Chp. 7: You're in the Guild Now!
"You mean to tell me the entire thing played out and most, if not all, of the damage was caused by the townspeople themselves?" Makarov inquired with a rising voice and widening eyes.
At first Kyousuke didn't know what to make of the behavior. Was the master angry that destruction of property had occurred and they'd been in the middle of it? Did that mean they could be connected to it and blamed?
"Master…I apologize for my confusion, but have we done something that is displeasing to you?" The swordsman said slowly and respectfully. The head of Fairy Tail looked at him and suddenly beamed.
"Kyousuke my boy, I couldn't be happier!" He shouted, jumping to his feet.
"The Magic Council can't pin this one on me for once, Yee-hoo! If they want an explanation they'll be going elsewhere for it!" He went on, laughing triumphantly at the ceiling as he raised both his fists.
Kyousuke looked on in confusion; why was Master Makarov celebrating this? What was there to celebrate? His companions and him had finished a job, yes, but the elder man was more overjoyed by the fact that they'd be responsible for almost no property damage? He looked at Sera.
"Sera, I'm unable to follow why The Master is so happy."
"Natsu uhm, has a habit of destroying a lot of stuff when he goes on jobs." She said with an exasperated smile. Her friend looked further confused and now slightly disturbed.
"This is related to his over-eagerness The Master mentioned?" Kyousuke asked.
"Yes, but also his fights become so ferocious and he himself is so determined, it can often end in a good few blocks of rubble. As a result, Master Makarov often has to deal with the Magic Council and the bad reputation." Sera clarified.
"Why do we allow him to stay or do this? Shouldn't he be disciplined?" Kyousuke demanded, growing unhappy.
"Oh calm down, Natsu does none of it on purpose. He just has a habit of drawing very powerful enemies." Connie sighed. Kyousuke looked at him to retort, but their leader interrupted the sparking argument.
"You three have just made my day! In fact I think this is a good excuse for us to party! The Magic Council can kiss our Fairy Tails today!" Makarov howled.
The entire hall replied with a joyous roar of approval at the concept of a party. Kyousuke looked around, bewildered, as the space descended into celebration. Celebration over this? It still confused him. He stood there while Connie nearly leapt to the bar and exchanged part of his reward for drink. He downed the first glass as fast as the time Kyousuke had met him.
"Is this really worth celebrating?" He asked.
"We don't need much of a reason to party." Sera admitted with a proud smile. There wasn't much she could hold against Fairy Tail's spirit.
From behind, Cana threw her arms around their shoulders, already running to get hammered like Connie.
"Aw come on you two, don't be a couple of sticks in the mud. Get buzzed, at least!" she laughed. Kyousuke frowned.
"I'd prefer not to." He declined politely.
"I'm uh…I don't like how I behave when I'm drunk." Sera blushed, looking at her shoes.
"Though Sera, may I buy you a cup of tea? I'm grateful for all your help and hope that we can work together again. I believe this kind of gesture is something friends do?" Kyousuke asked.
"Booooo, buy her a beer!" Cana jeered.
Friends? He considered her a friend? Sera gave Kyousuke a wide-eyed look.
"I hope I'm not being too forward but I do consider you one, Sera, You've more than proven yourself and been eager to help." He explained with a light smile, apparently reading her mind.
"N-no! You aren't! I'd love to! I mean, I mean yes, I'll take your offer!" She squeaked. The brunette's expression grew catlike at her friend's frustration.
"Have fun~" Cana sang before letting them go. Sera wanted to protest, but the Card Mage disappeared into the crowd.
"Cana's a very jovial person." Kyousuke observed before walking towards Mirajane and requesting the aforementioned beverage in the black-leaf variety. Sera hurried to join him.
"So did I answer all of your questions on the train?" Kyousuke asked as he took his cup and blew some of the steam away as it escaped from the surface. Sera nodded, trying to recompose herself.
"Thank you for that." She said, picking up her own drink. He nodded and looked out over the guild's festivities.
