Hey guys! Thanks for all the love/ reviews/ follows/ favorites- keep it coming, it feeds the writing soul :)
On a different note, the pacing for the Grand Magic Games is changing slightly here:
Basically, the last chapter was set on the third day of the Grand Magic Games (ie. Laxus's fight with Raven Tail). In the show, Day Four is Natsu and Gajeel vs Sting and Rogue. Day Five is a rest day. Day Six is her rescue and the championship match of GMG.
For this fic, the plot is as follows:
Day Four will be the off day of the Grand Magic Games where the guilds go to Ryuzestu Island, and Laxus goes on his adventure with Abi.
For world of Fairy Tail, the match of Natsu and Gajeel vs Sting and Rogue/ all those events happen on Day Five, Luci gets captured that night, and her rescue/ the championship will still occur on Day Six. My goal is basically for the events of To Catch a Thief to blend with the events of the anime and not disrupt it too much (since what Laxus does on the daily isn't usually covered, whose to say he didn't go on these adventures?)
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 18:
24 hours later. [Night of Day Four]
Laxus was used to days with twists and turns, hell, they'd been the regular here at the games. But Laxus did not expect a day starting with Ryuzetsu Land to end with him sitting down at a table with Lord Darton. A bright light hung above his head, illuminating the tall Dragon Slayer in the dark room. The Dragon Slayer had felt exhaustion before, he had felt drained before, but he had never felt like this. Anger and betrayal swirled inside, but he was so tired and empty he couldn't actually register his feelings. Empty thoughts swirled around in his head as he listlessly stared at the short royal advisor.
"…Listening to me, Fairy Tail?" Darton barked. Laxus raised his eyebrows and said nothing.
"Let me reiterate how much trouble you're in, boy. Trespassing on restricted property beneath the castle, attacking royal guards, and breaking curfew."
"Not breaking curfew." The sarcastic remark came out of the Dragon Slayer's mouth before he could stop himself. The balding man turned beet red and slammed his hands down on the table.
"Guilds have been disqualified for less, Dragon Slayer!"
All he wanted to do right now was sleep. This gnat was keeping him awake. Laxus found himself spiraling into a surly mood, with thoughts and a lack-of-regard for people he hadn't felt in a long time. The blonde man leaned forward.
"Disqualify my guild, half pint. You do that, and I will make sure everyone knows what's in Mercurius's basement. The Magic Counsel would be very interested to know what you're doing with all those Morphos Lacrimas."
A vein popped out in Darton's neck, and the Royal Advisor inhaled slowly. He narrowed his eyes and looked over Laxus for a moment. Then, he leaned back in his high chair, laced his fingers, and cocked his head to the side. The flush from his face faded and a cool expression slipped over his face. "Morphos lacrimas, eh?" Laxus realized he just walked into some type of trap. Fuck. Darton turned his head and said to a person standing in the corner, "Go fetch my files on the Edera incident."
The royal advisor turned back around and focused his beady eyes on Laxus. "So, Dragon Slayer, tell me how you know about Morphos Lacrimas."
—Earlier that Day—
"We better have a good reason for being down here." Laxus couldn't keep the whine out of his voice as he followed Abi through a tunnel, deep underground. Abi turned and looked at him over her shoulder. She flashed him a smile and said, "The best things are worth the wait."
Laxus was immediately taken back to last night's events. He had thought about a lot of things last night, especially their actions at the hot springs. They were so close to… no. Not until you know her alliance. Still, the Dragon Slayer could play ball for a bit. No harm in that.
"Oh, yeah? Enlighten me, Abi." His words were rapt with innuendo, and he flashed Abi a smirk. The thief rolled her eyes, but—if his eyes didn't deceive him— a little color flushed on her cheeks. Point, Laxus.
Yet, Abi still ignored the question.
