Then I will." She said.
"Then I'll do the other things. Aside from the scale ripping." He grinned as he started pulling her new clothes from their bags and tearing tags off.
She shook her head at him as she headed back for the elevator.
He waited until she was gone before pulling the thing he'd shoved to the bottom of one of her bags out.
He let the silky material flow over his fingers.
The sheer black thing was little more than a nightie, but it was the fabric that made it totally indecent for normal wear.
He'd grabbed it from the shop while Ren had one of his girls helping Levy learn how to match up tops to bottoms in a fashionable way.
Ren had admired how it caught his eye so easily, but honestly, it was the image of the glittering black fabric hanging on Levy that had caught him.
Sheer enough that nothing would be hidden from his sight, but giving the feeling of complete coverage that Levy would feel comfortable with.
All the important bits were covered with a solid version of the black fabric and the panties that went with it were simple but sexy.
Gajeel tossed the rest of her clothes in the basket with some of his dirty clothes.
He carried the scrap of fabric in one hand while holding the basket with the other.
He headed for the door and walked across the walkway to the room they had set up to be the laundry room.
A simple pool of Aether heated water, with a constant filtering of everything but fabrics from it using the same Aether. He dumped the basket in the water and watched it swirl around from the spell as he activated it. He carefully dipped the other fabric into the water, staying clear of the swirl of fabric in the middle.
This needed to be hand washed due to being delicate.
He hung it on the wires above the grate where the Aether blew in the hot, fresh air for their sanctuary. There were vents everywhere, but the biggest was here.
He moved back to the pool and reached to begin fishing the clothes back out as the Aether pulled every bit of dirt or ink from his clothes and the water smelled clean again.
He started to hang things up to dry, knowing it wouldn't take long. Never did.
As soon as everything was dry, he would get to work on dinner since their mission was over and their old routine could start again.
He was just coming out of the laundry room when Mira came through the veil.
"You left Levy with those two?"
"She wanted to talk to Rogue." He shrugged.
"Well...she just went back up in the elevator when I came down. I think Sting said something because Rogue was yelling at him about hurting her feelings and now Laxus is kicking his ass too."
Gajeel hurried to put the basket of folded clothes by his door and moved for the veil.
"I'll kick that little shit's ass."
"Calm down Gajeel, let Laxus handle Sting. You need to go get Levy before she runs away."
Gajeel nodded and rushed out the veil.
xXx
Levy pushed the doors to the mall open and stepped out into the parking lot.
She reached for her phone as she felt someone come up behind her.
"Levy?"
She whirled to face Natsu, the pink haired security guard.
"Sorry, did I set an alarm off?"
He laughed. "No. I just saw you hauling ass out here. I thought I might ask what was the matter? Metal head make you mad?"
She sighed. "No. It was...Sting. He said..." She looked at the ground between them. "He said Rogue didn't need anyone to help him learn, he just needed to get out of there and then he called me..."
Natsu reached to touch her shoulder. "What?"
"He called me a hypocritical whore because I'm supposed to be a cop and yet I'm sleeping with the worst criminal in Magnolia."
"You ran out because of that?" Natsu frowned as she looked up.
"He also started to use his Magic on me until Rogue stood between us and started yelling at him. Then Mira and Laxus came out of the elevator and Laxus caught a couple words and the look on his face when he looked at me...I was just scared."
Natsu sighed. "Come on Lev. Come sit for a minute." He urged her towards the bench outside the door.
"I...I am what he said though. Until I quit, I am a hypocrite."
Natsu scoffed as she sat beside him.
"Don't listen to his shit. Us Dragons are a widely varied bunch. Look at me, before Gajeel pulled me in this group, I was a misfit arsonist. Not violent mind you, and the local demolition groups actually hired me to burn out buildings with my magic because it made them collapse inward. But I was a lost Dragon, like Rogue. My father left when I was a kid because he got sick being on this side. My mother died when I was born."
Natsu leaned back. "Lucy's a bit of a hypocrite too you know." Levy frowned at the name. "You know how her father pretty much owns the shipping industry in this country, and yet she worked her ass off from the bottom of the chain in the newspaper company she now owns."
"You're Lucy's boyfriend? She always said...you were not the kind to hang around her fathers company so that's why you never came to her parties. I thought she was just dating some lower class guy who'd managed to fit her personal preferences." Levy laughed.
