A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to Chapter 35 of The Hellfire Dragon Slayer. Man, I can't believe this story is already 35 chapters long, it's amazing how far one can push themselves when they really want. Well, I say 35 because that's what's been posted, but I'm actually working on Chapter 40. This story has become something wonderful to me, since I'm trying out new things and a lot of stuff that I couldn't do with Advent of the Stars. It's so much more simpler to write this story, and I can get behind all of the characters and bring them all out the way I want. Writing is truly a wonderful thing isn't it?
Well, in this chapter we get to see the second half of Silver Skies. You all got to see a little of Brandon last chapter, but that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to him...hehe...ice pun.
But anyway, you'll all be able to see him go all out in the upcoming Tenrou Arc. I'm actually getting closer to it, since I'm almost finished with Edolas. God what a travesty that fucking arc has been. It's been pissing me off since day one and I just want to get it out of the way. I'm pacing myself, reading and rereading the manga, watching the anime when I can and most of all trying not to waste my goddamn cellular data. It's been tough.
I hope you all like this chapter, also I recommend giving the song in this chapter a listen. It's called Silver Sky by Nano. It's such a great song, and actually is part of another favorite anime of mine, Arpeggio of Blue Steel. I recommend watching that anime as well, it's freaking wonderful. All of the colors and the CGI and Computer Animation is great, if you are put off by 3D rendered anime, I recommend this, just to give it a shot. If you like Naval Warfare then it's also the anime for you, I actually wrote a story for that series, so check it out if you like, it isn't perfect but it's something.
Also, please excuse any grammatical errors, I've been meaning to go back and fix those, but since I have no internet, I can't just go back and correct them as I please. I usually take care of it before I post it, but I'm only human. I'll eventually get to them.
Also, wish me luck. New Hampshire is about to get butt fucked by 16-20 inches of snow tomorrow, and I'm going to be stuck for awhile. It's gonna be fucking fun, not really.
Also, as a final final note, please check out the song Karate by BABYMETAL. Holy shit it's fucking awesome, I love those girls to death for their amazing music, keep it up!
Enough, the rambles cease now. Read on Young Paddawan, may the Force be with you!
From Kitten to Fairy
Chapter 35
Silver Sky II
Having arrived in the capital city of Crocus. The four Fairy Tail mages made their way toward Crocus stadium, the site of the next concert for the famous Idol Yuna. Aiden had to get into that building, he wanted nothing more than to return that song to her. He knew there was something wrong, and when something was wrong, he wouldn't stop until he corrected it.
He saw it in her eyes, the sadness. The mask she had been putting on, it wasn't the same Yuna who sung with all her heart. This was a girl who was being forced into something and he didn't like it, so he had no choice but to set her free. To some it may seem odd, that he would be concerned over someone he didn't know, but he was a Fairy Tail mage, helping people was in the job description, and if he didn't do his job, then he couldn't call himself a proud member of the Number 1 Guild in Fiore. They stood not far from the stadium, looking at the bright lights.
"Okay, so how exactly are you going to get on stage?" Phoebe asked, as they arrived at the stadium. Since they didn't have tickets and the show was sold out, it was going to be much harder to get in. Crocus Coliseum was huge, the biggest building in the entirety of the capital city, save for the clock tower in Malva town. There were people outside, hundreds of spectators and the tightest security regimen he had seen. It was made up of Rune Knights and Royal Guard, meaning the Princess was attending this event. It made everything much harder than it needed to be.
"We take the back door?" Wendy suggested. Aiden glanced at her, a smirk on his face.
"Well, that is an option. But honestly you have the cutest butt and I don't want one of those soldiers to drive a spear into it." he admitted. She blushed brightly, slapping his arm.
"I'm being serious. There has to be someway." she said.
"Aiden, do you know transformation magic?" Happy asked.
"Not really...I didn't bother learning it." he replied.
"I do, I may not be as well versed as Mirajane, but I can hold a transformation for long periods of time. What's the plan kitten?" she asked, earning a smile from Happy.
"Transform into a guard and escort him inside. Tell him the Princess asked to see him personally." he said.
"Hot damn, that's a pretty solid plan. Nice one Happy, I bet your the one who thinks for Natsu right?" Aiden asked.
"Aye!" the exceed replied happily. They walked behind a building, a brilliant glow burst from Phoebe's body as she transformed into a Royal Guard. She held her hand to her forehead.
"How do I look?" she asked in a gruff voice.
"Don't talk." Aiden said simply.
