A/N So much to cover...this one actually hurt in places to write, sad when I trigger myself I know. I hope you all are enjoying this, I've had this story brewing in my head since I was writing FD. Blame Moonbeam for Bixy being single, her OC in Walled Garden and then in "of Barren Design" just set me in this..."But...Bixy has a perfect woman for him" mode. He isn't likely to stay single here, I do have some ideas for him, we just aren't there yet in the story...DESNA
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The Resort had served its purpose. Because the people of the town had escaped with only a handful of stubborn exceptions that had thought they could ride things out in their homes.
The Town hall needed some hefty repairs once the hulking Council airship was pulled out of it, but it could be salvaged, and the damage done by the rampaging Berserkers had been handled the first day the citizens were allowed back.
Some people stayed at the resort, that it was the safest place in town had been made abundantly clear.
The military got to the Berserker handlers before Laxus and his people could, but, that didn't stop Lucy and Gemini from snatching a copy of one of the handlers.
It was when Gemini returned to Lucy victorious and stood in the office of the resort in front of everyone and divulged what was happening according to the Sevenese handler, that all the color ran out of every face in the room.
"Invasion…"Levy leaned into Gajeels arms and he gathered him to her as tears spilled from unblinking wide hazel eyes.
"That means…." Lucy was unable to say it…but Laxus was.
"War"
Wendy was already sitting worrying in Cristoffs lap as Gemini shared what the handler knew. Near the end of the assault on the airship blood had started running from his nose.
He'd waved her off. "I was layering spells, casting several at once and usually when you do that you rupture a few things. It's far from the first time I've bled during a fight Wendy." He'd assured her.
She'd gone over him, ignoring his protests until he finally just stood still and let her really check him over.
When the reality of what it all meant sunk in, she went from standing quietly to almost tearing the fabric of Cristoffs shirt she was clutching it so hard.
"The Fioran forces here are going after the Sevenese that left heading east. We need to go home, regroup as a guild…" Laxus was saying when his lacrima went off, pulling it from his pocket he opened the channel and Makarov was frowning at him.
"I'm sending Freed a copy of the decree that the guild just received, I've spoken directly to the King. Autumn City has fallen, the Sevenese army is already pushing into Fiore from there but reports have come in that ships have landed in Hargeon, Berserkers along with Sevenese and Pergrandian soldiers are flooding from those ships, more have been meeting resistance trying to come into the port at Gallowstown but the local defenses there are losing ground." Makarov drew a shaky breath.
"My boy, every able bodied fighter is needed, the King has drafted the guilds to fight. ERA and the council are not responding and the Rune Knight headquarters in Crocus was found abandoned this morning, a skeleton group of young knights that didn't know what was happening left to maintain the look as though the facility were still fully manned….Laxus, they have a dragon…Scissor Runner if reports are correct, he's why Autumn City fell so fast." There was noise then in the background.
Makarov stood, was carrying the lacrima, they could hear Natsu.
"I've seen that one…at the Eclipse Gate…Levia…its name is Levia, don't worry gramps, I've got this…" The Fire Slayer was saying.
"Levia is a water dragon! Master! Tell Natsu! Levia can use water against him!" Levy was yelling and Makarov lifted the Lacrima "He heard you Levy…Magnolia is under attack, I'll contact you as soon as possible my children…if we can not hold Magnolia, we will retreat to Shirotsume so do all you can there." Makarov was saying.
Laxus was running his hand shakily through his hair "We have to get to Magnolia…fucking Natsu can't fight a Dragon and the Sevenese and Pergrandian forces…even with Erza and Mira there…Gramps…we're coming!" Laxus said and Makarov looked sharply at the lacrima.
"No! Laxus, we have several very powerful wizards here, Levia isn't as big as Scissor Runner and if they bring him toward Clover Town your area may be the best to retreat to! You need to assure that resort is kept, it may be our best hope to protect people, our best place to turn to!" Makarov said. The lacrima was shut off then and Laxus snarled at it.
"Fuck!" He roared, they were too far away, the train lines would be the first thing these invaders would go after, and if they even could get trains down to Magnolia it would take them more than a day to get there, how many would die? Would the guild still be standing?!
"I can take two people with me." Cristoff said.
Laxus froze staring at the younger slayer. "You can…" he breathed.
Cristoff drew a breath "the distance is near my limits, but because I've lived there I can visualize it flawlessly, the moon is still up I can teleport wherever it touches. At the distance we're talking I can only safely take two people with me." He said firmly.
"But you strained…" Wendy was protesting but he silenced her with a look. "I blew a couple blood vessels layering spells, I have plenty of magic in reserve still, I can make this jump and still fight just fine on the other end and I'm betting our guild is going to need a healer…" He said, though his tone was hard, the smile he gave her was soft.
"Cobra and I. " Laxus said then "Gajeel, you're in charge here, do as gramps said, go over the facilities defenses with Freed."
Gajeel frowned, clearly not happy with this, his instinct was to go and fight but with Levy clinging to him, both Cobra and Cristoff giving him hard looks he nodded. They were entrusting him with their mates, the silent agreement made in a moment. Lucy grabbed Cobra and the Poison slayer was drug into a fierce kiss, Cristoff handled much the same by Wendy while Laxus gave everyone orders.
"Protect our home." Lucy said when she pulled back.
Cobra smirked "I'll protect our family…buildings can be rebuilt. Even that fucking fish pond." He sighed. Lucy giggled, more from anxiety than humor but glared at her mate "If even one of my Koi die I'm burning your snakeskin collection." She warned.
"Well fuck…guess I can't let any of those fuckers die then…except the white one, I hate that bastard, I'm feeding him to Happy." He replied. Lucy kissed him again and then stepped back.
