AN: Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year
Thank you to my return followers and to those of you who are new, thanks for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following!
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The Starting Gates Part 1
The waters lapped lazily against the old wood of the ship as it floated in the port of Hargeon, the warm breeze caused the large sails to flap in the wind, the metal rings holding the large white sheets in place, making light metallic ringing sounds as they resonated off the mast. The large Fairy Tail emblem rustled on the main sail against the blue background of the sky and the seawall as an old man stood on the stern deck's divider. He hummed to himself as the seagulls squawked and cawed as they flew overhead, occasionally dive bombing the water to catch the fish that hungrily swum around the surface, hoping to catch the cast off's from the sailors that had returned from the early morning catch.
The train station that sat in the heart of Hargeon was unusually busy at this time of the year, causing several delays along the rest of the lines. Mainly due to the increase of Fairy Tail guild activity as the members began arriving at Hargeon in preparations for their S-Class trials.
Sitting uncomfortably in one of the trains cabins sat Natsu and Happy. The cherry blossomed man hung his head in-between his knees, as he fought off the urge to vomit all over his sandals. Happy amused himself as he watched the scenery pass by, catching a glimpse of two more Fairy Tail members waiting at the next station, waiting to board.
The little blue exceed pulled himself up off the seat and stood on the back of Natsu. His small paws on the short window ledge as he pressed his face against the glass trying to get a better look at the two who had stepped onto the train from the platform, his tail flicked as he began to get excited and nervous all in one. The Natsu beneath him simply groaned from having the exceed on his back, but gave no resistance as he stood on him.
Happy lost sight of the pair until a small knock on the cabin window alerted him to the pair standing before him and the ill Dragon Slayer. Happy slid down the side of Natsu's arm onto the red velvet seating bench, his face lit up upon recognition.
"Levy!" Happy exclaimed happily as he bounced to the Script mage along the bench, whilst she slid open the door, he tilted his head as he watched Freed bow with a hand on his heart before him and Natsu.
"Oh... Freed is your partner?" he took a few steps backwards, slightly weary of the man due to their general lack of communication.
Levy beamed, pulling up a fist with a smirk grin on her face before realising Natsu was groaning behind her, drool threatening to land on the ground before him.
"Happy, can we join you? The train is pretty packed... I know we're not really suppose to interfere with each other prior to the trials..." She held her hands behind her back, leaning forwards slightly as she stood on the balls of her toes.
Happy grinned as he straightened his head, his tail swished, occasionally hitting Natsu's hair flicking into his face, making the fire dragon slayer, blow out the wisps of pink hair from his mouth.
Just what I need...
He moaned to himself as the hair kept getting in his way.
"Aye! Natsu here isn't talking much so it'll be nice!" Happy hopped down onto the seat as he smiled up at the pair.
Freed and Levy walked in, with Freed sliding the door closed and placing their bags on the luggage compartment above their seats.
Levy sat with beige shorts and a black tight fitting top that hugged her neckline but cut off around her shoulders. On her head holding back her azure hair she wore an orange bandana with a black metallic dragon fixed closely to the side of her head. Its deep crimson eyes always seemed to follow the individual making eye contact with it. Folding over her bare legs, her black lace up ankle boots looked slightly intimidating to say the least with small metal studs around the top of the ankle, whilst the back had dragon in graving in a swirling pattern.
Happy couldn't take his eyes off the script mage, "Levy... You look like Gajeel..." He giggled, only to be shot a warning look from Freed as he repositioned his rapier next to him, to ease the discomfort as it dug into his hip.
Levy giggled, "I want to mean business I suppose! Plus its easier for me to move like this at the moment." Happy hugged his puffy blue cheeks as he liked Levy's feisty look but looked sad as he turned his attention to the man next to her.
"Aye! Are you not changing your clothes Freed?" Happy wondered, moving his paws on to his lap as the blue tail wrapped around Natsu's wrist. Subconsciously telling the dragon slayer that he was still thinking of him, even whilst speaking.
Freed looked annoyed by the question, "What makes you believe I haven't changed already?"
