Mason vaguely remembered being propped up against the wall on a table in the guild. His eyes were open, but his vision barely registered in his brain as he struggled with consciousness. The phoenix had not physically injured him, but the energy had really funked up his insides after being present inside him for so long.
Several other figures swept in and out of his vision, but none stayed very long. Apparently he wasn't much for conversation when he was barely conscious.
Long blue strands of hair covered up whatever Wendy was doing to his chest. A soft feeling slowly enveloped his mid-section. Her small mouth moved frantically, forming different words that didn't meet Mason's ears.
A loud pop sounded through Mason's ears, granting him hearing but paining his eardrum. It felt like his eardrum was inflating at about five thousand psi. After focusing so hard on his returning hearing, he automatically slipped back into full consciousness.
"-ucky. The spell wasn't meant to damage you, but rather let the ground do the work. It-"Wendy met his eyes, and she must have realized he was aware of his surroundings. She paused momentarily and kept his gaze, but then continued. "It actually wasn't that bad. It will feel strange for awhile, but the feeling will wear off. Do you need help getting up?"
"I'm fine." Mason croaked. He hadn't spoken in several hours and the words had been more of an exhale of breath than a word. He cleared his throat before repeating himself. "I should be fine Wendy, thanks for all the help."
Mason scooted forward on the table slowly, wary for whatever "feeling" Wendy warned him of. His long legs were finally enough to reach the floor, and he leaned forward and stood up.
The inside on the left side seemed to twist. It was a strange tingling feeling that made his entire body want to stiffen up until it passed. It flared more with increased movement, and the tightened breathing it spurred advocated for the action.
"You're taking steps like a pro!" Dante joked, making Mason jump. He hadn't heard the card mage approach; apparently he wasn't fully aware yet.
"Lilac." Mason spat the word he had heard from Paro at Hislen's.
"Arrested, awaiting trial from the council." Dante answered calmly.
"Sebastian?' Mason asked warily.
"Don't worry, he's long dead. You got him." Dante winked.
"Erza? Maryanna? Synnova? Paro?" Mason asked the whereabouts of a long stain of people.
"Erza is with the wounded, Maryanna is somewhere here..." Dante paused, scanning the guild for her. Mason looked at his boots, an awkward thought rising in his head.
"So... you and her...?" Mason muttered.
"Oh!" Dante inspected the roof and toyed with his cuff links. "Um... yeah. I hope you're not mad."
"Mad?" Mason frowned, but did not meet Dante's eyes. "Why would I be mad?"
"Well... she's your friend too, and you weren't here..." The two teenagers continued to avoid each other's gaze, looking like two toddlers told to apologize.
"I'm happy for you." Mason smiled slowly. "I could see the way you looked at her, she really liked you too."
"WHAT!" Dante snapped, whirling on Mason. "You knew she liked me?!" Mason had to hide a smirk, Maryanna had told him nothing but he couldn't pass up this opportunity.
"Oh yeah." Mason pretended to be inspecting his chest's gauze wrapping, which wrapped around his shoulder and his stomach. 'Totally in love, told me since the day I met her." Dante shuffled over to where Mason's head was pointing, desperate to grab his attention.
"You never thought, it never even occurred to you that I might VALUE THAT INFORMATION!?"
"I thought you knew." Mason dodged Dante's gaze and turned away from him, forcing the blue-haired boy to chase a chance at Mason's gaze. "It was quite obvious."
Dante stopped in his tracks, his desperation gone and replaced with revenge. "Kind of like that time Mirajane told everyone how cute you were?"
"WHAT!?" Mason whirled around and his jaw fell six feet and hit the floor, his eyes stuck out.
"Mirajane would never tell anyone a lie like that." Laxus piped in from his table beside them. "She's only into me, everyone knows that."
"Actually..." Dante replied, "Everyone knows you're just obsessed with the Strauss sisters..."
"Shut up, mage." Laxus spat.
"Don't tell him to shut up!" Mason stepped forward, confidence still leftover form the fight spurring his actions.
What's your problem, kid?" Laxus spat, leaning back in his chair.
"I have a name..." Mason growled, clenching his fists. He bowed his head slowly, not even wanting to meet Laxus's eyes.
"Aww! That's cute! You think I care!" Laxus answered in a mocking tone.
"You know Laxus, you think you're so strong-"Mason said.
"I know I'm strong. I'm the guilds Ace, one hundred percent." Laxus cut him off with an impish grin.
"Then..." Mason continued, ignoring the interruption. "Would it really... be so hard... to fight... FOR YOUR GUILD!?" Mason's head snapped up and he screamed the last few words, catching everyone's attention. His baled fists automatically rose, expecting a move from Laxus.
"If I remember right, you ran away when you heard Ragnarok was hightailing it here." Laxus sneered at Mason.
"I didn't run away!"Mason defended instantly, much to Laxus's satisfaction. "I came back as soon as I heard and hauled your sorry ass here! I didn't see you stepping in to save your flag, Laxus!"
Spotting where it was going, Dante took Mason's side and stepped in to help his friend. "Ask anyone here, Mason is the bravest mage in Fairy Tail. He took on Sebastian and killed him himself!"
