A/N: Here's chapter twenty! (Yay!) There was also a question that was brought to my attention that I'd figure I'd answer here in order to clear the air a bit.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Disclaimer II: This is not a harem
The Emerald Knight wandered downstairs after Levy told him about the small library in the basement. While he expected a small room with a few books, he was greeted with thousands of books that seemed to reach the infinite ceiling, support beams here and there only offered more books. This was even more surprising to him since Levy told him she read all the books there. There was a table in the center of the room, with a red rug underneath it and a lamp, a few wooden chairs surrounding the table.
Up on a ladder sorting through the bookshelves was none other than Mirajane. She turned and smiled as he walked in, "So I see you found the library."
"Wow…" He swallowed hard, "This is quite impressive…"
"Levy and Laki did the most work down here. I just organize it now and then."
He kept looking around, astonished at the sheer might of the collection of books in the library, "That reminds me…" He said, "I'll have to return those books you've given me…they're most likely long overdue…"
"Keep them." She giggled a bit, "I don't need them anymore. Really."
"But wouldn't other people want to read them?"
"Maybe. In that case, you can bring them here, and I'll put them out. I had all those books cluttering my house, maybe putting them in our library would make a good home for them."
"Alright, then I'll return them here."
Mirajane hopped off of the ladder and landed, her bright eyes looking around, "What's next?" She asked herself as she approached a stack of books.
"They sure have you do a lot of tasks around here."
"Mmm hmm, the Master makes sure to keep me busy."
"That's because you always work your hardest." He didn't miss a beat. But something she said caused him to stop thinking altogether. The Master. It reminded him of the punishment he got a few days ago. That wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be, but it was no picnic either, and it further highlighted all the troubles he went through just to complete the stolen S-Class quest. He sat at the table, now looking distraught.
"Are you alright?" Mirajane asked nervously, her color fading as she saw how worried he was.
"Yes." He said slowly, "I'm alright…it's just…the S-Class quest…"
"Was it that bad?"
"No, no, it was fine…"
"You can tell me something if you need to." She gave a sweet smile, "I promise I won't go blabbing off your feelings to the whole guild."
"Well…the mission didn't bother me…nor did my punishment…it…it was getting caught, I should say. Or how I was caught. I feel like if you caught us…you would have informed us that what we did was wrong, maybe reprimand us a little, but you would have at least been gentle about it…"
"It was Erza?"
He nodded.
"I know she really seems harsh…but…she was just as scared as you were. If not more scared. Erza's emotional range has been…different ever since she arrived here. She doesn't respond to certain situations as most people would."
"I'm aware of that." He said, "I'll just have to be more careful for next time…"
"I'm sure that won't be a problem for someone like you." She beamed.
A book shifted on the shelf that Mirajane had dealt with, a paper flew down and landed on the table before them. Mirajane was organizing the books in her arms and didn't bother looking.
The Emerald Knight looked at the picture before him, "Is…is this…what the guild was like several years back?"
She peered up, "Oh, look at that." She smiled, "It is!" She put the books down and walked over behind him, smiling, "Isn't that sweet? I forgot all about that painting."
"Since when did Natsu have a blue dragon?"
"That's Happy!"
"…it is?"
"Well, the artist's interpretation, at least. See, Natsu at the time was hoping Happy would be a dragon, but…he was a cat instead."
"…oh…I…I see…" The Emerald Knight said slowly, in reality not understanding at all.
She giggled a bit, "I'll explain." She sat down across from him, "One day when Natsu was little, he went outside in the woods and stumbled across an egg. Well, thinking it was a dragon's egg, he took it and tried to hatch it with my little sister. They were adorable, really, she'd say she was the mother and he was the father, and the egg was their baby. It was a case of puppy-love. They built a little house together outside and lived in it together with their egg, she even made him dinner, if I remember correctly."
