Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.
Chapter 29: Trial (X784)
Armour clinked as the tall man walked through the massive hall, the noise echoing throughout the building. Stone pillars were adorned with torches and crimson tapestries, the flickering flames adding menacing shadows to the human skeletons mounted on the walls. The path to the throne was straight and wide, a red carpet with gold tassels that hinted at luxury and indulgence.
The dark-haired man swallowed his disgust at the macabre decorations, having learnt how to ignore it long ago. He stopped before the tall throne, hewn of stone and covered in fur. The skulls of canines adorned the ends of the armrests and the corners of the backrest. Declining to kneel as some of the more obedient members were wont to do, the armoured mage stood ramrod straight. Despite his height, he was forced to look up to meet the eyes of the master, who sneered at his guild member's little act of insubordination.
The master was of a smaller stature than his subordinate, red streaks dyed into his long black hair. His crimson orbs possessed an unnatural glow, the black pupils almost inhuman. He wore a simple black t-shirt and white pants, held up by a belt with a golden skull buckle. The rest of his attire was far more gaudy, a thick gold chain necklace and ten bejewelled gold rings on each finger. A thick fur cloak was draped over his shoulders, held closed by two stripes of leather. Brown leather boots covered his feet, secured by crisscrossing black straps.
"Silver," the master said, his voice filled with scorn. "Did you complete the mission this time?"
"I have, Zilévo-sama, to my regret," Silver replied mockingly.
"Did you make the message clear?" Zilévo narrowed his eyes.
"You asked me to kill the fox, so I killed the fox," the scarred man retorted. "I don't recall any instructions beyond that."
The guild master of Tartaros hissed, his fingers digging into the armrests of his throne. "I told you to make it clear that it was on my orders for that fucking fox to be killed."
"Naruto is a smart guy, he'll figure it out," Silver answered with a shrug.
Power exploded off the guild master, bathing him in a corona of corrosive energies as his face twisted into a nasty snarl. "You insolent piece of shit! Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?!"
"You, Zilévo-sama," Silver inclined his head, unperturbed by the show of strength.
The massive hall slowly grew hot, even for the man wielding immense powers of ice, as energy continued to exude from every pore of Zilévo. "Don't get cocky, Silver. I can end you any time I wish."
"Apologies, Zilévo-sama," the scruffy man bowed deeply.
The guild master ended his show of strength, and the heat dissipated momentarily with Silver's aura hastening the process. Scoffing loudly, the crimson-eyed man waved his hand dismissively. "Get your face out of my sight."
"As you command," Silver bowed once more, more than glad to get away from the egoistical leader.
As the sounds of his heavy footsteps faded away, another person stepped out of the darkness behind a nearby pillar. He was dressed in a collared shirt and tie, the rest of his body covered in a black robe decorated with a checkered pattern. The high collar of his robe shadowed his demonic, skeletal face, which was further covered by an ornate headpiece that fanned out at the top.
"Why do you still keep that experiment around, Keyes?" Zilévo sneered.
"He is an interesting specimen, Zilévo-sama," Keyes replied humbly. "Furthermore, despite his impudence, he is relatively efficient at performing the missions assigned to him. Even Zilévo-sama has relied upon him before."
"Just because I use him for missions, it means I trust him to complete them well," the Tartaros guild master scorned. "I merely keep him away from Book hunting missions because his motives are so very transparent."
"You are very wise to do so, Zilévo-sama," the skeletal creature praised. "We wouldn't want him destroying too many fellow demons."
"Do not rope me in with the rest of you," Zilévo glared at his subordinate, his power unleashed once more. "Remember your place, Keyes."
"Yes, of course Zilévo-sama," the necromancer bent low at the waist. "I wouldn't dream of doing that."
"Enough pandering. Get out of my sight unless you have something important to report," the guild master dismissed.
"By your leave, Zilévo-sama."
Zilévo leaned back into his fur-covered throne as Keyes slunk back into the shadows, his fingers thrumming against the armrests.
I hope you got my message, Uzumaki Naruto. I killed Kurama, and soon…
I'll be coming for you.
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It's odd, Carla mused, seated in the small lap of Wendy, how used to their antics I've gotten already.
