We arrived back at the Guild in no time after almost another day of wandering Clover Canyon. I was so happy just to get some food in me. After Erza had left and the boys had fallen asleep, I got ready to go home. As I approached the guild entrance, a hand curled around my sleeve, and I turned to see Lucy. "I thought you'd already gone home." I commented.
"Yeah...I was waiting to talk to you but, you were distracted." Lucy admitted.
"Is everything ok?"
"Yeah. I was just wondering...if you wanted to stay at my place tonight. I know your house is really far away, and it's late and-"
"I'll come with you." I interrupted. Lucy grinned. She grabbed my arm and practicaly pulled me towards her house. My lips twitched up into a small smirk at her eagerness. When we got to her place, she paused.
"Uhh….I didn't think this through." She admitted.
"It's all good." I assured her. "I'll take the floor."
"No! You can't do that!" She protested. "I...uh...you could share the bed with me?"
"Are you sure?" I confirmed. Lucy nodded. "Alright then." That night ended with me laying in Lucy's bed alongside her. She was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. I, unfortunately, didn't have any sleep clothes, so I was reduced to my underclothes. The bedspread was stained with her scent, vanilla and something tangy. Lucy was facing away from me, so I could only see her back. "Goodnight Lucy." I breathed as my eyelids fell.
TIMESKIP
My eyes scrunched together as the sunlight filtered through the window. I heard the bath running so I assumed Lucy was getting ready. I got out of bed and stretched, heading into the kitchen. Still in my bra and underpants, I grabbed myself a cup of water and returned to the lounge room...where Gray had appeared and was lounging around in his boxers. "Get out." I ordered. He yelped, falling off the chair.
"What are you doing here Yami?" Gray demanded.
"None of your business." I pointed to the door. "Out!"
"Alright, alright." Gray muttered, standing and walking out. I sighed, continuing to drink the water I had.
"AAAHH!" A voice screamed. I turned and saw Lucy, dressed and ready for the day and sitting at her table. "Why are you naked!" She demanded. I glanced down at my bare form.
"Oh, I guess I should change, huh?" I set my glass down and starting to change back int my clothes. "Sorry about that."
"No no no! It's ok!"
"You ready for today?" I asked, buttoning up my shirt.
"Today? Whats today?" Lucy asked.
"It's Erza and Natsu's rematch, remember?"
TIMESKIP
I followed lucy as she shoved her way into the middle of the fight. "No way!" Lucy gasped. "They're really going through with it?"
"Erza never backs down from a challenge." I told her, my eyes not leaving the duo in the middle of the circle.
"Oh, hey Lucy, hey Yami." Mira greeted.
"Well, if those two value their manhood, then they'd better go through with it." Elfman stated.
"Erza's not a man."
"But you've got to admit, she's manly." Macao commented.
"Aren't you worried this fight could tear our strongest team apart?" Lucy wondered.
"What are you talking about, our strongest team?" Gray asked her.
"You, Natsu, Yami and Erza, you dummy! You're the four strongest Wizards in the Guild!"
"We are? Yeah, right, what idiot fed you that line?" Mira's smile held on for a second...before she broke down in tears. "Oh, you're not an idiot Mira." I balled my fist and conked Gray in the back of the head.
"Smooth move Gray." Lucy muttered.
"I'll hand it to Natsu and Gray, they're tough little dudes." Elfman stated, "But neither of them are even close to being the strongest. There are guys in Fairy Tail who are stronger than both of them combined. Like this guy!" Elfman pointed at himself.
"But calling Erza one of the strongest women in the Guild is a pretty safe bet." Levy added. "But Yui is definitely the strongest. She's a-"
"Shhh!" I hissed at her.
"She's a what?" Lucy questioned.
"Nothing!"
"As far as the guys, it's a tough call, but I'd put my money on Laxus or Mystogan." Jet continued.
"All I meant was the four of them work well together, and they have the best team chemistry in all of Fairy Tail." Mira sobbed.
"Ok, and this is coming from the same person who sent me on a mission to keep Natsu and Gray from killing each other when Erza or Yami wasn't around?" Lucy wondered.
"Gotta say, I'm pretty psyched to see how this fight turns out." Elfman admitted.
"Oh yeah? I'm sure she'll end up moping the floor with him." Gray told him.
"If that's not the case then I'm three-thousand Jewel in the hole." I said. I then frowned. "And I need that money for groceries. I bet that something would happen and Erza would beat Natsu after the battle."
"That's really specific." Lucy told me.
"Yeah, but knowing our guild, it's probably gonna happen."
"It's been quite a while since we've squared off like this." Erza commented. "Hasn't it Natsu?"
"I was just a little kid back then." Natsu stated. "Today's gonna be different. 'Cause I'm taking you down Erza."
"Well, I'm not going to go easy on you. In fact, I have the perfect armour for this occasion." Erza then Requiped into her Flame Eperess armour. The armour itself was mainly red and black, with a bit of orange mixed in as well. She wore claw-like shoes, gauntlets on her hands and black bands that held her hair into two high-ponytails. On the back of her armour was two dragon-wing like extensions.
