AN: Hello there everyone, Edward the Pure here. Finally back, but it's not for very long, just enough to type this up; I am getting swamped with college work so I haven't been able to get anywhere with writing (mainly only being on my laptop to type papers for English) and, well I got annoyed at myself because a few books from last year I got for my birthday and Christmas were sitting around, needing to be read. Then I was an idiot and checked out about 18-22 other books. Finished the 18-22 others just before typing this up, and I got two of those books (Son of Neptune and The Serpent's Shadow) got finished, plus Mark of Athena came in earlier last week and I just finished it two nights ago. I think I'll take a reading break for awhile.
Aoi: But we're back for right now. Ed I think you also have something else to say?
Me: ?
Aoi: To, oh I don't know, maybe the people who read this that you are following who've updated and whose stories you've fallen behind on?
Me: Well I just gave an explanation for all that, so it should more than explain that. Besides I got a bookmark for the last chapter I read on my computer and I'll try to go read soon.
Aoi: Well yes you did explain, that doesn't excuse the fact that you're not apologizing proper.
Me: ? You're really missing Roxas aren't you.
Aoi: Well what do you expect? The last time I heard from him was several months ago. How do you expect me to not miss my only son?
Me: I wouldn't really say ONLY son with a few certain cercumstances.
Aoi: What are you talking about?
Me: Nothing. Well, this one is going to have Izaya & Roxas's travel back to Bermin in it and explain how he got so wounded. Would you like to see this or-
Aoi: If you think I'm going to let you cut this out then you are completely wrong. Unless you want another new laptop. Weren't you still picking up pieces from your last one I destroyed last month?
Me: T_T No.
Aoi: Good, I thought not. How about we get started then?
Chapter 7: A Visit With A Twist
*Third POV, Halfway between Ennersville and Bermin*
Izaya and Roxas were speeding to get back to Bermin in case Aoi needed help with the barbarians. Izaya thought Aoi had been a little bit off lately; she was more tired than usual, she had trouble standing for too long a period, her thoughts became jumbled every so often, she wasn't like her usual self. Izaya had his suspicions, but he hoped that he was wrong and he was just imagining it. He didn't want to face the possibility of Aoi being one of the infected. If anything he hoped that it was just a passing ailment. Thankfully he left Alice to look after Aoi, but he wasn't sure how great an idea that was the more he thought of it.
Roxas began to shake, as if feeling his father's unease. But something he was more worried about was there was a sense of dread welling up inside him; he had felt it when he had heard Lord Ryuusaga's roar (at least he had assumed it was Lord Ryuusaga, since it didn't sound like a natural animal and he had heard tales from his dad about dragon slayers, at least first generation ones, who held the tiniest bit of their dragon parent in them), but here it seemed even worse, like the center of an oncoming storm were about to descend on them.
Roxas easily began to figure out that they weren't heading back home. "Dad, where are we going? I thought you only had business over in Ennersville?" Roxas yelled, having to be louder than the wind as they were going racing across Fiore.
Izaya didn't hear Roxas fully but he heard enough words to understand the meaning. "I did. That was business, and now I'm going over to Magnolia for some personal business." And with that the remainder of the ride, all literal 2 minutes of it, were spent in silence.
Izaya stopped directly at the gate that led into Magnolia and got off Behemoth. Roxas jumped out of the side car and looked at the city with curiosity. "What business could you have here? Unless you're-" Roxas stopped there, knowing that if he probed deeper he'd eventually regret it. He made the 'my-lips-are-sealed' motion and Izaya smiled, finding his sons antics amusing.
"It's alright Roxas, it's nothing to be concerned with. I'm just here to talk to my old master," Izaya said, a pang of guilt running through him for lying to the younger. He didn't want Roxas to know what his real business was. He didn't want anyone to know why he was here, but there was only one way to find out the truth.
They both walked through town, though not unnoticed. There were many whispers floating through the air, wondering why the Tsubasas had decided to give Magnolia a visit, despite many of them knowing Izaya since he had been sent there by Anthony. Roxas found the place fairly unnerving. He felt like some kind of spectacle that people made fun of, despite knowing they were looking at him in awe.
He felt that he didn't deserve it, since it was just his title that people were going gaga over. If he were, say, Roxas Ultear (the last name was completely made up but it worked for him) they probably would be treating him like he was anyone they didn't know too well. While he didn't want that, he also didn't want to be stared at like he was.
Roxas was so lost in his own thoughts that the doors to Fairy Tail almost smacked him in the face. The guild was less lively than usual, since most of the guild was apparently gone, very uncharacteristic. Usually at the current time the place was in full swing, and not just punches; usually the guild was more active than this. Izaya walked in naturally, like nothing was going on, and Roxas followed suit, although a little more fearful.
The place was as bare as a bone, even Mira who usually was always working the guild's bar was gone. Roxas looked up at his father a bit worried, but Izaya just seemed calm like he was expecting this. The younger of the two knew his father was probably scoping the place out as he did so, making sure that everything was okay.