They were in a carriage on the long and bumpy dirt road to Cait Shelter, something Carla never thought she would be doing yet again, so soon after the guild disbanded. Erza had been quick to volunteer as their chaperone, to which Wendy agreed without hesitation. Carla never intended for anyone else but Wendy to witness a meeting between herself and the queen who had sent her on her mission to kill the dragon slayers. But upon further consideration, having a powerful mage to protect them was a smart idea, not least because it was information from an international criminal Carla had absolutely no trust in.
While Erza's budding sisterly relationship with Wendy irked Carla a little, she could respect the S-class mage's skill, intelligence and maturity, even if she didn't agree with the Jellal situation. Unfortunately, the rest of what is known is Team Natsu weren't as pleasant company for the prickly cat.
Granted, Natsu was less noisy these days, and he was too busy trying to hold back puke throughout the journey to annoy Carla. But she certainly didn't appreciate how uncomfortable Gray's problem with clothes made Wendy feel, and Lucy was a terrible conversationalist in Carla's opinion. And if Happy weren't involved in the situation, being an Exceed himself, Carla would have barred the blue cat from following along right off the bat.
Just when will he get a clue?!
Yet, despite her annoyance and misgivings about such a large group of humans tagging along on a self-imposed mission that is rather personal to her, she found herself oddly at ease in their company. It felt natural sitting there, feeling irritated at everyone else. Briefly, she wondered if she was going a bit mad from the stress of the last couple of weeks, but immediately brushed that aside as the carriage ground to a halt.
Peering out of the vehicle, everyone was surprised to see a bustling camp where the small and homely Cait Shelter once stood. Tents and temporary huts were scattered around a far larger area than Cait Shelter once occupied, the centre of which stood the old guild quarters. More permanent buildings were in the midst of construction, hundreds of workers buzzing around. A network of crude roads sprawled across the area, packed with Exceed of all shapes and sizes.
A platoon of guards, decked in dirty and beaten armour, flew over towards the carriage. Carla turned to Erza, but the swordswoman shook her head and gestured for the white-furred Exceed to take the lead. Accepting the crimson-haired woman's offer, Carla opened the carriage door and hovered in mid air to greet the troops.
"I am Carla, an Exceed sent to Earthland years ago," Carla introduced herself, hiding her unease at the sight of so many fellow Exceed. "I was told to meet with a Queen Shagotte to discuss my mission?"
"Of course! We have been awaiting your arrival!" the platoon captain saluted, glancing quickly at the mages clambering out of the carriage. "Will the humans be accompanying you, Carla-sama?"
Carla-sama? The flying cat shared puzzled glances with Wendy. Pushing aside her confusion, the Exceed nodded once. "They are here to ensure nothing goes wrong."
"Ah, fear not, Carla-sama! We will do our utmost best to ensure your safety here!" the captain grinned, as he gestured at the road behind him. "Shall we?"
Nodding gracefully, Wendy followed the lead of the captain, whose soldiers were quick to clear the crowded path ahead of them. The Exceed ogled at the humans of the group with awe and trepidation, which only befuddled the mages. Happy was just as gobsmacked by the existence of so many fellow flying, talking cats, and followed along mutely.
The roads were winding and small, and clearly made for Exceed and not humans. Even the efforts of the soldiers couldn't prevent a bit of squeezing. But they managed, and eventually stood before the former guild hall of Cait Shelter. It looked almost the same as before, except for the fence made of roughly hewn wood that surrounded the building, and the scores of soldiers that patrolled the area.
The platoon captain stepped forwards to inform one of the two guards at the entrance of the Fairy Tail group's arrival. The brown-furred guard turned his eyes to Carla, nodding and slipping into the building. Almost immediately, he returned, a pleasant smile on his lips.
"The Queen is ready to see you now."
Carla turned to the Exceed who led them there, mustering up her most pleasant smile. "Thank you for bringing us here."
"It's our pleasure, Carla-sama!" the black-furred cat grinned, before leading his platoon back into the crowds.
The guards gestured at the doorway, and the white-furred Exceed accepted the invitation, followed closely by thoroughly bemused mages. Inside, the old dining table was gone. Instead, the end of the hall was populated by a simple throne on a dais, both fashioned out of wood. Beside the throne stood yet another bodyguard, with rounded ears, black fur and a scar across his left eye. Four simpler seats were positioned beside the raised platform and were occupied by elderly Exceed, likely advisors to the queen seated on the throne.
