"He's lucky I didn't kill him on the spot," Freed bitterly remarked. "I would have done it, too, if it weren't for knowing he inevitably has useful information."
"Sure," Caitlin said dryly, taking a sip of her wine. "To be honest, though, I'm still shocked he didn't try to pull any stunts when meeting with Master Makarov."
"The Salamander apparently tried something," Evergreen snickered. "I'm as surprised as anyone to be saying it, but I do appreciate his nerve in this particular instance. Certainly put the son of a bitch in his place, if anything."
"Sounds to me like you've finally come to like him too," Bickslow chortled, ignoring the dark look she sent. "And here I was, thinking that you only liked his wife and that she was the only reason you tolerate him."
Evergreen rolled her eyes. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."
"Well, either way, at least we have him detained," Freed crossed his arms, glancing out the window at the sunset. "But, God, last night was awful. Laxus is still reeling from it, and I know he's terrified for Hisui and their kids."
"As anyone would be," Evergreen sighed. "I can't believe that Master Makarov was able to get Ivan to do anything. It's a miracle nothing happened. It's a good thing, but it was still a serious gamble."
"True," Caitlin agreed, nervously looking to her sister. "Hopefully Ivan will be useful either way. After everything that he's done, the least he can do is to stop anything else from happening. We've all suffered enough."
Freed nodded. "Precisely," He said shortly. "And, as for my sister, I hope she'll be alright. She and Laxus have suffered more than enough this year and I know it's taken a terrible toll on them both."
"We'll make sure it's fine," Bickslow resolutely declared. "And, hey, then things will be able to get better and that creep can fuck off."
Caitlin laughed a little. "Calling Ivan a creep might be a bit of an understatement."
"I have plenty of better ones," Bickslow replied with a grin. "I just haven't had any reason to use them yet and I'm not going to waste them for no reason. Come on, we're dealing with one of the worst people we've ever met here."
Evergreen raised an eyebrow. "You just want an excuse to use insults during a fight," She said, reaching for another glass of wine. "I'm not drunk enough for this, am I?"
"Probably not," Freed glanced to Bickslow and then shook his head. "How Lisanna puts up with you sometimes is well beyond my ability to comprehend, and Mira's as well. Still...at least you are always able to bring some levity, for better or worse."
Bickslow chuckled. "You're reminding me of the wedding vows of one of our teammates in particular."
Freed and Evergreen immediately looked to Caitlin, who rather quickly finished her second glass of wine and then started on a third, looking absolutely mortified.
"What are you looking at me for?" She exclaimed, anxiously pushing up her glasses. "You all spent most of what happened after my wedding annoying Laxus with reminders about how quickly Toma was preparing his and Hisui's!"
"In fairness to us, that was pretty funny," Evergreen grinned and affectionately wrapped an arm around her sister and mussed her hair. "But so was hearing you and Sieg's vows. At least, once we heard the words 'in sickness, health, and cahoots'."
Caitlin turned pink. "That was very much intentional. Sieg and I agreed that even if we had to turn our backs on the law that we'd stick together, and -"
"The fact that you and your husband even briefly considered running a crime syndicate amuses me," Bickslow put in, laughing rather hard. "Since you both are currently members of the Magic Council."
"True, true," Freed smirked. "I'm afraid this is not something you will ever live down, Caity."
She scowled. "Don't tempt me into ruining your hair," She said, summoning a small air storm in the palm of her hand. "Believe me, I'm more than willing to….make it a bit of a mess if it'll make you stop."
"Well, at least we know we're still the same," Evergreen grinned at all of them. "And, soon enough, it looks like shit will get better too. I, for one, can't wait"
"Ivan is dead?"
Irene stared at the three masked women before her, all of whom nodded grimly after varying moments of hesitation. Zeref, several feet away, narrowed his eyes in unbelieving shock. Yet, as he listened, even though Irene's informants claimed to have no body, he found himself slowly starting to to believe what they had to say. They had found a note left in Ivan's quarters that claimed to have disposed of his body, mocking all of them for their "lax security" and declaring that nothing would bring forth any evidence to prove who had killed him. Irene, much to Zeref's surprise, did not show much of any emotion, apparently too stunned to make anything of what had happened. Briefly, he considered the possibility that she had killed Ivan herself in rage over any number of matters but, still, he couldn't quite fathom what she would gain from doing such.
"Well, then," Irene said, addressing her three informants. "It seems we will need to adjust a few things. Return to your duties. I have….a couple of matters to discuss with Lord Zeref."
The three women nodded in succession and then quickly left. Almost silently, Irene began to pace around the table before eventually stopping by Zeref, her fingers tapping near his hands. Vaguely unsettled, he merely stared into the large mirror across from him until, finally, she spoke.
"This throws quite a wrinkle into our plans," Irene said, her voice unusually hushed. "If we cannot address the Ishgar Magic Council in this singular set of attacks...then, perhaps….it is best that we convene upon Era after we both finish our….work and deal with the situation from there."
Zeref frowned. "That was not our original agreement."
"Clearly, the circumstances have changed."
He narrowed his eyes at her through the mirror, very much aware that, in the well lit room, she could see his disdain. If she were bothered by it, however, she made no sign of it.
"You must understand that taking down the Ishgar Magic Council was your idea, don't you?" She reminded him, a small smile creeping onto her lips. "If we cannot have Ivan address it, then I suppose we must do it ourselves, now isn't that right? We cannot win if we don't play into the game, now can we?"
