Hey my peeps! Back with another update this one is definitely longer so yay! Sorry its so sporadic but I'm doing the best I can and just know I will not ever abandon this story! I refuse to write anything else until this story comes to a close. I will say I have a huge book of ideas for more NALU in the future. Anywho! I hope you enjoy this bad boy :)

Chapter 44

Draco bursts into the council private offices for the first time in over a century and roars, "NYX! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Nyx smiles as a huge weight is lifted from her shoulder, her bother was finally out of his slump. She hid her smile knowing it would only aggravate him further and she needed him to step back into his role. "Down at the far end Brother," she calls.

Draco forces his majestic Draconic form into his human shape knowing the council building wouldn't appreciate an angry dragon. His golden eyes looked over the hallway wearily waiting for it to reject him. It looked as though it were a hallway in an old castle, but he knew the truth. The neutral space the "building" chose to reside was in between the different realms they all guarded. Now this "building" is a sentient being which rearranges itself whenever and however it wants. For Igneel, it tended to create volcanic caverns with every gem imaginable decorating its walls. Thankfully his sister seemed to prefer a medieval castle approach.

The celestial dragon stopped just outside his sister's office, heart aching at the painting hanging on the stone. The castle normally supplied its own magical artwork and very rarely took requests, but here it hung. One of the last images of the entire council, everyone smiling. Except of course for Igneel who was caught in the middle of roaring laughter each am wrapped around him and Nyx.

He studies the pleasing sight they all make, he being pale skinned with golden eyes and hair black as pitch. While Nyx's Ivory hair and silver eyes stood out in brilliant contrast against her midnight coco skin. One would think it would be impossible for two to be siblings let alone twins. Then there was Igneel with brilliant ruby facial hair and hair a simmering crimson with golden highlights. His tan skin highlighted his flame colored eyes, the white of his gleaming teeth show brightly in his smile and Draco could almost hear the boom of his old friends laughter.

"It was hard to find him intimidating like that," Nyx quietly said while stepping out of her office.

Draco scoffs, self-loathing building as he remembers, "and it was my fault we will never hear that laughter again."

The elder sister's blood boils, "I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOUR SELF PUNISHING ATTITUDE. HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE NOT SUFFERED FOR YOUR SELF IMPOSED EXILE."

Her brother raised his brows, "yes they have I have accepted what has happened and am determined to prevent anything like it from happening again."

Nyx's mouth fell open, was this the same self-absorbed little brother she knew and loved. "I can tell from the look on your face that you are surprised but the Celestial King has brought me up to date on everything. He is also the one to make me realize that my punishment is better served doing the work I was born to do along with helping Igneel's hatchling get use to his role. Although I cannot say I am pleased with the fact that not one but two celestial wizards are involved. Not to mention that one is Anna's ancestor; I cannot believe their bloodline as been wedded down to one remaining relative."

He looked at his sister's pensive face, "and from that look I am guessing it was no accident."

"Brother, you know Igneel and I were co leaders of this council. When Igneel was sealed inside his hatchling I not only had to take over completely but I was also left with his realm. Then you..." she looked at him sadly.

"Then I left to my banishment leaving you with my realm to also care for," Draco finished.

"Neither realms would choose a new Protector since their old ones were still technically alive," she added.

"What do you mean alive? Igneel wasn't alive his spirit was torn from his body!" The celestial dragon growls.

Nyx sighed, "remember Igneel was passing his realm to his predecessor which was Acnologia. While his mate did not make it through the mating trial, the realm still had chosen him as the next Dragon King. It couldn't take into account that he would go insane from being unable to complete the mating bond with Anna. Just as no one could possibly predict that the movement of time between realms would cause such an outcome."

"I know you don't want or need to hear it but I am sorry and I will do everything I can to make amends," he ran his hand through his short hair. "First I need to tell you a message from the Celestial Spirit King."

He straighten his shoulders and stood at his full height, "He has chosen Lucy Heartfilia as the next Celestial Priestess, but considering she is currently in the mating race he will withhold the ceremony for as long as possible."

"I had a feeling he would name her," Nyx chuckled as her brother's shocked expression. "It's not just a strange string of thoughts when one looks at her ancestry and the fact that she was the first to summon his majesty that wasn't already a priestess. Come brother we have much to prepare and I need to fill you in on the council politics as they are of great concern to this trial."

After sitting down and discussing for some time Draco stared at his sister in amazement, horror, and shock. "What happened to Avery!? He was this sweet little hatchling that hung on Igneel's every word and now you tell me he's been trying to snake his way into controlling everything. I mean he had a beautiful realm from what I remember, very promising. And he was the cause behind the dimension collision between Edolas and Earthland!"

