A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back!
What's this…is this an update!? Why yes, yes it is!
It's been quite a while since I've updated this story and as usual, I apologize for that. I got a little sidetracked with some things going on in my personal life and I started updating stories/creating new ones. But I never forgot about this story and I am now making time to work on this for the next couple of weeks while trying to finish up one of my other stories before I do anything else.
I thank you all for being so patient with me and this story. I feel like a piece of crap for making ya'll wait this long for one chapter. I know I've said this before, but I promise I'll do my best to update this story more concisely as time goes on.
So, last time we left off with Wyatt and the gang being hired to help unearth a previously lost Freelancer holy site only to find that they had been conned into helping a group of greedy archeologists work towards their next payday. Forced into helping their captors, Wyatt, Wendy and Romeo were sent into the Mausoleum in hopes of unlocking its secrets…which they found and then some. With the help of a ghosts and the spirits of two dragons, Wyatt and his friends were able to put the corrupt archeologists in their place with Wyatt locking the doors to Mausoleum once more. Now, the gang has returned to Magnolia town and life seems to have returned to normal…or has it? As you are about to see, when Fairy Tail is involved, nothing is ever normal.
As usual, before we continue, here is a shout out to those who left a review for the previous chapter:
-DCMatriXHunter: Hello and welcome to the story, sorry for making you wait so long for the next chapter. I'm glad you liked the previous chapter. I love creating stuff for the Freelancer's; it's so much fun being able to think up stuff like that. And as for the whole Wyatt and Death thing…I can neither confirm nor deny…but it is apparent Wyatt did something (and can you really blame the guy?). And yes, slowly but surely, Wyatt is coming to terms with what happened to him and his family.
-SulliMike23: Hey dude; welcome back! The whole idea, believe it or not for Dr. Nakahara turning on the others like that actually came to me when I was watching an Indiana Jones movie…go figure right? But I also think that here, in the real world, people care more about making a profit than history and it saddens me to see events like that happen all over the world. Sakuya is planning something BIG but as to what…well, all in good time.
-Gh0st's buddy: Hello and as always, welcome back! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter. Yep, with Wyatt's new promotion he's able to act more freely when it comes to his…side business as you are about to see. And all will be revealed as the chapter's progress and I hope you stick around to see what I'm cooking up.
-AdamineTerra: Hello, so terribly sorry for taking this long to get back to you. I'm glad, as always, that you are enjoying things so far. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that you've been thinking about that. I hope things have gotten better since I last updated, I'd hate to see a writer giving up what they love to do. I try really hard with my writing and it's so rewarding to know that it's paying off. Thank you for standing by me :)
-FeathersEarned: Hello and welcome to the story, glad you are enjoying it so far. Still working on this and I don't see myself giving up any time soon. True, reviews are nice and I enjoy the feedback, but I write because I love to write simple as that. This story could have four reviews and I'd still update it…but if I didn't get any feedback at all then that would be another matter entirely X)
-Guest: Hello and welcome to the story! I will admit, I only realized I drew some inspiration from Hellsing only after completing Chapter 2. I think I have an idea as to what you're talking about. I have played Fallout but I'm not sure what that has to do with anything (could you elaborate please?).
On a side note, I think I should make a quick reference to the firearms that inspired Wyatt's new "Regulator" weapons seeing as how I failed to mention them last chapter: Wyatt's new carbine is based on the Winchester Model 1895 Second Model Carbine (.30-06). The carbine replaces his rifle but he can still use his shotgun and sniper rifle. The X688 Eclipse's-Wyatt's new revolvers-are more of a mix between the Colt M1878 and Remington Model 1875; all while still firing the .45 Colt round. Like before, the two revolvers can be combined together to form Wyatt's super-pistol Vanquish.
So now, without further ado; let's continue!
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"Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate." –Sun Tzu
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CHAPTER 11: Leads and News
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October, X794
1 Week after the incident at the Mausoleum…
For Cana Alberona, the day started off as it usually did; she woke up with a hangover and a bottle of booze still clutched in her hand.
The brunette beauty slowly sat up in her bed, clutching her head with a groan while bringing the bottle to her lips; frowning when no alcohol reached her lips. Tossing the empty bottle into a nearby trash bin, Cana stood and stretched, letting her back and shoulders crack as she did so.
She shivered then and realized that like many a time before, she had gone to bed sans clothing or nightwear. Usually when she finally managed to stumble home, her booze altered mind found it much easier to strip and seek the comforts of her bed rather than fumble around and wind up face first on the floor.
Pursing her lips, Cana grabbed a towel from her linen closet and made her way to the bathroom, seeking out the comforts of her shower and reveling in the hot stream.
"Man oh man," Cana murmured, running her hands through her hair, "that was some party last night, even by our standards."
Cana snickered then, thinking back to the bachelorette party the girls of Fairy Tail had thrown together for Erza.
Erza and Jellal's wedding wouldn't be until the winter but given how hectic their jobs were and the fact that Erza wanted to focus on her dream wedding when it drew closer, the swordswoman had opted to have her last night as a "free woman" when there was a lull in all the craziness that filled her life. She wanted to cut loose and party for a change, no questions asked.
And party she did.
As did the rest of the girls.
As the memories of the previous night played out across her mind, Cana was more than certain that the club they had rented out for the night was regretting letting them step foot on the property now that the morning had come.
The girls became all kinds of silly, crazy and in Erza's case; terrifying, when alcohol was brought into the mix.
Snickering at the memory of Lucy acting like an overly attached cat, Cana remembered the guys had also cobbled together a last minute bachelor party for Jellal. The last she'd seen of the blue haired mage had been when both Gajeel and Laxus had haphazardly dragged the poor man out the front doors of the guild.
A few of the other guys had tagged along as well with Natsu leading the charge with Wyatt angrily protesting and cursing out the fire mage all the way down the street. The laughing fit Cana went through had left her practically useless for about ten minutes.
Even now as she lathered up, Cana couldn't help but giggle when she thought of Jellal and Wyatt being in the right place at the wrong time. Then, slowly, Cana's smile softened and her movements slowed.