The Praesidio continued walking along the mining tunnel. The cavern stretched on for ages, and their footsteps echoed down either end. Damp, stale scents engulfed the Dragon Slayer's senses, and he found himself taking shallow breaths in the claustrophobic space. The path was uneven and narrow— he and Abi could barely fit shoulder to shoulder. The only light source came from her lacrima lantern, which flickered as they continued along underground. They had encountered different tunnels, but Abi seemed to know exactly which route at every intersection. However, Laxus could only smell her passing through here once earlier.
They continued to walk along the mining tunnels for the next half hour, or so. Occasionally, they would stumble upon a huge cavern, and the mining tracks would split. They would talk for a bit, but for the most part they walked in silence. Abi knew the route she wanted to take and kept walking confidently through the tunnels. At one cavern, she turned to Laxus and said with a smile and an awful accent, "There be dragons down there." The Dragon Slayer rolled his eyes and kept walking.
However, wherever Abi was leading Laxus, a sinking feeling in his gut continued to grow stronger. The things Jellal told him last night kept nagging the Dragon Slayer, and he wondered if Abi was truly involved with Zeref as the Praesidio reputation suggested. The uneasiness continued to grow the closer they got to their destination.
"How do you know where we're going?" Laxus asked, eyes focused on the dark tunnel ahead.
Abi shrugged and gestured to her backpack. "I stole some confidential blueprints of the castle and colosseum, so I knew the games would leave me to what we're looking for." She glanced over at Laxus, who studied her with an impassive expression, but internally, he felt somewhat impressed by the thief.
"That's why you wanted the old geezer to grant you access to the games."
Abi nodded. Then, she snorted and smiled slightly, "God, you were a pain in my ass."
"You're still a pain in mine." Laxus reminded her and felt a corner of his mouth turn up in a grin. He looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel and noticed a gleam in the rocks. The Dragon Slayer paused and a round, tubular shape extended along the top of the tunnel for as long as the eye could see. Was it a… pipeline? And why was it slightly glowing?
How could he have not noticed it before? Abi noticed Laxus stopped walking with her, and she pivoted just in time to see him reaching up towards the pipe.
"No!" She ran at Laxus and attempted to tackle him to the ground. The Dragon Slayer looked down at her in surprise and lowered his arm. Abi groaned against his torso and muttered something about "…like hitting a brick wall."
Abi straightened and put her hands on her hips. Once again, he and Abi were very close together. He was confused as to why the Praesidio's eyes were flaring and angry.
"Don't touch that! Ever! That pipeline goes straight for the Morphos Lacrimas— it's how they pull magic from the games. Touching it might kill you."
Laxus scowled. "Thanks for the warning ahead of time."
Abi growled in frustration and spun on her heel. Her hair followed and sent a wave of cinnamon and vanilla toward Laxus. She took a few steps back and exhaled, smoothing back her hair. "Come on. We're almost there." The thief turned around and started walking. Laxus glanced back up at the pipeline and wondered if it was pulling his magic energy right now.
"Abi. Enough games. Where are we going? Why am I here? What is going on?"
She stopped and groaned. "Laxus, we're on a time schedule right now."
The Dragon Slayer stared at her with cold grey eyes. The thief shifted in discomfort. "Tell me what the hell we're doing here, or I'm turning around."
The thief glanced at him sharply. "Oh, come on. You want me to tell you outright why I brought you?"
The woman sounded genuinely surprised and annoyed at Laxus, as though honesty was such an inconvenience to her. It probably was. The Dragon Slayer stopped and folded his arms. "Yes, Abi, so give me a straight answer for once."
The thief scowled and continued to walk for a few more steps. "I need… help getting the Morphos Lacrimas." A shaky exhale followed. She turned around, her hair whipping around at the movement. "I don't have enough power to loosen the lacrima from its binding. There, happy?!"
Laxus knit his eyebrows. "You want me to help you steal something?" He put up his hands. "No way."