"Your…sister…?" He asked slowly, then he pointed at a girl with white hair wearing revealing gothic attire, "Is that her?"
She giggled a bit, "Nope, that was me."
"That…that was you?" He asked.
"Mmm hmm." She said, then she pointed to another little white haired girl in a pink dress, "That's my little sister. And there's Elf." She pointed to a boy with slightly longer hair than Elfman, wearing a blue tuxedo and a red bow tie.
"That's Elfman?" The Emerald Knight looked bewildered. Puberty must have been an interesting time for the Strauss family.
She laughed, "Mmm hmm. He hasn't changed much, really."
But he's changed a lot! "And your sister…what is her name?"
"Lisanna."
He kept looking at Mirajane's picture, then back at the woman sitting in front of him, his face gradually getting redder and redder. He felt his cheek, feeling the heat coming off of it, "So…so…" He tried to change the subject, "So…Happy was hatched from an egg…how…how unusual…"
Mirajane blushed a bit as well, giggling, "I'm so glad you settled into the guild so well." She leaned in a bit.
The Emerald Knight smiled, "I have to say, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be half as knowledgeable about this guild as I am now."
"Well, you know I'm always willing to help you with anything. No matter what."
"I appreciate it greatly." He stood up, motivated by her comments, "I should return to my abode and give back the books you lent me, so I can at least attempt to help you."
"You can wait a bit." She said, "I really think there's something the two of us need to talk about, while we're alone."
His cheeks went pink, he was facing the exit, so she couldn't see as of yet, "Is that so?"
Someone stumbled downstairs, "Ant, I was looking for you." Cana looked back and forth at them, seeing the color on their cheeks, "Sorry, was I interrupting something?"
"No, what did you need?" Mirajane asked sweetly.
"I…just wanted to talk to Ant." Cana said, "Privately."
"Oh…um…okay." She stood up, "I'll go upstairs then." She said as she went upstairs.
Cana walked into the library and sat where Mirajane was sitting, "We need to talk, buddy."
Their eyes met, "I'm a little surprised…I figured libraries would be your worst enemy…"
She giggled a bit, "I don't mind them. They're nice and quiet, sometimes I need that." She sat up a bit, "Anyway. You and Mira."
He blushed, "Why are you saying it like that?"
"Cause I know you like her. And she's all over you too. But there's someone else photobombing this pretty picture you two painted here."
He narrowed his eyes, "Fine, I'll entertain this little spectacle of yours…who is this other person?"
"None other than mister big-shot-best-in-the-guild himself. Mira's all over him. She has been for years. He's been giving her the cold shoulder, so she's been looking elsewhere to kinda…I don't know, entertain herself, you could say. Force herself to move on."
"A name would be helpful."
"Laxus. The Master's grandson? Cocky asshole?"
"That man is nothing but an arrogant brute."
She shrugged, "She's not gonna tell you herself, but yeah, she's been hitting on him since they were kids. Then his dad got exiled…and he turned into a sour-puss and started ignoring her. Since then, she's been putting on that fake smile and hoping he comes back. So before she sets anything up with you, only to have it fall apart when Laxus caves in, I thought I'd put a little pause on the whole…relationship starting process."
He looked away though his stubborn blush persisted, "I don't recall myself saying anything about starting a relationship…"
"Well, I talked to Mira, and she wanted to. Really badly. In fact, when you weren't paying attention the other night, she tried to kiss you, but you had turned around already."
He swallowed hard, "How do I know you're not lying?"
"What use would it do to me?" She asked, "Just breaking apart a couple…why? I want to make sure she doesn't break your heart. Cause if she had the choice to choose between you and Laxus, she'd chose him in a heartbeat."
"Right…" He looked down, "Yes…of course…" He looked pretty dejected, "If you'll excuse, I need to go back home…"
"Uh huh. Sorry to break the bad news, sweetie. If you need to talk…I'm always here. Most of the time."
"Goodbye…" He said quietly, exiting.