Bickslow wrapped Wendy in a firm hug as Cristoff stepped out of her arms, exchanging a pleading look with his brother who winked at him, hugging the now tearful Sky Dragon a little tighter.
"Outside, I need to be able to get direct light from the Moon." Cristoff said firmly leading the two other slayers out in front.
It was still morning, not even noon yet, the moon was low but still high enough its beams still touched him as he came outside. It was calm, quiet, peaceful, they were far from the invasion now, the threat to Shirotsume passed for now.
"Hands, sorry guys, skin contact for a jump this big." Cristoff sighed, looking at the Moon, deciding its angle, imagining the guild hall, building the picture in his mind, where the moon would be sitting in the sky there, where he'd be able to see it around the guild and as Cobra and Laxus both took his hands he drew a deep breath.
"Lunar…shift"
It was a step from peace to chaos that they made.
Cristoff put them in the guilds practice ring so they were behind the guild hall and heard Natsu shouting out a spell "Fire Dragons Roar!"
The eruption of flame and magic power was brighter than the sun in the already smoke darkened sky.
The three slayers bolted to the back door of the guild, rushing through and nearly knocked Makarov down.
The master gaped at them.
"Cristoff…" Laxus said a roar shook the ground they stood on and Makarov blinked, nodding "Go help Natsu! Bring that thing down and we have a chance!" He called. Laxus and Cobra dashed down the hall out into the main area to head for the other doors but Makarov caught Cristoffs arm before he could follow.
"You can teleport the distance to Shirotsumi?" He demanded. Cristoff nodded "I can only take two people, and only have enough magic in reserve to maybe do it once and still get back here if I want to be able to fight and heal." He replied.
Makarov nodded. "If you see the fight turning bad, you take Cobra and Laxus back to Shirotsumi…promise me."
Cristoff nodded, bowing his head to the Master who smiled "Go, go help them." He urged and Cristoff straightened, turning and rushing out through the main guild hall to crash through the doors and look about to see what was happening.
The dragon was engaged with Natsu, Laxus and Cobra mowing down some soldiers trying to get to the fight. Narrowing his eyes Cristoff rushed to help them, passing Erza who was already well engaged with a few hefty opponents, he slowed. She was bleeding, they'd landed some blows on her, one leg bleeding freely and he could tell by how she was holding her weight it was weakened, she was too disadvantaged to be left that way.
Thinking this would be the first thing he would teach Wendy when he saw her again, Cristoff flared a minor lightspell that momentarily blinded the men Erza was fighting, since he was coming up behind her she was left with an opening that she took even as Cristoff threw another spell over her head. A circle appeared a little above her as she was lunging in to take her clear shots at her opponents.
Silvery light shined down from the magic circle and spread over the ground.
Erza barely noticed the spell circle over her head, her senses told her it was friendly magic, and she couldn't take time to address it and miss the chance that flash of light had given her.
She struck down two of her opponents and then saw light filling the ground beneath her feet, spreading out, as it came under the soldiers before her several of them screamed in pain even as Erza felt strength, energy coming into her, felt the pain in her right thigh suddenly dim and the flow of blood from the deep wound there slow to a stop, the leg suddenly could hold her as well as her left.
"Stay on the lit ground! It will help you!" Cristoff, she saw him running past her and frowned briefly, he was with the Shirotsume group…but then, so was Laxus and she'd seen him moments before as well.
The lit ground, glancing down again she settled her feet on glowing cobblestones and faced enemies that suddenly looked pained, weaker. She had no complaints about that.
Skidding to a halt Cristoff drew a breath, Laxus and Cobra had laid waste to the soldiers obstructing their access to Levia.
The dragon was snarling wings tearing through buildings as he turned trying to snap at Natsu but then lightning covered the beasts body nose to tail, liking over its blue scales and the creature roared, thrashing a couple of times before ramming its tail into the ground, the electricity faded and the dragon swung its head around, eyes narrowing on Laxus.
"You won't defeat me, I will earn my freedom!" The beast snarled.
"We need to get his tail out of the ground…" Cristoff said as he came up by Cobra.
"Yeah…but somehow I doubt we're gonna just smack it aside." Cobra returned.
Natsu was coming around to the side of the dragon they were on and Cristoff caught him with a spell as he was jumping down from a partially ruined building.
Covered in various wounds the slayer stiffened as his feet met the cobblestone but then his eyes closed.
"Fuck…." He breathed.
"Shit Flamebreath…" Cobra snickered, moving toward the rear flank of the dragon.
"I fucking love healers." Natsu breathed, grinning at Cristoff who snorted "Yeah? Remember that next time you're brawling at the guild and don't crash through my fucking dinner." He snapped. Lifting his hand he whispered a swift incantation and Natsu shuddered.
"Holy shit…" He breathed as energy, strength and magic energy pumped into him.
"You love healers…I know…" Cristoff chuckled, aiming a similar cluster of invigorating spells at Laxus who was dodging Levias teeth at the moment.
He got Cobra with the same cluster of spells just as the man was gathering his magic for an attack.
"Shit…Fuck Cristoff…no foreplay during a fight!" Cobra cackled as the energy flowed through him.
He'd felt Wendys support spells, they hit with less force but the same euphoric vitality.
A Poison slash took the tail from the ground and Laxus saw it, pouring in the lightning. Of them, Laxus was the best equipped to handle a water dragon, his magic hit the hardest and Levia seized again as it lit him up. Cobra kept the tail out of the ground and Natsu was hitting the beast from the side but the opposite wing sliced around so fast that Laxus, in the middle of another barrage, wasn't quite able to dodge it to disastrous results.
The apex of the wing bore a long spiked claw and Levia was able to aim it, slashing the lightning slayer diagonally from his left hip to his right shoulder and sending him flying in a spray of blood.