"Hey, I do fit them. Most of them. I'm fit, strong, smart when I want to be, funny, caring, and can take care of myself and her. I'm just a bit lacking in the humanity part."
Levy smiled. "I guess she can't have everything."
He laughed. "Yeah, but seriously, I wouldn't trade her for anyone in the world. She accepts that I'm a Dragon and takes the snide comments about her climbing the company with a grain of salt. You should take some notes from her." Levy nodded. "You're not a hypocrite either Lev. You can be a cop and still work with Dragon Scale. We aren't criminals. Gajeel just has a very colorful past." Natsu said.
She nodded and looked up as the doors opened.
"Really, you can see the big lug does care, so give it a shot, alright?" Natsu stood up, catching Gajeel's attention.
She could visibly see Gajeel relax at the sight of her as he came closer.
Natsu brushed his shoulder.
"Take care of her, alright boss?"
"Shut up and go back to work."
"Yes sir. And you need to work on finding me a night shirt partner."
Gajeel looked at him. "Mira's brother is finally done training, he'll be in by the end of the week, said he'd be taking a shift if you want."
"Sure. Another Mage would be great. Is he a Demon too?"
"No, Beast. Her sister is coming in too to take over the pet shop so Andy can retire. She's an Animal Mage."
Levy frowned. How many Mages worked here?
Gajeel turned back to her as Natsu sighed. "Good."
She looked up at him as he stood in front of her.
"I thought you had run away from me." He sighed.
She looked at the ground.
"I...thought about it. Seeing Sting ready to use his Magic on me just because he hates Dragons...it terrified me. It was worse than the incident Kinana went through the other day."
Gajeel huffed. "Fuck. Now I really want to beat the shit out of that punk." He knelt in front of her. "Laxus told me to go on up, said he was handling it just fine. I didn't know he'd tried to use Magic on you..."
Levy leaned against him. "I was so scared as I saw his hands glowing, and then Rogue stepped between us and started yelling at him and Mira and Laxus came down and I just wanted out of there."
She shook slightly now that the adrenaline was wearing off and the realization at how close she had been to destructive Magic was hitting her.
xXx
Gajeel wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm so sorry baby. I'll take care of him. Both of them."
"Don't punish Rogue. He tried to help me."
"I'm still going to kick his ass for the reports I'm going to have to hand in to both the Chief of Police and the King of Fiore. But I guess I'll go easier on him since he does have a good heart. Enough to know to protect you." He pulled away slightly. "Now, come back down and lets get dinner. I think Mira is about done with prep, so I need to help her cook."
Levy nodded and he held her hand as they walked back in.
Kinana and Cobra had locked up his shop almost half an hour ago and he glanced in to see that they had cleaned it spotless before leaving.
Good. He'd get this thing settled between him and Levy over the weekend while he was closed up. Normally he used the weekend to work the books for the mall, but ever since Freed had joined Dragon Scale, the man was showing himself to be quite proficient at running the businesses up top.
And that was his hobby. His real focus went to the research and literary assistance to the group and as a extra pair of hands for Laxus in the computer shop to handle booking and organization.
The Lightning Dragon was notorious for the mess in his workspace that had slowly begun to creep into the shop.
Having Freed was a godsend even if he was shitty as a field agent or the group.
Gajeel led her back to the bar and Bacchus made his way to the hallway before they could get to the elevator and held out a bottle of dark liquid.
"Cana made it up this week. Said she'll put more work into making sure there's a bottle every week as long as you bring the empty ones back."
Gajeel nodded and got into the elevator as the lean man went back to the bar.
Levy frowned as Gajeel held up the bottle to the light.
"What is that?" She asked.
"Pure Fey Whiskey." Gajeel grinned. "Cana is one of the only ones on either side licensed to brew it. Due to how hard it is to make it."
"It's hard to make?" Levy asked as the doors opened again.
"Oh yeah. It's not the whiskey that's the problem, it's the Fey part. A Mage has to actually work the whiskey carefully with Aether to give it a Magical effect, normally most go with simple things like elemental resistance, enhanced flow, or regeneration. Cana gives me some worked in with a heavy duty dampener." Gajeel explained as he stood in the main room. "Most wouldn't want a dampener, but I use it to dull down the flow of the Aether in me when I want to feel things like a human would. It helps me blend in most times. Ironically enough, being drunk helps me hide from Humans better."
