"Are we going to have to teach you to fight, Angel?"
― Becca Fitzpatrick, Hush, Hush
The morning was bright and warm, a gentle lie amidst the storm that was resting just out of sight to them now. Gajeel sat underneath one of the great trees in the garden and watched as Makarov assembled the rest of their ragtag group together. His stride held purpose even though he smoked his pipe as if nothing was amiss.
"Alright, brats," he cleared his throat, looking up at the teens that stood before him with a slight twinkle in his eyes.
"What's up, pops?" Natsu sighed, a bored look on his face, "Something else going on?"
Makarov just sighed and smoked his pipe, eyeing the youngsters warily, "I know how these two came upon the ability to see spirits. What about you, Natsu?"
"Me?" he surprise filled his features and he looked past the small man as he thought, "I guess I've been able to since as long as I could remember. When I was young, a smithy named Igneel took me in. I don't remember my real parents. But he raised me and taught me how to live like I was normal."
He shrugged and scratched the back of his head nervously, "Why do you ask?"
Makarov looked as if he were deep in thought for a moment before taking up a slow, purposeful march in front of them once more, "Your ability to see the other world gives you power over the creatures that live there. Some call it magic; others call it aura. Whatever you wish to name it, it is yours to summon and command. The only parameters that you have are the ones you set upon yourself."
"So we can fly?!" Natsu piped, his face lighting up.
"Yes, although for you I wouldn't recommend it," Makarov smirked.
"You get sick when we ride a ferry," Lucy chided silently.
He scoffed and crossed his arms, "So?!"
Gajeel rolled his eyes from where he sat and watched. Even Levy and Juvia were standing there for instruction, which was ridiculous to him since they both knew about their skills.
"Natsu," Makarov's voice silenced the boy's bickering in an instant, "You are hyperactive and unpredictable. And similar to your personality, your ability is soulfire. It is strong because you've been a part of this other world your whole life,"
He then turned to Lucy, "Lucy, you are caring and intelligent but also gentle. Your talent is starlight. You can summon the power of the stars to aid you, something that shouldn't be abused.
"Grey, you are stern and reserved, but as explosive as Natsu when given the opportunity. Your gift is ice-make. You can create amazing things with ice and use them to aid you,"
Grey and Natsu both stared down at their hands and then each other, mischievous grins on their faces as they tried to conjure their magics. Both failed miserably, gaining a swift look from Makarov to quiet their romping.
"Juvia," Makarov continued, "You have a large and somber heart, but there is much joy that you can gain from the world around you. You only need to embrace it. You already have tendencies to cause rain with your tears but there is so much more you can do. Your life was so one with water that you've taken that with you to your afterlife. Utilize it. It can become a great strength,"
Juvia's dull, blue eyes lit at his words and she clasped her hands together tightly, obviously thinking on his words. When Makarov turned to Levy, his eyes softened and he smiled up at her grandly. She gazed down at him curiously, a meek smile lighting her eyes as well.
"Levy, you're so timid and have a heart almost larger than your amazing mind. Neither of which you give enough credit to. You've been touched by the Goddess of Light. Don't doubt your own abilities. You can do more than many could ever wish to accomplish. Always remember that,"
She shook her head, "I don't think…"
"Hush, child," he chided softly, "I wouldn't lie to you,"
She smiled at him gently, tucking a stray blue lock behind her ear as she did. Gajeel gazed at her slim figure just a tad too long.
"Gajeel!" Makarov's voice pulled his attention back to the small man with a start.
"What?" he growled, arms crossed where he lounged against the tree.
"You'll just have to figure out your power for yourself," the leprechaun grinned, his mustache twitching.
"Oi! How's that-!"
"Brats!" Makarov turned around as if he hadn't said a word, making Gajeel seethe. Levy giggled lightly and he stopped immediately, the sound of her laughter calming his agitation in an instant, "In order to be effective against your enemy, first you need to practice."