The lightning flickered out and Levia drew magic, clearly preparing for a roar and aiming it at Laxus who had landed a few hundred feet away, crashed into a light pole and was laying at the base, blood rapidly pooling beneath his unmoving prone form.
"Frozen lightning.." The screamed out spell preceded a massive flow of blue lightning that cascaded from behind Cristoff right over his head and he didn't bother to look to see who cast it.
His eyes were locked on Laxus and he raced to the mans side, sliding to a halt on his knees, blood soaking into the leather over his knees.
He pulled Laxus over and grimaced at the ragged deep gash that rended the mans chest from hip to shoulder.
"Fuck…ok, might not be able to line up your tattoo perfectly…" He muttered, tearing away the shreds of leather vest and drawing a breath, toning out the fight happening behind him and focusing on the man beneath him.
Heart, damaged, lungs were collapsed punctured, torn, ribs, shattered. Starting at the heart he started working his way out once he had it repaired and had pushed it back into motion, lungs, once those started worked and Laxus drew a ragged breath he put the ribs back together, the sternum, muscle, sinew, finally skin then pushed hard with an invigoration spell that he knew would tax him but Laxus had to regain his feet, soldiers were everywhere, the only reason they weren't currently having trouble with them was because they were avoiding the area immediately around Levia.
He felt blood trickle from his nose and ignored it, watching Laxus stirring he turned, digging into his reserves farther.
"Moonwell…" He pushed, the spell needed some size or they wouldn't be able to use it well enough. Near where Cobra stood the ground opened, a silver magic circle spinning and Cobra spared a glance, watching the ground sink and suddenly fill with silvery liquid about knee deep.
Levia was thrashing sluggishly when Cristoff finally looked, ice forming over the wings and sides of the dragon had slowed it, allowing Natsu and Cobra to do significant damage, particularly Cobra who was on the back of the beast, claws sunk wrist deep into the base of its neck and he was clearly pumping toxins into the creature because it was weakening, staggering.
"Shit…" Laxus was moving, sitting up and Cristoff held him "No…no sharp movements, you're going to the guild hall, your heart and lungs were just shredded by a dragon and mended, you take any serious hits like this and you're done." Cristoff growled
Laxus looked at him wide eyed…he didn't remember anything past the wing reaching him, after that…blackness.
Looking he drew a breath, Emma stood not thirty feet from them, pouring blue lightning form her arms, teeth bared, her emerald hair whipping around her.
Cristoff got him to his feet but refused to let him rejoin the fight "No. You'll fucking die, I'm not kidding." He snapped when Laxus growled seeing Emma stagger a step before resuming her attack.
"Laxus! Cristoff!" The two men looked up as Erza came running toward them "The master has collapsed the guild hall to protect the egg and prevent the enemy from using the building, everyone it to retreat north!" Erza said as she reached them.
"Lets get this fucker down first." Laxus growled and Erza smirked, shifting to Lightning Empress armor and rushing in.
Levia lasted only a few more minutes. "The moonwell, get the waters onto you, it will heal and restore energy we're going to need." Cristoff barked as the dragon groaned its last.
Gathering Emma they hurried from the city silently, Cobra having to grab Natsu and drag him from running back. "No! The egg!" He said frantically.
"Master sealed it, its buried under the guild hall, safe, shielded and hidden we'll go back for it as soon as we can!" Erza told him, helping Cobra restrain the Fire Slayer as they cleared the treeline into dense brush.
"No! It's hatching in just two months! I have to get it!" Natsu was snarling and Cristoff grabbed his chin, yanked his face toward him and the moment the frantic black eyes focused on him "Sleep Slayer." He said softly. Natsu went limp and Cobra barely managed to catch him before he fell to the ground.
"Shit…warnings about that would be nice." Cobra hissed, hefting the Fire Slayer over his shoulder.
"Couldn't or Natsu would have known I was going to do it." Cristoff said with a sigh. They looked back, they were on the hill overlooking the city to the north, the Guild hall was no more, practically a field, a pile of heavy rubble. The city was ablaze and Cristoff pressed his lips together looking toward where he and Wendys house was…the flames were 100 feet high…their house was gone.
The army wasn't trying to take the city, they were burning it to the ground. They were on the far side of the worst of it, he could see the troops to the west, already heading inland.
Turning he focused his attention back on those with him, they were heading to regroup with those Erza had found including Master Makarov and there were probably wounded he would need to help.
Emma had her arm around Laxus' waist having already subdued his protests.
They reached the others less than an hour later and Cristoff was stunned to receive a sincerely grateful reception from Porlyusica.
"Over here boy, hurry, I can not stop the internal bleeding." She pulled him to Macao who was laying in the grass looking far too pale, Romeo is kneeling beside his father looking at Cristoff hopefully, eyes red, his arm bound and in a makeshift sling.
Cristoff draws a breath, settling beside Macao and focused as he had with Laxus, as he had with the woman in the forrest, drawing magic in, sensing the moonrise that will help him replenish his strength is about 3 hours away still.
Dipping into his third origin he starts mending, as ever from the inside outward, repairing damage, setting bone and knitting it. When he sits back Macaos breathing is normal, no rasp, no rattle and he's resting quietly.
Romeo puts a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with fierce eyes. "I never was mad you know…Wendy and I were only ever friends." He said.
Cristoff hadn't been worried about that, he wasn't the type of man that let things like that even enter into the realm of what he invested energy into but he nodded. "Keep him still if he wakes, what I've set right will be fragile for a couple of days. Once we've made camp, I'll set up a moonwell and you'll need to rest in it with him for a hour before you got to sleep ok?"
Romeo looked haunted "I don't think anyone will be sleeping much tonight." He said.
