Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it nor any pop culture or classical references. All original plots and characters are mine.

In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.

PREVIOUSLY, on Fairy Adventure, we learned the woven tale of the Angel and the Devil and man what a story that was! In the beginning, they started out as rivals who couldn't stand each other, but when they needed each other, they were there. In the middle, they were torn apart and brought back together in a new light filled with life and love. And in the end, Gary was left with those feelings and memories all alone. But with Nashi's wings back and her new Divine Soul Armor ready to go, hopefully her memories are back as well!

"Welcome home, Angel."

Welcome back, Nashi! Here's to hoping those wings brought back your memories…and the love you two shared.

Chibi-Nashi appears. "Hi, guys! Ready for more Fairy Adventure! Author-san just wanted to refresh your memory on the time zones since two new time zones will be introduced. Here we go!"

Abbreviations – Time Zone Name • — • — •— • — Location • — Offset

MCDT • — • — Melandian Central Daylight Time – Melandia • — • — UTC +7

CMT • — • — • – Charring Mean Time • — • — • — Minstrel • — • – UTC +1

FST • — • — • – Fiore Standard Time • — • — • — • Fiore • — • — • UTC 0:00

ADT • — • — • – Alvarez Daylight Time • — • — • – Alvarez • — • — UTC - 2

AT • — • — • – Amazone Time • — • — • — • — • — Valchestria • — UTC – 4

EST • — • — • – Eastern Standard Time • — • — • – Meidiland • — • UTC - 6

Chibi-Nashi gives you the OK symbol. "All right! As we see more places and contrasts in time, Author-san will add more time zones to the chart! See you at the end of this episode!"

Teeth gritted. "No."

The cavern that crumbled under the loss of support was succumbing to a new sort of disaster. Ice sprawled into the gaps of the earth and infected the floor and the walls, but this ice was not a normal crystal. A steep gray lived within the ice as it grew in spades amongst the caving altar. Bodies and skeletons that had remained from the fray could not fight off the wintry infection from sinking them under. Kyler, barely conscious, was fortunate the Staff of Miracles had erected a circular borderline and the Fire of Life held this diseased ice from taking Kyler with it, but Luna and Tesla were not so lucky. The diseased ice could not touch Tesla. It stood no chance against Anti-Ether, but that did not mean she could not feel the cold it projected. She shivered and her eyes widened when the diseased ice attempted to grab Luna. Cullen moved quick to grab her, unaffected by the ice and the cold, but Tesla looked around as a shadowed winter wonderland had taken over the cavern. What is going on?

Gary got to his feet as Nashi and him looked around at the hazardous tundra they were subjected to.

"You were supposed to be perfect."

Hand in hand, Gary and Nashi looked at the man who had caused them so much misery and loss. To find Invel look unnerved was disturbing in itself. Eyes to slits, he looked at them with heavy malice and crazed hatred.

"You disgusting failure," Invel sneered towards Gary. "I bred you to be the perfect winter and you continue to disappoint me. Just like your father."

Nashi moved in front of Gary as her helmet flashed onto her head. "It's over, Invel," she thundered. "You have nothing left."

"No, Eveningstar." Invel removed his glove to show her the back of his hand. A shadowy sigil had tattooed his flesh.

A Demon's Sigil.

Invel's lips twitched into a deranged smirk. "I have everything left."

BOOM!

Ice pillars speared through the winter wonderland, poisonous and deadly. The walls, the floor, even the ceiling were not saved as the pillars wildly spiked up everywhere, but the cavern had already been too unstable before and the weight of this diseased ice was taking a toll. It resumed to crumble all around, but the poisonous ice fell everywhere as swirls of ice and snow blustered around and threatened to sap the life over everything within the vicinity. The moment the snow and ice touched Luna's skin, it spread like a Curse and splotched in a dry freeze upon her.

"You were meant to die." Invel ripped off his glasses as the sigil burned into his flesh and his veins blackened. Ice cracked his skin, forbidden and accursed. "I won't let your imperfection ruin Zeref's ambition."

Gary stood strong as his eyes glowed and his own winter flooded around him. "You'll kill yourself doing this," he warned.

"I'll die on Zeref's honor," Invel snarled. "And you'll die by my side, Morningstar." He huffed frost as those dark irises leaked into the whites of his eyes and the ice freckling his flesh left him as the embodiment of Cursed Winter that took the form of man. "You'll die as my last imperfection."

Gary grazed Nashi's shoulder with a hand before he snarled back. Cerulean swirled with icy-blue as white streaks drifted into his hair and ice armored around his body and clawed his hands. He was not afraid to face Invel had on as their winters battled each other for dominance as the eyes of a Warlock challenges the eyes of a Devil with the heart of a man. Their collision exploded in ice and snow, but neither one of them cared as they grappled.

"I was never yours to perfect," Skade and Gary spat.

"I created you into the failure that you are," Invel snapped back. "You had been perfect up until the point where you failed to carry out my last order." His winter stormed around them as the flakes burned off Gary. "You'll die imperfect with the rest of your victims."

"You forced me to kill them!" Skade and Gary roared. "That was you!"

Invel showed his teeth. "I never killed them. I gave you an order, but it was you who tore out their throats. You did that and we both know why." He leaned close as pitch-black collided with icy-blue-cerulean. "You chose to follow my orders because you wanted to."

Those swirling blue eyes froze with rage.

°•°•°•°

Tesla could barely see past the blinding white that dizzied her and made her freeze from the inside out, but she huddled close to Luna and watched in horror as the poor girl was sucked into an icy grasp. "Oh, no," she whispered. "She'll die like this." She shot Cullen a pained look, but even trying to see him was getting harder and harder as the snowy maelstrom pounded down. She shouted over the whistles of winter, "We have to get her out of here! We need to find an exit!"

Tesla tried to glance around, but she flinched back. It's like we're in a hurricane of snow and ice. How are we going to make it out of here? Her spine tingled, but even if she wanted to prepare herself, she could not see anything…

…and then summer hit her skin.

Nashi landed before them as she expanded her Holy Bubble to encompass them all and furled the wings on her back. Her head tipped down and she let out a breath of relief as the ice flaked off Luna. "Is she okay?" She turned her attention to a gaping Tesla. "Are you okay?"

"No, but what's the game plan?" Tesla asked. She looked at the bubble keeping them safe from the winter storming outside. "And when am I allowed to ask questions about your daily life?"

"When we're out of a war-zone." Nashi glanced around them before she looked into the storm. "We just need to get Kyler and we can find somewhere to go."

"What about Gary?" Tesla stopped her.

Nashi's eyes traveled as though she could see him clearly even with the bluster white. "He's been waiting for this for a long time," she told Tesla. "I need to get you guys to a safe place first." She nodded at Cullen. "You have her?"

Cullen nodded and tightened his hold on Luna.

"Thank you. Tesla, stay close to me." Nashi's grip tightened on her staff. "I'm going to need your help once we get to Kyler."

Tesla jerked her head as she closed the gap between them. "Right. I can do that."

"Then, let's move." Nashi pushed them forward with her Holy Bubble the only thing standing between them and a frozen death. But a pinch hit her chest, and she felt secondary wrath. Sighing, she fed a stream of calm over it and whispered, Just remember our promise.

A trickle of winter caressed her. Always.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

You can do anything

Your hands grab even your life

What will you use them for?

You can take my warm hands

If it makes you feel yourself

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Oh, thank the Star King, she's coming to!"

Luna woke with a blurred gaze, but she understood she was in a safe place. Grass tickled her sides and she blinked to erase the blur. She saw the never-ending blue skies that were lit up without a sun to guide the clouds. Golden grass filled the land in its rolling hills that could extend forever and ever. She groaned as she sat up and rubbed her head. "I'm in the…Spirit Realm. But why…?"

Like a freight train, the panic seized her and could have stopped her heart. "Nashi," she wheezed. "I need to wake up! I need to save her—!"

"Young Luna, fear not." Faven was beside her with Meira and Erion and Nayda had joined them, equally concerned. "Your sister is fine."

But Luna shook her head, breathing erratic. "H-H-Her wings—"

"Have returned to their rightful place," Meira promised Luna in a soothing tone. "Peace, Luna. Your sister has reclaimed the missing part of herself and she walks freely."

Hearing the words might not have been enough to kill the fright, but it lessened it significantly. Luna's chest expanded as she forced herself to slow down and breathe. "Okay… Nashi's okay…" With a gulp, she looked around her and at the worried expressions of her ancestors and the sibling God Spirits. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I remember…there was this voice…"

"A Demon." Meira's eyes darkened. "We know. We could feel it try to take your Spirit."

Luna ducked her head in shame. "I'm sorry," she croaked. "I-I didn't mean to…"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Faven promised her as she stroked her descendant's cheek. "You have faced immense adversity and immense stress, Young Luna."

Luna drew her knees up under her chin. "I couldn't help it, I just…" Her voice cracked. "I felt so alone…like I let Nashi down. I couldn't protect her. I was trying so hard and I couldn't…"

"You have done more than anyone should ever need nor want to for protecting others." Faven hugged Luna close and threaded a hand through Luna's hair. "You have been through enough, Young Luna. You have done enough."

"She's right," Meira murmured in soft agreement. "And we're so sorry we couldn't assist you." Anger filled those eyes, and she growled, "How dare that man ever think to touch you like that."

Erion growled as well as lightning sparked around him. 'Say the word, Little Mother, and Nayda and I will hunt him down to the ends of existence.'

'Yes.' Nayda flexed her claws. 'Protect Little Mother. We could not protect Mother. We will protect Little Mother from the evil mortal.'

Luna could finally accept Faven's embrace and nuzzled into her bosom. "Thank you," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't ever apologize for anything of the sort," Faven breathed. "Never apologize for choices being taken away from you." She pulled away to thumb Luna's tears. "And know you have us who still love you, regardless."

Luna suddenly tensed. "You won't tell Mama, right?" she fretted. "Or Granny Anna?"

Meira shook her head, but her eyes saddened. "No, we won't. That alone should be your choice."

"Thank you." Luna sniffed and rubbed her nose. "I don't think I've ever been to this part of the Spirit Realm before." She glanced around, but she had to do a double take when she gaped. "No…" She withdrew from Faven to look at the young man who slept close to her as she touched his face, speared with horror. "Luke…"

Luke was sprawled amongst the golden grass with her and had been cloaked in loose pants. His hair was a mess of pink, however, and it looked like his sleep had taken a deep turn.

"Why is he here? Why isn't he talking?" Luna looked at her ancestors in desperation for answers. "What's going on? Why's he still sleeping?"

"He isn't dead," Meira explained. "In fact, Luke is very much alive. It surprised us all at first when he arrived in the Spirit Realm, but his Spirit still is attached to his body. Like you, Luna, he can shift his Spirit between the Living Realm and the Spirit Realm and maintain a connection to his physical body."

That shocked Luna and confused her in one go. "But… How? I thought you said it was almost impossible for him to do that."

"He's been bonded."

Luna looked at Faven, puzzled, while her ancestor looked at the unconscious Luke in understanding. "He's been what?"

"'Bonded'." Faven heaved a sigh as her fingers brushed wisps of pink strands back from Luke's face. "Luke's Bond to his half opened the bridge from him to cross."

"'Bond'? His 'half'?" Luna echoed. "What does that mean?"

Faven shifted as though uncomfortable. "Certain races are capable of binding themselves to a person of their choosing," she explained. "Your father, for example, bound himself to your mother through Magic and blood. Your sister bound her Choice to her via Naming and through both of their souls. Luke's binding is through Magic and soul."

Luna's brow furrowed. "Okay… So you said his 'half' did this to him? His 'half' like…" Her eyes widened in revelation. "Luke has a partner now?"

"Not…exactly…" Meira grimaced. "A 'half' is more than a partner in our terms. To his half's race, it means they are lifelong pieces to each other. Their power and even emotions will feed off each other in their formed connection. It is…"—she spared Faven a sympathetic look—"an unbreakable vow."

Faven turned away.

But Luna was still lost. "So…someone married my brother and now he can be in the Spirit Realm?"

"She should have stayed away," Faven tersely spoke.

Meira looked at Faven in wariness and pleading. "She didn't have a choice—"

"She will ruin his life with this union." Faven gathered her skirt as she got up and her distress was palpable.

Meira gently reminded her, "He was Named and attached to the General, Faven. Their bond was the only way he would ever be free in his life."

"'Free'?" Faven spat the word. "She has been lurking for her chance—"

"And you have been stewing ever since you knew he had a half," Meira snapped. "You're blinded, Faven. Blinded. He would have been a slave to that Warlock—"

"And she's made him her slave," Faven countered. "I will not let my descendant have no choice in his life. This binding traded one master for the next."

Meira's eyes narrowed. "Lisandrus would be disappointed in you."

That triggered Faven's eyes to widen before she glowered. She stormed away to Nayda who lowered herself so Faven could mount her back. Without another word, Nayda took flight and soared away with a furious Faven.

"What just happened?" Luna asked, bewildered.

Meira huffed and shook her head. "Forgive Faven." But she sighed her anger for a more sympathetic sadness. "Her anger has merit." At Luna's inquiring look, Meira explained, "Lisandrus, while a good Elf with a good heart, was selfish in the end. He…bound them in their last night together." She looked after Nayda and Faven as they faded in the distance. "And because of that binding, while Faven's marriage was amicable…she found herself betrayed by the bond."

"You said…this 'bond'… It's an unbreakable vow," Luna repeated. "It's stronger than marriage and it's something you feel inside like Mama and Papa. Oh…" It hit her all at once and her heart went out to her ancestor. "And when Lisandrus went away…" She closed her mouth in subtle grief. 'Mama Faven… That must have been so hard on you.'

Meira nodded, and her eyes drifted to Luke. "She's known since her passing that Luke's half existed and that fact has always made her unhappy. It's not that she is bitter, or that she doesn't want Luke to be happy. But that sort of unbreakable vow makes it almost incapable to fully give your heart to another. She felt betrayed when she realized what Lisandrus had done to her. And now…"

"Luke can't love anyone else," Luna finished for her. She observed her brother and the peace settled on his face. "Who is his 'half'? Do you know her? It sounded like Mama Faven knows her and she doesn't like her."

"I know very little about Luke's half," Meira confessed. "Faven is privy to that knowledge when she went to Fate for answers. From what I'm to understand, his half is a strong woman, but her views are skewed."

Luna hummed, her mind abuzz with all this new information. She did not know where to start. "But for now, Luke is safe, right? We'll be able to find him?"

"He's safe. I'm sure his half will care for him and bring him home to you," Meira promised. "As to what he'll remember wherever he was taken is something he'll have to tell you. But he's safe and sound and bonded."

Luna drew out a loud exhale. "Will he wake up here?"

"Not here," Meira believed. "He still has to work on being able to control and awaken in the Spirit Realm and that will take time. But more often than not, I'm sure we'll see him sleeping here from time to time." She observed her descendant. "You should sleep as well. You've pushed yourself and your Spirit needs time to recover. The Spirit Realm will hasten your recovery."

"I won't wake up?"

Meira shook her head. "Not until your physical body is ready. You put yourself under a power struggle and your body is currently losing to it," she added when Luna frowned. "I'm sure Nashi will realize that and will heal your physical wounds. But for now, you need to rest." She glanced over at Erion. "Can you watch over them?"

Erion settled down into the grass. 'Yes.'

"Where are you going?" Luna wondered.

"To find Faven." Meira got up and gathered her skirt. "If you don't remember everything from your visit here, Young Luna, remember this. A bond to any person is a permanent testament to your life, death, and devotion to them. Choose wisely who you accept to bond with because only the strongest of bonds will survive." Her eyes drifted into the horizon. "And that is what makes Faven the most upset at herself. Her relationship with her husband could never compare to the accepted bond between her and Lisandrus."

"Because she loved him," Luna reasoned.

Meira hummed. "As I said, only the strongest bonds survive." Her eyes flashed. "I'm certain your brother knows that well." She started walking. "We'll meet again."

Luna could not even murmur a farewell. Her thoughts were jumbled, and these answers came with dozens of more questions. 'My brother?' She looked at Luke in confusion. 'But he…'

It hit her.

'Igneel.' Luna was still left in the dark. 'But why would he know?'

As a warm breeze followed over the three remaining, Luna was left to ponder Meira's last words.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 077

A Moment to Breathe

息を飲め！ 私たちは休息する瞬間をつかむ一方で、世界はフルスロットルを移動し続けています！

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

BOOM!

Winter splattered through fickle icicles, waves of snow, and mists of frost. The cold had intensified to sub-zero levels. No mere human could survive under the duress of pure winter. It was the type of cold that hit you when you left the door, but it burned. It preyed upon and singed any exposed skin and forced itself into your pores to infect you from the inside out, leaving you shivering, huffing frost, and that burning turned into a numbing. A numbing that you could not back from just by going home where the heat was, where the hot water was. It was a numbing that would fester and leave you barren of any coherent thought.

BOOM!

Ice dilapidated everything like a disease and built layer after layer of itself, but that did not matter to Gary and Invel. They lived and breathed winter. It was their lifeblood. It was their soul. It was their mother.

It was their connection.

Chants and spells never needed to be said for those two. They grappled as winter exploded from the impact. Two beings forged of different winters had no time for trying to freeze the other. They had to spill blood by other means.

Gary gave chased with those ceruleans circled in icy-blue as Invel led him around, but Gary refused to give up. Winter could not blind him anymore.

"You would have never gotten to this point if it wasn't for me!" Invel hissed over the howls of winter. "I gave you everything! I made you who you are! And you thank me with failure!" His eyes narrowed. "Disgraceful."

"Shut up!" Gary roared out blustering ice and snow leaked with his born Curse and Black Magic.

Invel brought his arms up to shield his face, but the force of the roar pushed him back. His own Cursed Winter coated his arms, and he slashed through the roar as sharp missiles of ice. Gary shielded himself with a wall of ice, but while it could hold back the missiles, it broke when Invel forced his way through and those poisoned darks clashed with hatred-filled cerulean as Invel grabbed him and they sailed through the storm.

"You turned me into a monster!" Gary snarled. "You tormented me for years with those tests—!"

"And those tests gave you the skills you needed to be the person you are," Invel smirked. He dragged Gary through a wall of ice and snow and his whisper traveled clean and concise. "Your father was a fool to keep you away from who you truly are." He threw Gary away from him.

Gary hit his back on a jut of ice, but he was quick to dodge when Invel's punch chattered the ice.

"I was your family!" Invel roared. "I treated you like a son—!"

"You treated me as your experiment!" Gary threw his hands down as icicles crashed all around Invel, but the Winter Warlock smartened up to crash through the ice. "You made me kill innocent people! You stole Angel's wings from her—!"

"And she will serve her purpose well in Zeref's reality!" Invel clapped his hands together as snow and ice smelled and hit Gary's eyes in an invasion.

Gary lurched back and blinked out the ice and snow, but the remnants of Invel's Curse were still sickening him. He gritted his teeth as he tried to look through the snow, but he only caught tail glimpses as Invel shifted around.

"She will become the Eveningstar—"

Gary whirled around as he roared ice and snow to the left side of him. But his ears pricked as he listened and waited. Winter danced around him and he caught the shifts of wind as Invel moved about, but he had to focus.

"But you followed my last order well." A shark grin. "Don't you remember my last order to you, Morningstar?"

Gary whipped around and sent out an army of icy knifes, but when it all settled, he knew he had not hit his target.

"Do you remember that day when you betrayed me?" Invel's whispered bounced everywhere. "Do you remember the last words I told you?"

Gary stiffened when a whisper hit his ear. "Wherever the Eveningstar was to go…you were to follow her."

LUB-DUB.

Gary locked his jaw as he fought away the panic clawing at him and replaced it with hatred. Keep it together. Another test to see if I'll break.

A chuckle rang around the sea of winter. "Oh, Morningstar, you've done so well," Invel congratulated from somewhere. "You followed your last orders without even thinking it, didn't you?"

"I will never take an order from you again," Gary snarled in solemn vow.

"But you have been following my orders for a long time," Invel bemused in the depths of winter. "My last order to you was to keep the Eveningstar safe. Follow her. Become her shadow and her protector. You were to be the guardian to your grim reaper, and you have done so with a perfect effort."

"SHUT UP!" Gary blasted through the clouds of white and crystal with a hurricane of his own.

A dark laugh proceeded from all sides of Gary. "I've watched you grow like you were my own," Invel told him. "You made a name for yourself. But it made me so proud to see my greatest creation following orders. Keeping the Eveningstar close. Even going so far to become her partner."

The panic was back, and the hatred was sidelined as it made Gary's bottom lip tremble. Orders crept upon him in a lulling whisper. The comfort of being numb, listless, without a single thought to his name—it tried to suck him back. "No," he refused. The hatred fought back. "I never stayed by Angel's side for you! I love her!"

"Do you really? Or do you love her because I ordered you to?"

Gary's body tensed when the mists of winter solidified into a hand that smoothed over his jaw.

"You've done well following my last command to you," Invel praised him as the words echoed and jumped around in real life, in Gary's head. "You protected her. You've defended her. You even think you love her, my Morningstar. You even risked being prison to keep her out of harm's way." The hand reached Gary's throat. "All as asked of you. A perfect effort."

"No," Gary whispered. His heart raced and his body felt frozen. "I never did that for you. Nothing I ever did was for you—"

"And yet you fulfilled every command I gave you without even knowing it. Like it was in your instinct to follow me." Another hand was formed as it captured Gary in a loose embrace. "You risked everything to keep Eveningstar safe. And even now, you fought her like it was intended."

"No, I…" That numb filling… It was filling him again. "No…"

The hands did not even have to try to push Gary to his knees.

"It's all right," Invel soothed. "You're home now. I will make you perfect."

Those hands grabbed Gary's hair and yanked his head up. Those cerulean eyes were unfocused as they stared into an abyss of pure ice, pure winter. The formations of ice and snow, this level of cold, this numb—it mesmerized him. It was True Winter. "No… I…"

"You loved her because of my orders. You fought her because of my orders." Invel's next words were chilling. "And you will become perfect because of my orders. Now look and watch what the Truth of your power is."

"No… Not…again…" But he could not look away as the intricate patterns of winter imprinted in his eyes and cerulean flickered to make way for silver. The beating of his heart thumped and thumped until it relaxed. No… I… Please… This cold… Frost left his mouth as the panic stirring and fear began to calm under the numb. I can't…

DRIP.

A tear feathered down his cheek and slipped off his skin to turn into a snowflake.

DROP.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Angel…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Nashi left out a breath of frost as a piercing chill rattled the connection. Gary.

"Go."

Nashi looked at the barely breathing Kyler. They had gone back to the tunnel from before and Nashi had crafted a permanent ball of light for them. Luna had been laid down but sweat clung to her and it was apparent from her labored breathing that she had fallen ill. Cullen did his best to comfort her as he crafted a shadowy hand fan, but nothing would break her fever. Kyler was in no better shape as he sweated and tried to keep a steady beat for his inhales and exhales. The Forever Container had been recovered and stayed by Luna's side. Tesla had ripped what was left of her cloak to dab across Kyler's forehead.

Nashi shot Kyler a firm look. "You and Luna need help," she said. "Let's get to work."

"Help her…first," Kyler breathed. "I will…be fine…"

Nashi dispersed her wings and went to Luna. She shook her staff over Luna only for her jaw to lock. At least her sickness isn't technically magical, but the stress on her body made her hit her physical limit. Her fever is high. She dismissed her staff in exchange for her teapot and let out a breath as she filled it with Magic. Gary… I can feel him. But the connection is stronger now. She gave the teapot to Cullen to hold as she opened Luna's mouth. "Pour the tea. I'll help her swallow."

Cullen nodded and both of them began their tasks, though he stopped when Nashi lurched. "I'm fine," she gritted. "Pour the tea."

Cullen hesitantly nodded and did so.

As Nashi massaged Luna's throat, she kept back what she felt. It's like…I can feel what he's feeling. The pain, the suffering, that…numbness. But there's more to it. That string between us… Her lips curled. It goes both ways.

A tattoo had stained her back, but it was different than Gary's own. Whereas his was a testament that he was the Devil in its horned-one-eyed shadowy state, the pinkened trinity knot forged on her back with wings showed she was an Angel.

And her tattoo glowed.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Don't worry. I'm here this time.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

LUB-DUB.