As they entered the building, the queen stood to greet them. She was taller than most Exceed, with white fur of the same shade as Carla's. She was dressed in a simple purple top and light purple pants, a modest look for a monarch. The advisors and her bodyguard seem taken aback by Carla's entourage, but the queen was unfazed.
"You must be Carla," the queen spoke, her voice gentle and warm. "I am Shagotte, the current queen of the Exceed."
"I am. These are my…friends from the guild I've joined," Carla replied stiffly.
"Welcome, humans. And I see you have another Exceed friend in your company," Shagotte greeted.
"Huh? Exceed? You mean Happy?" Natsu asked loudly.
Happy raised his paw and smiled gormlessly. "Aye, that's me!"
Carla resisted the urge to plant her face in her paw, while Lucy had no reservations whatsoever in doing so. The queen laughed melodiously, offering the blue cat a winning smile. "You are a cheerful fellow, are you not?"
"I was told to meet you by someone," Carla interjected rudely, stealing Shagotte's attention away from Happy. "About my mission here on Earthland."
The old men and women exchanged startled looks, while the subject piqued everyone's curiosity. Carla steadfastly ignored the stares at her small back, keeping her focus on the queen, who had donned a serious look upon her features.
"Yes. The mission to kill the dragon slayers," the queen stated solemnly, earning a loud gasp from Lucy.
Carla winced as Wendy stared at her in stunned silence. "I refuse to go through with it."
"Huh?" Happy tilted his head in confusion.
"What, are you that dense that you don't even know the purpose of our arrival here?" the white-furred Exceed snapped.
"No, he's not dense. On the contrary, the mission never existed," one of the elderly advisors interrupted.
Carla furrowed her brow. "What do you mean, it didn't exist?! I heard the orders before I was sent here!"
"It was a lie to justify why we were sending a hundred Exceed eggs here," Shagotte explained honestly. "We are weak creatures, and the humans of Edolas were planning to overthrow our rule. We had to do something to preserve the species, before the inevitable genocide happened."
"Wha…"
"You were but an egg then. None of the Exceed sent here were meant to receive any missions," the grey-furred elder remarked. "That's why your blue friend there has no recollection of the mission."
The young Exceed growled. "Then why? Why am I the only one who heard it? Why do I know of some sham mission that's been plaguing me every night? I had to deal with the notion of killing my best and only friend every single day!"
The queen stepped forwards slowly. "That's because you have a certain measure of precognition, a power that few Exceed possess. Even within your egg, your powers had emerged, and you had a vision of our discussion regarding the false mission. It is my…deepest regret that you had to endure such a burden, when the Elders and I sent all of you here to find a new life, free from the fear of tyranny."
Relief flooded Carla's veins, and her tiny shoulders sagged as the weight of her mission was finally lifted off her shoulders. She didn't hesitate, turning to Wendy and rushed into her friend's arms. The two young girls sobbed freely, their new friends smiling widely at the touching scene. As Lucy brushed away an errant tear of her own, Gray spoke.
"If that mission is fake, then how come both Carla and Happy ended up being partners of dragon slayers?" the Ice Make mage enquired. "That's a little more than coincidental, isn't it?"
Carla broke away from Wendy's embrace, scrubbing her tears away with her paws as she refocused on the monarch. But it was another Elder who answered the question. "We leveraged on the humans' technology to send the eggs to Earthland. They had data on where the dragon slayers were, so some of the eggs were naturally sent as close to the dragon slayers as possible."
"What?! They know where all the dragon slayers are?!" Lucy exclaimed in horror.
"So that's why…" Erza mused aloud.
As eyes turned to her, the crimson-haired mage cleared her throat. "Naruto has confided in me previously that they have apparently been exploiting Earthland for years without our knowledge. He feared that we would lose a war against them, and so never spoke about Lisanna's whereabouts to prevent a war from erupting."
"He should still have told us!" Natsu declared fiercely.
"If they know about our dragon slayers, they may have more information about the mages here in Earthland, and possibly how to counter our powers," Erza shook her head. "We didn't even know they existed. The odds of us defeating them are stacked against us."
"The humans in Edolas had been taking magic from this land for years," Shagotte revealed. "Their technology is not to be underestimated."
"Is this still a concern?" the Requip mage asked.
A stout Elder shook his head. "No, it is unlikely. Our human allies have…eliminated the leadership of the humans, and installed the humans' prince to the throne. From what we've gathered, the human prince is diametrically opposed to his father's plans, and there is little chance of further exploitation or retaliation from Edolas."
