Chapter 38: The Concern of a Brother, the Rancor of a Sister
"Neh, Natsu, why do you want me to be in your team?"
The two Fairy Tail Mages were waiting by the train station for their wayward Ice Mage and Titania before they set off on a personal mission based off a conspiracy. Lucy had been quick in only bringing her essentials, her days traveling with Roy helped set her priorities if they ever need to leave stuff behind.
It was a question Lucy had been spinning on her mind since the day he burst into her apartment uninvited and decided she'd be a perfect addition to the Dynamic Duo. Oh, it wasn't the invitation itself that made her questioned him, she was mostly flattered until he teased her of choosing her for bait as a pretty blonde maid for the Pervy Everlue.
But then once they got back, Lucy was met with curious and surprising gazes of the other members when Natsu had asked to choose a mission for them, intending to continue their partnership. It was a subtle glance, and one she wouldn't take note of if she wasn't trained to be aware of her surroundings more.
When Mira had asked her looked after the mismatched group that she suspected is like a volcano waiting to explode, the barmaid explained how she was the only one who had managed to wrangle Natsu not to charge headfirst (Except for Erza, but in her case, it seemed to be more of forced submission). Even have him persisting in being in a team with her. The other members would only clash with his personality or just couldn't stand with his destructive tendency, which is a very understandable plight to consider, not to mention how he tends to drop everything at the slightest clue of a dragon, no matter how obscure. With that said, no wonder no one was keen on teaming up with him other than for a one-off thing, the same can be said vice-versa.
It made her wonder what about herself that gave those two idiots the idea of teaming up with her when they've barely known her.
Natsu wasn't sure at what point did he decide to ask her to be on his team, what popped in his head instead was a memory of a nauseating ride toward Mt. Hakobe.
"Lucy, Lucy," he heard Happy called out, "Why did you want to come and help us! You don't even know Macao."
That was a question he had been wondering as well, so he did his best to quell his queasy stomach and paid attention.
Lucy's answer was as weird as she is, she tilted her head to the side, humming in thought before shrugging, "Just because, I guess," she answered.
"Eh, what do you mean by that?"
"I meant what I said, there's really know no reason. You want to help Romeo by saving his dad, right? How could I not help? I mean… you ask for a reason why I would help, but the way I see it there's no reason for me not to help, do you get what I'm saying?"
No. Maybe? Natsu wasn't sure her words make sense, cementing the fact she's just that weird. But the sentiments were clear enough, and Natsu decided he likes her. It is strange to have someone who put up with him and yet not be one of the members who had known him for long. Maybe that's why he knew, in some corner of his instinct, that Lucy would be one of his most precious people in the future. And Natsu loves having more people in his family.
"Besides," she added, "you help took me into my dream guild, helping you along is the least I could do. You know what they say, better with two."
"Hey!" Happy cried indignantly.
"Okay, okay, better with three, I suppose."
The rest of the journey continued with idle chatter between them that Natsu ignored, in favor of hugging his screaming stomach. They knew they arrived the moment the cart had reached a point on the mountain where the blizzard became too thick for them to move on. Natsu was rejuvenated by the halting vehicle, and Lucy was downcasted by the sudden change of weather but not surprised coming from a mountain known for its Eternal Winter.
The two of them forged through the blizzard, calling out for Macao in hoped they managed to still find the person, and that he was just lost. Happy was fighting the cold the hardest and was wrapped in his green blanket as Lucy hugged him in her bosom.
"Lucy, why aren't you cold?" Happy had looked up to ask, "You don't wear much, and yet you're barely shivering."
She met the feline's eyes and curled a mischievous smile, "Runes. I'm not as good as my brother, but he at least taught me how to make my clothes temperature regulated. Which means I don't have to bother feeling too hot or too cold from the weather, though he was more invested in getting my clothes tear-proofed for whatever reason."
Any further conversation was halted by the appearance of an Ice Vulcan. Preying and perving over the only woman in the group as if the Vulcan never saw a woman. Lucy had instantly recognized a pervy glance when she saw one and reacted immediately. She threw Happy over high above her, grabbed her whip and had it curled around its neck.
"Sorry big guy, but you have to buy me a drink first." With one heaved pull, she threw the monster to the side of an icy wall. Both Natsu and Happy were a bit boggled, seeing the seemingly lovely and soft Lucy capable of throwing a Vulcan with only her physical strength.
However, that alone wasn't enough to knock it down, and Natsu was reminded again why he was there. He rushed at it, shouting questions of where Macao was for every punch he throws. Lucy had summoned a spirit at some point, but Natsu was too high strung to noticed and ended up kicking Taurus' over the cliff, the cow spirit had Natsu thinking he was back up for the Vulcan because of his sudden appearance. Natsu had to remind himself to get to know Lucy's spirits the next time they fight together.
And isn't that weird, seemingly thinking they'd be fighting together again? But Natsu simply chalked it up as Lucy being nice.
Later on, after it is revealed Macao was Take-Over by the Vulcan and then dragged him away from the mountain. Lucy had decidedly helped ease the man's pain by summoning a new spirit. A lady wearing a nun's outfit, but the hat did not hide its two horns of a goat from her head.