Do you remember the days when the sun had more power than the moon?

LUB-DUB.

Those days of innocent plans coming from just a thought and spiraled into a massive adventure. Those days where you went from sitting in your house to sliding across the sand. Those days where you called your friends over for a thrown-together bonfire in someone's backyard where you passed drinks, wild stories, inappropriate jokes, and well-earned laughter.

LUB-DUB.

Those days when the crickets and cicadas made a symphony of music with fireflies as entertainment. Those days of warm grass between your toes. Those days of bicycles and roller skating and long drives. Those days of intense affairs not meant to last. Those days where a party started in someone's garage and all you had was someone's speakers and some alcohol grabbed and dished into a punch bowl. Those days where you would sit on a swing at a deserted playground and have some of the most life-altering talks while the sun set as your background.

Those days when the sun kissed your skin and warmed you from the tips of your toes to the ends of your hair. Do you remember those days?

LUB-DUB.

That was summer.

LUB-DUB.

Pink hair. Peals of laughter. Warm hickories. Snow-white wings.

Summer…

A butterfly on her shoulder. Her gentle hand caressing a doe's jaw. The ringing sadness in those eyes. An outstretched hand.

Summer…

Lips trembled. "I know…the truth."

Stoic reds.

"I know…I'm not perfect. I'm flawed. I'm stained."

Lips curled into a pretty smile.

"But there are people…who don't care I'm imperfect. And they gave me a home. They told me…I wasn't lost."

A guild. Chaotic but warm. Shared smiles and laughs and drinks and stories…and her.

His head came down and pulled away from the Truth of Winter.

"You know what… You did mold me. You did make me."

He pushed himself off the ground and out of reach from those hands fashioned of ice.

"But…you were the one who failed, Invel."

Horns of ice sprouted from his head, curved and coned and beautifully sculpted. Ice spiked down his back as it shaped his speared tail. It crawled up his arms, but it did not do so to suffocate him. The flesh on his skin was ice and reinforced his claws. It clawed at his feet and enhanced him with power. Hair split between a shadowy black and a milky white.

Glowing ceruleans.

"I'm not the Morningstar. I'm not your perfect winter. And this isn't my home." Those battish wings expanded. "I am Gary Fullbuster, Ice Devil of Fairy Tail, and I am proud to be my father's son," Gary snarled in declaration. "You might have controlled me once with your orders"—the wind carried him up—"but I made a promise to Angel. And that promise is the only order I'll ever need."

Dark eyes swirled within the mass of winter. "You're making a mistake, Morningstar."

Gary's hands drew up. "The only mistake I ever made"—an intricate bow forged in his hand, but it was not just ice that held it together; summer and winter had merged as gold encrusted ice—"was thinking for a second"—he pulled back his hand as an arrow of summer and winter merged into a violet energy that radiated the despairs of a Cursed Winter and the rejoice of a Blessed Summer—"that your orders"—a flash of pink went through those glowing blues—"could ever compare to the promise I made that day!"

Invel emerged from the mists of winter. The winter that had exploded around them into an impenetrable fog pressured and converged to forge his body with those mad black eyes. "You think you can kill me? What will that prove, Morningstar?" Invel thundered. "Killing me will never erase the blood on your hands and the fact that I made you who you are! You were made to drown in blood and ice!" With the raise of his hands, he conjured shards of ice at the ready. "Your heart is as black as mine, Morningstar, and nothing you will ever do will change that!"

Bared teeth. "Then, let my heart be black! You would die for Zeref out of honor, but I have ones I'll die for too! Because as long as their lives are on the line"—he pulled back his hand until he hit his limit—"I'll be dark and black like the Devil I am if it means I can protect them from you!" His fingers released.

And the arrow fired.

Invel roared as he surged forth with his icy projectiles. "Then kill me!" A crazed smirk dominated his face. "Give me everything and let the Truth of Winter fully awaken inside you"—he thrust his projectiles forth—"Morningstar!"

Glowing yellows. "That's quite enough, you two."

Both men were held captive when a swath of darkness billowed around them, drowned them in whispers of sin, threatened them with a life full of despair, and stole away their own Curse to blanket them in a stronger Curse that rendered the average man suicidal. It felt like all the happiness in the world had vanished. They were frozen in this realm of shadows and overwhelming misery that carried no life yet it carried no death.

Owled glowing yellows with white pupils gazed down upon them.

Invel whispered, "Aamon."

"Invel. You made a promise to me that you would come when I called," Aamon reminded in that silky voice. "I have come to collect. Your assistance is required and I will need your full attention." Those large eyes shifted to the frozen Gary. "A Devil. An interesting addition to my collection if you weren't Blessed. Your fight with Invel will be postponed. But you are every bit as impressive as Invel made you be. I look forward to seeing more of your strength and what you'll do with it."

Those eyes swung back to Invel. "Come, Warlock. We have much to discuss."

All Gary could describe it as was that feeling you got when you abruptly woke up from sleep, alert, eyes wide, and without a feeling of exhaustion to your name. He was back in reality, but Invel, the winter, the ice, and snow—it was gone. His eyes were wide and back to their normal blue. What…? What was that?

BOOM!

A chunk of the ceiling had crashed down in front of him.

Slowly, his eyes turned upwards.

That was right.

Without the ice and snow to layer the cavern—

BOOM!

—the cavern would collapse.

"Gary!"

He could not register that Tesla was calling for him nor register when her chains lashed out and grabbed him, but he certainly sparkled back to life when one of those chains wrapped around his throat. Eyes wide, he choked, "Wait—!" But the life was (literally) choked out of him when he was dragged through the throng of crashing debris as a mere spectator. As his oxygen dwindled, he resignedly thought, I didn't think…I'd die this way. Angel is going to murder me all over again.

"Gary!"

Tesla could have wept with relief as she yanked Gary through the clouds of dust and dirt. "Oh, thank god—Why are you purple?!" Her eyes were round seeing his face, and she realized her error as she sucked back in her chains and caught him when he toppled over. "Shit, shit, shit, I think I killed him!"

BOOM!

"Well, better me than death by rock." Tesla forced Gary down and into the little burrow to the tunnel. "Come on, come on, come on, fit, goddammit!"

BOOM!

Tesla shoved even harder. "Jesus Christ, if you kill me, I'm going to murder you; get the fuck in the hole!" With one last desperate and aggressive shove, Gary was in and she crawled after him only to jump when debris had fallen and covered the tunnel entrance for good. "Oh, we're alive…" She sunk down as she gave a shaky exhale. "We're alive, we're alive…"

"Hey!"

Tesla's eyes widened when she saw Nashi grab Gary and shake him mercilessly. "Don't you dare go die on me, you stupid dog!" Nashi snarled. "I'll friggen kill you if you do!"

I think you're killing him now! Tesla cried.

Both women froze when Gary began to cough and roused himself. "An…gel…" A bit of drool trickled from his mouth as his cheeks pinked. "Angel…is…"

"What? What are you trying to say?" Nashi fretted.

"Angel is…"—Gary had a dreamy look on his face as his eyes stared intently on the cleavage Nashi's Divine Soul exposed—"so good to me for giving me such a perfect view."

Nashi froze.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Wow…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"You goddamn perverted Devil!"

Tesla sighed with a drooling Gary avoiding Nashi's punches and her hurled insults. "How is it we just came out of life or death and these two still have the energy to wake up and choose chaos? Talk about bipolar." She sagged against the wall. Still… Her mind flashed back to the glimpse of Invel she caught before the world turned to ice and snow. That man… His voice… Something about it is…familiar to me… But he doesn't look familiar at all…

"Tesla."

She blinked over to see Nashi and Gary peering down at her in concern.

"Are you okay?" Nashi asked softly. "Now that we have a moment to breathe, I just wanted to check up on you. I'm sure everything you've encountered up until now has been quite the shock…" A soft smile. "Honestly, I'm grateful to you. You helped set my wings free and you brought me Kyler and Gary. You saved my sister. You did more for them than I could."

"And you saved me," Gary added with gratitude clear in his voice. "You've done things today that I can't even begin to express how thankful I am."

Tesla looked between them then her eyes narrowed. "'Thankful' huh?" Shadows darkened around her eyes. "Then how about I show you how I accept your thanks?"

SMACK!

SMACK!

Gary rubbed his head while Nashi rubbed her rear. "What was that for?" Gary complained. "I was still recovering from the last hit you gave me." His eyes zeroed in on the finger in front of his face.

"That's for saying 'thank you'," Tesla warned. "I told you I hit people when they're acting a fool and you both were acting like fools just then."

Question marks danced around Nashi and Gary and they cocked their heads. "Huh?"

Tesla sighed and crossed her arms. Steel grays softened. "Honestly, there's no need for thanks, you two," she murmured. "Trust me when I say there were times I didn't think I was ready for this. I thought I was in over my head. I thought we would die here. But I didn't risk my black ass just to hear any thank you's or expect praise. I came here because a friend was in trouble and I stayed here because my job was to get you, Gary, to you, Nashi. I don't need or want a thank you for caring about my friends." She dropped her arms to place a hand on her hip as she flicked her braids over a shoulder. "Just cut back on the deadly situations that might traumatize me and we'll call it even, okay?"

Nashi and Gary blinked at her then exchanged a look.

Their lips twitched.

Both of them burst into laughter while Tesla looked at them like they were crazy. "Oh, lord, please don't tell me you two just broke because I have no mental capacity for this," she groaned.

Their chuckles faded as both of them allowed their respective Magic to cloak them and take away their forms. It left both in tattered remains of their civilian clothes, but it would be enough for now. Nashi wiped under her eye as she smiled. "We're not broken. It's just…relieving, y'know? We're alive. We made it. We're worse for the wear and probably coming down from the adrenaline, but…"

"It's the moments we get to breathe," Gary murmured, "that make you realize how lucky you are to have the people around you."

Steely grays sparkled. A moment to breathe, huh?

Dark eyes.

Nashi realized Gary was intently staring at her and a blush cloaked her cheeks as she mumbled, "Quit staring at me like that. It's embarrassing. What are you looking at anyway?"

"I'm just jealous," Gary said simply.

Nashi's brow furrowed. "What? Why?"

"She got to spank you."

Nashi's face went flat. "What."

Gary looked at his hands. "It's just… I wanted to the be the first to do that to Angel…" He squished his hands. "I'm jealous."

"Why are you thinking about this now?!"

"Gary…"

He shivered when he felt a dark presence ooze and sweated as he avoided Kyler's glowing eyes.

"I should hope…you're not imagining dirty things to my sister," Kyler growled. "I might be injured…but I will—Nnngh!" He winced as he touched his side.

"Kyler!" Nashi rushed to his side (Gary sighed in relief while Tesla gave him an amused look) and she helped him get comfortable. "You need to be resting," she stressed, "and not threatening people."

"Someone has to protect your virtue from ones with overzealous lust," Kyler grunted.

Gary felt like lightning struck him. "I'm not that bad…" But the memories surfaced of Arcticados and… He was on the ground as a shameful aura clouded him. "I really am that bad…"

"There, there," Tesla soothed as she patted his back. "Jaxton is way worse than you. It makes sense you're friends. Both of you are no better than teenaged boys. How cute."

Gary felt even drearier as he weakly murmured, "Th-Thank you, Tesla…"

As Kyler grimaced, Nashi looked at his hand pressing onto his side and worried. "You're sure I can't heal it?"

"No." Kyler let out a terse breath. "The poison will work itself out of my system in a few days. I'll be weakened, but I'll live." He saw the clear concern on Nashi's face and smiled for her. "Don't look so upset, little sister."

"Can you blame me?" Nashi whispered. "I didn't even think you could get injured like this."

"It's rare, but there has to be balance."

"'Balance'?"

Kyler winced as he adjusted. "Yes. Balance," he affirmed. "All of existence was made with some sort of balance as though to keep everything in check. Even those who fight on the side of justice—our balance were those who fight on the side of immorality to achieve their goals. A Leviathan is the one thing in existence that can truly kill another Agent."

"A 'Leviathan'?" Gary and Tesla had come closer to hear this.

Kyler swallowed and nodded. "Yes. Creatures conceived since the conception of existence. They freely roam the cosmos with a very inkling to engage in much else. In actuality, a Leviathan is a quiet creature and avoids conflict. They swim through the cosmos, always migrating. But their blood, saliva, teeth, their meat—all of it is poisonous to an Agent." He shot Nashi a meaningful look. "Which means that same weakness will affect you. So be careful."

As Nashi nodded, Tesla begged the question, "How come whoever threw those blades at you wasn't able to get to you entirely?"

"When Leviathan Blood is mixed into metal to form weapons, the power becomes tainted and combined with those who wield the power," Kyler explained. "As I said, there has to be a balance. The balance resides in the distribution of power amongst Agents. Using refined Leviathan Blood means you are incapable of killing an Agent who has more power than yourself." He grunted. "Whoever was told to aim for me had more power than myself, but they were no match against the Fire of Life from a Metatron Agent."

"Who would even wield such a weapon?" Gary had to know.

Kyler's eyes darkened.

"A Sinful."

Everyone looked at Nashi who was deep in thought. "It's all…coming back to me," she admitted. "All the knowledge I had before… Sinful or Agents who broke their oath to the Presence." Her eyes met Kyler. "That was what was killing Cael. The memories are getting clearer now. Yes, it was…someone who had a spear. And then the Sinful…" She shook her head. "The memories are fuzzy though."

She has access to the Watcher's memories as well? Kyler nodded. "More than likely, a Sinful and their Leviathan weapon of choice was what tried to kill Cael," he agreed. "While some Sinful enter black markets and other shadowed places to hide from Judgement, other Sinful try their hand at killing Agents or kidnapping us for money and power. Only an Agent can find another Agent and Sinfuls, while Fallen Agents, are still one of us. And the blood of an Agent and our wings… They're more valuable than anyone would ever know."

"Huh…" Nashi sat back on her haunches. Sinful… Fallen Agents… Cael's mission… I wonder…

CLAP!

Tesla had garnered everyone's attention. "All right, well, this has been great, but reality is crashing down on me and I need to pee." She pointed down the tunnel. "I'm going to go wander for a few minutes."

"Here." Nashi made a ball of light and sent it over Tesla. "This will follow you and light the way."

"Thank you. Just yell if you need me." Tesla whistled as she began her journey further into the tunnel with the ball of light clinging to her area.

"I should get some rest too," Kyler murmured. "I'm sorry I can't be more use of you."

"Don't worry about it," Nashi soothed. "You being here is enough, Kyler." Hickories shined. "I'm happy to have a big brother I can rely on when I'm in trouble."

Turquoise glistened. "And I'm proud to have a sister who found herself again. Your wings are a vision, Nashi. May they treat you well."

"I think they will. And maybe once you're better and things have died down a bit…" Nashi smiled. "Would my big brother do the honor of joining me for a flight?"

"I'd like nothing more," Kyler replied warmly. "I never thought a day would come when I would get to fly with family." Although…perhaps one day… I'll have another family member to introduce her to. Once he trusts me enough. He closed his eyes. "I'll rest. Alert me at the slightest trouble."

"We will," Nashi assured. She leaned over to kiss Kyler's forehead before she got up. She saw Gary had turned his attention to Luna and she drifted over as the worry was back seeing Luna. "She's very weak."

Gary had laid a hand on Luna's forehead and closed his eyes. Magic closed from beneath his palm before he pulled away, eyes open. "It's been a while since I've used that spell, but it should break her fever in the next hour or so. I just wish it worked sooner."

"What?"

"Igneel might be able to control a person's body temperature, but I can too," Gary told Nashi as he stood up. "When I took care of you when you got sick during the Fairy Tail Ohanami, I felt useless with your fever. It took some time and, well…"—his hand rubbed his neck—"being pushed under Invel… I learned I can help lower body temperatures and I can do so to the point of burning them. It's odd how to explain it and I rather not use it. But we're in a time crunch." He looked away with a wan smile. "I know Invel is nothing more than a psychopath, but…" He pushed my abilities. I might have done the rest, but he laid the groundwork. In the end…

"And yet you fulfilled every command I gave you without even knowing it. Like it was in your instinct to follow me."

Maybe he was right. Bitterness filled his downcast gaze. Once an experiment, always an experiment. He blinked when a hand was on his chest. "Angel?"

Weak cerulean clashed with devoted hickory.

"I think we're overdue for a talk," Nashi murmured, "don't you think?"

Gary nodded. "Yeah."

"Then let's talk." Nashi shifted them well within sight of Luna and Kyler, but Cullen had understood while they would be close, they needed privacy. Nashi had her and Gary sit against the tunneled wall, hands intertwined and a heavy silence birthed between them.

"You asked me before," Nashi started as she watched their joined hands, "if I was scared of you…if I hated you…if I was thinking of leaving you… My answer was 'no' then…and it still 'no' now." She sighed. "I told you the story of The Ugly Dragon. So now I have a question for you." She looked at him. "Do you feel lost?"

Gary swallowed. "I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful," he whispered.

"For what? By what?" When Gary did not answer, Nashi knew the answer and gave his hand a squeeze. "We made a promise…that you'd come back home. But we never said you had to come back to a physical place."

Cerulean widened.

"If there's anything Fairy Tail has taught me, it's that…the guild hall is just a place. A house is just a house. Material things don't make a home. Your heart makes it a home," Nashi murmured. "And it's okay if you get lost on the way home because…because I made a promise to you too, didn't I? That I wouldn't leave your side. I wouldn't let you drift away. And I wouldn't return somewhere you weren't ready to go."

DRIP.

"I made a promise to you that I'd stay until you felt ready to go home. I promised you that I'd help you find yourself again."

DROP.

"But before all of that…I just have one thing to ask you."

"Of course, Angel," Gary whispered. "Anything."

"Then…" Nashi's lips trembled. "Will you please forgive me?"

Gary turned and, to his surprise, tears dripped down Nashi's cheeks and off her chin. "Angel?"

"I… I forgot… I couldn't remember everything. You had to live with all of those memories for years… And you must have thought…I betrayed you, but…" Nashi hiccupped. "I never meant to leave you like that. You have to know that. I just h-h-hated the way those people made up those lies and I just…" She sniveled as she rubbed her cheek. "I just wanted you to be treated better, and I messed that up… If I hadn't gone back there…we could have just stayed in the forest. But I was the reason you were forced back into that awful place. And I left you alone after I promised I wouldn't and I'm so sorry, Gary. I'm so sorry I broke my promise to you and left you alone. I'm so sorry that I—"

The words were gone because…

…because Gary was kissing her.

The moment he pulled back, gleaming cerulean with unshed tears clashed with watery hickory. He brushed aside the wetness of her cheeks as he looked down at her. "I never thought I understood loneliness," he confessed to her. "But when those two who nursed me back to health left me, I felt it. And the more I tried to find a cure for it, the more I felt alone. And then…you came along. After three years of being surrounded in death and orders, you showed me life and freedom again. And you kept your promise to me all this time.

Nashi's jaw twitched. "But I…!" She looked away. "How could you say that to me? All this time…you had to deal with all this alone. I didn't keep my promise. I let you drift away and now, I… I just… I…"

"Oh, Angel…" Gary pulled Nashi into him for a loving embrace. "What I went through—what we both went through—isn't our responsibility. And that being said…it's not each other's responsibility for the other's healing."

Nashi's eyes widened.

"It took me a while to understand," Gary murmured to her. "But through my art…it made sense. And a friend of ours straightened me out too. Our promise hasn't been broken. But we're both healing on our own and with each other. Even if you didn't remember the gift you gave me, I did. And my promise to you made me work hard just like you worked hard. Although I feel pretty ashamed everything got the best of me. I might have had nightmares about seeing Invel, but I had told myself it wouldn't happen. And when it happened…"—cerulean shimmered—"I couldn't control myself. Even now, I'm still shaking. His words still get to me. And for just one second…the order he gave me…nearly made me forget the promise I made that day to you.

"But I realize now that it doesn't matter if we both get lost. Everyone gets lost sometimes. What matters is we still find our way back in the end. And we did. Even if it took some time, we're finding our way back home. So you see, Angel." Gary smiled for her. "You never broke your promise to me. And you never will."

Gary… More tears filled Nash's eyes, and she buried her face in his chest as she sobbed.

Gary closed his eyes.

DRIP.

Cry, Angel. It's okay now. I'm here.

DROP.

Two tears dropped and converged.

I'm here to take you back home.

And the tears disappeared into a speck of violet.

°•°•°•°

Tesla grimaced as she walked down the tunnel with the light bobbing and giving off a soft glow. "Ugh. I don't know how Wizards do this. That was disgusting." She sighed as she continued wading down the tunnel. Steel grays fell into contemplation.

It feels like we've been here for several months. I've done sparring with Zelda, Jackson, other students from my dojo, but they're right… Nothing prepares you for the real thing. She remembered that heart-pounding feeling. That feeling of incoming death. Several times today, I could have died. We all could have. One misstep and we could have all died.

Dark eyes.

And I'm sure this is what Jaxton does regularly, Tesla thought. Then again, Mister Kyler explained their lives aren't always like this… Even so… What Jaxton does… Is this it?

"Start from the beginning."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

They sat across from each other in the living room with the focus hard and his stare as unreadable as before and yet, still completely honest. Jaxton had thrown on a shirt and shorts as he leaned his elbows on his knees and he would not shy away from her stare.

"It's true I was sent to spy on you," Jaxton confessed. "From your physical health to psychological health to finances, my mission was to report everything regardless of how small. My mission, however, was deliberate no-contact. I was to stay in the shadows and only watch as an observer. Getting close to you was never part of the plan."

"So why get close to me?" she demanded to know. "Why date me and fuck me and glitter it all under a label of 'love' if you were supposed to be my long-distance stalker?"

Something flashed in Jaxton's eyes. "From the beginning, you were a mission."

"And when did this mission start?" she challenged.

Jaxton would not back down. "My mission started on your flight to Fiore."

The focus widened. "What?"

"You were to be transported away from the Cerberus Hunter as cargo on a commercial flight to Fiore," Jaxton remembered. "I was on that flight as well. My mission was to maintain a distance, but I was to observe you and report back."

"But…" The focus fluttered. "Zelda couldn't have known…" The focus narrowed on Jaxton. "Who gave you this mission in the first place?"

"I can't answer that."

"You're not that much older than me," Tesla accused. "How could you even know how to spy on me?"

"I can't answer that."

"Are you shitting me?" Tesla hissed. "You can't answer—!" She forced out an annoyed breath and growled, "Keep – talking."

Jaxton obliged. "As I said, I was not to interfere on any grounds. I was supplied housing and schooling. I could still continue on with a normal life. And I still worked during you being my mission. I was aware Adrienne Greer would be the one adopting you—"

"Oh my god, my mom—!"

"Isn't part of the mission," Jaxton finished. "Miss Greer never had anything to do with the mission. But I can't answer how I was aware of her adoption of you." He waited for Tesla to question him, but when she did not, he continued: "After you were adopted and adjusted to Miss Greer, I was to report your interactions with her and ensure you were comfortable. If I felt there were obvious signs of neglect, abuse, or otherwise, I was to report it so you could be relocated."

"She would never do that to me," Tesla whispered. "She loves me. She's my mom. But…" She sighed. "I get your boss' concern. Moms and dads aren't my lucky streak." She bounced her leg. "So what then?"

"It wouldn't be until you were in middle school when Zelda had gotten a hold of me," Jaxton explained. "She is unaware I work for someone else. In her eyes, I'm the only trustworthy person to take this job specifically for her. And like before, I was to report your daily life to her and check your Anti-Ether levels—"

"Wait," Tesla cut in. "That milk helped me stabilize my Anti-Ether in the event I had an emotional outburst, but how did I get it before?" Her eyes narrowed at the reason. "You gave my mom that milk?"

"I can't answer how, but yes, we did," Jaxton confirmed.

Tesla snorted, disbelieving, and shook her head. "Can you just tell me why you got close to me? What possessed you to even be at the library with me and want to date me?"

"I couldn't stay away," Jaxton said, honest. "I had asked permission to enroll in your high school. I was even in a few of your CCP classes. You had become friends with Dante and Julia back then, but I remember…" The dark eyes wavered. "The look in your eyes… The way those people treated you… It hadn't changed in your middle school years and I felt it was worsening."

The focus saddened as it turned to Tesla's lap. "You're talking about when I get sent to that psych facility."

Jaxton hummed. "Yes. I met Dante that day."