"Oh... But you are wearing what you always wear..." Happy spoke quietly as he averted his eyes away from the greenette.
Freed pouted as him image was in jeopardy, "I'll have you know that I've changed my entire apparel before we even arrived at the train station, and I shall be changing once we reach our hotel room for the night."
"Oh... Goes Gajeel know that you'll be sharing a room?" Happy quipped.
Levy's face dropped as her eyes widened, realising Gajeel would be upset that she would share a room with another man, who were not Jet or Droy.
Flippantly waving her hand Levy blushed slightly, "Ah-haha! Don't worry Gajeel doesn't mind!"
Gajeel sneezed as he walked towards Magnolia train station with Pantherlily sitting on his head.
"Someone's talking about you again."
Gajeel mearly responded with a simple grunt.
He wanted to talk to his wife, but he was furious with the woman. How could she hide such an idea to her self and to make the young squirt talk to him instead was infuriating.
"You know, you shouldn't of spoken to Wendy like that." Lily interrupted his train of thought as Gajeel continued to stalk the path through the town.
"You know she is helping Levy still... Don't bite her head off when you see her."
Gajeel let out a deep growl, signalling to Lily to drop his conversation as his mind recapped to his previous meeting with Wendy at the beginning of training.
Several Weeks Previously
Wendy sniffed the air as best as she could whilst Carla held her partner in the soft gusts of winds. Her blue skirt ruffling in the wind as Carla carried the girl where Wendy told her where to go.
Her brown eyes caught sight of a dust cloud, moving around a plateau, she grinned as she waved and began calling down to Gajeel and Lily.
"Gajeel!~ Lily~!" she held two hands up to either side of her mouth, as she called out.
Both men stopped mid fight, turning to look into the sky as the small bluenette and white exceed began descending their way.
Lily gave a nod to Gajeel as he puffed out of his battle mode into his everyday exceed body, his panda-esk ears twitched as the iron dragon slayer eyed up the young girl who landed softly before him. She ran a few steps towards the large man and exceed at his side.
"What ya doin' out here?" he grunted holding a hand on his hip as he regained his breath. His body looked heavily beaten and bruised, covered in sweat as his eyes narrowed on her form.
"Um..."
Wendy realised that on the flight over she had forgotten that up close Gajeel was pretty scary. His resting stern face was frightening even in the best of lights.
"Its about Levy-sama..." she fumbled with her hands as Carla looked over to Lily, the pair knowingly walked over towards the ledge to look at the scenery below.
The raven haired man's stomach dropped, his face sunk with worry, "What? What's happened to her? Wendy, tell me!" He stepped forward as his hands outstretched with worry, begging for more information.
The last he saw of the woman was in their home barely saying a word or even eating. Had something happened? The many terrifying thoughts racked his mind like no other. It still confused and angered him that these emotions had begun surfacing in him, yet all he wanted to know was if his wife was safe. Was she healthy? Had she over worked herself too much?
The long bluenette took a step back from fright, trying to calm the large man down, "No-nothing... but we need your help... Its... about our magic... and um... mating..."
The man's face distorted into confusion, to sorrow to anger and back to confusion. "Wendy, tell me what is going on? Ya suppose to be trainin' and yer here talkin' about Levy and matin'! If this is some sick fu-damn joke..."
Taking a large breath Wendy looked Gajeel square in the eyes, "I know how to help both you and Levy. With conception..."
Gajeel closed his eyes and rubbed his temple with a free hand, the other wrapped around his torso, hugging his body, the last thing he wanted to hear was this information coming from a young girl. He strangled a vicious growl that desperately wanted to emit from his throat. Had she been runnin' her mouth?
"Wendy-" He started before she cut him off.
"-Levy has agreed with me and she has begun already..."
"WHAT?!"
He shot forwards, picking up the young girl by the front of her top, holding her high above the ground, his white fanged snarl in her face as she tried desperately to hold her composure, she looked terrified into his crimson eyes centimetres from her own shimmering orbs.