"Mason..."Mason whirled around, seeing Mirajane behind him. She shook her head slowly. Her hands were tucked together into her chest, as if begging. "Leave him be, don't pick a fight."
I can't Mirajane... Mason thought. I need to prove to people I love Fairy Tail. I need to redeem myself.
"Fiery." Laxus commented with a snicker. "If you didn't have such an attitude, you might not be that bad. Too bad you're a weakling."
"I'm not weak Laxus!" Mason promised. "I actually FIGHT for my guild; I love my guild and everyone in it! That means I'm stronger than you'll ever be!"
Laxus's leg snapped out, knocking Mason's out from under him. Without warning, his fist erupted in lightning and he uppercut Mason, sending him flying upwards. Without even hanging his cloak, Laxus jumped up in the air to meet the falling Mason. He spun, this time lightning-kicking Mason towards the guild wall.
As he let Laxus hit him, not defending himself from his attacks, he gasped as his wound flared with pain.
He shot through the air, making an involuntary beeline for the wooden wall fo the guild.
"MASON!" Mirajane cried, watching the trajectory of Mason with horror
The wooden wall shattered around the boy, falling around him in a small pile of rubble.
"Weak!" Laxus spat, floating to the ground and landing a little bit more graceful than Mason.
"Laxus, how could you!" Mirajane screamed at the blonde man. "Mason is injured! He's your guildmate!"
"He was a mouthy weakling who needed to be taught his place." Laxus corrected, settling down in his chair. "And when you're done with your little boy toy, get me a beer."
"You're sick!" Mirajane spar, her face contorted in a grimace. "Is that all you care about? To think that I almost..." Mirajane sniffled, hastily wiping away the first stage of tears before scurring over to Mason's rubbage pile.
Laxus's eyes widened in realization, but even he knew it was too late. In his ignorance, he had thrown away his only chance with Mirajane. He looked around frantically, but sighed when he met Lisanna's stern glare. She shook her head at him in disappointment before turning away and ending the eye contact.
A fist thrust upwards suddenly through the wood pile. Mirajane sighed in relief and finished her trek. She wrapped her slim hands around it and attempted to pull it up, but it slapped her grip off. The protruding right hand pressed against a broken wall piece for leverage and pushed down, slowly rising Mason's body out of the rubble. His arched back was the first to shake loose it's dust, and was soon followed by the other arm.
"Are you okay?' Mirajane asked, checking his body for new injuries.
"I'm fine..." Mason grunted, definelty not being fine. He slapped off her fawning fingers and struggled his legs out of the rubble. Once his full body was in the open, he took a step towards Laxus, a noticeable limp now accompanying it.
"You want round two?" Laxus grinned widely. "You're weak AND stupid!"
"Mason, please." Mirajane's hand latched onto his wrist. To her surprise, her pleading tone made him stop in his tracks. "Leave Laxus alone. He isn't worth your time, I don't see why-"
"I need to redeem myself." Mason answered finally, tugging his wrist away.
In response, Mirajane wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly. He tried to trudge forward, but she held him back with all her strength
"You're being stubborn, just forget about it." She begged, pressing her forehead against his back.
"I need to-"Mason said, but Mira didn't need to hear the full sentence to know what he was going to say.
"No you don't!" She cried, hugging him tighter. Her breast pushed uncomfortably into his back, but she ignored it this time. "You did nothing wrong! You came back and you saved us! You brought Paro and Gildarts and... him. We have all forgiven you Mason..."
"But I left in the first place..." Mason breathed, looking down slowly out of shame
Mason turned his body sideways, so that Mira was leaning into the side of his ribcage. His eyes mapped her fine features carefully, and he heard a soft noise. Like a large sniff, but more-
It was a sob. She was crying.
I MADE MIRAJANE CRY! OH MY GOSH WHAT AM I GONNA DO!?
"Mira, why are you crying?" Mason asked softly, lifting her head of his chest.
"B-because I missed you..." She mumbled, sniffing several times before continuing. "I don't want to see you like this. We forgave you Mason; you don't need to redeem yourself. Please, stop worrying about Laxus. You're twice the man he is." An idea hit her, and she looked at Mason in the eyes.
"Do it this once, for me." She said with a small smile that may have turned out sly.
"That's who I want to redeem myself with..." Mason mumbled, looking down in embarrassment.
Mirajane gasped softly, and she had to resist the urge to giggle.
Mason was jealous? That's what all this was about? Laxus saved her so Mason wanted her to look at him again? He proudly took every attack from Laxus and he would have taken a hundred more, just in hopes she would see him in a better light?
"Mason..." She said playfully, smiling her usual smile. "C'mere." She held out her arms and gestured him forward. When he took a step, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her head to rest on the taller boys shoulders. To any onlooker, it looked like a thoughtful hug, but they couldn't hear Mira's words.
"Laxus is a cocky, conceited jerk who sees women as objects. Don't even compare yourself to him; you're thirty times the man he is. You're wasting your time with him, and don't' worry about jealousy because... because..." Mirajane faltered, surprising even herself. "Because I already like you alot more than Laxus..."