Cana sighed and took a sip of her drink. Mirajane came back downstairs, "Cana…what happened? Ant wouldn't talk to me…"
"Cause I told him the truth." Cana said.
"….I'm really afraid as to what you mean."
"I told him about Laxus."
Her cheeks reddened.
"Yeah, I figured out about you two as soon as I sobered up enough to remember where that damn stain on the counter is from. You treat it like your unborn child. Isn't it kinda cruel to play with his heart like that? When you already like someone else?"
Her eyes laced with tears, "Why did you do that to me?"
"Because it wasn't fair of you to be using him like that. What if Laxus came around?"
"But he won't…he never will…."
"Not if you stay negative like that." Cana stood up and hugged her, "You have to fix him, Mira, cause I'm pretty sure you're the only person in the guild who gives a damn about him at this point."
She sniffed, "But…Ant was a friend either way…and now he's upset with me…"
"Oh, guys get over stuff like that really quickly. Trust me."
She sniffed again and squeezed Cana. Cana felt Mirajane's nails dig in her back, "…why does his father have to be such an asshole…." She let out a low growl.
"Hey, take it easy…" Cana rubbed her arms, "It'll work out, okay? Promise."
She nodded and shivered, "I want to talk to him…."
"Give him some alone time. He needs it now."
"Okay…" She whimpered, "….I….I'm going to go take a break…make myself some tea…"
"Good idea." Cana said as they left the library together, Cana feeling the strangest sense of joy she had in a long time.
Erza took a sip from her tea, her fork sliding through a piece of strawberry cake. "Mira, are you sure you're alright?"
Mirajane nodded with a smile, "Of course, why?"
She shook her head, "Nothing, you just seem a bit off."
"I just stayed up late that past few nights." It wasn't necessarily a lie.
Levy closed her book, "Ugh, me too. I keep doing it to myself. Getting stuck in the climax of a book and not being able to finish until two in the morning."
Erza chuckled a bit, "Couldn't you use your Gale Force glasses?"
"Well, that wouldn't be the same…" She said, "It's like…eating plain toast or eating toast with jam. They both get the same thing done, but one is more enjoyable."
Mirajane couldn't help but laugh given Levy's comparison. Erza too, joined the laughter, the three of them were laughing away for quite a while before a few guild mates returned from their job.
"There Ant, maybe that'll get your debt collector to shut up for a few days…" Natsu said, walking in the guildhall with Happy, the Emerald Knight, and Gray.
The Emerald Knight sighed, "I just wish one day he'll leave me alone forever…"
Mirajane looked up at the Emerald Knight with her big blue eyes, "Ant…could we talk? For just a moment?"
Nervousness clung onto him, "Yes, of course."
She walked over behind the bar and towards the stairwell, where it was quiet. She did her best to hold back tears, but he could see they were there, "I'm so sorry…I just wanted to make it clear I was never trying to use you or anything, I would never do anything so…terrible…I just wasn't used to the attention you gave me and it went to my head." She hugged him and smiled, "I'd…I'd really be honored if you forgave me….and we could be friends…."
He squeezed her back, "Of course. I've learned not to take what Cana says at face value…"
"I hope you understand, it's nothing against you. You're a wonderful man, Ant, you'd make a fantastic boyfriend or husband."
The Emerald Knight's blush deepened to the point where tomatoes would look on in jealousy, he was too flustered to respond to that with words.
She giggled a bit and broke the hug, returning to the counter in a much better mood.
"What was that about?" Levy asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing."
"Nothing, huh?" She smiled, "Sure you don't want to tell me?"
Mirajane giggled, "It's nothing that concerns you."
"Uh huh." She said, then as the Emerald Knight returned, she giggled a bit more, "Hey Ant, will you tell me what that was about?"
The Emerald Knight continued having a flustered look on his face, mumbling something incoherently.
"Now I'm curious…" Gray said.