"Well, I wish you luck Aiden, we'll be waiting outside." Wendy said, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, before being lead toward the back entrance of the stadium. As they approached the two guards crossed their spears.
"Halt, state your business soldier." one man said.
"I am escorting this young man to see the princess. She asked for him personally." Phoebe said, giving them a stern look. Aiden gave them a sheepish smile.
"Wait here while we confirm this with Captain Arcadios." the second man said, taking off inside.
"Shit, what now?" Aiden asked, glancing at Phoebe.
"I dunno, man...it was a great idea to learn telepathy magic. Echooo!"
"Be serious!" Aiden shouted. Phoebe cleared her throat, reaching for her spear.
"I'm sorry about this, but I hate my job and need a new one." she said, slamming her spear into the man's head. He fell to the ground instantly. Phoebe transformed back, looking at the unconscious man.
"Wow, I would have thought these guys had stronger armor than that." she said.
"We should let the princess know about that." he said, stepping into the stadium. They looked around, finding a clear path into the building. Aiden quickly ducked into an empty room as the guard from before walked past them. Once gone, they broke into a sprint, heading deeper into the arena.
"Shit, it won't be long until the alarm is triggered." he said.
"Which means we need to find the stage ASAP before we get found!" she said. They ducked into a side hallway, going further into the bowels of the arena. They noticed an increase in security in the area, so they must have come near where Yuna was staying. They noticed to men dressed in black standing outside of a room with a red star on it. Yuna's name was written on the plackard. He grinned.
"Maybe she hasn't left yet." he said.
"Aiden check it out, those guys are from the Southern Wolves." she said, pointing to the band on their arms.
"You're right...what the hell is a mercenary guild doing here?" he asked.
"Split up and search the premises, I want those two found now!"
"Uh-oh...we're on borrowed time Aiden."
"I know." he said, flames crackled to light, swirling around his hand. He placed his hands together, a magic seal flashing in front of him.
"Switch Style: Fire Make: Sparrows!" he chanted, throwing the spell forward. A small flock of flaming Sparrows burst from the seal flying straight to the two mercenary mages. They cried in pain from the attack. Phoebe flashed forward using her Light Speed, quickly taking them out. Aiden moved toward the door, throwing it open.
"Empty." he said. He heard the sound of armor and looked back, hearing some soldiers going their way. He grabbed the two mercenaries and dragged them into the room, closing the door right after and locking it for good measure.
"I really wish I would have taken Freed up on those script lessons." he muttered under his breath.
"Aiden, what are we gonna do now? We're trapped in here." Phoebe said. Aiden looked at all of the clothing that had been placed around the room, a smirk on his face.
"Who said anything about being trapped? Find some cardboard and make yourself a press pass. I'll handle the rest." he said.
Princess Hisui had expected a rather smooth show. It was her twelfth birthday, and her parents had promised her concert passes to Yuna's show in Crocus. She of course had the booth directly facing the concert stage, the lights were flashing brightly. The crowd below was waving red and blue colored glow sticks, cheering the young starlet's name. She had wanted peace, but now her guard had been scrambled. Her father glanced over to Arcadios, her most loyal knight and captain of the guard.
"Any luck yet?" he asked quietly. Hisui's mother, Jadelynn had stepped out to grab some refreshments, so he was sure she wasn't even aware of what was happening.
"Nothing yet your majesty. All we know is that one of the infiltrators is a young wizard associated with the Fairy Tail guild." he said.
"Fairy Tail?" Hisui asked, eyes widening. She had heard a lot about them, mostly for being the rowdiest guild in the land. She had read her fair share of complaints and reports about the destruction they caused. Apparently the magic council had two budgets. The general budget to increase the wellfare of the citizens of Fiore, and a budget to pay for the destruction Fairy Tail could cause. She had also heard a lot about the guild and how they treated each other. If she wasn't a princess, she would have definitely joined them.
"It seems it's a young man who recently joined. We're getting confirmation that his previous affliciation was with the Cait Shelter guild." Arcadios said. The Princess gasped, standing from her seat.
"I know that boy, he handled a request for us a few months back. Tell the guard that I'll personally join the search." she said.
"Hisui, you can't risk yourself." Toma said, worrying about his daughter.
"I'll be fine father. I have my sword with me." she said, grabbing the sword she had store underneath her chair. She wasn't a slacker, especially because Arcadios had been personally training her. She doubted any harm would come to her.
