Blah. I spent so much time away from my stories that I forgot how I wanted them all to go. I'm not too sure if I'll finish them now, especially since I've been getting back into my book writing groove. If anyone has suggestions for how the story needs to go, HELP ME PLEASE!


Meet the King

"Alrighty, then!" Evergreen cut into Adamine's flashback. Her hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose, and she sighed, "The guild got back together not too long after that. So, that's… one, two… What? About five weeks ago? That means you're still in the first trimester."

"Tri—"

"The baby still looks like an alien blob right now and isn't as vulnerable," Black Pearl cut in.

In understanding, Adamine's mouth formed a perfect O. "So what about the competition?"

"You're pregnant and still worried about fighting. Actually, no. I'm not surprised. Well, like Porlyusica said, just keep careful. Surely, you'll still be able to fight since the baby's so tiny. If you turn to stone around it, the impacts likely won't damage anything internal," Evergreen explained.

The Fairy Mage's brows drew inwards when Adamine hopped onto two feet. "That's cool, then. So long as I get to fight."

"Yes, yes. So long as you get to fight."

"Oh, and Ever?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's keep this from everyone."


It was a couple days later that Captain Kenwae's ship drew to port in Lancet. A riot of festivities ran rampant in the capital city of Lance. Banners were hung up high with guild symbols drawn, painted, and printed upon them. Fangirls eagerly lined up behind a thick rope guarded by Lancet's Magician's Alliance.

The scene was a balm on Adamine's eyes as Kenwae's men tossed ropes out to hold the ship. It gave just the slightest hint of relief as Adamine relaxed her arms against the ships railing.

People screamed out the names of their favorite Fairy Tail mages.

"Natsu!"

"Gray!"

"Erza!"

"Lucy!"

"Laxus!"

They all screamed out from various people. A mostly male crowd screamed, "Mirajane!" Adamine couldn't say as she blamed the males. Mirajane was a doll, and the woman was a favorite trainer of hers. Erza, Mira, and Adamine's training sessions had become quite the event at the guild, even to the point of being shown on Sorcerer Weekly.

It wasn't until a motorbike came hauling ass down the road that Adamine finally heard her name join the rally of the crowds. But it wasn't screamed in adoration.

Coming hot around a corner, Catori Polterom's sleek, black bike hauled ass. The bike reared up like a raging steed. Her front tire popped down with a vicious slap against the asphalt. Without giving hardly any care to her surroundings, Catori Polterom flew through the city streets.

People leaped away before they got ran over. The balloons in children's hands were forgotten as the kids ran for their lives. Like a professional driver Catori avoided a child who hadn't gotten out of the way quick enough. She moved in seemingly slow motion to lean over on her bike, and as the kid stared in horrified awe Catori took a victorious bite out of his cotton candy. Slow motion ending, the speed demon ripped her body back vertical.

With the pink fluff hastily gobbled up in her plump lips, she took a split second turn towards a ramp. Her bike charged up the ramp at a breakneck speed, and when she leaped skyward, Catori did her traditional greeting to her big brother.

With Winry screaming out, "Adamine, save me!" behind her sister. Catori distended her long tongue to flaunt her Kindred Spirit tongue ring. Her hand came up in the rock sign, and Catori came to a screeching halt. Brake smoked flowed all around her like she was some kind of smoke demon.

At just the sight of Catori, Freed turned tail and ran.

Catori didn't seem too phased by it. If anything, she simply pulled her helmet off her purple head and shook it off like she didn't even see him. Beautiful, chaotic locks of hair slashed out violently, and when Catori stopped freeing her helmet hair, she beamed with her canines flashing.

When Catori caught glimpse of Freed bolting at the sight of her wicked entrance, Adamine and Evergreen shared a glance. They were going to have to be on Freed Duty. The Rune Mage wouldn't approached Wild Thang Catori by himself. Bickslow's little sister was just the slightest bit obsessed with his pretty boy good looks.

Shaking her head, she ignored the squawks of Catori greeting her big brother and hunted Freed down. She was coming back up from the captain's quarter's with Freed in a headlock when Catori screamed out, "Big Sister Mina!"