However Izaya wasn't. He calmly walked up to the guild masters office and knocked on the door. There were several clunks, as if someone had just backed into something in surprise, heard from inside the room, and the door opened to reveal a bewildered Makarov in the doorway and Wendy lying with her back against a book shelf, several books surrounding her like a fort, a terribly built fort.
Wendy shook off her shock when she saw who it was and simply bowed her head. Makarov was far less formal, sporting an amused grin. "Well took you long enough. We just finished getting this place in order before you knocked." Wendy slightly giggled at that but shut up soon after, probably not wanting to hurt the feelings of the nobles.
Izaya just shook his head and walked in. "Let's see, last I checked I was a noble to be treated with the utmost respect," he turned around surveying the office, seeing it was hardly considered a mess, "but for my former guild master and someone from my former home, who cares about that?" Izaya smirked at Wendy and Makarov, both of which returned his signature smirk with big grins of their own.
Roxas still stood outside of the office, unsure if he should join or not. Izaya looked at Wendy and motioned towards Roxas very subtly. She got the hint and walked over to Roxas. "Come on Roxas, I'm sure that the others in Fairy Hills want to hear how your trainings going, what all is going on in Bermin, and maybe even that song you've been working on," she said sweetly. Roxas agreed a little too quickly, following Wendy as the two of them left.
Izaya just shook his head and chuckled a bit. Every time they went to Magnolia, Roxas always spent the visit with Wendy; though Izaya couldn't tell if it was because Roxas was getting a little crush on her or if it was because she acted so much like an older sister to him. What he really found funny was the irony of it; Wendy still looked as old as when Izaya had first met her.
"Well there they go," Makarov stated, snapping Izaya out of his thoughts. He shut the door and his tone got very grave. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing on him still." Izaya sighed, slightly relieved and slightly stressed; relieved because that meant that he could be wrong and stressed because it would come to bite him in the behind severely if he turned out to be right.
"OK, that's some good news, partially. He could be gone permanently for we know," Izaya said trying to convince himself more than his former mentor but not succeeding. "But what about those other things?" Makarov sighed and shook his head.
"Goldfinger and I haven't been able to get anymore intel on the plague than what we already know. It doesn't give off a magical feeling and it affects the infected's mental state. Other than that there's nothing." He walked over to his desk and sat behind it, writing on a few pieces of paper, probably because he had to. "As for those other matters," he stopped for a moment to think, "Lucy said Crux might be able to help you out with locating him. You might want to check into that." Izaya nodded and sighed, remembering his last meeting here.
"Alright thanks." The lord walked over to the door to leave, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"You know this could have been done easily over letter, and you haven't been here since you were reinstated." He looked at his guild member with a bit of suspicion in his eyes. "Is there some other reason that you've come here?" Izaya kept his cool, though he was nervous on the inside.
"No, I just came by for a report is all," Izaya said a bit harshly, taking Makarov by surprise. Never had Izaya been this way, at least in all the time he'd spent in the guild; he knew that Izaya wouldn't get a big head so the reason for his behavior being because he was a noble now was out of the question. "Now if you'll kindly," Izaya's body became surrounded by a thin layer of crimson light, incredibly hot to Makarov's touch.
Izaya didn't even apologize as he left Makarov's office, walking quietly. Makarov only shook his head. He didn't think Izaya had been working himself that hard, but apparently he had been doing something on the side that he didn't want anyone else to know about. That same side project was probably the reason Izaya had come over. He stared at the door way, reflecting on the days when Izaya had been a mere member. Back then the most he had to worry about with him was being discovered by Anthony for feeding him false intel. Now he had to worry about anything Izaya did, since every decision of the Titan mage's made held more weight than ever before. There was the sound of commotion from the guild and Makarov snapped out of his thoughts, going to greet the members who had walked in after waiting for his meeting to end.
*Izaya POV, 1st*
I walked through town, the same reactions as before all around him. I didn't like being a noble too much, and this was one of the reasons I hated it, people started asking unimportant questions to themselves they thought I couldn't hear but they were clearer than day. So many opinions going on at once was just a bit annoying. Ever since the day I left people had begun talking about me.
I pushed those thoughts aside as he reached Lucy's apartment, knowing full well the Celestial mage could be found here most of the time. I walked up to the door and knocked, receiving a startled yelp from inside the house. What was with today and people jumping at the sound of someone at their door? Maybe it was just my timing?
Whatever the reason it wasn't too evident because when she opened the door she was dressed and alert, not something I'd expect from someone who was just surprised. "Oh, Lord Tsubasa," she said slightly surprised. I could understand why she felt that way; a powerful lord comes over to your house when he should be about a hundred miles away, who wouldn't be surprised by that.
"Sorry for the abrupt visit Lucy, but this is something I need to do." She nodded and let me in. I looked around, surprised by how it looked. I expected her to be a bit less organized, only slightly, but her apartment was almost as clean as the one I used to live in.