"Wyatt…" she said aloud.
It had been a week since the whole debacle in the Pergande Kingdom. In that time, Cana had noticed a slight change in her fellow guild mate and drinking buddy, as had others in the Guild.
Wyatt carried himself differently, almost as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders but at the same time, something else had taken its place. To put it bluntly, Wyatt was a very hard man to read and Cana had found herself-along with a few of her friends- placing bets to see if anyone could guess what was really going on in Wyatt's head.
So far…no one had come ahead in the betting pool.
Betting pool aside, Cana hoped that Wyatt would start to open up more about himself sooner rather than later. He had been with Fairy Tail long enough-two months now in fact- that he had become a trustworthy member of the Guild-a part of their Nakama-and a respected member of Magnolia's community. Shouldn't it have been time that he revealed more about himself? Shouldn't it have been time that Wyatt addressed his past with the Guild?
Maybe one of the nights they went out for a drink, she could pry him for at least a little smidge of information? Alcohol did wonders with matters such as this.
Cana blinked then, realizing where her thoughts were heading and let out a small groan of annoyance as she rested her head against the cool tiles of the shower.
Why she was getting so worked up over this, she had no idea. It was giving her booze wracked mind a rather unpleasant headache, something she did not need at the moment.
Wyatt was just the kind of guy who kept to himself, plain and simple. She and the others had no right to become so focused on his life before Fairy Tail seeing as how he wouldn't be coming clean anytime soon.
After all…it wasn't like she cared about this sort of thing.
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Half an hour later, Cana made her usual appearance at the Guild. Dressed and with her hangover now being nothing more than a dull headache, Cana strode over to her usual spot at the bar and couldn't help grinning when she spotted those associated with last night's "festivities."
Natsu draped over a nearby table, Lucy in a similar positon, a quietly groaning to himself as he muttered promises about never partying as hard as he did again. Gajeel and Levy were nowhere to be seen, most likely still passed out at home. Juvia was massaging Gray's head with a handful of water while Gray in turn held a small cube of ice to hers. Evergreen was silently resting against Elfman's broad chest as he kicked back in the dark recesses of a nearby corner; avoiding the light like it was the plague.
Macao and Wakaba were draped over the bar with Max tending to them.
Looking for Mirajane, Cana was surprised to see the resident barista absent from her usual post.
"Hey max," Cana beckoned, "where's Mira? She's usually here by now."
"Cana," Lucy moaned, "don't yell so loud, my head really, really hurts right now."
"Not my fault you're a lightweight." Cana snickered to herself as Max gave a wry smile.
"Well, thanks to how hard you all were partying last night, it seems you wore poor Mira out…and gave her a monster hangover. The same for Laxus, Lisanna, Kinana and Laki."
Max gestured to the bar while pouring a tall glass of ice water for Macao.
"They've called in "sick" and won't be joining us until later this afternoon…at least until their ears stop ringing and head's stop throbbing."
"Whoops. Maybe we did overdue it a tad bit last night." Cana said as she reached over the bar top and grabbed a bottle of liquor.
"Seriously?" Gray groaned, "How can you still drink after last night?"
"You're seriously asking me that after knowing me for how long?" Cana shrugged, "I'm either used to it or have a liver of steel. Either way, it'll be cold day in hell when I turn down a drink."
"Lucky." Natsu grumbled while Lucy ran her hand up and down his back.
"Speaking of last night, what about Erza and Jellal. I didn't see her after I left last night. Anyone see them?" Cana asked.
"Last we saw of them, those two could barely keep their hands off of one another when we finally met up. I think someone got them home and they're still probably there." Wakaba spoke up before setting his head back down just as quickly.
The Guild doors opened and in walked Alzack, Bisca and Asuka.
"Good morning everyone." Bisca addressed, in her usual friendly manner, "How'd the party go last night?"
She in turn received a collective, "Don't ask".
"That crazy eh?" Alzack said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Glad Bisca and I weren't there."
"Yeah, why weren't you with us ya' jerk?" Natsu grumbled propping himself up on his forearms.
"I had…" Alzack looked to Bisca and Asuka with a warm smile, "…We had something else going on. In fact I need to speak to the Master about it, is he in his office?"
Max nodded to the door and Alzack went to pay Makarov a visit for whatever reason he needed to. Cana watched the gunslinger disappear behind the door and looked to nearby clock on the wall. Looking around, Cana noted that one of the Guild's earlier risers was not present at his usual time.
"Has anyone seen Wyatt?" she asked, "Last I saw of him you guys were dragging him off against his will."
"That jerk up and left us last night." Natsu grumbled one more, "We were halfway through the party when he ducked out…rather than suffer like the rest of us."
"Well it's not like he wanted to be at the party in the first place." Gray added, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Can't really blame him for leaving us now can we?"
"The guy needs to lighten up," Natsu quipped, "maybe then he'll just learn to chill."
"Wyatt was here earlier," Max added, "he stopped by right around the time I was opening up and said he'd be gone for most of the day. Said he had some personal business to take care of and wanted to check in before he headed out."
"Did he say where?" Bisca asked.
"Somewhere to the north of here but that was about it." Max said.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, I did hear Wyatt say something about that last night to Jellal before he left." Gray added.
"Well, knowing Wyatt it's something he's not going to tell us about right off the bat." Lucy said.
"He's been with us for how long and he's still keeping to himself."
"It's just who he is," Cana took a lengthy swig of her booze, "besides, given how quickly gossip spreads around here I don't blame him for not exactly being an open book."
"What's this Cana, coming to Wyatt's aide so quickly now are we?" Lucy teased before groaning, her alcohol induced headache coming back in full force.
"Hey, we drinking buddies have to stick together. Besides, I owe the guy some credit since after the times he's saved our skins." Cana shrugged with a smile as she finished off her drink and retrieved a new bottle.
"Whatever it is, let him handle it. As for everything else with Wyatt, let's give him some more time to open up before we grill him."
"…But how much more time, I wonder?" Lucy thought before resting her head on Natsu's shoulder.
