Chapter 8

No Fixing This

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic, and Ideas

.:+:.

What... what am I supposed to do...?


"W-what...?"

The words fumbled a little, Erza's voice low and nearly breathless as she stared at those three new arrivals in the center of the room before her, having been invited in once they knocked on the door to her apartment in Fairy Hills. Behind her, Milliana and Kagura looked just about as speechless as the redhead, all eyes riveted to those bright, soft smiles that stretched across Wendy, Carla and Lucy's faces. They had come to Fairy Hills to relay the news that she had missed earlier,

"... Porlyusica... she... Frea's going to be... alright...?" Erza stammered quietly, eyes wide and sweatdropping slightly.

Lucy nodded a bit in sign of extra confirmation, her chocolate gaze glinting.

"Mhmm." The blonde hummed brightly,

"She's starting to heal now, and her fever's gone down a lot too." Wendy intoned cheerfully, "It's going to take a little while for her to heal all the way, but she should be ok."

Kagura and Milliana exchanged small glanced, half-smiles pulling at their lips for a few moments before they glanced back to Erza, who seemed almost winded at the news, her posture rigid and her hands clasped tightly to her chest, her hands shaking slightly for a few moments. For a little while Erza seemed to stunned to say anything, let alone do anything, before a small, soft smile pulled at her lips, and the tears fell from her eyes with little a sound, her gaze gleaming and looking so relieved it was almost painful for everyone else to see- especially so at sight of the tears, they had seldom seen Erza cry before, and when they had there was good reason.

"That's..." Erza breathed, her eyes falling to her hands for a few moments. She smiled a little wider, her eyes closing as she seemed to let out a breath she had been holding for much too long. The other five girls in the room smiled slightly, their eyes flashing as they looked toward Erza and the happiness that managed it's way into her face, where she had looked so tired and pained the last two weeks.

Erza held her hands closer to her chest, small tears still falling silently from her eyes as the words made it passed her lips in a breathless, soft tenor.

"... I'm so glad...!"


The last few rays of the setting sun turned the sky a deep violet hue, the shadows of the buildings stretching out over the streets and the town as night settled in, with the Fairy Tail Guild in higher spirits and lighter hearts than had been seen in much too long a time. Those leaving the Guild Hall for the night did so with smiles and relaxing sighs, their eyes cast toward the Hall as they left it behind and hopeful for morning- it was sure to be better than today had been, and it had already been the best at hearing the news.

News that spread through the town nearly as quickly as Aisha thought it would, those that hadn't been at the Guild to hear it for themselves had been informed quickly enough- either by arriving at the Guild themselves, or having someone rush from the building to tell someone else.

Master Makarov went home for the first time in two weeks, though he had needed some gentle prodding, and had to stop by to check in with Mirajane before he left for good.

Mira was settled in a chair, her elbow resting on the armrest and her cheek held lightly in her palm- humming a tune softly under her breath and her eyes closed. Entirely content in her own head and the soft, slow melody of the song, and oblivious to the violet of the sky outside slowly turning indigo as the minutes ticked by.

"... I haven't heard that song in awhile..."

Mirajane's humming came to a slow halt, her head tilting up and eyes opening toward the low voice, a pleasant smile spreading across her lips as her blue gaze matched Frea's silver one.

"... Did I wake you up?" Mira asked softly, Frea shook her head slightly.

"Nah," Frea smiled wearily, adjusting slightly so her hand lay under her cheek on top of the pillow- stifling the wince that came with moving even so slightly. Mira smiled sadly at the flash of pain that appeared on her face in the next instant, Frea's eyes fell for half a second at it, before she blinked, her eyes trailing toward the coat settled lightly on her shoulder, before letting out a small sigh and glancing back toward Mira.

"... How do you feel?" Mira asked gently,

That question... Everyone is gonna keep asking, for a long while...

"... I'm alright." Frea replied, banishing the thoughts and the wariness that came with them. In truth though, she was less alright than anyone had a clue about- she'd not come out of sleeping peacefully, in reality she had to try hard not to show how fast her heart rate had sped up, and how uneasy she felt.

Naraka's silent nod, that piercing stare as she asked the question, and the gesture was the only answer she needed- the only answer that had her heart racing and her mind following suit.

...what the hell am I supposed... About him...?

She forced herself not to think about it, lest her emotions get out of hand enough that Mira (or anyone else for that matter) noticed. It might even be better to simply... Not. Not right now.

"... I take it Porlyusica told the Guild..." Frea murmured, earning a slightly surprised look from Mira, who tilted her head slightly at the rather odd comment. Frea smiled a bit, her eyes shinning. "... The Energy hanging over the Guild is better now than when I woke up earlier... Less sad, and painful."

Mira smiled slightly at that, nodding a bit. ".. Everyone was very happy to hear you would be OK." She murmured in reply, "I haven't heard the hall so loud in weeks, it was a nice change." Frea smiled slightly in agreement, her eyes falling closed a moment she she let out a small breath, swallowing slightly.

That same light, lingering scent of electricity hit her senses as she felt a bit of the fur lining Laxus' coat brush against her cheek.

... Why'd he leave it? He hardly ever takes it off... And he's not at the Guild anymore either.

She let out a small huff,

... Good... He's been hovering, waiting... To see if I was gonna fall apart again... Damn it.

Her eyes narrowed to slits, staring at the pillow.

... I might...

She shook her head slightly, pushing aside the pain that came with the movement- it was nothing compared to what she would feel with what she was about to do.

Frea grumbled under her breath, her hand pushing against the pillow as her other arm moved to push her body up from the bed that much more, shaking immediately from the strain of it as she hissed.

Mira's eyes widened, stiffening as she got to her feet in an instant, her eyes flashing as she settled a surprised, scolding look on the Energy Dragon Slayer- which was promptly replaced with concern when Frea winced rather harshly, shaking and struggling to roll over and sit up, the sheets and Laxus' coat falling from her shoulders to her lap.

"Frea!" Mira snapped lowly, "You should not be moving!" Her hands fell lightly on the now harshly breathing Frea, who had managed (barely) to bring herself up just a bit, her back against the pillows but nowhere near sitting up fully, her hand falling to hold her battered body lightly and jaw clenched in pain.

"...tch... Sorry..." Frea hissed between winces. "... Kinda hard to... Drink anything laying down though..." One silver eye cracked open to cast Mira and apologetic look, the white-haired woman blinking in slight shock. Mira let out a slightly annoyed huff, shaking her head slightly as one hand moved from holding Frea steady to pull the pillows up behind her back enough she could lay against them a bit more comfortably. Frea let out a small breath, smiling slightly at the less than amused look Mira set on her in the next instant.

"You could have just told me you were thirsty." Mira grumbled,

"Yeah...but would you have let me sit up... If I had..?" Frea murmured, earning a small frown as the only reply. Mira shook her head once or twice more as she pulled a pitcher of water closer from where it was resting on the nightstand to her right, her hands working away as she poured some into a cup and slowly handed it toward Frea, her fingers lingering around the cup almost uncertainly as Frea moved her own to take slightly shaky hold of it, though she forced her arms and hands to still after a few moments.

"Thanks." Frea mumbled lowly, her eyes falling into the cup for a few seconds, before she tilted her head back a took a small sip, the liquid cool and refreshing in her throat that had been torn up and dry from the harsh breathing and coughing she had been doing as of late. The cup fell away from her lips as she lightly held it with both hands against her chest slightly, her eyes closing and grimacing a little at the less than pleasant and particularly painful feeling that followed with it- a flash of pain running through her stomach though she managed not to hiss. In all honesty the idea of drinking anything hadn't been altogether pleasant, and the idea of eating anything (even if she did have any sort of appetite) was even less pleasant... to be honest that made her feel sick just thinking about it, and her stomach flipped so suddenly at the intake of water she had to take in a low, slow breath to settle it.

There was a flash of concern from Mira that hit her in the next instant, making her very aware that Mira had noticed the sudden face she made after drinking the water even a little bit.

"... you alright, Frea..?" Mira asked softly, her voice gentle as Frea grumbled inwardly at the infernal question... again.

"... yeah... I'm ok." Frea replied lowly, Mira blinked, sweatdropping slightly. She knew well that Frea didn't like being fussed over, and figured maybe she didn't appreciate being constantly asked if she was alright- in the moment Mira didn't think about it, she asked out of concern and she figured Frea knew that too. She just figured maybe Frea might appreciate it more if people stopped asking her the same question over and over- Mira would try and keep herself from bringing it up if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Frea's eyes fell into the bottom of the cup again, tentatively tilting her head back to take a few more sips though the next few didn't feel any more pleasant than the first. Mira just watched her quietly, ever aware the discomfort that appeared across Frea's features as she did so, her blue eyes glinting until the Energy Dragon Slayer was done, casting Mira a glance as she handed the cup over. Mira reached forward to take it, seeing Frea's arm and hand trembling slightly and swallowing at it.

Frea's hands fell back down, folding around her stomach lightly as her eyes fell closed, strands and pieces of her hair falling about her face as she took in a few low, deep breaths, sweatdropping still and trying to dispel the queasiness in her core. For a minute her eyes cast toward the door, she could easily tell that she and Mira were not the only ones in the Guild Hall- and was slightly surprised (though only slightly) to find she could feel the familiar Energy Signature of Iki somewhere outside. Without knowing why the tomcat was at the Guild so late, she assumed he had stayed behind to keep Mira company... and she assumed he and Uno had arrived just as Laxus said the other Guilds had.

"... I actually have a question for you." Frea said softly, shaking the thoughts away as she glanced Mira's way, but not before pausing slightly to blow a piece of hair out of her eyes with a small disgruntled frown.

Speaking of hair, hers was still as long as it had grown when she fought with Mordren... much, much too long. She hated it, but she didn't have the energy to get worked up, or do anything about it just then.

Mira blinked in question at the words, her head tilted slightly.

"... I heard Levy and Iki talking earlier." Frea murmured, "They said something about Gajeel not being around, what's that about?"

Mira smiled sadly, letting out a breath. "Gajeel hasn't been at the Guild since what happened with Mordren. And no one's seen him since, its almost like he's disappeared." Frea blinked, her eyes widening slightly in slight surprise at the words. "He hasn't been home either, from what Lily's told me."

Frea's eyes fell away from Mira for a moment, her attention casting outside the room and outside the Building- that almost maddeningly strong wash of Energy that kept flooding in from all sides still hadn't ceased, she could feel everything, the Land, the air, the people... farther and farther than she should have been able and she couldn't ignore it like she wished to. What little she had managed to block of her senses before now seemed to have failed her completely, and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to ever get used to it all the way.

There was no mistaking it though, she could feel Gajeel's Energy Signature somewhere on the fringes of the town (or at least she guessed so, with how big she knew Magnolia was)- he seemed to not be moving too much though, but she didn't think he was hurt... well, maybe not physically.

Frea was hardly awake when she caught a snippet of that conversation between Levy and Iki, she was so tired- but it took literally no effort to hear and to feel just how worried Levy was when her mind turned to the Iron Dragon Slayer and his apparent disappearance. The Guild in a whole had been worried, but what she felt from Levy was like sharp, incessant bursts of electricity running through her core- Levy had always been a cheery sort of person and it was out of the ordinary to feel such negativity and sheer concern coming from her for any reason.. but Levy was worried, extremely so, and it felt awful enough to Frea that her heart clenched at the idea of how Levy was handling it. She could feel that same sinking worry from Lily too, and she growled slightly under her breath at the thought.