Lucy heaved a deep sigh of relief. "Man, whoever did that must be really strong!"
"Are you not aware?" Shagotte questioned the Fairy Tail group. "The human known as Naruto was the one to help us, along with at least two female colleagues of his."
"Wait, wait, wait, I thought he took Mira and Cana to go rescue Lisanna!" Natsu wondered loudly.
"Then that might have been his true objective. Helping us was a side-effect of his plan," the queen stated.
"So to rescue some human girl, he was willing to forcefully relocate an entire race?" Carla scoffed. "He's a monster alright."
"Carla!" Wendy scolded halfheartedly. "Naruto-san is a nice person…"
"I do not know about 'nice', but while we were merely fortunate beneficiaries of his plan, he did make plenty of preparations for our relocation," the grey-furred Elder adjusted his glasses. "The tents that you see outside were mostly provided by him, and he was the one to point us to this location for resettlement. He also offered provisions and monetary assistance."
The tall advisor nodded in agreement. "No matter how you wish to view him, Carla-sama, the Exceed owe him a huge debt."
Carla opened her mouth, but shut it before she said a word. Sighing, she shoved her negative feelings towards Naruto aside. "Whatever. I don't want to care about that guy."
"Erm, not to be rude, but why is everyone here calling Carla with a '-sama'?" Lucy interjected, trying to defuse the friction.
At once, the queen and her four advisors stiffened. The sudden silence that pervaded the hall was thick with tension, before the white-furred monarch's shoulders slumped. Carefully, she spoke, her voice filled with trepidation. "When I spoke earlier of the few Exceed who carried the powers of precognition, the truth is…there is only one Exceed who currently possesses that same power."
"Who!" Carla demanded, eyes widening. "Who is it?!"
Shagotte hesitated for a moment, as grey orbs met brown. Taking a deep breath, the queen of Exceed smiled gingerly. "Me."
Wendy and Lucy gasped, clapping their hands over their mouths as they realised what was happening. Happy looked just as confused as Natsu was, but they were soon enlightened as Carla stuttered. "You…you're my mother?!"
"Yes," the queen of the Exceed nodded, tears leaking from her eyes. "I…I was sending other parents' children away to another dimension. It would be unfair if I were not willing to do the same with my own child."
"I…I always thought…I was expendable…" Carla sank into the ground, legs giving way. "…That's why…I was sent on the mission…"
Shagotte rushed forwards, kneeling down as she wrapped Carla in a tight hug. Her daughter squeezed her eyes shut, silent tears falling as she returned the fierce embrace. Her tiny paws grabbed at her mother's top, bunching the cloth as she buried her face in Shagotte's shoulder. The queen stroked the fur on the back of Carla's head, whispering comforting words as her daughter let out years of anguish. Lost in their own world, neither Exceed noticed as everyone else filed out of the guild hall silently, giving them some privacy.
Carla sniffled as she eventually let go of Shagotte, hastily rubbing lacrimal liquid from her brown orbs. The queen of the Exceed brushed away her own tears, a wistful smile on her lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you…"
"N-No…" Carla shook her head, smiling broadly at her parent. "Y-You couldn't help it."
Shagotte's smile was just as wide. "Thank you for understanding."
The princess of the Exceed shuffled to her feet, helping her mother up as well. "I…I won't stay here though. I want…I want to stay with Wendy."
"I don't have any right to demand otherwise," the purple-clad queen brushed an errant droplet off Carla's cheek. "But come and visit if you can."
"I will," Carla acquiesced, before looking around. "Where's everyone?"
"They must have left to give us some time alone together," Shagotte surmised. "Is there anything you wish to ask me in private before I call them back in?"
"My father…"
"He's gone," the white-furred queen whispered.
"Oh…I'm sorry," Carla mumbled.
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Shagotte quirked her lips. "Though I don't suppose you'll want to take the name we planned on giving you?"
"I've only known myself as Carla my whole life. I don't intend to change it," Carla declared, before scratching her cheek as she looked away. "Speaking of names…can I call you…mother?"
"Of course," the monarch grabbed Carla's paw, pulling the suddenly bashful girl into another hug. "I would love nothing more."
"Mother…" the Exceed sighed in delight, inhaling and memorising her parent's scent.
"I'm here, Carla," Shagotte kissed the crown of her daughter's head.
"I'm here."