"How may I be of service, Lucy-sama?"
"Amalthea, please heal this man."
"Understand."
The nurse goat nun proceeded to pull out a small white bottle within her sleeves and offered it to the middle-aged Fairy Tail members. He drank the whole bottle before his body shuddered as it glowed white and was on his feet like nothing happen.
His memory then flashed forward at the end of their first mission together. How the Newbie single-handedly solved a mystery that was never requested but completed the job in ways Natsu could have never done better. Least to say, Natsu and Happy were very impressed. The girl never ceased to amaze them. In the end, Lucy had been the perfect mage for the job, whether she knew it or not. Because of her, the Melon Guy managed to realize the depth of his father's love and received his last message, the last gift for his son to give them closer. Natsu was reminded of how there were more ways to finish the job. His method might be fastest and straightforward, but not always what the client needed.
Wordlessly, the duo decided they wanted to keep Lucy. The celestial mage never truly had a chance to deny them.
As he reminisced the past, Natsu considered her question with a penetrating gaze that seemed to try boring the reason out of her that she couldn't help but back away at his disregard for personal space.
"Because you're a nice person," he finally concluded, going so far as to nod firmly at his own answer as if there's no room for debate.
She won't lie, Lucy blushed, flattered by his earnest compliment of her. Though, she was also a bit disappointed that he hadn't commented on her skills when she had worked hard on it. She wanted him to elaborate what he meant by nice, but then Gray appeared, and the two rivals were brought into their usual squabble.
Lucy sighed and imagined that this would be a long day for her.
. . .
Twenty-seven guild masters were present at the regular meeting, and none of them had realized I snuck in and munching on their food. Okay, that was an unfair assessment, at least three of them know, and considering they were former FT members, I'm not surprised. Still, the reaction was a disappointment for me.
Though I'm curious why none who sensed my presence would say anything. Probably wanted to observe me from the corner of their eyes, how cute.
Not like suppressing my presence is easy or anything. Not when Makarov Dreyar, the three-time Master of Fairy Tail and one of the Top 10 wizards in Fiore, is right in front of me and there was no chance for me geeking out.
My hero-worship was quickly extinguished when a Master Bob questioned his recent guild's exploit of undermining an aristocrat, and Makarov made a point to compliment the Newbie's 'asset.' So don't blame me each time he did, a random pebble happens to strike the back of his head with no evidence of its existence.
There was a chime of a messenger bird came for Makarov. I was expecting a lot of things what was written, but I had utterly forgotten of who it was from.
Mirajane appeared in all her hologram glory. All smile and cheer in her soft, magenta dress. My throat seems to lodge in itself, while my stomach turned inside out. Still, my lips curled at the sight of her. Happy, safe, a little bit on the ditzy side, but that made me smile more.
I felt further vindicated when the soul left the Master's body after she brought the news of Fairy Tail Strongest Team being officially formed, putting higher risk of obliterating a town by accident, and I had to hold back my snickering. Honestly, FT may be the strongest and kindest guild there is, but you can't help begrudge them if they suck the tax money out of the Council.
"Also Master, there is the news of why they even form a team in the first place." Mirajane's tone turned serious, and I perked up, not knowing there was more to the message, "According to Erza, she heard a few people she suspected were dark guild mages talking about stealing a magic tool, something called Lullaby."
Master shoot up to his feet, "Lullaby, you say?!"
Immediately the room broke out into whispers, exchanging nervous as some conveyed disbelief when the Council was responsible in protecting it, some scared of the consequence this cursed tool is capable when unleash, others talked about either fighting or fleeing.
I knew they'll eventually realize where they plan to set Lullaby, but nothing wrong with an early precaution. That's what I'm here for anyway, "If I may interrupt?"
The reaction was what I expected; those within inches from me jumped as if I personally scalded them, some raised their weapons, most just stood there dumbfounded like it hadn't processed inside their heads someone snuck into a meeting for guild masters. However, I was more interested in Makarov's reaction, the only one who hadn't turned to face me. The only one in the room to give me a semblance of trust of not striking his back… or maybe he's that confident he could strike me down all on his own. I wouldn't blame him if he thought that. Fairy Law is a bullshit cheat code that laughs at all the other cheat codes, there's not much that could strike fear against that, and he is one of the Ten Saint for a reason.
Ignoring the questions threw about on who I am or what I'm doing, I relayed my own personal message, "Lullaby will be coming here."
That managed to quiet them, Quatro Cerberus' Master gritted his teeth as he glared me down, his magic rippling within his body ready to unleash, "So, are you here to threaten us? Is that what this is?"
Wait, did that came out more like a threat… oops?
"Oh, no, no, no. Sorry, that came out wrong. This is not a threat, it's a warning. I don't know if your kids will be able to stop the perpetrator in time, Makarov, but it's better to be safe than sorry to prepare if it ever got here." I tilted my head in thought and considered my next word. "Though I hope you give those dark mages a chance. They're Jackasses, I can't deny that. But their Jackasses that the system managed to wrong them and so they latched on to the strongest figure who dared to make a change no matter how crazy his plan was."