"...idiot..." She grumbled softly, her eyes flashing slightly in the dim of the room as Mira blinked at her, though Frea didn't notice.

... damn it...

Frea let out a low sigh, shaking her head slightly and casting the thoughts away- focusing instead on the room and not on anything else as much as she could manage, she could already feel a headache coming on.

"... Frea?" Mira murmured softly, her head tilted slightly as Frea shook her head.

".. it's nothing. I was just thinking is all." Frea replied lightly, "... I guess you guys have questions too... given what happened." Mira sweatdropped slightly, her eyes falling for a minute.

How could they not? Between the fact that Frea had disappeared without a word that day, right before it happened- with Mordren showing up out of nowhere, all that stuff talked about with the 'Forces of Creation' and ending up on the very mountain Frea had learned her Magic?

Not to mention... well, no one had bothered to give it much thought with being as worried and scared as they all were, but no one in the Guild could wrap their heads around what Frea had done. Where had all that unbelievable Magic come from? With Dragon Force and the magnitude that had shown itself all at once, it was like nothing they had ever seen, and especially not in her.

And the rest of it?

Frea had been using not just Energy Magic, but other types of Magic at once. Fire, Water, Lightning, Shadow- she had used so many different Magics at once and she used them like she was a Master at all of them- and yet Frea had never shown she could use any other Magic but Energy Magic before. It seemed impossible to even imagine anyone who could use more than three High Level Magics at once- let alone the amount of them she had been using that day.

More so when it seemed her Magic had done more damage to her than Mordren had.

Frea had become like a whole different person, and they didn't understand any of it.

It would be a lie to say that several people in the Guild, including the likes of Mira and Master, were itching to try and piece together what had happened, why and how... but they had all been too concerned with the idea that Frea wasn't going to pull form her injuries to even humor the idea of asking her about any of it. Not when she was barely staying awake for more than an hour at a time.

"... there isn't a rush, Frea." Mira murmured softly, "... we're more concerned with getting you fixed up." Frea smiled a little at that, though something about that smile seemed almost a bit... rueful, though Mira wasn't sure why.

"... hmm.. that's your plan, but is the Council going to go along with it?" Frea asked lowly, Mira stiffened,

"They are not going to get anywhere near you." Mira replied instantly, her voice suddenly firm and her eyes flashing in agitation at the sheer idea. Frea blinked, casting the Take-Over Mage a small look, a little taken aback by what fire suddenly shown in her eyes.

... we may not have a choice...

She sweatdropped slightly, swallowing a little.

And when the Council (and they would) did come marching in? She'd have a whole lot to explain and to answer for, and the thought of even trying to sift through all those thoughts and memories and form them into any sort of explanation- that made her feel sick and slightly afraid all at once, and she hated that. She of course appreciated what ire rose in Mira though, and she knew well enough the Guild wouldn't let the Council come in and demand anything so easily- and they sure as hell weren't about to let the Council arrest her.

It wasn't as if Frea had any real want to handle all the political bullshit either... but she knew better than to think she could just slip away from it all.

She was smack dab in the middle of a mess much larger than anyone could even fathom... and in time she wouldn't have any choice but to confront to Council and their questions.

... and when that time came, she didn't look forward to what mess it would stir up for her, or feeling the worry and concern come from anyone else in the Guild... she had worried them so much already.

Too much


Iki moved inside the room slowly, looking a little unsure for a minute as he noticed those silver eyes glancing his way, his heart sped up slightly.

He had offered to let Mira go home and sleep as midnight came, telling her that he would stay and keep an eye on Frea until the morning. Mira seemed a little reluctant to do so, but relented anyway and left the room with a small smile, calling a goodbye to the Energy Dragon Slayer who nodded slightly in answer.

The door clicked shut behind him as he slowly floated forward, landing lightly on top of a chair and smiling as Frea nodded to him.

"Hey, Iki." She murmured softly,

"Good to see you, Frea." He smiled, "I wasn't expecting you up."

"Yeah, neither was Mira." Frea replied lightly, "She tried to get me to fall asleep again, but I'm not quite there yet..." She paused, casting him a small smile that was suddenly a bit apologetic. Iki blinked at it, his head tilting slightly.

He wouldn't say he and Frea were on good terms... well, they were, but they really hadn't time to grow close- he and Uno had been focused on kindling a relationship with Moon. But he did like her, she was a kind person and he had been genuinely worried about her like everyone else had been, more so because he knew how much she meant to Moon.

"... I actually need you to do something, for me." Frea murmured, earning a small blink of surprise from him. "I wouldn't ask normally, but seeing as how I'm not supposed to get out of bed... I can't very well do it myself."

Not that she was even remotely sure she could manage to walk, let alone stand up- sitting up even that little bit she had was a hard enough chore (and even then she was hardly 'sitting up'), but this uneasy feeling that had settled in her core wouldn't go away until she had done something about it.

Not just uneasy, tense, guilty... annoyed too, but more so unhappy than anything.

"What?" He asked, ears twitching slightly as he crossed his arms about his chest, intent.

"... I need you to go out to the edge of Magnolia, in the forest." Frea murmured slowly, Iki blinked in slight shock at the words, eyebrow quirked. "... up toward where Fairy Tail was using a Tavern as it's Guild Hall, you should be able to see it on the hill." Frea sweatdropped slightly, her smile fading as she let out a low breath. "... I know it's late, and it's a bit far.. I hate to ask."

"... I'm... well... I am supposed to stay with you." Iki mumbled uncertainly, Frea nodded slightly.

".. I don't think you'd be gone too long." She murmured lowly, he blinked.

"... Alright... The time and the distance isn't a bother really... but ah..." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck a little. "... why, do you need me to go up there?"

Frea let out a low breath, looking a little weary for a minute.

"I know it's a bit of... an odd request," She replied softly, he sweatdropped slightly. "... but it's important, I promise."

She looked... Guilty, and sad all at once, just for a split second.


Iki sweatdropped slightly, floating over the grassy path and eyes flicking side to side as he passed trees by, heading further up the large slope as Magnolia shrunk a little below him the further he went. The bell on his bracelet chimed a few times as he continued forward, the moon making the grass look silver below him as he let out a small sigh.

He had a few reservations about leaving her alone in the Guild Hall- regardless of how quickly he intended to return. He might have refused... If he hadn't been able to tell how much she almost needed him to do as she asked.

He wasn't sure he got it, but he couldn't find himself refusing the request regardless.

He grimaced slightly, thinking for a minute how pissed either Uno or Moon would be to know he had left her alone for even an instant when he wasn't supposed to.

Better make it quick then... I really don't wanna have either of those two snap my head off.

He shuddered slightly at the thought.

The grim and dark form of some old, slightly patchwork building came into view ahead of him, the faded and faint emblem of Fairy Tail on the front with paint chipping and sections of the roof looking about ready to fall in. It hadn't seemed to have been touched in a long while, even some of the windows had been boarded up and he couldn't imagine the doors had been opened in a long while either.

Iki drew to a small halt, his paws touching the ground as he stopped in front of the front doors, his ears twitching slightly to see one of them was left ajar.

His eyes narrowed slightly, ears shoved forward as he tried to pick out any sort of sound from the inside.

... She's been unconscious for two weeks... How in the hell would she even know...?

He stiffened, his eyes widening slightly upon hearing the mistakable sound of something metal clinking against the floor.

You have got to be...

Iki moved inside, pushing the door open just a bit more and moving inside the dark interior a few paces- a shaft of moonlight flooding the doorway he had opened up upon entry.

"...eh... You in here?" Iki called lowly, his teak gaze flashing as he glanced about the dusty, grimy interior. His ears flicked, the tip of his tail behind him twitching slightly as he grumbled under his breath, taking a few more steps inside.

"... I heard you drop something, so maybe just quit being all..." Iki grumbled, sweatdropping slightly. "... creepy."

"What do you want, cat?"

Iki jumped slightly, his fur sticking on end and heart jumping suddenly as his attention snapped to the gruff, gravely voice that growled the words in such flinty a tone so suddenly. His eyes snapped upward to see crimson eyes narrowed at him from the shadows behind the bar counter near the other side of the room, Iki felt shivers run down his spine for a minute.

... holy... hell... how... how could she have even known...?!

He sweatdropped slightly, his eyes narrowed to slits.

... Frea is freaky good at knowing things sometimes... seriously...

"... have you been here... the entire time...?" Iki grumbled, he couldn't help himself from asking the question- for a moment he forget why he was there in the first place. He received a small scowl in return, the man's arms crossing over his chest and letting out a low, animalistic growl. His red eyes flashed nearly dangerously in the gloom.

"What's it to you?" Was the sharp reply. Iki blinked,

"... what is the matter with you?" Iki huffed,

Gajeel scowled at that, his fangs bared slightly and his anger flaring more quickly and much more rapidly than it should have.

"Screw you!"

"Screw you!" Iki shot back, his placid demeanor breaking off in sudden agitation at getting yelled at- unnecessarily for the record. But it was like Gajeel was in a ridiculously foul mood, but there wasn't a rhyme or reason Iki could see for it. Gajeel growled, but Iki didn't back off, his teal eyes flashing in anger as he hopped up from the floor, Aera flaring as he flapped his wings a few times to stay afloat. "Seriously dude! What the hell? You're snapping my head off the minute I walk in the door, what the hell for?"

"Says the idiot barging in in the middle of the night!" Gajeel snapped back, Iki hissed. "Why the hell are you botherin' me anyway?!"

"It's about Frea." Was Iki's low reply, he forced himself to let out a low breath to try and calm down his agitation.

Iki blinked, eyes widening slightly.

Gajeel shut up in an instant, he went rigid and his eyes narrowed to slits, sweatdropping heavily as he seemed to take a small step back from where he was standing behind the counter. Iki blinked a few more times, his agitation disappearing just as quickly as he swore he saw something like... fear, in Gajeel's face in the next instant.

Gajeel's eyes snapped away from Iki, his back turning slightly on the Exceed as his gaze hit the floor. Iki's eyes fell to the counter, seeing the Iron Dragon Slayer's fingers grip the edge tightly enough to splinter the wood,

"... Silver... is..." Gajeel growled lowly, his eyes snapping shut.

"... is she... dead...?"

Iki's eyes widened slightly, the breath catching in his throat when he heard the Iron Dragon Slayer's voice tremble, just ever so slightly.

W.. wait a minute...

Iki felt his heart drop slightly, seeing Gajeel's shoulders hunch slightly, his posture rigid and tense so suddenly.

... Gajeel... he...

Iki took in a small breath, his eyes softening slightly.

... is this why she said... it was important...? Did Frea just know... that he...?

It would never cease to amaze him how perceptive she actually was.

"... That's... that's not why I'm here, Gajeel." Iki replied softly, Gajeel stiffened at the answer, his eyes opening to slits as he cast Iki a glance from the corner of his eye. Iki crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a small sigh. "I'm just here to deliver a message, that's it."

Gajeel frowned slightly, looking way and weary all at once, as well as slightly suspicious.

"She told me where to find you, and I believe the exact words she wanted me to deliver were;" Iki murmured, his eyes flashing in the dim as he saw the slight shock make it's way into Gajeel's face, as well as the confusion.