She could smell his sweat, the metal and the heat of his breath on her face. Scrunching up her nose slightly she wished to whimper from the horror of the man who held her high in the air. She was loosing breath as he held tightly onto her collar. Her thin legs dangling in the air as she used her hands to keep her body up, holding tightly onto Gajeel's wrists.
Pantherlily transformed back into his battle mode as Carla dashed over both about to break up the pair before Wendy held out an arm, wishing for them to halt in their tracks as she stared Gajeel down.
"Gajeel! Please let me explain..."
He grunted angrily in her face, still holding her high in the air.
"SPEAK."
"Levy's body is too weak and damaged to bring a child to term... But I know of a way that she can conceive as naturally as possible however it requires a third person to intervene... Gajeel. With my magic and yours we can enable Levy to have a child."
Gajeel looked confused as he dropped the bluenette from the height, looking dumbfounded at her, the feeling of sickness threatening to wash over his body from the thought of doing anything with the girl before him.
"Levy and you will be the sole genes, whilst my magic will help to create a safe magical environment, and have no interference with the child aside from ensuring that it is safe and healthy. You would create the false protective womb and Levy and myself provide the rest... You only need to pass your magic into her being as she does into you. She has been researching already and is beginning to ensure her mind is ready. It is taboo magic Gajeel... But she wants to do this for y-"
"-Fuck that! Wendy. I cannot believe yah think this is acceptable to even talk about?! And yah came out here just to talk to me..." He let out a guttural growl as he inched closer to the young dragon slayer, her brown eyes widening with fear as his crimson eyes almost glowed demonically.
Pantherlily stepped in front of Wendy holding out his fists ready to repeal Gajeel away from the young girl, his white muzzle tightened as he angrily bared his fangs to warn the Iron Dragon Slayer not to take another step.
"Gajeel! Get a hold of yourself! What would Levy say if she saw you like this!"
"Screw it! Just – Just... GET LOST WENDY! And You Lily. I don't wanna see you for awhile."
Gajeel raged as he stormed off away from the trio. Wendy held her fists to her face as she sobbed, trying to stop the tears falling as she watched the man storm off. His black hair stuck to his head in places as he stalked before turning into a run as he headed down the side of the mountain to reach a small outcrop of trees and rocks that were covered in moss.
Carla hung in the air as she hugged the young girl, Lily looked down at the frightened girl, sadness filling his eyes as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Carla, take Wendy to where ever you are training. Do not worry Wendy. Gajeel's pride is wounded however I know he isn't taking it out on you purposefully. Please forgive his aggressive nature but unfortunately I believe this was the last straw for him." Pantherlily bowed apologetically before puffing into his regular exceed form.
"Please excuse me. I need to ensure Gajeel doesn't do anything stupid-" The sound of a tree being pounded against could be heard along side aggressive cries. "I shall see you on the meeting day miss Wendy. Goodbye Carla, take good care of her for now. Train well young one."
The white exceed nodded sadly as she took hold of Wendy and began the long trip back to where Wendy had originally wanted to train.
Pantherlily looked in the direction of Gajeel's outraged cries before sighing deeply. He remained in his battle form and walked towards their camp, his black panther tail hung between his legs almost and threw several logs onto the small campfire knowing full well that if he was to go visit Gajeel he'd be there some time and having a fire going upon their return would be a silent welcome sight.
Every now and then Lily heard the pained cries before silence filled the mountain range. No more hammering, no more roaring. Nothing. Silence. The birds were not chirruping, nor where the crickets playing their music, even the wind had died down.
The sun had begun setting, casting a deep red glow over the forest that sat underneath them, stretching as far as the eye could see. The clouds that slowly drifted in the high winds were sparse and sporadic sitting in his regular form Lily listened as no sound was heard from Gajeel's direction yet he refused to go see what the boy was doing. His tired eyes looked deep into the fire that was before him, the sun rapidly setting now as it had reached the distant tree line, no doubt Gajeel wouldn't return until morning. Hopefully he'd want to forget about the whole incident.