"What do you mean?" Blue Pegasus' Master curiously leaned in.
"Eisenwald is a dark guild mainly composed of former legal guild members who were kicked out. Some may have deserved it, but others had, let's just say, harshly vindicated. Not every guild has a forgiving reputation as Fairy Tail despite property damage." Makarov finally turned, after his ears perked up at the mention of his guild's name. "When a guild you've regarded as home and members as family turned you away when you make a mistake instead of helping, when they lose the one place they belong, they will side with anyone and any place if it meant gaining their sense of worth, to find a sense of belonging, even if it's within the abyss." I let my tone dropped an octave, making sure that they regard my words in seriousness.
"And we're supposed to take your word for it?" Said one of the small and quivering old mages, "For all we know, you're one of them, and this is a trap."
I shrugged, "Take it as you will, the outcome won't change much just because I'm here. So I'll be leaving since my business is done."
I was ready to teleport myself out, "Wait!"
Makarov was there, and I had to help back from jumping in surprise because boy, was he fast. I didn't realize he moved until he called out to me. I was struck frozen by the depth of his age-old eyes that seemed to penetrate my very soul, yet within that gaze was also unadulterated kindness and empathy that seek to understand me.
"Who are you, Boy?"
I haven't introduced myself?! Well, that's no good. There'd be no point coming here and announced myself if they don't know who I am. So with a grin and a flourished bow, my cloak fluttered like a cape in dramatic flair, I said, "Roy Jurenelle, former-noble of the Jurenelle family, ex-CEO of the Wonka Enterprise, and the notorious fugitive wanted by the crown."
I heard a collective gasp within the room, and one of the masters decided that was enough reason to shoot a spell at me. It would have been a perfect opportunity for me to let the spell missed, and used it as a cover for me to get myself out. But I didn't, too curious to see Makarov's face and his reaction to my identity.
Not a flinch or a shift moved on his face as he regarded me. His eyes still shone with the same question as he saw through my own identity that I used as a mask.
"Who are you, Boy?"
I pulled my cloak and threw it up to block the magic spell, it went rigid in my hand, becoming a shield that would prevent any physical damage on me.
"And also a wayward brother, coming to check up on his sister," I finally settled for an answer before disappearing in the blink of an eye. I didn't go far though; instead, I perched on a tree where the best outlook of the building was as the best place to watch over them.
"Phew, that was nerve-wracking. I couldn't tell at all what was in the old man's head."
There was sometime before the night showdown. Soon after, I sense the platoon army from the royal knights arriving and setting on the nearest hill. Ready to rushed in when worst comes to worst, though they'll be useless in the end. The masters must have been the one to call them up.
I was about to get some shut-eye when my whole body shuddered from the manifested ominous presence, making a beeline here. A presence too remanence of the Demon Painting, Alecto. Already, my knuckles turned white at the repulsive feeling the demon emitted that wants to choke the light out of everything. Already I knew that the flute was contaminating anyone who touches it. The fact Kageyama managed to fight his impulse, in the end, was a commendable act. Temptation is not an easy thing to ignore. It showed the sort of person he truly is.
"Oi, oi, oi, shouldn't you do something about it? I back off because you said you had it handled, but this does not look like you got it handled."
I shushed the man from the other side of my communication lachrima strapped around my wrist, "Just watch, this is going to be awesome."
I concede the timing of my word should have been better when the next scene showed Makarov loudly admiring poster girls from the Sorcerer Magazine. It certainly didn't aspire confidence from my friend, yet I have to admire how comical Master to the point no one doubted he was acting... or maybe he was only partially acting. I can never know with him.
Kageyama requested to play Lullaby, my friend's tone became more insistent, but I kept shushing him. I watched as the Dark Guild Member could only stand with wavering conviction in his eyes. I listened as Makarov, wearing a sageful expression, seemed to read his mind and responded doubt with wisdom.
"As long as we believe in tomorrow and put one foot forward, we'll be able to find strength. To live a strong life is to be able to smile, without relying on a small flute like that."
With those words that finally broke his resolve, Kageyama fell to his knees. "I surrender," he said with bowed head, those two words expressing the regret and shame he had.
Fairy Tail mages, both present and former, came out from their hiding and rejoice at the sweet victory that ended without any more bloodshed. I could tell Phantom was impressed by the turn of events and was just as satisfied by the conclusion.
So I felt a bit guilty knowing what comes next.
"Every single one of you, what a gutless mages you all are!" Black mist sprouted from the ancient flute, somehow managed to summon the magic circle of the Living Magic, big enough for the whole town until it was replaced by a– wow, that's big. And when I mean big, I meant his feet is enough to crush the whole establishment to pieces. As expected for one of Zeref's demons. Honestly, even if that man has an existential crisis, he shouldn't have gone overboard with his demons. "I'll devour you all myself!"
"Rooooooooy, the demon's awake."
"I'm aware of that."
"Then why aren't you doing anything?" You could hear the voice gritting his teeth.
The situation answered itself by Makarov's kids; Erza requipped her armor into her Heavenly Armor, Gray took off his shirt, Lucy summoned Taurus, and Natsu's fists burst into flames.