"... when you get there, tell that idiot I need to talk to him."

Gajeel's jaw dropped slightly, sweatdropping heavily as he stared, looking slightly sunned and hardly able to wrap his head around the words.

"w...wait..." Gajeel stammered slightly, "... you sayin'... Silver... she's... awake...?!" Iki nodded once, his eyes glinting.

"Yeah," He replied, Gajeel's eyes flashed at the affirmation. "She's been awake for a little while now. And if you'd been at the Guild earlier you'd have heard Porlyusica announce that Frea's starting to get a bit better too."

Gajeel looked absolutely stunned, his eyes wide and jaw slightly agape as Iki simply smiled slightly. Gajeel blinked, growling under his breath after a few moments.

Gajeel almost looked about ready to refuse any attempt at getting him to leave, his eyes snapped away from looking at Iki and his jaw snapped shut too, looking unsure and shocked and a bit frantic all at once though he did his best to keep himself composed. He promptly turned his back on Iki, his arms crossed over his chest and huffing slightly, Iki's head tilted a little at that.

"...tch..." Gajeel grumbled under his breath. "... what the hell does she want with me...?"

".. better ask her that, I don't have a clue." Iki replied, shrugging slightly. "She's waiting on you right now." Gajeel visibly stiffened at that, ".. probably better not to keep her waiting too long, she's tired still."

Gajeel stayed absolutely still for a few moments, his back hunched slightly and still turned away from Iki entirely.

Iki just waited patiently, smiling ever so softly to himself.

..tch... damn it... Silver...


Frea let out a shaky sigh, her eyes falling closed and her head falling back so her face could tilt up toward the ceiling. She shivered slightly, sweatdropping as she pressed a hand to the back of her neck, the other wrapping a bit more tightly around her stomach. Her body flared with more pain with every little movement and every breath, and she felt an unpleasant jolt of pain run through her back where she was leaning against the pillows still- she shivered again at how hot her own hand felt pressed against her neck.

Not that she could tell herself, but she was fairly certain what fever that had been raging the last week wasn't over yet... if feeling like she was freezing was any indication of that, as well as the queasiness that had refused to go away, and steadily got just a bit worse.

She swallowed slightly, shivering again and this time wincing when a sharp stab of pain ran through her lower back at the movement.

... Fucking... Damn... it..

Her hand fell into her lap, her eyes narrowed to slits as she blinked, her eyes landing on Laxus' coat for a few moments in sheer silence.

... I know... What I said... I was panicking... I might have said a few things I didn't mean to say out loud... Damn me...

She sweatdropped slightly, her eyes falling closed as she let out a small sigh of near defeat. There was a prickle of worry and agitation that sparked against her body despite the distance between herself and the one it was coming from.

... What did you say to him, Iki...? I can tell he's worked up from here..

She blinked, her hands moving forward as she threaded her arms through the sleeves of the jacket, pulling it closer to her body and burying her nose in the collar and her eyes narrowed, hoping maybe she'd stop shivering soon enough.

... This just sucks. All of it. It's just too much all at once...

Her eyes narrowed to slits as she took in a small breath, Laxus' scent still hanging from the coat hit her nose and she felt her stomach settle slightly at the familiarity of it.

... But maybe I can try and fix this for now... Since I can't do much else... if I can make the Guild start feeling better... That'll be a little less for me to worry over...

Her eyes fell closed again without consciously deciding to let them. Her hands had curled around her stomach again, her head falling forward and bowed slightly as she simply sat in utter stillness, banishing the thoughts and simply settling on focusing on those two Energy Signatures getting closer.

... What am I going to do... If my Magic comes back... and at the same force as...?

She shivered again at that, and growled when a flash of pain ran through her stomach again.

Stop it... You're gonna work yourself up... Focus, idiot...

Her attention snapped up at the sound of boots outside the door, the scent of iron hitting her nose as she blinked- she'd been sitting in silence without moving for longer than she realized. She'd even failed to keep track of his Energy Signature getting closer.

He stopped, just outside the door, and didn't really seem willing to come inside. She could hear the sound of Iki letting out an exasperated sigh from the other end. Frea let out one of her own,

"...Gajeel." She murmured lowly, "Don't think I don't know you're there..."

Iki blinked, his eyes glinting and watching carefully- Gajeel went rigid the minute he heard his name called out from the room.

Iki smirked, snapping his fingers as a sudden burst of Magic jumped up between himself and Gajeel- shoving the door open and shoving the Iron Dragon Slayer inside easily after it- and much too quickly for Gajeel to do anything about it. Gajeel stumbled, whirling and looking pissed for a minute, his red eyes locking to Iki for half a second, before Iki snapped his fingers again and the door shut between them.

Frea sweatdropped slightly, eyebrow quirked as her attention landed on Gajeel, who's back had turned to her in his attempt to snap at Iki- before the door shut and Gajeel went still and silent.

"... Gajeel." Frea grumbled again after a few moment of no movement from him. He stiffened again, his shoulders hunching slightly as she heard him hiss under his breath. She blinked, her head tilting slightly, "... You gonna stand there all day...?" She asked lowly,

He didn't answer that either. But she did flinch back a little, her eyes flashing as a sudden spark of pain rammed into her from him.

... Damn it, Gajeel...

Frea let out a low breath, shaking her head a bit. She slipped her arms from the sleeves of Laxus' coat, shivering slightly at the chill that came with it but she let it be and rest in her lap.

"Gajeel!" She snapped, her tone suddenly flinty as he jumped. This time he deigned to glance over his shoulder at her, sweatdropping slightly at how suddenly harsh her tone had grown. Frea settled him with a icy stare that seemed entirely uncalled for, her hand moving to point at the bed as she scowled at him.

"Get your ass over here and quit ignoring me." She snapped, he flinched, looking wary as he slowly, rather stiffly started forward, his eyes trailing along the floor all the way.

Frea swallowed, hard, sweatdropping slightly as she felt her voice crack a little from raising it so quickly, and her chest ached for a minute. She bit down on her cheek, willing herself not to end up coughing.

He came to a stiff halt a foot or so from the bed, his eyes focused on the floor and a frown pulling at his lips as she kept her gaze on him steadily. She could feel the uneasiness sparking off of him, and see it in his posture too.

Frea let out a huff of agitation, her hand moving up as he recoiled at the action just a little bit, eyes wide and stunned as her hand rose up above her head, shaking slightly though she ignored it, his body went rigid in anticipation for the hit, his eyes snapping closed as his jaw clenched.

Her hand came down as she knocked the side of it against the top of his head, her eyes closed and sweatdropping as she frowned to herself. Gajeel blinked, his eyes snapping back open and a little taken aback- her hand didn't move for a few moments, and the hit was so soft and gentle he found himself a little lost.

"... tch... damn it I should slap you." Frea grumbled lowly under her breath, Gajeel blinked. Frea's hand moved away from his head, falling back into her lap as she cast him a weary glare, his jaw dropped slightly, looking confused.

"...heh...?"

"How dare you act like such a god damned idiot?" Frea growled, her silver eyes flashing in agitation. "Do you have any clue how worried Lily and Levy have been over you? You can't just disappear on people, dumbass."

Gajeel went rigid, eyes wide and jaw slack as his breath caught in his throat.

"..w...what...?" He stammered, Frea grumbled lowly at the response.

"You can't just ditch people. Not when they're hurting... not when leaving makes them worry more. You didn't even tell them where you were going... and Lily and Levy both have been worried sick over you. They didn't know what to do." Frea growled, "What have you even been doing? You look like shit."

Gajeel sweatdropped, his face falling slack as he seemed to be trying to wrap his head around the words and the sudden way in which she seemed to be scolding him- like he was some little kid.

She looked agitated, and angry too, and he honestly hadn't been expecting that... any of this, at all. To be honest he was still trying to come to terms with the idea that she wasn't dying, hell- he could hardly believe the idea that she was awake and yelling at him. She hit him too, if only lightly.

And she was scolding him... for disappearing? She was mad that he had been... worrying Levy and Lily...?

"... you're one to talk..!" He stammered after a minute, his agitation flaring once his thoughts clicked around one thing they could managed to lock on to- and it being the fact that she had told him that he looked like shit. "You don't look any better, you know!" He growled, Frea scowled slightly.

"That's not the point!" She snapped back,

"What the hell is the point then?!" He growled, "You're gettin' on me about worryin' people?! What about you?! That's all you've been doin' the last two weeks, Silver!" His anger flared suddenly as she growled under her breath, "Why do you get to snap at me for doin' the exact same thing you've been?! Huh?!"

Frea blinked, looking all the more unhappy as his agitation failed to simmer down even slightly.

"Do you got any damn clue how the last two weeks have been!?" He snapped, "You almost died Silver, and after it all happened you were so messed up! Mordren beat the crap out of you and we had to sit back and watch it happen! What the hell was I supposed to do with that?!" Frea recoiled slightly, only just so and he didn't notice it- but Frea swallowed,

That was pain, and fear and worry so deep and so powerful- she couldn't remember feeling those sorts of emotions coming so strongly from him ever before.

"Damn it, what was I supposed to do?!" He snapped hotly, Frea grimaced, sweatdropping slightly. "I thought you were gonna die, Silver!"

Gajeel's voice dropped the instant he said the words, his anger simmering down slightly as his eyes fell away from her entirely.

"...tch... Damn it..." He growled lowly, Frea sweatdropped, her anger and agitation dissipating, leaving room for a full torrent of guilt and sadness to ram into her like a train.

She hadn't been trying to get him worked up like that, and she hadn't meant to get worked up herself either. She figured he'd frown at her scolding but this was a bit more than simple annoyance, this was pain, and frustration all knotted together by weeks of fear and concern- emotions and feelings he sure as hell wouldn't have let anyone else see.

Gajeel wasn't a very open person and she knew it well- that's why she wasn't entirely surprised to find he had disappeared on everyone, he must not have known what to do about what he was feeling. And she hated she had been the reason he'd gotten so bent out of shape. It wasn't like him, and it surprised her- only just.

She'd figured he cared about her... But maybe she hadn't realized he cared about her enough to have shut down like he seemed to have with everyone else, and distanced himself too.

She supposed maybe that part of herself that hated she was the reason for their pain- had flared up, and tried to turn itself to agitation at him, rather than herself. At least partially.

Damn it... That... I wasn't trying to.

"... I know." She mumbled, her eyes moving away from him to settle on her hands. "... Damn it... I'm sorry... I wasn't trying to work you up like that... I know it's my fault... Everyone's been feeling..." Frea let out a low growl, her eyes falling shut.

"... Maybe let's start over... That didn't really go like I was planning it to.." Frea mumbled quietly, looking weary for a moment as Gajeel blinked at her.

"... How the hell did you plan it to go?" He huffed, she let out a low breath.

"... I don't even know." She replied softly, shaking her head a little. "... I was just a little miffed, I guess... But I know why you've been acting like that... And I am sorry. I didn't mean to freak everyone out.."

"... Tch..." Gajeel growled hotly, Frea blinked. "... quit that already. It don't matter."

"... I'm pretty sure it does." She replied lowly, he let out a small growl of frustration.

It mattered a lot, actually. It mattered that she was the reason he or anyone else had been in so much pain the last two weeks. She hated it, so, so much and she wished she could... She didn't know. Because she couldn't take it back and she couldn't convince herself still that-

Her mouth fell open to continue her train of thought but she drew up short.