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Elsewhere, later that afternoon…
"Shallow Creek Bar", Oshibana Town…
Wyatt Keegan sat with his back against the trunk of the large oak tree he had taken up temporary residence in. The many leaves and branches offered by this particular tree provided both shade and concealment for the Freelancer as he watched a rather shady looking gentleman enter the bar through the lenses of his binoculars.
Slowly lowering his binoc's, Wyatt leaned further back against the trunk.
He'd been there since earlier that morning and had been watching patrons go in and out of the bar since that time. It was a rather off the beaten path place that had a ramshackle exterior and overgrown trees and vegetation all around it. Wyatt knew, however, that the interior would be a different story.
It was a good disguise and Wyatt supposed that had he'd been anyone else, he would've never known this place existed.
But Wyatt had been aware of the bars location and its seedy clientele for some time. He'd known ever since he'd wiped out Marcus and his crew all the way back in Desierto all that time ago. He'd gotten the location from a small folder he'd found on one of the bodies of Marcus's men. Now, after two months of waiting and fact finding in his spare time, Wyatt was finally in a position where he could act on his own without rousing suspicion from the Guild.
But before he could do anything, Wyatt needed to recon the situation and check the folders contents one last time.
Reaching into his vest pocket, Wyatt produced a folded piece of paper; a shipping receipt with an added note that read:
'Package delivered on my end. Had it slipped it passed customs and it's on its way to the boss; payment will be given as soon as it's received as usual. If you need to meet, come to the "Shallow Creek Bar" in Fiore. –Anderson'
Given the people Wyatt had found the note with, it wasn't that hard to figure out its meaning.
Smuggling.
In the time that he had tracked down Marcus and his gang, he'd come to discover that the man wasn't your average, run of the mill gangster. He was also a smuggler and a damn good one at that. But what he'd been shipping from place to place, Wyatt had no idea.
He knew for a fact who Marcus was working for…but he needed to know what Marcus was taking so much care in trying to slip past Fiore's customs and border guard.
"It's about time I paid Mister Anderson a visit, wouldn't you agree my feathery friend?" Wyatt mussed as he addressed the Red Cardinal that was perched atop his outstretched boot.
Wyatt had remained so still during his recon that the bird had taken the liberty of claiming his boot as its own. The Cardinal in turn cocked its head at Wyatt and chirped, as if it had understood the gunslinger.
"Run along now," Wyatt chuckled, "things are going to get messy soon."
The bird flapped its wings and it was gone. Wyatt tucked his binoculars and the paper away once more and proceeded to drop down from his hiding place.
"Very messy indeed." Wyatt muttered, stepping out into the light of day.
The daylight revealed that for this particular "mission", Wyatt wasn't dressed in his more familiar garb that consisted of his cowboy hat, mask, duster and armor. He also lacked his firearms and katana with only his Regulator blade/knife strapped across his lower back; ready to be drawn into a reverse grip.
He wore a black vigilante vest over a dark blue button down whose sleeves he'd rolled up to his elbows. Tucked into his vest and around his neck was his shemagh while his hands were still covered by his half finger gloves. A leather belt kept his denim jeans in place and tucked over his boots. Overall he may not have fit the sleazy crowd-he may have even looked too formal-but his weapon and the way he carried himself served as more than effective deterrent.
Dusting off his pants, Wyatt placed his hands in his pockets and proceeded to walk down the path that led to the bar. It felt odd, being in the open without his normal ensemble of weapons and equipment. He felt…naked in a way. But he needed to not draw too much attention to himself. Wyatt had seen that if one hung around a magic guild long enough, people started to recognize you.
And since people had rarely seen him with his mask off, Wyatt was confident that no one would recognize him (plus his guild mark on his hand was covered).
Thinking back to his task at hand, Wyatt was glad Garret had given him the impromptu promotion to Regulator the week before. As Regulator, Wyatt was essentially a Freelancer lawman and it was up to him to maintain the peace and prevent crime when he could…even if it meant by force. But being a Regulator also allowed him to be more…"flexible" with Freelancer and current laws. This flexibility allowed him to work in a morally gray capacity while not receiving much backlash if his actions drew attention.
That's what plausible deniability was for after all.
Coming up to the thick wooden door, Wyatt proceeded to repeat the process he had observed from the bars patrons.
He knocked three times, paused, knocked twice, paused, and knocked three times again.
A hidden slot in the door opened to reveal the eyes of the bouncer posted behind the door. His eyes narrowed in suspicion when he observed Wyatt.
"Who are you?" The guard asked.
"A man looking for a drink." Wyatt quipped, "And a place to lay low for a few hours."
"Never seen you before." The guard grunted.
"I'm new in town." Wyatt replied.
"Did you receive an invite?"
Wyatt shrugged, "Not really, no. Just found my way hear by word of mouth."
"Bull," the guard sneered, "only way to get in is through an invite. Get lost before I ram my fist through your face."
Wyatt paused before reaching into his pocket and produced a 100 jewel note. Wyatt smirked when he saw the bouncers eyes immediately lock onto the money. He then shifted his thumb and produced another 100 note.
And then another.
And another.
Wyatt then extended the 400 jewels out to the guard with a small smirk.
"Perhaps I can convince you otherwise." He said.
The bouncer paused for a moment before shutting the door. The sound of multiple locks unlocking from the door was heard and the door opened shortly after. Wyatt handed the bouncer the bribe who immediately pocketed the money.
"This never happened." The bouncer growled at Wyatt who shrugged in return.
"What happened?" He feigned ignorance, patted the bouncer on the shoulder.
Wyatt proceeded to walk a few paces inside before finding himself at a set of stairs which led downwards in the otherwise empty building. Wyatt pointed down as his ears picked up a multitude of voices and music and the bouncer nodded in turn.
Heading down the spiral stair case, Wyatt found himself in a large underground den with dim lighting, hazy air filled with cigar and cigarette smoke, and all manner of gambling and card tables. Further inspection revealed that there were tables were patrons simply relaxed, roped off VIP booths recessed into the walls, male and female exotic dancers on levitating platforms and a very, very generous bar in the back.