"It's no big deal, I was just cleaning up from the last time Natsu was here," she said as she sat down at a desk with a few, what seemed to be, letters on it. She rotated her chair so that she was facing me, trying to be as attentive as possible. "So, Makarov told me that you need to talk to Crux about something. Is that why you came over?" She sounded genuinely confused as to whether that was my reason for coming here or not.
"Yeah, that' all there is to it. I also need you to go someplace you can't hear us." She looked at me confused. "I don't want to drag anyone along with me down this. I tried finding answers for these questions while I was away but nothing came. There was a reason I forsake Fairy Tail's name back then, and why I don't come over too often." I felt guilt build up in me, but pushed it down easily. "I don't want anything coming back to hurt any of you."
Lucy shook her head and leaned back. "No, I'm not leaving." I was about to protest but she started again before I could start. "You don't want anything coming back to hurt us? Keeping so many secrets is hurting those close to you anyway."
"They'll hurt yes, but they're light taps compared to what would happen if Fairy Tail got caught up in this."
"But that's why we're here. Together we can beat any amount of pain dealt to us as long we stick together. We're all nakama; if one of us fights we all fight."
"And that's why. I don't want you guys getting hurt because of my selfish choices." I could feel my slight annoyance begin to change into an angrier version.
"Don't you see your own logic work against you? Keeping these secrets of yours is as selfish as whatever it is you're doing on your own." Her voice began to elevate and she began to stand up as well.
"I'm trying to protect all of you. Why are you being so impossible?" My own voice elevated and my anger only grew with each second.
"You're protecting us? We're being impossible? Didn't a wise man once tell the veteran mages of Fairy Tail the ways connections worked? How trust had to be between each other and how we had to allow everyone to worry about one another? Or was that some other wise 18 year old?" She stood right in front of me, faces about a foot apart, glaring at me. I know I was being difficult, but if it came to being difficult or letting them experience excruciating sadness and loss, I'd take the difficult option.
"That was me, but because I couldn't afford any of you to be hurt I severed the bond of worry!" I yelled at her, causing her to take a few steps back. "If you can't trust me because I won't let you get involved then so be it!" I could feel my skin heat up but I ignored the feeling. "I'd rather lose everything if it meant that I could protect it." I glared at her, my anger slightly subsiding but not enough that I would listen to whatever she said. "After all, didn't you try to do that when Phantom Lord came?" Lucy looked down, trying to avoid my gaze.
"That's true," she walked right back up to me and slapped me with all of her force behind it, "but I learned from it. Maybe you're not the same man I heard so much about back then." She pulled out a silver key and turned it. "If that's the case then go and get yourself killed for all I care." Crux soon appeared where the key had been turned and Lucy stormed out, slamming the door on her way out.
"Well, someone was in a nasty mood," Crux said slightly light heartedly as I only relaxed slightly.
"No, that would be all me. And you know why that is," I said as he grimly nodded.
"Yes, you're wondering about that group of people, their resources, your wife and," Crux nodded off for a second but soon woke back up, "you're wondering if time is on your side or not; if what you saw was truly what was to happen, or if it was something that created the event in the first place." I tensed up, wondering how he knew that much, but soon relaxed after a second. It wasn't like he could tell anyone about our conversation anyway.
"Right, I want to know about that battle against the End Game and," I paused there, barely able to say the next lines. I knew I had to, but saying it seemed more difficult than just saying it. "And I want to know if my feelings were affected it at all, if I truly love Aoi or if it's only a simple crush strengthened by a made up time point."
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AN: Well, I guess you guys didn't expect that did you? I figured since I just kind of had the Izaya x Aoi pairing happen spontaneously I could go more in depth with it, actually find the root cause. Of course I know what the root cause is, but that's not something to disclose.
Aoi: Let's see how many things were unexpected so far. 1) Me getting infected with the Burnholt Plague. 2) My feelings possibly not being true. You're being mean because me and Izaya are practically the perfect couple in your eyes, aren't we?
Me: No, if I was being mean I'd have it all be made up to distract him. But at the moment we don't know if I'm being mean or not.
Aoi: Do you want me to blow up that laptop of yours?
Me: No. Oh and also, 3) Me getting into a fight with an AN guest who isn't male.
Roxas: Edward the Pure = Annoying right now guys.
Me: Can you blame me? This is the last update for me as a legal child. Today in a couple of hours I become a legal adult, unfortunately missing the election by one day (why did I have to wait a full week before getting born). But, it couldn't be helped.
Roxas: We can blame you. You don't have to act like a complete moron just because you're turning 18.
Me: Well oh well, what's done is done. I can't do anything about it now can I?
Roxas: You could always restart this recording session.
Me: I'd rather not and say I did.
Aoi: Give it up Roxas, you're not getting through to him. *evil glint* But perhaps if we force him to stop. *points Muramasa at laptop* Say goodbye people. We'll see you in the next chapter.
Me: Wait Aoi, I just go- *computer explosion*