"Tori, I missed you!" Adamine cheered. She crushed the girl tight and suddenly, they weren't hugging anymore. They were in a competition of who could squeeze who the tightest.

Fangs shimmered in the late evening sun as Catori locked her arms by the wrists around Adamine's back. "You look different. Happy couple living making you gain weight?" the female taunted.

Adamine sneered with her fangs elongating. She spun out of Catori's hold then lifted her leg up to smash it against Tori's blocking arms. The girl's eyes narrowed. Had Adamine not been so used to the woman's Forced Possession Seith Magic, she might not have noticed the glistening of crimson power twinkling in blue eyes.

With her eyes closed Adam replied, "Ha! If I gained any kind of weight it would be muscle. You know I don't eat junk. Drives your brother crazy."

Using her ears, Adamine hunted Catori down. When she heard footsteps running close, she dove in to tackle Tori to the deck of the ship. The woman let out an Oof of sound, but she didn't stop from slamming her fist at Adam's throat.

Hastily, Adam covered her weak spot with her shoulder. She rose up from Catori and bared her fangs. She was going to release a miniature version of her dragon's roar at the girl, but Catori said something that made Adam's head tilt off to the side.

The woman taunted, "So no feelings of nausea, tiredness. Back Pains?"

Even though her eyes were still closed Adamine wondered, "What are you insinuating, Catori?"

A laugh that went unseen by eyes still held tightly shut caught Adamine's ears. The body pinned beneath her shrugged upwards. Tori whispered, "So… she's not pregnant. Come on. What is Bickslow hiding? Or…"

Opening her eyes, Adamine blinked down at Catori. The woman was studying Adam's stomach like she was trying to count each strand of sinew that made up her six pack. "Tori?"

Blue eyes flew to meet Adam's emerald gaze. The nervous laughter spilling from Catori's lips was only got Adamine's brows to furrow. Did the child have a soul already? Could Catori sense it?

Catori didn't let her think about it too much. The woman rose up when Adamine offered her a hand. Leaning in closely to Adamine, Catori checked her out from her boots to her cropped biker jacket. "You're not wearing your usual clothes," Catori pointed out.

"No. It's early winter in Lancet. My vest and shorts won't do me much good at this time of year." Adamine pointed to the direction of dark clouds filled with snow.

Catori wasn't letting whatever was in her head go. She prowled around Adamine's body, checking out every inch of covered skin. "So… no nausea? Lightheadedness? Nothing?"

Adamine shrugged. "Well, I got motion sickness even after taking a Troia pill. Aside from that. No. Why the medical questions? You aren't Winry."

Unlike battle crazy Catori, Winry's magic was steeped in healing. Winry could put her soul within the body of another person to suck out feelings of terror, rage, and hate. Her techniques also could heal certain mental illnesses. Since their father, Spyro Polterom and master of Kindred Spirit, had multiple phantom souls inside of his body, he was constantly bombarded by memories and the lives of the dead. Winry could calm those souls by absorbing their pain. For someone like Catori who used her magic in a manner similar to her brother to be asking medical conditions, perhaps, something was wrong with Adamine.

Catori stopped hovering Adamine and flipped her Mohawk out of her eyes. Her purple locks were decorated even more elaborately than usual. She had apparently taken extra care to get her Mohawk to lay obediently down on the side of her head before it became a long blue-purple tail that ran between her shoulder blades. Not only was Catori worried about Adam's health, but she was dressed up. Was she that eager to see them?

The woman tilted her head this way and that before pressing shrugging her shoulders. Those light blue eyes of hers were studying Adam's lower abdomen when she stated, "Oh. Nothing. Win told me that Bix was acting suspicious, and I'm trying to find out what the secret is. For some reason, I can't see your soul. Must be because of your Mate Link with my brother."

Adamine nodded her head slowly. Perhaps, that did make sense. About a year ago when Adamine's soul had almost been devoured by the mage Zeref, Bickslow had wound up putting his soul inside of her because he accidentally touched her Hellhound's Heavenly Fire.

Ever since that day, a sliver of green magic had connected the two of their souls together. When Adamine and Bickslow physically sealed the deal on their relationship, the Mate Link, as his Seith Mage family called it, had shielded her soul from everyone's eyes but Bickslow's. According to his parents, it was a spell created long, long ago when Seith Magic was still infantile. It was a protective spell to safeguard the soul of a lover.