"Man, if Cana were here, I think I know where she'd head first." Wyatt thought wryly as he moved his way through the crowd.
If this were a place to find a smuggler or any other illicit trade or activity, Wyatt was more than sure he'd found it.
He drew the attention of some patrons who casually observed him; seizing him up or simply admiring him. No doubt they had noticed the dull glow his eyes made in the dim light.
Making his way to the bar, Wyatt took an open stool and leaned against the bar top, still observing his environment. Wyatt noticed in the opposite end of the den, there was a door that led to an office of some sort while nearby, a man sat by himself at a VIP booth; two burly guards standing on either side of the rope.
Wyatt took note that the man was busy working over forms from a manila folder and crunching numbers on a calculator. Then the man selected a new sheet of paper and Wyatt paused slightly.
"The same kind used for the note." Wyatt thought.
Wyatt couldn't be sure, but he was now certain he'd just found Anderson; his target.
"What's your poison?" The bartender asked, finally making it over to Wyatt.
"Whiskey on the rocks." Wyatt replied producing a few jewels.
Wyatt didn't immediately act. He took his time with his drink, played a few rounds of blackjack-lost some money, made some money-and ordered a second drink.
"Excuse me," Wyatt asked the bartender, "I was wondering if you could help me?"
"Depends on what kind of help is needed." The bartender responded.
"I'm looking for Anderson," Wyatt gave a thin smile, "I have a "package" that needs to be delivered."
The bartender was quiet for a moment before nodding to the VIP booth Wyatt had scouted. Wyatt polished off his drink and made his way to the booth, only to be blocked by the guards.
"Let him in." Anderson said, not looking up from his work while gesturing at the bartender.
The guards parted, opened the rope and Wyatt sat across from Anderson; a stocky man with balding head, glasses and in his mid-forties.
"What can I do for you Mister…?" Anderson asked, looking up from his papers.
"Ridgeway. Nathan Ridgeway." Wyatt replied extending his hand…but Anderson did not shake it, giving Wyatt a pointed stare.
"Right," Wyatt cleared his throat, "I'm in the business of moving certain "items" from place to place. But recently I had to shift my operations here to Fiore…but the customs laws here are so strict, it's really starting to put a damper on my business."
Wyatt rested his chin on his palm and pointed at Anderson.
"One of my clients was getting a little too antsy and he referred me to you. Said you were the best of the best." Wyatt continued.
Anderson regarded Wyatt before sighing lightly.
"You have my attention," he said, "who is this client and what does he need help with?"
"Bingo." Wyatt thought before speaking, "He has yet to give me his full name but he goes by "Marcus" and he's from Desierto. He needs a package delivered to a friend of his and…is something wrong?"
Anderson had palled considerably and starred at Wyatt with wide eyes.
"What did you just say?" Anderson hissed.
"My clients name is Marcus." Wyatt replied levelly, "And he needs help with a package."
Anderson swallowed hard.
"Hate to break it to you pal, but your client is dead…he's been dead for a while now."
"What!?" Wyatt said, feigning surprise and disbelief, "That's impossible, I spoke with him months ago!"
"Yeah, someone got to him and worked him over. Wiped out his whole crew and then killed him." Anderson grunted.
"That would explain why I haven't heard from him in so long. Damn." Wyatt grumbled before sighing heavily.
"Well there goes my paycheck…just goes to show what happens when you piss someone off and they blow you away in the desert."
Anderson paused again but this time he straightened up and narrowed his eyes.
"…You know, I never said how he died." Anderson said and it was Wyatt's turn to pause.
"Or where he died." Anderson added, his tone becoming tight as he reached into his pocket and produced a lacrima device and tapped it once with his finger.
"Oh shit, I slipped up." Wyatt thought before smirking and reclining back in the booth, "What can I say, lucky guess."
Out of the corner of his eye, Wyatt noticed the patrons and employees all look at similar lacrima devices to the one Anderson had used. Many began to filter up the stairs but some stayed…and turned to stare at Wyatt.
"Your cockiness is admirable. For a moment, I almost believed you. But then you slipped up…and I also remembered that Marcus never sent an intermediary to do his work; he did everything in person. So there's no way a chump like you could be trying to smuggle something for him. Once again, I admire your gal Mister Ridgeway…I mean, Ridgeway is your name right?"
Anderson sneered before glowering at Wyatt.
"Tell me…who are you?" Anderson growled, "And who sent you?"
"…I'm the one who killed Marcus two months ago." Wyatt replied, his smirk quickly fading as Anderson rose from the table and staggered back.
"And I've been bidding my time since then…now I'm making my move."
"Y-You're crazy coming in here you know that!" Anderson pointed his finger at Wyatt.
"Maybe I am," Wyatt said as he too rose, "but one way or another Anderson, you have information. Information that I want and you're going to give it me one way or the other."
Anderson chuckled a humorless chuckled and gestured to his henchmen and women who remained (bartender included). It was a sizeable group of thirty and they all were now armed with various concealed weapons.
"I could say the same for you. In case you haven't noticed, you're completely outnumbered here. You were foolish enough to come alone!"
"You think any of these punks are a match for me? Really?" Wyatt gave a humorless chuckle.
"Cocky and arrogant aren't we?" Anderson remarked, "We'll see how long that lasts once my friends and you get acquainted."
Anderson snapped his fingers and the guards from outside the booth stepped in, advancing on Wyatt.
"Work him over. Don't kill him though, I want him alive. I have some questions that need answers."
"You took the words right out of my mouth." Wyatt said as he pulled his shemagh up and covered the lower half of his face-a force of habit Wyatt thought absentmindedly at the back of his head.
"We could have done this the easy way Anderson. It would have sparred the two of us a whole mess of pain. But one way or another, you and I are going to have a nice little chat."
"Get him!" Anderson snapped and the first guard lunged at Wyatt.
Wyatt snapped his foot out and kicked the guard's leg out from under him before smashing his head down onto the table with an elbow strike. Carrying his moment tum, Wyatt vaulted out over the table a spin kick that struck the second guard in the side of his head and slammed him into the wall of the booth; hard.