Abi scowled and folded her arms. "Laxus, do you think I'd bring you down here, so you could get in my way?"
"I came down here because you asked."
Abi huffed and stomped her foot angrily, "Well now you're putting this all on me."
"Don't start arguing to avoid talking about this."
Abi stomped back toward him, "I am not trying to argue with you, you pig-headed asshole!"
Laxus folded his arms and looked down at her as she came to stand in front of him. "Name calling, now?" Abi opened her mouth, then shut it. She turned away from him and crossed her arms. Laxus took a step back to lean against the cavern wall. He could wait for her response.
A silence lapsed between them.
"You know what I am," Abi finally spoke. She glanced at the Dragon Slayer out of the corner of her eye nervously. "But you're one of the few people who hasn't tried to use me. Even your grandfather wanted my blood." Laxus didn't respond, and another silence lapsed between them. She sighed. "So, I'm trying to trust you, I guess. But it's hard. I don't trust people."
Laxus snorted, "Clearly." Abi cast him a dark look and waved her hands. "I'm trying to open up, here!"
The Dragon Slayer brushed some dust off the shoulder of his jacket. "I know all this, Abi. You're stalling."
Abi pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. "Laxus, I'm practicing extreme self control right now." Laxus bit back a remark of "You don't have self control" and instead shrugged and waited for her to get back to the point. The Praesidio frowned and walked over to lean against the wall beside Laxus. She kicked a loose stone and it clattered against the old metal railroad line.
Abi sighed and stared at her feet. "When Praesidios die, there are three basic things that can happen to our bodies. The first, is a standard burial like any normal person. The second, well, you can drain us of all the blood in our body and preserve it for power. It's the most concentrated power-up a wizard can receive. The third…" She sighed. "If a Praesidio is powerful enough, a sacred ritual can be performed immediately after death. It captures the soul and power of a Praesidio and transforms their being into a lacrima— a Morphos Lacrima."
Laxus processed what Abi just told him. "So, that's the reason you've gone after them all this time."
The woman beside him nodded slowly, still holding the light. It flickered on her face and sent shadows across the rocks. "I'm the last Praesidio alive. Six other lineages have been hunted to extinction." Abi turned her head away from Laxus and wrapped her arms around herself. She took a deep breath and continued.
"My mom died protecting me and my father. I was just a child, but I remember my father rescued my mother's corpse and had me preform the ritual on my mother." Abi shuddered slightly. Laxus's mouth drew into a tight line and couldn't find any words. The thief's grim story wasn't over: "Years later, when my father was murdered by a dark guild, I left everything and ran. I left my mother's morphos lacrima behind for them to use."
Abi took a deep, shaky breath and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I could always feel a connection to the lacrima. But I wasn't brave enough to search for it until last year."
Laxus paused a moment, filled with a deep sympathy he had never experienced for Abi before. So, this is what she wanted all along. Maybe things Zeref created weren't evil. "And it's here?" He asked her.
Abi nodded, her eyes were closed. "It's here. They have one lacrima from each lineage here."
The Dragon Slayer looked at the woman beside him. She looked tired and stressed. For the first time, he saw her as human. Laxus felt himself soften.
"Alright." He told her. "I'll help you."
Laxus stopped when he could smell people. Abi turned and looked at the Dragon Slayer in confusion. "People up ahead," He told her.
"Ah." The thief didn't seem surprised and resumed walking. Laxus grudgingly followed suit. Abi focused up ahead, "They're top-secret Palace Guards."
Laxus stopped again. Abi noticed his halt and she turned around. "What now? Cold feet?"
"I can't assault palace guards, Abi."
She smiled. "You don't have to." The thief pulled the pack off of her back and swung it around. The blonde woman knelt down and unzipped the bag. She began sifting through its content; Laxus peered over the edge. Inside were a series of grappling hooks, ropes, powders, and… "Guard uniforms— seriously?" The Dragon Slayer couldn't keep the contempt out of his voice. Abi looked up and raised an eyebrow. "What, the mighty Laxus Dreyar hasn't had to disguise himself before?" The thief smirked and pulled out a purple and gold chainmail shirt. He frowned. "Can't say I have."