"I shall accompany her your majesty. You know how she is when she gets an idea in her head." Arcadios replied. The man sighed, giving him a nod.
"Yes, just like her mother. Alright, be careful sweetheart."
"I will father, thank you." Hisui said, stepping out of the room, followed by Arcadios. It wasn't long before her mother stepped back in, holding various snacks in her hands. She looked around the empty booth, focusing on her husband.
"What did I miss?"
xxx
"Aiden are you sure about this?" Phoebe asked, looking back at her friend.
"I'm sure." he replied. He took a deep breath, stepping out of the bathroom. Phoebe's eyes widened in surprise.
Standing before her was her friend, but he was dressed as a girl. He was wearing a blue wig, which was rather lengthy. He had tied it up in twin tails with red ribbons, styling some bangs to cover his right eye. He was wearing a beautiful red and black dress, that reached down to his knees. The dress was styled after the Sweet Lolita style, so it had various bows attached to it, along with peppermint candies and other things. He had chosen it because of it's long sleeves, which were ideal to hide his scars and his guild mark.
He was wearing black thigh high stockings, along with a pair of glossy red stilettos. He had applied make up to his face, enough to cover any blemishes on his skin. Her was wearing black eyeliner and red eye shadow, along with light pink lipstick. He looked at himself in the mirror, fixing his bra, which he had to stuff with a lot of toilet paper to make it believable. He took a deep breath, pressing the lacrima around his neck.
"What do you think?" he asked, voice sounding feminine.
"I think I have a lady boner." Phoebe said.
"Oh shut up. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere if I didn't bring Aiko back. Did you finish those press passes?" he asked. She nodded, holding the two passes up.
"Indeed, we should be okay." she said.
"Right and since they didn't see what you looked like, you can pass off as my partner. Now come on, we gotta get out of here." he said, grabbing a small bag from the chair. He stuffed a notebook and a pen inside and took one of the passes from Phoebe, placing it around his neck. They looked around for a few seconds before leaving the room. They walked through the halls, noticing a lack of people or soldiers. It made reaching the stage all the more easier.
"Halt!"
Aiden and Phoebe stopped in their tracks. There was a firmness in that voice that scared the two of them. They heard heavy footsteps behind and they automatically turned around. Aiden's eyes widened a bit when he saw the Princess in front of him, along with a large knight. He swallowed hard, noticing the swords they were carrying.
"State your business here." the man said. Aiden reached a shaky hand to his press pass, holding it up to the man.
"We're here for Raving Rock Magazine. We heard this was Yuna's final tour and wanted an interview." he said. Even though he was shaking, his voice was smooth and firm. The man narrowed his eyes.
"Alright, you're free to go...before you go, have you seen a young man around here? He has spiky blue hair and bears the mark of Fairy Tail."
"Nope, haven't seen him." Phoebe replied. Aiden shook his head.
"It's been really quiet. In fact wasn't the concert supposed to start a few minutes ago?" he asked.
"Well someone attacked one of the guards and we've been searching for him, so we had to delay the show. I don't think he's around, we've looked all over the place." Hisui said.
"Hmm...well if we do find him we'll let you know. It was an honor meeting you Princess Hisui." he said, giving her a wink. Her eyes widened a bit as the two turned around. As soon as they disappeared, Arcadios turned to her.
"That was them wasn't it?" he asked.
"Oh yeah, that was them alright."
"Are we going to do something about it?"
"Nope. Let's get back to our seats, and get that knight an ice pack." she said, spinning on her heel. Arcadios sighed, sometimes his Princess was too lenient with people.
"Oh my god, I almost pissed myself." Aiden said.
"I think I did." Phoebe replied.
The two mages continued walking through the stadium, keeping their eyes peeled for the Idol. They saw a sign pointing them to the stage and grinned, quickly running in that direction.
"I'm surprised you can run with heels."
"Practice makes perfect. I had to wear crap like this for six months remember? Christ if the guys back at the guild saw this they wouldn't let it go." he said, already imagining the roast session Natsu, Gray and Elfman would give him. The worse thing was that he looked too good as a woman, so it would make it so much easier for them in the long run. He prayed to whatever god was out there that they never found this out. They suddenly came to a stop, seeing several men flashing around them. Phoebe and Aiden stood back to back, glaring at all of the ninja.
"Southern Wolves." the human exceed said, earning a nod from Aiden.
"You will go no further." one man said. Aiden smirked.
"Oh, are you going to beat up a pretty girl? That a bad man you are." he said. The man ran forward, holding a kunai at the ready. Aiden shifted his weight, throwing a flaming punch at him.