The focus looked at him in shock. "What?"

"You weren't too conscious, but it was the first time I was close to you." Jaxton looked down. "Dante looked like he was struggling and I couldn't sit by. I wasn't able to ride in the ambulance, but I did visit the hospital. Dante had thanked me, but you had been put under. When I left, I had reported the situation, but when I told the truth we had contact…"

Tesla could fill in the blanks. "They wanted you off the mission?"

"It wasn't that my boss worries for the mission over me," Jaxton explained. "It's the opposite. They were worried if I went contact, I might get hurt in the end. But I told them I could do it and keep up with my other duties. By then, I was in Fairy Tail, but I had done so for other reasons. I had met Gary and Gale and Dash and Cane. I visited Dante during his time at his old garage. Now that he was becoming a permanent fixture in your life, it was my job to make sure he was a positive one."

Tesla snorted. "He's gay, I'm black—it's a friendship that will withstand time." A pause. "Did you know about Julia?"

"Yes. But I can't answer how."

A bitter laugh. "Right. Of course."

Jaxton gauged her before he continued: "From there, I tried to get close to you—"

"But why?" Tesla cried, exasperated. "You saw me melt down. You saw I was nothing more than the token black slut in my school unless that was what you were after to—"

"Tesla." Jaxton's eyes darkened. "I never got close to you out of pity, sympathy, or because I wanted to fuck you."

"Then why—?"

"Because you are strong."

Tesla was taken back.

Jaxton went on: "I've done many missions. I've seen many things. It's part of my job to see and know secrets, know people and events. I was aware of the situation you came from and prepared for the worst. I knew there would be times you couldn't stop remembering. I know when you met Miss Greer, even when you were in that group home, that you preferred dark quiet spaces away from people. And for a moment, I was afraid you'd…"

His teeth gritted.

"But then… As you kept going, you defied everything I knew," Jaxton continued. "You smiled and laughed. You had interests and hobbies—"

"I'm not the poster child for trauma healing," Tesla spat. "I didn't always do all of that and I kept slipping."

"I know," Jaxton said. "I know there were days to weeks to months where you fell out of touch with everything around you. And there were days you thought this was another trick, and you needed one thing to make you feel better again. I know." His hands clenched to fists. "But when you were in high school, I watched you live. You had Dante as your balance and you seemed happier and relaxed around him. You had Julia around you for things only you two could understand. And you met Kat and Miles and Gale and Dash and Cane. You had your music, your conventions, your martial arts—you even studied other languages. You were living. And watching your genuine smile was mesmerizing.

"And I couldn't stay away," Jaxton added. "My boss warned me about interaction. Another friend had interacted with a mission and it didn't end well. And if you had realized your powers, you could kill me at any moment. But I didn't care." He shifted. "I had tried to get your attention the way others did, but it wasn't working."

The focus narrowed. "As in…?"

"I tried to sit closer to you in classes," Jaxton confessed. "You normally were surrounded by people, but I wanted to try. And I…" He looked away. "I even tried to offer my notes when you were absent the previous day because you were sick from food poisoning, but someone else beat me to it."

'I find this sweet and I feel like I should be alarmed my stalker is still sweet in my mind.'

"I had intended to just speak to you, but Gary had thought it wasn't a good idea." Jaxton looked mildly pouty. "He said I'd come on too strong and scare you away. But considering he had been stalking Nashi for years, his advice irritated me."

'Oh god, I never thought of that. Nashi and I both fell in love with our stalkers. There's a condition for that. We're clinically insane.' "I admit when you approached me in the library, I wasn't all that impressed," Tesla told him.

"I'd tried it Gary's way, but it didn't work. I wanted to approach you my way."

"And it obviously worked considering where we are now," Tesla huffed. "I just don't understand it. This is…a lot to process that you've known about me for my entire life and I just have to accept that you can't even tell me who you were reporting to? What, our trusting relationship is supposed to make me feel like your boss wanted what's best for me?"

"My boss wanted nothing from you outside of your safety," Jaxton affirmed. "Your power is very special, Tesla, and you deserve the freedom to exercise it. But there are many people in the world—especially the Faction—that would kill for your abilities if it means they can wipe out Magic."

"Oh, and let me guess," Tesla hissed. "Your boss wanted to make sure I stayed on the side of good and purity? You'd fuck me, get me dick-matized and in love with you, so I'd never betray anyone?"

"No. My boss was against me having a relationship with you because of possible influence," Jaxton confessed.

"What, you controlling me to do what you want?"

Jaxton shook his head. "No. From you doing the reverse to me."

That stunned her. "Why would I control you? I doubt my powers have anything to do with possession."

"It's nothing about your Anti-Ether and everything to do with my feelings," Jaxton told her. "When I took this job, I had to learn absolute control. It didn't matter the situation I was given. Without control, I couldn't do my job. But when you came along, part of that control slipped." His eyes intensified. "Whether you like it or not, Tesla, you have immense control over me. It's why I asked you to come home with me for Zhōnguánese New Year. And why I couldn't lie to you about you being my mission."

Tesla considered all this. "What else does your job have you do?"

"I can't answer that."

Tesla stood up. "'I can't answer that, I can't answer that'," she mimicked, fed up. "Control over you? Are you shitting me? Me meeting your parents isn't about fucking control—it's just a step in a relationship! You being honest to me is what I deserve in a relationship! When the Hell has any of this been about control? When has…?" Her eyes narrowed. "I know there's more to it," she warned him.

Jaxton gave nothing away.

"What? Have nothing to say now?" Tesla snarled at him. "Oh wait. You probably can't answer that."

"I don't want to lie to you—"

"Oh, Jang-ta, we are way past lies," Tesla snapped. "You have been spying on me for years. Do you not understand how I have to process that? You knew my hobbies and interests and my dislikes before I could even know what your name was!" The focus blurred with tears. "And you can't even tell you what master you serve in this huge game of chess where I'm clearly a fucking pawn—"

"You're not a pawn—"

"I cannot trust you when you tell me that!" Tesla shouted. "My god, Jang-ta, how am I supposed to trust a damn thing you say anymore! You enrolled in my high school! Are you even in college? Is Jang-ta even your real name? What the Hell am I actually going to find when we meet your parents?"

"I…" He clenched his jaw. "I can't answer that…right now."

"You can't answer what, Jaxton?" Tesla asked him, voice dangerous. "What about that can't you answer and you better be fucking clear to me before I file for a restraining order."

"My name is Jang-ta Yang," Jaxton confirmed, "and I do attend Saint Tupelo's as a student. But my parents are a different story."

"On what grounds is your family a different story than all of this mess?" Tesla choked out a laugh when Jaxton said nothing. "You can't even answer me! What, I'm just supposed to sit here all submissive and accepting that all of this is normal and that you actually love me and all the secrets—I just have to live with that? Tell me how you envisioned this ending."

Jaxton had to be straight with her. "If I hadn't made contact, you being my mission would have lived and died with me."

"Mmm-hmm. Okay. So let's expand on that for a little bit, shall we?" Tesla sneered. "Say we get married. We said our vows. We made promises. And I love you for everything worth a damn. But you're telling me you would have kept me in the dark you were my spy and you could live with yourself with that? You would live with me loving you with everything I had and never knowing I was loving a lie?"

Jaxton clenched his jaw. "No."

"'No'?" Tesla echoed. "Jaxton, let me be clear. You only get to answer this one last time—"

"No, I couldn't live with myself knowing you were oblivious," Jaxton reiterated. "Every day, I tried hard to put the mission first. I ignored my boss. I didn't want anyone else taking this mission. But it was my fault my control slipped. And when I saw that Hellhound, I couldn't pretend it wasn't there. Even at the bookstore, I couldn't pretend. I couldn't control it."

"And thank the gods I'm to blame for this lack of control since I apparently have this hold on you." Tesla was torn between laughing and crying. "And you know what else is better?" She looked at him and her heart broke. "Even after this, even with me being so friggen, unbelievably angry at you?" She sobbed. "I can't even…hate you…" She had to sit down as she covered her face with her hands as her shoulders shook. "My god, this is screwed up. I can't even hate my spy after all this. And I hate that."

"I understand."

Tesla ripped her hands away from her face to glare at Jaxton with the last bit of anger that bled into her. "You could never understand any of this," she hissed at him. "You don't get to say you understand anymore. I had an understanding boyfriend, and he turned out to be my spy because why wouldn't life throw that at me? Why would I come out in life with someone I thought loved me for me?"

"I do love you—"

"You don't love me!" Tesla shouted. "You cared about your mission and your desires! Well, guess fucking what? You can tell your boss they don't have to worry about me using my powers to essentially become a terrorist. Congratulations, Jaxton. Your mission to seduce and control me was successful. I'll never use my powers to hurt you." She barked a chilling laugh. "You know what's even funnier than this? My sperm donor used the same tactic to make me fight."

The age-old panic began to choke her as the memories surfaced and the world blurred and she felt like she was out of her mind. It weighed in her chest and made her gag. "I can't…ever escape this," she whispered. "I can't… I can't…"

"Tesla—"

She darted away from him. Her skin felt revolting and she could feel everything in her stomach about to come up as the memories shadowed her and touched her and wronged her. She slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it before she crumbled to her knees and threw up in the toilet. The tears, the pain, the crying—nothing would stop, nothing would give, and she broke because of it. The moment she was done and she flushed the toilet, a hollow shame and desolation cocooned her.

"Tesla." Jaxton sounded from the other side of the door, tone broken. "Please."

Tesla dragged herself into her bathtub. She needed to get clean. Her body did not feel like her own. "Get…out…" She grunted as she made it inside her shower and stretched to turn on the hot water because her legs felt too weak. "Get…out…

"Tesla—"

"GET OUT!" Tesla screamed. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" The focus darkened as she let the droplets of scalding water pelt her, but it did not quell the tides of grief and sickening remembrance from her. She drew up her knees and sobbed under the heated spray. 'I can't…escape… I can't… I can't…' But the thought could not complete when she was dragged into the blackness.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Tesla let her hand drift over the choppy walls as she continued to travel, eyes sad. I remember I woke up in my bed. I knew he had been the one to do it. He dried me and dressed me before he left. I still can't even tell what I was more devastated over. That he left…or that I compared him to my sperm donor. She felt her way down another tunnel. We did our whole song and dance. I tried to pretend he wasn't spying on me and we were normal, but I'd just remember… And with my sperm donor being released… I just threw myself into training and working. I mastered my saber with all the fencing Mom had me do since she was a fencer back in school. But the closer his release came…the more those thoughts came back… and no matter how much I wanted Jaxton's comfort, I just couldn't…

She blinked out of her thoughts when she heard water dropping. She precariously continued forward until the light rushed forward and Tesla understood what was happening. Rather than get back to the others, she must have taken a bad detour and ended up here. An expansive cave had opened up before her, but rather than having some form of sunlight, the algae and other fluorescent critters had lit the pond up in a refreshing azure blue. The water was so clear that you could see the stacked rocks on the bottom alongside the flora that took to this environment.

"Wow…" Tesla breathed and it echoed around the cave. "I'll have to remember this. We can get fresh water." She sniffed herself and shivered. "Bleh. And maybe a bath. This sports deodorant was a lie." She traveled closer to the pond and crouched over it. After a moment, a reflection of a young woman stared back at her, battle-weary and dejected. I'm sorry, Jaxton. I must be the worst person to put up with right now with all my problems. You're not like him. I know that. And I hate that when you try to touch me, I just keep thinking it's him… She sighed as she dipped her hand in the cool water. When we get back, I'll have to speak to you properly. Maybe I can show you how sorry I am for how I treated you or…

DRIP.

A tear splashed into the water.

DROP.

"Maybe it's time I let you go," Tesla whispered. "You deserve to have someone better and a lot stronger than me. I can't keep holding you back from your mission and I can't keep holding you back from finding someone who's less…" She swallowed. There are no happy endings in life anyway. No point crying over not having one. She wiped under her eyes. "I'd better get back and let everyone know we have fresh water." She swept her braids back as she stood up and whirled around—

"You can kill me."

Tesla had the start of her life when a man was in front of her. Or at least…she thought he was a man. Wild rose-red hair trailed down his shoulder, lifeless, like something that just hung there. One hand had been wrapped in tape, but it looked like it would need changing soon. His clothes looked too normal to be true, but he looked dressed for a funeral in his ebony suit. His face had been slashed as one side retained normalcy with freckles and an auburn eye, and the other side of his face was dressed in black with part of his skeleton exposed, the whites of his eyes drowned in black and his iris opalescent.

Regaining her wights, Tesla let the chains cling to her fingers. "Who are you?" she demanded to know. "Are you a bad guy or a good guy? And don't lie to me." Her eyes glowed with those silvery-gray swirls as she expanded her power. "I hate liars."

"'Good'. 'Bad'," he echoed. "What does it matter? I don't care if I'm either of those. You can kill me."

Tesla growled, "I'm not going to be killing anyone. Who are you? Are you one of Invel's minions or something?" Damn. My chains will do fine, but I wish I had my—

"You can kill me with this." The red-haired man opened his jacket to pull out—

Tesla's eyes widened. "My…saber…" But she made no move to retrieve it from him. "Okay, just what's your game here?" she snapped. "How do you have my saber? It fell in that pit where all those other monsters were."

"That was nothing," the man dismissed. He offered it to her. "Here. Kill me with this."

"I'm not killing anyone," Tesla retorted.

He observed her. "I would have preferred the other girl to kill me," he said. "She could wipe away my existence. I'd never even know what feeling alive would mean. But she can't right now. But you can kill me. You have to kill me." He stepped towards her. "Kill me. I need to die—"

Tesla reached out a hand and her saber obediently came back to her. Anti-Ether lit up as a blade and she held it steady as she faced this unhinged man. "I'll say this one more time," she thundered. "Just who in the Hell are you and why do you want me to kill you? What have you done?"

A smile. "You really can kill me."

Tesla was blindsided when the man's smile widened, his eyes shining in relief and chaos.

"I've been searching for years for someone to kill me," he told her in reverence. "No one could kill me. But your power… This sword… It could kill me. I could go back to her. I could see them again." He stepped towards her again. "Please kill me. Let me die."

He wants to…see them again? Tesla gritted, "I'm not killing anyone anywhere no matter what the circumstance is, asshole. This power isn't for murder and neither am I." I had thought I had the strength to kill my sperm donor, but…

"Wanting to kill and being a killer are two different things."

Now… I don't think I have the strength to kill him. Even as much as I want to.

"I can kill him for you."

Tesla's eyes lost their glow as she looked at the eager-to-please man. "What?"

"I could hear your thoughts," the man said like it explained everything. "You've learned how to shield yourself from a singular person physically and from their Magic, but you haven't learned how to shield yourself mentally. I could teach you. I could kill your father for you. I'll do whatever it is you ask of me as long as you promise to kill me once you're done with me." Opal-auburn intensified. "You have to kill me."

Tesla stepped back, but she winced when she felt water. "You aren't some human debris meant to slave away and do my bidding," she told him. "You have a life to live—"

"I have nothing anymore."

Tesla's eyes widened when the man looked so deathly calm.

"I killed them," the man told her. "I had to. I had to kill them. But no one could kill me. I couldn't be with them. But you… You can send me back to them. I could be with her again. She needs to know how sorry I am. I need to go back to her. I need to die. You have to kill me. I'll do whatever you ask of me if it means you kill me. Anything."

"Stop it," Tesla whispered.

"I'll kill your father," the man offered. "I'll kill him any way you want me to. I can teach you more about yourself. I'll serve you as long as you kill me."

"Stop it!" Tesla snapped. "The answer is no! I'm not killing anyone! I don't want anyone dead!"

"That's a lie."

Tesla swallowed before she growled, "Get out of my sight. I'm not going to hurt someone clinically insane, but you need help. Death isn't the answer. Suicide isn't the answer."

"It's the only way I can feel alive again," the man told her. "The only way I can see her again. And you'll be the one to kill me. You're the only one who can send me to her. And I'll do whatever it takes for you to kill me." He held out his bandaged hand as both his eyes glowed green. "Whatever it takes to see her again."

Tesla did not know what hit her, but she felt a zing electrify her system. Even as her body generated Anti-Ether to counter it, the feeling would not leave her alone. It gripped her like a vice and a hook lodged itself in her chest. By the time the feeling stripped itself from her, she was left shaky and uncertain. "What was that?" she breathed. Glaring at the man, she snapped, "What the Hell did you do to me?"

"I learned it from the Spirits," the man told her like that answered everything. "A combination between a Wizard's Unbreakable Vow and a Spiritual Vow. My Spirit and powers are tied to you and you alone have the power to summon me for whatever you wish. You can command me to do anything and I must do so without question. And in return, all I ask is that you kill me."

"No! No, oh my god, no!" Tesla looked down at herself in panic. "No, you have to take this back! You're not my slave and I'm not about to kill you—!"

The man tensed. "Someone's coming. I can't stay long." He cocked his head. "Just remember my name. Summon me and I'll serve you eagerly. And when all is said and done, you'll be the one to kill me so I can go back to her." His body and clothes began to ship off in a flurry of ash and smoke. "You'll make me feel alive again. I finally found you. The one who can kill me."

"Wait!" Tesla cried, desperate. "No, you can't just leave! You need to undo this! And who are you?"

He had disintegrated from her sight, but his whisper tickled her ear. Mason.

Tesla could barely process as Cullen was the one to break into the cave. He must have seen how unsteady she was for her slithered over and helped keep her upright. "Th-Thank you, Cullen…" she exhaled. She sapped in her Anti-Ether blade to look at her saber hilt. I can't even… Who was he? What was he talking about? And my saber… She leaned against Cullen as the exhaustion of the last view days got the best of her. "Let's get back to the others," she told him. "I just might need your help."

Cullen nodded as the both of them trekked back into the tunnel with the ball of light leading the way.

I don't understand why you think I'm a murderer, but I'm not, Tesla thought. That conversation was our first and last and I hope we never meet again…

A little flurry of ash dizzied around the cave.

…Mason.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Crocus Clinic

Rose Garden City

Fiore, Ishgar

1:36 AM FST

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gale hated hospitals during his worst moods, but he had no idea how to feel about being in one right now. The observation wing was predominantly quiet with lights off and the occasional nurses hovering around with their portable DALs and equipment to check vitals and give mediation. He had been given a one-patient room, and he vaguely knew that it was to ensure his privacy. The detectives immediately sent to him had said their farewells, but he had not been able to give them anything that mattered. He laid in his hospital bed with his hydration tube and finished oxygen therapy that left him a little drained. He stared at the ceiling in a daze.

Little Gem… You have barely spoken and your emotions are troublesome, Sycaña worried.

I just… Gale sighed. Why can't you show me what happened?

We are not having this argument again, Sycaña said firmly. Even without the memories, you need time to recover from the mental shock—

I'm fine, Gale tried to snap, but it came out weak. I'll be better when I know what happened to me. What all happened… Why I couldn't remember in the first place…

Sycaña was silent for many moments before she reminded him in a murmur, I was unable to do much until I felt a strain on your body. That was when I took over your body. But I have no recollections as to what happened prior nor who took you.

Gale rubbed his face. I feel so fucking pathetic.

Little Gem…

Don't try and comfort me. I should've been better than this. Gale closed his eyes as a dull ache hit his head. I should have been more prepared or something. And they took me out no problem. Some fucking Slayer I am.

You are the only successor I want to become the next and mightiest Earth Dragon, Sycaña told him. You were born with Metalicana's crest—

But why? Gale demanded to know. Why me? Why the fuck was I the 'chosen one'? Why did they have to take me? Why did you have to choose me? This is all just karma beating my pathetic ass because I should have never gotten this power.

Silence.

I hate this 'Emma'.

Gale could taste Sycaña's hatred. Sycaña…

No. I care little for your excuses for her. She has hurt you and planted this doubt in your mind you are not worthy to be the grandson of the finest Metal Dragon nor the son of the strongest Earth Dragoness, Sycaña growled. None of what happened tonight had anything to do with you being worthy and everything to do with other humans.

Gale sighed. Whatever, Sycaña.

Sycaña sighed as well. Get some sleep, Little Gem, she coaxed.

Gale wanted to, but his ears twitched and his head turned. After a minute or two, a knock came to the door. He murmured, "Come on." To his surprise, Kang and Wolf were the ones who slipped into his hospital room and surprised him enough to sit up. "You two are still here?"

"We're setting up rotations. Wolf and I are on rotation," Kang informed as he took a seat at Gale's bedside.

"Babysitters. Ode to joy," Gale grunted. He raised an eyebrow when Wolf placed his head on the bed, ears down, and eyes worried. "Please don't climb into my bed," he said flatly. "I was already assaulted with some Terumiho that used me as its pillow two days ago and I'm trying to recover."

"Not an animal person," Kang stated rather than questioned.

Gale shrugged. "Not really. But animals seem to like me." He looked pointedly at Wolf. "I have my own little animal kingdom fan club."

"Don't mind Wolf. He's just worried." Kang paused. "We both were. You were in pretty rough shape when you came to us, you know. Never took you as one to lose it."

Gale snorted. "Thanks, I guess." He spared Wolf a head scratch, and the wolf thumped his tail in approval. "If you're here to ask more questions, I told those detectives as much as I could remember which is jackshit."

"Not questions about that." Kang shook his head. "Just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm alive," Gale dryly said, "so that's good enough." He appraised Kang. "How exactly did you get all the way out there anyway? I don't think I've met either of you until tonight. If I did, sorry I don't remember."

"We've never officially met," Kang assured as he sat forward on his seat. "But Wolf and I never forget a scent. You were there when Magnolia had that huge fire."

Gale forced himself not to freeze. "I'm surprised you could smell me through all the flames and sulfur."

"Not exactly hard." Kang nodded to Wolf. "We have pretty good noses. Maybe not as good as yours, but it works enough."

That intrigued Gale. I can't sense any Magic on him. Livy and Leo and Luke have sensitive noses and tastebuds like I do and Igneel, but we have Dragon Slayers for parents. Wonder what his deal is. "Even so, thanks for finding me." He turned his attention back to Wolf who gave him those puppy eyes and a subtle whine. Exasperated, he muttered, "Fine."

Wolf hopped onto the bed and plopped down, all fluff and stuff, tail over his nose. But he was mindful of Gale's personal space even if he enjoyed Gale's head scratches.

"A rabbit, a Magic Fox, a wolf—what next?" Gale huffed. "Am I going to be friends with Bambi too?" He noted Kang's quiet amusement. "How'd you even take to having a pet wolf? And is his name actually 'Wolf'?"

"Wolf isn't a pet," Kang corrected. "He's just around me. I met him around nine years ago while I was out camping and we've been together ever since."

Gale hummed. "He's a lot nicer than another mutt I know."

Kang snorted. "It's because he likes you. Wolf prefers to stay away from people if he can help it. I think the only one he likes more than me would be Florica."

"'Girlfriend'?"

"Yeah." Kang's lips twitched. "Wolf would be her little bitch if it meant he gets belly rubs from her." He did not seem concerned when Wolf stirred with a little growl at that and Kang challenged, "You want to play fetch?"

Wolf perked, then he scowled a moment later and huffed.

Gale snickered. "I think I'll have to try that with Blondie's pet."

"'Girlfriend'?"

"Nah." Gale sighed. "Just a friend." He made a face when Wolf looked unconvinced. "I think your wolf is judging me."

"He smells lies," Kang reasoned. "I can only smell Florica when she's trying to avoid something." He cocked his head. "Is she not just a friend then?"

"What is this, interview hour?" Gale grumbled. "She can only be a friend. She has a boyfriend. Period." His gut twisted spitting those words, but his therapist's words came back to bite him. "Well, she didn't say he's her boyfriend, but it's obvious that's where it's going. Doesn't matter anyway. I fucked up."

"How?"

Gale looked at Kang in suspicion. "Why do you want to know?"

Kang raised an eyebrow. "I'm bored and you're hogging Wolf."

"Aren't you a bunch of rainbows and sunshine?" Gale muttered. "You wouldn't understand anyway. It's not exactly a normal situation."

"Probably not." Kang crossed his arms and let his legs stretch in front of him. "But I have a gypsy girlfriend who uses fire to read your thoughts and could burn your mind from the inside out and my best friend is Wolf."