Cristoff smiled faintly, if I order it, you will. He thought.
Porlyusica took him to two others, Asuna had a broken ankle that was easy enough to set, then Makarov, Cristoff narrowed his eyes at the resting master.
He settled the high levels of stress in the man, put right the heart valve that was being testy, knowing strain would mess up what he'd done and also knowing nothing he told the master would make a difference as far as rest went. Rest and reducing stress really wasn't going to be possible for now. War had come to Fiore, the Alvarez Empire was invading.
Once everyone was stabilized they were on the move again and walked well into the night, sticking to cover. North was already ravaged as far as the invaders knew, according to the information they had from the handler the group of Berserkers taken to clear way for more troops would turn south to join up with the forces heading for Crocus.
They found a thicket that sheltered them and Cristoff set up the Moonwell, instructing Porlyusica in how to use it and its waters.
"Simple, it collects power from the moon and converts it into healing invigorating energy that will soak into anyone who soaks in the silver water. Gather a little of the water before we start soaking people and it can be used against dehydration and internal bruising." He explained. Porlyusica smiled faintly "Pretty handy."
Cristoff sighed "Yeah, it's slow acting, an hours soak is needed for full effect, but it doesn't draw magic energy from me once its cast and will soak into the ground once I'm a certain distance from it, any enemy of mine who touches it gets the opposite effects from it too."
Porlyusica nodded, herding a staggering Magao and a grumbling Makarov to be the first into the well while Cristoff went to climb a rocky outcropping nearby so he could lay in direct moonlight and watch over the camp.
They had 15 mages here, where the rest were nobody really knew or wanted to discuss. He was painfully drained but as soon as the moonlight hit his skin he felt better, shedding his vest so more skin was exposed he lay quietly watching the camp beneath him and looking out over the trees.
"Cobra says you made Natsu sleep." A small voice said and he turned to face Happy who was glaring at him.
"Yes, I did, he was irrational and endangering everyone by being loud, he could have given our position away to the enemy army, killed all of us if I hadn't made him quiet." Cristoff replied.
"You should wake him up now, they said you could." Happy was glaring at him, the little blue exceeds body shaking in anger.
"Only if you promise me you will not take him back to Magnolia yet, not tonight." He said firmly.
Happy nodded "I promise I won't take him back tonight." Happy vowed.
Cristoff nodded, "Then go wake him, I wont keep him asleep anymore."
Happy flew back down into the camp to where Natsu had been set down. A few minutes later the Fire slayer was crouching beside him on the rock.
"You can teleport back there." He said quietly.
"Yes but I won't yet." Cristoff replied. Natsu frowned, both surprised Cristoff hadn't told him he wouldn't and by the "yet".
"Why not?" Natsu demanded. "You know that egg needs us."
Because we will need Lucy, specifically Virgo, to get to it and I need to build my strength so we don't have to march 15 people for more than a week back to Shirotsume, if I regain magic energy enough I can teleport groups of five right to the fucking front doors of the fortress." He said quietly.
"I was sort of hoping that was an option." Laxus' voice joined them, Cristoff looked down to see the lightning slayer leaning against the rock beneath where he and Natsu sat.
"It is, the farther we travel the larger the group I can move at once, by the end of a trek tomarrow I should have enough energy to take 5 people and return." Cristoff replied.
"I can make jumps, probably get two people up there in about six good sized ones…but I feel…" Laxus wasn't sure how to describe how he felt right now, he'd nearly died at Tartaros, so he knew near death, he had a feeling though this time he'd stepped over the line and like the woman in the forest, Cristoff had pulled him back.
"You're fragile, will be for another 24 hours I'd say, make sure you soak in the moonwell, it's pulling strongly now from the moonlight, it will help you, a lot." Cristoff said plainly.
"So…you're going to take me back for the egg after we get to Shirotsume?" Natsu asked.
"You are seriously obsessed Natsu." Laxus growled.
The Fire slayer shrugged, eyes not leaving the Lunar slayer stretched out before him on the rock as if he were sunbathing. He smiled, well, Lunar slayer…he was moonbathing, made sense.
"Yes I will Natsu, you just have to convince Lucy and Cobra, since Cobra gets a say as her mate about whether or not she's setting foot in conquered territory." He replied.
Natsu nodded and jumped down, a few minutes later both Cristoff and Laxus snorted when they heard Cobra.
"Fuck that, not without me you crazed lighter!"
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Levy choked on a sob, Lucy sinking into a chair as the images came over the lacrima showing Magnolia. The reporter said they had been forced to evacuate, to run to escape the dragon that preceded the invading forces but that the armies of Fiore were on the move to engage the forces. Problem was there were three fronts to fight on.
Gallowstown hadn't fared much better than Magnolia, it was believed the forces had attacked and routed through Magnolia so they could use the rail lines to move equipment toward Crocus.
Wendy was crying, hugging Lucy, the two getting what comfort they could from each other, the shattered guild hall had been among the images.
They had spoken with Laxus and Makarov, knew a group was trying to make their way to Shirotsume.
Frightened, the townspeople who had been sheltered during the attack had been trying to decide what to do. Right now the rail lines were still open to Oak Town, but Oak Town wasn't that far from Gallowstown which had been overrun. There was talk about Rosegarden being a good place to go to, with the temple of Venus there able to shelter hundreds and multiple resorts there as well. The train was only coming as far as the Mt. Hakobe station from Oak Town, and only that far because the military had commandeered it and was using the line to get troops and supplies to the front near Oshibana.
It might not run much longer so many of the people were leaving on the one going through today.
There was talk of making Shirotsume a fall back or medical location since the rail lines were intact and supplies and wounded could still get to it.