"Hellfire Dragon's Iron Fist!" he shouted. The man howled in pain, flying back several feet.
"She's a wizard, fan out!" another man said. Aiden smirked, his hands bursting into flames.
"This is going to be fun." he said.
"No way...her flames are blue, but there's only one person who has blue flames!"
"Oh, are you talking about my brother? Yeah he has blue flames too. The bastard left me behind, what a total meanie right?" he asked, throwing another punch. Another ninja was flung to the wall. They all ran at him, slicing and throwing rapid hits at him. He did his best to dodge them all, expelling a wave of flames from his body. They all stepped back, dropping their knives due to the heat they had absorbed.
"Phoebe, go for it!" he cried.
"Solar Flare!" the orange haired girl cried, unleashing a stream of glowing orange light. One man ran at Aiden, aiming for the back of his head. He grabbed his arm and jabbed it backward into his gut, causing him to stop in his tracks. He delivered an uppercut to the man, knocking him to the ground. He dug his heel into the man's junk, grinding it as hard as he could.
"It's not nice to hit girls." he said, giving the man a grin.
"Um Aiko, the Rune Knights are coming at us!" she cried. Aiden threw several men to the sides. Where the hell were all of these ninja even coming from? He took Phoebe's hand and ran forward, punching a man that was in his way.
"We need to get to the stage!" he exclaimed.
"What is going on out there?" Dennis cried, the building had been rumbling for a bit. First it was the knights running around searching for someone, and now it was the minor quakes. He grit his teeth, looking at the stage manager.
"Start the show, we're losing time." he said.
"But we haven't gotten the go ahead yet." she said.
"I don't give two shits, start the show!" he said forcefully. The woman sighed, radioing in to everyone else. She gave Yuna a nod, the girl looking back at the hallway.
"Well, you're up. Remember what we discussed." Dennis said, reminding the girl. The stage manager had already left, but hidden in the shadows were more members of the Southern Wolves. She sighed, grabbing her microphone. She would have to give her best, even if she didn't feel up for it. She stepped up onto the pad which would slowly rise into the stage, she could already hear the crowd chanting her name.
She took a deep breath, already knowing which song would be first. The pad slowly started rising, and she closed her eyes, praying that this show went by fast. The door suddenly burst open, a stream of blue flames shooting from the hallway. A young woman ran in, wearing her dress of all things.
"Yuna wait! I have your song!" she cried out. Her eyes widened, realization hitting her like a freight train. She tried to jump back down, but the pad had risen to far. Dennis looked at the young girl, snapping his clipboard in half.
"So, you're the one responsible for her attitude this last week?" he asked.
"Shut up! You must be the bastard who's forcing her to sing that drabble you call music. You haven't even heard her voice!" he shouted, punching the man across the face. The members of the Southern Wolves flashed around him, effectively surrounding him. Rune Knights stood behind him, so he couldn't go back. The only way was forward. He grinned.
"This is gonna be so much fun!" he said, flames bursting from his body. He slammed his hands together, pulling them back.
"Switch Style: Fire Make: Hell hound!" he cried, throwing the spell forward. The magic seal burst as the large hellfire wolf burst from it. It snarled loudly racing at a few of the ninja. With a snap of his fingers the dog exploded, sending them flying in all directions.
Loud explosions rung underneath the stage, and the heat had definitely increased a lot. Yuna just stood there in the dark, looking back down. The lights suddenly came on and the crowd broke into an explosive cheer, effectively drowning the fighting happening below. She just stood there as the pyrotechnics too over, shooting large plumes of flames high into the air, along with glittering white fireworks. She took a deep breath, plastering a smile on her face.
"Hello Crocus, how is everyone doing tonight?!" she cried out, earning a loud cheer from the crowd. She smiled, glancing back at the band. She gave them a nod.
"Okay, you're all excited. And so am I, so let's start with the first song of the night! Walking through the Rain!" she cried out, earning a loud cry from everyone. She walked toward the center stage, the music already starting, she waved to the princess, blowing a kiss in her direction. She took a breath about to sing the first set of lyrics for the song when a massive plume of blue fire burst from the middle of the stage. The band stopped playing, just as a man slammed into the ground, his body singed.