Gale took that into consideration. "Well, all right then. Why not?" He shifted his weight. "When she confessed to me she wanted to be with me, I jumped to conclusions about her intentions and ended up being an unhinged asshole towards her." Rubies glistened. "I would never hurt her," he swore up and down until he faltered.

"But you don't need to physically hurt someone to hurt them," Kang murmured.

Gale nodded. "Yeah."

"And she's dating someone else, but he's not her boyfriend," Kang clarified. When Gale nodded, Kang lifted his chin. "So what are you going to do to get her back?"

Gale shot him a sour look. "Nothing."

"Really now?" Kang tilted his head. "That's surprising."

Gale rolled his eyes. "I've got my own shit to deal with is all," he muttered. "And I made her old man a deal about figuring my shit out. I plan to keep my end of it."

"Do you want to figure things out?"

Gale frowned. "What's that supposed to me?"

"Exactly what I asked. Do you want to figure things out?" Kang cracked his neck and winced. "Look, kid, everyone has problems and situations they're living in. But the best thing about being human is you get a choice in whatever you do about them. It doesn't matter what other people expect from you. You have to have your own expectations for yourself. So, I'll ask again: do you want to figure things out?"

Gale thickly swallowed. "I…" He looked down at Wolf. "I want to try…to figure stuff out and everything. It's just…complicated."

"A complex situation isn't something you can't heal from," Kang said. "You just have to take it a lot slower than the simpler stuff. Start with the surface and work your way down or dive right in if you feel like you can handle it."

"Yeah." Gale rubbed Wolf's jaw much to the canine's happiness. "Sort of messed me up what my doctor said. He told me whatever's going on with me doesn't necessarily mean it's all good for the love I feel for Blondie."

Kang hummed. "I agree with that." He added at Gale's scowl, "No matter what people think, you're going to hurt someone you love. A perfect relationship where no one ever gets hurt by accident or on purpose doesn't exist." He rubbed his neck. "It took me some time to figure that out with Florica. Had issues I had to work through on my own, so I could learn how to deal with my anger. Even now, I might accidentally say something that might hurt her, but I'm learning how to see what I did and make up for it and try not to do it again."

He scanned Gale. "Whatever you're going through is going to affect your feelings for this girl, kid, and it could swing in either direction. Once you figure your shit out, you start figuring out how to handle every other relationship in your life. And maybe you can get the girl in the end."

"I doubt it," Gale muttered. "She moved on."

"Then, don't focus on her. Focus on yourself," Kang advised, "and everything else will figure itself out when it needs to."

Gale smirked. "Who died and made you my therapist?"

"Someone named 'experience'," Kang deadpanned. "I was a cocky little shit like you once. I'm not saying everything gets fixed on the other side, but it gets easier and easier the more you work at it. You just have to want to."

"Right." Gale sighed. "Yeah, I know."

Kang got up. "I'll be back. Wolf, watch the kid."

"How is a dog going to babysit me?" Though, Gale winced when Wolf shifted to apply all his weight to Gale's legs. "Nevermind then."

Kang opened the girl, but he paused. "This girl… You said she loved you, right?"

"Yeah." Gale could hear the confession clear as day. "She did."

"I get it might not look like it to you if she's dating, but…"—Kang looked over his shoulder—"are you sure she moved on from you, or is she dating to force herself away from you?" He left the room, shutting the door behind him.

And Gale was left alone to his thoughts.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Magic Council HAWKS base

Feijoa City

Chayote, Valchestria

9:56 PM AT

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The docks were quiet this time of night with boats anchored, but the lighthouse was still going strong as it swung its light for those who were lost. A healthy mixture of palm trees and other flora spotted the city, but the city was still alive and awake. The sand dune complexes were nearly barren, save for the occasional wandering couple, and the beaches still had until 11 until the guards came to clear everyone out. Even though it was Thursday, the clubs were open as an electronic samba remix echoed in the streets with hips moving and drinks sloshed around. The streets had threaded down with traffic, yes, but that did not mean taxis and motorbikes did not rumble up and down. The Sinnish spoken was not the same Sinnish in Sin necessarily. Dialects flew about, but the most commonly spoken was called Chayoleño with a healthy dose of Galiciános into the mix as well. Though one could speak Chayoleño to Galiciános speaker and be understood, the reverse was not true. A few hearty older women blushed and giggled as two young men came by with white-tooth grins and mischievous eyes. A drunk college boy eagerly kissed an older man in an alleyway. A few guardsmen were roaming about on their horses for any sign of danger.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« Feijoa City is a Chayoten port city and gateway to jungle lodges and tribal cities of northwestern Amazone and is the third-largest city in Chayote. It houses the Arena de Amazôn which will be hosting the MagiCross World Cup this year. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Magic Council HAWKS base was fascinating due to the nature of HAWKS. Rather than being on the ground, the base was slightly in the air and heavily concealed. Those who possessed wings either due to their natural physiology or their Magic and had the magical imprint of the Council could access the base alone and, of course, there were always exceptions to the rule. Most believed the hall stationed within Feijoa City built with the same architecture and, sure, the inside was a place for magical incidents to be reported with offices, but, in truth, it served as a ground base. The aerial base consisted of bunkers, a training arena, the mess hall, jets if need be, offices, and what have you.

Spencer had decided to stake his claim on one of the ledges of the base. The sun had been swallowed, and the moon was up, but with it being summer in Valchestria, the weather was comfortable and the moon was shining. Chewing on an apple, he held the photo strip bookmark in his hands, and warmth shown in the gunmetal dark blues all over again seeing that family.

His family.

Unable to resist, he dug out his Compact and had to smile a little at his lock screen. Taken at MagiaLand, Mary Jane had insisted on the selfie of her, Veronika, Ivan, and Lisa-Jane, and him as the Friendship of Magic hyper projection and fireworks went on. He unlocked it and found the one person he wanted to call. And now he waited.

She picked up on the very last ring. "Hello, Strauss speaking."

"Already forgetting the sound of my voice, Lucky?" Spencer teased.

A snort. "Ah, yes, because the other men humping my legs are much more memorable than you," Veronika purred coquettishly.

"Lucky…" Spencer growled.

Veronika tittered. "How's it going, Captain? I'm surprised to hear from you at this hour. No, wait, let me guess." She mock-gasped. "I'm your third evening booty call, right?"

Spencer grinned. "You'd be my first."

"Not liking the local flavor over there, Cap?"

Spencer tutted. "Lucky…"

"What? I'm just saying I'm sure there are plenty of women who can help out if you have an itch to scratch—"

"Lucky," Spencer said, stern. "We promised we'd both try."

Veronika sighed. It sounded like she was shifting. "And what are we trying, Spencer?" she asked of him tiredly. "We said a lot of things and made promises—"

"And I've kept mine," Spencer reminded her. He could tell she was withholding and murmured, "I know nothing is easy on us right now, including Ivan and Lisa-Jane. But we promised we'd try. I want us to try, Lucky."

A lengthy pause. "I…want that too," came Veronika's quiet admittance. "I'm…sorry, Cap—Spencer. It's just…" She let out a sighing laugh. "God, it's been, what, since Ivan was conceived since I had anyone. I'm not exactly well-practiced."

Spencer chuckled. "That's why I promised to go gently, Lucky."

"Stop it."

"What?" Spencer laughed. "You were adorable."

"You might be military, but keep in mind my lighting will fry your mech just by my thinking it," Veronika threatened.

"I'll drop it after one last question," Spencer conditioned. "Do you regret it?"

"No." Veronika did not hesitate to answer even if her voice came out hushed. "I just…" More rustling and the sound of something being poured. Perhaps wine. "You're young, Spencer—"

"I'm a year older than you—"

"You're childfree." Veronika took an audible sip of her drink. "I don't want you to look down the line and realize you don't want kids—"

"Lisa-Jane and Ivan—"

"Are no different than any other children," Veronika completed for him.

Spencer shook his head. "Lucky, I told you I'm all in," he promised her. "I know words don't mean anything. But I want to show you that when I'm back in Fiore—when I'm home with you and Lisa-Jane and Ivan." He smiled when he heard Veronika's sniffle. "Oh, Lucky…"

"What?" Veronika barked, crossed and stuffed-up.

"Nothing, nothing," Spencer dismissed. "How was your day today? Ivan told me your mom might be making a visit since she and Mary Jane are headed your way for a job."

Veronika loudly exhaled. "Yeah. Sprite kept subtly hinting how she'd be so close for her job this weekend and how it'd be so tragic if she couldn't spend time with her favorite niece and nephew, so I bit the bullet and called Mom to see if she and Sprite need to immediately come home after their job."

"Are you prepared for her to come?"

"No, but…" Veronika took another swallow. "Lisa-Jane and Ivan went without a grandmother their whole lives. They fell in love with Mom and I can't take that away from them."

Spencer wanted to broach about Laxus, but he refrained. "I think you're brave for doing this, Lucky." A beat. "About favorite niece and a nephew…"

"Nik says he doesn't want to give everyone's hopes up if custody turns messy," Veronika grumbled. "Laxus knows and so does Mom about having another grandchild, but no one else in the family knows."

"I see." Spencer frowned. "Is he having much luck?"

"Not since the last time I spoke to him," Veronika replied. "He doesn't want to use any leave until he can make contact with the mother." Two beats. "I know I didn't want him to go to court, but I just have this bad feeling."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I know he says the mother is a good woman, but… Just something in my gut says something's wrong about that situation." A heavy sigh. "But you know Nik. Not like I can change his mind on anything, so why start now? Speaking of siblings, hear from your brother Preston?"

Spencer pinched the bridge of his nose. "Last time I checked, he's staying in school and he's off academic probation, but his lifestyle leaves a lot to be desired. Frat parties and whatnot." He snorted. "One day, he'll realize those aren't the end-all-be-all's."

"Not everyone can be a Phoenix Scout like you, Captain," Veronika teased. "I'm sure you had your fair share of fun in college." Another swallow. "I know I did."

Spencer raised an eyebrow. "Where did you go to school?"

"Nowhere impressive," Veronika dismissed. "Miss Chelsea was the one who forced me to go. She insisted my education was important and threatened to front my semester if I refused." She laughed. "My fun was more about some academic clubs, but frat parties were never my thing considering I had two little ones who needed me."

"I went to maybe one or two, but I was always busy in the library when I could help it," Spencer admitted. "Didn't make me that big of a deal with women. Even in high school, I was your typical nerd who the popular girls wanted to sleep with if it meant I did your homework." He smiled all wide at Veronika's snorting chortle.

"I'll believe that when I see it."

Spencer snickered. "You don't think I was a nerd?"

"With your body? No."

"I had to work for all of this," Spencer laughed. "My twelfth and thirteen years in secondary was my turning point, but I was pretty scrawny back in the day. All braces and zero-confidence. I worked out a lot during the summer and went to the Inter-Guild Training Camp and got invited to the summer camp too, but when I came back to school, no one even recognized me."

"Knowing that, we definitely wouldn't have met in high school," Veronika laughed.

"Were you one of the popular girls, Lucky?"

"Try the mean girl," Veronika jested. "Esme and I opted out of doing the typical high school experience, but we still hung around Magnolia and Lake Sciliora people and might have partied a lot with those quote-unquote 'popular kids'." A beat. "I might've slept with you if you did my homework."

Spencer threw back his head to laugh. "I doubt I would've resisted," he quipped. "But I was a lot more…pure back then. I might've resisted, but I probably would have caved."

"They always do," Veronika haughtily tittered.

Spencer hummed his amusement, but a comfortable silence drifted between the pair. His eyes drifted to the lazy moon and her stars and felt at ease hearing the even breaths on the other side of the line. He closed his eyes—

"I don't want Lisa-Jane to be like me."

Spencer straightened at that. "What? Why?"

"I wasn't…the easiest teenager in the world," Veronika admitted. "I did terrible things, slept with the wrong people…" A dwindling sigh. "I get why Laxus did what he did. I just never want Lisa-Jane to ever experience that."

Spencer tried to phrase his words. "I get wanting her to have a better experience than you, Lucky," he started, "and there's nothing wrong with that. But you are an amazing and strong person. I hope Lisa-Jane becomes like you." He ran a hand through his hair. "Kids are going to make mistakes. We've both made our fair share of mistakes. And if Lisa-Jane does make a mistake, I know you'll be there to help her through it." Tentatively, he added, "And I can be too if you're comfortable with it."

"Let's just make sure you get back to Fiore in one piece first," Veronika conditioned, though hesitantly. "And please make sure that you do. I can't have Lisa-Jane and Ivan upset."

"Just the kids?"

"I'm sure Miss Chelsea would miss you too."

"Only her?"

"And Mary Jane would—"

"Lucky…"

Veronika chuckled before sighing amicably. "I'd miss you too." Three beats. "I do now."

"I miss you too," Spencer confessed. I want to say the words, but I know she's not ready to hear them. "You and Miss Chelsea and the kids. The entire family, Lucky. I miss all of you."

"Then make sure you come home so you don't have to miss us, Captain."

Spencer smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

A lengthy yawn. "Well, thanks for the call, but I need to get some bed. Red wine always has a way of making me sleepy."

'What were you going to do before I called?" Spencer asked, curious.

"Nothing really. Probably some light reading."

"Yeah?" Spencer grinned. "And what would you be wearing?"

"Spencer!"

"Can't blame a guy for trying," Spencer said cheekily.

A huff. "Is that all men think about?"

"It's been a month, Lucky, forgive me," Spencer laughed. "And I'm pretty sure some of the other members on my team who aren't men are thinking the same thing as the men are thinking. We're all so lonely out here that just one picture could—"

"Not happening."

Spencer feigned a woeful sigh. "You won't even help the needs of a soldier doing his duty?"

"If perverted pictures are what motivate Magical Council lapdogs to do their job, that says a lot more about the Council," Veronika dryly stated. "I think you and your team can survive for all those months out wherever you are." She added in a low purr, "Just makes having sex when you come home even better."

Spencer groaned and scrubbed his face. "You're a cruel woman."

Veronika cackled. "Yes, I am. You knew that, though, so you can't complain." Another yawn. "I really need to get to bed, Captain."

"Right. Before you go, are you still wearing the necklace I got you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Make sure it stays on when I come home. Just the necklace."

Veronika made a noise of disgust. "Somehow, you manage to stoop to new lows every conversation, Captain. Focus on your mission with the brain in your head and come back home alive." Another yawn. "Oh, I won't be free tomorrow to talk unless you want to call during lunch my time. Tomorrow night, I'm having dinner with a client, but you should still be able to call for Ivan and Lisa-Jane's bedtime if you're free."

Spencer frowned. "A 'client'."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Who's the client?"

A beat. "Why, Captain, don't tell me you're jealous?" Veronika drawled teasingly. "Client dinners aren't much to begin with. It's mainly to get them comfortable, feel out their personality and budget, and get a better understanding about what they want." She sighed. "But from what my assistant told me, it's for his son's birthday, but the family is wealthy, so…"

"I understand." Spencer sighed. "Honestly, I'm a little jealous."

"What? Why? This is my job—"

"Which I respect," Spencer soothed her. "It's nothing about your job or your client being a man. I just wish I had gotten to take you out to dinner before I left. Though, I'm pretty sure Miss Chelsea would shove us both out the door if I even suggested it."

Veronika sounded like she was shifting around until she stopped for a few seconds. "She's a determined woman. She reminds me of my mom often. Mom might have looked kind and nice, but she would make sure you ate at least twice day with plenty of snacks and never hesitated to give us all little nudges."

"My parents are the same," Spencer related. "Though, I don't even think they know how to handle Preston at this point."

"Hopefully, he shapes up." Veronika yawned. "Now, I really do need to go. We can talk later."

"All right." Gun mental dark blues softened. "Good night, Lucky."

"Good night, Captain." Three beats. "And you might want to check your Com after this."

Spencer frowned. "What—?" But the call ended, and he pulled his Compact away to see he had received a new text message. The moment he tapped it opened, his eyes went wide before he smothered his mouth with his hand. Lucky… He pulled his hand away to let out a shuddering breath, cheeks lightly flushed. You always manage to surprise me.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

University of Southern Araza

Lanthanum City

Melandia

9:01AM MCDT (Melandian Central Daylight Time)

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The campus was abuzz with life with people out in shorts and flip-flops and tank tops and friendly smiles. The grass emerald and the coastal waters a healthy blue, there was no time like the present to enjoy summertime in Melandia. A few students were out on the lawn as they played frisbee. A few magical students were trying to get out their Transfiguration spell on an apple, but it was not going their way. A whistle was blown loudly as two students raced each other across the campus on broomsticks. A couple of students running late were rushing into a glass building in the hopes their professor did not lock the doors at exactly 9 AM.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the University of Southern Araza, a research-intensive public institution for both Mages and Spiritless. In Melandian Minstrish, Spiritless here are called 'Artless' just like in Minstrel. It is the ninth-best university in Earth Land while their USA Oceans Institute ranks eighth in the world. The Institute of Molecular and Magical Biology and Genetics ranks in the top 5 in the world! »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Most of the genetics technologists had an open office space together with their own desks, and the shared space had a homey feeling to it. Rather than the clinical white they were used to in the labs, the technologists had the choice of choosing a serene green for their environment with warm earthy colors for their bookshelves and their desks. Personal pictures and professional charts were pinned to the wall with little room to spare. With their own coffee maker, teakettle, and even mini-fridge, it felt like their second home (especially with some of the later nights they spent here). Blankets and pillows were a must and even little trinkets. One of Ezra's coworkers was adamant about her knitted animal collection would never be taken down, though she would never fail to be disgusted one of the technologists had figures of his favorite female anime characters. And they all ignored their own coworker who consistently slept under their desk in a sleeping bag.

There was too much to that story to explain.

Ezra sighed from his desk with his face on top of his stack of books. His backpack was hung up, but he had put on his lab coat and his hair had a bit more of a frizz to it than normal.

A mug of fresh coffee was placed beside Ezra. "Did you throw another pity party for yourself?"

"No," Ezra mumbled. "Stayed up grading tests. Some of these kids worry me."

A hum. "Maybe you should stop coddling them and start teaching them."

Ezra huffed. "I'm not coddling them." He pushed himself up and tried to get his coffee, but it was lifted away from him. He scowled and rested his cheek against a propped fist. "You know, it's no wonder you're single, Teddy," he muttered. "Always so heartless."

"If they cared about their grades, they'd be doing better." Teddy looked down at Ezra, broad shoulders, long hair loosely in a ponytail that hung over their left shoulder, and, like always, underneath their lab coat, they chose to wear a pineapple-printed button-down with the top button undone, and some high-rise black jeans. A mole hung on the right corner of their lip. "Coddling them and letting them have extra hours is stupid if they don't even care."

⌜UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN ARAZA

Name: Teddy Klaus

Age: 21

Occupation: Genetic Technologist, MSc(Res) Year 1 Student

Likes: haikus Dislikes: clubbing

Special Note: Teddy Klaus might seem a little standoffish, but they're one of Ezra's good friends and writes amazing poetry!⌟

Ezra perked when Teddy was gracious enough to give him his mug of coffee. "If they all fail, though, it'll be my fault. And I don't mind staying behind and helping them." He sipped his coffee and sagged in relief. "You always make my coffee just right."

"Yeah, because you always make it in too late and too tired to make it yourself," Teddy reminded. "If you didn't drive yourself to the ground grading and helping students, maybe you could get up on time."

Ezra shot them a half-hearted glare that looked more like a sulk. "I'm always here on time."

"Sure," Teddy snorted. They took a gulp of their black tea and glanced at the doorway to see someone pass by. "Hey, Asako!" They ignored the way Ezra stiffened. "Is Ezra always here on time?"

Heels clicked back towards the room. "If he was, maybe he wouldn't always be this tired and actually pick up the work he prints out."

"I did last night," Ezra said weakly.

"Hmph." The pretty pecan-skinned woman who leaned against the doorway looked like the definition of work ethic. Plump curves, killer heels, large earrings, and her dreadlocks in an updo with a few lengthy locks falling over her shoulder, she took no bullshit and expected effort from everyone around her. "One night out of how many when we've found your papers in the trays, Ezra?" She raised a manicured eyebrow. "I'd relocate you if I had the chance."

⌜UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN ARAZA

Name: Asako Moyo, MSc(Res)

Age: 26

Occupation: Bioinformatician, PhD Year 1 Student

Likes: jam skating Dislikes: saltines

Special Note: Asako comes from proud Andüsan parents and is the first one of her immediate family to go to college, so the pressure is on!⌟

Ezra began to sweat. R-Relocation?! "Come on, Asako, I'm not that bad."

"I found you nodding off over the fax machine last night," Asako deadpanned, "and you were drooling."

Ezra felt like he was electrocuted. "I… I'm not that bad. Not bad enough for relocation…"

Asako sighed as she pushed off the doorway. "Sadly, the university has no such rules for relocation. And, unfortunately, losing you would be a loss to the university." Before Ezra could sigh in relief, he shivered underneath her cutting glare. "But don't think it lets you off the hook."

"Y-Yes, ma'am," Ezra stammered.

Asako's eyes shifted to the coworker sleeping beneath the desk and she growled, "And someone wake Hacker up before I drag him outside myself." She whirled around, ready to walk away, when she nearly clashed with a tall man in a lab coat, jet black hair half in an updo, a piercing in one ear, and his acute green eyes always vibrant when he saw her.

"Ma chérie," he greeted pleasantly. "To what do we owe the pleasure of you visiting our humble office? Care for any coffee before you leave us?"

Asako tried to recollect herself. "Mister Duchenne—"

"Chace," he corrected like he had countless times.

Asako swallowed, but her wits came back about her. "Mister Duchenne, my answer hasn't changed since the last time and it never will."

"Damn. Shame." Chace took the rejection smoothly and stepped past her to drawl, "The offer stands if you change your mind, ma chérie."

⌜UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN ARAZA

Name: Chace Duchenne

Age: 23

Magi: Magicianry

Occupation: Magician, Genetic Technologist, MSc(Res) d 2 Student

Likes: intellectual debates Dislikes: muffins

Special Note: Chace is Perench-Stellian with a passion for speaking both languages and has some…interesting passions of his own!⌟

Asako cleared her throat and muttered a quick pardon before she strut down the hallway. Chace stared after her, dazedly charmed, while Ezra hunched over and let out the breath he had been holding. "She always terrifies me."

"I know."

Ezra socked Teddy with a glare while they minded their black tea. "What are you trying to do, send me into an early grave!" He looked over to the unfocused Chace and shook his head. "You might not want to mess with her, Chace. I mean it."

Chace stepped into the office with his bag slung over his shoulder and those greens healthily intrigued and mysterious. "She's a brilliant woman," he reasoned. "Nothing wrong with wanting to discuss work with her. I'm sure she'd be lovely company."

Ezra snorted. "Yeah, if you want to get eaten alive."

As Chace went to his desk, he chuckled, "By someone as intelligent as her, I don't think I'd mind." He sighed as he looked at Hacker huddled in their sleeping bag and crouched down. "Come on, mon amie, time to get up."

Ezra swiveled to power on his DAL before he leaned back in his chair. "I'll have to work through lunch to make up grading papers today." He closed his eyes and whined, "I still have at least twenty more to grade plus essays…"

Teddy sighed. "What do you want from the cafeteria?"

"Anything is good for me!" Ezra beamed. "Teddy, you're the best!"

To Teddy, all they saw was an eager puppy sparkling up at them and they said, "Better be careful before your ears and tails get up." They sighed and sipped their tea. "It's the least I can do since you've been pulling all these all-nighters. And speaking of which…" Their eyes slid over to Ezra. "Get anything yet?"

Ezra offered a defeated smile. "Not yet…"

"Well, it's still early." Teddy patted Ezra's shoulder as he pushed off the desk. "You should be hearing something any day now." He abandoned Ezra to join Chace's futile efforts to rouse Hacker.

Yeah… Still too early. Ezra set aside his coffee to sign into his DAL. He started signing into the normal programs, but his mind was invaded with those dark browns and a soft smile.

"I know you'll get in, Erza."

He forcibly pushed away the voice as he looked dejectedly at his screen. It's over. I just wish my heart knew that. As his research and the other programs came up, he drew up his email and set aside the ones that did not need his attention for the important ones. But he squinted when one email popped up. What is this? He clicked on it and began to read…

Smokey topaz widened.

"Hey, guys," Ezra called. "Have you seen the newsletter?"