Sera tried to find a subject of conversation, something she wasn't the best at. She felt she'd explored a good deal of Kyousuke's life already. What was there, what was there…she had a quick revelation. It was a small subject, but something to talk about nonetheless.
"Oh, Kyousuke, the sword rack? Reedus may be able to help; his Pict magic could build something like that. Laki could also help too; she uses Wood-Make Magic." Sera spoke up.
"Oh? Thank you Sera. Hopefully if I don't have enough money I can barter with them."
"They should be fairly reasonable. I've never met anyone whom you could describe as unlikeable in the Guild as of late…except maybe Laxus or Evergreen, and well Laxus was expelled."
"Who?"
"Laxus is Master Makarov's grandson. He used lightning-based magic like you, but he was arrogant, greedy. He tried to rebel against The Master and ended up only getting beaten and humiliated."
Kyousuke's face hardened, but he showed little surprise.
"A common occurrence in my culture, I'm sure you know. The young lord tries to oust his father because he thinks he can rule better, or he simply wants the power."
"I would say it's safe to assume that was exactly how it played out. He rebelled with a few who stood with him and he was crushed despite early victories."
"He was outnumbered, then…It explains why he lost."
"He was also very powerful as a mage, Kyousuke. As were his co-conspirators. Evergreen was among them."
"Was he expelled as well?"
"She wasn't, on the grounds she was only being loyal to a friend and was kept in the dark of his true intentions. She can be rather…haughty regarding her appearance, though. It's why I find her somewhat unpleasant."
Sera pointed to the aforementioned woman when she was visible across the way. Kyousuke examined the self-proclaimed "Fairy Queen", then Sera.
"Are you two related?" He inquired innocently. Sera had to giggle at that.
"No no, Kyousuke, we aren't." She denied. He quietly agreed and drank some more tea.
"So how goes the fight, Sera?" Cana spoke up. She'd once again come from nowhere. Sera yelped and nearly sent her tea flying into Kyousuke's face.
"Cana! What now?!" the bookworm snapped.
"I've come to referee." She commented with a wave of her hand.
"Referee?" Kyousuke repeated.
"P-please ignore her, Kyousuke! She's drunk! Cana why are you doing this, we're trying to talk!" Sera interjected. Cana repeated her reasoning.
"Just pretend I'm not here; I'll only speak when needed." Cana promised.
Sera slowly turn her gaze back to Kyousuke and took another drink, visibly showing she was ignoring the "referee".
"Is there anyone else you wish to know about in the guild, Kyousuke, or anyone you'd like to meet? I'd be happy to introduce you."
"Perhaps you can introduce me to Reedus or Laki." He suggested.
"I will."
"I've also considered getting more acquainted with Erza. She and I seem to share a similar mindset. I believe we can learn a great deal from each other."
"Good idea."
"Otherwise I think you, myself and Connie should get to know one-another better. Perhaps we can make ourselves an actual team?"
Sera had to blush a little this time.
"You'd really consider me as a candidate for a teammate, Kyousuke?' She asked.
"Yes, you've been very helpful from the start and you possess extensive knowledge on several subjects. Both advantages if you ask me. Connie's melee skills and your friendship with him only further strengthen things. Granted I may have to adjust to his…personality."
Sera only stared back, considering the offer. Well…what did she have to lose? What reason was there to say no? She'd already grown friendly with Kyousuke, and he'd mentioned she was a friend. Naïve as his rushed acceptance may have been she was still flattered. And…shy? Like when a boy flirted with a girl?
"Uhm, Sera? You look unwell again."
She snapped back to reality.
"I'll definitely consider it!" She blurted out.
Consider it? CONSIDER it? Again, what did she have to lose, especially when this team would have Connie on it? Kyousuke, too; he'd already proven himself.
"I'm glad." Kyousuke smiled. Her heart skipped a beat.
"We'd just need to see if Connie's okay with it. He can be…well special." Sera giggled nervously. Cana didn't need to comment on that, and Kyousuke only nodded in agreement.