He took his pipe from his mouth and set it down a few yards away. He then picked up a stick and drew a long line almost ten meters from where the team stood.
"The rules are simple," Makarov smiled, cracking his knuckles, "Don't let me cross the line."
"Heh, you're on gramps!" Natsu grinned, taking on a ready stance.
"This shouldn't be too hard," Grey smiled coolly, throwing off his shirt for some strange reason.
Gajeel looked at the small, green-clad man as he took off his cap and tossed it to the side, revealing a balding head with wild clumps of white hair. The look in his eye was shrewd as he watched the youngsters, and for a moment, Gajeel scoffed at the thought that he'd actually try such a stunt. But he could feel the power brewing in the air like an electric current. Maybe there was more to the tiny man than the thought.
"CHARGE!" Natsu shrieked, heading for Makarov.
Just as he was about to cross the line for the tiny man, Makarov reached out his hand for the pink haired boy. Instead of holding it up to stop him, he balled it into a fist that grew until it was larger than Natsu himself and he backhanded him hard enough to send him tumbling past Grey and Lucy. Makarov just grinned at the dumbfounded looks on the teens' faces.
"I may be small," he grinned devilishly, "But I'm big when I want to be,"
With that, he took a step forward.
"Alright, lame-brain, let me show ya how it's done," Grey growled, running forward.
"Juvia will help!" Juvia said gleefully, running after him.
"Freeze!" Grey yelled, bringing his hands forward.
"Juvia apologizes in advance!" she exclaimed, coming to his aid.
A weak plume of white mist drifted from Grey's palms but dissipated before it could so much as brush Makarov's skin. Juvia sprung forward, bringing her arms up over her head and then down furiously. A moment passed, and then two, before clouds began to gather overhead and rain lighter than a drizzle started to fall. The two stood in dismay, looking at their hands, to each other, and to the non-existent damage they'd done.
Makarov laughed heartily and stepped forward once again.
"Come on, brats!" he smiled, "I haven't even gotten a scratch!"
"Out of the way, Ice Princess!" Natsu screamed, sprinting towards the small man once again. Grey and Juvia jumped out of the way when suddenly, Natsu's fists ignited. Small orbs of fire surrounded his knuckles and his eyes twinkled almost gleefully upon his approach. This time, when Makarov aimed his blow at Natsu he jumped and spun around in a strong kick. Whilst in air, they collided blows and Makarov once again sent him flying, this time straight into Lucy.
"Natsu!" she screamed, throwing her hands up to cover her face and stiffening herself against the blow. Gajeel's eyes widened when he noticed a faint light slowly growing stronger around her. Before Natsu could hit her, the light consumed her and turned into what looked like a giant shield. When Natsu fell against it, it held, and he collapsed in a heap on the ground. Lucy gasped and jumped back, shock making her mouth form into a small 'o' shape as she gazed down at her disorientated boyfriend.
"I did that?" a smile crept across her face, "Yes!"
"Good job, Lucy," Makarov laughed, taking yet another step forward.
"Come on, Juvia," Grey smiled over at her, "we can do this!"
"Of course!" she grinned back at him, taking a ready stance next to him.
It suddenly dawned on Gajeel, as he stared at the two, that Juvia was looking at him with longing in her eyes. He reeled back, suddenly piecing together why she was always following him around and trying to make him happy. Seriously, Rain Woman?
"Ice Make floor!" Grey yelled, this time sending out a mist that was stronger than before. The grass frosted over and Gajeel even noticed light frost covering Makarov's shoes and pants. Juvia rushed forward then and whispered something Gajeel couldn't quiet catch. To his amazement, her arm turned into water and this time when she brought it around to strike Makarov, it acted like a whip and aimed for his feet, causing him to backpedal from her hit. Makarov retaliated quickly, bringing his enlarging hand around to bat the two promptly out of the way like flies. Laughing once more, he took another step forward.