They knew the enemy had been relying on that airship to ruin the rail lines up this way, so it was a blessing the Fairy Tail mages had brought it down.
Gajeel came in flanked by Freed "Ok, none of the townspeople are staying, they're all getting on the train and getting passage from the military up to Rosegarden." He said gruffly. Pulling Levy up from where she'd curled into a weepy ball on the couch.
They were sticking to the command area on the fourth floor, they could see everything from there.
The open area that was over the section on the third floor they had fought from just the night before was now filled with a few cots, a couch, some chairs and a Lacrima screen from one of the rooms.
Everyone had slept up here the night before, well, they'd stayed there, not many of them had slept.
Wendy and Lucy were both on edge, though both had gotten to speak with their mates, the separation just added to their stress.
Freed and Bickslow were both a little edgy too. Laxus hadn't looked well when they'd spoken to him, admitting to having a close call in the fight with Levia but he'd had Emma tucked up against his side when he'd talked to them and considering, was in ok spirits.
They had lost people though…Fairy Tail had lost people. Nab, Vijeeter and Wakaba had fallen. Warren, Max, Mira, Lisanna, Elfman and Evergreen hadn't been heard from yet. The group with the Dragon Slayers counted 16 but some were branching off to check on family already, afraid for them and Makarov wasn't stopping them.
Alzack, Bisca, Asuna, Porlyusica, Romeo, Macao, Emma, Erza and the Master were who the slayers were escorting to Shirotsume.
"Military is going to make this town a medical depot, they're commandeering the medical center here, I think they know Wendy is here and are hoping to call on you kid." Gajeel said.
"I'll be happy to help all I can." She said in a wavering voice that had Bickslow moving over to ruffle her hair and drop onto the couch beside her.
"We'll have to make sure they don't drive her into magic deprivation." Charle said firmly.
Wendy sighed, meeting her friends determined eyes.
"Charle, I won't let them push me that far, I know how to pace myself now, Cristoff has hammered it into me for more than year. I'm no good to anyone worn out with no magic." The last bit was something Cristoff had told her repeatedly, and it had stuck she realized, smiling faintly.
She missed him…painfully. But she knew he was with the others, trying to get back to her and until he did, she had a duty to their family and to the people of Fiore, the soldiers fighting to save their country.
Two days passed, it seemed every day was far far too eventful. Shirotsume began taking in wounded and the military sent doctors and took over the medical clinic both at the resort and in the town. Gajeel was adamant about not allowing them to take over the resort and fortunately, had the backing of the King and Hisui herself told the general that wanted to move his officers into the finest suites the resort had and take over the pool area for himself and his officers as well that if she heard so much as a whisper of any military pressuring any member of Fairy Tail or trying to take over so much as a broom closet in the resort she'd send him and anyone else involved to the front as a private.
So that ended the brief power struggle that occurred when the military took over Shirotsume.
They couldn't complain much, they got the four inns the town boasted as well as the luxurious hotsprings and Gajeel made a deal with them that if they provided supplies, his men could eat at the resort and ANY of his men could relax in the pool when they had time off.
Kinanas cooking far exceeded anything the military could do, so eating at the resort became a treat the officers used as motivation for troops.
At the end of the second day Wendy stood impatiently beside Gajeel and Levy as the moon rose high enough in the sky and were greeted after a short wait by Cristoff, Makarov, Porlyusica, Macao, Asuna and Emma.
Wendy rushed forward, Cristoff catching her as she jumped into his arms. "I missed you…" She breathed into his hair.
He held her tight to him and smiled "I missed you too love. Now stand back, I'm going to get the others. I can rest here, it's a lot safer than everyone waiting until my reserves are back up." He told her, setting her on her feet and back up a couple paces before vanishing again.
Clearing the area, they waited and sure enough, about a half an hour later, Cobra, Laxus, Alzack, Bisca and Natsu with a fully fluffed out Happy in his arms appeared, Cobra and Natsu grabbing Cristoff as he wavered and almost fell over, blood running from his nose.
Wendy rushed forward, running her hands over his face, pulling her scarf free to wipe away the blood. He smiled a little weakly "Not empty…but fucking close." He chuckled.
"Get him to a room to rest Wendy and then you need to introduce me to whoever I need to start hating profusely that is going to piss me off while I help with the wounded." Porlyusica said firmly.
"Yes ma'am." Wendy agreed, taking Cristoff up to the fourth floor. They were all sleeping up there now, having taken over rooms near the command center when they weren't huddling just outside its door.
When she took him to the bed he pulled her down on it with him and she squeaked but then laughed as his lips moved over her throat.
"Cristoff, I have to go introduce Porlyusica to the Chief medical officer." She protested, but didn't struggle much, turning to intercept his mouth with hers.
"Mmm, ok, but if I'm asleep before you get back it's your fault you get no sex until tomarrow." He warned, yawning. She kissed him again "Get some sleep handsome, I might or might not let you sleep through the night."
She was fairly certain he was out before she closed the door behind herself and hurried down stairs, wanting to get the introductions handled so she could go back and curl up next to her sleeping mate.
Porlyusica was waiting for her in the lobby and they walked to the medical wing of the resort. It wasn't huge, it hadn't been meant to be a hospital, just to serve as an infirmary, but it was bigger than the clinic in town, with 50 beds in the common area and 20 private rooms featuring state of the art equipment and it had been stocked with medicinal potions and elixirs made by Emma but those had been gone the first day the injured had started arriving.
They stopped at the small lab, Emma was already setting up inside of it, having salvaged some ingredients and incredibly grateful she'd sent a lot up to the resort so it would be ready when she finally got to it.
The young woman barely looked up, she had somehow gotten two frazzled looking privates assigned to help her and already had both men wide eyed and busy.