"Hey Canaaa~"
Connie joined the group, , mug in hand (which round he was on one could only guess) and looked dreamily at the mage of his affections.
"What's say we have a drink off? Loser has to give the other tongue, winner gets tongue from the other?" He grinned, cocking up a brow.
"Connor, that makes no sense!" A voice called from a nearby table. Eyes turned on Alzack Connell, a weedy young man in a poncho with shaggy black hair that covered a good part of his face. Connie wasn't impressed, enough that he missed Cana's rejection.
"Shut up Alzack yah little cunt I've had a fuckin gutful a yer shit." He growled at a rapid pace. The gun mage leaned back as Connie aggressively stared at him from the bar. He opened his mouth to retort but Connie cut him off.
"Get fucked!" the Steel Make mage hissed. Alzack's face hardened; it looked more like he was the one who'd "had a gutful".
"I'm pretty sure I do more often than you have lately!" He retorted, compensating his physical inferiority to the bigger mage by shouting. The merrymaking started to die down.
"Ohhhh, so Bisca packing something more than her rifle now, ehh?" Connie taunted. That caused a general silence; "The Gunner" fixed both warring parties with a glare as she was pulled into it.
Connie, sensing no retort from Alzack, smugly lifted his mug for another drink while the entire guild held its breath. The only sound, outside of people shifting, was a quiet chanting. It was Gitana.
"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight…"
It didn't take very long for the silence to be broken by Natsu clambering up onto the table he'd been sitting at.
"Someone say fight?" He exclaimed. There were practically stars in his eyes as he looked around for someone who wanted to go at it.
"Natsu, sit down!" Connie barked.
"But someone wants to fight, Connie!" Natsu protested.
"Much fun as a good brawl would be, lad, I ain't dealing with you right now."
The Dragonslayer frowned and lit up his fists. Connie growled and turned his to steel as he slammed the rest of his beer and haphazardly set aside the mug. The two locked gazes as the guildhall remained quiet; even Gitana had stopped inciting fisticuffs. Connie stood up without taking his eyes away from Natsu; Alzack had been swept aside. The standoff lasted only a short time before Natsu propelled himself of the table towards his opponent. Her was stopped midair by a large hand which became a barrier between the two would be brawlers. Natsu fell to the floor, only to have the hand deliver a disciplinary chop to his stomach. Once it was certain Natsu had learned his lesson and wouldn't just get back up and fight, the voice of authority spoke.
"The both of you will settle down, and Gitana! No instigating fights like that!" Makarov scolded, retracting his hand and shrinking it back to normal size. The Transformation Mage shrunk a little in embarrassment; Makarov didn't usually yell at her.
"Now, resume the merrymaking…but no fights." The master went on. Slowly his "children" got back to celebrating their freedom from the magic council's ire.
"That was incredible, Master! Even if it was only a quick example of your power!" Kyousuke gasped.
"Thank you, Kyousuke…pardon a little pride I may be old but I like to think I've still got it." He chortled before taking a content drink from his mug.
"Yeah Master, helped me save my strength for the actual fight I have today." Connie spoke up. Kyousuke and company frowned at the man.
"As promised for my help, I want to spar with yah, Kyousuke. A good, clean, test of skills." He reminded them all. Makarov relented.
"As yes, that." He nodded.
"I want to add an addendum to that." Sera spoke up. Kyousuke and Connie looked at her.
"If Kyousuke wins, you join the team him and I have formed." She declared. Connie shrugged.
"Fair enough."…
The battleground was the valleys along the inland face of Magnolia, directly opposite the coastal side. A small crowd from the guild came along to watch the fight. Connie was known for starting his fair share of brawls; a few were wondering if Kyousuke's stand against Natsu suggested he could but Connie down. They would go at it in a field of low grass that sat between a footpath and a creek.
"Okay, this'll be simple: We fight and the first to be either knocked out or put in a position where it'd be pointless to go on wins. No cheap moves, neither; don't be a wuss." Connie said, stretching.