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The magic-imbued ice cooled his palm as he pressed his gloved hand against its smooth, crystalline surface. Wet cerulean eyes peered through the clear ice, focused solely on the giant black fox encased within. Rogue tears streaked down his whiskered cheeks as he shut his eyes, hands clenching into tight fists. A slender hand rested on his shoulder, scant comfort for the distraught blond. Sucking in a deep breath, he blinked away some of the moisture from his azure orbs as he offered a shaky smile to his companion.
"Thank you, Ikaruga," he murmured, patting her hand.
"It is my duty and my pleasure, Naruto-sama," the pink-haired swordswoman remarked demurely. "If I may be so bold as to ask; what are Naruto-sama's current plans for the perpetrator behind this heinous crime?"
"We don't know for sure who it is who…killed Kurama," Naruto grunted, averting his eyes from the carcass preserved in unyielding ice. "We'll have to investigate, of course."
"There is but one mage who holds such dominion over ice to this one's knowledge, Naruto-sama," Ikaruga offered her opinion. "You should be acquainted with him too, given your encounter with him and his demonic powers whilst rescuing Trinity Raven from Tartaros' sadistic clutches."
"The magic is definitely not Ice Make, and it's similar to what Silver can produce, but we can't conclude that it's his work until we have more evidence," Naruto sighed in frustration. "Unless I have a sample of his magic, there's just no way to say for sure."
Ikaruga stepped forwards, bolding wrapping her arms around Naruto's waist as she pressed her cheek against his broad back. "Naruto-sama, do not fret so. The death of your animal companion is not Naruto-sama's fault, but that of your enemies who wish to do you and your loved ones harm. It is admirable that Naruto-sama carries the weight of so many things upon your burdened shoulders with such fortitude, but Naruto-sama is not omnipotent and cannot shield all of his precious people constantly, as much as it pains this one to admit."
"I know. I know the risks involved in what I do. Kurama knows this too," Naruto replied sombrely. "But how can I not feel responsible for his death? I made him my partner, and he died protecting my safe house. He died for me."
"This one will die for Naruto-sama without hesitation too," the kimono-clad beauty commented matter-of-factly. "Naruto-sama may not be fully cognisant, but he is a most charismatic leader of men."
"Please view your life with more value, Ikaruga."
"I do, but I gaze upon my time before my tenure as Naruto-sama's loyal servant with much shame and incredulity," the assassin expounded. "How did I live such an unfulfilling life with little purpose beyond murder and mayhem, all for the sake of coin? I am not an altruistic person, but for Naruto-sama, this one would do anything, if only to see his approving smile."
"If you want to see me smile, don't die," the blond fugitive quipped.
Ikaruga smirked as she slid her hands lower. "This one knows of other…methods to elicit a smile from Naruto-sama."
"Ikaruga," Naruto warned with little heat, plucking her wandering hands off his body as he turned around to address her directly. "I belong to someone, and I don't intend to hurt her again. Goodness knows why she's still with me, but I don't plan on ruining a recently repaired relationship."
"Ah, so that is what occupies Naruto-sama every night. Visiting his other lover when he can indulge in the warmth of this one at his whim and fancy, if he would but ask…" the pink-haired woman pouted, before bringing a sleeve up to cover her lips. "But does that not resemble an illicit tryst, Naruto-sama? Oh, for the noble and upstanding Naruto-sama to cheat on this one…the woe!"
"I'll be sure to tell that to Mira tonight," the ninja rolled his eyes.
The assassin smiled in satisfaction at the slightly upturned lips of her master. "Then shall Trinity Raven proceed with our current duties whilst Naruto-sama is away savouring the pleasures of the flesh without his little dove, or shall we turn our attentions to the investigation into your companion's….passing?"
Naruto grimaced as he looked back at the veritable glacier that enveloped so much of the forest. "Keep doing what you're doing. Finding the Books of Zeref is the priority, and we might run into Tartaros then. And if your assumption is right, and it's Silver who did this, then we might be able to ask some questions. I highly doubt he did it out of spite from when we clashed though."
"Perhaps he received an order. Did he not allude to his master's desire to bring about Naruto-sama's demise?" the swordswoman recalled. "Could his master wish to take everything dear from Naruto-sama? Or is he trying to obtain intelligence on Naruto-sama's safe havens?"