She pulled the clothes out of the bag and stood up. Abi put her hands on her hips and looked him over. "Lose the shirt. Your pants are fine."
Laxus made a face and shrugged off his coat. He was wearing a black button-down beneath the thick coat; he began to unbutton the shirt. When Dragon Slayer made eye-contact with Abi, he realized she had been eyeing him the entire time. He paused on the second to last button and smiled devilishly. "See something you like?"
Abi's eyes blatantly roamed Laxus's torso for a bit longer, and then she shrugged. "Nope." The thief didn't even turn around as she began to peel the light grey long-sleeve off her torso. Laxus grinned and picked up the armored top.
He sent a few glances toward the thief as she undressed a few feet away from him, but the Dragon Slayer was mostly focused on trying to put this shirt on. Laxus managed to put an arm through the sleeve, but there was no way the shirt was going past his shoulder.
"Might have to change your plans, Abi."
"Huh?" She twisted around and looked at Laxus. A laugh escaped her, and she quickly smothered it. Abi sighed and nodded to his coat. "Guess we can't play dress-up today." She laughed, but it sounded forced.
Thank god, Laxus thought as he pulled off the chainmail. He tossed the guard uniform on the ground and dressed himself. Abi tucked the uniforms back in the bottom of her bag. Laxus folded his arms and waited for her.
The Praesidio stood up and frowned at the Dragon Slayer. She fidgeted slightly with her backpack strap. "Now we're gonna have to do Plan B."
From her tone, Plan B didn't sound good.
Plan B was not good.
Abi explained that the tunnel she found went underneath the basement of Mercurius Castle, where the lacrimas were kept in some big mechanical door. She managed to find a secret entrance into this underground hall, but, unfortunately, there were guards posted there regularly. Abi originally planned to relieve them of their post by posing as guards, but Abi's new plan was simple: distraction.
"Why do you have explosives?" Laxus asked her. Abi smiled evilly at the Dragon Slayer.
"For moments like this."
Abi set off the explosives while Laxus waited underneath the secret entrance. He heard her running and then the walls of the mining tunnels shook. The guards, alarmed at the possible presence of magic users, raced towards the explosion, leaving the lacrimas unprotected. It was clear the guards' purpose was to keep people out: no one thought the anyone could steal anything from the door.
Abi predicted they maybe had three minutes at most to get the lacrima and go.
"I wanted to take all seven of them," she told Laxus crossly, "But now I'm going to have to make sure I get the right one."
Laxus moved the floor tile aside and pulled himself up and into the hall. Abi followed. The hall was massive, with high ceilings and pillars in the shape of hooded sorcerers holding staffs. Light lacrimas glowed above the dark stone staffs, illuminating the intricate, ancient stone work patterns on the ceilings and walls. Laxus was pulled back to memories long ago, when Makarov took him to see Mercurius castle as a child. The palace seemed gargantuan then. Now, almost fifteen years later, in the basement of that same castle, Laxus felt small once again.
The Dragon Slayer turned away from the long hallway and faced what he and Abi came for. About fifteen meters away, a gigantic door towered above them. Massive stone steps lead up to the door, which had both ancient runes and new technology incorporated in it. Thick grey stone made up the structure, but gold and bronze piping lined it. Green and deep purple— the colors of the king— adorned the front. The top of the gilded door curved over, like the face of a clock. Thick pipes connected the door to the floor and walls and disappeared to who knows where. Twelve pipes marked the top half of the door, and gold pipes ran to the center piece. The center piece looked like a cross between a compass rose and a sun, with a giant gold orb in the middle and triangle symmetrically turning out from it. However, as Laxus looked closer at the orb, he realized it was made up of smaller parts: seven different orbs, to be exact.