"Very well, I accept those terms." Kyousuke said, bowing.
As he straightened up, the swordsman took a combative stance; Connie cast steel over his fists. Makarov, acting as a something of a referee, held up a hand.
"With the rules stated, you may begin!"
The Steel Mage charged forward while Kyousuke was drawing his sword (sheath still on). Kyousuke moved to the right as quickly as he could, but he felt the wind of Connie's fist passing him. Kyousuke kept moving a bit before turning around to find Connie was coming at him again after recovering. Kyousuke brought his sword to bear and deflected the fist with a blow. To the right this time, but he needed distance, distance! Kyousuke called upon his Lightning Agility to get him that. Connie was large, so naturally he was slower; Kyousuke had figured that out in Serenity. Kyousuke also had room to move, but the flat ground meant he could only move in one plane.
Connie didn't try to pursue Kyousuke, and instead stood his ground, creating two long shields and keeping vigilant for his opponent. He could hear Kyousuke approaching but couldn't see him too well. He caught human figure at the last second and ended up hitting Kyousuke as he brought his shields to bear. Kyousuke tumbled twice before using the roll to his advantage and stopping. He then started moving again as Connie charged to deliver a deliberate attack. Kyousuke darted right, stopped, and let Connie's forward momentum and reaction time work for him. The man was a little tipsy after all, enough that it gave Kyousuke a small advantage in reaction. The larger mage seemed to have insisted that he fight like this, though; "booze made him livelier" he declared.
"Lightning Blade!" Kyousuke snarled as he brought his sword against Connie's stomach.
Connie stumbled to the left; Kyousuke didn't hesitate and moved away do he could strike the man again. His sword was caught by one of his opponent's steel encased fists, which sent one of the bolts from the weapon to Connie's skin. Connie drew his hand back, snarling a hurried curse, and lashed out with his other. His strength and their size difference meant Kyousuke nearly DID go flying back. Kyousuke kept his balance though; he'd always practiced so. Kyousuke immediately pushed back against Connie, first stopping another blow against him with his trusty blade, then delivering two follow-on blows as Connie drew back to try again. Each was against Connie's ribs; a third was aimed at upsetting his balance by hitting his legs. Connie deflected the blow as he materialized a steel pipe.
"Okay boy-o, let's play it your way." He grinned.
Kyousuke wouldn't hesitate to guess this was going to be the man's downfall. Kyousuke had spent YEARS perfecting his ability to fight with a bladed weapon. Was this man mocking him? For a second Kyousuke forgot that no one knew why he was in Fairy Tail. That no one knew about Saeko and his desire to see her again. He became angry, and struck back the first swing Connie made with a vengeance. Connie held fast and pushed back his blade, but Kyousuke used that to gain space and draw Connie close on his terms. The swordsman let the other man approach before delivering a blow aimed just a few inches above his grip on his "sword". It knocked the weapon away from Connie; Kyousuke came back and struck his shoulder. Then as the man flinched Kyousuke move around him and landed a blow against the back of his right leg.
Connie fell to his knees, snarling a little but showing little serious pain. Kyousuke stopped his sword near the man's neck from behind.
"If this blade was unsheathed right now…I could behead you. Or more likely produce a grave cut along the side of your throat." Kyousuke pointed out.
"Point Kyousuke….point." Connie admitted.
"Can you harden your neck?"
"I'm humbled to admit I cannot."
"So I believe I win, as you cannot move without me being able to put you back into the same position easily."
The two looked towards Makarov.
"Kyousuke is right, especially in the sense of a real battle. I declare him the winner." The old man declared, holding up a hand and leveling it at Kyousuke. The winner nodded and looked at his new teammate one last time.
"Don't insult my school of learning like that again, do you understand? Especially if you and I are going to cooperate." Kyousuke said harshly. Connie gave him and unfazed look.
"Lighten up, Kyousuke; you're going to find this is just me." He replied, putting up his hands in mock surrender. The Steel Mage had his bastardly charm, The Lightning Swordsman admitted silently.