Once Porlyusica had started digging into the Chief Medical officer waving a hand to dismiss Wendy the Sky Slayer gratefully hurried back upstairs.
Cristoff laid just where she'd left him, still in his leather, even his boots were still on his feet and Wendy sighed. Unlacing the tops of the boots she pulled them from his feet and smiled a little wickedly.
He was exhausted, had not slept since he had left for Magnolia so he was truly out and she didn't plan to wake him. But she did plan to enjoy stripping him down and tucking him in.
He had blood on him, the knees of his pants were crusty with it but she was sure it wasn't his. She pulled the snug leather from him and smiled, he never wore anything under the leather set.
Once he was stripped down she was trying to push the large man to the side a little so she could work him under the blankets when arms closed around her and pulled her down on top of him making her giggle.
"Mmm, let me sleep….unless you have wicked ideas, then…don't waste those." He said huskily. She smiled, "Get under the covers, you're too big for me to move around." She ordered.
He obeyed but smiled sleepily "I think you move me just fine." He returned.
She laughed and he kissed her, but he lost ground to the exhaustion pulling at him and Wendy was soon leaning over him, pushing his black hair from his face before she got up, stripped down herself and climbed into the bed beside him, she was exhausted too, it was nearly impossible to sleep well separated from him, especially while she'd known he was out in the wilds somewhere with their friends trying to avoid enemy soldiers and get back to her.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo
Levy watched as Gajeel finished talking to Makarov. He had held them all together the last couple of days, held her together. She was leaning on the fourth floor balcony railing that overlooked the lobby, elevators and staircases and when Gajeel started toward the stairs she went to their room to wait for him.
She was terrified, so afraid of every day she didn't want to get up to face it and so afraid of every night she didn't want to sleep.
There was no wondering how it could be worse. She knew the comfortable little two bedroom house in Magnolia they had called home was gone, images of the city ablaze hadn't been deniable.
All of her books, everything they had owned except for the clothing they had brought here was gone.
Still, when she walked into the suite Lily was curled up asleep on the sofa in the sitting area, Gajeels coat serving as a blanket. Their little "family" was safe and their guild members, well…Fairy Tail had fled to the winds in the wake of the chaos and destruction. She'd tried again to call Mira but Makarov had said not to worry yet, they had rushed from the guild to fight and it was very possible Mira hadn't grabbed her com lacrima when she'd run outside.
Mira knew to come to Shirotsume, though some of the others might not, Makarov was certain Mira did.
Levy looked out the window at the serenity of the mountains, dark giants under a clear night sky. She heard the door open and a minute later felt strong arms encircle her and she leaned back into Gajeels hard body with a sigh.
"I'm glad they're ok." She whispered.
Gajeel nuzzled into her hair, breathing in her scent, he was lucky, he hadn't had to be separated from her, he knew Cristoff and Cobra had to have been about out of their minds.
"The others will be ok, probably still on the move, either trying to get here or just heading to safety somewhere." He reasoned.
Levy nodded, knowing he was likely right but all things considered, she was scared.
Gajeels arms tightened around her and she sighed, he could feel it now, when her irrational emotions reared up, in fact he never seemed to miss them. "We'll be ok Lev, Makarov and Laxus are both smart as hell, we have 6 dragon slayers here, both you and Freed, Bickslow, Lucy, hell, we're in a ridiculously fortified building that has proven just how well it works, Bickslows Dad is supposed to call tomarrow with info on Boscos plan so Fiore doesn't have to fight this alone."
She knew all of it, it just sounded better coming from Gajeel than from her own mind oddly enough. He pulled her to the bed and down into it with him, wrapping himself around her protectively.
She fell asleep to the sound of his steady breathing.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Laxus had passed out nearly the moment he'd laid back on the bed. Three days, two nights, he'd visited death and hadn't slept two seconds, mind racing so much that sleep just couldn't reach him.
In a comfortable bed, surrounded by the military inside the resort they had built to withstand a dragon attack, that had withstood the attack of berserkers without so much as a chipped bit of paint, he wasn't as steeled against sleep as he had been laying on the dirt feeling how tender his chest was.
Had Emma not stepped in when she did, allowing Cristoff to get to him, he'd be dead.
Pretty staggering thought. Cristoff was the only one among them who had faced things like this before, he'd been to war while in the service of the knights. It had shown.
He owed his life to Emma and Cristoff right now.
Emma, well…he knew how he planned to thank her, if things would ever slow down enough for the two of them.
Cristoff he also knew how to thank. No more separating him from Wendy if at all possible. Like Cobra he'd handled it fine, but Cobra had been with Lucy for more than a year, Cristoff and Wendy were still pretty "new", hell, Gajeel and Levy were too. Keeping them together would mean they could protect each other, which would help them to handle everything.
As much as he yearned for her, he was almost grateful he hadn't been able to get through the mating process with Emma yet. If anything happened…she was safer not bound to him, his near death in Magnolia had made that clear to him. So when she'd said she wanted to get some potions started before she turned in, he went to his own room and collapsed, needing sleep more than anything else.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo
"We can't stay here, we need to help!" Romeos frustrated cry had several of the older mages rolling their eyes or sighing.
They had heard from Mira at last, she and the others were safe, they had beaten the Sevenese forces west and gotten through the massing Fioran forces. The lack of rune knights hadn't gone un-noticed by the King and while the Council tried to whine that their forces were all out in the field fighting, the King issued an edict disbanding them, effective immediately. The Magic Council of Fiore was disbanded.
Properties were to be seized but when they tried to take ERA, a new problem was discovered painfully close to Crocus and behind the Fioran forces.
The Rune Knights.
ERA had somehow become a fortress, and the Rune Knights were dug in and prepared to fight.