"I fucking said, get the hell away from me!" another voice shouted. Half of the stage burst into flames, several more ninja flying in all directions. Jumping from the fire was the girl from before. She looked winded, scratches all over her face, half of her dress was ripped, showing off most of her body, her heels were gone and her hair was disheveled, but the most striking feature was the mark of Fairy Tail on her shoulder. Several more ninjas flashed around her. Yuna grit her teeth, clenching her microphone.
"What's the meaning of this!" she asked.
"These idiots keep attacking me. I just want to give you this song back!" the girl cried, holding her hand out, the folded parchment on it. Yuna's eyes widened a bit and she reached for it, taking the paper from her hand. One of the ninjas suddenly grabbed her, making her let go of the microphone.
"Let me go!" she cried.
"No can do sweetheart, we were hired to keep you in check. Hand over that paper." the man said. The girl elbowed the man, allowing the other girl to punch him off the stage. She grit her teeth in anger.
"These are members of the Southern Wolves, a guild hired by Yuna's manager to keep her in check. Haven't you noticed her singing has been different? That's because she's being forced into singing songs she doesn't like, show her you care! Help set her free!" she cried out, the crowd had questioning looks on their faces, most likely thinking this was all part of the show.
"Aiden, that manager guy called reinforcements." Phoebe cried, floating out of the hole. Her body glowed brightly as she requipped out of her outfit, choosing to go back to her normal look, that of the Hellfire Dragon Slayer, Aiden Flame, something that shocked everyone in the crowd. The ninja all raced at him, knives at the ready. He smirked, doing a quick hand sign, he placed his hands on the ground.
"Fire Make Launching Pads!" he cried. Magic seals appeared under their feet, launching them through the air. He ran forward, punching another man across the face, driving his knee into another one.
"Solar Pulse!" Phoebe cried, swinging her arm forward, thick blades of sunlight flew from her arms, slamming into the ninjas. Most of them recovered, racing back at Aiden who was busy taking care of a few of them. One slammed his leg into his side, eliciting a cry of pain from him, he dropped to the ground, clutching his side in pain.
"Aiden no!" Phoebe cried.
"Leave him alone you bastards!" Yuna cried out. Phoebe glanced back at the Idol, who's body seemed to be glowing a vibrant gold color. Her hair seemed to be moving on it's own. She could sense just how much magical power this girl had.
"Secure the girl, someone cancel this performance and refund the tickets!" Dennis shouted. He was trying to salvage the last of his dignity. Aiden got up to his knee, glaring at the manager.
"I'm not letting you take her." he said firmly. He stood up, racing at the man, only to be slammed into the ground by another ninja.
"You can't do anything boy! That girl is my property, she signed a contract so her life belongs to me." he said.
"My life belongs to me Dennis, I'm sick of your shit. I want to sing my own music, not the crap you have someone write for me. Requip: Sweet Lolita!"
The golden magic around her seemed to explode as her outfit was replaced with a new one. Aiden watched entranced as she donned a Sweet Lolita outfit, similar to the one he had been wearing, except this one was more designed for battles. The long sleeves were covered in a glittering golden armor, with peppermints drawn on them. She was wearing a light blue chest plate which molded over her chest, leaving a bit of her cleavage visible. The skirt of the dress also seemed to be made of a thick but manageable metal allow. Her hair had also been tied up into a single ponytail with a bright pink ribbon, she was wearing a tiara on her head which looked like it was made from candy. She flicked her hand outward, materializing a Scythe. She spun it around her hand, resting it on her shoulder.
"You know how to use magic?" Dennis cried in surprise. Yuna walked forward, the man growing scared as she rose her scythe into the air.
"I've been practicing in secret for three years, buying all of the armors I could, expanding my knowledge and grasp of spacial magic. Training how to use various weapons, all to develop me own style of Requip: The Idol. I've grown sick of your games, call these men off or so help me I will destroy all of them right here." she said.
"Fine...you win this round." he said, snapping his fingers, all of the ninjas disappeared, just as the Rune Knights burst through. Aiden jumped back, but the men grabbed a hold of him, placing a pair of magic seal stone cuffs on him.
"You are under arrest for attacking a member of the royal guard. You damn Fairy Tail mages never learn your lesson do you?" he asked.
"Hey fuck you asshole." Aiden spat angrily. He noticed one of them had grabbed Phoebe as well, placing a pair of cuffs around her wrists.
"Let him go. He was my hired helper, my manager hired the mercenary guild Southern Wolves to extort me into doing his bidding. When I found out, I hired this Fairy Tail mage to help me out. I apologize if he caused you any trouble." Yuna said, giving the soldiers a polite bow.