"Mira probably just showed him the ropes about something, that's all. Relax guys." Natsu swatted a hand.
Happy watched on closely, perhaps one of his biggest theories were actually true, after all this time.
Erza meanwhile, looked a bit peeved that she too, was clueless, "Mirajane. You will tell me at once."
Mirajane stuck her tongue out and pulled on one of her eyelids.
"Mirajane…" She growled.
She just smiled, "What are you going to do about it, Erza? Get me angry and your daily servings of cake will be the last thing you should worry about."
Erza rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink, "I wouldn't be so sure."
"Mmm. Alright, suit yourself."
"So…" Levy furrowed her eyebrows in thought, "Mira and Erza can argue…but if anyone else argues, Erza splits them up…?"
"Yeah, don't bother questioning that. I learned that the hard way from day one." Gray said.
Levy shrugged, then looked at her watch, "Oh, shoot, I told Jet and Droy I'd go on a mission with them so we could be back by tonight." She got up, "I'll see you guys around, kay?".
"Good luck, Levy!" Mirajane waved, "Stay safe."
"She'll probably end up doing most of the work as usual." Natsu said.
"Does that occur regularly?" The Emerald Knight asked.
"I mean…I should give credit to those two guys where it's due but…yeah…kinda…" Gray said.
"Jet's speed magic is really only good for retreating." Erza said, "Whereas Droy's plant magic is…" She was at a loss for words.
"It's not as powerful as her solid script." Mirajane filled in while drying glasses.
"Solid script?" The Emerald Knight asked, "Now that sounds interesting…"
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome…whatever she writes like…happens." Natsu said.
"I recall when she and Cana used to go in missions." Erza said, "When they were younger."
"Yes, those two were so close, before she started drinking." Mirajane said, "Then Levy did solo missions and found Jet and Droy."
"Cana does most of her jobs with Loke now, I think." Gray said.
"Yeah, I haven't seen him in a while now." Natsu said.
"He doesn't seem to like you very much." Erza looked at the Emerald Knight.
"No…" The Emerald Knight said, looking away from the heat of her gaze, "He doesn't."
"Did you take his fish?" Happy asked.
"Happy…people form grudges over things a bit more complicated than fish sometimes…" Natsu said.
Mirajane laughed at that for a while.
Cana's burp resounded in the guild hall, she pounded her chest as there was a silence. "Look, I didn't mean to…" She muttered defensively when people stared.
"I should look into limiting her portions…" Mirajane mused.
The Emerald Knight stood up, "I need to leave." He turned away and left.
"Hmm…that was kinda…" Natsu started.
"Abrupt?" Gray guessed.
"Yeah, that word."
"It's not really that much of a surprise, a knight and a person like Cana don't really mix."
The Emerald Knight was training outside his house, performing a few complex sword maneuvers with his lance, eventually he dropped down and did a handful of push-ups and sit-ups. After a while of that, he went back to his house to rest for a few moments.
There was a knock on the door, "Yo, it's me." The Emerald Knight heard Cana's voice.
He answered the door, wearing nothing but pants and boots, and holding his lance. A blush spread on his face, "How did you figure out where I live?"
She didn't blush, she just grinned, "Whoa…Ant? I thought this was Jeremy's house…"
He shut the door behind himself, "I was going to train…if you must know…"
"Oh…did…you want company?"
"I usually train in solitude…but…but Natsu has changed that…although most of the time we end up doing more fooling around than just training." He sighed, "My abilities and spells get slightly stronger every day, but…I've been wanting to try something new, and it hasn't really been working…"
"I might be able to help."
He looked at her, their eyes met, "What sort of magic do you use anyway?"
"Card magic." She smiled, "Pretty damn powerful, if I do say so myself."
He nodded. He then sat down beside her and began working on his weights, but eventually he stopped, "It…it can't be true…can it?"