Arman Pradesh outlined all of it, looking out at the handful of Fairy Tail mages from the lacrima screen in the meeting room on the fourth floor of the resort.
"The Boscan military is moving, but the important thing will be the magical forces, they will be shipping into Fiore via boats up the Peace River, which will deliver them behind the Fioran army, near the front line and close to ERA. They should make land within a few days. There are trains running between your location and Crocus. If you could meet them as they come in….please, Cristoff I know can get you there, he's been to Crocus many many times over the years. Also, a "Mest" is being sent to you to assist. You can help to guide our forces and take ERA, the Kings Army is not able to take on the Rune Knights so well entrenched there." The Ambassador looked at his two sons, Bickslow and Cristoff both smiling back at him, fierce determination in their eyes.
They couldn't speak for their guild, would go where Makarov and Laxus sent them, but they wanted to be there, wanted to help their country and fight alongside the forces being sent to take on the corrupted council remnants in ERA.
"So I guess we need a team…" Laxus breathed, almost shaking his head again, Fucking hell he was leaving Emma again. She was working like a fiend in her shop and the army needed what she could make here, she was safer here than really anywhere in Fiore at the moment, but still he felt like they just couldn't seem to catch a break.
"I can handle things here Laxus." Freed told him firmly, Cana nodded along with Bisca and Alzack who weren't keen on leaving their daughter anyway. "We'll hold things down here until Mira and the others get here."
Laxus nodded, "Ok, so Bix, Cristoff, Wendy, Lucy, Cobra, Gajeel and Levy. You're with me. Cristoff, Lucy Natsu, you have until 11am tomarrow to get your business done."
Natsu stood and Cristoff leaned over to kiss Wendy before joining the fire slayer, Lucy stood too, moving to follow the pair as they headed down stairs to get outside into the moonlight.
"Should be a quick job, did you talk to Virgo about what we were doing?" Natsu asked, looking over at Lucy.
She nodded, smiling slightly standing between the two dragon slayers. Natsu was raw primal power, stood just a little taller than her, muscular but still lithe in normal clothes aside from his pink hair, he fit into crowds but on her left Cristoff towered over them. Broad shouldered, he was like Laxus and Gajeel, he looked like a beast but between him and Natsu, Cristoff was calm, mannered, well spoken and had a certain elegance to him. They were contrasts.
She'd fallen for a man who fell in between them. Cobra had a primal side, a viciousness that surpassed probably even Gajeels dark side. He surpassed Natsu in raw power likely in part due to his sharper thinking and ability to stay level headed during a fight. While not the affectionate, tolerant man Cristoff was, Cobra had a very sweet loving side when he was alone with Lucy.
She had moments where she would watch Wendy cuddling with her mate, see Cristoff or even Gajeel pull their women in embraces, kiss them, she'd heard some of the the things Cristoff would say softly to Wendy. There would be bare moments where she wished Cobra would be like that, but then, the moment they were alone, he would be, and his wicked carnal side fit into Lucys own tendency toward being pretty lusty herself.
She liked how they almost attacked each other at times, how his hunger for her hadn't lessened one bit since he had first given her a taste of what he could do to her body on that train. She also enjoyed their biting sarcastic wordplay. She hoped one day he'd whisper he loved her by her ear, like Cristoff did so often with Wendy.
Still, Wendy needed that, she needed a man that was patient, affectionate and tolerant like Cristoff was. The whole thing with Cana had been pretty clear proof of that. While Wendy developed fully into the woman she wanted to be, she needed a man at her side that could support her.
Lucy didn't need that, she needed a man that challenged her, that made her proud of her sharper sides and could cross swords with her. She didn't doubt a man like Cristoff could handle her, but she just so deeply loved Cobras wicked ways, his nasty side sort of thrilled her. She was one of those women who liked a bad boy being bad.
That his nastiness had matured into a biting wit and ease in handling hard situations suited her. He still had times when he became cruel but never toward her and only when he really had little choice, but he had that depth, that level he could step to with ease.
Cobra wasn't thrilled with this mission, and had told Natsu that if Lucy had so much as a hair put out of place for this he'd make sure the Fire Slayer was so heavily poisoned he'd forget his name and how to walk.
The fewer Cristoff had to teleport the distance the more power he emerged with on the other side though so he could get them back out of there fast if needed.
Once outside Lucy slid Virgos key into her hand as Natsu grasped Cristoffs shoulder and the Lunar Slayer put an arm around Lucy.
His soft whisper of the spell preceded the bizarre sensation of the "shift" when their bodies were melded into moonlight and travelled through it.
The next moment they were standing on the hill above the guild among some bushes. The same spot Cristoff had memorized as they had fled from Magnolia a few days ago.
"Think…plan, disturbances will endanger the egg." Cristoff said instantly when Natsu started to rush forward. The Fire slayer looked at Cristoff and nodded and they took the time to look around.
Lucys heart just broke. Magnolia was nearly destroyed. Smoke still rose from smoldering fires and her eyes went to the street she and Cobras home was on and she pressed her lips together. There were still some houses standing, she couldn't tell if theirs was one of them, but at least their street hadn't been burned to the ground like so many others were. Carthe Cathedral still stood though it was damaged.
"Now, the Sevenese left, but there could still be lesser Berserkers left behind to keep people from returning, keep any resistance from forming behind them." Cristoff warned.
"Luce…get Virgo to dig me in." Natsu said as they stole their way down to the practice field behind the leveled guild hall, they stuck to the tree line, remained in the shadows and Virgo appeared, only bowing silently before she grabbed Natsu and the pair disappeared down a hole. Cristoff and Lucy crouched by the opening. Virgo would get Natsu to the egg and back out then collapse the tunnels and they would teleport back to Shirotsume so the egg could be set up by Juvia and Laxus again.