"Are you sure Miss Yuna?" one of them said.
"Indeed, I assure you he was just doing what he was hired to do." she said. The man nodded, telling his friends to let the teenager go.
"You got lucky this time Blue Flare, but next time you won't be so lucky." the man said. Aiden massaged his wrists, glaring at the knights as they left. Yuna sighed, allowing her armor to disappear from her body, returning to her normal idol get up. She grabbed the microphone and turned to the crowd.
"I would like to apologize to everyone for what just happened. For a long time I was unhappy with how everything in my career was turning out. But now I can safely say that a new chapter is about to begin for me. I hate to do this, but this will be my final concert, after this I am going to pursue my dream of being a wizard. I want to help people who need help, and I want to share my other talents with the world. Being an Idol was a dream of mine, but for so long it made me unhappy. I turned to magic during those times and it changed my life. But don't be sad, I can still make this the best concert all of you have been to. And now, I'll finally be able to sing something I've been keeping secret for years."
"Well, I'm just gonna go then." Aiden said, giving the girl a wave.
"Wait Aiden, I want you to stay here on stage with me. I want this song to be special, mostly because you finally made me realize what I truly wanted. So this one is dedicated to you, your partner Phoebe and all of the mages of Fairy Tail." she said, unfolding the paper. She scanned the melody written on it, looking back at him.
"Did you write this?" she asked.
"Um...actually no, my girlfriend wrote that. She said she couldn't stop herself and wrote it with some help." he said. She smiled, handing the sheet music to one of her stage hands. The band looked it over, giving the girl a nod.
"Well, I think I'm going to sing it. She wrote the melody for it, so this one is also dedicated to her. You are a lucky guy Aiden." she said, giving him a wink. He blushed a bit, looking at the ground. He really didn't need this, especially in front of a crowd of ten thousand.
He started hearing the soft intro to the song, a blend of piano and violin. He still couldn't believe Wendy had wrote that. Even now that he was hearing the intro to it, he couldn't help but just loose himself in the melody. Yuna closed her eyes as well, finally happy to be singing the song she had wanted to be heard for so long.
"So long, light of dawn, darkness take me in
Soundlessly, holding on
In the depths, silent world, long ago
All that will remain, broken heart
Farewell, memories of betters days
Locked Within hopes that we will remember,
Someday we may wake to find sunrise
Silver Sky Falls upon, you and I
Another Hope fades away into night
Distant Melodies, a sweet lullaby
Will lead me to your
Firefly, grows upon you and I
Another hope fades away
Into the lonely night
When morning comes, my gentle voice
Will lead you, to the light~"
Memories of his family started drifting into his mind. He didn't know why, but they had just poured in as if a dam had burst. He remembered his mother's smiling face, how happy his father had been the last time he saw him. His sister Kurumi always playing with him and showing him how to use magic. Even his brother, when he wasn't the deranged man he was now.
But then he remembered the night it all came to an end. How hot it was, the death, the screaming. The pain, the fire..everything. But the thing he remembered the most was the silver sky. The beautiful stars had been tainted that night by the smoking blaze. He couldn't see the stars that night, the only thing he was silver. He remembered running through the forest and seeing nothing but silver. Hell, he was convinced everything was silver. Until he finally burst through the woods into that path, and saw the sky again. The stars seemed to bright that night...he remembered the shooting star, and what his sister had told him. He tried not to cry, but it had already been too late.
"Close your eyes as the stars grow dim
She whispers now, an everlasting vow
Have faith in your heart when hope
Is forgotten, follow the twilight
Silver Sky, Falls upon
You and I
Another hope fades away, into night
Distant Melodies, a sweet lullaby
Will lead me to you
Firefly, grows upon you and I
Another hope fades away into night
When morning comes, my gentle voice will lead you
To the light~"
The song started winding down, as the last few notes were played. Aiden opened his eyes, only to see Yuna had also been crying. She was shaking, most likely from nervousness. He smiled, wiping his tears away. He looked up at the sky, seeing a shooting star whiz by.
"A shooting star...alright then...this time, I promise I will get better. I need to, not just for myself but for my friends. No more revenge, no more crying. Kurumi is gone, and I can't bring her back. I have to let her go. I promise to let you go Kurumi...even if it hurts. But not without a proper burial first."
The crowd broke into applause, pulling him out of his own thoughts.