"Because they don't need me to."
You know that excited feeling when you have your favorite characters lined up, and you know there were about major ass-kicking that could make even grown man squeal like a teenage girl. Those were my exact feelings as Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and Erza lined up side by side, ready to take on the world. Or in this case, a demon.
Plus, Happy is there too. But he acts more as Natsu's chauffeur than anything. Sorry, Happy~
"Let's go, Taurus. Let's show it that bigger isn't always better." Lucy pointed at her aim, and Taurus bellowed a battle cry. Having spent a year with his master, one point of her finger was enough to execute the plan forming in her blonde head. Taurus bull-rushed ahead before jumping in a high arched, his ax moved to slice its leg. When he passed one leg, he used the other leg to bounce back and struck again to take down one leg for good and have it immobilized. Erza had the same idea as she hit the demon's ankle to the other leg as well Taurus used a jumping board.
Lucy was very proud to say she managed to take it down on its knees. Even if Erza helped, that only makes things sweeter!
But Lucy has more tricks up her sleeve. Pointing below, she called out her cow spirit, and just as Taurus was about to land, he twirled his ax and struck the ground, creating cracks that spread further and further and encircled the demonic flute giant. Bright light shone through as it broke apart and sank Lullaby deep into the earth.
"Yeah, that's my girl!"
Whether it was from my voice or her hunch, Lucy turned to the side as if picking up my presence. I was quick to hide behind a tree before she could spot me, and ignored the snigger from my lachrima.
However, the battle was far from over. Lucy barely sank the demon's feet and only further enraged it. It locked on to her, and Lucy knew she was in trouble. "You Wench, how dare you laid your putrid hand on me!" Mouth glowing in concentrated ethernano, Lullaby aimed at the sole celestial mage in the group.
Lucy backed away a step, dread pulling her gut at getting the monster's attention. "Are~ did I just make it worse for myself?"
The demon flute shot and I would have jumped and shielded her, damn the consequences if I wasn't so aware of the battlefield as a whole and knew Gray was on the case already. Bringing out a beautiful shield that protected her and the guild masters from the blast. I let out a breath I didn't realize I held back. I guess I should have known that she wouldn't send out Taurus too far from her without backup on her side.
Lucy sent a grateful thumbs up to the Ice Mage before focusing back on the fight. With Lullaby much shorter, it became much easier for the other three to attack it at his torso or its head. Natsu wasn't happy at the demon trying to kill his friend, so with Happy on his back, he went and punched its ugly face. He even latched on it and try to burn one of its three eyes out because he was curious if he can burn it and let the demon feel pain. The comic certainly hadn't shown us that sadistic side! Lullaby was about to swat him away when Gray distracted it with a numerous Ice Lance aimed at its torso with a speed you wouldn't think possible.
The battle continued with each of them gave only a taste of what they're capable of; Erza requipping with a powerful slash that made the giant stagger, Gray shooting out ice that pierced holes around it, Natsu's relentless burning that seems to grow bigger and hotter, and Lucy's attacking alongside them with her spirit's brute strength.
At a glance, the four might look synchronized, but it's clear they're only attacking where they feel like without getting in the other's line of attack. I suppose, being out as a team together for the first time isn't going as smoothly just because they're strong. Lucy seemed to be the only one trying to hit the same place they've scared to put extra damage on the demon, self-conscious of the act she wasn't as strong as them. However, while they physically managed to damage it, they haven't managed to stop its own attack or its rambling as Lullaby kept going on about eating souls because Yeah, we got it. You want to eat our soul, can we move on?
Trees and grass began dying as Lullaby took a heap of breath to prepare his death song. My face paled as I tried to keep the inside of my stomach contain, feeling quite nauseated of sensing what life being sucked in feels like. Even the tree I perched on was not spared by Lullaby's assault.
Yet only to find it barely sounding a tuneless tone.
There was a collective "What the hell?!" reaction from all around, including the demon itself.
"...did they just saved themselves from the Song of Death because they blew fucking holes to prevent it from playing?" The Master Thief, Phantom, asked from the other side of the lachrima
I shrugged, "It works so no problem, right, Malcolm?"
"I do when they rely on sheer dumb luck!"
Lullaby started throwing a tantrum, The Four Mages stepped up a notch in their attacks until they finally concluded it with four simultaneous attacks. Erza's Black Wing Armor, Natsu's Brilliant Flame, Gray's Ice Saucer, Lucy's and Taurus' glowing brilliant gold light before moving in synchronization as Taurus' ax's shifted its color and size before he threw it so chains sprout out from the hilt so the ax's blade could hit from afar and What the ever-Reagen-fuck?
What the hell kind of magic is that?
More importantly, since when did Lucy know how to do that?
My jaw had unmistakably left hanging as I tried to wrap around the concept of Lucy learning a new spell I didn't know. Sure I should have expected it since I gave her her family heirloom. It still hadn't prepared me from seeing her in action.
"...okay, I'll admit. That was impressive, though Lullaby had been anti-climatic in the end."