The seven different lacrimas.
The Dragon Slayer looked at Abi, who also stared at the door. "So, this is where all the power from the magic games is going?"
She nodded and began walking towards the steps. Laxus followed a few paces behind, sniffing the air suspiciously. They climbed the steps up to the door, and the feeling of uneasiness grew into a deep, instinctual feeling. The nearer he was to the door, the more the Dragon Slayer felt they needed to leave. Abi kept sneaking glances at Laxus with an unreadable expression.
Laxus looked around and folded his powerful arms. "Let's just get this over with."
Abi nodded and set her backpack down. "I need to get up there." She pointed at the seven lacrimas overhead. Laxus raised an eyebrow at her. "Want me to transport us up there?" The Praesidio shook her head and looked him over. "Save your strength. I'm gonna climb up there and then you're gonna hit it with your magic."
Save my strength? She knows what I'm capable of. Laxus furrowed his brow but didn't say anything.
The thief walked up to the door and put her hand on it. It hummed with power, and Laxus shifted uneasily. The magic within this hall felt very similar to Abi last night. It felt old and evil. She didn't seem bothered by it. Abi reached for a large gold beam and began her climb up the door.
Laxus watched her nimbly maneuver herself up the doorway and settle on a large gold triangle, meant to replicate a beam of sunlight. The seven gold morphos lacrimas gleamed, even in the dim hall.
Abi ran her palms over the orbs and closed her eyes, scanning for some type of magical sign. The Praesidio opened her eyes and pointed to a lacrima in the center. Laxus watched with an unreadable expression, his jaw clenched tightly.
This didn't feel right. Abi withdrew a small dagger from her thigh tried to pry the gold lacrima out of the socket with the knife's tip. Two minutes down— they didn't have much time left. Abi growled under her breath and looked down at Laxus.
"There's a seal here. I can't break it."
"Use your powers," He called back up to her. Abi scowled and barked back, "I have! You need to try!"
Laxus scowled. "Fine." He did tell her he would help. Just one little blast. He waved his hand toward the morphos lacrima and a bolt of lightning struck it. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, all the morphos lacrimas began to glow and the door hummed to life. The world began to shake. It sent out vibrations that the Dragon Slayer felt through his bones. Laxus grit his teeth and felt the world begin to tremble. Like a punctured sandbag, magic power began pouring out of the Dragon Slayer's body. "What the hell is this?" He snarled and looked down at the magic energy being pulled from him. Laxus tried to hold onto his power. It didn't make a difference- his magic was pried out of his body and flowed toward Abi, perched atop the gate.
Movements were becoming increasingly difficult. Laxus managed to turn his head and look up at her. For some reason, the Praesidio didn't look surprised. She waited patiently, watching all of Laxus's magic energy be ripped from his body.
The Dragon snarled at Abi and tried to form words, but she simply watched him with calculating eyes. The morphos lacrima glowed and sparked with electricity— his electricity. Laxus stumbled back a step and tried to summon an attack, but his power too depleted. Dark spots filled his vision as Laxus fell to his knees.
His body grew extremely heavy and his breathing slowed. Everything felt fuzzy. It would be so easy to pass out… She was just using me the whole time, he realized. Laxus grit his teeth and fell forward onto his hands. Somewhere above him, Abi grunted and pried the Morphos Lacrima out of the gate. She jumped down and landed a few steps before the Dragon Slayer. Laxus could barely lift his head— what was happening to him? He gasped for breath as the world turned inside out.
Abi knelt down and put her hand under his chin. She tiled his head up to look at her. The Praesidio's eyes were liquid gold, and she sighed. Abi opened her mouth and said something, but Laxus couldn't hear her.
His eyesight swam, and his arms gave out from under him. He fell onto the floor. Everything went black.
Dun dun dunnnn. I hope you enjoy!