"Alright," Gajeel gritted his teeth, grabbing his staff from where it was leaning against the tree, "I'll show you idiots what a real fight looks like,"
"Says the guy who was almost sliced in half!" Natsu snapped from where he was sitting next to Lucy.
"I'll help!" Levy jumped up next to him, her eyes alight with her own smile as she came to his side.
"Alright," he grinned down at her, "This shouldn't be too hard,"
Makarov just crossed his arms as the regarded the two, a smile still playing against his mustache. He crooked his eyebrow at the Reaper, "Well, come on then,"
Gajeel materialized his scythe and stood ready, never letting his eyes leave the small man. His body reacted differently than when he'd fought the Ankou. He'd regained some of his memories, and with it, skill. Holding the scythe wasn't a last-ditch effort anymore, now it was a comfortable weight in his palms. Green energy snapped around his knuckles as he gripped the cold iron, hefting it over his shoulders so that the blade curved long enough to graze the ground.
"You need a weapon," he stated, looking at Levy out of the corner of his eye.
Levy was looking at him with a strange glimmer in her eyes, snapping out of it at the sound of his voice, "Oh… right… umm…"
She held her hands out and closed her eyes, envisioning something in her mind. A light began to consume her hands as she willed something into being. A fine tip of light formed and grew, but instead of turning into a sword or some other sort of weapon, a pen took shape and fell into her fingers.
"A pen?" Gajeel scoffed, "That was your masterful weapon? What are you gonna do, shoot ink into his eyes?"
"Literature is an amazing weapon," she snapped at him, sticking out her tongue.
"Tch, suit yourself," he growled, bringing the blade of his scythe forward to the ready. Without warning, he charged, watching the small man for a signal of his transformation. He noticed his hand growing and dodge out of the way of a powerful hit, and then another, using the staff of his scythe to block against it. He spun his blade around to slice at the leprechaun who jumped easily out of the way. Gajeel moved swiftly, always on guard for another attack and dodging appropriately. Makarov retreated a foot, then two, and soon was dodging Gajeel's attacks instead.
Gajeel brought his blade forward, slicing the air just inches from Makarov's mustache and noticed the sly look in the old man's eyes as he did so. He was keen, and watched Gajeel's attacks with the same precision as Gajeel did his. They were learning each other's techniques and adjusting appropriately, neither gaining an upper hand.
That's when Gajeel noticed a white light making Makarov's figure shiver. Suddenly, a hand hit him and sent him cartwheeling back over the line to the other side. When he staggered back to his feet Makarov had transformed into a giant, his head and shoulders higher than the tops of the grand tree Gajeel had been resting against just moments before.
"Gajeel, move!" Levy's voice pulled him from his stun and he got out of the way of a massive fist aimed for him. That's when he noticed golden light sending a volley of arrows at the giant. Gajeel almost couldn't believe his eyes. Levy was writing faster than his brain could think, sending arrows, fire, and even chains to wrap around the feet of the monster Makarov had turned into.
Suddenly, a whip materialized from just out of his sight and wrapped around Makarov's ankles along with Levy's chains and Gajeel looked back to see Lucy holding onto the other end, determination setting her face in a firm grin. Makarov stumbled backwards, trying to gain his balance as Grey placed his hands onto the ground and turned the floor into a sheet of ice. Juvia came up as well, materializing as upsurge of water to make him slip and land hard on his side. Before he could push himself back up, Natsu leapt towards him, fists consumed by bright, orange flames as he landed a solid punch on Makarov's chin.
With Natus's hit, Makarov let out a groan as light consumed his body once more and he shrank back down to his usual size, rubbing his head and cursing as he did.
"Damn kids can't take it easy on an old man…"
"Here, Master Makarov," Levy squatted down next to him, holding his hat and pipe out to him and smiling one of her heart-stopping smiles, "Thank you for your lesson,"
"Yeah, pops," Natsu piped, helping the old man up, "Thanks,"
Makarov ignited his pipe, "Maybe you brat's aren't as hopeless as I thought,"