Anderson let out a surprised cry as he stumbled back while Wyatt walked out of the booth, drawing his blade. Wyatt ignored the smuggler as he darted for the office, his attention focused on the thirty henchmen that opposed him.
He wasn't going to kill them-being mindful of the promise he'd made to Makarov-but Wyatt was more than prepared to deliver the beating of a lifetime (with some minor lacerations) unto the lackeys.
Wyatt ran forward just as the first few henchmen charged him. In mid stride Wyatt switched his grip on his blade and threw it over the heads of the thugs and into the bar top.
"Sword Magic!" Wyatt said, "Rebound!"
One second, Wyatt was before the henchmen. The next, he was at the bar, his arm extended out in clothesline strike with a line of henchmen splayed out behind him. In the blink of an eye, Wyatt was back to his previous spot and took a defensive stance.
A man, wielding a pair of tonfa, let out a yell of anger and charged Wyatt. His arms snapped out at Wyatt who bobbed and weaved past the strikes before ducking low and delivering a single, palm heel strike to the man's chin. His head snapped back and the man a swept off his feet, landing on his back in a heap. Wyatt quickly took one of the tonfa for his left arm, spun it twice and used it just in time to gut punch a thug who had attempted to rush him.
Another thug attempted to strike him from behind but Wyatt pivoted on his heel and used his blade to cut the man's collapsible baton in half before turning into the strike and performing a spinning roundhouse kick that sent the thug flying into a nearby support beam.
"Sword Magic," Wyatt said again, "Switchback!"
The Regulator Blade glowed a dull purple from within the black kelnite. Ducking low, Wyatt darted forward at near blinding speed as his sword pulled him along seemingly of its own will. Wyatt was pulled headlong into the more concentrated groupings of the henchmen, all of whom let out cries of pain as Wyatt's blade delivered shallow cuts to their thighs. The slashes weren't deep, but they hit areas that would cause the most pain.
Just before Wyatt collided with the wall, the blade stopped short and allowed Wyatt to kick off said wall before he was snapped back at a one-eighty degree angle; heading back to towards the henchmen he had just struck down. Wyatt clobbered half of them with his tonfa on the way back before stopping once more.
Half of the henchmen were down while the other half could only gawk at Wyatt in shock at the series of events that had just transpired.
"There's only twenty of you and one of me." Wyatt announced, casting a sideways glace at the henchmen.
"Shouldn't you guys have taken me down by now?"
"You bastard, what the hell kind of mage are you?!" One of the thugs growled at Wyatt.
"I'm just a guy you really don't want to get in the way of." Wyatt replied.
"That simple eh?" One of the thugs asked, "Get real man, we still have you outnumbered. Just because you have some fancy magic doesn't mean you can do the same to the rest of us."
Wyatt tapped his foot once against the floor, channeling his magic into his "Burst Speed" spell and Wyatt was before the thug.
"Want to bet?" Wyatt asked, his voice low and dripping with menace.
Two quick strikes with the tonfa were enough to knock the thug down. The other thugs hesitated only for a moment before charging Wyatt once more.
"This is starting to get tiresome." Wyatt muttered, punching a thug in the face without even looking, "I don't have time for this."
Before the remaining thugs could swarm him, Wyatt tossed his blade upwards into the ceiling of the den. He then extended his arm up and used his telekinetic abilities to swiftly lift himself into the air and back to his blade. Gripping his blade, Wyatt dropped the tonfa from his hand and reached out to a nearby rafter. Wyatt pried his blade out of the ceiling and charged up his magic once more into the weapon.
"Sword Magic," Wyatt grunted, "Impact!"
Wyatt tossed the blade back down to the floor below where it landed upright in the floor. The magic within the kelnite crystal compressed inwards before exploding outwards with a blast of magical energy. The thugs were summarily hurled to all corners of the den while chairs were broken, tables splintered, the bottles at the bar burst apart and anything that wasn't nailed down was tossed about.
Wyatt let go of the rafter and landed in a crouch. He then stood, retrieved his blade and cracked his neck, ignoring the pained groans of the henchmen as they lay scattered about. None of them were dead but they would most certainly be hurting come morning.
"It think it's about time I wrapped this up." Wyatt said to himself.
He then walked over to the office door. Wyatt knew Anderson was in there as there was only one way in and out of the den. And throughout his fight, Wyatt had not seen Anderson slink out and try to escape; he was too confident in his men and had underestimated Wyatt.
Now he was hiding like the coward he was in his office.
Wyatt calmly walked over to the office and jerked the door knob only to find that it was locked.
"D-Don't come in here!" Anderson called out, his voice muffled by the door, "I'm armed!"
Wyatt twisted the knob once more before he began to hack at the handle with his blade. After a few simple strikes, Wyatt had sheared the knob apart and taken the lock with it. He then jammed the blade into the deadbolt and pried at it as if he were using a crowbar.
"I have a gun!" Anderson called out once more, "I'm not afraid to use! You come in here I'll paint the walls with your guts!"
Wyatt heard the distinctive "click" of a guns hammer being cocked. Two hammers to be precise; most likely a double barreled weapon of some sort Wyatt mused.
Like Anderson's rantings, he ignored it too.
The lock was ripped out of the door and Wyatt stepped back raising his foot up and focusing his magic into it.
"YOU ASKED FOR IT!" Anderson bellowed as Wyatt kicked the door open with enough force that it was ripped off its hinges and knocked aside.
As soon as Wyatt crossed the threshold, he immediately side stepped to the right when he saw Anderson level his double barreled shotgun at him. But he wasn't quick enough. Anderson squeezed the first trigger of his shotgun before squeezing the second just as quickly.
The first blast struck Wyatt in the abdomen and right arm, tearing the flesh apart in a shower of blood. The second, which had been aimed high, effectively blew away the right side of his face and shoulder, severing the arm completely. Wyatt fell back against the wall and slid down into a pool of his own blood as the office became filled with smoke and the stench of gunpowder.