He turned to look where Laxus was sitting with Sting.
"Got him under control?" Gajeel asked.
"Mostly, yes." Laxus nodded.
Gajeel faced Rogue.
"I'm sorry Gajeel, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just-"
He was cut off when Gajeel punched him in the jaw.
The boy fell back and looked up at him.
xXx
Levy gasped as Gajeel hit him.
"Gajeel!"
"He's fine. He knows he deserved it." Gajeel shrugged as he dropped down to stare at Rogue on the floor. "You ever cause me trouble like this again and I don't care if we are related, I will kick your ass."
Rogue nodded. "I'm sorry."
Gajeel sighed. "But, since you did try to protect Levy, I didn't think you deserved the beatings today."
Levy watched him stand up again and help the kid up.
"Now, lets go get some ice for that." Gajeel looked over at Laxus. "I'll go help Mira finish dinner, so come down when you're ready."
Laxus nodded and watched them leave.
Levy stood beside Gajeel in the elevator heading down.
Rogue leaned around his other side to look at her.
"I'm really sorry Sting did that. And said that..." Rogue said.
She shook her head. "It's alright. You shouldn't talk with that swelling though."
He nodded.
His jaw was gaining a bit of dark swelling on the left side where Gajeel's fist had hit.
The doors opened and Gajeel led them both to the large community kitchen.
Mira looked up from her spot at the counter.
"All settled out?" She asked.
"Laxus is dealing with Sting. But we might have to stick him in the Aether pool for a while." Gajeel shrugged as he went to the freezer and pulled out a bag of iced gel.
He tossed it to Rogue as Levy pulled a kitchen towel from the closet and helped him wrap it a little.
The boy moved to sit against the wall and held the pack to his jaw.
"Can I help?" Levy asked Mira.
"Sure, you can make up the eggs. I boiled them already, but haven't done much else. I was working on these two salads."
Levy nodded.
The potato salad did look good.
xXx
Gajeel sighed as he listened to Levy laughing.
Sting had decided to join, and sat sulking in the corner, pushing at the food on his plate.
Laxus reached for the bowl of rolls and Gajeel handed them to him.
"What's the matter Gajeel? You're quiet." Levy said.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking about when I started this project with the Magic Council. They thought I would never be a good regional Master."
Laxus huffed. "You're a great Master. Fiore hasn't had this kind of peace from Magic ever."
Gajeel nodded. "I originally started out by myself almost eighteen years ago."
"You started working this at sixteen?" Levy frowned.
"Well...my father had recently left with most of the other Dragons, so I needed something." Gajeel said.
Laxus nodded. "A couple years later, when I was seventeen, my father left too."
"Wait, Gajeel is the older one?"
He looked at the surprise on Levy's face.
"Only by a year." Laxus said. "Anyway, I found him on this side, kicking a shitty gang out of this building."
"We didn't really do much with the mall until Makarov approached us." Gajeel said. "He's a Guildmaster for this region and most registered Mages work with him to live on this side in peace. He even has us on his books as people to go to with the really serious stuff. He's been a great friend to Dragon Scale for years."
"Wait, Makarov Dreyar of Fairy Tail?" Levy frowned. She looked at Laxus. "I thought your last name was Dreyar too?"
Laxus laughed. "Yeah...I had to come all the way out here to meet my grandfather. My mother was his second child, his first being a piece of shit who tried to get in my good graces by claiming he'd be my father 'since mine abandoned me so young' and all. I kicked his ass and told his to never insult my father again."
"Rai apparently crossed over and met her during his mission for my father." Gajeel said. "Brought her back and she lived as his Mate until Laxus's birth caused the Aether to take her."
Laxus looked at the table and Mira took his hand.
Levy looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine. It was either the Aether take her or she died. My father and I used to visit her at the edge of the Aether Fields every few months to see how she was doing. Aetheris took her from us to save her, seeing how much she loved her Dragon Mate despite being Human." Laxus said. "Some say she hates Humans, but she doesn't. She hates Humans who don't show favor to Dragons. Neutral Humans get treated as such. She spent almost ten years of my life healing from the damage my Magic had caused her body. And up until my father left to join her, Aetheris was turning her into one of us and training her."
"So she is alive?" Levy asked.
"Yeah." Laxus nodded.