Chace and Teddy abandoned rousing Hacker to crowd around Ezra to read what he read. Chace's brow furrowed. "They found a match?"

"I didn't think that was possible," Teddy murmured.

"What's going on?"

The three looked over to see a skinny thing had come in with her prosthetic leg and her gills carefully wrapped in a water collar. Her hair fell a little past her ears, but her height left a lot to be desired since she was only up to Teddy's lower chest. Her eyes brightened when she saw the screen and she came right over. "Oh, are you guys talking about the newsletter?"

⌜UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN ARAZA

Name: Rain Oetjen

Age: 22

Occupation: Genetic Technologist, MSc(Res) Year 2 Student

Likes: steak Dislikes: fish

Special Note: Rain is an Aberrant due to her gills and wears an enchanted water collar in order to keep her gills healthy!⌟

"You knew about this?" Ezra asked as he turned his focus back to the email.

Rain nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It came out pretty late last night, actually! For years, the DNA map they received a few decades ago was preserved for cloning, but they've been looking for a match that showed the same sequencing since the DNA Map they've been preserving hasn't been adjusting very well to a few cloning experiments," she explained. "I guess back in November, they found a match, but they were pretty much deadlocked into negotiations until now."

"It says this coding contains higher levels of Ether than the previous donor," Chace read. "Wouldn't this be the DNA map of a Transformation Mage?"

"The sequencing would be different," Teddy countered. "We've worked with DNA maps from Transformation Mages, remember?"

"Right. I'm just surprised it's possible for Mage-level Ether to coexist with Changeling coding. Their mechanisms are fairly flexible, but they still have different systems involved." Chace continued to skim the article. "I assume we won't know the mysterious donor."

"No." Rain pouted. "But I really want to know who the donor is. For them to have these genes is so rare, they're a scientific discovery alone!" She salivated. "Think of all the experiments we could run on them to see the extent of their abilities! The trial, the error, the thrill of success…! So beautiful—!"

WHACK!

A tick mark pounded Teddy's temple as he scolded the bowed over Rain, "Shit like this is why they won't ever let you be a genetic counselor, you idiot!"

Rain wanted to fight back, but Ezra pushed away from his desk and abruptly got up. "Excuse me. I just need to make a call." He grabbed his Compact and speed-walked out of the office and down the hall. He remembered his manners and offered half-hearted smiles and nods to the other staff and faculty until he could duck into the vending machine room and closed the door behind him. He whipped out his Compact and was quick to place the call.

The person answered on the third ring. "You never like to call, pup."

"I'm sorry, sir," Ezra murmured. "I've just been…busy lately."

"Are you coming back to the estate as scheduled for two weeks in June?"

"I am, sir—"

"Then what's the reason for your call now? I doubt you'd call for the sake of it. You're more meticulous than that."

Ezra let out a breath. "Sir… I…" He closed his eyes. "Have you spoken to my brother lately?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Demiurge Residence

Tuxedo Park

Fiore, Ishgar

2:15 AM FST

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The screens climbed above him as they displayed data the average man would get dizzy staring at. Some information was listed in Encan, some in Minstrish, some in a Zhōnguánese, but everything had to be streamed. Everything had to be read. New data steamed in Gordost. A video on the darker side of the web showed a strange woman with unusual eyes as she and a few Hunters passed by the security. But the man focus was on the blurred image of a man at a club scene with the hood pulled over his eyes.

KNOCK-KNOCK.

"Come in, Luther."

Luther opened the door with a tray that had a singular mug of hot brew on it. "I figured you would need a drink, Young Master," he said as he came into the quarters. "You've been at work since you came home."

Clicking of keys. "I've had a lot to do."

"You have." Luther set down the brew before him. "How fairs Carlisle?"

A pause. "I'll talk to him when he's ready to forgive me. What I did was uncalled for. I can't believe I let all my stress get to me."

"The burden you hold is no easy one to shoulder," Luther reminded him. "For the past three weeks, you have endured the strain your father has put you under. But you mustn't give in, Young Master." His eyes narrowed. "He's trying to break you."

The clicking started again. "I know. That's why I need to work even harder at my own game. He might be jaded and cynical, but I'm not like him. My place isn't there. It's here. And I need to do everything I can to protect Treasure and Carlisle." Another pause.

Luther raised an eyebrow. "Something troubles you, Young Master?"

"Do you remember Hunter?"

A flicker of anger crossed Luther's face, but he retained his grace. "Unfortunately, Young Master. And I remember Carlisle's struggles revolving around Hunter. Why do you bring up that wretched name?"

"Aphtan had said Dante—the man Carlisle's with—was like him. But I know Aphtan. He wouldn't have mentioned something that severe without plausible reason."

Luther sighed. "Young Master Aphtan does have a way of dismissing Carlisle's partners."

"Yeah, but he's never thought of them as Hunter." More clicking. "And when I visited him, there was something strange about the man."

Luther lifted his chin. "Perhaps he's a late bloomer, Young Master?"

"No, that's not it. I might not be my father, but I can sense latent power. He never felt malicious. The entire time that I was with him, I felt at ease. I even spoke to him a little bit about Mother."

"That is surprising," Luther murmured, thoughtful.

"And Carlisle might not always keep away from the action, but I know him. He's a lot more careful. That's why it shocked me when he didn't even sense the Enoch. He should have. And normally he does sense them and can get away. But he didn't. It's almost like he…"

A pause.

Luther prompted, "Yes, Young Master?"

The clicking started up again. "Never mind. For right now, as long as Carlisle is safe, that's enough for me. But I have a job for you to do if you're up for it."

"I am here for assistance, Young Master," Luther swore dutifully.

"I know. And I thank you for that, Luther." Backspacing then typing again. "I need you to be discrete, but I want you to check the House of O. From some of the feelers I've put there, they'd spotted Caeryssa, but it looks like Hunter might have been there as well."

"To place a bid?"

"Not on a person."

A screen expanded to show a language unfamiliar to this solar system. But the picture was evident. A metal chalice was encased in glass with a thick and murky liquid inside of it. The price looked outrageous—or so the repetitive symbol that could be construed as zeroes. But the chalice had been stained with a foreign symbol all knew well.

Luther looked at the screen as his body tensed. "Pure blood."

"Yes. I think it was Hunter's intention to purchase it, but the feelers caught him speaking to several others, including Caeryssa. And that's not all." The main screen switched to showcase images of the Sanctuary, Tamamoro Island, and the Boundary Forest. "He's visited each of these locations, or so the sources say. But it's hard to pin him down." Gritted teeth. "If I could corner him, it would be easy for me to place Judgment."

"Not without your father's permission," Luther reminded.

A terse breath. "That's why he's letting a glimpse of himself be seen. He knows I can't Judge him without Father's approval. But if I mention him to Father, there are no amount of lies I can tell to explain the connection and why he's lived this long. But I need answers, and he's the best bet. Even if I hate everything about him and what he did Carlisle." Honestly, outside of Mother, he's the only other being I would want to kill myself. But he's smart. Killing him means I've cut off the only lead. But what he wants in return is something I could never give him. We're at a stalemate and I hate he has more cards than me.

"What will my task be at the House of O?" Luther asked.

The typing started again. "Stick to the shadows and listen. I'll give you a list of the places Hunter and Caeryssa were spotted. Locations have probably been changed, but it's a start. Nothing is too little. Everything counts."

Luther nodded. "And your father?"

"With Aleda here, he won't care about your absence, but if he asks, I'll let him know you're running an errand to me to the Library to see your brother. Believable enough."

Luther nodded again. "Very well, Young Master. I'll depart at once."

"Thank you, Luther, for doing this."

"No, Young Master, it is I who should be thanking you. Without your progressive thinking, I wouldn't be here," Luther murmured. "Neither would Young Master Carlisle. We are both in your debt."

"There's no debt for wanting the will to live on your own two feet."

"Until we are seen as people, there will always be a debt." Luther collected the tray. "Please take care, Young Master. Young Master Carlisle will come around. And if it's all the same to you, I would like to stop by to see my brother. It has been a long time."

"Of course, Luther. Please give him my gratitude and let him know I'll visit him soon."

"Thank you, Young Master." Luther bowed. "Good night." And he left and shut the doors behind him.

A long sigh as the typing continued. A war is coming here to this planet that could destroy all realms. Freedom will become a dream. Father thinks it's not my place to care or do anything, but I know the truth. Mother betraying us made him detach from humanity. He told me it's my job to do the same, but he's wrong. I can't sit there at The End at the place. I have to stand here in the middle of it and protect what is worth protecting.

DING!

The hands drew back from the keyboard.

The data from the screens began to consolidate.

I have to stop this no matter how many times it takes me. Treasure, Carlisle, Luther—I won't let them see The End. Not when they've never gotten to experience true free will. Hands tightened into fists. Father will do what he has to do…and I'll do the same to prevent this nightmare.

Bleu looked at the screens before him with anger in his eyes. This time…you won't come here.

And the screens only showed one word.

EDEN

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

He could breathe underwater.

He bobbed up in down in the depths of the ocean, but he could breathe and blink and had no trouble staying still. Fish and sea creatures past him, but they did not look all that bothered about his presence. Two hippocamps galloped by him as they ferried along a box. A gaggle of women with serpentine tails moseyed on past as they giggled and gossip. A shadow passed over him and the creature looked similar to a whale; however, the creature was translucent and you could see all its organs and no bones. A few manta rays had come with it, fluttering. But the creatures were all swimming to a glowing city under the sea that was full of life and nature.

'Come, my prince.' The voice was a smooth growl, paternal and affectionate. 'Come join your people.'

Bubbles left him as he began to drift forward. But when he glanced down, his shadow was not his own. It had lengthened and he had lost his legs and…

'Prince of the Sea.' Another voice, warm and regal. 'We have waited for you for a long time. It is time for you to come home.'

He kept swimming closer. He was coming home… Somehow, as he looked at the underwater city, "home" felt like the right word to say. He swam faster.

A rumbling chuckle. 'Welcome home, Prince of the Sea,' came pleasant purr. 'It is time for you to take your place among us.'

Eagerly, he pushed himself—

CLANG!

He could not swim anymore.

Chains had wrapped around him and without preamble, they dragged him up and up and up until he was choking and heaving. He was unceremoniously ripped from the water and the world tilted on its axis.

The stench of blood and rust felt mutually exclusive.

Chains hung everywhere, imparted with rust and plastered in dried dark red, but the chains had snaked around him dug into his flesh and broke past skin to rub into raw muscle and blood. His eyes fell heavy, his jaw was immovable and off, and he could not feel his left leg. Concrete bowled beneath him. Hidden in the hanging chains were people, but he could not make out their flesh. But he remembered their eyes full of secrets and lies.

"They told me you were the weak link in your family line."

BAKI!

The focus was blurred as a sharp pain slammed into his gut.

BAKI!

Another punch had blown on his broken jaws and he could feel blood bubble and fester.

Fingers dug into his hand and ripped as the focus was forced to jerk up and stare into such unusual eyes of a small pupil with three dots connecting to it.

"Don't fret, little boy, I'm here to save you."

BAKI! BAKI!

The side of his head and his stomach had taken both of his harsh blows, and shame and pain merged into one when he felt his body give into nature.

"This is his son?"

A new voice. Cold. Furious.

She kneeled before him, but it was not out of respect or courtesy. He could not keep his head up and he was bombarded with her ghastly scar that marred her face in a brand and those hollow eyes.

"No one can save you except yourself."

Her hands clasped in prayer as Magic overtook her irises, then flooded her pupils.

"Stay still, Silver."

The invasion to his body had sneaked in and spiked him from the inside out. Spearing him from the inside and spitting poison into him, he felt it grow and grow and grow within him and tears streamed from his eyes as he was—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Silver woke up in a shutter and gasp as he panted and panted until he could catch his breath. Heart racing, blood rushing his ears, and head dizzy, it took him a while until he could feel his body again and he flopped back down in his bed. He curled onto his side and reached for his compact to check the time, only to be discouraged when he saw it was past two in the morning.

Groaning, he rolled onto his back. Another nightmare… Figures… He sat back up because laying down somehow made everything worse. I keep seeing that city… And those voices… Who are they? Why do they know me? His eyes widened.

"My mother always told me visions and dreams mean something."

That's right. She said she has a dream journal. Silver's eyes darted around his room, adjusted to the darkness. I'm not that much of a writer, but… He shot up from the bed to grab his L-Pad and the pen for it. But I can draw it. He fired up Adobo and his pen was itching to be used. The moment he had a clean slate, he drew.

Silver was not sure how much time had passed, but he knew he had gone through several panels to draw out everything from his dream that sat at the forefront of his mind. But the more time wedged between his dream state and his awake state, the details faded and he no longer could picture what he drew. But he looked back at the final panel he had done. Those eyes. Those unusual eyes.

Sighing, Silver saved his work and locked down his L-Pad before falling back into bed. Taking a heaving sigh, he closed his eyes. Somehow, that made me even more tired… But I don't want to go back to bed. He glanced over to his Compact before he gave in and picked it up. Seeing the time made him hesitate but… I don't want to wake her up. She'd probably murder me, but… She could always sleep through it, right? A little nervous, he unlocked his Compact, found her contact, and pressed ⟪ Call ⟫.

And now he waited.

°•°•°•°

Ena might have been graceful awake and sometimes asleep, but tonight, well…

GUUU… GUUU…

Hair thrown up into a high and messy bun and her sleep mask on that said QUEEN BOSS, she was sprawled like a crazy person with her comforter covering her and her chainsaw snoring death metal to others.

VRRRRR… VRRRRR…

Her snoring went on for a little bit, but the more her Compact vibrated, the snoring sputtered and she sneezed. The next time her Compact vibrated, she crawled out from her covers and clapped her hands for her bedside lamps to come on. Another vibration and she yawned as she got her Compact and answered it without even needing to remove her sleep mask. "L?" she guessed sleepily.

"Um, no, it's me…"

Ena yawned as she snuggled into her covers. "Who?"

"Silver!"

"Oh…" Ena yawned again. "Is it morning already?"

"Well, no, it's pretty early. I'm sorry. Did I catch you sleeping?"

"Hmm?" Ena nestled into her pillow. "What'd'you say?"

A sigh. "Nothing. Sorry to bother. I'll let you get back to sleep—"

"No, I'm awake," Ena assured in a slur. "What did you need? You okay? Have another…"—she yawned again—"attack or something?"

Three beats. "Not really, just…a bad dream, I guess…"

"Oh, that's too bad." Ena grunted as she shifted in her bed to find her comfy spot in it again. "You okay? Wanna talk about it?"

Two beats. "You'd let me do that?"

"Sure…" Ena sighed when she found the spot again. Finally. She could go back to sleep. "Come on over. Talk to me."

Three beats. "You want me to…come over to your house and talk?" he choked. "Seriously?"

Ena sleepily hummed as she felt her mind drift. "Mmm-hmm…" She arched her back to crack it and groaned when things popped and her bones felt looser. "Ah, yeah… So good…"

"E-E-Ena?" he squeaked. "Are you okay? You're making some…noises…"

"Mmm, fine…" She yawned again. "Come sleep with me."

"WHAT?!" He sputtered, "Th-Th-That's not appropriate! I-I'm not ready for that—!"

Ena sniffed. She felt like something was tickling her nose. "Come over and sleep," she clarified through her sleep haze. "S'fine."

"O-O-Oh. That…" He audibly swallowed. "That makes more sense." A beat. "Are you sure? I mean it's late and I'm sure your mom wouldn't want me to—"

"Mom…!" Ena lazily drawled in a shout. "Silver's coming to sleep with me!"

"Don't say it like that!" Silver gasped.

From somewhere in the house, Erza drearily called back, "M'kay!"

"She agreed so easily!"

Ena yawned and put her Compact on her pillow. "Come on over, lover boy," she slurred. "I'll be"—another long yawn—"waitin' for ya… Door's unlocked… Just come in."

"You left the door unlocked?!" Rustling came next and a huff. "I'm coming over, but you shouldn't leave your front door unlocked. Some strange person could break into your house. Although, knowing you and Master, I think the burglar should be more afraid…"

Ena hummed as sleep began to drag her under. But she mumbled, "Come home soon, Dad." And she was out like a light.

°•°•°•°

Silver had been polite and knocked because he wanted to think Ena was sleep-deprived when she meant the door was unlocked, but much to his dismay, the door was unlocked and he could let himself inside. I can't believe they let the door be unlocked. But if a burglar came in, they'd face Titania and the Fairy Princess… Silver shucked off his shoes with his L-Pad tucked into his arm. Yeah, I think they're fine.

Shaking off the snowflakes on his head, he had come in some sweats and a shirt and his jacket. He peeked around, but there was no sign of life anywhere except for the evident snoring. He was able to see light coming from a bedroom in the hallway, and when he arrived, he had to keep his laughter to himself to see Ena huddled under the covers, snoring away.

And she says she doesn't snore. But she sounds adorable.

Maybe he was deaf to death metal snoring or maybe he was a fan of death metal to begin with—the world would never know.

Silver crept into the bedroom and closed the door until a crack remained open. After taking off his jacket and draping it on her thinking chair, he came over to the bed, set his Compact and L-Pad onto the nightstand, and softly called, "Ena…"

Ena's snoring sounded like a car backfiring when she roused herself. "Hmm?" She turned and shoved the doors down, but she refused to take off her eye mask. "Who's that?"

"Silver." He sweatdropped. Does she really not know the sound of my voice? "You told me to come over and"—a blush kissed his cheeks—"sleep with you."

"Mmm…" Ena yawned. "Come on in." She drew back the covers all the way and…

Silver's face quietly turned red as his eyes rounded. What is she wearing?!

It was not that Ena's pajamas looked scandalous or anything like that. In fact, to most, her pajamas looked normal. She simply wore a large t-shirt, some panties, and her eye mask. Nothing was wrong with that.

But to Silver…

The moment he had realized he was getting an eyeful of her legs and just kept staring, he turned around, hot and ashamed, and covered his face. "Wh-Wh-Where are your pants?" Butterfly stroke. Breaststroke. Backstroke. Sidestroke.

"Hmmm…" Ena stretched out and let out a long groan when her back cracked again. "Are you coming?" Like a snake, she unwound herself and moved to the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

Silver covered his nose when he felt the oncoming of a nosebleed. "Nothing's wrong!" he squeaked. Everything. Everything is wrong. Quick, think of something else. Single cast on. Long-tail cast on—

"Oh… Wanna talk?"

Silver stiffened and blushed to the roots of his hair when he felt Ena drape across his back and her hands hugged his mid-section. No, no, this can't be happening! Mohair, alpaca, chenille, yarn—

"So quiet…" Her words puffed into his ear and made his spine tingle as her hand roamed his stomach. "I'm a good listener, Silver."

Silver broke free from her and put his hands on her shoulders for her sake and for his own sanity. "This was a bad idea!" he squawked and kept his eyes firmly on her face, but he blinked, and they accidentally drifted down. "You need to get to… You… You need to…" But the longer he looked at her legs, that little voice salivated, This was a great idea. Fraught, he shook his head free of that rotten little voice when his nose tingled. No, no, no, this is a bad idea! Bad! Bad Silver! Respect her autonomy!

He could hear Luna's cackling in his head.

"You're taking too long…"

Silver stumbled when Ena grabbed his wrists and pulled him to the bed. Steam came out of his ears (literally) and he sputtered, "Wait, wait, wait! I don't think you know what you're doing and—Ah!"

Ena had yanked him onto the bed with her and he was sprawled, frozen in comical terror, while she sleepily rooted around for the comforter and snuggled into it. "Better." She yawned. "You good?"

"Yup! Good! Perfect!" He winced when his voice cracked.

Ena sighed. "That's good." A deep breath in. A long breath out. "What was the dream about?"

Silver stiffened. And those mayan blues glittered in the remembrance. "I can't remember everything," he murmured in confession, "but…there was this city… It was in the ocean, I think. And then I was somewhere else."

"Where?" Ena yawned.

A chilling hiss. "Stay still, Silver."

He curled himself up as though trying to physically combat the voice that plagued him. "The past."

Silence.

"A dream journal."

Silver turned his head as Ena moved her eye mask up to show these sleepy yet somber brown eyes of hers that made his heart go crazy. "What?"

"A dream journal," Ena repeated. "Did you write your dream down?"

"Oh, um…" Silver glanced at his L-Pad. "I more drew what I could remember…"

"Do you feel comfortable showing it to me?"

Silver could not hide his surprise. "You want to see it?"

"If you're comfortable," Ena stressed. "If you'd like to see my dream journal in return—"

"No, no, that's okay!" Silver assured hurriedly with a wave of his hands. "Um, sure, you can look." He reached for his L-Pad and turned back around to hand it off to her when he felt Ena shift and he blushed to the roots of his hair when her hand was on his chest and she was leaning against him. "U-U-Uh…"

"Well, show me," Ena ordered.

Silver roughly swallowed. "Okay…" With shaky fingers, he unlocked his L-Pad and brought up Adobo. "If you want to take it—"

"No. These are your private thoughts," Ena told him. "You should be the one to control what you show me and tell me." She patted his chest (and Silver prayed she could not feel his heart trying to escape his chest) and murmured, "So tell me only what you want to tell me and I'll listen."

"O-Okay…" Silver took a deep breath and showed her his first drawing. He winced when he saw some inconsistencies with the curves. "Sorry. My drawing isn't really that great."

"On the contrary, you have an amazing eye." Ena perked up her head to take in the underwater kingdom dressed in lights and fish and merpeople and aquatic beasts you would never see unless you were out at sea. "Art is all about the eye of the beholder, but I'm seriously impressed."

"Really?" Silver's cheeks heated. "I can't really do much though… Gary's really good at everything. I can only do backgrounds." He went to his next drawing to show an intricate temple with molded sculptures of sea creatures built into it and… He squinted when he noticed a tribal symbol on it that seemed awfully familiar. I must have been drawing so fast that I didn't even realize it. That symbol… I think that was the symbol on that money pouch the old man from New Rosemary gave me. I wonder what it means…

"Silver, this is incredible," Ena breathed. "Why didn't I know you could draw before?"

Silver shrugged. "It's not something I do a lot of. Just a hobby. And I can't really do much outside water painting." Right. I have to paint the picture that old man gave me…and give her the Rainbow Rose…

"Does the temple seem familiar to you?"

Silver blinked out of his thoughts as he admitted, "Kinda, but also, not really. It's not like I've ever been underwater. I mean, sure, I've watched The Lost Empire and The Little Mermaid, but I've never seen the city of this temple in it." He went to the next picture—

He felt a lump in his throat.

Ena could feel his tension as she stared at those unusual eyes, a pupil with three other circles attached to them respectively. "Do you know those eyes?" she carefully questioned.

"Y-Yeah…" Silver tried to banish the emotions warring in him as he stared into those eyes, but nothing was working.

Ena passed him a concerned look. "You don't have to talk about what you're uncomfortable talking about," she promised him.

"No, it's just…" Silver closed his eyes. "Remember in Margaret Town and all the chaos and everything?" He did not wait for Ena's verbal agreement for he knew the answer. "It was just… The whole thing with the Magic Hunters… When I got sick because of all the weird Magic going on, the Hunters took us somewhere and put us in cages." He felt fingers thread through his hair and he held his hands to stop them from shaking. "But there was this…woman… She took me away from everyone and…" Heat stung his eyes.

"She hurt you," Ena filled in softly.

Silver swallowed. "Yeah."

"Is she why you have your attacks?"

Silver hesitated then whispered, "She said there was something inside me that she wanted out, but…" He let out a strangled noise. "I don't even know. Penelope said something about my soul and my spirit aren't balanced together and now I'm stuck with these dreams and these freaky attacks and I just…!" He put the butt of his palms onto his eyes. "Do you ever feel like you're just driving yourself crazy?"

Five beats. "Sometimes."

Silver pulled his hands away to open his eyes as Ena moved away from him to look at the ceiling flat on her back. "Really? B-B-But you're so level-headed!

"Some of the time," Ena corrected him. "But sometimes, I feel insane and I'm spiraling out of control." Dark chocolate softened. "But it's mainly whenever I think about my dad and everything else with my family. I try not to think about it too often. It just gets me upset and then Mom's upset I'm upset and she's stressed enough as it is. But there are times…" She sighed.

