And, now we're getting to the main point of the story! At last. I feel like this took a while, but I hope I kept you entertained. This chapter has a bit of goofy humor in it that I hope you appreciate.
Magic Railroad
Bickslow's hand didn't stop running up and down Adam's back even when her soft, even breaths pressed against his body. It hadn't been but a few seconds, and Adamine had been knocked out cold. He could tell because by sweet Mavis the woman was a cuddler!
Earlier, Bickslow had tried to adjust the arm going numb at his side. With just one tiny movement, claws had sunk into his shoulders, and a leg had slung over his hips to hold him in place. He was now successfully stuck with an arm he could no longer feel, and a dragon slayer whose head was tucked firmly in the crook of his neck and shoulder. Not that he was complaining, but it was going to be pretty hard to get them out of here before Laxus got all pissed off and Laxus-like then came after Adamine. They were going to be so completely screwed if Laxus caught Bickslow snuggling the enemy instead of taking her back to the inn.
Even though, Bickslow couldn't stop the hand running along Adam's body. Her breaths were like little purrs against his skin, and in her presence Bickslow didn't feel bad about removing his visor. The piece was his signature, his trademark. He never went anywhere without it, but he'd gotten annoyed with it when it obstructed Adam's view into eight vertical scenes.
He was pretty sure that he was falling into like with the chick all snuggled up on him like a tick on a dog. If she was a leech, Bix was pretty sure he wouldn't mind her clinging on his back. Tough, sexy, and stubborn. There were enough women in the guild who could fit that bill, but none of them did it in a way quite like Adamine Terra.
Stubborn chin jutting in the air. Arms shooting to diamond even when she disagreed with her comrades. And, she loved to fight like he did. She was even an unintentional pervert. This wild thing was something Bickslow wouldn't mind having on his arm at all. She was even protective…
Bickslow's brain got all stupid giddy when flashes of Adamine throwing herself over him to save his dumb ass ran through his skull. Her soul had been screaming, "I will protect you!" Damn. Nobody but the Raijinshuu and Master Laxus were anything like that with him, but this girl… Adamine was going to risk her life for someone who was barely anything more than a stranger to her. She was a tough little beastie.
Adjusting his leg until it bent, Bickslow glanced down to the thick lashes framing Adamine's eyelids. They were stark black and spikey, but they weren't what Bickslow was looking for. In her sleep, the glamour spell she used had faded. Her tattoo was revealed for everyone to see. The dragon tattooed over her right eye was in full detail.
With his only functioning arm, Bickslow traced the tribal figure. It kind of pissed him off to be honest. Bickslow had a tattoo between his eyes, but it hadn't been forced on him when he was five years old. No, some sick freak had forced a five year old girl down and inked her skin. The thought that someone was out there doing that to little girls sent a hot wave of rage through Bickslow's body, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. Not now.
Adamine had been marked long ago, and she'd become stronger after it. Oh, yeah. She was a tough little beastie. Damn. And to not have slept since her guild had been destroyed. Bickslow didn't know how long that had been, but he knew that sucked.
Well, he wasn't going to let that happen. Not when she was his partner. And nope. Nope. It had nothing to do with the fact that he got all excited every time he saw her furious little face. Nope. It had absolutely nothing to do with that. She was in his care, and it was his job for Master Laxus to make sure the little idiot stayed healthy.
The thought of Laxus had Bickslow's eyes narrowing. Adamine had to sleep. That was a given, but she couldn't be out here for the guys and whatever those creepy sentries had been to find her. He needed to stow her away somewhere, so he could get the book.
His eyes glanced down to the woman. It was kind of funny. In sleep she really didn't look like she could withstand a four element assault directly to the spine, but she had. Those big eyes and plump lips were deceiving. As tough as she was, she could only go so long without sleep.
"Oi, babies," he called out to the totems that had been surprisingly quiet in their totem shells. The dolls danced around closer to their master's call. Bickslow rose from his position on the ground. Even the slightest of movements had Adam wrapping tighter around him. When he was standing, the female had her arms wrapped around her neck, and her legs wrapped and locked by the ankles around his waist.
"Warm," she sighed, nuzzling closer to him.
"I need you to do me a favor," he explained with his hand reaching around to unlock the arms around his throat.
The babies cheered, "Favor! Favor!"