This time the side of his hand came down lightly atop her head in near the exact same gesture she had used a few minutes before, his eyes closed and the other hand on his hip as he sweatdropped slightly. Frea blinked, a little confused now, and surprised at how quickly his anger seemed to have died off. He almost just seemed tired now.

"... Just... Quit, Silver." He murmured lowly, his eyes still closed as he drew his hand back, running it along the back of his neck a few moments. "... It doesn't matter... There's nothin' to change, and there's not really anythin' to fix either."

He sweatdropped a little more, looking slightly nervous as his eyes landed on the floor.

"... Hell... I'm almost glad you snapped at me. It's more normal, more like you." He sighed slightly, looking slightly flustered. "... It'd be a bit weird if you turned all sappy on me now... So yell all ya want."

Frea stared slightly, her thoughts grinding to a halt suddenly as she simply blinked at him.

"... But don't go thinking you get to get away with treating me like some kid, got it?" He added in quickly, his usual stubbornness flaring. He pointed a finger and a half-hearted glare on her, "Just cause you got beat up don't think you can just get away with whatever you want."

Silence settled between the both of them for a few moments, their eyes matched as Frea just sat there, her mind having a hard time making sense of the sudden change.

He seemed to be trying to change the subject, less than subtly... But gently almost. Like he didn't want to talk about it (which wouldn't surprise her), but at the same time, in his own way, he was trying to maybe reassure her that it was done and it was over... It was fine.

Fine because... She hadn't 'gone all sappy'? Because she had the energy to yell at him at all?

... Is my head so strung out... It's taking several times to just register...? ... Why is it... Taking so long... To even... ?

Her face fell slightly, her eyes flashing as she blinked a few times.

"... Don't you k-know... Better... By..n-now... That's... w-what you're.. Best at...just so long as you don't go anywhere... Worry this Old Man as m-much as you like..."

"... Don't apologize. As long as I won't lose you for good... You have nothing to apologize for."

"... quit with that... Apologizing. It's not like you... And honestly I just care more about the fact you're alive, than anything... Even you worrying me so much, or anything else... Just... Just... let me be happy you aren't... dead... and let me be pissed at you for your stupidity, and how reckless you are."

"...Quit worrying about that. If you want the Guild to quit being so tense, just focus on trying to heal."

... Or is it just me...? ... That I don't want to listen...?

She knew she could be stubborn, and about all of this she... She sort of was being stubborn. But she knew what she knew, she knew what she felt- but her mind and her emotions hadn't ceased being on such a high, she suddenly... She almost doubted herself.

Almost.

Her eyes fell slightly, her shoulders hunching slightly as a stab of pain raced through her center- making her wounds and barely holding together body burn with a sudden sort of fire that left her feeling even more cold. Her jaw clenched at it, her arms moving to cradle her stomach in an instant and failing to stifle the hiss of pain that rose up her throat.

... Damn... That...

"... Silver..?" Gajeel grumbled, stiffening slightly and red eyes glinting as she suddenly tensed up. "... Oi, I didn't hit you that hard..!" He grumbled quickly, looking slightly panicked at her sudden show of pain out of near nowhere, and more so when he realized he didn't know what to do.

"...tch..." Frea growled, her teeth gritting together as she hunched slightly, she could hear Gajeel inch closer, his eyes narrowed and tense as his hands fell lightly on her shoulders, grimacing to himself.

"... You're pushing it."

Damn...I...it... I wasn't... Even...

She let out a shaky breath, the pain fulling to throbbing waves that were just bearable, though only just.

... Its not the... F...fucking ... Wounds...e...either...

Her arms relaxed, her shoulders sagging slightly as she turned her attention on trying to catch and steady her breath. Her head stayed bowed a few moments, her eyes closed and sweatdropping as Gajeel remained in stiff silence, his hands slowly leaving her shoulders when he saw her relax a bit, though he was frowning still.

She looked like absolute shit. He'd realized it the minute he walked in but it didn't really register how awful she looked until that very moment, and it was bad enough to have a lump forming in his stomach.

A part of him regretted the small shouting match they'd pulled themselves into, he figured Frea was regretting it too.

A smaller part of him felt a little annoyed though, that she'd even try and drag his ass here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping- she looked about ready to faint. More so after her pain seemed to ram into her like that.

"... Silver... You ok...?" He asked slowly,

"... Y... Yeah..." Frea replied quietly, as her head tilted up and she let out a shaky sigh. Gajeel swallowed though, his eyes tracing along her shoulders and over her form- noticing now she was trembling, just a little.

"... It wasn't you... Either..." she assured quietly in response to his earlier words, casting him an exhausted glance. Gajeel frowned slightly, biting the inside of his cheek as his eyes moved up from her shaking shoulders toward her face, his hand reaching forward with not a word as he pressed it lightly against her forehead, Frea's eyes fell halfway at the action as he stiffened a little, sweatdropping.

She almost pulled away, his hand felt cold against her head and it made her shiver again- but the contact almost felt soothing at the same time, and made her throbbing head throb just a little less.

"... You're runnin' a fever, Silver." Gajeel grumbled lowly, his eyes flicking toward her face only to find her gaze had fallen away from him entirely.

"...mhmmm..." Was the quiet answer, she shivered again under him, this time she hissed as the movement caused pain to flare through her back. Gajeel sweatdropped as his hand pulled away, his eyes flashing slightly.

"... Tch... Why the hell are you even awake...?" He growled, "... What made you think draggin' my ass here in the middle of the night was a good idea?"

"... I was trying... To make sure you... Went and apologized... To Levy... And Lily..." Was the halfhearted answer, she shivered again, growling under her breath as Gajeel blinked at her. "... I wasn't really... Worried over it being... A good idea or not..." She winced slightly, her eyes falling shut as she let out a slightly shuddering breath. Gajeel's heart jumped a beat, his hands moving forward to reach out to her on instinct when he saw her features pale slightly.

"... Oi, you ain't gonna pass out on me, are you?" He grumbled lowly, she shook her head slightly,

"... I'll try not to, anyway..." Frea replied, smiling slightly though it was not a reassuring answer. He grimaced slightly, though Frea didn't seem to notice. Her hands fell into her lap again as she thread her arms back through the sleeves of Laxus' coat, sighing slightly as she felt the chill subside a bit after a minute, her arms pulling up to her chest slightly. Gajeel quirked an eyebrow, for the first time noticing the jacket and a little confused she had it at all.

"... Ain't that...?" He grumbled,

"...mhm..." was the very non-bothered answer, "... I'm freezing though... So I'm not complaining..." Gajeel sweatdropped slightly- the answer didn't piece together why it had been left at all, and he wasn't sure he could wrap his head around it either... But the reply of her being cold had his stomach tightening a little.

She wasn't actually cold, she just felt that way because of the fever, and he sighed slightly.

"... You look like hell, Silver."

"... I feel like hell." Was the honest answer, Gajeel bit the inside of his cheek at it, settling her with a soft glare as she blinked at him, her eyes half-way open.

"... You shouldn't be up." He grumbled softly, and she really shouldn't have been. Having Wendy, Sherria and Porlyusica working on her wounds earlier had left her more worse for wear than she was willing to admit to, but at that minute she felt it catching up with her- weariness and pain and sickness ramming into her all at once and her head was starting to spin too. And with the added adrenaline from snapping at one another, what little energy she had had was just about spent. She could practically hear Porlyusica snapping at her for being foolish- but she wasn't about to give in yet... Even if it did hurt her health in the end. She wasn't about to quit now, she had him here and she wasn't willing to let him go just yet.

"... Don't think I'm letting this go, Gajeel." Frea murmured lowly, her eyes flashing as he blinked at her. "... Tired or not, I didn't have Iki bring... You here just to... Let you leave again..." Gajeel sweatdropped, eyes narrowed as he saw the sternness appear in her eyes apart from the pain and the tiredness.

He let out a low, long sigh, turning his back toward her slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the edge of the bed, one foot crossing over the other as his gaze settled on the floor.

"... Why are you so worked up over it?" He grumbled quietly.

"... Cause it's important." Was the soft reply, "... And admit it or not... I know you feel bad about disappearing without... Saying anything..." He stiffened, ever so slightly at the words. "... Especially about worrying Levy..."

"...tch..." Gajeel growled under his breath, Frea blinked as she felt the small inkling if guilt flash from him at mention of Levy. "... She really been... That worried?" He asked slowly,

"... Enough that I noticed, without even talking to her..." Frea replied, Gajeel stiffened a bit more at that, his lips pulling into a tight line as he stared at the floor.

"...tch... What the hell am I gonna do about that..? Even if I did try and apologize... She's just gonna be pissed at me."

"... Hmm, she might be a little miffed yeah..." Frea replied, her lips twitching a moment in a halfsmile. "... But it'll mean more to her that.. You come back at all... I don't think she'll be all... That angry..." Gajeel shot her a sideways glance that told her he wasn't quite convinced.

Frea shook her head slightly and lightly bumped her fist against his back, her eyes falling closed as she let out a small breath.

"... Levy's a smart girl, Gajeel... She knows how you feel better than you realize... And I guarantee you she already understands why you went away..." Frea murmured softly, "... She cares about how you feel... And she doesn't really like it when you're hurting... She's probably more mad you wouldn't let her try and... Help you feel better... Or knowing Levy she might be a bit angry she didn't... Know how to help you... Heh... She's probably been running it through her head trying to come... Up with some plan to... Fix things for days..." Gajeel blinked, his eyes widening slightly.

Somehow he didn't doubt that Levy would have been mulling everything over- obsessively even. He knew well once she set her mind to it Levy could get obsessed and lost in her work very easily, but he found it a little surprising Frea seemed to know it so well too... Or even, with the way she said it- like she knew he knew it too.

And then what she said about Levy caring about how he felt?

... He... he had to wonder if maybe Frea had been paying close attention to how he acted around the Script Mage, especially so when he had thought no one else was giving them any mind. He'd been hesitant and careful about it, subtle even and he didn't think anything was really there himself... Well, maybe not something big, but Frea seemed to have noticed none the less.

But she certainly had never mentioned it though, and the fact that she had brought it up now left him a bit stunned and slightly nervous all at once.

"... None of that will... Matter though... She really won't be mad for very long..." Frea sighed, her head tilting slightly as her eyes remained closed. Gajeel cast her a wary glance, his red gaze glinting slightly. She sounded so sure of herself, and he had to wonder why.

... Does Silver... Really notice all that...? About Levy...? About...?

"... What the hell... makes you so sure...?" He asked slowly,

"...hmm.. Cause Levy's the kinda person who can forgive you for almost anything." Frea smiled slightly, "... You just gotta be willing to work to prove to her that you're worth being forgiven." Gajeel stiffened slightly, his eyes widening a little as she cracked one eye open, casting him a small smile.

"... And trust me, you've already shown her that you're worth forgiving." his heart jumped slightly at that, "Go find her and apologize... Even if you suck at it... the fact that you're even trying to make up for worrying her... That'll mean a lot to her." She smiled a bit more, seeing the stunned expression make its way in to his face, and feeling that slight bit of... Something like appreciation, or happiness.

"... And it'll mean a lot more if you stick around." Frea murmured quietly. "... Don't go ditching her again, alright, Iron-Head?"