Silver nudged her to finish. "'There are times…'"

"I don't know. Just times when I wish I was in a different lifetime," Ena supposed. "Where I got to see my dad every day and Mystogan didn't treat me like a pet he never wanted and Mom wasn't so busy all the time. But when I say it aloud, I feel ungrateful for what I have. Many more people have it worse than me when it comes to family and here I am complaining."

Silver frowned. "Just because people have it worse doesn't mean you should think your life is perfect. Everyone wants something. Wanting a perfect family isn't anything to be ashamed about."

"Isn't it though?" Ena heaved a sigh. "Cane and Dash can't stand their fathers. Number Five was sold into slavery and never even knew her family. Ghost is a ghost and he doesn't even know his own identity. And Justin and Liberty…" She rubbed her nose. "Justin's parents died in that horrible accident. And poor Liberty…"

Even Silver felt a pang of grief for Liberty's situation. "I think it's nice you're compassionate towards them for the things they lost or never got to know," he murmured, "but look at them now. Justin and Libby are really happy with Mister Justine. Ghost left to find his own name. I can't really say if Number Five is happy or not…"—they shared a chuckle—"but she seems to have really taken to Venende and Kanin, hasn't she?"

Ena snorted, but she could not resist smiling. "More like Venende and Kanin roped Number Five into it, but… Since Number Five hasn't really protested against it and she's good for them, I guess it means she's happy."

"Exactly." Silver scratched his jaw. "We can't really speak for them about what's going on in their head or if they wish their lives were different, but they're happy with the lives they have now. And I'm sure if you told any of them about your unhappiness, they wouldn't resent you. They'd probably understand."

Ena hummed.

Silver looked at the ceiling before he blurted, "I feel like I'm the weak link in my family."

Ena looked over at him.

"Just think about my family for a second," Silver said. "My dad is this world-class Ice Mage, and my mom is this phenomenal Water Mage to the point where she can control the weather. And Gary's amazing. He's on my dad's level, but he's also this really well-known artist plus his hockey skills. And then Julia used to have amazing Water and Ice Magic. I know she doesn't use it now, but she was so cool doing it. And she's so smart and she never loses a fight and…" He sighed. "And then there's me. It's not like I have this pure talent for Water Magic, not really. I earned the title 'Prince of the Sea', but for what? I'm not that smart, I can't even keep up with you or Lulu…" He closed his eyes. "I'm just the weak link."

Silence.

"You really do know how to make me angry."

Silver sighed. "Ena, I just…" But his eyes flew open wide when he felt Ena straddle him and he was in danger of either melting or exploding with her on top of him. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you—?!" But he shut up when Ena roughly grabbed his chin and forced wide mayan blues to clash with darkened chocolate.

"You've made me angry an infinite amount of times you've been around me," Ena said lowly, "but I never even thought you could stoop to a new low. A 'weak link'? A 'weak link' wouldn't allow someone to put sealstone cuffs on them and still beat out every other swimmer in the area. A 'weak link' wouldn't take on the challenge of learning a whole new set of skills in just a month, and a 'weak link' certainly wouldn't be my assistant." She let him go with her cheek twinging.

Silver blinked up at her. Ena…

"I don't believe in 'weak links'," Ena stated. "I believe in improvement. It doesn't matter how strong you are. You will always have something to improve on. It doesn't matter what everyone else is doing around you or what their level is. Everyone is still improving." She raised an eyebrow. "But if the saying is 'you're only as a strong as your weakest link', wouldn't that make you a lot stronger than you think if everyone around you is a powerhouse? If you want to think of yourself as the 'weak link' of your family, fine. But they are only this strong because of you then. Even so, I don't ever want you to degrade yourself into thinking so negative."

Silver swallowed. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do," he confessed. "You know what you're supposed to do. Everyone in my family does. What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know," Ena admitted. "My suggestion is speaking with my mom for a one-on-one. She's a lot better at steering people in the right direction. But speak to her when you're ready and not a moment before. Understand?"

Silver nodded. "Yeah."

"Good." Ena sniffed. "And never anger me like that again. I won't stand for it. The next time you want to insult yourself, I'll turn you into a guinea pig."

Silver lightly laughed. "All right."

Ena nodded, but her hand came down to gently touch Silver's face. "You're improving," she told him in promise. "You'll continue to improve at your own pace. I've seen you improve in just a month and I look forward to seeing how else you can improve."

"Really?"

Ena hummed. "Yes."

"Does this mean you'll come to more of my swim practices?" Silver hoped.

"No."

Silver pouted. "You liar. You just said you wanted to see me improve."

"In life. Not with you making a mess in dirty water," Ena sniffed. "That entire affair was disgusting. Why not do a cleaner sport instead?"

"The pool is clean!" Silver said, exasperated. "And I take a shower after I'm done anyway!" When Ena did not look convinced, he sighed and decided to let this go. "Thanks for cheering me up," he appreciated. "And for setting me straight."

"Yes, well, everyone needs a talking to now and again," Ena supposed. "You just apparently need one at two in the morning. And I hope you know this means we still start work at seven-thirty in the morning."

Silver froze.

Ena narrowed her eyes. "You didn't think I'd let you sleep in, did you?"

Silver turned his eyes away as he sweated. "Of course not," he laughed forcefully. "Seven-thirty it is." I should have known better than to hope. Still, if I'm sleeping here, I can sleep in a little—

"And I expect you to still wake up at your normal hour and be prepared for the day so you don't break out of your daily routine."

Silver wanted to cry. Why do I like someone so cruel to me? "Yes, Ena," he mumbled, miserable. Maybe I could convince her just five more minutes. "But—"

His throat went dry.

I guess I forgot about it, but… Now he could not help but accept the wild fact that Ena was on top of him in nothing more than a big shirt and he audibly gulped when his eyes fell to the part of the shirt covering her legs. She's barely wearing anything, and she's on top of me!

His nose tingled.

Dread filled him. Oh, no. He nervously cleared his throat and started, "E-Ena—?" He choked when she shifted on top of him.

"Though…maybe I should give you a little leniency," Ena supposed, drumming her fingers along her chin and jaw and oblivious to Silver looking like a red, sweaty mess. "Hmm…" She shifted again, and maybe she did not hear Silver's strangled noise. "Well, it is Friday. I suppose maybe…fifteen minutes?" She wriggled as she considered it (and Silver looked like he was torn between believing there was a god out there and that he was going to Hell). "Fifteen minutes seems good. What do you think?" She frowned and touched her back. I think I have another knot. I thought I cracked my back good enough…

"Ah, yes!" Silver yipped, voice high-pitched. "Yes, that's…!" He looked comically horrified when Ena began to stretch and her shirt was riding up. His nose tingled and he slapped his hand over it. "What are you doing?!"

"There's this knot in my back," Ena grunted as her back arched. "I think… Ah, it's right there…" Her nose scrunched as she stretched even more and groaned. "Right…there…"

Silver looked like a madman trying to hold it together. Think of something. Anything. Anything. Backstroke. Breaststroke. Sidestroke. He was going to have a coronary when he could a glimpse of Ena's upper thighs. Yes, yes, yes—! But his nose tingled more, and he panicked, No, no, no, you pervert, think of something else!

"Yes… Yes…" Ena grunted as she pushed herself. "So…close…" Her hips shifted—

Silver's eyes rolled up as his mind raced, and he thought of the first thing he could think of. Boran deushi muneojeosseo… Badageul ttulko jeo jihakkaji—

"Ah…" Ena cocked her head as her shoulders shook. "I…think…I…"

A thin line of sanity was left, and Silver clung to it. "Ena," he squeaked, "please don't—!"

Ena jerked and—

"Silver, ah…!"

CRACK!

Silver was white as a sheet.

Maybe he was dead…

The knot gone, Ena's spine felt buttery and her body felt loose and free. Sighing, she sagged down in relief. "Ah, that felt so good…" she moaned. "Nothing like getting that last knot in your back. Now." She moved some flyaways behind her ear. "Sorry, you were saying something, and I was trying to reply when I finally got my back to crack. What were you…?" But her brow furrowed in confusion when a stiff Silver was looking at the ceiling with a distant gaze. "Um… Silver?" She prodded his cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," whispered Silver, hoarse. "I'm fine. I just…want to sleep."

"Oh." Ena got off him and yawned. "Sure." Slipping her eye mask down, she curled beneath the covers and faced away from him as she went onto her side. "You get fifteen minutes of extra sleep. Good night."

Silver vaguely heard her as he felt so dazed.

His soul.

It had to be gone.

It was in Hell.

He was going to Hell.

I'm going to have to marry her, Silver listlessly thought. I have no virtue left.

And Ena started snoring again.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Flore Inn (Bed and Breakfast)

Eadred City

Minstrel, Ishgar

3:28 AM CMT (Charring Mean Time)

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The bed-and-breakfast was in the suburbs of such a grandiose city which meant you needed to take the trolley inland, but the peace and quiet were worth it. Even with it being winter, the rolling hills and the winter-touched forest looked like a mythical land more so than a real home. The roads were mash-ups of dirt and cobblestone, but the electric trolleys ran through the major streets in the outskirts of the town. Three in the morning might have seemed too early for some, but the farmers would soon be getting ready for their day. The bed-and-breakfast was a restored mansion of a farmhouse with the barn being furbished for amenities for the clientele. Rooms designed based on a different country and with a sky's-the-limit menu and streaming services and even your own private hot tub, it made sense why such a bed-and-breakfast was a spot year-round.

Gajeel slept like the dead with Levy sprawled across his chest and Pantherlily had slept on the pull-out bed. But Levy woke, eyes bleary, when she needed to use the bathroom and reluctantly withdrew from the warmth her husband gave her to wriggle out of bed (and was glad Gajeel could not watch her because the bed needed a stepping stool for her). She grabbed her Compact and walked like a zombie into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Gajeel felt the loss of his little mate and his eyes cracked open, but he was not too concerned. He rolled onto his side as sleep yanked him down and he thought he was out—

"Gajeel."

He groaned as he pulled out once again from sleep. But the urgent concern he felt made him alert and ready. "What's wrong?" he gruffly demanded to know. "What happened?" But he caught Levy's tear-stricken face and could not help it when he cupped her chin and pulled her close. "What's goin' on, Lev?"

"G-Gale," Levy wheezed to him, which made the metal in his body freeze. "He was…attacked." She broke into a sob, her shoulders shaking. "They left voicemails—!"

Her compact lit up.

Gajeel did not even have to try when he scooped Levy up with an arm to let her cry into his chest, but he stole her Compact from her to see a blocked number had called, but he answered it anyway and accepted it was an international call. The second the line picked up, he heard a cry of relief. "Oh, thank god! Sergeant!" The boy's voice was a little further now. "Sergeant, I have Mister Gale's parents on the line!"

"This is former Captain Black Steel of Custody Enforcement Unit Seventeen," Gajeel started in a low growl. "What the fuck happened to our son?"

"O-Oh! I'm sorry! Yes, of course! This is Officer Kimbley from the Magic Council Sentry Division stationed in Infiorata Town," Kimbley introduced as he progressively got less flustered. "I—! Yes, Sergeant, he's on the line—"

"Captain Black Steel, this is Master Sergeant Anbessie," Anbessie said lowly. "Our apologies and I regret to be the one to inform this to you and your wife. Your son was attacked in the Boundary Forest. He's been safely extracted and is currently under observation at the Crocus Clinic in Rose Garden City—"

"Why the Hell was he even in the Boundary Forest?" Gajeel snarled. "The Ether analysis on that forest was fucked up. No one should be going in there." When he heard silence, his hackles raised, but when Pantherlily slunk up to them and with Levy in his arms, he had to swallow down the need to roar for answers. "What aren't you telling me, Sergeant?"

Another four beats. "The job listed for Mister Redfox was skewed," Anbessie revealed heavily. "We believe your son was targeted by the client—"

"And who's the client?"

Another beat. "Someone involved with this matter in the Council can answer," Anbessie answered with care. "Unfortunately, I was never privy to the exact information of the client."

Gajeel looked down at his wife and growled, "Give me a sec." He muted himself to turn his focus to Levy and softened when he saw those watery hazel eyes. "Levy—"

"We just got him back," Levy whispered through her tears.

"And we're not going to lose him," Gajeel promised her as he thumbed her cheek. "Get dressed. The second I'm done with the sergeant, I'm getting us a flight back to Fiore." He kissed her forehead. "We're not losing him," he swore to her. "Go get dressed."

Levy sniffled and nodded before scrambling off Gajeel to stagger to their luggage for fresh clothes.

Gajeel got out of bed to leave the room with Pantherlily, knowing to stay behind for Levy's sake. Once he was a safe distance, he unmuted himself and growled, "Explain it to me now. Give me the short version now and I'll call back for the long version."

"Yes, of course. Your son accepted a request by an unknown client the higher-ups are familiar with," Anbessie explained. "But yesterday, I received a correspondence from the client dated one hour after Mister Redfox's acceptance of the job that the client wouldn't be looking for any other Mages to potentially take the contract. While theories can be thrown around about why he was stolen, that's out of the question."

Gajeel scrubbed his face. "Who else is there? And who is watching Gale?"

"You have Rescue Chief Block from the Fire and Rescue twenty-sixth unit who arrived back to base, Captain Aryal of the Anti-Magic twenty-sixth unit who is with us, and Captain Sterling-Armstrong and her lieutenant colonel Wan. As of now, Assistant Rescue Chief Kang volunteered to watch over Mister Redfox for a majority of the rotations and utmost privacy has been given to him."

"Good. Thank you." Still Gajeel was in the middle of fury and worry. "Why the Hell did you let him go in there?"

"Captain Black Steel, your son is a Legal Mage and an adult Wizard in the eyes of Magic Council Law," Anbessie reminded him, though even she sounded miff at the remembrance. "And, as of him, he is the first case I was able to call back-up on."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "How many more cases were there before him?"

"Dozens," Anbessie admitted him. "And every report got stopped by someone higher-up."

I knew the corruption in the Council was there. But I never thought Gale would be part of it. "We'll get on the first flight we can find," Gajeel rumbled, "but I want answers."

"Of course."

Gajeel hung up the call only to quickly place another one. The person answered on the third ring, but Gajeel started, "I need your help getting me back to Fiore."

Rustling and a grunt came over the line. "Give me a second to get to my DAL," Oswald murmured. "Asuna, come here. It's Captain."

The Compact must have been put on speaker for Asuna chirped a little away from the Compact and a little out of breath, "Hey, Cap. Everything all right?"

"My son was attacked on a job," Gajeel explained, "and Levy, Lily, and I need to get back to him immediately."

"I've got a lock on your geo-location," muttered Oswald. "Where to?"

"Rose Garden."

"Okay." Clicking came onto the call. "The closest international airport is an hour away from Rose Garden. First flight from public Sky Ports starts at six-fifteen. But there is a private Sky Port that is open twenty-four-seven and flies for the right place called Aero Quest." More clicking.

"I know one of the pilots on duty tonight," Asuna chipped in. "She can be trusted."

"When can you be ready, Captain?" Oswald asked.

"Give me ten minutes."

"Okay. Asuna, call Aero Quest. I'm going to start arranging cars."

"Sure." Footsteps pattered away.

Gajeel listened to the clicking, impatient, but he was able to tease, "Should I tell Jackson he lost his chance?"

"No need. I did it myself thoroughly," Oswald grunted. "Do you need anything arranged for your family to get back to Magnolia?"

"No, but thanks for this, Oz."

"Sure." A beat. "Your kid is a strong one, Cap. Don't forget that."

Gajeel sighed. "Yeah, I know."

"Aero Quest accepts," Asuna told both men. "I'll be calling the airport in Fiore as your proxy about you and Levy and Lily coming there and I'll be calling customs, but Ozzy will send you the electronic passenger stuff so you guys have preliminary clearance. She says the flight plan will have been finished by the time you guys make it to the strip."

"How much—?"

"Don't worry about it," Oswald and Asuna dismissed.

"I'm sending a car to you and a driver will be waiting for you when you land in Fiore," Oswald assured. "Just let us know everything's okay with Gale when you can."

"Thank you. Both of you," Gajeel appreciated. He looked up to see a despaired Levy waiting for him and murmured, "Talk to you soon." He ended the call and gravitated to her. "Give me a few minutes to change and pack everything, all right?"

Levy nodded and whispered, "Okay." She touched his cheek. "Tell me it again. Please, Gajeel."

"We're not going to lose him." Gajeel pulled her hand to kiss her palm. "Be ready for the car. Start sending out what you need to for the school. I've got everything else." He looked behind Levy to Lily, who had nodded at him.

"Okay." Levy drifted away from him.

Pantherlily approached Gajeel and murmured low, "I heard the call. He was a target?"

"Later," Gajeel growled in promise. "We're going to hear everything the second I see Gale myself." If Bluenote got away, I don't care what it takes. I'll hunt that fucker down. He got the deadly sobriety in the Panther Exceed's eyes and immediately knew Pantherlily was thinking the exact same thing. "Stay with her."

"Of course."

Gajeel watched as the Exceed moved to comfort Levy as she shakily drew up an email to the school. He forced himself to go back to the bedroom, but his jaw grated. He was a target. Someone out there knows he's a Dragon Slayer. Rubies gleamed. And I will make sure to send the message back you don't touch my family.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

20 minutes later...

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Lacrima Car had been permitted entry into the private Sky Port. This late at night, the airstrip had been lit up for guidance and the hanger had the night crew double-checking the private Sky Jet with the Sky Jet out of the hanger as it levitated in the air with the staircase dropped down for passengers. A private flight attendant alongside two security guards and the pilots all seemed to be in a huddle, but they kept glancing over as the car approached them.

The second the car came to a complete stop, one of the female pilots came over with her navy-blue hijab matching her uniform. She smiled as she greeted Gajeel, Levy, and Pantherlily and extended her hand. "Hello," she called in a countrified Minstrish accent. "I'm Captain Potter, one of your pilots this evening. You must be the Redfoxes. Asuna let me know everything is to under discretion."

"Thank you," Levy appreciated.

Captain Potter nodded. "Well, let's get you on board." She led them to the Sky Jet. "Were you able to fill out your advanced passenger tickets before you came?"

"Yeah," Gajeel grunted, eyeing the Sky Boat a little nauseously. "We have everything done. How long is the flight?"

"With clear skies and low turbulence expected, the flight should take around two hours," Captain Potter explained. She introduced them to a skinny man with rabbit ears, a cotton-tail, and rabbit-feet with flexible shoes to accustom to them. "This is Mister Jameison. He'll be attending to you."

Jameison bowed. "Good evening." He gestured to the Sky Jet. "Shall we head inside?"

The inside of the Sky Jet might have been something to froth at the mouth about in a different circumstance, but none of the three were interested in much outside safety measures, the weather, and the time it would take to get there. They settled into their chairs with Gajeel thankful he had taken the Troia Pills Wendy had graciously crafted for his journey. Pantherlily excused himself to speak more to the pilots and gave Gajeel and Levy alone time.

Levy had been tucked in Gajeel's side, eyes heavy with fear and sadness, and Gajeel rested his chin atop her head. "Gajeel?"

"Hmm?"

Four beats. "One day, I need to know."

Gajeel stiffened.

Levy pulled back to look at her husband and dashed away her emotions for determination in those hazel eyes. "I know you know something," she told him. "And I know Olivia knows something too about what happened between Gale and Emma. But I need to know one day."

"Levy—"

She put a finger to his lips. "I know I wasn't in a great place back then," she murmured. "But I can't…" She pulled her hand away as her eyes stung. "I should be the one protecting him. I'm his mother and all this time, I feel like he's been trying to protect me from something. And now he's being attacked and I can't just sit here and be oblivious to everything, Gajeel. I have to know."

Gajeel nodded. "Okay," he whispered. "But he'll tell you when he's ready."

"I know." Levy chewed on her bottom lip. "I feel like I failed three of my kids—"

"You didn't," Gajeel cut in.

"How could I not see the signs Gale needed help?" Levy asked of him. "For years, he's been dealing with things I don't even know and I never knew. What sort of mother would let her child go through that alone?" She shook her head. "When he's ready, I need to know."

"We both need to," Gajeel agreed in a murmur. "When he's ready." He watched Levy droop and kissed her forehead before he looked out the window and lights danced within those rubies. Gale…

"I want answers! I just want you to give me answers!" Rubies swollen with anger and hide the grief. "You can't just sit there and lie to my face anymore! I'm one of you now! You can't lie to me anymore!"

Gajeel sighed. I know you want answers, Pipsqueak, and you'll be gunning for even more of them. I was doing this to protect you. He felt Levy slump against him and thumbed her side. Because you're not one of us. You and Igneel… You'll be greater than us. Rubies saddened. And I won't be able to protect you once you realize that.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Dante's Townhouse

Poke township

Fiore, Ishgar

2:46 AM FST

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Dante breathed in and out deeply as he held Carlisle against him while Muta had curled into a ball, half-sleeping but he was still alert in the event of a threat he needed to tend to. The air was static and lukewarm, but all was quiet within the townhouse with little to fear. But as Carlisle slept, his face pinched and his hand twitched. Something must have disturbed him when he shifted. Dante adjusted to him like instinct, but Carlisle's brow furrowed into a dreamy strain.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Smoke and fumes were common in a place like this. The music was subtle in its seduction as a beautiful alto voice crooned in low-hanging vibrato and instruments strung along to the lyrics. Drinks were shared and more clouds of smoke impaled the air. The heady scent of sex and sweat could dizzy both a virgin and one more experienced. This was not just a scent that you smelled. It was one that you tasted on every inhale, and it shuddered through your body and burned your heart. It was a scent that would coat your skin and cling onto your clothes so everyone knew what you had been doing, no matter how much you tried to deny it.

A fanged smile.

"Come here." A husky command full of promise. "So beautiful…"

Laughter spread, lazy and infectious. Kisses were stolen, commanded of, and some were softly given. Lights flashed around as hair whipped back and forth with subtle, lust-driven cries and giggles and whispers that sprinkled around.

A calloused hand gentle on flesh. Thick lips brushed against an ear. "Are you ready for me?"

Cries swallowed by demanding lips. Hands that possessed rather than travel with the aim of consent. The sting of liquor that was strong enough to make your eyes water. The fumes and smoke converged into milky clouds where only silhouettes flashed through the light as they danced and moved and shivered and claimed.

Sweat clung to him and he felt so hot. So hot. Temperature spiked, his skin felt like it would never get relief from this hellish fever and would make him suffer until the end. Something twinged in his stomach, painful and needed to be tended to, but the energy to do so had left him with his head filled with heat and buckets of sweat dripping off him.

Predatory tangerine oranges raked in approval.

A poisoned grin.

"I'll take care of you." A whisper. A promise. A threat. "Don't worry, kitten."

Through the blur of the smoke, a figure stood on the other side as the lights faded and the slick flooring turned into wooden floors. Broad-shouldered and tall, he took control of the room with those sad sea-green eyes freckled in violet.

"Don't go!"

Another figure had joined in the wisps of the fumes. Slim-figured and with wisps of silver hair flowing down her back, she clung to the tall man with all she had left in her. "We can run!" she pleaded. "We can make it!"

"We can't," he told her softly. "This is the only way you two will be safe."

"No." A new voice. His own, but…so small. Confused. "Please don't go."

Hands feathered his hips as a whisper hissed in his ear, "Time to go."

"No!" Older now. Stronger. Desperate. He watched, helpless, as the man opened the door to his fate, but no matter how hard he tried to lunge for the man, those hands on his hips tugged him back. "No! Don't go! Don't go! DON'T GO!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Dante only woke up when something felt…wrong. That itch hit the inside of his chest and made him tense all over. As he climbed through the haze of sleep, he realized what felt wrong when Carlisle stirred beside him and the tomcat was up and awake, frantically purring in a fruitless attempt to calm him down.

"Lips?" Dante blinked away the sleep for attention when he noticed the tears streaming down Carlisle's face. He got up and held Carlisle to him as worry filled him. Carlisle mumbled something as his expression trembled. He's having a nightmare. He wiped Carlisle's tears with gentle fingers as he cradled him close. "I've got you, Lips," he whispered. "You're okay, I promise."

Carlisle whimpered in response.

Dante pressed Carlisle to him as their foreheads touched and he ran an absent hand through Carlisle's hair and down his back. "Don't worry, baby. I've got you." He let out a long breath before he kissed Carlisle's nose. "Let me chase those nightmares away."