Nyx sighs heavily, "I also suspect him of having a hand in the Eclipse gate project."

"WHAT! HOW!? Igneel was actually involved in that, wasn't he?" The celestial dragon just looked plain shell shocked, which Nyx could understand. She had just bomb after bomb on her little brother. "Do you remember how jealous Avery was when Acnologia was chosen as Igneel's successor? It only seemed to get worse after Acnologia failed to seal the mating ritual with Anna then when he riped Igneel's soul out…"

Draco whispered, "I remember but I just thought it was grief and he would heal with time. I know Dream Dragons can turn to Nightmare Demons but to think Avery… When was the last time someone actually saw his Draconic Form?"

Nyx actually new exactly when, "Two weeks ago, but I feel as though it was a performance to show that he is still a Dragon. He was arguing with Elena and the argument drew quite a crowd then he "stormed off" but changing and flying away. It just seemed very staged," Nyx narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "The timing was just too perfect because Helios had just asked me that very same question not even 24 hours prior."

Draco tapped a finger on his strong jaw, "doesn't his realm have a type of shapeshifter?"

"No creature other than the council is even able to set foot in this dimension. So how would Avery be able to use a shapeshifter pretend he was still able to shift into his Draconic Form? Besides the shapeshifters in his realm are exceedingly rare."

"You are forgetting one other way to be able to access this realm or for Avery himself to utilize that power," Draco raised his brows at her questioning gaze.

"What in the world are you talking about? There's no other…..," realization lights her eyes. "His mate? You think Avery has found a mate?"

"Igneel's realm is the only one that requires the Protector to go through the ancient mating rituals at their coming of age. Avery could very well have found his mate by now in his own realm and we would never be the wiser. The only way any dragons know about mates other than the continuous boasting is the mark. He could very easily hide that from us." Draco looked very thoughtful stunning his sister with his insight.

If you had told Nyx, 500 years ago, her brother would think a problem through thoroughly she'd have laughed. It was why she like Igneel's hatchling so much, he was just like her hot-headed brother. In the past her brother would have just charged off and beat the answers out of Avery.

Now here he sits levelheaded and figuring problems out, she smiled softly.

Said Brother reaches over and squeezes her small hands, "I'm still me, but it was too big a mistake to not have impacted me at least just a little. My temper is iron clad now but if you think I'm not gonna do petty things like putting ink in Avery's tea until I can smash his face in, then you might wanna see if I've been replaced with some kind of doppelganger."

The Moon Dragon chuckles at her brother's words and squeezes his hand back, "now then we need to discuss the Blessings sheet and just what kind of party to throw for your return!"

Draco rolled his eyes, "why in the worlds would I need or want a party?" He studied his sister up close and his heart ached at the sadness and exhaustion etched in her face. "Leo actually came up with an idea about that," Draco rolled his eyes and chuckled. He settled in to explain the perverted lion's plan.

Sting looked around Crocus, the city seemed to be completely empty like the set up from the Grand Magic Games. He felt a whisper across his mind like a little giggle and he grinned, "Where are you?"

He could feel Yukino gasp at the sensation, "oh! I can hear you and you can hear me!? Well, this will make it a lot more fun."

The Light Dragon Slayer tilted his head wondering what she meant, when her thoughts started to pour into his. Everything was wrapped in her emotions and were coming at him in rapid succession. "Whoa whoa whoa, Yuki slow down I'm getting dizzy from trying to keep up with all of that."

"Oh I'm so sorry Sting! Here, let me try this," He could just picture Yuki. Her beautiful eyes closed, her cute little nose squinched up, and her small, delicate hands fisted under her chin... "STIIIINNNNNGGGG STOP IT! I can hear all of that," Yukino whined in his head.

The blond threw his head back and let loose a howl of laughter, knowing she'd be red as a tomato. "I am NOT!" Yukino tried to pout but his laughter was so contagious she started to giggle right along with him.

"Ok ok, now just focus on one thing at a time. Like those stories you love to read," Sting smiles, excited for what she's going to show him.

Yukino wiped away a stray tear, "I love your laughter Sting it just makes me feel so much lighter. Ok here I go," She closed her eyes and focused on her thought and feelings. Almost pushing them towards him.

First a wave of nerves and slight nausea washed over him so he closed his eyes to see what was causing this awful feeling. Yukino stood in front of Sabertooth, gathering courage to go inside and realize her dream.

"Well aren't you cute," Yukino turns to see a couple of guys walking towards her. Sting almost growled when he realized just who it was. "Think you've got what it takes to join our guild cutie? Or are you just looking for a man to take care of you? Cause' if you are I'm just the guy your looking for," a man with slicked back green hair crooned while his fat purple haired friend just licked his lips looking at her. He reached out to grab her when the door flew open smashing into him and his friend sending them flying across the stone ground.