Gajeel seemed lost for words for a little while, his eyes locked to her and face falling slack as she just gave him that small, weary, easy little smile. Completely calm and completely content- and very serious about what she was saying. She meant every word of it and he could tell, though the whole turn in conversation still had him slightly reeling.

After a few minutes he glanced away, his lips twitching upward in a small smirk as he let out a breath.

Half-dead and completely beat... And she still seems to know exactly how to get her point across...

"... Gihi." He smirked slightly, "... You should quit workin' yourself up about everyone else, Silver... But yeah... You got it." Frea smiled slightly at the answer, though he didn't see it.

"..good." Frea replied lightly, Gajeel shifted as he stood up from leaning against the bed. He turned to face as her she blinked up at him, and the sudden slightly stern look he was wearing. "Hmm?"

"You gotta go to sleep." He replied lowly, "... Before you do actually pass out. You ain't gonna do yourself any favors stayin' up all night, stayin' up this late is bad enough already."

"...If I go to sleep, promise you're gonna go home?" She replied easily, he blinked, looking slightly unamused.

".. Yeah, fine." He grumbled, he probably would have just stayed right in the Guild, but she knew him well enough it seemed- and she didn't seem willing to let him hold off any longer. She seemed happy with the answer though, wincing a bit as she shifted to lay back against the pillows all the way, an exhausted smile creasing her lips as Gajeel waited to see her settle down.

Her eyes fell closed the minute she laid back, the smile fading slightly as Gajeel sweatdropped, shaking his head a little before turning to the door.

He was almost halfway out of the door itself before he halted,

"... Mmmm... Gajeel."

Frea's voice caught his attention easily, as he glanced back over his shoulder to see the gleam of her eyes in the dim of the room.

"What?" He grumbled,

"... You should probably take a shower, before you go see Levy..." Frea murmured quietly, he blinked. "... You kinda smell like trash."

He blinked, scowling slightly as hr looked away from her with a hot, agitated huff.

"... tch... Shut it."

She smiled slightly though, and he left the room without another word.

Frea's eyes fell closed slowly, the silence settling in more thickly as Gajeel left the Guild behind and Iki remained outside the door awhile longer, content to let Frea be... Though her night wasn't quite over.

She felt the heaviness on the air thicken, felt Iki's drowsiness onset quickly as Magic wrapped around him and sent him to sleep with hardly any effort. Her eyes opened slowly as she leaned forward a bit, calm as can be- even as that Energy Signature flashed in front of her from nowhere.

"... Old Geezer."


Mavis blinked, looking uneasy as her green gaze settled on the door, her body rigid and tense as she felt some strange, unfamiliar Magic wrap around the hall and immediately send Iki into the pits of sleep with so little time the Exceed didn't even know what was going on.

For the first time in a very long time, Mavis found herself unable to enter some portion of the Building- where she could usually roam freely, she suddenly hit an immovable wall when she tried to move inside the Infirmary, and she felt panic and fear rise inside of her in an instant. Her first thoughts flashed immediately to the still wounded and weak Dragon Slayer inside the room, and what could possibly be happening now as she found herself trapped outside the room and isolated from the woman. She was suddenly very worried that someone had come and intended Frea some sort of harm, and Mavis was powerless to do anything- even if she could have made it in the room, what would she do? She had no form, no Magic- but her heart was pounding in her chest as fear settled in.

If someone had showed up with the intent to hurt Frea, Mavis knew the Energy Dragon Slayer was in no condition to contend with, or defend against any ill-will thrown toward her. She was so weak right now it would take little to do real damage, and Mavis knew it instantly.

Mavis had been a silent presence the last few weeks, solemn and sad as the rest of the Guild was- it wasn't a pleasant thing to know that a Member of the Guild was possibly going to lose their life, and less pleasant having to wait and watch with that Member wasting away in the Guild itself. There was no small amount of relief that hit her once it was clear Frea was getting better, Mavis was happy about it- but also wary too, because she had the feeling something was wrong, and now with the unknown Magic barring her way in- that wariness sparked into panic.

Her first instinct was to leave and get someone, warn someone of the new presence in the Guild and get them to come to the Guild hall right away, lest something happen. And at the same time, she found herself hesitating, for a few, small, precious seconds- not wanting to leave, for even an instant.

Mavis disappeared in a shimmer of gold from her spot in front of the door without a word.


Frea blinked once, her gaze steady as her eyes moved up to rest on that familiar old man who had popped into her life just as suddenly and with just as little warning as he had that first night, as he did now.

It had only been a month or so since the Harvest Festival, and he still looked just the same, just as calm, neutral, bored even.

He sat easily on the top of the footboard at the end of the bed, thin arms crossed over his chest. His orange gaze locked with hers as he simply looked at her. Over his shoulders was that light grey cloak that was bordered in white fur he had had before, his shoes curled at the toes and his head was covered in short, loose strands of white hair, with a small beard and mustache to go with it. Her eyes darted for a moment to the small silver pendent hanging from his ear, the crest of the Wizard Saints easily recognizable now.

For a small, brief second, his bored expression softened, his lips twitching faintly at corners in a gentle smile as their gazes matched, orange on silver, and Saige nodded to her, just slightly.

"I see you've survived, Energess." Was the soft greeting, Frea felt her heart flutter at the name- it held more weight now that she understood what a true Energess had been like, her thoughts immediately flashed to that of Reyan.

"... Barely." Frea replied softly, quickly throwing away thought of Adgnei and all things in between. Saige nodded slightly at the statement, his orange eyes flashing slightly.

"... As you suspected. It was no easy thing, contending with the likes of Mordren, and it took no small amount of sacrifice to win against him." He murmured, Frea grimaced slightly at the words. "... It took not only your will, or your life... It took all of your Power to beat him. Every inch of it, that Power to which has been growing so rapidly inside of you, and now it's reached heights to which not even you can control it." Frea swallowed, Saige settled her with a look so steady and yet so keen it was almost as if he was looking right though her.

For a moment she got an eerie sense that maybe- just maybe- he was actually looking through her, deeper down than the surface and seeing exactly what it was her Magic had done to her. How it had ripped every inch of her body to shreds from the inside out- so much so it had been sheer, unbridled agony, that it had been so bad she couldn't hardly think, and shouldn't have been able to move- how she could barely move and breathe now because of it. Mordren had hurt her but it really didn't compare to how her Magic had hurt her, there wasn't a unbroken part about her and so much of that was just owed to her Magic. Her Magic and her Power that hadn't seemed plausible, her Magic that had risen so quickly and so violently all at once- her Magic that turned into All Magic... It felt so natural and it felt so off all at once.

"... And more so, you sacrificed your health, your body, and your life... You won but for it you now face something debatably worse." He didn't pause, nor did his gaze waver for even a second. "... Controlling your Magic now that it has reached the heights it has, will be extremely difficult... I expect if you are not careful it will tear you apart just as easily as it did against Mordren, and even kill you, in the future." Frea swallowed slightly,

She had thought as much though, it was one of the things she found herself afraid of, and a reason she hoped maybe... Maybe, her Magic wouldn't come back.

She couldn't feel any Magic in her body right now, couldn't feel the Magic Energy settled in her core. It seemed spent, and hadn't bothered to come back since fighting with Mordren. There was that small, faint hope it would stay away, that somehow she had damaged herself enough that she couldn't use Magic again...

... But she knew better. She wasn't sure why, but she knew her Magic would come back, and when it did?

She shivered again, this time not because of the fever.

"... Contending with what powerful force your Magic will create, will be difficult in itself... Even apart from contending with that Power that intends to corrupt you- to do both all at the same time will be very, very hard on you." His voice dropped slightly, his eyes glinting as Frea stiffened, her heart jumping painfully in her chest in sudden shock,

"... You... Know about that too...?" She stammered quietly, looking uneasy as he simply nodded.

"Indeed." He replied softly, his eyes glinting slightly. Frea sweatdropped, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked away. "I've had my suspicions for awhile now, but what happened when you were battling Mordren confirmed it."

Frea went very still at that, her eyes falling to her lap and her hands as her jaw clenched slightly, eyes shinning.

"Energy God's Bellow."

Frea and Chase smashed their palms together and lift the other arms up in front of them, their Magic flaring in an instant. "Energy Mage Def-" They said in unison, their Magic swirling toward the other as Mordren's Spell hurtled toward them, but the moment pale blue touched silver before them the Spell ceased. Frea cringed, a shaken gasp escaping her body as sheer agony swept through to her very core and her Magic imploded all in an instant, and she fell to one knee, her fist crunching about her shirt as Chase stiffened, blue eyes wide as he watched her fall.

"T-Teach?!"

Everyone else around her went rigid, eyes wide and jaws dropping as they watched Frea suddenly fall to one knee as if she was in immense pain.

"Frea..?!"

Chase's eyes snapped away from Frea once he realized he had gotten distracted, his arms raising as he raised his own dome around the both of them.

The Magic engulfed them, blowing straight across the island as the stone surrounding it were shattered and the Magic broke free from the makeshift 'arena'. The watching Guilds all gasped and stiffened, eyes wide and frozen to the spot as they watched the attack send boulders flying like shrapnel, and the air shook violently with the sheer power of it all.

"Frea! Chase!" People shouted, their fists pounding against the Magic Wall holding them back.

All eyes snapped over to see two figures thrown from the depths of the Magic, both Frea and Chase skidding against the stone hard enough to wear divots into it, before they smashed into some debris that stopped their movement with a painful smack of body against rock. Chase yelped as Frea did the same, their eyes scrunched closed and their entire bodies covered in dirt, blood and cuts.

"Hey?! You ok?!" Gray and Natsu snapped, eyes glinting.

"What the hell just happened Frea?" Erza barked, Chase cracked open an eye, glancing sideways toward Frea who was stiff as a board, her jaw clenched at the unbelievable amount of pain he could feel floating off of her in waves, too much pain for simply getting hit by that attack just now.

".. Teach?" He growled, sitting up and wincing in pain.

"... My body... it just... tch... felt like I had been.. stabbed a thousand times... So my Magic... imploded..." Frea hissed through gritted teeth, "... I think... I think he did something... when he hit me in the shoulder..." She opened her eyes so they were only slits as she glanced his way. "... This... tch... Happened when Tomaru attacked Moon and I... it's... why I lost..." She added lowly, Chase sweatdropped. Frea had never mentioned that, not once.

"Oi! What do you mean this happened before, Silver?!" Gajeel snapped, apparently having been able to hear Frea even from the distance he was at. The other Members of the Guild sweatdropped, blinking in confusion. Frea growled under her breath, her body relaxing a little as the pain subsided, but only a little.

"Hey you bastard! What did you do to her?! HUH?!" Natsu yelled, looking furious. Mordren was standing where he had been, eyes glinting as his lips curled upward in a faint smirk of amusement.

"I've done nothing... but speed up the inevitable." Mordren replied coolly, his eyes landed on Frea as she glared at him. "You're stigma against it is... heh, commendable I suppose. But the longer you fight it, Malunafrey, the more pain you will be in."

"Eventually, you will gladly give in, if only to stop the pain." Mordren smiled,

"What the hell does that mean?!" Natsu snapped,

"Small minds will not understand, not fully." Mordren replied, his dull grey gaze snapping toward Natsu, who returned the look with a deadly glare of his own. "You feel it growing, don't you Malunafrey?" He asked, looking back to Frea as she slowly pushed herself to her feet, her legs shaking as she forced them to still. Chase got to his own feet, "There, deep in you...? Something... Cold, perhaps...?" Mordren asked, Frea went rigid.