"On the face of it, it looks like they are just trying to get information and Kurama was unlucky enough to be at this particular safe house," the former Wizard Saint murmured. "But this was the only one hit, and wouldn't attacking Fairy Tail directly send a bigger message to me? Unless there's some particular reason for killing Kurama specifically."
"A thousand apologies, Naruto-sama," Ikaruga bowed. "This one has worked with Tartaros numerous times, yet is unable to offer even a modicum of intelligence to elucidate the situation."
"Nonsense. There's nothing more you could have done," the blond shook his head. "Where are Vidaldus and Fukurō anyway?"
"The lead we were following is sensitive, and only one person was required to deliver the…news," the leader of Trinity Raven replied delicately. "This one decided that she was most suited to this particular task."
"Good. Join them. Inform me if something comes up," Naruto ordered firmly, glancing at the icy structure behind him.
The pink-haired swordswoman touched his forearm. "Does Naruto-sama require any assistance?"
"No, it's fine. It's…it's my responsibility. I have another lead to pursue after this, and I need to check up on Jellal too," Naruto smiled gingerly. "I'll catch up with you guys tomorrow, if that's okay with you?"
"You may join us whenever you wish," Ikaruga answered huskily. "Although this one prefers if Naruto-sama were to join his little dove…intimately."
The woman tossed a salacious wink at Naruto, before strolling away, hips swaying hypnotically. Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as he smiled ruefully at the back of his flirty subordinate. He turned his gaze upon the massive glacier once more, exhaling deeply as he faced the gaping maw of the large canine.
It's been a blast, Kurama. See you on the other side.
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White steam rushed forth as the glass double doors opened, three feminine figures emerging from the mist. Water cascaded off their bodies, dripping on the heated floors as they walked into the changing area, chatting happily. The women ambled towards the wooden shelves that held baskets of their clothes and clean towels, and began the laborious process of drying themselves.
"Ah, the baths here are so awesome!" Cana stretched her arms, rolling her neck and shoulders. "I can't believe I gave all this up to stay with my idiot brother all those years ago!"
"I think you're exaggerating a little there, Cana," Mirajane remarked, humming a cheerful tune as she dried her long hair.
Cana smirked as she walked over, cupping the Take Over mage's sizeable bust from behind and giving her a playful squeeze. "Hehe, I bet you only say that because if you stay with niichan, he can not only play with your breasts every night like he does now, but every day too…"
"Hmm, is that why Mira-nee's breasts seem to have grown recently?" Lisanna asked slyly. "I hear that breasts grow bigger when they get massaged by their lovers!"
The eldest Strauss sibling offered her bath mates an exasperated smile, removing the brunette's grabby hands from her chest and chasing the mischievous woman away. "Nonsense, Lisanna. My bras still fit."
"But you didn't deny that Naruto-nii has been massaging your breasts every night," the teen commented knowingly, Cana bursting into laughter.
"Even if he does, that's between the two of us," Mirajane replied calmly, giving nothing away.
"Mou, the new Mira-nee is so hard to tease," Lisanna pouted, squeaking as Cana launched a surprise attack on her. The youngest Strauss blushed as Cana's deft hands administered ministrations of a less-than-innocent nature. "Eek! S-Stop t-that!"
"Hehehe, if you want to tease someone, you gotta be ready to get teased too!" Cana grinned cheekily, kneading Lisanna's breasts. "Oh! Forget Mira's, yours seem to have grown much more! Have you been asking Natsu to massage them?"
"Ah, Mira-nee, help me!" the molested girl moaned. "Our sister-in-law is going places where only Natsu should!"
The S-class mage ruffled her sister's damp ivory hair, smiling sweetly. "Maybe this will teach you an important lesson about teasing your sister, hmm? Cana, don't play with her for too long, okay? I don't want either of you to catch a cold."
Cana cackled as she continued her fondling of the teen. "Yes, ma'am!"
Ignoring the increasingly desperate pleas of her younger sister, Mirajane tossed her used towel into a common laundry basket, and slipped into clean underwear, a fluffy bathrobe and snapped her cerulean necklace around her neck. Grabbing her comb and tucking her dirty clothes under her arm, she walked out of the shared baths in Fairy Hills, untangling the knots in her hair as she began humming a random tune once more. She was quickly joined by Cana and Lisanna, both with hair far damper than if they hadn't been playing around in the changing area.
"Man, Mira-neechan can be so cold these days," Cana said airily. "Abandoning us just like that."
