Declaimer: Let me get a few things out of the way. I do NOT own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does. Flames will be used to either burn Lisanna or given to Natsu to eat. Not all of the OC's in this story are mine, most of them are made by a friend of mine and some we worked on together. With that done let's get this story moving!
Chapter9: The Odds She Beats (Part 2)
Lily finished telling her story with a blush on her face. She looked to her new friend to see her reaction to the tale, only to find her rubbing her hands together as if her plan was coming to fruition.
"This is good. Laxus will have to let me take new measurements with this story!" Demetria said with a purr in her voice.
Lily only stared at her new friend nervously. 'I am beginning to question my choice in friends.' She thought with slight concern for herself and whatever fate she just befell Laxus by telling Demetria of their second meeting. "That's good… I think, but now I have a question for you if you don't mind answering it." Lily said.
"Sure. Seems only fair after the kind of question I asked you. So what's on your mind Lil?" Demetria asked. She looked to her more tribal-ish friend. While as a person of fashion she thought the style was regressive but on Lily, it worked. She could also now see what it was that Laxus liked about her. Demetria had been the only one Laxus told with anything concerning Lily. Even his most trusted thunder legion knew nothing about his true thoughts on the girl. This made her start to feel horrible for the secret she kept from him. Demetria shook her head and prepared herself for whatever question was coming her way.
"I have noticed that you leave the guild quite often. I know you say it's to get more materials for your projects and yet, there is one consistency that seems off. Why is it that when you return, you smell of iron?" Lily asked
Demetria nearly froze. Yet she took a deep breath and looked at Lily. "I'll tell you after the mission but you have to promise not to tell anyone afterwards, ok? Can you do that?" she said.
Lily nodded in understanding. "You have my word. I won't tell anyone. Besides, it appears that we have arrived back at the village." She said as they walked through the gates. From there the investigation began, using a lacrima to communicate between the two parties. One held by Lily and the other her sister. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together for both Lily and Demetria when three factors came into play. All which were nuisances. Problem number one, Erza had come to collect them from this mission due to the fact that none of them were S-class. Problem number two, Gray has gone AWOL due to an old acquaintance being behind this and is trying to deal with the situation alone. Problem number three, Natsu was nowhere to be found at the moment. This mess was beginning to give Lily a headache.
"That's it! We have reached a tripled fuck situation! Can this guild do one mission without shakings hands with the devil?!" Demetria exclaimed. This situation was frustrating her as well. Lily didn't know if she should laugh or sympathize with her fashion savvy companion.
"You only have yourselves to blame for taking this mission. The master is very cross with all of you. Once we find Natsu and get Gray we are heading back to the guild." Erza spoke, holding Lucy and Happy with a rope.
Now Lily didn't know the armored wizard very well or for very long but she could tell that there were going to be moments where the red haired mage would irritate her, and now was looking like one of those moments. "I'm sorry Erza, while I agree that we had no place in taking this mission the fact of the matter is that we are too far in to turn back now. There is no time to head back and get someone else. So we will finish this mission weather you like it or not. If you try to drag us off I can guarantee that I will put up a fight. Alas it seems you have but two options, either join in to end your complaint about the lack of an S-class or stay out of our way and let us finish this job." Lily said to Erza, looking her right in the eyes.
Demetria was shocked but in a good way. 'So that's the kind of woman you are, a woman of integrity. We may get along better than I thought and defiantly a good person for Laxus. If anyone can stop his current path, it will be you Lil.' She thought. The youngest of the Strauss siblings smiles and takes her friend by the arm to untie Lucy and Happy and leave as a group, having the stunned Erza remain behind.
It was not long till more trouble showed up. The group behind the unthawing of the demon Deliora had chosen to attack. The group separated and Lily left to face the worst type of opponent, a fire wizard named Hunter. She was at an elemental disadvantage. Not just that he had her pinned below him. The situation was not looking good for her; even if she sprouted a non-flammable wood from her being he would only shatter it.
"It's time to call it quits doll face. Nothing is going to stop Lyon till that damned demon is dead! I will not have you or your little group mess up 3 years of planning." Spoke the fire mage with cold amber eyes glaring at her. His hand produced a flame and gripped her arm, letting it burn. Lily let out a scream. The pain was indescribable, only ending when a bolt of lightning came from his left and struck him down.
Lily, with hope and excitement, looked in the direction of the lightning only to find nothing, simply her bag of medical supplies and her lacrima. She took notice that the lacrima had sparks of electricity around it. She went over and picked it up and in that moment, it felt as if Laxus was there with her, fighting with her. Confidence swelled in her chest as an idea popped in her mind. "We will do this together Sparky." Lily whispered to the lacrima. Her counter attack began. Blocking with iron wood and attacking with the lacrima. After what felt like hours, she came out victorious. She went on to treat her wounds then off to find the others.
The battle was hard on all parties, friend and foe alike. Yet in the end it was Natsu who saved the day. Afterwards it was both Lily and Demetria who brought down the barrier. With it gone the demons of Galuna were set free. A party was held and the group was invited. By the end of it they were taken home by a pirate ship with only a gold key as a gift for Lucy. The return home was bittersweet but one that they could not change. Lily once more went to write a letter to her mother, setting the lacrima on her desk in sight.
"Dearest mother, it's me again. Today's job was simply outrageous. I saw that because that's honestly the best word I can think of to fit that job. I won't go too far into the details, mostly because I was half asleep in the beginning and sick on the way to the island. Though…. Something strange happened with the lacrima I got that day. It was as if I could feel Laxus there with me. Silly, I know. I know he wasn't actually there but it produced his magic, his scent. Yet now it seems to have this magic chain and lock on it. I have no idea what it means and Demetria has yet to tell me why she sells of iron sometimes. There is a lot more at play here but I guess answers will come when they come. I'm sure Lucy is telling you her half of the story as we speak. It has been a long day so I will be heading to bed soon. I miss you everyday mom. Please continue to watch over us. Loving you even now, Lily"
As always she sealed and put away the letter before heading to bed. Not seeing the magic lock starting to crack on her treasured lacrima. Elsewhere at a single tree in between magnolia and another town Demetria waits with a sketch book, drawing new designs for fashion. She stopped only when she hears footsteps and a familiar gruff voice.
"So you made it tonight. I was thinking you wouldn't make it again, babe." Said a man. Demetria set down her drawing and ran to hug him. Taking in the smell of iron and smiled. The man returned the hug.
"I would never miss the chance to see you my iron knight, or should I say iron dragon?" She said looking at her secret lover from Fairy Tail's rival guild of Phantom Lord. Demetria smiled and said "I'm glad to see you, Gajeel".
Ok! Not going to lie… that was probably a bad chapter. I waited too long to finish it and had a lot on my mind. Not to mention short. I need to rewatch some episodes and regain my spark. I hope you have some enjoyment out of this. Let me know what you think or even ask questions. I may answer them at the beginning or ending of a chapter. Next chapter will either be Chapter10: The Man of Iron a chapter on Demetria and Gajeel or Chapter10: Laxus Learns of Lily a chapter where well… Laxus finds out where his flower has been. The choice is yours. See you next time. ^-^