Cold...?

Frea's hand moved upward self-consciously to grip her shirt about her chest, her eyes fixed to Mordren as she swallowed slightly. That chill in her very core, it felt like ice, like something slow and sickly seeping into her bones and her muscle, into her Magic, and her mind... it was icy, it was foreign... It was... Foul.

"... I... I'm not really sure..." Frea mumbled uncertainly, though her tone was edged slightly. Chase couldn't manage to be convinced by her answer,

"You'll know, in time." Mordren smiled, seeing the confusion and the slight fear that flashed across Frea's face for but an instant. "Eventually... you'll have no choice but to give in... and oh I wait with baited breath for it." He leaned back, his arms raising around him as he took in a deep breath of air.

"The abyss is more inviting than you know."

Frea sidestepped, catching herself as he head spun violently a moment, and she swallowed hard to try and stifle the sudden woozy feeling in her core. She felt sick, it came in short bouts but it was strong and often enough to give her pause, it felt wrong... she felt wrong, and thinking that sent a chilly wave of panic racing through her.

It wasn't right, it sent shivers running down her spine and she could feel her focus waning slightly. The pain didn't go away, the throbbing in her shoulder didn't let up a moment, and now with the extra beatings moving was just an agonizing chore.


Frea winced, for a minute her eyes dropping as she swayed on her feet, the swirling in her head all the more powerful as she felt her sense of balance and reality slip further and further away into the haze clouding her mind. She couldn't shake it off, and oh she tried to, she didn't want that cold to take over... that dark cold to consume her...

S..Shit... I... I can't... keep... i-it... Straight...

Chase sweatdropped, glancing Frea's way from the corner of his eye as he saw her entire figure change. She suddenly wasn't shaking, she wasn't afraid, no emotion flowed from her at all, it was just calm... like everything in her had settled into nothing, she was a blank slate to him for the first time, ever. He didn't know this feeling, this steadiness, ... no emotion at all, how was that possible?

Mordren's eyes narrowed, noticing the sudden lack of any emotion coming from Frea at all, and for a moment finding it disturbing. It was like the world had gone numb around him, as his attention focused to her and her flinty gaze as she slowly looked up toward him, trying quickly to pick up any flicker of emotion, any shift in her Energy, anything.

"I'm going to make sure that everyone gets out of here alive." Frea growled lowly, her tone flat. "I'm making sure you all get to go home... regardless of everything else." Chase stiffened, Frea's eyes suddenly flicking his way for but a moment, and he felt his heart drop at how final her words were. It wasn't determination, or a promise... it was something utterly final, utterly stagnant. And for a minute, there was something, something he had never felt from Frea before... something cold. He shivered.

"Teach... what are you... thinking...?" He breathed as the cold feeling vanished altogether, he couldn't tell, he hadn't the slightest clue because still nothing came from her, not the pain of her wounds, not her exhaustion. Nothing. But her eyes had moved back to Mordren, and suddenly, she was gone, Chase stared with wide eyes as a burst of wind suddenly flowed past him, and the world slowed down just enough to let him see her suddenly appear right in front of Mordren, as a massive wave of Power struck him in his core- and it wasn't the God Slayers.

Frea's Magical Power tripled in all but an instant and with no warning, Chase struggled to catch back up with what was happening as Frea swung her hand out toward Mordren, who even looked shocked by the insane amount of speed she had suddenly gained. Frea's Magic flowed around her, warding off and burning straight through Mordren's Magic as it moved up around her, Mordren hissed, sweatdropping, her Magic hadn't ever been able to ward off his Magic until that moment. His eyes locked with Frea's flinty silver ones as she sucked in air, her face inches from his own now as he brought his hands up between them as quickly as she could manage.

Natsu, Chase, Gajeel and Gray stared in utter shock as they saw what Frea was doing, their jaws dropping and astounded.

"That attack, that close...?!" Chase stammered, Frea had never dared use that attack so close to anyone, simply because with how powerful it was, and at such the short range she was at, she could easily kill- and Frea never tried to outright murder anyone, never.

"Energy Dragon Roar!"

Mordren disappeared in the column of the silver tornado that easily reached three stories high in width, Frea's feet hitting the ground as she watched with cold neutrality as her attack panned out, utterly indifferent to the brutal execution of that attack at such a close range. She swept her hands forward, her eyes falling closed as her Magic swirled violently around her feet, and the very air and earth itself shook.

"Energy Dragon Slayer: Earth Shock."

The ground was torn up in a flurry of immense power pouring from it and around it, shaking the ground all around and sending up large slabs of rock, water and earth alike as her Magic made a beeline in the same direction her Roar had already destroyed. The light of her Roar only became more blinding as the air trembled and the rock under Chase's feet shook uncontrollably, the sheer force of the attack added on with the Roar creating a rapid succession of attacks that was overkill, even for Frea. It wasn't simply even overkill, she didn't flinch at it, she didn't seem to care, there wasn't even anger, even though those attacks had been utterly and uncharacteristically brutal. That Roar so close to someone could have easily taken off their head, and the successive Spell after that decimated everything in it's quake, stretching out into the water and the stone under the lake, the waves crashing and water rolling. It was all utterly, utterly brutal, and Frea didn't bat an eye.

"Wha-What's gotten into Frea...?" Wendy stammered, looking astounded and even a little afraid of how violent Frea had suddenly seemed to turn in her actions. It was a look shared by several other people watching, cold pits in the stomach's of many of the Fairy Tail members as they suddenly felt some feeling they hadn't in a long time, and one they never hoped they would. A dread, a sense of something... darker in Frea, as when she lost her temper or control when she still had Shadow and Winter in her body.

"... T-that's... not Frea..." Moon stammered breathlessly, her eyes wide and paws covering her mouth. "Frea would n-never..."

Frea growled, jumping backward and flipping on her heads as a sudden flurry of black launched from the line of destruction she had made, Chase stiffened, dodging quickly from the attacks that came toward him, and easily. They all seemed to be heading straight for Frea, and they seemed to move with an agitated anger and excitement.

A wash of wind swept up as Mordren swiped his hand, clearing the dust and uplifted land from around himself in a clean wash of his Magic, his clothes dirty and ripped, blood dripping from a cut across his face and arm, his lips twisted in an almost maniacal grin.

"Has the Abyss claimed the great and powerful Energy Dragon Slayer?!" He called, his Magic shooting out toward Frea who was still utterly emotionless, her eyes still and flinty as she pushed off the ground, landing neatly on an Energy Box she had created in but a moment, before she launched herself upward into the air, her Magic rising over her head as she lift her arms up.

Chase hissed, shuddering again at the neutrality on his Old Mentor's face, it was wrong, it was off... there was something suddenly different about her, and that feeling of cold hit him again, and dread creeped in. Something about her felt wrong, horribly wrong. He placed his hands on the ground, his Magic pouring into the cracks in the earth and moving quickly toward where Mordren stood, still smiling up as Frea fell through air toward him.

"You tried to take my head off! And bury me alive! Oh I hoped I would see this!" Mordren smirked, eyes wild.

"The day that Malunafrey, great Energy Dragon Slayer, will finally Fall!"


It was... It was just so mind-numbing, that sheer unrelenting amount of pain that had engulfed every inch of her being... It was enough to drive anyone mad and she found herself drowning under the torrent and the darkness that came with it. Drowning and unable to fight it off, stop herself, stop her mind and her actions from falling toward that line she had never, ever, wanted to cross.

She felt like... Her mind had altered, adopted thoughts and notions and cold, violent rage and indifference she shuddered at. She hardly heard him, was hardly aware of what he was doing- she was just so, so angry when Chase...


"Energy Whip!" He snapped under his breath, bringing his hand forward as the whip swiped out and wrapped around Frea's torso, earning her flinty silver eyes in an instant as he pulled back, hard. Frea growled, her eyes flashing as she clapped her hand down on his Magic, trying to break it apart.

She landed on her feet not three feet from him, skidding to a halt as she managed to break apart his Magic completely, and his heart dropped when she turned that cold, neutral look on him, and he didn't see the slightest bit of recognition in her face, she was a stranger to him.

And he was a steanger to her- in that instant, he was nothing, he wasn't the person she has trained and the person she loved- the minute he room any small action against the violence she had adopted toward Mordren... The first thing she thought...?

"Teach!" He snapped, his hand swiping forward to grab tight hold of her fist. She growled, her face darkening in a sudden glare as he saw her other fist clench, ready to strike at him, him. He growled, and brought his head toward hers, smashing his head against hers with a painful and jolting thud as his other hand blocked her incoming fist, he felt blood drip down past his forehead as his blue eyes met hers, his arms shaking as he held fast to her arms and the force behind them.

That made her mad. All she could think of was hurt, punch, fight... Him.

How could she ever...?

"Don't you even dare, Teach, not for a damned second. You're not that person, you can't go acting stupid and forget that. Not for this, not fighting him." He snapped lowly, his tone as flinty as her eyes and blue eyes glinting in fury. "You damned well better be sure I'm gonna kick your ass if you even try it, I'm not gonna let you destroy who you are. You don't get to do that." His voice dropped to low growl, he pushed his forehead against hers harder as she tried to pull her arms from his hold.

Damn it... She hardly heard him, even then... And by then she was struggling, fighting oh so hard just to come back- and doing that was so much agony in itself.

And he kept trying to bring her back, he was resolute, he had to..m and he would have kept trying, even if... Just.. Just like how... Reyan...

"Snap out of it Teach you stupid idiot!" Chase snapped hotly, "You don't get to do this, not after all this time, you don't get to just let yourself fall." His grip on her arm and her clenched fist grew harder, he stepped in closer, pushing her back a little as her flinty silver gaze remained locked with his. "You have no right to do that, not to yourself, not to anyone else who cares about you, and not to me." He glared, watching with glinting eyes and a scowl on his face as she slowly blinked, her eyes narrowed.

She... She had to...

The flash of cold, and the dark prickle of something festering and writhing somewhere deep inside faded, fighting still as she struggled to push it back... The more she tried, the more it hurt. That pain was unbearable, unbelievable, and it was coupled immediately with a sharp, nauseating feeling of sheer panic and guilt.

How could she?!

She hated herself, hated...

Frea's push against him and his hands suddenly lifted, and her eyes closed, her legs shaking slightly and jaw clenched as she struggled not to fall onto her knees, the waves of agony running through her were nearly enough to knock Chase on his feet when he felt it, and his eyes flashed in sudden worry, but not without relief.

T... this is torture...

She let out a shaky breath, swallowing hard to ignore the throbbing running through her being and the sick feeling in her core, the haze over her mind lifting slowly as the feeling of Chase's Energy Signature and the grip he held on her wrists came to focus, along with the cool refreshing wash of his scent.

She'd lost it, she couldn't even think, it was all just black in her head... She wasn't there, she wasn't in control, and fighting against it was the hardest struggle she had ever faced. She felt her heart clench, she could feel some of Chase's blood trickle down her forehead, she could smell it, she could feel the tenseness in his body as he simply held her arms there in stillness, and she tried hard to regain what little focus she could.

I... how could I... I tried to hit him... The thought's that passed through my head... When Chase stopped me... How could I ever...?