Anderson for his part stood in place, eyes trained on Wyatt as he took a series of calming breathes.
"Stupid son of a bitch." He hissed before setting his gun down onto his desk with a hefty sigh.
"I don't know who you are but you've certainly left me with one hell of a mess to clean up. But before I tend to that, I need to let the boss know about this. He'll be pleased to know I bagged the man who killed Marcus."
"Yeah," a voice suddenly rasped, "about that."
Anderson froze, his breath catching in his throat as he watched in both shock and horror as Wyatt pushed himself up with his good arm and slowly stood. His breathing was labored but he did not seem to be in pain; in fact he should've been outright dead.
"You really," Wyatt rasped, "shouldn't have done that."
The sclera of his eyes turned black and the amber coloring of his eyes turned to a burning, radiant orange.
"You should've blown my head off completely." Wyatt continued, "But even if you did that, it would have left me with just a terrible migraine."
Anderson could only watch as Wyatt's spilled blood rose off the floor and flowed back into his body while his flesh began to knit itself back together. He bent down, retrieved his severed arm and put it back in place, healing in an instant.
But the healing didn't stop there. Wyatt's clothes repaired themselves while the shotgun pellets that were still in him were forced out of his body and fell to the floor. There was no scarring, no bullet holes, and no tears in the clothing.
It was if he had never been blasted apart in the first place.
"Impossible…" Anderson whispered, "Impossible…impossible!"
The smuggler lunged for his gun in a desperate attempt to reload and gun down the monster before him.
Monster….it was the only word he could think of to describe who or rather what Wyatt was.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!?" He screamed as his hand gripped the stock…only for the rest of the weapon to be cut in two by Wyatt's still drawn blade.
"I don't think so." Wyatt growled and grabbed Anderson with his free hand by the neck. He squeezed, hard, as Anderson's hands clawed at Wyatt's arm in an attempt to release himself from the Freelancer's choking grip.
"This all could have been avoided had you just let me have a nice little chat but instead you had to go and create this fine little mess we have here."
Then, with seemingly inhuman strength, Wyatt lifted Anderson up without so much as grunt. He walked around Anderson's desk before slamming the man against the wall as his feet dangled and kicked, sheathing his blade as he did so.
"Now," Wyatt snarled, as he pulled his shemagh down to reveal his face, "Where were we?"
Wyatt increased his grip on Anderson's throat, the man making a series of gasps while he started to go blue in the face.
"Ah yes, I remember," Wyatt said, "I have some simple questions that I want you to answer for me. Here's how it goes; I'll ask and you'll answer."
With that, Wyatt released Anderson who fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for breath.
"Why…why should I?" Anderson rasped once he finally got some air back in him, "You're just going to kill me anyways."
"You assume too much." Wyatt responded coolly, "I made a promise not to kill anyone…but I'm not above breaking most of your bones if you don't tell me what I want to know."
Wyatt leaned against the desk, crossing his arms.
"However, even with that promise…you're not the one I want to kill in the end." He added.
Anderson coughed again before glaring up at Wyatt.
"You're crazy if you think you're going to get away with this." He spat, "Even if I can tell you what you want to know, I'm a dead man anyways. If the guy I work for finds out I snitched on him, no matter how minor the info is, he'll bleed me like a stuck pig."
"Perhaps," Wyatt said in a contemplative manner, "perhaps not."
"You see, the main thing with that theory is if someone lets the word get out that I was here and that you talked. But, if you say that I was dealt with, that the mess was because things got a little out of control…then our little secret stays safe. Spin that tale along with the fact that you just hid here in your little office while your men dealt with some random troublemaker and people will be none the wiser."
Wyatt quirked a wry smile.
"You see what I mean?" He asked.
Anderson continued to scowl at Wyatt but mulled over his words none the less. He then stood and began to wring his hands.
"What do you want to know?" Anderson asked.
"You and Marcus have been smuggling items in and out of Fiore, Desierto, and Caelum for some time now. I want to know exactly what you've been moving around for your employer and why." Wyatt questioned, keeping his tone even and collected.
"…Marcus and I handle…well, handled in Marcus's case, all manner of things. People, goods, weapons, artifacts; you name it, we could get it anywhere in the world. But then, ten years ago, we were hired by this real shady guy who wanted us to do some serious smuggling for him and his friends. He paid us good to handle whatever it was he and his friends were sending us. We were so good at doing what we do that we've been kept in their service ever since.
Most of the stuff we didn't know what it was. But it came from all over the world. Not just Caelum, Fiore and Desierto but the Pergrande Kingdom, Minstrel, Iceberg…literally all over."
"What do you mean you don't know what you were smuggling?" Wyatt asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Isn't it standard practice to know that sort of thing before hand?"
"I mean we were paid not to ask. Besides, it's not like we could sneak a peek half the time. The crates and packages were bound with magic seals from top to bottom; high class seals if I might add. It wasn't until we started moving larger items that Marcus got curious and queued me in after he did some digging around on his own."
"And?" Wyatt asked.
"…Dragon bones." Anderson said, "We had begun to smuggle dragon bones that my employer and his pals dug up wherever they could find them."
Wyatt's eyes widened at this revelation.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Wyatt pressed, "Do you know what kind of dragon it was?"
"Hell if I know, it was just bits and pieces. A knee joint here, a vertebrae there sort of thing. When my employer caught onto Marcus poking around, he nearly slit our throats-literally-if we didn't get our act together…it was the first time I ever saw the guy in person."
"You hadn't met before?" Wyatt asked, perplexed.
"No, he always handled things over a lacrima hologram."
Wyatt pursed his lips in thought and decided to change subjects.
"Did you ever ship your items to a set location or were they sent directly to your employer?"
"Directly." Anderson responded, "But from there, they were shipped someplace else."
"Where?"
"I don't know. Our boss handled that stage of the shipping personally along with whoever else he's been working with. I used to receive a bunch of stuff from his pal in Caelum…but the shipments were stopped last year after he got shot in the head by some guy."
"You can thank me for that." Wyatt thought, deciding to keep that little fact to himself.