"What? Laxus?" She sat down by a tree, "Believe it or not, he used to be a sweetheart. Then…yeah, he turned into the lovely man you know him as now. See, it's funny, Mira used to be an ornery teenager and he was really sweet. They switched roles, I guess."
He took a deep sigh, lifting his weights in a rushed, angered fashion.
"Hey…" She melted a bit, "Maybe…one day he'll get himself killed and Mira will come back…"
"I would never want that." He said, "That wouldn't be an honorable way to win a person's heart, even if I was interested…"
"Pfft, don't pretend to be uninterested. Mira's hot as fuck, I know, it's like, impossible to be a guy and ignore her. Unless you're Natsu…"
"Who says I'm pretending?"
"Me. And the color of your face when you talk to her for a while."
"That doesn't prove anything."
"Alright, whatever you say…" She snickered, taking out a deck of cards and shuffling them as she sat up.
His grip tightened around his weights. He wanted so badly to punch this woman in the face, but there were a few problems with that. For one, it would fly in the face of his chivalry. For another, she might've had a point. He did feel something ever since he had learned of Mirajane's interest in Laxus. But why should he care? He doesn't like her that way, does he? Who Mirajane likes is her business and no one else's.
Cana started laying out cards, "You like dogs?"
"Dogs?" He asked, "They're neither here nor there…"
"But do you like them? Or are you more of a cat person?"
His mind went back to an earlier time, being curled up with Miranda. She was giving him a heartfelt embrace on a bench, and there was a black cat on her lap. Her black-nailed fingertips gently stroked the cat and he remembered her soft voice caressing his ears with light questions or anecdotes every now and then, "Cat." He said, once he finally escaped his reverie.
She smiled and pulled a few cards from her deck, "Card Magic!" She got up on her knees and threw the cards forward, three cards flew out. One had a cat on it, one had a series of small circles, and one had a heart on it. "Cats!"
A horde of furry felines appeared, all different colors and sizes. They all ran towards the Emerald Knight, rubbing his legs and purring, begging for his attention.
The Emerald Knight looked back at her, "You're going to attack me with a horde of cats?"
She laughed, "I wouldn't call that attacking. I think they want cuddles more than anything else."
His eyes caught a single black cat in the center of the group. They held eye contact for a while, then he gave the black cat a hug, petting the top of its head. It gave a little meow in response.
Cana smiled, one of the cats rubbed up against her legs, she pet it, "They say black cats bring bad luck, but I always thought that was kinda bullshit."
The Emerald Knight kept lightly squeezing the cat. It kept meowing as it got cozy in his arms. Eventually he felt tears sliding down his cheeks. He wasn't going to look back now, he didn't want her to see his tears.
Cana grabbed one of the cards back as she felt her magic drain. As she grabbed the card with the many circles, all the cats disappeared besides the one he was holding.
He closed his eyes, "You might as well let this one go back too…"
"Alright." She took the other two cards and shuffled them back in her deck, "That's my favorite part of my magic…I can also just use the cards like bullets…and read fortunes or find hidden information about people."
His eyes opened again, he brushed his tears away before more would come, giving a slight nod to what she said.
She couldn't see him, but she could feel his sadness, "Did you want to go get a bite to eat somewhere? I'll pay."
He stood up, "That's alright…I need to…" He was about to say 'train', but he was already out here doing that.
"Want me to just leave you the hell alone?"
He sighed, "Forgive my rudeness…"
"It's alright sweetheart." She said as she stood up and put her cards away, "It'll work out, alright?" She smiled, the sun catching her brunette hair.
He nodded, turning and walking towards the entrance of his tiny house, "I might rest…"
"Alright." She pat his shoulder, "See you around."
A/N: Kinda short, but I'm really excited to jump into the next arc :) So who is this Miranda girl and how is she connected to the Emerald Knight? Phantom Lord will provide some answers. Let me know what you thought of that with a review! Thanks for reading!