That finally snapped me out of my shock as I turned cocky once more, "Told you, Malcolm. There's nothing to worry about." I snickered and kept my gaze locked at the cheering blonde mage. My eyes softened, no matter the shock, I couldn't help the fondness and pride at seeing her growth she managed all on her own in a year. It was one thing to help her grow and fully realizing her potential, but another to watch her flourished all on her own as her confidence took her leaps and bounds. Something she could never do with me had she always seek my permission and approval during every adventure.
With nothing more for me to see, I turned my back and got ready to leave. The seed of discord has been sown. And only time and luck will tell when it's ripe to be the pick.
But I did make one last throw of a pebble to the back of Makarov's head. I may respect him to high heaven, but I don't condone anyone perving on my baby sister in any shape or form.
"Oi, oi, aren't you forgetting something?"
I paused, wrangling my brain for what I had missed and almost cursed out when it hit me the other reason why I was here.
. . .
Kageyama almost regretted listening to those damn fairies.
Not as if he regretted putting down the flute. Those crazy Fairy Tail mages are actually capable of beating a demon (and not just any demon, but one of Zeref's freaking demons), it's a blessing that he had succumbed to only one of them instead of the collective force of their might. Eisenwald never stood a chance from the start!
He is currently handcuffed on the Detainment Carriage as they made their way back to Oshibana Station where his fellow guildmates (ex-guildmates, he corrected himself) were waiting to be arrested as well. Alone, he closed his eyes as he contemplated the life choices that led him up to this point.
He remembered his mother and father, both respectable guild mages of Crimson Leaf, the last visage of them leaving with a six-member party to an S-Class Job, the funeral that lacked their corpses because the rest of their team had abandoned their guildmates of 20 years from a collapsed cavern to complete a job. A job worth 2.000,000 jewels, and they think it's worth more than his parents' lives. It wasn't long after he decided to join a dark guild and it had been a blur after. All he knew was him committing atrocities after atrocities until he became numb because everything had felt unfair to him.
Breathing out a heavy sigh, Kageyama opened his eyes–
–and a hooded stranger sat in front of him when it was supposed to be vacant. The Shadow Mage jolted back but did little when his back hit the carriage instead.
"What the hell, who are you? How did you get here? What do you want?"
"Tch, tch, tch, so many questions. Unfortunately, I only get to answer one of them."
The prisoner was about to ask what he meant when suddenly he found himself unable to sink in air. Belatedly, he realized a rune had stuck on his chest, a rune he barely remembered for the word "Suffocate."
"Now here's how it's going to go, you're going to answer every question, and you're going to tell me the truth because if I find you lying in any way, I'll make sure your death would be agonizingly slow and painful until you'll be begging for it."
Kageyama couldn't answer, not when his body was denied of oxygen, and still, the figure did nothing, he turned paler and paler until a shade of blue before he finally broke his spell and Kageyama engulfed much-needed air. He tried backing further until his knee rose to his chest, but failed to give his much-needed space.
"What the fuck do you want? Because if it's Lullaby you want, it's back to the Council's hand and I doubt it would be much use at this point."
If it's possible, the stranger's grin widened as if pleased, whether from his reaction or his question he didn't fucking know or care. "Good guess, but wrong. I want that damn thing destroyed as any sane person would. No, what I want to know is how someone like you could steal the Lullaby in the first place."
Kageyama frowned, not expecting an answer he could quickly answer, "I broke into their vault, dispelled the seal, and stole it. I swear that's it! What more do you want to know?"
Despite the darkness that the hood had shadowed his face, Kageyama could still tell a skeptical eyebrow being raised. "Are you saying you managed to sneak inside the Council's HQ, filled with heavily experienced mages and guards, find Era's Vault, bypassed the guard there, and slipped through their security measures, dispel the seal and then got back out the same way. Forgive me if I doubt when the World's Greatest Thief couldn't have done that without at least an inside help."
Well, when he put it like that, Kageyama began to doubt how he could get the Cursed Item. Nevertheless, the guy wasn't wrong, "I do have my sources, you know. They were the one who told me the kind of seal the Council use for me to dispel, the map of the HQ, and the guard's patrol schedule. Everything else is thanks to my Shadow Sneak spell. The Council never knew what hit them."
"And did this informant told you how to bypass the Incinerator?"
Kageyama blinked, confusingly he asked, "The what?"
Silence fell, and the stranger radiated 'are you kidding me?' kind of feel. "The Incinerator. The main reason why the Vault stayed untouched for a hundred years? Because anyone unauthorized to visit the vault would literally be burn to ashes?"
Kageyama stared back blankly, not knowing what he was talking about. Roy made a long-suffering groan, putting a heel of his palm against his forehead from the incoming headache. "Please tell me you didn't meet your informant in something as cliche as getting drunk in a bar, then complaint aloud until a mysterious stranger came with a sweet proposal to steal from Era."
The Former Eisenwald Member blushed and looked away without answering, which was an answer in itself.
Roy couldn't stop the inevitable facepalm, "You Bumbling Idiot, you've been Grimm-fucking played."
"Yeah, I figured from your tone," he grimly chuckled, "It didn't seem to matter at that time, we only cared how to stick a pole to the Council's collective arses."