"Oops looks like some trash was in front of our door," Yukino torn her graze away from the perverts in a tangled heap to the blond haired guy speaking from the doorway. "Rogue let's get going," She watched as a dark haired boy appear out of nowhere and followed behind the blond one. "I hope garbage like this won't change your mind," the one called Rogue said as he passed her by.

Yukino straightened determination squaring her shoulders, "No it hasn't." She turned to walk through but not before seeing the wide smile spread across the blond one's face.

Her memories sped forward after that but all we're little things Sting had done for her. Thing he had long forgotten about or things he'd thought he was being sneaky about. Then the memories slowed until it was that awful night the Guild master made her strip and erase her guild mark. He felt her sorrow, her shame, and her complete hopelessness. His heart ached for her then but now it broke, she had felt as though she deserved that. Then he felt her shudder as the Master boomed telling Sting that was enough.

Sting felt his anger fade and a blush creep up his face, so she had noticed. He had blinded everyone in that room with a light so bright their eyes teared up from behind closed lids. No one had seen her not even the Master, he'd been pushed later for it but he couldn't let them see her. He hadn't know then just what she was to him, he just knew in his soul he couldn't allow it to happen. "I fell in love with you even when you couldn't show who you really were. It was all of those little moments that you did the decent and kind thing whether it was me or someone else in the Guild. Rogue told me what you did, I was too focused to realize no one had seen. I-I can't even tell you how relieved I felt. And Rogue told me it was that moment he realized that you were ready to change."

"What do you mean change?" Sting was confused and started looking around for her, "and where are you? Why aren't you next to me?"

Yukino smiled sweetly, "Rogue wanted to leave he didn't like how the guild was anymore. He said once he saw the difference in Gajeel, he wanted that for himself."

"Of course, he did," Sting laughed and rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if he'd wanted to join Fairy Tail with how much he worships Gajeel."

He could hear Yukino's tinkling laughter, "so you're saying you wouldn't have done the same thing for Natsu?"

The Celestial mage giggled at the blush she could feel on his face, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Sure, you don't," she smiled cheeks hurting from the laughter bubbling up inside her, no doubt Sting could feel it too. "Now since you wanted to play a game in the Castle, I think it's only fair if we play a little hide and seek now."

"And just what do I win when I catch you," Sting purrs, adrenaline singing through his veins in anticipation.

Yukino shivers at the thrill in his voice, "how about I let you pick out my next set of underwear?"

She flushes bright red just thinking it, but she also knew her Dragon Slayer had a penchant for picking out her underwear.

Sting roared his delight, knowing how much it embarrassed and turned Yuki on whenever she wore a pair he had picked out. The two laughed and giggled chasing each other all over Crocus, eventually ending with the Dragon sniffing out his Mate at a lingerie store wearing nothing but an iridescent bra and panty set. "Well, wh-what do you think?"

He smiled at her bashful tone, walking forward he reached for her, "you know you don't have to force yourself to be bolder, right?"

"I-I know," Yukino tries to fight the blush creeping across her face, "but I like the shock and awe on your face when I do. It's worth stepping out of my comfort zone to surprise you. Besides that's not the only thing I want to show you."

Sting raised a brow in silent question and gasped when he saw Yuki slowly disappear right before his eyes. "What!? Yuki what's happening?!" He reached out to her and felt she was still there.

"It's okay Sting, I'm okay, and I'm still here. My guess is it's your Light magic combining itself with my Celestial magic. I was using Libra earlier to get away from you cause you'd gotten so close, and I panicked, and I just disappeared. Libra said she felt her power of balance be sucked towards me and then poof I was gone."

"So, your Gravity magic and my Light magic combined, and you disappeared?" Sting asked in surprise and then grinned, "That's amazing! I wonder what else you can do!"

"Well, I can hear your thoughts and feel your emotions, hmmmm," Yukino tapped her chin slowly reappearing and completely forgetting that she was standing around in a lingerie set. "We discovered our hearing is heightened already, and Lucy found out she can't take a hot shower anymore."

"HAHAHAHA," Sting cracked up, "oh man I bet she's pissed!"

Sting offered Yukino a jacket and the two sat and caught up like they hadn't seen each other in ages. It eased the stress from their shoulders as was what Yukino had intended with her game. Sting was and is such a fun, free spirit that being a Guild Master really weighs on him at times. Yukino has made it her mission to make sure he takes the time to remember just who he is. This mating ritual was no different, it needed to happen for reasons she didn't understand just yet. But this was still her and Sting and she refused to let them loose themselves in all of this chaos.