*August's POV*
Gajeel and I returned to the guild hall late. We had spent the better part of the day at a restaurant that he insisted was world class, despite evidence of roaches in the men's restroom.
After our initial confrontation, Gajeel didn't mention any sensitive topics. It was clear to me that my attempt to break our relationship had fallen flat, but my outburst had done something else. He was treating me differently than he had before. I was sure of it. I just couldn't put my finger on what exactly had changed.
Before I had a chance to really think everything though, Gajeel had walked with me back to the guild hall before heading toward Fairy Hills without saying goodbye.
I took a deep breath before placing a hand on the cool metal handle of the guild's doors. My little taste of freedom was about to come to an end. But I knew the master was probably waiting inside, ready to lock me in for the night. It wasn't fair to keep him waiting.
I opened the door to reveal a nearly empty hall with dimmed lights. The only person I could see was the master, sitting cross legged on the bar in the exact same spot he had been when Gajeel called me out earlier that day.
I approached the master with my head down, hoping that there wound't be much conversation as I was forced into his office. Without being told I looped around to the far side of the bar, taking myself into the back hall before he had even turned to face me.
"Where are you going in August?"
I froze.
"To your office?"
It had been where I'd slept ever since Violet came back. It only made sense for me to go there now right? Or was he mad that I hadn't talked to him. What could he possibly have to say to me?
"There will be no need for that tonight." he said.
I swallowed. He still hadn't turned to face me, but I couldn't tell if I was more or less comfortable talking to the back of his head. After it became clear that I wasn't going to break the silence he took it upon himself.
"As I understand it, you and Violet had an apartment here in Magnolia before all this happened."
"Uh...yeah?"
"I think it's time that you were allowed to return there."
It had to be a trick.
I walked back around to the other side of the counter, forcing him to look at me. Forcing myself to look at him. He cocked an eyebrow. His expression gave nothing away. I wonder what Violet would have read in him.
"Are you sure that's safe?" was all I could think to say.
Some kind of amusement twinkled behind his eyes. "I would think a young wizard such as you would be able to handle himself."
My mouth opened only to close again.
"Of course there's that lacarma bracelet of yours to deal with."
Suddenly I understood. The bracelet had been programmed to alert the others if I left the guild hall alone. He must have been playing to re-calibrate it to keep an eye on me. I wasn't really free, just not being watched directly.
I reached out my hand, offering the bracelet to the man in front of me. He casually reached forward with both hands and tore it from my wrist without batting an eye.
"Now that's taken care of I think you're all set."
I stared down at him. His smile widened. He knew what he was doing. He was having fun messing with me.
"You don't have any other trackers on me." it wasn't a question. I knew it was true. And yet...why…
"Well I should think not." the master said, "you can go back to your apartment alone." he jumped off the counter and walked toward the door as if that settled things. "I'll see you in the morning."
"But-"
"But what August?"
I sputtered. What was I going to say? Call him an idiot for trusting me? Ask him if he was expecting me to run? Had he somehow known all along that I had been planning to take Violet and ditch them? She was in Hargeon, but I could find her. I knew the address. Just like that the two of us would be free. But it was too easy. Surely it was a trap.
"Aren't you afraid I'll take off?" I asked, "isn't that why you've been keeping me here?"
The master turned to face me, suddenly serious.
"I was keeping you here because I don't intend to have any more battles among guild members." he said.
I blinked. "I hadn't even considered-"
"I wasn't talking about you."
"You-what?"
The master sighed, seemed to realize that I was going to need more explanation. "I know you were doing what you thought was best for Violet. But not everyone does."
"I-"
"I know there wasn't a lot of choice for either one of you. But you understand how this looks. A lot of them trust her more than you."
I thought of the glares that I had received from Natsu. The way the others had talked over me that morning. Grey's chastisement that first night. "Surely you knew that Natsu is stronger than Violet." he'd said, "Why did you let her go?"
"And what about you?" I asked, though I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer. "Which one of us do you trust more?"
He pursued his lips. But his answer wasn't direct. "You should go home in August."
"And if I don't?" I was forcing him to face the consequences of the freedom he had given me. "If I run?"
His master turned away. "Then I won't be the one to tell Violet that you fled."
He turned and walked out of the guild hall, finally ending the conversation and leaving me alone. I lingered there for a long time, as though standing at a crossroads despite still being inside.
After several minutes I took a deep breath and took a step forward, and then another, all of them inevitably leading to my apartment where I would stay until the morning.
*Violet's POV*
This time, I did not dream of the woods. But that did not stop the fire.
All around me where buildings, all in various stages of annihilation. There was fire here, but it was not the same fire that I had dreamed of before. This was the doing of torches, not magic. My attacker was not Natsu tonight.
But that didn't mean I was safe. Through the flames I could see running figures, some fleeing the burning village, others charging into it. But I wasn't supposed to move. Someone had told me to stay put. To stay hidden. Someone important. But now I couldn't remember who. The fire was getting closer to the underbrush in which I had been crouching. But I didn't want to leave. I had been told to stay.
And then a face appeared from the smoke, a skinny face framed by sweeping silver hair. His piercing blue eyes were sweeping the bushes in which I hid. "Keep looking," he was calling, "she has to be here somewhere."
And then the scene dissolved, and I was back in the compound with August, walking toward another sparring match. Before I had even stepped on the mat I had known it would be impossible. I was going to lose, and the dream shifted to the stocks, and an older member of the guild flicking the whip in the air behind me. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain to begin, but it never did.
I looked up to find that I was sitting in Master Makarov's brightly lit office, but he wasn't smiling like I'd hoped. "You betrayed us."
And then he changed, and it was Erza sitting in his chair. "You betrayed us."
And then Lucy. and Grey. Natsu then Happy, over and over again until I looked every member of the guild in the eyes. Finally it was the master again, and he watched me calmly without saying a word.
"I'm sorry." I told him, "I promise I am."
But he didn't even blink.
A moment later the wall erupted behind him, and the same silver haired boy from the first dream appeared, though now I could tell that he was several years older. It was Takashi, and with one swipe of his sword the master's head was cut clean off and fell to the floor, rolling to a stop at my feet. "You did it Vi." he said, "you won."
And then Erza was sitting in the chair, as unbothered as the master had been before her. And then she was dead.
And Grey came. And Takashi killed him and congratulated me.
And Lucy. Then Natsu then Happy.
"You did it! I'm so proud of you."
And I screamed and begged him to stop, but he was smiling. "This is what you want." he told me calmly, as Wendy slumped forward on his blade. "This is your victory, and you will be rewarded."
And I knew that nothing I could do would be enough to make it stop.