She looked at Gajeel and he sighed. "Yes, my father is still alive too, and my mother. My mother went into the Feilds with the older Dragons to get them settled. She never came back because you can't leave unless Aetheris allows. And when I was sixteen, my father joined her."
"Why are the Dragons leaving?" Levy asked.
Laxus and Gajeel sighed.
Gajeel looked up at the other man. Even Mira didn't know the answer to that question.
Rogue just looked confused.
"It...it's the new deal with the Magic Council." Gajeel said. "Even Human Mages fear a day that Dragons will reign again and in order to avoid being hunted to death by the vast amount of Humans, our kind have decided to fade into the Fields instead."
"You say that as if they are never coming back." Levy frowned.
Mira shook her head. "No, you said that as if you will be joining them someday." She looked at Laxus. "I forbid it. You aren't allowed to leave."
Laxus sighed. "Eventually, even us stragglers will have to go. Gajeel and I are Kings. Natsu would be had Igneel not seceded to Blaze before the kid was taken in and changed by Igneel."
"Technically, Rogue is King of the Shadow Dragons, and if my insticts are true, Cobra is the last of the Poison Dragons, which makes him the King of the Earth Dragons."
"This is confusing, how many kinds of Dragons are there?" Levy frowned.
"Seven main types. Metal, fire, water, earth, air, light, and dark. I'm King of Metal, Cobra of Earth, Laxus of Light, and Rogue of Dark."
"You said Shadow before."
Gajeel shrugged. "Shadow and Dark are the same, but the implications when saying Dark are a bit negative." Levy nodded. "Technically, there are eight types, but no one has seen a Creation Dragon since Anima and my grandfather left."
"She was a Creation Dragon?" Levy asked.
Gajeel laughed. "He actually. My grandfather's Mate is male. My grandfather didn't have children with Anima by blood, he had my father with another Metal Dragon before they killed her. She was powerful, but insane. Her hatred for Humans had driven her so mad even Aetheris wouldn't take her into the Fields. So Anima helped his Mate raise my father and well, we all turned out fine. My father was an amazing King until he passed it to me."
"So there are no other Creation Dragons?" Levy asked.
"Not since Aetheris and Anima, no. Some rumors went around millennia ago when Aetheris was killed that she had a child with the Human who had killed her before he betrayed her, but I've no idea how true that is." Laxus said.
xXx
Levy could only stare at them.
"Anyway, we need to get this cleaned up." Gajeel said. "It's getting late and I'd like some sleep eventually."
Levy nodded and started to help them clean everything up.
How could anyone hate a Dragon so much they killed one?
And how could a man kill the mother of his child just because she was a Dragon?
She needed to know the truth.
Something in her was clawing for it.
Reading scraps of Dragon lore from those books the two had stolen had gotten her curious. All this just made her want to find out why Magic really existed and what happened all those years ago with the formation of the Aether.
There had to be Magic before Aetheris was so brutally killed, because there was just no way she created all this Magic from her death. Even if she was a Creation Dragon.
It was too bad she couldn't talk to Anima. Gajeel's grandfather would be very useful to talk to.
Her force wanted her to stay undercover as long as possible with Gajeel, keeping tabs on him.
With this new information, she had to wonder if that wasn't because he was a King of Dragons.
She looked up as Gajeel came to her.
He looked at Laxus. "At the very least, he'll need to go into the Box." Gajeel motioned at Sting.
"Yeah. Since he can't seem to just accept being a Dragon easily."
Gajeel put his arm around Levy's shoulders and led her out to the central area.
"You're quiet now." He said as he led her towards their room.
Great, now she was thinking as if they were together.
"Sorry, I was just thinking how I really want to know the truth."
"And that is why you'll be a great Archive Mage. Hibiki is always striving for the truth and to fill the Lacrima Archives with all knowledge."
Levy sighed. "I want to know things I think only Aetheris herself could tell me. If she is the oldest Dragon, then I guess my quest is lost."
Gajeel pushed his door open.
"Anima is the oldest. He was around a good century before her. He is probably the oldest known being. I think my father once told me that he is the embodiment of Magic."
"But I can't talk to him either." Levy grumbled.
Gajeel shrugged. "You could, but I don't think you'd ever come back. And I couldn't lose you like that."
Levy nodded.
"I got you something." Gajeel said.
She frowned. He urged her towards the bathroom.
"I hope you like it."
She looked at him before moving towards the room and opening the door.