Took me long enough... again. Sorry for the long wait. And thank you again for all the wonderful reviews - they all mean a lot for me! Hope you guys can enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Mashima Hiro.
The Thirteen Keys
Chapter VIII – Picking Up Dragons and Rain, part II
Lucy was still a little bewildered with the whole Luke situation even though two days have already went by. She had to focus on her mission, but it was proving to be a very difficult task.
After researching thoroughly, Crucis had discovered Gajeel was in the same metal graveyard Makarov had found him in after the Phantom Lord attack in her time. Seemed only logical he would go back to a place he had once known in childhood, after losing his home for the second time. Lucy was very glad Crucis had been able to find Gajeel. From the four dragon slayers, he was the one that worried her the most. Sting had his issues, but Gajeel had turned utterly cruel growing up by himself. She didn't want it to happen again. She wanted to introduce him to Levy before he did anything he would deeply regret in the future. He deserved the chance.
Yet, she knew it wouldn't be easy to convince Gajeel Redfox to come with her to Fairy Tail. He would probably be very revolted now, considering Metallicana left him without any explanations. Besides that, being alone in that dump would make it very easy for him to sense her smell and flee before she had the opportunity to talk to him.
Lucy sighed. What a troublesome situation.
"Gate of the Maiden, I open thee! Virgo!"
Virgo appeared on her preferred maiden outfit and bowed to her owner.
"Is it time for my punishment, princess?"
Lucy ignored it completely. After all those years, she had completely given up on trying to change those horrible habits Virgo had.
"I need to find Gajeel, Virgo. He is a child now, eleven years old or so. Do you think you can find and approach him without being sensed?"
"If I don't will I be punished?"
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Just go already!"
"Yes, princess!"
Virgo dove in the earth, digging her way through the soil. Lucy just sat down and waited. She knew Virgo had the ability to do what she asked, so she didn't have to worry too much. Plus, Gajeel still wasn't the powerful monster he would later become.
She didn't wait for long. Virgo returned from her hole with a small tossing Gajeel on her right hand.
"Let me go, you weirdo! I said let me go!"
"Princess, are you sure you want this boy? He has no manners whatsoever."
Lucy chuckled.
"I'm sure, Virgo, thank you very much for your help."
Virgo bowed, let Gajeel on the floor and disappeared back to the Spirit World.
"Hello." Lucy smiled invitingly to him.
He stared at her with distrust showing all over his red eyes, his mind working insanely on an escaping route.
"It's okay, Gajeel-kun, you don't need to be afraid of me."
"How do you know my name?"
"That's a real long story, but resuming it, it's a power of mine, to know about future members of my guild."
"Your guild?"
"Yes, I'm Lucy, a mage of the guild called Fairy Tail."
"Never heard of it."
"Really? Even so, if things had gone the way you led them, you would end up in Fairy Tail in a few more years. I decided to anticipate everything and tracked you down."
"Why would I want to join a guild?"
"Well, there are plenty of children your age. Plus, one of them is a Dragon Slayer just like you."
His eyes widened in shock.
"You… believe in dragons?"
Her smiled gained a sweet look.
"Of course. I've seen lots of them, a long time ago."
"Are you serious? People never believe me when I say my father was a dragon."
"I'm very serious, Gajeel-kun. Let's make a deal. You come with me to Fairy Tail, meet our other Fairy Tail dragon slayer and decide if you want or not to remain with us, what do you think?"
He examined her for a moment, pondering her words, analyzing her looks. She did have that strange red mark on her arm, and that other woman who captured him was an invoked being, considering how she suddenly disappeared, which meant Lucy was an summoning mage.
"If I don't want to stay I can go and you'll never bother me again?"
"Absolutely. You have my word."
Lucy could see he was still hesitating, and her heart twisted painfully. Was she too late? What had he suffered in those 11 years that made him so distrustful?
"I promise you'll love Fairy Tail. Everyone is gentle there, and we take care of each other. Always. We are a family, not a guild. Everyone will be very happy to have you around."
She saw the wavering on the red irises. He was tempted by the offer, and yet, afraid it wasn't real.
"I want to go."
She got up and stretched a hand for him.
"Then, let's go."
Gajeel didn't really understand how that was happening, but suddenly, he was surrounded by a several weird looking kids. There were two girls and a boy with blue hair. Three blue haired kids! How was that even possible? There was also one weird shirtless pal. Why wasn't he wearing the damn shirt? It wasn't that hot inside the guild, it was actually pretty comfortable. And most weird of all, why did the other Dragon Slayer have pink hair? That was definitely a very weird colour. Not to mention the three siblings with white hair. They weren't old, they weren't supposed to have white hair. What an absurd!
Everything about that guild was an absurd.
"Hey, you guys, what do you think you are doing, suffocating him like that?" the red haired girl named Erza shouted at the others. "What kind of manners is that?"
Incredibly enough, they all obeyed her, sitting at the tables and letting him breathe properly.
"What Lucy said is true?" the pink haired Dragon Slayer asked. "Are you really also a Dragon Slayer?"
"Sure I am." He answered, crossing his arm arrogantly. "I am the Iron Dragon Slayer."
"That's so cool! I'm Fire! Let's fight!"
And jumped unannounced on him, already throwing kicks and punches. Gajeel didn't hesitate on charging back against him, and soon it was hard to follow whose foot had landed in whose face and so on.
Sara watched everything in growing panic. Lucy was already gone again, to find yet another child, leaving her alone to deal with all those kids by herself.
"Master, I demand someone to help me with them." She told him as soon as he sat beside her with his gigantic mug of beer.
"We have no one else, Sara."
"I don't care! Go recruit someone or something. You see those white strands on my hair? I didn't have them a year ago. You see these bags under my eyes? I can't do this by myself."
"Okay, okay, don't freak out! Lucy will be back soon and I'll give a raise to you both, convince her to stay a little longer with us. She mentioned this girl she was going to get was the last one for the guild, right?"
Sara sighed heavily.
"Yes, she did. But she also said she was leaving after that."
"What? She said that to you? She didn't mention anything of the sorts to me."
"She told me she would drop by in more a few occasions, but that after she brings Wendy she will leave Magnolia."
Makarov took a sip of his beer, processing it all. He knew Lucy to be a tormented soul ever since he laid his eyes on her for the first time. Her eyes screamed that for anyone sensible enough to listen. It really must be hard for her – having to deal with the people that once were her best friends in the world, but now were only children she looked after. If she wanted to stay away, he couldn't stop her. She deserved it.
"Yeah, I know she does." Sara muttered, as if she had read his thoughts.
Makarov looked at the mother of his grandchild, his eyes filled with the fondness he had always felt for her. He wished his son was worthy of her. He wished Laxus could have had the family he deserved. But Ivan would never be good for anyone, not even himself.
"She is a daughter of Fairy Tail. She will return to us eventually. We just have to wait."
"Are you sure you are leaving?" Sara asked trying to convey the tears insisting to form on the corner of her eyes.
Lucy smiled and hugged her.
"Thank you for everything, Sara. I wouldn't have made it without you."
"Nonsense. I am the one that must thank you. For saving my life. For protecting my boy."
They looked to each other, letting the tears roll freely through their faces.
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to the kids?"
"No. I won't be able to go if I do."
"I can relate to that."
Sara pushed Lucy for one last hug and let her go. They would see each other again. She was sure of it. Friendship like theirs simply didn't end.
"I will see you soon, Sara."
"You better, you silly girl. Or I will hunt you down whatever you are."
Lucy smiled and pulled her hood over her head.
Goodbye for now… Fairy Tail.