Zeref finally looked to her, no lack of irritation in his face. "True enough," He agreed. "But I would not say that necessarily justifies us...extending our partnership. You are not going to be of any use to me after Mavis and I are reunited. I have no reason to contract your work or continue to prop you up as I have for years once that matter is addressed, so why would I ever agree to what you are suggesting?"
"Because, inevitably," She purred. "They will track you down and, I'm sure, show you no mercy as they are well aware of your connections to me and any number of other people who have caused them terrible headaches over the years."
Zeref scowled. "That sounds to me a thinly veiled threat."
"It is no threat if it's true," Irene silkily replied. "Are you so sure that our relationship is as….one-sided as you believe? Because, as I see it, our relationship is far more symbiotic than you seem willing to let on."
He raised an eyebrow. "It sounds as if you are...grasping at straws."
"And if I am?" Irene replied, laughing a little. "Who's to say that I won't ultimately be right? Is that a risk you want to take?"
"I will not agree to this right now, Irene," Zeref snapped. "For now, we ought to continue as planned. I will strike against Fairy Tail and take back my lover and you will be able to address the royal family of Fiore. Is that not what you want the most? To finally make clear what crossing you means?"
Irene's gaze darkened. "Yes," She said, a dark edge to her voice. "But that does not mean there aren't other….issues in tandem with my primary objective. You would do well to learn that."
"I have been around just as long as you, Irene," Zeref shook his head with a small smirk. "And I believe both of us are well beyond learning any new tricks at this point in our lives. After all….we have both been here for centuries."
It was quite rare for any person to be detained anywhere near the palace, but these circumstances in and of themselves were unusual. Held alone and under constant supervision, Ivan Dreyar sat in a room, alone, and listening to the unceasing talks of the guards outside of his cell. He heard of their disdain for him, their shock that the royal family was even willing to hear what information he may have, and, perhaps most interestingly to him, their personal disgust towards him. In a way, he was almost amused by it. He was not fazed by where he was, either. He was well aware that him being locked away deep within the palace was, at the very least, meant to be some form of symbolic retribution for what he had done to Fallon but he did not feel it.
He did, however, startle when the talking outside his cell suddenly ceased. He heard nervous footsteps, followed by heavier ones approaching. What ultimately shocked him, though, was the man who entered. He had expected, as it had been the day before, that Arcadios was coming to interrogate him, to attempt to discern what it was he wanted and what it was that had motivated him to agree to Makarov's offer of a parlay in the first place. This time, however, he saw his son, whose eyes narrowed the second their gazes met. Ivan snorted when he realised his son was intentionally in formal wear; he knew full well Laxus meant to remind him of the clear power he wielded over him and the fact he was dressed as he was in nearly all of the recent portraits of the royal family only annoyed Ivan, if sending a bit of fear down his spine as he considered just how much control Laxus now had over the situation.
"I heard what you've had to say for yourself so far to Arcadios," Laxus finally said, a hint of anger to his voice. "Sounds to me that you're trying to avoid getting yourself killed, but if you think for a second that Hisui and I will ever grant you amnesty or any form of immunity, then you're out of your damn mind. I don't care much now about the things you did to me, but I will never forget the things you've done to my wife and to our children."
Ivan scoffed. "As if I expected anything from you. You are still a disappointment, Laxus, as you always have been."
Laxus narrowed his eyes. "I also heard," He said coldly. "About what you had to say with regard to Fal."
"Your eldest brat?" Ivan shook his head. "I'm still shocked she survived what we put her through. We certainly didn't need her for much more than her magic energy. I presume you already know that the goal had always been to take her magic energy and use it against the Lumen Histoire? If not, well, then I'm afraid the Colonel isn't quite thorough enough."
"Arcadios did mention that," Laxus shortly replied. "Fal, however, had mentioned it months ago after she was rescued. Speaking of which -"
"I'm sure the details of it disturbed you and your wife, are unconscionable, and utterly disgusting," Ivan laughed. "There is nothing you can say to me that will make me regret what I've done, boy. It gave me status, it preserved my life, and it gave me the opportunity to have control, something I very much did not have for quite awhile. The only reason I have given myself up to you is because I would have been sent on a suicide mission otherwise."
"And that would be?" Laxus pressed, an edge to his voice.
"To attack the Magic Council in Era and kill them all, all of them in one strike," Ivan rolled his eyes. "This, of course, was supposed to happen concurrently with a few other….movements. I suppose by now you have deduced Irene's plan?"
"That she seeks to kill all of us?" Laxus disdainfully replied. "You could say that. It has become rather obvious over the years, especially considering that she cursed two of my children when they were no more than a week old."
Ivan smirked. "She may very well be willing to leave you and Hisui alive," He said. "But your children? They certainly won't survive what she has planned….and you and Hisui won't be able to bear that, now will you?"
Laxus flinched despite himself, fear in his eyes betraying his true feelings. "And you're going to tell us everything you know about those plans," He hissed. "Because you're in no position to bargain your way out of this...and because I will stop at nothing to keep them safe."
Ivan's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't doubt that, boy...the question is how far are you willing to go for them because, the last time I checked, the only way to put an end to this is to kill her and that is something you and Hisui will not be able to escape, no matter how you frame what you're doing."