"Anything you can tell from this informant of yours?" Roy continued his questioning, "Even if they were in disguise, a habit or some kind would help identify the fucker."
Kageyama scrunched his nose in concentration, trying to remember what had been telling about the person. "Nothing out of the ordinary; he was bald black man, around 6 feet, and kept getting into my personal space, I think he was gay, he had a crystal ball, and I think there were tattoos on his hands."
Roy's head shot up, he might have barked out a laugh if he hadn't had a fist in his mouth to keep himself quiet, "A crystal ball, you say?!"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"Oh ho ho ho, nothing. I should have known it was typical of her to do this sort of thing. This follows her M.O. to a T."
The Rune Master's remark only grew more questions for him, but Kageyama didn't much care for the answer. He only hoped this should satisfy the guy to leave him alone.
However, the stranger locked eyes with him in silence. Saying nothing long enough to unnerve him further.
"Is there anything else?" The Shadow Mage prompted.
"Yeah," Roy answered, "I'm sorry."
If the space weren't so small, Kageyama would have fallen on his ass by then. Not by his apology, but by his sincerity in his tone instead of pity, "What?!"
"I'm sorry… for threatening you." The stranger watched his slit eyes turned round as saucers. "It… became sort of a habit, but I'm a bit of a paranoid side so when I interrogate, I make sure there's no chance for them lying. I shouldn't have done it since you have no reason to lie, but I was cautious if your dealings had scared you to keep your mouth shut, so I had to be the bigger threat. Again, sorry about that."
Kageyama couldn't believe his eyes and ears. Here, this man managed to bring him to tears in fear, manically smile like a deranged person, yet he had turned a one-eighty on him, apologizing and actually looking sheepish with his action.
"You're insane," he choked out, and that's saying something after his meeting with Fairy Tail.
The figure hummed but didn't contradict, "Anyway, godspeed. It'll be tough for a time, being in jail and all, but you have potential so don't give up on yourself." He gave him a two-finger salute, and just like that, he was gone like he was never there.
Kageyama blinked a few times, even pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and concluded that dream or not, he's goddamn tired with all this bullshit and wants to freaking sleep.
. . .
"Fuck the Council!"
Those are the words thrown within the walls of Fairy Tail Guild. Typically, in any other places, those words would have caused a raise for concern by the populace. After all, what sort of person would curse the organization responsible for protecting them from magical threats other than those seeking trouble? But that sort of language is no surprise within the walls of the guild, not when the members had penchants to aggravate the council members with their destructive tendency, so they are liable to give the guild a hard time in return. There's barely any afternoon when not at least one member having a cold beer on hand and cried, "Fuck the Council!"
However, they certainly had not expected those familiar words coming from the Newbie. Out of all the members, Lucy had expressed her distaste of trivial fistfight and would urge a more peaceful resolution. More than once, she had expressed her reluctance to get involved with the military or the council, and they figured she was the sort who would rather follow the law to the letter and avoid trouble. Heck, the first time she saw a duel between members, which was Erza and Natsu, the first instinct she had was to defuse the fight.
Imagine their surprise when their sweet, gentle newbie spatted those same words at the newspaper she had with nothing but burning contempt in her eyes that would rival their terrifying Titania.
Before they could question her, Lucy spun and walked out of the guild with loud steps on her heel. No one said anything as they watched her back disappearing. The curious bunch decided to read the newspaper she left on the table, and read the headline.
"GUILD MASTERS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: ALLEGED FELON, JURENELLE HEIR, SUSPECTED MASTERMIND!"
They were not surprised by the title. After the Lullaby Debacle, the Rune Knights had appeared and interviewed the guild masters on what had transpired. Apparently, they reacted in a frenzy when they heard one of the most wanted men, Roy Jurenelle, appeared and warn them off Lullaby. The Council had taken it as a silent threat from him and pinned all the messes, including the destroyed property, on him. Leaving Fairy Tail from the blame for once.
Natsu, who had moved on from his loss yesterday, sulking by himself since Erza had gone off to another mission before he could issue another rematch. He had his face down on the table, and so unaware of the commotion until Happy forcefully woke him up.
"What?!" He growled.
"Natsu, let's check up on Lucy. She didn't look so good when she left, and I'm worried."
Natsu's irritation ebbed at his partner's words. Happy had always been the perceptive one between the two, though still dimwitted compared to sane people, so if he pointed out that Lucy might need checking over, then it might be a bit serious.
Getting up, he tracked Lucy back to her house but found her sulking at the edge of the bridge. There was a permanent scowl seemed to place on her lips as she kept a hard gaze at her reflection on the water. Seeing so un-Lucy-like, Natsu made it his personal mission to break her out of her funk.
He crept sneakily behind her before calling her, and since this is Natsu, his voice carried loud enough to almost burst an eardrum. Surprised, Lucy almost fell out of the bridge but caught herself before glaring at her teammates.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't surprise me!"
"But~ you always have the most amusing reaction," Natsu reasoned with his own unreasonable logic.