"Didn't bother my boss though. He said that he received all that he needed from his pal and was focusing his work elsewhere."
"So…Hideki's death didn't slow them down. They were planning to move on anyways…blast!" Wyatt continued but kept to himself. Wyatt pinched his brow and regained his composure.
"Is there anything else you can tell me about what you've been smuggling?" Wyatt asked.
"Not really. I was paid not to ask questions and that's what I did." Anderson shrugged his shoulders.
"That mentality and the hefty paychecks have kept me alive this long and I don't intend to change that. Especially in my boss's case."
Wyatt drew his lips into a thin line. He wasn't going to get much more with this line of questioning. The discovery that Miles and Hideki had been smuggling Dragon Bones was quite the discovery but that still left plenty of questions with no answers.
Wyatt sighed, resigning to the fact that he still had more fact finding to do before he could make his next move.
Now, it was time for the deal breaker.
"Speaking of your employer…I want to know…" Wyatt began, the glow in his eyes intensifying.
"…Where is he? Where is Miles Bergfalk?"
Anderson blanched as all the color drained from his face.
"How the hell do you know his name!?" Anderson hissed, making Wyatt smile ruefully.
"We're old friends, Miles and I. You could say I know him better than most people. I have a score to settle with him but he's been quite the slippery bastard so far. Marcus didn't know where he was so when I was done with him, I came looking for you."
"And what makes you think I know where he is?" Anderson questioned.
"Uhm, you just explained to me your business practices with him so it's only safe to assume that you know where he is." Wyatt replied, his tone matter of fact.
"I know what I said but I also said that Miles contacts me through lacrima. He could be anywhere in the world when we do business."
"Not exactly the answer I was looking for." Wyatt said, his voice tense, as he moved his hand to the grip of his blade.
"Wait! Wait!" Anderson held up his hands defensively, making Wyatt pause.
"Why should I?" Wyatt asked.
"Just hear me out." Anderson pleaded, "Please?"
Wyatt lowered his hand and Anderson sighed heavily.
"I don't know if this means anything or how accurate it is, but last time I spoke with Miles, he was in Iceberg. Before the communication ended, I thought I heard him mutter to someone else about moving things to Bosco while someone else named Siobhan was headed for the eastern Pergrande Kingdom. But that's all I heard I swear it!"
Wyatt was quiet, his mouth setting in a firm line as his jaw tensed.
"So…" Wyatt said to himself, "Miles and Siobhan are working together...and where they are, Sakuya will be."
"What are you talking about?" Anderson asked, earning a glare from Wyatt.
"Nothing that concerns you…" Wyatt said, "Alright, I believe you. I think this is as good as it'll get for me. It's not much as leads go but its good enough."
"And it all it cost was you wrecking the joint and knocking my boys around. And that freakish healing thing you did."
"None of which you will speak a word of." Wyatt said, tapping is temple, "Remember, I was just some nobody who put up a fight…and was dealt with; understand?"
"Yeah, yeah, I get the message." Anderson huffed.
"Good," Wyatt said as he tapped his sheathed blade, "because if I find out that you said otherwise, I'll come back here…and I won't be as lenient as I was today."
Anderson swallowed hard, "…Understood."
Wyatt smirked as the whites of his eyes returned to normal and the glow in his eyes faded away. He then turned on his heel and exited the office.
He went over to the bar, reached under it and tapped the bartender on the back, who had hidden under the bar throughout the entirety fight from before. The man let out a terrified squeak to which Wyatt simply rolled his eyes.
"Sorry about the mess." Wyatt said as he reached into his vest and dropped some 100 note jewels down to the bartender.
And with that, Wyatt took his leave of the Shallow Creek Bar.
XXXX
Hours later…
Fairy Tail Guild, Magnolia Town…
Wyatt returned back to Magnolia just as the sun had begun to set. It had been a long day and Wyatt was drained from his fight and the use of his more "unique" powers.
But he didn't let it show. He couldn't let it show lest he draw the attention of his friends.
Wyatt, trekked along the streets of the town he called home, greeting the people he recognized or those who called out to him. In his two months as a Fairy Tail mage, Wyatt had become known figure in the town and the gunslinger had to admit that it was nice being in the company of such kind, accepting people. Compared to the ones he was used to hunting down, Wyatt was more than happy to receive a warm welcome whenever he came back from a job.
Finally reaching the Guild, Wyatt found it packed as usual with Natsu, Gajeel and Gray bickering with one another, Lucy and Levy chatting away, Mira tending the bar while Laxus sat with Makarov.
Considering the insanity that had transpired the night before, Wyatt was surprised at seeing everyone up and about rather than staying at home.
The mages of Fairy Tail were a tenacious bunch, especially when it came to their partying and alcohol consumption. They could be down with a hangover one minute but given time, they'd be back in action and rearing to go.
It was something that Wyatt oddly admired about his companions.
"There you are!" Natsu called out, "Thanks for bailing on us last night!"
"I had things to take care of!" Wyatt shouted back.
"Doesn't give you the right to leave your fellow men hanging!" Elfman chimed in, joining the conversation despite Evergreen slapping him upside the head.
"I'll keep that in mind next time you decide to try and get me black out drunk!" Wyatt quipped and gave good natured smile.
Wyatt went to his usual spot at the bar where he found that Cana drinking from her usual keg of booze.
"Glad to see that last night hasn't discouraged you from having a drink or two." Wyatt said as he sat down.
"Make that ten." Cana smiled, "Welcome back."
"It's good to be back." Wyatt replied as Mirajane set his usual drink down before him.
"Whoa, who are you and what have you done with Wyatt?" Cana grinned upon seeing Wyatt's appearance.
"Oh please, do I really look that different?" He asked.
"Considering you hide behind that cowboy hat and mask of yours most of the time; yes." Cana replied, making Wyatt roll his eyes with a smile.
"Thought I'd mix things up for today." Wyatt said.
"You should do it more often," Cana said, taking a swig of her drink, "you look less scary."
"Thanks." Wyatt said dryly, making Cana chuckle.