Pantherlily thought he had closed his eyes only for a brief moment to realise that the sun had begun to rise, looking around he saw a figure sitting over the ledge of the plateau staring out into the forest below.
"Lily." The voice spoke, in a ruff whisper.
Pricking his ears up the black exceed rose to his feet and walked towards the man, the aura that expelled from the man was overwhelming sense of fear and shame. All of his anger had seemingly vanished over night but something else was emitting from the man's body.
Standing with his arms folded Lily looked up at Gajeel, his face was hard and dark as his bangs covered his eyes, in his hands he held onto the bandana that he had stolen from Levy's bedside table, one of her favourite orange ones that he wanted to have to remind himself of her. Crunching it up in his hands Gajeel turned and looked directly into Lily's own. His heart had been beaten, his face was racked with guilt as large tears fell from his face, flowing into the early morning wind.
"I did it to Lev... I'm the reason she can't have kids..."
S-Class Arrival Day
Lisanna marched happily onwards as Bickslow trailed behind, as he extended his hands outwards "Wait..."
"Wait!" His babies called out, even they were beginning to flag behind with the Seith mage.
The white haired girl spun on her heels, "You can't be tired! We've only been walking for a few days! We're almost to Hargeon! Why don't you ask two of your babies to carry you?" she tilted her head before the look of disgust sat on his lips whilst the rest of his face hid behind his helmet.
"I don't see you turning into one of your forms for an easy ride!" he began cradling his babies in his arms, telling them its alright and Lisanna was just being mean.
She giggled at his childish behaviour before walking ahead again, "C'mon Bick's! I can see the ocean from here!"
Her blue shorts hugged her form as she walked ahead, a skip in her step as she saw the sails of Fairy Tail's ship. Her chest was barely contained in a white sweater as she readjusted her backpack, her shoulders had begun to ache from the weight but seeing how close they were to Hargeon made her adrenaline rush.
"Look! Its the ship!" she squealed with glee as Bickslow had caught up to her, he hung his tattooed tongue out of his mouth as he cackled.
"Kya-haha! Lets get goin' then!" Bickslow picked up the pace as he began running with his back tilted backwards with his arms swinging wildly by his side. His babies flying quickly behind him as Lisanna blinked as he shot past her, laughing as she joined in, chasing after him.
Jet and Droy walked around the port town of Hargeon. Droy had collected more of his seeds prior to leaving Magnolia, he needed to have his new seeds ready for the island.
"Can you see anyone yet?" Jet asked Droy as he put down his drinks container whilst his eyes scanned down into the port. The black haired man nodded his head, turning to face the orange haired Speed Mage.
"Yep, looks like several have arrived already!" Droy suddenly felt his heart drop, the realisation only suddenly dawning on him that he'd have to fight those mages below, from what he could see he counted roughly eight people, meaning that only three pairs remained to arrive.
"Ah is Levy down there!?" Jet wrapped his arm around Droy's large shoulder as the pair leaned over the balcony that looked down to the harbour, trying to spy the bluenette.
Droy squinted, before putting two hands to the side of his face,
"LEVY!"
He bellowed, shortly followed by Jet crying out loudly with a hand by his mouth, trying to make his voice travel over the town still wrapped with an arm around Droys shoulder.
Levy was busy talking to Lucy who had recently arrived with Loke before blushing at hearing her voice shouted over Hargeon, several other members begin giggling as Jet and Droy had made their entrance. A large trail of dust had begun flowing through the streets as Jet had Droy on his back, both with massive grins on their faces. Eager to see their best friend.
"Levy!~" they called in unison as they neared the gathering. Levy beamed as she saw how happy they were to see her, Lucy held a hand to her mouth as she looked with a mothering smile towards the Script mage and the two boys.
Master Makarov stood on the ship, looking down at the gathering, his orange flowery shirt fluttered as did his small beige shorts. He casually sipped from his drink as he watched the brats assemble.
He looked towards the horizon, still time for the rest to arrive before they must depart for Tenrou Island.
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AN: We finally reach Tenrou next chapter! Yahoo!
Please let me know what you think! :D