"That's Flame Empress Armour." Macao realised. "Good choice against Fire Magic."
"Now Natsu's flames will only be half as effective." Laki added.
"Come on Erza, at least give the kid a fighting chance." Wakaba complained.
"Why are you guys picking sides?" Lucy whined, "I don't want either of them to lose."
"Get into the spirit Lucy." Gray told her.
"Wow, Flame Emperess Armour, huh?" Natsu mused. "Good news for me. That means I can turn up the heat as high as I want to." Natsu emphasized his point by lighting a fist on fire.
"Round One, start!" Master Makarov declared. Natsu and Erza then started to fight, trading blows back and forth and even burning the toes of a couple of members.
"Woah…" Lucy breathed.
"See, it's a good fight, huh?" Elfman commented.
"This fight sucks." Gray grumbled. There was then a large gong sound, and Erza and Natsu froze in place. Everyone turned to see a frog-like person step into the circle. She wore Magic Council robes, so she was here in official business.
"This fight is over!" She declared. "May I have your attention, please. I have come here on behalf of the Magic Council."
"No way!" Levy gasped.
"Seriously?" Jet added.
"Why would the Council send her here?" Droy continued.
"Am I the only one who noticed she's a frog?" Lucy asked.
"As a result of the Eisenwald incident, a member of your Guild has been charged with eleven counts of property damage." The Messanger Frog stated, reading from a scroll she had pulled out of her bag. "Yami Asaka, you are under arrest!"
"Huh?" Natsu exclaimed, "You're putting her under a-what?"
TIMESKIP
I was handcuffed by some of the Magical Council guards and was being escorted towards the chamber by a frog-like subordinate. We paused at the sight of Councilmember Siegrain. "Councilman." I greeted evenly. The frog next to me knelt in reverence.
"It's been quite a while, Yami." Siegrain commented. "Please relax."
"I find myself unable to due to my current predicament."
"I'm only here in spirit." Siegrain informed, his form flickering. "I'm sending this projection from Era. In fact, all the wrinkled faces in that courtroom are projections as well. We didn't think it necessary to be here for such a trivial matter."
"I see. So does that mean that you're the one behind this accusation?" I clarified. "I find that to be quite a despicable act."
"Now, let's be civil. I've always been a staunch defender of Fairy Tail. But the elders are worried the blame for Clover's destruction will fall into their laps. And the only way to avoid that is to place the blame on someone else entirely. You're their scapegoat." Siegrain then approached me. He pinched my chin and lent close to my ear. "And you better remind Erza not to let a word slip about you-know-what. For both our sakes." Siegrain then turned and walked away. "I must join my colleagues on the Council. I'll see you shortly on the other side."
"Oh wow, you know some very important people." The frog-person beside me croaked.
"He's not all that important." I commented, walking forward. "From what I've been told his an Evil man." I was soon brought into the council's chambers. I stood in front of the council, gazing up at them. The gavel rapped against the wood as the session was called to order.
"This courtroom will now come to order!" A frog-person ordered. "Before us is the defendant, Yami Asaka. Please take the stand Miss Asaka." I took a step forward.
"Yami Asaka, you stand before the Council to answer to charges stemming from the incident involving the Dark Guild Eisenwald." The judge declared. "These charges include extensive damage to Oshibana station, the collapse of the Reeyusika Gorge Railway Bridge and the complete destruction of the Clover Meeting Hall. There are eleven property damage charges against you. According to eyewitness reports, the perpetrator is described as a darkly dressed, blonde female wizard." There was an explosion behind me, and everyone turned to it. "What is the meaning of this?!" I turned to see Natsu...dressed in a black skirt, a black jacket, white shirt and a crude blonde wig on his head.
"I'm the crazy lady in dark clothes you old-timers have been looking for!" Natsu shouted. "If you've got a problem with the way me and my Guild do things you can bite me! I am the all-powerful Yami! You thought I was destructive before, well you ain't seen nothing yet!" I sighed, watching Natsu cause all this destruction and knowing I would be blamed for this too. "Do you really think the stuff I destroyed is more important than the Guild Masters' lives? Well?"
"Take them away…"
"I apologise for his behaviour, your honour." I said, bowing towards the Council.
"What are you doing Yami? Don't apologise to these council jerks! Oops, I mean - I AM ERZA!"
TIMESKIP
I glared at Natsu from across the cell. My hands had been unbound, and Natsu was sitting with a black eye. "There are one million, thirteen thousand, one hundred and fifty words in the entire English dialect and there is not a single combination of them that describes my urge to pummel you further." I stated. "That trial was just for show!"
"Seriously?" Natsu asked.
"It was all a ploy. All the Council was doing was using me as an example to show everyone that if you break the law you'd be punished. These kinds of things are what they do to keep the Wizards in check."
"Wait a minute, so this is all for show?"