Cana took another swig, "So, were you able to take care of whatever business you had today?"
Wyatt arched an eyebrow and Cana gestured to Max.
Wyatt gave a knowing smile and nodded his head, "Yeah…yeah I guess I was able to take care of it. Don't know how much good it'll do me now…but down the road…"
Wyatt let the words die off as he took a hefty sip from his drink.
"You alright?" Cana asked.
"I'm fine," Wyatt replied, "it's just been a long day that's all."
"I hear you there," Cana said, "it took everyone involved from last night to trickle in but here we are."
"That I can believe." Wyatt said, taking a look around the Guild and noticed Alzack was talking to Makarov and Laxus.
He had a broad smile on his face, as did Makarov and Laxus. Alzack seemed excited about something, something that he could barely contain.
Cana took notice of Wyatt's gaze and smiled.
"He was talking to the master earlier. Said it was about something important but he wanted to wait until everyone was here."
Alzack shook Makarov's hand and returned back to Bisca and Asuka at a nearby table.
"I wonder what it's about?" Cana mused.
Wyatt watched Alzack as he said something to his wife and daughter. Asuka was practically bouncing in her seat and she was grinning from ear to ear. And Bisca…her hand kept straying to her stomach, gently rubbing it in a circular motion.
Wyatt blinked once and then twice before a smile formed on his face.
"Oh, I think we're about to find out." Wyatt said to Cana, nodding to Makarov as Alzack, Bisca and Asuka walked back to the aging guild master and his grandson.
"Alright everyone, listen up!" Makarov called out before enlarging his hand and smacking it down a few times.
"Alzack and Bisca…well, actually, Asuka has something to tell you all; something very important."
Alzack helped Asuka stand on a nearby table to which the little girl called out in the loudest voice she could muster:
"I'M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER!" Asuka squealed in joy.
There was a pause…before the Guild erupted in excitement and surprise.
"Bisca you're pregnant!?"
"How far are you along!?"
"When did this happen!?"
"Alzack is a MAN amongst MEN!"
Amongst the din that filled the Guild, many of the women ran up to Bisca to hug and congratulate her, Natsu put Alzack in a good natured headlock while Jellal shook his hand, and Mira hugged Asuka while gently planting a kiss on her forehead.
"Well now," Cana said, "that certainly is news."
Knocking back the rest of her drink, Cana stood atop the bar top with a new drink in hand.
"C'MON YOU GUYS! LET'S GIVE 'EM ONE HELL OF A TOST!" Cana called out, earning a series of cheers in return.
"Aye," Wyatt said in turn, raising his glass, "I'll drink to that!"
One way or another, everyone in the Guild found a drink to toast upon which they wished Bisca a safe pregnancy and all the happiness in the world to the soon to be growing family.
It wasn't until things settled down after an impromptu party had been thrown together that Cana sat back down next to Wyatt.
"Wow…talk about a surprise. And here I was thinking those two would never get around to having another one."
"Were you expecting somebody else to start a family of their own?" Wyatt questioned.
"I was betting between the usual suspects," Cana said with a grin, "but guess Bisca and Alzack beat me to it."
"Usual suspects?" Wyatt asked to which Cana pointed out Laxus and Mira, Gray and Juvia, Gajeel and Levy and Natsu and Lucy.
"Ah," Wyatt said, "I see your point. Considering how we weathered the mating season fiasco I'm surprised myself the dragon slayers aren't expecting by now."
"Speaking of expecting, how did you figure out Bisca was preggers?" Cana took a swig of her drink.
"You psychic or something?"
Wyatt gave a hearty laugh and shook his head, "No, no I'm not. But I am very observant. Given how excited those three were and how Bisca kept her hand on her stomach, it wasn't that hard to figure out."
"Wow, I'll keep you in mind I'm doing a crossword puzzle." Cana snickered and earned a cackle from Wyatt.
The two were quiet for a minute, taking in the sounds of the Guild and nursing their drinks before Cana spoke again.
"Hey Wyatt, do you remember hearing about the weekly poker games we have here at the Guild?"
"Vaguely. Why?" Wyatt asked.
"Well, this week's game happens to be tonight. Even with the party we just had, the game is still set for tonight. Seeing as how you aren't busy tonight…I was wondering…would you like to join me and the others this time around?"
Cana gave a somewhat apprehensive smile too which he tapped his fingers against the bar top. He then smiled and nodded his head.
"It's been a long day so I think a little fun is in order," he said, "count me in."
"Nice." Cana grinned, "Bust just fair warning, like everything else, we don't hold back when it comes to poker. Your wallet ready for some high stakes poker?"
"I think my poker face will keep me covered." Wyatt smirked.
"Let's put it to the test then." Cana grinned in response.
XXXX
A/N: And there you have it folks, Chapter 11 is finally down and out. Onwards to the next installment!
Once again I apologize for the delay with this story. I'm not giving up on things….or crawling into a dark hole and hiding, it just takes me some time to write it all up.
This is going to be even more apparent because I'll be starting College once again come next week and I'm working different hours at a new job. Still, despite the craziness that comes with these two factors, I will continue to write and do my best to deliver a good story to you all.
In regards to this chapter, Wyatt demonstrated his unarmed skill in hand to hand combat but at the same time it should've been obvious that there is something inherently wrong with the guy. In the meantime however, he's gained new ground in his personnel vendetta. It's a small lead but it's a lead none the less.
But what this all entails…will be revealed in time.
As for the rest of Fairy Tail, Alzack and Bisca are expecting another child and the weekly poker game is about to ensue. And as for Cana and Wyatt…common ground seems to be developing between the two of them.
In the meantime, I'll be updating "Between Light and Shadow" and then "When the END comes." From there I'll be switching back and forth between this story and "When the END comes" while hopefully rewriting a RWBY story I've been working on. My goal is to finish "When the END comes" by October so I'll be free to work on my other stories.
But until then, I hope this holds you over for now.
Next time; CHAPTER 12: Poker with a late night drink
As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.
Until next time; read, review and most importantly, HAPPY READING!