Adam didn't exactly understand all the details, but she did know that Bickslow was currently the only one who could see her soul. That and the fact that they could feel each other's emotions through the link. Even be able to level out their magic between each other. If anything, the link had made them better fighters. Adam could still take him out in a fight though. A fact she reveled in.

Changing the subject, Adamine asked, "Are you going to be patrolling the grounds for Norman slavers while we're in? Isaac told me about the murders. Urian and I are going to be patrolling for Fairy Tail."

Catori's head lifted up at the mention of Adamine's cousin Prince Urian. "Is he going to be in the games?"

"Urian? Oh, yeah, but he won't be playing for Fairy Tail. He already got Master Makarov to let him play for the Royal Guard."

"Do you think that the old man will let you or Bickslow come to play for Kindred Spirit?"

Adamine wrapped her arm around Catori's shoulder when she heard the man at the docks proclaim that another ship was coming in. As they approached the side of the ship, Adamine could see Makarov scanning the area. He may have looked happy-go-lucky and excited about the prospect of the Winter Grand Magic Games, but he was keeping an eye out for anyone who would desire to harm his children. He may not have been the best of grandfathers, but he was most definitely the best of guild masters. Adamine had long ago sworn that she could follow that man's leadership to the grave. "I'm more than positive that gramps would let you steal one of us. I'm playing second reserve for Fairy Tail. To have two back up members was my idea for these games." Adam leaned in closer with a slick smile creeping up her face. "Even if the master says you can't, I'm sure that I can pull some strings for you. I am still the Princess of Lancet, ya know."

"My brother's dating a princess. When is that going to get through my head?"

"Likely about the same time that I start liking nobles," a new voice explained. When avian cawing hit her ears, Adamine turned to feel Cinder resting against her shoulder. The moody phoenix showed its affection by chomping down on Adamine's hair and tugging lightly.

"Hollis! Who else is here?"

"Just me. Zac told me to pick you up while the rest sign autographs and other crap. Can you entertain the others so they don't know she's missing?" Hollis cocked a brow at Catori.

"Of course!" She gave him a mock salute. "Just make sure she comes back in one piece." Tossing him a flirty wink, the wild Polterom sister dashed off before her twin could notice Hollis wrapping one hand around Adamine's bicep.

"What's that thing the Human Torch says before he flies off?" Hollis taunted.

"Flame on?"

Immediately, a burst of crimson flared around them. Cinder's body had flown up from Adamine's shoulder and wrapped impressive wings of flame around them. As soon as they were engulfed, the phoenix swooped down for Hollis to toss Adamine on a body that had multiplied at least twenty times larger.

In seconds, they were up in the air and flying towards Castle Lance. It stood tall and imposing in the center of the city. The square was at its main entry, and various booths had been thrown up by travelling craftsmen from northern villages.

From its highest spire where Isaac's bedroom rested to the various points around it, Castle Lance had been made to cast an imposing shadow on the city beneath it. Windows that were just large enough for someone to shoot arrows out of dotted the castle in a defensive display of passive aggression, and the moat around it was saltwater for sharks to swim in instead of crocodiles. One fall from that drawbridge would turn a bloody man into a bloody mass.

Good thing they were flying then.

Not even having to direct Cinder, Hollis leaned back and gave Adamine the cheekiest grin she'd ever seen on the former criminal. "Ya know, princess, if you weren't wrapped up with that Seith Mage, I'd be doing everything in my power to get you on my good side."

"But I already am, Hollis. We're friends, comrades even." She flashed him an innocent grin.

Rolling his golden eyes at her, Hollis sighed, "Innocent in mind. Destructive in body. My Princess of Contradiction."

"So what's Iaac want?"

"Ah. Nothing too important. Just a bit of recon. He's gathering us former Exiles to meet with you and Prince Urian."

"But we left Urian at the ship." She turned back to see the ship still at port. Urian couldn't fly, and throngs of women would fling themselves at him when he tried to leave. He may love Mirajane, but women still loved him. "It'll take him hours to meet up with us."

"Not if Loki was Skinwalking as him."

She nodded and muttered, "Here's your sign."