"Don't you mean if you did the same with Erza, you would have been beaten up worse than yesterday?" She rhetorically asked. A coy smile played her lips at Natsu's shudder of the idea. Seeing a smile that fit her face better, Natsu and Happy couldn't help exchange their own smile.
Yet, even the small curved of her lips couldn't stay long, and she was back in her foul mood.
"Lucy, what's wrong?"
"Hmm, it's nothing. Well, something I guess." The Dynamic Duo tilted their head in confusion at her contradicting words. "Have you ever heard of Roy Jurenelle?"
Natsu tasted the name with his mouth but found it felt unfamiliar. Happy, on the other hand, perked his ears, recognizing the name. His tone turned an octave lower, "I know, I know, that's one of the fugitives who is wanted by both the Magic Council and Royal Knights. He said to be a dangerous man after almost kidnapping the princess and killing his father 6 months ago."
"THAT'S A LIE!" Lucy shouted to their face, surprising them, but what shocked them most was the heartbroken face she had. "Roy would, Roy would never do anything like that. It doesn't matter what the Council says or how many charges they convict, he's not some, some heartless criminal that's capable all that." By the end of her tirade, Lucy heaved and face heated to a deep flush. Memories of her traveling alone and overheard mentions of Roy's name which made her perk up, only to drop her shoulders in disappointment when she heard slanders of his name that made her either burst out in anger or biting her lips in frustration.
"I'm sorry, I… got carried away, forget it." Lucy learned quickly to brush off the rumors of her brother entirely as if it doesn't matter. It shouldn't have bothered her now, but it did. Because Natsu and Happy mattered to her. The Blonde couldn't stand the thought of them thinking ill of Roy, yet she shouldn't be surprised, for how could they know what his brother true nature without ever knowing him?
However, to her surprise, Natsu leaned his back beside her by the bridge, arm resting behind his head. "I believe you," he said nonchalantly but left no trace for doubt.
Lucy sunk in a breath at his words. His words were short and simple, but what she wanted to hear most. Her eyes watered at how much she needed to hear those words. "Thank you."
Happy's voice turned childish once again, "Lucy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's okay, Happy. I'm used to it. It's just… you guys are my teammates, it frustrates me to know you believe in those stupid rumors, but I wasn't sure you would believe me either."
"Don't worry, don't worry, there's no way we'll take the word of those pompous Council over you, right Happy?"
"Aye!"
After Lucy considerably calmed down, the trio went back to the guild. Other than Gray, Mirajane, and Master took note of her arrival or giving her a considerate look after she composed herself. But while the former two were relieved, only Master had a calculating gleam in his eyes as he watched Lucy chatted away with her fellow guildmate.
A shift in the air change when the first yawn broke out from one of the members, and soon followed by the others like a well-placed domino. People's body swayed, eyelids turned heavy, and their consciousness floated in and out of their body until they all but the Master and a figure on the second floor were entirely knocked out.
However, Lucy surprised the two by giving herself a harsh bite to her lips, forcing herself awake. She scanned for the source of the spell, and when her eyes locked on to a suspicious heavily clothed figure, the celestial mage stood before him with Taurus' key aimed at him. "Who are you? Let me be clear that if you try anything to my friends, you won't get out unharmed." She said that, but it took the throbbing pain of her lips not to succumb to the spell affecting her. Lucy tried not to let him know her struggle to keep her eyelids fully opened when it felt like it weighed a ton and kept her words from slurring.
'St...stop… Lucy… he's a… a… a comrade, Mystogan," Master informed dazedly.
"Eh?" She turned for confirmation, seeing no deceit from him she turned again, her shock was enough to keep her steady on her feet.
Before she could ask further, the mysterious masked mage stood inches away without her realizing, making the Celestial Mage jumped back. "Apologies, I'm not keen on people knowing what I look like even from my own guildmates."
"That's an excessive reaction for being shy." She crossed her arms and glared. He might have the Master's word, but that doesn't mean she would trust him, especially not who thinks enchanting his fellow guildmates is acceptable for his own personal problem.
"Nevertheless, I'm curious at how you managed to overcome my Sleep."
The answer to that was enough to make Lucy shudder, remembering the times Roy had teleported unannounced to her mansion and randomly put a sleeping rune without her knowledge. She would often wake up to find she lost 2-5 hours a day, and the damn Demon Teacher's relentless "training" didn't stop until she managed to fight against a mind-attacking spell or at the very least, sense it coming.
I pity the fool who would ever want to learn under him.
"None of your business," she opted to tell.
Mystogan nodded without pushing further and proceed to the Request Board where he pulled a job flyer, show it to Master, and leaving without a word. Makarov reminded him to take the spell off, and the only response he got was the backward counting he made before he fully stepping foot outside, cueing everyone to shoot up awake.
Their minds immediately concluding that Mystogan had come by, and collectively began to complain about his method. Lucy grumbled along with them, "Is he really a Fairy Tail members? I've never seen anyone that paranoid to the point his clothes barely show any skin." After giving her own sentiment, the guild went disturbingly quiet, and Lucy found it uncomfortable that every single pair of eyes were aimed at her.
"Wha–?"