Muta felt it and he did not know what he was feeling, but the room felt different. His fur did not stand on edge and the change did not feel negative, but there was a change. He kept purring, but he settled down on the bed, watching as Dante whispered sweet nothings as Carlisle cried, but then…

Slivers of gray showed as Muta tried to restrain his expression. Is he…?

Moment after moment, the distress rattling Carlisle faded away, and he had no more tears to give. His body had given up, and he was dead to the world once again without the plague of nightmares. And Dante merely kissed his forehead and kept murmuring little assurances and small affections.

Muta settled back into his ball, but he kept his eyes on Dante as best as he could. The first time I met him, I thought it was just a fluke. But now… His eyes slid to the sleeping Carlisle. Dammit, kit. I think we both got into something we didn't understand.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Jaxton's Apartment

Sororia City

Fiore, Ishgar

3:00 AM FST

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

It was better to stay up and be productive than to lay in bed when you could not sleep. That was Jaxton's philosophy.

He holed up in his office with his work all around him and did not miss a beat as he typed up his report. The mirror was close by, mocking him, showing every face but the only one he cared about, but he tried to ignore it in favor of his work. Nothing mattered outside of it. It numbed him. He could keep in control with his work. And control was key.

"You, the only person who was supposed to just be there for me, but you get to have the last laugh because you've known everything from the start!"

His jaw clenched.

"You don't love me! You cared about your mission and your desires! Well, guess fucking what? You can tell your boss they don't have to worry about me using my powers to essentially become a terrorist. Congratulations, Jaxton. Your mission to seduce and control me was successful. I'll never use my powers to hurt you." A chilling laugh. "You know what's even funnier than this? My sperm donor used the same tactic to make me fight."

His hands stopped.

"You have me—heart, body, and soul, Jax, just like I have you. Nothing will change that."

"I cannot trust you when you tell me that! My god, Jang-ta, how am I supposed to trust a damn thing you say anymore! What the Hell am I actually going to find when we meet your parents?"

"On what grounds is your family a different story than all of this mess? You can't even answer me! What, I'm just supposed to sit here all submissive and accepting that all of this is normal and that you actually love me and all the secrets—I just have to live with that? Tell me how you envisioned this ending."

Not…like this. Never like this. Jaxton's eyes drifted to the photos he had framed in his office. Most had been on Tesla's urging he decorate and he had never been particular about what she hung up as long as she was happy. But his eyes drifted to one picture that captured her. She was excitedly pointing at something with her eyes lit up and that beam he loved clear on her face.

"You don't love me!"

"I do love you," Jaxton whispered. "It's why I stayed on this mission. And it's why…" He looked down at his shaking hand and clenched it into the fist. It's why I need you to come home with me. I can't lie to you any more than I already have. But I can't make you trust me again. And that is my fault. You were never just the mission. You were—are—everything.

His ears pricked and his eyes flickered just as his Compact lit up with Weiwei's contact. He answered it and sighed, "Wéi."

"Nǐ tīngqǐlái hěn bù gāoxing shì wǒ, dìdì," Weiwei teased. "I had a feeling you'd still be up doing work." A pause. "Have you slept at all today?"

Jaxton sighed. "I'm not in the mood to be mothered, Weiwei."

"I think you need it. Now come open the door."

Jaxton's brow furrowed, but he locked down his DAL for the night and left his office. He checked the peephole first, then he sighed and ended the call to unhook the chain and unlock the deadbolt. As he pulled open the door, he said, "Why are you here?"

A fanged smile. "I can't see my little brother."

"You can at the compound," Jaxton said flatly as he was roped into a hug and hugged her back. "Not taking a ten-hour flight just to see me."

"You were losing control over the Com," she murmured to him. "I couldn't just leave you alone to deal with this."

Jaxton sighed again. "You're too emotional."

"You're not emotional enough," she sternly countered. "And I hate Mom and Dad made you that way."

"They didn't do anything. I had to learn control." Jaxton pulled away from her. But he did soften. "But thanks for coming all the way out here to check in on me, Weiwei."

Weiwei was an inch taller than him and she made sure he dared not forget it, but her beauty was soft and comforting with natural round cat eyes, thick lashes, and her dark brunette hair fell in layers over her shoulder. She had come prepped with a little suitcase with her neck pillow and blanket and did not care that she wore essentially Young Nation slippers. There were more important things to her than her appearance. "Mom and Dad might be fine with leaving you alone, but you're still my little brother, Jang-ta."

⌜CROCUS CLINIC

Name: Weiwei Yang

Age: 27

Occupation: Clinical Oncology Pharmacist

Likes: Young Nation and MoA Dislikes: heels

Special Note: Weiwei is currently engaged to an Alakitasian man and, while she enjoys working as an Oncology Pharmacist, she also teaches Zhōnguánese and Minstrish on the side!⌟

"You're literally my little brother."

TICK!

Jaxton had a flat face as Weiwei patted his head and cooed, "Aw, you still haven't caught up that last inch. Such a shame. You're so little, little brother."

"Sometimes I wonder how you got engaged," Jaxton muttered. He took her suitcase from her, but he narrowed his eyes at how much it weighed versus how small it was. "What did you pack in here, lead?"

"I'm a smart packer and came prepared with all the essentials." Weiwei strolled inside and ooh'ed and aah'ed over the apartment. "You've lived in Fiore for years, but this is the first time I've seen this apartment. It's really nice and nothing looks destroyed."

TICK!

Jaxton brought in her suitcase and locked up the door again. "Yes, well, I've had help maintaining my apartment."

"Oh, and look at all this cooking equipment!" Weiwei sparkled as she opened all the draws and cabinets to be childishly mesmerized at all the kitchenware. "Wow, at your other places, you barely had anything! Even when you were at home, all you did was hunt! You never wanted to learn how to cook!" She looked at him with comical tears streaming down her face. "You're finally growing up, Jang-ta, I'm so proud of you…!"

Jaxton sweatdropped. Well, there's no need to cry about my life skills… He set the suitcase down into the living room. "I had to learn how to cook when I first moved here to save money. And since Tesla—" He stopped himself.

Weiwei caught the downcast in his expression and drifted over to him. She placed a hand on his arm. "I brought some Xi Hu Longjing from home," she told him. "Sit down. I'll make some."

"Okay," Jaxton murmured. "Thank you."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

And then…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Weiwei and Jaxton sipped on their teas, and both sighed and contentment at the flavor. They had decided to stay in the living room to chair their tea with the kettle still on the stove and brew leftover. Jaxton looked into his mug while Weiwei observed him and spoke first, "You know… You always used to calm down whenever I made you this tea."

Jaxton stayed quiet.

"It became such a hassle going to Xī Hú," Weiwei recalled. "But you'd only drink that tea whenever you were upset." Her smile saddened. "Mom and Dad always said you weren't upset. It was natural for you to not show much on your face. It showed you have great control. They told me I was being silly for thinking you got upset. That you could handle it. But still, I could tell even without you showing it…when you were upset or hurt…"

Jaxton sipped more tea. "I'm fine, Weiwei," he murmured. "You didn't have to come to Fiore to check on me. A Com call would have been enough."

"Maybe for Mom and Dad, but not for me." Weiwei sat forward. "And I'm glad I came here because you look forward than I imagined, Jang-ta."

Jaxton looked away from her. "I'm fine. A friend came by to help me let everything out."

"Physically."

Jaxton tensed.

"You let it out physically like Dad taught you," Weiwei murmured. "But you're still concealing your thoughts, Jang-ta. You know I can tell. I might not be like you or Dad or Mom, but I grew up with you. And I know when something is still on your mind, even if our parents think you're fine."

Jaxton let out a breath.

Weiwei carefully asked, "Is it about your girlfriend, Tesla?" She noted Jaxton's clenched jaw. "So it is… Are you two…not together anymore?"

"I'm…"—his fingers tightened around his mug—"not sure anymore…" His nostrils flared. "It's my fault more than anything. She's very stressed, and I…did the one thing I never wanted to her."

Teary steely gray.

"I made her cry," Jaxton confessed. "She lost trust in me and I made her cry. And now she's hiding from me."

Weiwei's eyes drifted down to see Jaxton's shaking hands and the tea vibrating with them.

"I came to Fiore on Dad's approval I was in control. The mission I was sent on was my prerogative. Being Tesla's watcher…" Jaxton's head lowered as his bangs cast over his eyes. "It was supposed to just be a reconnaissance mission. But I…couldn't stay in control. But I also couldn't stay away."

"Does she know?" Weiwei asked of him.

Jaxton nodded. "She knows she was my mission, but I want to explain other things if she still wants to come to the compound with me," he answered. "As of now, she's angry with me and I don't blame her. I can't tell her the truth…but I can't lie to her either."

Weiwei hummed as she picked up her tea and took a sip. "You never were a liar."

Jaxton look at her, curious.

"It didn't matter what happened," Weiwei recalled. "Honestly, I hated you for it and loved you for it. You took responsibility for everything you did. And if it was something that would get me in trouble, rather than selling me out, you'd try to change the subject so I'd be okay." She laughed to herself. "Mom hated how straightforward you were whenever we left the compound to meet with friends. When you talked, you talked honestly, but you kept quiet, you didn't really laugh… You always looked serious. And I hated I couldn't do anything about it."

"You had your own issues with Mom and Dad, Weiwei," Jaxton murmured. "And I haven't been one to really express myself."

Weiwei shook her head. "I disagree," she said softly. "Ever since you moved here and started dating your girlfriend… Ever since you started making friends here… Ever since you joined that guild…" Her eyes shined. "I could hear it during our calls that you were smiling and happy. That you were laughing here. Even if you might have stayed quiet, whenever you sent me those pictures of you and Tesla, I could see it in your eyes. You were being you." She looked at the table. "My issues with Mom and Dad were never on the level of yours. Mom wanted the perfect Selan daughter, but her definition of a perfect daughter never matched mine. And Dad… He thought I was too delicate for much."

"He was trying to protect you," Jaxton regarded.

"I know he was. I'm not like any of you. I don't have powers or anything else. Because of that, I was supposed to be the perfect Wú cái." She looked at her little brother. "But you had it much worse than me. You were expected to be more than the new head of the family—to keep control and not disrespect us." Weiwei fingered the rim of the teacup. "I think you and I both know your life here was an escape from that hell."

Silence.

"This power will die with me."

Weiwei looked at Jaxton.

"Dad and Mom stressed to me about the importance of Dad's bloodline. I'm the last one. I know that. But…" Jaxton's hands tightened on his mug. "From my job, I've seen much in this world. And I made it a point that this power would die with me."

"Jang-ta…"

"The reason Mom isn't receptive to me bringing home Tesla isn't just because she's an outsider or because of her race," Jaxton revealed. "Those are contributing factors, but that isn't the whole picture. Mom might not have liked her, but she would have respected her. But when I told her Tesla and I never wanted to have kids…" Darkness intensified.

"It was the fight you had with her last year during New Year's," she recalled. "I remember Mom had smacked you and you and I left home, but you hadn't said anything."

"Yes. It was then." Jaxton set down his mug. "

Weiwei took a steady inhale through her nose and out of her mouth. "And Dad?"

"He's disappointed, but he understands my reasons," Jaxton told her. "I don't know how he'll react to Tesla should he meet her. Legacy was more Mom's issue than with Dad. His only concerns were making sure I was in absolute control out here and with Tesla." He hesitated. "There were…a few times I slipped while she and I were together."

Weiwei's eyes widened. "Was she okay?"

"She was fine," Jaxton assured. "For her, this was just part of our relationship, but…"

Weiwei hummed in understanding. "But when you show her home, she'll realize…"

"Yes." Jaxton's hands tightened on his sweats.

Weiwei studied Jaxton. "You love her enough to bring her home, Jang-ta. That says something to me that she's stronger than I could believe. That really shows me how much you love her."

"But I don't even know if she loves me anymore." His hands dug into the material of his sweatpants. "And I can't blame her if she doesn't. I took this mission because it was given to me. And I stayed on this mission because I wanted to protect her. But I managed to make it even worse. And now…"

"But you're telling me you would have kept me in the dark you were my spy and you could live with yourself with that? You would live with me loving you with everything I had and never knowing I was loving a lie?"

Gritted teeth. It wasn't that I did this mission because I wanted to hurt you. But I stayed on this mission because it meant not everything would be reported. I could still protect things about you from others. And I know that was going against my mission. I was supposed to report everything. But you were right. I couldn't live with myself telling your life to Checkmate and Zelda. I filtered out what they wouldn't notice. I did everything I could to keep those Hellhounds away from you even when I wasn't supposed to interfere. But it didn't matter in the end. I made you cry. And I'm sorry, Tesla, that I've been so selfish.

"From everything you told me, Tesla is going through a lot right now?"

"Yeah," Jaxton rumbled. "This weekend is when her biological father is being released from prison." Or so…that's what he wanted everyone to think. Another lie.

"I don't think either one of us can speak on what's going on in her head," Weiwei murmured. "She has a lot to handle. Whatever her decisions are going forward, I hope you'll support them, whether they include you or not. I know that's not the advice you wanted me to give you, but it's all I can give."

"I know," Jaxton murmured. "I plan to still support her, whatever she chooses. Even if she doesn't want me anymore, I'll still want for her to heal and do her best." Weiwei opened her mouth, but Jaxton stood up. "It's late. Let me take this to the guest bedroom."

Weiwei sighed. "Well, let me—"

"I'll clean up. I'll be up for a little bit, anyway." Jaxton grabbed her suitcase. "How long are you staying here ways?" His face went flat when Weiwei pretended not to hear him. "You didn't buy a return ticket, did you?"

"I was worried about my little brother, so I had to rush through some things, okay?"

Jaxton sighed as he led her out of the living room. "Did you at least tell your fiancé you flew all the way here and your work?"

Weiwei sweated and scratched her cheek with a finger. "Um…"

Jaxton shook his head. "How are you employed or engaged with being so irresponsible?"

"I will have you know I'm very good at my job and my fiancé loves me very much!" Weiwei countered.

Jaxton raised an eyebrow. "And how many points have you racked up at work and how many times has your fiancé called everywhere to find you when you wandered off?"

Weiwei sweated. "Um…"

"Maybe you should be a housewife. You can't get lost in a house. Well knowing you, you would get lost in your own house like you got lost all the time at home."

"You said you'd never bring that up again!"

"I said I wouldn't in front of your fiancé. I never said anything about not reminding you of it. Speaking of your fiancé, please call him so he doesn't think you got kidnapped…again."

"That was one time!"

"It was twelve times."

"Why can't you just agree with me to make me feel better?"

"I don't lie, remember?"

"God, I forgot how much I hate that."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Under Spriggan Castle

Vistarion

Alvarez, Alakitasia

1:07AM ADT

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Once Tesla had told the others about the pond, it was a mutual decision to take the time to clean the sweat and blood and sweat and muck off of them after Nashi had purified the entire pool. Luna and Kyler had been guided to the pond first. Kyler shooed Gary away with grumbles while Gary looked comically crestfallen he lost favor with the Enoch. Nashi and Tesla had gathered water to wash Luna off and feed her another round of tea. Kyler was able to dry himself with his Fire of Life while Nashi had done her part to carefully warm and dry Luna to dress her again. Gary had carried Luna (and was shooed off from Kyler again, who used the Staff of Miracles as a walking staff) back down the tunnel and left Nashi and Tesla behind to wash up.

"Ah… So this is love…" Tesla hummed as she drifted through the water. "I'm so happy I chose braids. My natural hair would be angry with me after this." She flipped and dove done only to pop up a few seconds later. "So is this what you normally do after a life-or-death mission or…?" She frowned when she saw Nashi focusing on washing her arms. "Nashi?"

Nashi slowly lowered her hands back down into the water. "Sorry. Just lost in thought." She sighed as she looked at the cavern ceiling. "Invel got away…and we have no idea where my brother is. As much as I know this is a time for us to rest and relax and regroup, I'm still worried."

"I don't blame you," Tesla sympathized.

"But…" Nashi reached out a hand and looked out the callouses on her flesh. "Gary was right. And I even said the same to Luna. She felt bad relaxing when the world is still a terrible place. But these moments we get to breathe are just as important as fighting. Whether we like it or not, we can't keep pushing through and fighting battle after battle. We need these little moments in-between."

"I see…" Tesla floated onto her back with her braids shifted over her breasts. "Tell me something, Nashi… Do you ever think the fighting will stop?"

Nashi opened her mouth, then she lowered her hand back into the water. "There was time…I was naïve to think that as long as we had our will, we could someday end the fighting. We could live in peace. But I know now that it doesn't matter how much fighting you do. People exist to have their own thoughts and ideals and with that, comes the free will of destruction and justice. We'll never be free from a world of destruction, but…" She lifted her hand and watched as the water dripped down. "Does that mean we stop fighting? Do we just give up and let destruction win since it will always be there? Do we just quit while we're ahead and save our own?"

Tesla opened her mouth—

"No." Nashi's hand clenched into a fist. "We don't." Hickories sparkled as she remembered every battle from the last few months. "There has to be a balance. I thought I understood it, but with my powers back at one-hundred percent, I'm living proof of that balance. Anyone is capable of great destruction, just as anyone is capable of great creation. Even the Presence themselves."

"The 'Presence'," Tesla echoed.

Nashi hummed. "It all came back to me, the lessons Cael taught me. The Presence isn't good nor evil. They are both. They are creation and destruction, just like us. And as much as war is fought to have one side dominate the other, the real outcome is for balance. Real-life doesn't work in one-hundred-percents. It works in percentages. We will never be able to stop every single being out there who disagrees with the idea of free will and life. But"—hickories steeled—"what we can do is limit those on the other side of the line. And that will be enough."

Gary and Skade and Luna can live a life of freedom. Papa won't have to hide. We can be ourselves. It would be nice to kill all evil, but it isn't realistic. What's realistic is to limit it enough and to help raise those around us with acceptance and kindness. She touched her chest. Am I right, Cael?

Indeed, little one. Cael's crest glowed on her skin. Life is the description of free will and peace. Anti-Life is the description of slavery and war. Death is the description of chaos of no bounds. We are on the side of life.

That we are, Seraphim continued. And through you, we will continue to spread the way of Life to all beings who deserve that right. You will become an Agent of the side of Life.

You already have, Cael murmured in pride.

Thank you, she whispered, for everything. She turned around to face Tesla. "Tesla, I want to thank you for coming here to save my family and me. I know you weren't doing it for thanks or for praise. But you saved Luna when none of us could." Her eyes drifted to the pond. "This entire time we've been in this kingdom, she was forced into disgusting things to keep me safe when my power was stripped from me. I can't say sorry to her enough for that. But you were the one to protect her in the end. You and Cullen. So thank you, Tesla, for protecting her when I couldn't."

Tesla softened and flipped to float before Nashi. "I should be thanking all of you."

Nashi frowned. "What for?"

"Well…" Tesla smiled. "Honestly, knowing I have Anti-Ether is still something I'm getting used to. I became the very thing my sperm donor was trying to attain. The memories are hazy, but with my powers, it's coming back to me why he made me fight and why he did what he did. He was trying to force me to use Anti-Ether through whatever means he could. Even if that meant striking fear in me with his…touch." She swallowed. "Anti-Ether has so much negativity with it. Hunters wield it and cause so much harm with it. My sperm donor wanted me to use these powers. And actually…I wanted nothing to do with this power. But now? Seeing all of you with powers that could cause you so much pain and you use them to fight, I…"

Steely gray glistened.

"I want to be like the rest of you and use this power to help those who believe in life and freedom," Tesla told her. "I'll hunt down Magic Hunters. I'll make sure to protect those who can't protect themselves. But for now, I'll use this power however I need to help you find your brother and get us all home. In return, pour everything you have into this mission and even more once we go home." She stuck out her pinky with a wink. "It's a promise, okay?"

Hickories glistened.

"Yeah." Nashi hooked her pinky on Tesla's. "It's a promise."

They pressed their thumbs together with matching grins. But those grins broke into fits of laughter.

Tesla wiped under her eye when she caught a quick flash try to stay hidden. Her eyebrow raised in amusement and she called out, "Hey, pervert! We can see you!"

"What?!" Nashi whirled around with her cheeks red and sunk down to cover her chest. "You stupid dog, I swear to god if that's you…!"

"I wasn't peeking!" Gary blurted from his safe place in the tunnel. "I-I-I was just…!"

Nashi growled. "You were just what—!"

"Cut him some slack."

Nashi looked over as Tesla put a hand on Nashi's shoulder. "Tesla…"

"You ever heard the saying about life and death?" Tesla murmured to her. "Being around death makes you start thinking about life."

Nashi blinked in confusion. "About…life?" As Tesla swam past her, she called, "Hey, wait!"

"Help me dry off, then you can go back to the water."

Nashi grumbled as she swam to the edge of the pond. "Here I thought we were having a moment and bonding." She and Tesla got out of the pond, and Nashi warmed up her hands.

Tesla grinned and murmured to Nashi, "I see it all the time in anime and movies. You're going to want to be alone with him." She snickered when Nashi's blush intensified as she dried Tesla off. "No need to be embarrassed. I can't really say what time it is since we're in some sort of existential crisis in the Perench catacombs, but we'll just say it's Friday. And remember what we said would happen on Friday?"

"I left Justin in Fiore and yet somehow his spirit is living through you," Nashi grumbled as she finished up. "Nothing's going to happen. We have other things to worry about, so don't think of anything dirty. And we're only staying like this until Kyler can move a little better."

"Uh-huh. Sure. Mmm-hmm. Nothing will happen." Tesla started clothing herself again. "But coming from a person who kept saying that after skinny dipping with her boyfriend multiple times and came out of the pool sore as Hell"—she flushed out her braids—"it's happenin'."

Nashi smacked Tesla's shoulder. "I'm not an animal," she muttered. "Neither of us are in the mood for that."

"You are not thirty with your calendar saying every Thursday night, it's time to have sex," Tesla reminded her. "Being in the mood now isn't a prerequisite to being in the mood later." She shrugged as she adjusted her suit when Nashi glared at her. "Fine, fine, nothing will happen."

"Thank you."

"Just try not to scream," Tesla whispered. "Tunnels echo, you know?" She cackled and danced out of Nashi's way when she was swiped at.

"Nothing is happening." Nashi rounded back to the water and carefully stepped back into the pond. Nothing will happen. Closing her eyes, she slipped underneath the water.

°•°•°•°

Gary was crouched on the ground, listlessly moving his finger amongst the rock, when footsteps stopped beside him. He looked up to see Tesla grinning down at him and sprang up to stammer, "I-I wasn't peeking or anything, I swear—!"

"Relax…" Tesla soothed. "Just try not to be too loud, yeah?" She slapped Gary's back as she passed him and made him choke. "Wouldn't want Kyler to try and purify you. Be a damn shame if that happened…"

How is Jaxton dating such a mastermind? Gary whispered. No, never mind, she's perfect for him. Taking a breath, he peeked into the cavern, but it looked relatively empty. "Angel?" He stepped into the cavern and looked around, but he only saw Nashi's clothes in a heap and nothing more. "Angel?"

PRRRRRB.

Water broke.

Cerulean widened as Nashi emerged from underwear. Her hair had flared as water dotted her skin and the blues of the pond christened her body. Her hair came up to brush back those pink locks and smoothen them, and he was left without any breath.

"Gary," Nashi breathed. Her eyes narrowed, and she sunk back to cover her chest underwater. "You better not be thinking about anything perverted."

Gary waved his hands. "I'm not, I'm not! I just…" He scratched his cheek. "It's been a while since Angel and I had a bath together and…"

Nashi sighed. "Get in," she supposed.

"Really?"

Nashi grimaced when all she saw was a sparkling Gary with his ears perked and tail wagging. "Yeah, but please don't get too excited…" Her face went flat when she realized Gary was already half-naked. "Your stripping leaves a lot to be desired." She was quick to cover her face when Gary went to remove his underwear. "You could give me a warning or something, you know!"

"Why?" Gary sounded genuinely confused as he set aside his underwear. "Angel's seen me naked plenty of times before."

"It's the principle of the thing!" Nashi insisted. She heard him dip into the water and huffed. "Honestly, you're so shameless. You show Ellie your naked body and now this." She choked when Gary wrapped around her from behind and wriggled. "Ugh, let go of me, you stupid dog!"