"Neechan?" the barmaid quirked an eyebrow.
"Well, Naruto is my niichan, so Mira is obviously going to be my neechan, no?" Cana laughed, throwing her arm around Lisanna's shoulders as she whooped loudly. "Isn't it great, Lisanna? We're going to be sisters!"
"Hehe, then Naruto-niichan will really become my niichan!" Lisanna chirped.
"Maybe, if he behaves," Mirajane conceded, to twin cheers from the two childish women.
"Well, my room is this way. Goodnight!" Cana waved, but not giving Lisanna a farewell grope to the chest. "Don't let the boys keep either of you up too late!"
"Hmph!" Lisanna huffed, pulling her eyelid down and sticking her tongue out at the back of Cana. A comfortable silence befell the Strauss sisters as they continued walking back to their adjacent rooms, before the younger of the two spoke. "So, does Naruto-niichan really visit you every night? Do you two have lots of sex? Is he as kinky as his Chain and Hair Magic suggests?"
"Our sex life, if it exists, is private," Mira patted her sister's head affectionately.
"Didn't even blush," Lisanna muttered, before sighing theatrically. "I still remember when the old Mira-nee will get all red and violent. It's so weird how after a few years, some things have stayed almost exactly the same, but some things are totally different."
"Well, people change."
"It's still kind of jarring, you know?" Lisanna tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I came back to Earthland expecting an older Demon Mira-nee, but you turned out to be almost like the Edolas Mira-nee!"
"At least Natsu is still the same?" Mira offered.
"Mmm, he's still a blockhead who needs me to knock some sense into him," Lisanna nodded matter-of-factly, before shrugging. "Oh well, at least you and Naruto-niichan got together. Otherwise, all my efforts to befriend him would have gone to waste."
"Naruto will be quite devastated if he knew you called him by 'niichan' only in order to push us together," the S-class mage giggled.
"Hey, he should be happy I even approve of your relationship!" the younger sister protested. "He's like, super old compared to you, Mira-nee! And besides, it's not like I'm calling him niichan to play matchmaker anymore."
"Oh?"
Lisanna nodded empathically. "Mmhmm. He was a pretty reliable brother, back before I was taken to Edolas. Elf-nii was starting to get into his weird 'manly' phase, and you were getting caught up with your rivalry with Erza. I love the both of you, but it felt like there was a growing distance between all of us. But Naruto-niichan was always very nice and caring to me, even though he's a total pervert with his shibari magic. And I always liked playing with Kurama too."
"He'll be glad to hear that then," Mirajane tittered, as they came to a stop in front of their room doors.
"I'm counting on you to tell him that then!" Lisanna grinned, firing in one last jab before ducking into her room. "Goodnight, Mira-nee!"
Shaking her head in amusement, the elder sister stepped into her own room, closing the door behind her. Spidery runes glowed blue as they spread across the door, connecting to more runes that appeared all over her walls. Then, the thin scripts faded until they were nigh invisible, no longer emitting light in the darkness. Placing her comb on her dresser and her soiled clothes in a laundry basket, she disrobed and sat in her bed, tucking her legs beneath the covers. She shivered a little, but soon the blanket was comfortably warm.
She fingered the gem in her necklace, the action almost routine. As always, there was a slight delay between using her magic to send a signal and seeing him appear before her, and it never failed to make Mirajane nervous about his safety. But as he had done for many consecutive nights, Naruto materialised instantly in her room.
His mood was unusually sombre, which the ivory-haired woman immediately noticed. "Is there something wrong?"
The blond ninja sighed wearily as he slowly shed his footwear. "Kurama is dead."
Mirajane gasped in horror, clapping her hand over her mouth. "H-How?"
Naruto grimaced as he tugged his gloves off, placing them on a nearby chair along with his weapons pouch. "Frozen, then stabbed through the roof of the mouth. It was probably quick and painless though."
"D-Do you know who killed him?" the Fairy Tail mage asked, blinking rapidly as her eyes started to water.
"I suspect a member of Tartaros I've had an encounter with before, but there's no concrete evidence," Naruto replied quietly, sitting on the bed beside her. He pulled the distraught woman into an embrace, stroking her long white locks soothingly. "Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this."
"How can I not worry?" Mira whispered, tightening her hold on her lover. "I thought Kurama was on his way back, but instead he's dead and Tartaros is involved. I can't lose you too."