It took only minutes but Lucy still was clinging to Cristoff anxiously, fingers digging into the sleeve of his jacket absently as she strained to hear any sign of a Berserker.
She knew Cristoff would hear it, sense it, far before she would, and that of the Slayers he was probably the one who knew best how to fight the things, but it didn't stop her from being wired and tense.
There were…things..moving out in the city, she wasn't sure if it was a trick played by the still burning fires, or if there really were things out there but she trusted the instincts inside her that told her, evil dark things were prowling her beloved home town, had turned it into a very dangerous nightmarish place.
The ground shifted a little and Cristoff pulled her to him, clamping a hand over her mouth when she'd sucked in a breath to cry out in fear. They couldn't afford to draw attention.
Virgo appeared with Natsu, both wet but the fire slayer was grinned, the egg wrapped in his jacket against his chest.
"I shall collapse the tunnels the moment you leave Princess, doing so now might draw attention you can not afford." Virgo whispered.
Lucy just nodded and Cristoff clamped a hand on Natsus shoulder and pushed him and Lucy a couple of steps so moonlight filtered through the trees over them and Lucy closed her eyes in relief as the displacement sensation overcame her again and when she opened her eyes she was looking at the resort, Cobra waiting a few feet away.
While Lucy slide gratefully into Cobras arms and Cristoff swept a smiling Wendy up Natsu hurried to Laxus who was waiting by the doors.
They had prepared a chamber in the basement below the office, one of the stone make mages had customized it for just this purpose and drains were hooked up like the ones back at the guild. Natsu had snatched the two Lacrima as he'd been instructed and Laxu and Juvia reset them, activating them once Natsu was out of the chamber and once again the egg was enveloped in lightning and rain.
Two more months, Natsu kept thinking that, his brother or sister would hatch in two months and he would be there to care for the whelp, to teach it, love it, since Igneel and his mate could not be. It had given him purpose beyond anything he'd felt before, knowing this dragon was to be born, this child of Igneel.
He could honor Igneel, by being here for his sibling, since their father could not be.
He already loved it, male or female it didn't matter, the dragon in the egg was his family as sure as the members of Fairy Tail and Igneel. His devotion and protectiveness the other slayers respected and on a lesser level, shared.
They did not feel the kinship Natsu did, but every one of them appreciated how precious this egg was, how precious the dragon within it was. Not just to them, but to all of Earthland. Their world was a lesser place without dragons.
So they had all agreed this mission to recover the egg, so it could hatch in a safe place was necessary, well worth the risk.
A room had been set up next to the chamber for the egg too, because Natsu wouldn't consider sleeping far from it, so he and Happy had moved down into the basement. Happy wasn't thrilled with it, because he much preferred the comfortable suites on the fourth floor where everyone else was, but he accepted it, and was as excited as Natsu about the egg getting closer to hatching.
Natsu wouldn't go with them to ERA, partially because of his vigil over the egg, partially because Makarov wanted him and some other strong mages to remain. Mira and the others would be arriving soon, having finally arranged passage into the area, likely the day after Laxus and his team left.
The groups settled in for the night, tomarrow would see them leave for ERA.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Levy gasped, her chest against the smooth wall, one leg hooked up over Gajeels shoulder as he pounded into her with mind numbing force from behind. She couldn't hardly make a sound beyond her guttural moans and mewls of pleasure, hands pressed against the cool smooth surface of the wall next to the windows for their balcony.
She'd teased him, deliberately too. Had hit him in the face with a pillow when he'd returned to the room after talking with Laxus then run from him through the suite. She'd heard the dark chuckle mixed with the growl behind her.
"Oh Shrimp…I'm way too wound up for you to play like this with me…" He growled.
"You don't scare me Gajeel!" She had called, trying to keep the bed between them, she'd planned to script herself a rope and escape out the balcony but he had, not surprisingly, out maneuvered her and caught her before she could even slide the glass door open. Pinned her to the wall and taken her so hard and fast she'd been left in a state of exhilarated shock for a few moments before his movement, the feel of him inside her had taken over completely.
They'd both been so stressed, beyond making out and cuddling for comfort they'd done little since the attack on Shirotsume.
They should have, Levy pushed back against him, savoring every sensation, letting it consume her completely until her mind just blanked out as her orgasm overwhelmed her. Gajeel thrust into her a couple more times, catching her when her leg gave out. He pulled her to him, carried her to the bed and they collapsed there.
"We really should do that more often." Levy said softly, kissing his neck, loving the feel of his thick hair against her face.
Gajeel growled softly, his hands sliding up her body and he laid her back, moving over her "I agree." He smirked, dipping to catch the peak of a breast in his teeth. Levy gasped, arching up into him.
When she'd caught him with the pillow he'd been exhausted, mentally riding an edge for days. Their home in Magnolia was burned to the ground, it could be rebuilt, would be he hoped, but that with all that was happening was taking its toll.
Sex had been the furthest thing from his mind the last few days, showing Levy affection, holding her, reminding her what she meant to him had come out, but sex he'd all but forgotten under the weight of all that was going on.
Chasing Levy around their suite though, watching her laugh, then feeling her body, plunging himself into her with reckless abandon, his mind closing out everything but her, Gods he'd needed it and he hadn't even realized he had.
Now as he moved more slowly, took his time drawing out the soft sounds he loved to hear from her, made her writhe beneath him he drowned out the world in chaos and found balance again in her, release, deep and desperate and profound flooded through him as he gave himself over to what he was doing.
He wouldn't deny this again, understood why Lucy and Cobra just about reeked of it every day, so did Cristoff and Wendy, when he was spent, Levys body draining him and leaving him exhausted in the best way possible he pulled her over with him.
In the midst of chaos, love just mattered too much.