Gary laughed. "Angel always gets so shy when we're naked together," he remembered. "It's so cute." He kissed the side of her face. "And Angel gets so jealous when others see me."

"No, I don't," Nashi barked. "Why would you even say that to me? Show your body to whoever you want."

"But didn't Angel tell me that I'm completely hers?"

Nashi stiffened and struggled for an answer or an excuse or simply something, but she could not come up with anything and muttered, "You're such a stupid jerk."

Silence.

"It's been years…since Angel called me that."

Hickories saddened.

"Yeah… It really has," Nashi agreed. "It's so weird. It feels like I lived two lives. One life now and…that other life when we were in the forest together." She chuckled. "You were such a shit flyer."

Gary pouted. "Angel's so mean. I hadn't flown in months and I got the hang of it again."

"With my help," Nashi told him haughtily. She giggled when Gary kissed her neck. "But I guess you weren't so bad." Her hand came up to cover his own. "And now we'll have to take a walk soon. It's been so long."

Gary closed his eyes. "It has," he sighed. "I'd love to take a walk with you. I've missed our walks."

"I've missed feeling like this."

"Like what?"

"Safe and…at peace," Nashi listed. "For a while, I never thought I could experience this again. Ever since back then, I thought it couldn't exist. But this whole time, I felt that feeling of feeling warm and cherished. It's different now."

"We've grown."

Nashi smiled. "We have. It's been years, and you waited all this time. I'm sorry."

"I told you there was no need to say sorry to me," Gary murmured. "Our promises haven't been broken."

"I guess they haven't." Three beats. "Gary?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you tell me something?"

"Anything, Angel."

"It's about Igneel."

Gary's eyes cracked open. "What about him?"

"He never made much sense to me," Nashi confessed. "I know my parents tried the best they could with him, but he kept running away to see that girl who gave him his scarf. But I remembered there was a period of time where he shut himself in. And I also remember you came to visit him…and it was you who got him out of his room."

Gary hummed. "I did."

"And you followed after him Margaret Town when he started to go manic like…like you knew something I didn't."

"Yes."

"Then…" Nashi tilted her head when Gary placed another kiss on her flesh. "Do you know what happened to him? If I asked you now, would you be able to tell me? Is he…like you?"

Gary sighed. "I can't answer about what happened between him and her. It's his choice to tell. But we got along because we had an understanding, yes. That's all I can really tell you, Angel, I'm sorry."

"I see." A wan smile. "No, no need to be sorry. I understand. I just wanted to ask." She swallowed when one of Gary's hands drifted to her stomach and her body subconsciously tensed.

"I want a baby, Angel."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Children."

"Angel?"

Nashi's breath hitched as Gary's hand moved to encompass her mid-section. "I, um… I'm sorry, I just…" She tried to blink away the creeping fear.

"Angel, please." Gary dropped his chin onto her shoulder. "I can feel something is wrong. What's going on?"

Nashi gulped roughly like something clogged her throat. "I just…" She closed her eyes. "Invel had mentioned…children. And he said it would be the duty of an Empress to have future heirs…" She covered her scarred stomach. "And implied if I didn't agree, then it would be Luna who…had to have children…"

"What?" Gary pulled only to tilt her face in his direction. "Angel, I'm so sorry he said that to you." Anger laced his eyes. "And it makes me furious he said that and threatened Looney," he growled. "That bastard."

Nashi winced. "Yeah, but I…"

Gary blinked when Nashi freed herself from him to hug herself. "Angel…"

"I… I had a d-d-dream that you…" Nashi grimaced in shame and guilt. "I… It was a nightmare where you…wanted children…"

Ceruleans widened.

"Angel…" Gary looked down at himself.

I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have said anything, Nashi lamented. I ruin everything.

"I…had wanted kids once."

Nashi's eyes rounded. She turned around to see a brittle smile on Gary's face. Gary…

"It was a stupid, little thought. Hell." Gary looked up at the ceiling. "I thought of it a little bit last year."

"I see…" Nashi gripped her stomach. I'll be holding him back from what he wants. I knew it.

"But I'll never have them."

That surprised Nashi, and she looked at him as he ran a hand through his hair. "What?" she breathed. "But…why? If you want kids, then…!" Her lips trembled. "Then…you should have them. If that's what you want." I won't hold him back from finding someone who can make him happy and give him the family he deserves.

Gary gently shook his head as he swam close to cradle her jaw. Soft cerulean connected with distressed hickory. "I'm getting a vasectomy." He hushed her when she looked stricken on his behalf. "This is my choice, Angel. Right now, the Ministry of Magical Creatures wants both of us to bring back Devils. Any kid you and I could hypothetically have would live the life I lived for three years—as an experiment."

It struck Nashi. Right… Master told me this… The Ministry of Magic Council cares more about numbers than they do about Gary's quality of life.

"But as you are to Gary's Devil a partner, the Ministry of Magical Creatures is adamant in protecting the interest in rekindling the Devil species."

"What the Faction tests these people is a mystery, but they weren't subtle in having an interest for your mother when she was pregnant."

Nashi shook her head. "But when the world is a safer place, you could have kids," she whispered. "You could start a family with someone who wants that for you. You could have…a baby."

"When would the world be safe for that?"

"Someday, it would be," Nashi told him in both promise and despair.

But Gary shook his head. "Someday… But I know it won't be anytime soon." He rested his forehead against hers. "It won't be in our lifetimes when the world would be a safe place for children. I'm not selfish enough to want that future at the risk of my child. I failed to protect you from Invel. I can't protect a child from the world."

Nashi could feel her tears singe her cheeks. "Gary, I…"

"There's nothing for you to say," Gary quieted her. "This is my choice, and this is what I want. I have no regrets about doing this. And even if I didn't get a vasectomy, I still wouldn't want children. Even if the world was a safe place, I wouldn't want that future."

"But why?" Nashi whispered. "Why would you give up something like that? It's your future. You could have a family—"

"Because, Angel." He thumbed her bottom lip. "That's not a future you want. And the only future I want is with Angel. We have family around us. I'm content with that. The only thing I want in my future is you."

Nashi turned her head away. "You're being stupidly naïve."

"Maybe," Gary supposed.

"You shouldn't have to compromise your own happiness just for mine," Nashi admonished him, tone shaky. "That's not how it works. Things like this aren't how it works."

"It isn't?"

"No!" Nashi cried, exasperated and pained. "Things like this isn't just something you can just push aside and smile about giving it up! Don't you get that? Ten years down the line, you'll be unhappy that you had to give up the future you wanted! I'm fighting against the world so you have the power to choose your own future. I want you to have that free will and…anyone feels who comes along with you."

"And I thank you for that, Angel," Gary murmured. "But this is my choice. Even if I wasn't with you, I'd do this. Our parents went through Hell keeping us safe and even then, they couldn't protect us from everything. I'm not as strong as they were to go through that. There will be more Warlocks and more Demons and more people who want to use my powers because Skade and I are the last pure breed of our kind. My dad said that power would end with him, but it didn't. But I can make it end with me. And I will." He brushed away her tears. "So please don't cry, Angel. I have no regrets about the future I chose for myself. I just hope you'll support me."

"Of course I'll support you," Nashi hoarsely vowed.

Gary kissed the bridge of her nose. "We're both going to be fighting for a future for us to live as ourselves. And it won't be easy. More people will be after us. They'll pressure us or tell us things to manipulate us. They'll do everything in their power to force us to be their weapon. But whatever they say or try to do won't matter. Because we have each other and our family and our friends and Fairy Tail with us fighting alongside us for a future we can share together."

"We're all in this together," Nashi whispered. She craned her neck to kiss his bottom lip. "We've come a long way, but we still have so much more to go."

"I'm ready for it." Gary whispered against her lips, "Because I'm by your side, Angel, as promised." He kissed the corner of her mouth. "You"—he squeezed her close—"will always"—he nipped at her lips—"have me." His nose brushed against hers, but he did not dare kiss her yet. "Tell me your promise to me."

Nashi trembled. "I promised you we'd go home together. That I'll give you a future where you're treated better. That I won't leave your side. And that you'll…always have me."

Gary growled. "Angel. Please."

Nashi wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "I trust you."

Their lips met.

It was passion and promise merged together between an Agent of Life and her devoted Devil of Sin. Her tears melted into the pond, but some of his own dropped down two. It was not just a simple desire that had touched them, for anyone could have desire. This was more than basic desire. This was a vow. This was cherishing. This was love.

The type of love that just had to be shared and once you felt it, that feeling was one you could never forget. Sometimes it brought you to silly little tears just thinking about that feeling you shared with someone. Sometimes you looked at that feeling in thanks and fondness that you had experienced such a miracle. And sometimes you were so overfilled with it that you just needed that person you shared that feeling with right there next to you so you both could feel that connection.

Maybe they would notice it later, but it would be better to say they did not. For in a patch in the cavern, life grew amongst an atmosphere of death. Two bleeding heart flowers blossomed, but they were nothing like their kind. They had been born as a mixture of petals and frost, tinged in violet.

In times of death, there was still life to be treasured.

In times of death, there was still a promised future to be reached.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

And then…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Everyone had regrouped in the tunnel. They had made sure to get plenty of freshwater captured in an icy jug and, with everyone bathed and their hunger staved off, it was time for rest before they had to move on. Kyler and Luna were under the spell of sleep. Tesla had shut her eyes, but she was alert if she needed to rise at a moment's notice. Cullen could not sleep, but he had slunk off in order to scout (or so they had loosely interpreted from his gestures and shadowy charades). Nashi and Gary were intertwined with each other. Since all Nashi had was the remnants of her bedlah, Gary had offered his tattered cloaked to her as she curled in his lap to sleep. He stayed wide awake with the ball of light his only friends.

"Then kill me! Give me everything and let the Truth of Winter fully awaken inside you, Morningstar!"

Gary closed his eyes.

A drifting hand. "They took everything away from me. They violated me…and they're still alive."

His eyes open and crystaled. Death…killing…murder…bloodshed… These are things we'll still have to face. And Invel… He's still out there. The Bureau… Places like that will continue to exist, even if people think otherwise. Secrets, lies, deception, experimentation, capture, force… His eyes feathered to Nashi then Luna and he tensed. Assault. Rape. This is the reality we face. Trust is so precious and so fragile. His eyes went to Tesla. We have to learn to trust our comrades despite the past. And… His eyes went to Kyler. We have to learn that even if we think we might know best, there is someone who is looking out for all—all of us. Because if we don't… His eyes went to the light …we won't be ready for the war coming for us.

"War? Are you serious?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

He had shut himself into his office with the Council-issued Compact with Lance's number pulled up onto the Compact. He shook his head. "And you're certain you could trust her?"

"I am." Lance sounded firm. "Everything I told you… I wouldn't have told you it if I didn't believe in it, Gary. What she said is true and Master confirms it. Whether we like it or not, these Demons are a prelude to something bigger."

Gary had to get up, and he took the Compact with him. He began to pace. "But the question is, what are they preparing for? And are all these forces preparing for the same thing?"

"You're thinking it too."

"Yes." Gary looked out the bay window. "Bluenote invaded Margaret Town with other Warlocks; however, the goal that they had in mind didn't seem to match the other Demons. And Forneus didn't even seem to acknowledge the other Demons in passing, according to Gale's recounts and your own."

"I've been looking more about the first and second Demon Wars," Lance confessed. "Unfortunately, knowledge about them is difficult to accomplish. I have to jump through a lot of hoops just to have access to Her Majesty's Royal Reserves. I have a connection to the Archaeology Society and he'll be pulling what he can for me. But from what it looks like, no one could anticipate the endgame the Demons and whoever was with them was after. It was complete and utter chaos."

Gary hummed. "Or so history wants to think," he murmured. "Times have changed, but the Demons haven't. I don't think those wars were caused just for simple destruction. From the forces we've met, their common theme has been attaining power and making this reality one they can own."

"Right. It would make sense the people could only record what they saw. Back then, by the time history had repeated itself, they had only just recovered from the first Demon War. But it's been centuries since the second Demon War. Something tells me the war Veleda was referring to was a third Demon War. And this war won't be like the last ones."

Gary let out a terse breath. "But I feel like we're missing something."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, it just feels like we're missing something important." He scrubbed his face. "A war isn't something we can ignore, but we'll need more information. With Bael in Bellum, as it stands, we can't ignore other Warlocks and Demons around the world."

Lance sighed. "If only it was that easy. Just like in Bellum, governments around the world have an answer to everything as long as it doesn't show anything about Demons or whoever is at force. I've spoken to Coeus and with Master's permission, he'll dig up what he can find. But we're treading into dangerous territory."

"We don't have a choice," Gary told him. 'But still… Would it be time for Checkmate to reveal anything? No. It's premature.'

"That's not all I found interesting."

"Oh?"

"It's about the Bureau."

Gary tensed. "What about it?"

A beat. "The war had me thinking about the Faction and those rumors about hidden laboratories. When I mentioned it to Master, she told me she couldn't answer that. At first, I didn't understand why she'd dismiss me like that. But I understand what she means now. Something is being looked at with those laboratories. They might not be a link to what's coming but looking into them could mean finding those missing Mages that the Magic Council refuses to acknowledge."

"Yeah." 'The Bureau… Could it really be found?' "Any leads about you being a God Slayer? That ring. Are you going to Éirulan?"

"Not yet," Lance relented. "Something is telling me Éirulan might not be the right move for me yet. I want to be certain before I do any traveling. It'll give me time to keep researching more about this mess." He let out a loud exhale. "I feel like we're about to be in over our heads and we'll survive by the skin of our teeth. I'm worried about Aine and Mary Jane. If a war is coming, even if it's two or three years down the line, I can't have Aine take part on the front lines. And Mary Jane—"

"I know," Gary hushed. "If she were forced to fight on the front lines…" 'Igneel… To what lengths would you go?' He stared determinedly as a light snow began to drizzle. "I want to bring Angel and our family and friends and all of Fairy Tail into a future they can thrive in. This war… We have to do everything we can to prepare for it. Even if this war is three years down the line, it doesn't mean there won't be more enemies. And we'll need to survive them all"—the focus narrowed—"because we're going to be the ones who stand all after this war. I made a promise to someone and I plan to keep it—no matter what."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

A war that will bring back the God Slayers, Gary thought. And if we think about it even more… This war is bringing back Demons who are on the side of life. And it's bringing about Dragons on the side of life. I just can't convince myself we'll have just a third Demon War. To me, it looks like something is changing in this world. It won't be as simple as us versus Demons. No. Cerulean hardened. It will those of us on the side of life…versus those on the opposite side.

Gary blinked as Nashi shifted in his lap and nuzzled into him. He kissed her head. "I promise you, Angel," he whispered. "I'll make sure the side of life wins." And if I have to face Invel… A flash of silver cut through those blues. I'll show him my winter. And next time, I won't hesitate.

Something made Gary alert, and he lightly shook Nashi. "Angel," he murmured.

"I…know…" Nashi roused herself from her sleep. "I can…feel it…"

As Nashi got off Gary's lap and he helped her up, Tesla was awake and alert and prepared for battle. "What's going on?" she wanted to know. "Another enemy?"

"No…" Kyler had awakened and the Staff of Miracles came to his aid as he got up. "It feels…like a friend…"

They did not have to wait long as a light pierced through the endless darkness of the tunnel. A ghostly orb drifted into the darkness as wisps of white winded off it, but no one tensed up. Nashi and Gary threaded their hands together, but Tesla withheld from bringing out her saber and the light reflected in Kyler's eyes. But the ghostly white orb was not the only visitor that they had. Cullen had come back as though he was a proxy to the ghostly orb to symbolize peace.

The ghostly orb floated before them and looked almost too mystical to be true. "Nashi Luna Heartfilia-Dragneel, daughter of Natsu and Lucy," it spoke, mature and feminine and strong. "Gary Fullbuster, son of Gray and Juvia Fullbuster. Kyler, son of Charmeine and Ardian. Tesla Greer, daughter of Adrienne Greer. Peace. I come bearing good news. Your Shadower may vouch for my intentions."

"Who are you?" Nashi wanted to know.

"I am but a friend," the orb spoke. "To some, I am the steed of a King."

Gary's eyes steeled.

"My name is nary important," the orb spoke. "Luke Heartfilia-Dragneel, son of Natsu and Lucy, is safe and out of his dark hold. He rests now."

"Where was he?" Nashi had to ask. "What happened to him?"

"Invel Yura is a cruel man. He attempted to accomplish something the Black Mage had done, but he has failed. Luke Dragneel is safe and sound. He will never be controlled again."

Nashi sighed in relief. "So he's okay…"

"Where does his body lay?" Kyler asked.

"He is hidden in a boarding house and heavily guarded. I have been tasked to lead you to him. However… If you do not trust me, I have more to show that I am trustworthy." The orb shifted and reconfigured until it settled on a new shape. "I am told…that this is a symbol you would find faith in."

Nashi and Gary's eyes went wide.

The orb had shifted into the Fairy Tail insignia.

The two of them shared a look before Gary nodded and Nashi said, "Take us to my brother."

"Very well."

It only took a minute or so of shuffling. Gary carried an unconscious Luna on his back while Tesla held the Forever Container. Nashi kept an arm around Kyler to help him as he hobbled through the tunnel and they had consolidated their freshwater into a light ice container for future use. Cullen took the rear to keep everyone together. The walk through the tunnel was quiet save for all the footsteps. It was an unspoken rule that silence was necessary. The orb powered through the darkness and took them through the catacombs with ease.

But at some point, the orb came to a stop.

The group stopped.

Breaths were held.

The orb spoke: "We are no longer alone."

LUB-DUB!

Cullen shielded Tesla when eyes of all different types emerged from the darkness. Pupils small and beady, the eyes focused on each member of the group as though they were the prey and had walked into the lion's death. Gary gritted his teeth and Nashi held onto Kyler tighter as her eyes glowed.

This presence. Nashi glanced around at the eyes lurking in the darkness. I know this presence from the underground tunnels in Margaret Town. He's back.

"Thank you, Jacob."

STEP… STEP… STEP…

Nashi perked. That voice… I know that voice. Blood rushed in her ears. No… He wouldn't…

STEP… STEP…

Nashi glanced down to see Gary had held tight to her wrist. She shot him a look, but he was looking at their fate dead ahead with no reservation.

"I've had a very stressful day," came drawl. "And the lectures from that old bat could have wiped me out. But Jacob had come to stop by and help me reclaim something lost to me."

STEP… STEP…

"And now that I've found it…"

Nashi's eyes slowly widened in horror.

"…might I suggest something?"

Dressed in the empire colors of black and gold, he stood dressed like a noble. No, more than a noble. He dressed like a prince. The wounds from before had all but vanished for unblemished flesh and perfect hair tamed down by a silky gold headband where his crown would go one day. Chin lifted, his eyes were pointed to Nashi alone before they slid in contempt towards Gary.

"If you don't mind…"—in his left eye, a sigil swirled in place of his pupil; a demonic sigil—"let go of my fiancé"—his eyes narrowed as Gary showed his teeth—"Morningstar."

Todoke kiseki ja nakute ii

Utsukushikunakute ii

Ikigai tte yatsu ga hikari kagayaku kara

•

Kirenai batterii

Tamashii no kagiri

Shukumei tte yatsu o

Moyashite Abaredasu dake nanda

TO BE CONTINUED…

Well, we had a moment to breathe… But oh man, it ended so soon! Now our heroes have to face a turned Naseer and…what exactly is going on with the DNA Map that has Ezra so worried? Well, I guess the only way to find out is to stay tuned for the next episode of Fairy Adventure!

Chibi-Luna comes into the classroom (and lets out a silent relief her students look normal) and she beams, "Good morning, cl…!" She faltered when the class turns their dark stares toward her. "Cl…Class?" She nervously goes to the board. "Are you, um…ready for your Fairy Lesson?"

JIIIIIIIIIIIIII…

Chibi-Luna sweats. "W-W-Well, I keep it short then!" she promises. "U-U-Um, well, did you know that the Magic Council has different branches for different specialty types. As you know now, HAWKS is a Magic Council branch in which anyone who enters has to have some sort of Flight Magic. The Magic Council also has SEALS which is a branch of the Magic Council for those with water-based abilities and also WOLF which is those with earth-based abilities.

"While these branches are part of the Magic Council, they also serve as secondary special forces to their respective countries. However, as Mister Spencer explained, those who are part of those MC Branches first and foremost serve under the Magic Council before their country. Unlike other nations, the Magic Council is allowed military bases as well as administrative branches in every single nation or state. The Sanctuary doesn't have a Magic Council branch only because all of the Sanctuary is privatized land."

Chibi-Luna sighs as the students continue to stare at her. "Author-san does want to leave a quick message." She grimaces as the students look curious. "Though, it's unfortunately not a fun message. Author-san received a vicious message from a reader who had…words to say about characters who are not cisgender nor heterosexual. Author-san wants to make it very clear here and now. The cast of characters written and that will be written are going to be diverse and they have been crafted of different races, languages, sexual orientations, romantic orientations, gender expression, pronouns, mental disorders, and physical disabilities.

"So if reading a story with a diverse cast isn't of your interest, Author-san urges you to stop reading now. Within the next arcs, Author-san intends to introduce you to other Wizards who are diverse with their own set of problems, opportunities, and what have you. Author-san has little time to handle ignorance. This story is not set to only give someone one type of person. Author-san fully intends to show people as people who come from different cultures and religions. Author-san hopes the class can respect that and to enjoy these new characters eventually seen."

Chibi-Luna sighs heavily. "With that out of the way." She claps and the class jolts. "That concludes our Fairy Lesson! Next time, on Fairy Adventure: THE CHOICE!"

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

— • — • — • —

Invel Yura – Clay Wheeler

Nashi Dragneel – Lauren Landa

Gary Fullbuster – Griffin Burns

Skade – Sean Schemmel

Tesla Greer / Hylia Lynk – Galena White

Faven Heartfilia – Veronica Taylor

Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill

Meira Heartfilia – Lydia Mackey

Erion – Dan Green

Nayda – Elizabeth Maxwell

Kyler – Ray Chase

Aamon – Héctor Elizondo

Jang-ta "Jaxton" Yang – Eddy Yeung

Mason – Jonah Scott

Sycaña – Christine Auten

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Li Kang – Crispin Freeman

Veronika Strauss (voice only) – Hilary Haag

Spencer Lates – Christopher Wehkamp

Teddy Klaus – Bex Taylor-Klaus

Ezra Strauss – Zach Aguilar

Asako Moyo - Crystal Cohen

Chace Duchenne – Ezra Weisz

Saudade Mixa (voice only) – Enuka Akuma

Rain Oetjen - Christina Kelly

Wolfheim (voice only) – Tyler Carson

Lucifer "Bleu" Demiurge – Xander Mobius

Luther – Garett Morgan

Shenlong – David Lodge

Mercuphobia -

Caeryssa – Megan Hilthy

Nano Leaf – Jessica Boone

Silver Fullbuster – Yuri Lowenthal

Ena Fernandes – Xanthe Huynh

Erza Fernandes – Colleen Clinkenbeard

Levy Redfox – Kristi Kang

Gajeel Redfox – David Wald

Officer Kimbley (voice only) – Greg Ayres

Sergeant Anbessie (voice only) – Pam Dougherty

Oswald (voice only) – Kyler McCarthy

Asuna (voice only) – Marieve Herrington

Pantherlily – Rick Keeling

Unknown Male Voice #1 – Daman Mills

Unknown Female Voice – Dorothy Elias-Fahn

Unknown Male Voice # 2 – Andrew Love

Carlisle Justino – Eric Scott Kimerer

Dante Princeton-O'Neill – Adrian Petriw

Muta – Jason Douglas

Weiwei – Suzie Yeung

Lance Dreyar – Johnny Young Bosch

Companion – Megan Franich

Naseer Raml – Faris Al-Raqqad

• — • — •

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

⌜OPENING THEME

⟪ Your Hands Grasping Even Yourself ⟫

Noisycell

Lyrics by

Noisycell⌟

•

⌜ENDING THEME

⟪ Shukumei ⟫

Official HIGE DANdism

Lyrics by & Composed by

Satoshi Fujiwara⌟

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

TRANSLATIONS

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Zhōnguánese → Fioren-Minstrish

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Wèi

Hey (Inf.)

• — • — •

Nǐ tīngqǐlái hěn bù gāoxing shì wǒ, dìdì

You sound upset it's me, little brother.