"Yeah, if I can just get the…" He pulled on Adam's arms. "Stoner offa…" He pulled and tugged and pulled and tugged until his muscles strained. "Me. I want you to…" With a whoop of victory, Bickslow unlatched Adamine from his throat. The woman fell backwards as soon as Bickslow let go of her arms. She hung with just her powerful thighs latched onto him, and the rest of her body bowed backwards. Even though, she was still making Zs. "Stow the Stoner somewhere, so I can get the book." He went to her legs.
With both hands attempting to push her thighs off of him, Bickslow grunted from exertion. Those legs were not coming off of him any time soon. She had some kind of comatose vice grip that had locked onto him and couldn't be pried off without a crowbar. Actually… "Yo, one of you guys find me a crowbar."
One baby cried, "Crowbar! Crowbar!" before dropping its totem shell to go dashing off for the item of choice. Thank Mavis for his dolls. He didn't think he'd know what to do without them right now.
Bickslow laid his palms down on Adamine's toned legs. They'd gone adamantine. The gemstone skin glistened in the moonlight, and when Bickslow realized just where his hands were on her thighs, his face burned hot.
Even though, he didn't make any motion to remove them. If anything, he was more surprised by the Stoner laid out and unconscious while everything but the top of her skull hung in the air. Her arms were over her head. Had she been laying on the ground, she would have looked peacefully asleep, but she wasn't on the ground. She was attached to him!
As punny as it was, Bickslow couldn't help but snicker, "Chick sleeps like a rock."
His hands smoothed over her knees, and immediately, he got a noise out of Adamine. The extremely feminine sound had his brows jerking up. She just… She actually just giggled… like a girl. His wicked grin beamed wide as he squeezed her knees to test the newfound sensation. Sure enough, the woman's hold on him loosened. More girlie squeaks pulled from her lips.
Within seconds Bickslow had the woman squirming on the ground and squealing underneath his hands. When her legs came completely free at the same time that one of his babies came back in the form of a crowbar, Adamine fell to the ground in a loud thud. Birds squawked in protest, and squirrels chattered angrily. Adamine? She just let out a tired smack of her lips. She didn't move from where she'd landed, and Bix could only shake his head. "Alright babies, get the stoner, so I can snag the book from the room."
They cheered, "Get the Stoner!"
"Something's wrong," Laxus growled. Ever since the guys had left the room, he'd been prowling around. His broad shoulders had appeared to get even bigger while he'd stalked back and forth. Tension was thick. It rolled off of him in chill-bump inducing waves.
Even so, Evergreen had barely moved. She understood that Adamine needed space right now, but she also understood Laxus's need to get Adamine back under their protection. She was in danger. That was obvious enough.
She needed to be with them. She didn't need to be on her own. Just being by herself for too long could possibly get her taken away. Only Mavis knew what those men would do to her, and Evergreen needed answers. She wanted to know more about Kindred Spirit and the girl that had crossed an ocean just to find Adamine.
Caramel eyes settled on the statue of Ignatia. The girl was still stone cold. "I'm going to change her back," Evergreen mentioned more to herself than Laxus.
The man's head whipped around to narrow steel eyes on her. "Why?" he nearly barked.
"She knows something. She has to. She claims to have known Mina, and she also claims to know Bickslow. We could get some valuable information out of her while we wait for the guys to come back from getting Adamine," Evergreen explained.
Without any further questioning, Evergreen rose from her position on the bed. Her slim fingers reached out, and as soon as she touched the stone, it faded away in something like fairy dust. "-in Fiore, they had a mission to find her. She's extremely important to…" The words that Evergreen had stopped Ignatia from saying when they were in the woods fell out of Ignatia's mouth before coming to a slow stop.
The pink haired girl leaped back until her back pressed against the hotel room wall, and she gasped, "Bixie was right! You are Medusa! Adamine, help me! Her hair is going to turn into snakes at any second. Adamine, save me!" The girl's wings flew out, and she hastily shrunk to pixie form.
Flying all around the room in chaotic motions, the pixie cried for Adamine to rescue her from the snake haired crone… Evergreen felt her blood pressure rising. When Ignatia flew by her head, Ever's hand shot out to snatch the girl by her wings.
"Listen to me, girl! I am not Medusa, and Adamine isn't here. Shut up and calm down before I turn you back to stone!" Evergreen railed at the girl.
Ignatia just huffed. She crossed her arms beneath her chest then jerked her chin off to the side. "I want Mina Love. I don't want to talk to you!" she snapped.
Evergreen shook the girl in her hand. She could have sworn she heard marbles bouncing around in the girl's skull until Ever finally quit shaking the girl. "You're going to tell me everything you know, or I'll never let you see Adamine ever again. Do you get that, little girl?" Behind her glasses, Ever's eyes flared gold.