"I just said that! Besides, all they would have done is found me guilty and let me go with a slap on the wrist and no formal punishment. But now because of your stupidity, we're stuck in jail together! I honestly can't believe you sometimes Natsu." I huffed, turning away from him.
"I'm sorry."
"I know that, but you meant well." I looked over at Natsu. "It's the Dragon in you, Brood protects Brood."
TIMESKIP
The next day, we were finally released. In the comfort of the Guild again, I stretched out on a table next to Erza. Natsu was running around the guild with fire spewing out of his mouth ecstatic that he had won. "Who would have thought fresh air could smell so sweet!" He cheered. "I'm gonna breathe it in all day! It's the sweet smell of freedom!" Gray, Lucy and Elfman were at my table as well. I sat close to Lucy, my Dragon calming at her presence.
"Shut up." Jet groaned.
"I'll never take it for grants again!"
"I can't believe that stupid arrest and trial were all just for show." Lucy moaned. "All that worrying for nothing."
"So you weren't a sacrificial lamb, but a scapegoat." Gray realised. I nodded.
"You must be one heck of an Ice Wizard 'cause even your jokes leave me cold." Elfman muttered. "Hey Natsu! You gonna finish going Man-to-Man with Erza?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Natsu said. "So, what do you say? Wanna pick up where we left off?"
"I'm not in the mood right now." Erza told him. Natsu ignored her, lighting his fist.
"I'm not letting you off the hook that easy!"
"I swear…" Erza sighed and stood, sinking her fist into Natsu's stomach. The boy froze, and then promptly collapsed on the floor.
"How's that? Are you satisfied?"
"And he's out!" Happy cheered.
"Way to go champ!" Gray laughed.
"Guess we know who the real man is." Elfman added.
"Wait, who won the betting pool then?" A random member asked. There were many protests until the tub of Jewl was set in front of me. I smirked.
"The winner is Yui!" Cana declared. "She was the most accurate guess." There were groans across the guild, and I cheered happily. But then, I started to feel tired. I yawned, putting my hand over my mouth. Lucy slumped into me. I kept her upright, holding her close as the Guild Doors opened. Mystogan walked in, and headed straight to the Request Board.
"Mystogan." Master Makarov greeted. The hooded man took a paper off the board and showed it to him.
"I shall return." Mystogan stated.
"No, wait, lift your sleeping spell before you leave." Mystogan turned and saw me.
"Yami." Mystogan then went to leave. "Five...four...three...two...one…" Everyone snapped awake.
"Oh man…" Jet groaned. "Was Mystogan here?"
"What a joke." Droy agreed.
"Does he have to put us to sleep?" Levy questioned. I gently shook Lucy to full conciosouness.
"You good?" I asked softly, helping her sit up.
"Yeah, I'm good. Who is this Mystogan guy?" Lucy wondered.
"For one, he's a contender for Fairy Tail's strongest Wizard." Elfman told her.
"Really?"
"Yeah." Gray agreed. "And for some reason, he doesn't want anyone to see what he looks like. So, whenever he comes here to take a job he casts a sleeping spell."
"That's kinda creepy." Lucy commented.
"Master Makarov and Yami are the only ones who's ever seen what Mystogan actually looks like."
"I've only seen him with his mask on." I informed. "I've never seen his face proper, and i don't want too. It's his choice wether or not I see him."
"That's not true, I've seen him before." A voice from the second floor spoke up, causing everyone to tilt their heads upwards. Laxus Dreyer, Master Makarov's grandson and a fellow S-Class Wizard.
"Laxus?" Elfman questioned.
"Talk about rare." Macao added.
"You're never here." Wakaba said.
"And here's another contender." Gray droned.
"Mystogan's just a little shy." Laxus explained snootily, "You should all respect his privacy."
"Alright Laxus! You ane me! Right now!" Natsu declared, jumping up from his spot on the floor. Huh, I guess he woke up.
"Getting your but kicked once today wasn't enough?" Gray asked.
"Yeah pal. If you can't even win against the redhead, why bother with me?"
"What are you trying to say?" Ezra demanded, a glare that could cut stone directed up at the blond man.
"No need to get all worked up Erza." Gray warned.
"I'm saying that I'm the Guild's strongest Wizard." Laxus said.
"Then come down here and prove it." Natsu said.
"You come up to me, little man." My palm made contact with my forehead as Natsu went to run up the stairs to reach the second floor. Master Makarov then slammed a large fist down on him,
"You're not allowed on the Second Floor, Natsu." Master Makarov stated. "At least not yet."
"I think you made him grumpy." Laxus taunted.
"Shut up!" Natsu ground.
"That's enough out of you Laxus." Master Makarov ordered.
"The most powerful one in the Guild isn't a chick or some hooded weirdo." Laxus stated, rising to his full height. "You wanna know what the strongest Wizard looks like? You're looking right at him!" Laxus pointed to himself with his thumb. I glared up at him. Such a misogynistic prick. One day I'm gonna put him in his place. I'm gonna prove to him that he's not even worthy to be near me.