She swallowed, one thought, one emotionless, conscienceless voice in her clouded and uncontrolled mind when Chase stopped her. One thought, and one thought that made her feel more sick than she had ever bee, how could she...?! What did... what did I just turn into..?!

Kill

D...damn... Me...


"... I imagine you felt something amiss long before Mordren ever showed himself. Though perhaps you ignored it... But subconsciously, Energess... I have to think you already knew." Saige's soft voice broke apart the wash of images and memory that crashed down over her mind- her shattered and battered and whirling mind that honestly couldn't handle the onset of emotion that flared in her core, making that queasy feeling flare all the more violently and her breathing to hitch slightly, shaky and tense.

How Saige always just seemed... To know, exactly the things she never said aloud. He'd shown that the first night they met, he was incredibly perceptive and he knew more about her than a lot of people seemed to- and a lot more than she was particularly comfortable with too.

Because damn it- he was right.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had thought, maybe... That there was something wrong with her.

With that wound that refused healing for oh so long? How it would hurt and send her cringing at the most random of times? How it felt when it did so?

Painful yes... but under that had been something she had ignored... It had been cold, dark.

She supposed... no, she knew. She knew why she ignored it.

Because she did not- could not- imagine a version of how this turned out where she didn't... Where she wouldn't become that.

She already knew what happened in Hilshine. She knew whatever Magic had corrupted Mordren had passed on to her when they met in Hilshine, that's why the wound had resisted healing so long, why it hurt at the most random of times... and she knew it was that foul, Evil Magic that made her lose to Tomaru. She had felt it festering more, after that... But she'd ignored it, as best she could. She hadn't wanted to admit it, not until she was forced to come to terms with the idea... when she almost fell to Darkness when fighting Mordren.

That Magic was still there, she could feel it gnawing at her very core, sheer icy cold in the pits of her being, like poison, or some sickness that was slowly getting worse, and the more she resisted the cold that came with it, the more it hurt.

That was why... Why she was scared. Terrified... Because she knew it- this was a Magic and a Power that had festered and corrupted Mordren to the point he had become a monster... A monster of a god, who could and would have thrown everything to the most sheer, unbelievable chaos... had he won, Darkness would have reigned, terror would have filled the land, murder, plague, famine... strife the country and all countries around it would have never fathomed.

And now that same Dark Power was inside of her, corrupting her, eating away.

The very thought of what she might do... If she were to become as dark as him... She felt her heart stop, she couldn't breathe under what icy, chilly terror seeped into her very core.

That same terror that kept her doubting, that same terror that made it impossible for her to be convinced that being alive was a good thing.

Even when Master was so happy, when everyone else was so relieved and so hopeful, even when she felt their joy wash against her... She couldn't be happy. She couldn't get passed her doubts and her fear... She didn't trust herself enough to even humor the idea that being alive was better in the long run, than being dead. Those thoughts kept nagging, hanging over her head... She put on a face, smiled for those that came to see her, but in reality...

She hated herself for worrying the Guild, hated that what happened, and what happened to her had put them through that incredible amount of pain it had. Hurting the Guild was the last thing she ever wanted and she hated she had... But she could... She might hurt them worse. So even how sorry and how guilty she felt for worrying them, she still couldn't hate herself enough for it to outweigh her own terror and reason for wanting to just let it all end.

... I don't... I don't think I can...

... This... More so than every other reason and every other shitty thing that she'd been through, that she had learned... This was why she had been oh so ready to just Fall... To die.

That absolute fear was so deep and so powerful, no amount of words would soothe it, or make it all better.

It didn't fix anything... There was no fixing this.

"... And you know what it means." Saige went on, almost all to himself. He wasn't asking a question, he wasn't even confirming it- he already knew.

Of course he knew... She just still didn't know how he did. And at that moment, she didn't care- because she was fighting to keep her emotions and the sudden icy panic under control as it rose to meet her.

Frea's hands had clasped together tightly in her lap, her body tense and breaths shaky and she trembled, her nails digging into her knuckles in such agitation and near desperation that thin streams of blood began to dribble down her fingers, though she was so worked up in her own head and emotions she did not notice.

S...shit...

What if... What if.. I...?

...I could... I might...

Her nails were digging not just into her knuckles, but her palms too- splitting open those few cuts and tears running along her hands and earning more scarlet to well up, and still she didn't feel it.

I...if... I fall... I c..could... And... I m..might...

Kill

Like where her thoughts had gone when Chase tried to... Like she had cost Chaitanya, had cost...

Murder

Like how Mordren had with Reyan, and countless, countless others...

Destroy

Not just herself, her home... The world maybe... Turn it all to ruin like Mordren had...

Hurt

... Them. All of them. Everyone she loved, cared for... And she might hurt them beyond repair...

Her shoulders hunched, her breathing slamming to a shaky halt as she held her breath against the onslaught of panic, shivering again, more often and more violently, and feeling the cold in her core grow colder- and the pain flared up too, making her hiss.

I c.. Can't be... That... I don't... I don't want to... Become that...

... But what if... What if I don't have any chance...?

It was all crashing down on her head again- all of it. All of it that she had bee pushing away and keeping at bay, willing herself not to fall into these thoughts and let herself come to terms with the reality of it- the awful, painful reality. The same swirl of truth and reality and emotion that had hit her when she was in the Reach- the same that had slammed into her like a train when Laxus...

"... I'm not wrong." He replied quietly, firmly. "There's not a damn thing you could do that would change my mind either. You won't go dark, you ain't gonna become Mordren, you're too damned stubborn to even fall that far. You're not gonna end up dark. You're never going to be him. I know you won't."

Her breath shuddered as she let it go, shoulders shaking and hands too- her thoughts landed there, on those words, on the certainty in his voice. How unwavering he had been.

She wanted... She really, really wanted to believe... To hope he might be right...

But... But I don't know if I can...

And that hit her all the harder, she hated it, hated it all. Hated she couldn't be honest, hated she hadn't the will to even attempt to trust what he said to her with no hesitation what so ever. Hated the doubt and the fear, and...

...me... I hate myself... for all of it ... All the shit... I've caused... All the things... I might do...

But for the first time- she had hit that true, utter low. She'd fallen apart all the way and it hurt.

For the first time she didn't think she could move past this, pick herself back up again. She couldn't be optimistic and she couldn't be objective. She wasn't even sure happy was on the table, or calm, or relaxed. It was all just pain, sadness, guilt- fear.

It had finally happened.

She was broken.

Completely broken.

Her body went stiff, her heart jumping and her eyes snapping open, her mind and her emotions all swirling into some insane, wild pit she couldn't pull herself out from, was suddenly snatched away and dropped back in the present.

Saige had moved to sit on the edge of the bed to her right without her even noticing him do so, she'd hardly been aware he was there anymore until his hands fell lightly on top of her own. He pulled her clenched fists apart, her eyes shining slightly and a bit dazed as she watched him, his orange eyes resting levelly on her hands and his face soft, she saw the blood that had started to move across her skin and suddenly the sting of the cuts opening up managed to hit her.

I... I was doing that... ? I didn't... Even...

He pulled her hands apart so softly, gently and in an incredibly kind way she found herself a bit surprised for a moment, and still so dazed she didn't even manage a reaction at the sudden contact like she usually would- she just watched in silence.

He let out a soft breath, uncaring and unconcerned by the specks of crimson that dotted his hands in his action, and never looking up toward her face. The moonlight from the window behind him glinted for a moment from the Wizard Saint Emblem in his ear.

"Take it easy, Energess." He murmured gently. Frea blinked slowly, her vision swimming now in her sudden rush of emotion, her head pounding more and more as it settled- just a little. And she wasn't quite sure how it was possible.

One of his hands moved from holding both of hers, his finger twirling a few times in air before him as a flash of Magic danced from his person, the feel of it flickering off Frea's skin. That Magic didn't materialize in a way she could see it, but there appeared a roll of bandages floating lightly in air between them as they moved, wrapping around her hands and her knuckles softly to still the bleeding and cover the wounds she'd inflicted without realizing what she was doing. His finger twirled once more as his action came to a halt, the bandages disappearing as he let her take her hands back, though she just let them fall in her lap, her eyes tracing the bandages now and sweatdropping heavily.

"... You understand the gravity of the situation well. And I am not surprised how you feel." He told her quietly, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back a little, his eyes falling closed. She didn't look up toward him though, her head was in a sudden daze and everything was catching up with her, she felt like utter, utter shit. And now her head was spinning, the room and her vision was swimming more by the second and she had to try hard to keep her focus on him.

"... It is understandable, Energess. You know what lies ahead will be difficult and you will continue to struggle for a very, very long time to come." he murmured, "... and I understand your concern. I would not wish this on anyone, and I would certainly not wish it on someone who has already struggled enough before."

Frea swallowed slightly, her eyes flashing slightly as she just looked at him, frozen, and her heart rate picking up enough that it was painful against her chest and her ribs.

"... Do recall what I said to you last we last met, Energess?" He asked easily, this time his eyes moved up to meet her own and she blinked.

There was quite a lot they had talked about that night, and much more than she was willing to piece through to try and answer that question.

"... In regards to what would happen, should you win." He murmured, expanding slightly.


"Pending what happens in the events that are to come when you face this danger, I'll be sure to send my recommendation to the Magic Council... and I invite you to seek me out if ever you'd like to learn to control the continuing growth of your Magic Power. It may in the future become much more than you can handle, or safely possess... Of course, you'll need to survive first." Frea blinked, looking uncertain and a little lost for words.

Who in the hell... am I even talking to...? The feeling and the power of this geezer's Magic is insane... and he acts like he knows more than most people do... And did he just offer to... to train me..?!

And what's this about a Recommendation to the Magic Council..?!

"Of course I had thought of suggesting it to them after seeing you handle the Demon of Zeref, but decided it best to wait seeing as how the distrust you rather fervently. Following the quake of the events coming with this Entity however, I think they may just start changing their perspective." The old man said in a matter of fact, nearly offhand tone and he got to his feet, standing atop the barrel and placing his hands on his hips.


Remembering that... He already guessed my Magic was going to get as out of hand as it had...? Did he just... Know...?

But her panic sparked anew- she was already afraid of herself and what she could do- more so knowing now what Darkness was eating at her- she hadn't wanted to be S-Class for fear of her actions... He wasn't serious about being...?!

Was he...?!

Her face must have fallen, or shown signs of her uncertainty, because he shook his head slightly, looking amused and sad all at once.

"... I will not bring it up to the Council, if you do not wish me to, Energess." He assured gently, "... I suppose you know you will have to answer to them for the events that passed soon enough. They cannot be avoided and what the ask of you may not be simple to explain- or easy to, either."

He gave her a small, keen look that had her skin crawling slightly.

"... It is up to you, to decide what you tell them, Energess, and how much." he added on quietly, "... The Council is angry, and tense... But given what they'll realize of what you did, I expect their anger to disappear entirely. You may even find they are just that more inclined to you, as they should be. It was no small thing you did, saving us all." He sighed slightly, Frea blinked, swallowing at the words.

"... And whether you wish it or not, I will work to help you. Help you to control your Power and combat it, keep it from doing you more harm." He announced rather matter-of-factly then, his voice steady and without a single shred of waver or hesitation. Frea stiffened in surprise, her heart jumping as he leaned back, his arms crossing about his chest. "After all, I cannot sit back and watch as you struggle against your own Magic, and I certainly cannot do nothing while you suffer under it either. Magic is a part of you. You are a Mage, and a very powerful one at that- I will not do to let you struggle to control your Magic."