"W-well, that was a song I called Silver Sky. I hope you all liked it, I couldn't have sung it without Aiden, he was the one who brought it back, and it was Wendy who wrote the melody for me. Now, how about we get things started and start singing some of the classics. Here's Starbright coming right at ya." she said, giving the crowd a wink.
xxx
With the concert finally over, Yuna, Aiden and Phoebe retreated to the green room. The teenager dropped onto the couch. Half way through one of the band members had gotten sick, so he had to take up back up guitar for the band. It had been an awesome experience, and thankfully he had been able to play everything. But man was it tiring. Yuna sat down in front of her vanity mirror, loosening her collar a bit.
"I've called for your girlfriend to be brought here. I have to thank her for everything." She said, taking off her hair ribbons. She unzipped her boots, taking them off right after. She was happy to finally be free of them.
"Thanks, and honestly I'm sorry about ruining the beginning of your show." he said.
"I'm not...because of you, Dennis is being investigated for extortion and Southern Wolves is also going to get some flak, maybe even a dissolution order. I'm finally free, and it's thanks to Fairy Tail." she said.
"Eh, it was nothing. I'm sure anyone else would have done the same thing." Phoebe said, earning an eye roll from her partner.
"Yes, but did you seriously have to dress like a girl?" Yuna asked, looking at the blushing teenager.
"It was the only option I had. I was being chased by Royal Guards and I needed to get out of here fast." he said.
"Well, whatever the case...I have to thank you. I owe the two of you so much already, I don't even know how to repay you." she said.
"I know, you could join our team! We could always you strong mages." Phoebe said.
"Phoebe, you can't just ask her that. Yuna is a pop star, she has things to do and that doesn't include running around with guild mages." Aiden scolded, crossing his arms. The girl giggled, giving the orange haired girl a bright smile.
"Okay, if you want me to join your team I will. Besides, I want to get stronger. I'm sick of people taking advantage of me. Right now I can only use Requip for five minutes before tiring out. I have a lot of space and plenty of armors, but not enough stamina for me to work with them. Joining your team might give me strength and knowledge on magic." she said.
"Are...you serious?" Aiden asked.
"I am...so please, accept me into your team." she said, bowing her head. Aiden almost wanted to scream.
"No way, the famous Idol Yuna wants to be a part of our team? This can't be happening." he said.
"He's having a fangasm, he'll pretty much accept. Of course you'll need the approval of our second in command." Phoebe said, earning a nod from the girl.
"Oh, that reminds me. If you do join our guild, there's someone who can help you with Requip. You said you came up with your own style right?" Aiden said, glancing at the girl.
"I call it the Idol. I had specific armors centered around my musical abilities. Sweet Lolita is more of a combat outfit. I also have my Pon Pon armor, which will increase the power of my voice and give it elemental properties. My Baby Metal armor will allow me to turn music into an attack, my weapon for that one is a guitar, which I can use for both melee combat and elemental combat. Oh and I have one called Geisha, I can't really do anything in that outfit, other than enhance people with my voice." she said, pressing her fingers together.
"Hey, that's not bad. You could use some work of course, to raise your stamina, but I'm sure Erza would gladly help you. Maybe she's bad from that mission." he said, pondering the thought.
"Well...I'm just glad. Thank you Aiden...for setting me free." she said. He looked at her, giving her a bright grin.
"Anytime, Songbird!" he said, giving her a wink.
xxx
"Man, can you believe this?" Aiden asked, entering the guild hall. It had only been a day since returning from Crocus and he hadn't checked into the guild yet. He had been busy settling into the mansion with the rest of the girls. Yuna had gathered up all of her things and moved in with them, but had been busy with press conferences all day. She hadn't even officially joined the guild yet due to being so busy.
On top of everything that happened, the original reason for him going to Hargeon, I.E. searching for Yukino had completely slipped his mind, and now he didn't know where she was. On top of everything he was still thinking about what happened between him and Brandon. He had promised himself he would grow stronger, but he also wanted answers, answers that he didn't know he truly wanted to have.
"Ah, welcome back Aiden and Phoebe. So good to see you." Mirajane greeted, her usual peppy tone was enough to lift his spirits.
"So, what's with the gaping hole in the side of the wall?" Phoebe asked, pointing a finger to the hole on the other side of the guildhall.
"Oh, one of our powerful mages returned from a Hundred year mission. He tends to forget his own strength so he will often walk through buildings." she said, as if it was a normal occurrence.
"Jesus, who is this guy? The Incredible Hulk?" he asked.
"Something like that, he's called Gildarts and he's Fairy Tail strongest mage, even stronger than the guild master!" she said cheerfully. Aiden's eyes widened.