Just the sight of those flaring eyes had Ignatia wavering. Iggy Mae tightened her fists the commanded, "Human!" Her magic changed her back to the right size. "Do you promise to let me see her if I tell you everything?"
"Yes," Evergreen let out in an exasperated sigh. "I just said that."
"I don't know if I trust you—"
"No one cares what you trust, girl. Just tell us what you know about Adamine Terra or else we'll beat it out of you," Laxus snarled, suddenly taking part in the conversation. He stepped close to Ignatia. His long shadow draped over her, adding to the intimidation of his threat.
Ignatia sneered, "Adamine sent out Laxus. Laxus's intimidate cuts foe Iggy Mae's attack. Let me guess, your signature move is Scary Face. Right?"
Laxus's brows rose in question, not getting the girl's reference. Ignatia just shrugged. "Eh. Old people. Fine! I'll tell you everything I know. Where do you want me to start?" Ignatia pranced herself over to one of the beds in the room then plopped down. "I hope you know that if I give you information, you're going to be buying me some clothes in return."
Evergreen ignored that last piece with a roll of her eyes. "Just start from the beginning."
Kingdom of Lancet
Forest outside of Wolfrun
Ignatia didn't think that she'd seen anything more awesome than the four mages in front of her right now. She finally knew their names: Adamine Terra, Bickslow Polterom, Winry Polterom, and Catori Polterom. They were the team Dragon Soul, and they were mages from Lancet's strongest underground guild Kindred Spirit.
She clenched the locket in her hands tighter. Clicking the button, Ignatia was given a view of the only thing she had left of her deceased parents. It was a picture made before Ignatia was born. A loving couple sat with a brunette child in front of them. The girl had glasses on, and she was beaming at the camera with vogue style. According to her parents, that girl was her big sister, a big sister named Ever.
If only Ignatia had been so lucky as to have gotten out of Lancet before their parents had been murdered…
Moisture formed at the rim of the pink haired girl's eyes, but she didn't let it fall. She forced her chin up, held the tears back. It was a failed attempt.
Liquid ran down Ignatia's face and dripped off her chin. She didn't hide her face. If she hid her face, she might not see oncoming enemies. Ignatia didn't have time to cry.
Sudden weight across her shoulders had Ignatia jumping out of her skin. When she popped open surprised eyes, she looked to see Bickslow and Adamine grinning at her. The arm around her shoulders drew her tight. Mussing up Ignatia's hair, Bickslow explained, "Don't worry, pixie. You've got us for family now."
Ignatia didn't know how to form a response to that. It felt like it was too good to be true, but she wanted to believe. She tried to believe. There was just so much destruction. So many guilds were being burned down, so many guild masters showing up dead in the rivers and ocean around the coast.
"We're going to make a railroad," Adamine chimed in, confusing Ignatia even further.
She muttered, "A… railroad?"
Adamine gave a nod of her head, but it was the two girls with matching blue-purple hair that answered in unison. "A Magic Railroad!" they cried.
"Yup!" Adamine agreed. "We're going to connect guilds from all kinds of countries, so we can ship mages out of the country without having to worry about the army or navy finding us. That's the mission of Team Dragon Soul! We're going to make sure that the Magic Railroad keeps the military from hurting any of us ever again."
The look of confidence… of surety on these older kids' faces. It made Ignatia's jaw loosen. In awe she stared at the four. This was Kindred Spirit. This was why they were so powerful. You could break them down, but you could never break their spirit! Ignatia Mae Talisma was star struck.
"That was how I wound up in Kindred Spirit, and that's why I have to find Adamine and get her to Lancet. We've gotten the guilds to start up the Magic Railroad. We just need guilds in foreign countries to help us get overseas." Ignatia leaned back on her arms and blinked at the two mages staring at her. Hopefully, now they got it.
Adamine was like the Super Hero of Lancet. She needed to be there. All kinds of mages were attributing her to a prophecy where mages would eventually have equal rights with Normans. Only with Adamine's presence could the Magic Railroad finally get a train moving on its tracks.
The mages needed their princess.
To some of my readers from Tablet and a Tome or Magical Massacre, I think this is the part where you go, "I told you so!"
Well, guys I don't have much in the way of author's notes today, so have a great day. Thanks for reading and following and favoriting. Leave me reviews if you feel the itch. If you've ever talked to me on this site before, you know that I can be a bit of a chatter box.