Thunder & Lightning
Chapter 34: Earthworld
If there was a map of the universes there would be a nameless world at the center, the origin world. On one side would be Edolas and Edolia, the universes without magic and on the other Earthland, the ones with magic. Our story takes place in Earthworld, a place very similar to Earthland. It begins not long after Laxus Dreyar was kicked out of the Fairy Tail guild.
The day started out normally enough; Natsu and Gray had gotten into a fight which sparked yet another brawl that encompassed the entire guild. Sadly, the brawl was cut short by the arrival of Team Shadowgear who burst in, wild-eyed.
"Master!" Levy screamed, terror filling her voice.
The result was instantaneous; the fighting immediately stopped as everyone turned to look at the female mage who had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Levy, what's wrong?" Makarov asked worriedly as he hopped down from his customary seat and walked over to her.
"It's the Thunder Legion," Jet answered.
"Something horrible happened to them," Droy finished.
Makarov paled. He knew full well that the Thunder Legion wasn't very well liked by their fellow guild members but they were also the only people that his grandson truly cared about. "What's happened?"
"Come on, Ever, hurry it up, it's almost time to meet Laxus," Bickslow whined.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," the Fairy mage then muttered something uncomplimentary under her breath.
Freed eyed her warily then hastened his pace so Bickslow wouldn't start yelling at him next.
"Hurry," the babies chimed then suddenly let out several loud shrieks.
"We're hurrying!" Evergreen shouted.
"Bickslow?" Freed said uncertainly. The babies didn't generally do anything strange without their master being behind it.
"Something's wrong," the seith mage grabbed his head and let out a pained scream.
"I'd just like to say that I didn't do this," Gajeel declared as he and the other members of the guild stared at the big magnolia tree in the center of town.
"No one's blaming you," Makarov's voice sounded heavy. "But who could have done something like this?"
"I dunno but no one good," Gajeel answered.
The Thunder Legion hung limply from the tree, their severed heads hanging above their bodies. Scratched into the bark were the words; The Three Seals of Zeref Have Been Broken.
Natsu, meanwhile, was sniffing around the base of the tree. "I'm not picking up any other scents besides ours and theirs."
"We're dealing with a professional," Gajeel sounded almost impressed. Suddenly he sniffed the air and let out a groan. "Oh no."
"What the hell happened?" Laxus stood there, his eyes blazing with fury as lightning sparked in the air around him.
"Laxus, what are you doing here?" Makarov was starting to get worried. The last time his grandson had gotten upset about something he had tried to destroy the entire town and this time there was no one to hold him back.
"We were supposed to have dinner last night but when they didn't show I got worried," Laxus explained. "I spent all night looking for them and then I followed their scent here but I didn't get here in time."
"I'm so sorry, Laxus," Makarov said sincerely.
"Yeah, man, me too," Natsu nodded, looking up from where he was squatting.
"Then why the hell are they still up there?" Laxus roared. "Get them down right now before I roast everyone alive!"
"On it!" both Natsu and Gajeel jumped to do his bidding. Normally Gajeel wouldn't take orders from anybody but he distinctly remembered the last time he had fought Laxus and, besides, the guy had a right to be in a bad mood.
"Uh-oh," Peppe sighed.
"Big uh-oh," Pippi agreed.
The five dolls were currently floating in front of the tree where the Thunder Legion's bodies were.
"Souls!" Poppo shouted.
"Papa's soul," Puppu sang.
"Freed and Ever's too," Pappa sounded especially gleeful.
"After them!" Peppe shouted and the dolls gave chase, following the three souls.
The funeral was a very solemn affair. Only a few members of the guild actually attended, mostly due to the fact that they hadn't known the Thunder Legion. Laxus was the only one who shed any tears, loud sobs mixing in with the lightning.
Once the service was over Laxus left again, this time with no intentions of returning. Makarov watched him go with a heavy heart and prayed that he would one day see his grandson again though he highly doubted it. And as he watched the lone figure travel down the road he thought, for just a second, that he saw three other figures accompanying Laxus, but when he blinked there was no one.
"I'm so glad we found them," Pippi was delighted.
"Me too," Poppo agreed.
The five dolls carefully shepherded the three souls that had belonged to their human friends to the cemetery where their bodies were buried.
"Here's the graves," Pappa said happily.
"Let's open 'em up," Puppu sighed.
"Sure thing," Peppe would have saluted had he been able but, instead, he settled for shooting a beam at Bickslow's grave, opening it back up.
Laxus was never sure how long he traveled the world in a daze. Time didn't seem to move while he was out there without anyone to remind him that he had something to do. It was at least a couple of months, he did know that, since Makarov had contacted him to let him know that someone had stolen the Thunder Legion's bodies. He had been thinking about going back, to see if he could find a clue to what had happened when he ran into them.
"Peppe!" Laxus cried delightedly as he grabbed the flying totem out of the air. "I've been looking everywhere for you guys! Where the heck have you been?"
"Hey, let go of my baby!"
At the familiar sounding voice Laxus's grip relaxed and he slowly, disbelievingly turned around.
Bickslow stood there, his arms crossed and his scowl on what could be seen of his face as the remaining four dolls floated around him. Evergreen and Freed stood next to him, all three looking alive and well.
"Bickslow?" Laxus gasped. "How are you here?"
"Do we know you?" Evergreen fanned herself, looking both bored and curious at the same time.
"You do look awfully familiar," Freed admitted.
"I know you!" Bickslow cried triumphantly. "You're the guy that we keep dreaming about! I don't know your name but…" he shrugged.
"So who are you?" Evergreen snapped her fan shut.
"I'm Laxus Dreyar and the three of you were my Thunder Legion," Laxus answered.
"Thunder Legion," Freed mused. "I do like the sound of that."
As he stood there, staring at them, Laxus vowed then and there that he would do whatever was in his power to protect them from now until the end of time. He would not waste this second chance that he had been given.
A/N: Hope you guys liked! Thanks for all the reviews! Please read and review!