"I thought Gramps was the strongest one here, you mean to tell me there's someone above him?" he asked.
"That's some next level magic. I would hate to face that monster in battle." Phoebe said, being scared for her life.
"Don't worry about it, he's actually really nice when you get to know him. So, talk to me about that concert, I heard you played back up for Yuna." she said.
"Oh yeah, one of the band members got sick to I stepped in. No big deal."
"No big deal!" someone exclaimed. Aiden glanced over to Team Shadow Gear's table, seeing Jet leaning against one of the posts.
"You just played for a world famous idol and you come back and say it was no big deal?" he asked.
"Because it wasn't. She was finally able to sing what she wanted, the first song was rather emotional for me. But after that it was nothing but the classics. Honestly it was a privilege even being next to her on the same stage." he said.
"I also heard you got grilled by the Magic Council for causing havoc in the capitol. Come on Aiden, we don't need you to turn into Natsu 2.0." Droy added. He rolled his eyes.
"As a matter of fact, I would like to discuss something with you Aiden, regarding your recent trip to Hargeon." Makarov said, catching his attention. He nodded and excused himself, walking over to the other end of the bar where the old man was sitting.
"What's up Master?" he asked.
"I heard what happened to you son...is it true that you ran into a Kin of Purgatory?" he asked. A few gasps rung throughout the guild, all eyes on Aiden. Even Erza seemed taken aback at the mention of that title. Natsu of course was confused while Gray tried to explain it to him.
"I did...my older brother, the Ice Dragon Slayer." he said firmly.
"Ice Dragon Slayer?"
"They exist?"
"I was afraid of that. I had heard Grimoire Heart had gotten another member a few years back, but I wasn't aware it was a Dragon Slayer. Aiden I understand how much this means to you, but I want you to promise me you will not go after Grimoire Heart. That guild is too dangerous for you to take on your own." he said.
"The thought never crossed my mind. I fought him, thinking I could beat him, but my flames weren't enough to melt his ice. He's stronger than me, so much stronger. He didn't care about hurting his family, he didn't care about anyone. All he wanted was too see me suffer...I can't call him family anymore. He'll get his soon enough." he said firmly.
"Oi, did he say anything about a dragon?" Natsu asked curiously. This also seemed to attract the attention of Gajeel who had been munching on some bolts.
"Nah, he was one of those fake Dragon slayer...the ones who have lacrima implants." he said, pointing to his chest.
"Tch...so he's like Laxus then?" Natsu asked.
"And that Oracion Seis guy." Gray added, earning a nod from Aiden.
"I wanted nothing more than to kick his ass so hard that implant shattered in his body. But he's too strong, and he knows Ice Make magic too. He hit me with some weird attack, Rosen Krone...it was all rose blooms and thorns." he said. Gray stood stock still, not saying anything after he had mentioned that attack. Aiden shook his head, glancing at Erza.
"I actually wanted to talk to you Erza, you see there's this girl who wants to join the guild. She specializes in Requip Magic. I was hoping you could take her under your wing, help her get used to fighting with that type of magic." he said.
"I would be honored. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine." she said.
"You'll be compensated too, how's about fifty strawberry cheese cakes? I hear there's a bakery in town that has the best pastries." he said. Her eyes lit up, the thought of all that cake had gotten her rather excited.
"So, who exactly is this person?" Jet asked curiously.
"Must be someone uber powerful if Aiden is bringing them in." Macao added.
"A person stronger than you and that frilly fire magic of yours." Wakaba added.
"Well this frilly fire magic can kick your ass any time any place." the blue haired man countered.
"Maybe he can be my drinking buddy." Cana added.
"You just want someone to pay your tabs you drunk." Gray added.
"Put some pants on bro." Aiden said, causing the ice mage to frantically search for his missing garments.
"I gotta say, I am rather curious about this person myself. Are you going to give us a hint son?" Makarov asked. Aiden shook his head.
"Nope, you'll have to wait and see. As a matter of fact here she comes now." he said, glancing to the doors. Everyone watched with baited breath, waiting to see who it was that would enter the guild. A big buff man, a powerful mage? The Pizza Delivery guy?
"Um...hi everyone...I've come to join the guild. I hope you all take care of me."
In that split second, everyone turned to look at Aiden, who was smirking, holding a mug of root beer to his lips. He held his fist out to Phoebe, who had mimicked his action.
"Take what you can."
"Give nothing back."