"... Doubt yourself or not, Energess. You can overcome this. Your Magic will not rule over you, nor will that Darkness either." Frea felt shivers run up and down her spine, her eyes fixed on him in utter, stony stillness. "It will be hard, and you may feel it a lost cause- but it is not. You are strong, you are a true Master of Magic, and the things you have suffered and will suffer do not change anything."

That old Geezer paused, smiling slightly as he shot her a small, carefree glance.

"I know you're having a hard time believing in a better future, so if I cannot change how you feel- it will have to do, to simply promise this." He told her softly, "With everything I have, all my knowledge, and my Power- I promise to do everything I can to help you overcome the consequences of your battle with Mordren. I also promise to assist you with whatever you need, be it Council business or learning to Control your Magic."

Frea was having a hard time just understanding what he was saying to her, because honestly?

She hardly knew this Old Geezer, she had met him just twice now, they were hardly acquaintances and he had literally no reason to want to help her at all... Let alone with all of that?

A Wizard Saint no less... Why the hell does a Wizard Saint seem so interested in me...? It hasn't made any sense, not even when I asked him before...

She had so much swirling in her head, so many things and this just added more... And she was so exhausted, she just... She couldn't.

He knows so much... About me... I don't really... Like that...

... He wants to... Help me...? With my Magic...?

Why does he even think he can? What is he going to do about it?

As it stood she had no clue what Magic he used, and she had no clue what was driving any of his action... Let alone what would make him promise to help her.

It makes no sense... Why is he such a god damned mystery...?

"...w...why...?" She stammered, he blinked, chuckling slightly.

"I answered that question before, did I not?" He replied easily, she sweatdropped.

"Call it what you like, Energess." He replied lightly, Frea blinked. "I simply think that there may be a chance, even if it's slight, and I am the sort of person that'll hold on to whatever slim chance there is- even if it seems hopeless. And because I hold on to it, I figure I ought to do what I can to help- even if that in itself is slight."

That... Was not a comforting answer. Because thinking on that- now it sounded as if she, and any chance of controlling her Magic and contending with that Darkness- was a long, slim shot. And that had that panic settling in a bit deeper.

But more... She had a feeling that wasn't all of it. At least, not the only reason he had for what he was doing. And that made her uneasy- regardless of the incessant, and almost instinctual feeling that he wasn't planning to do anything that would hurt her.

Frea's eyes narrowed slightly, biting the inside of her cheek uneasily as she did her best to try and wrap her head around all of it.

He lightened up, though, smiling still as he shrugged, all tenseness and seriousness in his person dissipating nearly as quickly as he had arrived. And she found her thoughts and her brooding interrupted as he moved from the bed and his feet hit the floor.

"I expect you have a lot on your mind though, Energess." he announced lightly, "And given your condition, I think it best we leave any lengthy discussion to a future date." he cast a glance toward her, his eyes softening slightly. "You've had a long night, yes? I think it would do better for you to get some rest." Frea frowned, just slightly, a little less than enthused he had suddenly changed the subject like that. He seemed all the more amused by it though, and shook his head at her to curb any plan of argument.

"Try not to fret too much, Energess." He smiled, "In time.. Things will improve. I assure you."

Her heart fluttered slightly at the words, assurance she had been given by too many people in the last day or so and still... They didn't make a dent. She couldn't find the will to believe, even if she wanted to... And a part of her really did.

"Of course knowing how stubborn you are, it will take a bit more than my words to convince you not to worry." He said lightly, earning a small grimace from Frea, her vision swimming more by the minutes as he waved a hand toward her almost nonchalantly,

She blinked, immediately feeling the prickle of Magic on the air and stiffening as she felt that same Magic wrap around her, making her feel heavy and slow, her already spinning head spinning all the more as her vision blurred too much to hardly even see the room. She felt her senses growing muddy by the second, her body growing slack as a sense of up and down was suddenly snatched away, and her mind started slipping regardless of how hard she tried for fight it.

W-wait... He's... Trying to... Make me...

"Sleep well, Energess."


"W-wha...?"

Mavis stammered, her eyes flicking back and forth over the room and heart racing, her mind coming to a jagged, messy halt as she tried to come to terms with the lack of... Well, danger.

"B-but... I swear, someone was here... I couldn't... I couldn't get in the room." She stammered on a bit more, sweatdropping heavily as she glanced about nervously, her eyes flicking toward Jynx who quirked an eyebrow beside her, looking just as lost as Mavis seemed to be. Mavis swallowed slightly, her eyes trailing to her right as she glanced up warily toward the very silent figure of the Lightning Dragon Slayer she had called here.

"... You said it was an emergency." Laxus huffed lowly, his arms crossed about his chest and eyes glinting in slight agitation as he cast a low, stony glance down toward Mavis.

"...I am certain there was someone here." Mavis murmured, "Iki was sent to sleep, and there was definitely a ward on the door. I wasn't imagining it."

"... Iki is still asleep," Jynx murmured quietly, her red eyes moving down the hallway behind them. "... But I don't sense any Magic lingering."

"I did not imagine it." Mavis replied, almost irritable now. Jynx shot her a look that was apologetic, but said nothing on the matter.

Laxus huffed again, his eyes trailing up from her and toward the bed where Frea was fast asleep- and outside of her the room was empty and silent.

His eyes narrowed to slits though, his nose twitching slightly as he took in a low, slow breath- and some unfamiliar scent washed over his senses, mixed with the fresh, metal tang of one Iron Dragon Slayer who had not been seen in weeks... As well as the scent of fresh blood, though that in itself was rather faint.

He grumbled under his breath, his eyes trailing over the room and senses on high alert for a few moments, ready to catch any sound or sign of someone else in the room that wasn't meant to be there and belonged to that unfamiliar scent. There wasn't anyone else in the room, though, he was fairly sure... Whoever that scent belonged to had come and gone already, and nothing seemed disturbed or wrong. Nothing had happened.

He was annoyed by it of course, since Mavis had popped up- in his house- in the middle of the damn night and immediately demanded he go to the Guild because 'someone has entered the Guild and locked me out of the Infirmary'. He'd not been asleep, mind you, just dozing... But the sudden unexpected arrival and the short, and rather serious explanation had him all the more tense- and to find it was for nearly nothing, that had him a little miffed.

For Mavis, first thoughts on bringing someone had been to find someone who could get there quickly, and the first two people who came to mind had been Jet (with his Speed Magic) and Laxus- who traveled just as fast as the former (if not faster) with his Lightning Form. The latter won over the first given how quick Laxus had been to react as of late when things went amiss, and for his strength too, should be have found himself in a potential confrontation. He'd come to the Guild in minutes, and Jynx had appeared not long after.

"... there was someone else here, I can smell their scent." He grumbled lowly, earning blinks of surprise from Jynx and Mavis alike. He started forward, leaving the both of them behind as he left out a small, hot breath, his eyes falling closed a moment.

... I swear... It's like I can't leave her alone for one damn day...

It did make him tense though, to not recognize that scent, and to not know why it was there at all.

"...you don't recognize the scent?" Mavis asked lowly,

"No." Laxus grumbled, "... Whoever it was is long gone though."

"... Nothing seems to have happened." Jynx murmured slowly, "... Whoever it was... Frea doesn't seem to have been harmed, and nothing else seems out of the ordinary either." Mavis' eyes glittered slightly, silent for a few moments.

Laxus' eyes narrowed slightly, coming to a half at the foot of Frea's bed and facing the window, arms crossed about his chest and frowning slightly as he glanced sideways. From the corner of his eye he could see bandages wrapped around Frea's hands were he was fairly certain they had not been there before... And for a moment it seemed as if 'not harmed' wasn't exactly true.

But she was completely out, laying down with her arms folded lightly over her stomach, breathing evenly (or at least close to it), in short, slightly rapid breaths. There wasn't any sign that something has gone wrong, and in reality- she looked to be in a better sort of sleep than she had been the last few days, less fitful and uneasy.

He let out a silent sigh, seeing she had her arms thread through the sleeves of his jacket.

I'm probably never getting that damn thing back...

He wasn't all that annoyed though.

"... But question is, who was it?" Mavis mumbled. "And why were they here in the first place?"

Jynx blinked, her eyes narrowing in thought.

"... Would Energy Dragon know?" She wondered aloud, softly and almost under her breath.

"Leave it be." Laxus replied lowly, surprising both Mavis and Jynx at the sudden order. He had taken a seat in the chair pulled up against the wall near the widow, propping his feet up on the bedframe and crossing his arms about his chest. "If they come back I'll handle it, but there ain't no use waking her up to ask. So leave it."

"... Are you sure that's wise?" Mavis mumbled, looking a little uneasy. "... If there was a threat-"

"If that mysterious arrival had been any sort of threat, we would have noticed it immediately." Jynx cut her off gently, "... Doubtless had Energy Dragon been in danger we would have known about it, even injured she would have made a mess." Jynx smiled sadly at that, Mavis blinked.

"... I suppose you're right." Mavis relented slowly, still looking a bit reluctant. The First Master's eyes trailed away toward Laxus, who had let out a huff at Jynx's response and had his eyes closed now, and hardly paying the two girls any mind.

Mavis and Jynx glanced toward one another quietly, smiling, just slightly, the both of them

No, it had not gone unnoticed by the two of them how much Laxus had stepped up to offer and keep an eye on Frea and help out the last two weeks, nor did it pass them by how easily he decided to stay now- especially since he hadn't been expecting to be at the Guild tonight.

He hadn't hesitated the minute Mavis showed up in his house either.

Mavis wouldn't say anything, but she noticed, and it made her smile slightly. It was comforting to know Frea had someone who seemed to care about her wellbeing just as much as she cared about everyone else's.

"... Alright." Mavis murmured, "... I will leave it be for now." Jynx nodded slightly,

"It's late as it is." Jynx murmured quietly, tilting her head in the direction of the door. "... I expect you'd like to talk with me, yes?" She asked quietly, Mavis blinked, before nodding slightly.

With Jynx having been missing the last two weeks, there were plenty of things Mavis wished to discuss, and hadn't had the chance to- as Jynx seemed to know quite well. But for a moment Jynx cast a small, wary glance toward Laxus, looking uneasy for a moment as her thoughts flashed to the Reach- and how that Lightning Dragon Slayer had not bothered to try and question her about her part in trying to save that Energy Dragon Slayer.

Laxus didn't look up toward her, and Jynx made her eyes move away from him toward Mavis.

The both of the ghosts nodded slightly to one another and disappearing from the room altogether.

Laxus eyes fell from where the two ghosts had been, only looking up when Jynx had looked away, before he let out a huff and they dropped closed again.

He had noticed the bruising and the bite marks litering Jynx's arms, nearly identicle to the ones that littered his- though they couldn't be seen through the sleeves of his shirt. But for whatever strange reason, it seemed the wounds he'd received seemed to have rebounded onto Jynx too... and they looked deeper and more painful for her.

Not that he had any explanation for that mind you.

The music filtering through his Magic Headphones fell away into a drone as his mind sunk away too, lulling into stillness that mirrored the room around him.


Alrighty everyone! Please enjoy this chapter! Thank you all for reading!

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