"YOU SAW MYSTOGAN?!" Everyone exclaimed. Lucy was soon crowded by the members out of their curiosity.
Not expecting their outburst, Lucy could only give noncommittal answers as she tried to shift the subject from herself. Natsu, unsurprisingly, had been the loudest in his question, asking if he had bucked teeth, thick lips, or a small mouth. As if she could answer that, and why the hell was he so specific about that?
"What's so special about meeting him anyway?"
"That's because no one in the guild has ever seen his face except for Master," Gray explained the significant.
"That's not true," interjected a new voice. Lucy looked up to be greeted by the sight of a fellow blond. An instant dislike shot her as everything about the man radiated cockiness; in his grin, his gaudy outfits that scream attention, and the way he leaned against the railing to look down at everyone, both literally and metaphorically. "I know what he looks like," claimed the man.
"Laxus!" Elfman called out, giving the man a name to his face. Lucy remembered someone explaining that he was one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail.
"Laxus, fight me!" Natsu challenged without a second thought.
"You just got beaten by Erza the other day," Gray deadpanned.
"That's right. If you can't even beat Erza, there's no way you could beat me." The more he talks, the more Lucy bristled. Especially when she wants to defend her red-haired friend. More than once, she and Roy were faced with villains who aren't so much of a bad person but rather someone with an ego that a castle couldn't fit. Those types were highly annoying because there's almost no chance of reasoning to them, not when they believe themselves to be right wholeheartedly. And breaking a belief is a much harder task to fulfill.
She can already tell Laxus would bring a whole pot of trouble in the mix.
"Then how about you go down here and prove it!" The Fire Dragon Slayer challenged.
"How about you go up instead?" Natsu jumped and ready to climb up for a fight only to be swatted down by the Master's giantized hand.
"You cannot go upstairs, not yet," Makarov firmly told Natsu without so much as a backward glance.
"That's right. Don't expect you get to be on my level when you can't even step on the second floor, don't you agree, Gramps?"
"Laxus!" Makarov berated his grandson, "Cease gauding your fellow guildmates!"
Laxus would have used this chance to push his grandfather's button and kept reminding the guild who the number 1 mage here responsible in maintaining the reputation of Fairy Tail now that Gildarts is gone, but he decided to switch his attention to the next compelling thing in the guild.
A crack. A flash. And Laxus found himself beside Lucy, holding her chin so he could tilt her head and meet his greedy eyes. His thumb grazed the wound on the corner of her lips that helped fight off Mystogan's spell, "For a Newbie, You're pretty interesting, what do you say about joining my Raijinshuu instead of throwing yourself to these weaklings?
Lucy glared, and ready to lash out at the Lightning Mage to let him know just what she thinks when Natsu was suddenly there, throwing out his fire fist at Laxus again, only to hit nothing as Laxus dodged with another flash of his lightning.
"Get your hands away from Lucy!" He snarled, his fist still burning bright, "She's in our team!"
Lucy's heart fluttered by Natsu's defense, feeling warmth in her chest by Natsu's protectiveness of her. Lucy knows she's a big girl and can take care of herself, but it's nice to know there's someone who cherished her in their own ways.
"We already got dibs first so find your own Weirdo!" Natsu pointed with an accusing finger.
"That's right, that's right! Finders keepers!" Happy fumed in agreement by his side.
As fast as those pleasant feelings came, it cracked and crumbled into pieces. "I'm not a possession!" Lucy berated with a hard kick to the Dragon Slayer, and he fell with a sizzling head bump.
Lucy then faced Laxus. After calming down, she realized crude words or violence won't matter much to the S-Class mage, slowly her mask wear itself on her face as her 'heiress' smile came on, "Laxus-san, right? While I'm honored you would feel I'm an acceptable candidate to your team, I'm afraid I must decline because, as you said, I don't do well working with weaklings."
It took every will she had not to look away from his face, a silent challenge she wasn't backing down, but she was aware of the mix reactions she got from her fellow members. Some were horrified or scandalous, others were looking at her in awe, and the rest had a smug and amused face. Natsu especially had a shit-eating grin matched with a proud gleam on his at her smooth verbal takedown that burned him better than any of his fire could. It reassured him further of taking her to the super-secret S-class quest together with him.
The man himself narrowed his eyes with a gaze that could cook her with a thousand lightning, but he threw his head back from the bark of his laughter. "You've got guts, I'll give you that, Newbie, but I suggest you watch your mouth because I won't be nice next time," he darkly warned before a bright white light filled the room before it's gone, in a blink of an eye, along with Laxus.
Not a beat too soon, Lucy was crowded again and heard both praised and condemned words. But it went from one ear to the next, her thoughts fixed on one thing after thoughtlessly antagonizing a mage ten times stronger than her.
I'm so screeeeeeeeewed!
AN: THE DAY OF RECKOOOOONIIIIIIIIIING!
Oops, sorry. I meant It's the day of victory. To all my Muslim readers, Minal aidizin wal faidzin, HAPPY EID-FITR!
Also, I know I said there'd be a reunion, but the chapter turned out longer than expected (again). Still, I thought I'd give this a chance for My Lucy to be her badass self.