"You won't," the shinobi murmured.
"Are they after you specifically? Tartaros?" the Take Over mage questioned, staring up into Naruto's eyes. "Is that why Kurama was killed?"
"I don't know what are their motivations exactly, but I intend to find out," Naruto answered softly, brushing an errant lock behind her ear. "But their guild master apparently wants me dead."
"Those are not comforting words," the ivory-haired woman mumbled.
"I'll be careful," the former Wizard Saint promised, holding up her necklace. "And I'll always have a safe place to run to if I ever get in trouble."
"C-Can you bring me to Kurama's grave tomorrow?" she enquired shakily.
"I've already buried his urn here, in Lisanna's empty grave plot," Naruto responded. "He deserves better than a grave in the middle of nowhere."
Mirajane nodded her agreement silently, releasing the blond from her tight grip to let him slide under the blanket. She wriggled onto her back, her body immediately seeking Naruto's comforting body warmth. Wrapping her arms around his torso, the ivory-haired mage entwined her slender legs with his and laid her cheek on his shoulder. His strong arm snaked beneath her and latched onto her waist, drawing her even closer.
"I love you, Naruto," she blurted out.
The blond gave her a squeeze.
"I love you too."
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Lisanna's tongue stuck out of the corner of her lips as she crouched beside a door, an empty glass in her hand. Placing the glass between her ear and the door, she listened intently for any activity. She frowned as no sounds emanated from within the room, pressing her ears harder against the bottom of the glass to try and satiated her unsatisfied curiosity.
"Anything?" a voice piped up beside her.
"Nope," the youngest Strauss shook her head, before jumping in fright when she realised she had company. "Eek! Cana! Don't scare me like that!"
The brunette smirked, flicking Lisanna on the forehead. The teen pouted cutely. "Mou, Cana, why are you always bullying me?"
"It's the prerogative of a nasty sister-in-law," Cana grinned. "And don't bother with the room. Naruto-nii likes to put up all sorts of runes. I bet Mira's room is crawling with those things."
"Eh, really? Aw, I wanted to catch Mira-nee and him together…" the white-haired mage sighed in defeat. "I even woke up earlier today to do it!"
"I'm surprised you're trying it at her door though," the Card Magic user thumbed the door beside them. "Isn't your room right there?"
Lisanna nodded rapidly. "I did, but I thought I couldn't hear anything because the wall was too thick or something."
"Well, the only real way to catch them together is to bust down the door," Cana shrugged, grabbing the handle to Mirajane's door. "Naruto-nii can probably sense us outside though, and even if he hasn't flashed out of there already, he has some crazy reflexes. But we'll never know until we try…!"
As Cana pushed the handle down, the door swung open, pulling the brunette unceremoniously to the ground. As Cana hit the floor with a thud, Lisanna whooped and dived at an amused Naruto's midsection. "Nar-mmmph!"
Dragging the two females into Mirajane's room effortlessly, Naruto shut the door, privacy seals reactivating automatically. Removing his hand from Lisanna's mouth, he bopped both of them gently on the head. "Stop yelling my name around, even in private. Walls have ears. There's something called discretion, you know."
"Okay, Naruto-niichan," Lisanna grinned. "In here is okay though, right?"
"If you must," the blond ruffled her hair fondly, undeterred by Lisanna's attempts to shoo his hand away.
"Mou, Naruto-nii is so unfair~" Cana whined dramatically. "I want niichan to rub my head too~"
The former Wizard Saint rolled his eyes, which elicited a smirk from Cana. Lisanna stopped trying to ward off the ninja, instead grabbing onto Naruto's large hand and planted it square on the crown of her head. She fired a challenging glare at Cana, only to be greeted with uproarious laughter from the brunette.
"You should stop spoiling the two of them," Mira remarked from her bed.
"And you're really getting into your role of being jealous at your boyfriend showing affection to other girls, aren't you?" Cana shot back, Lisanna giggling as they peered past Naruto. The Card Magic user wolf-whistled as she ran her eyes over the S-class mage's underdressed state. "Nice look, Mira-nee~"
"Get your minds out of the gutter," Naruto admonished.
"We didn't say anything, did we?" Lisanna retorted impishly, Cana nodding sagaciously. "It's probably you who has your mind in the gutter, Naruto-niichan."
"And for him to be visiting Mira every night, but only showing his face to us after a week…" Cana whimpered, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. "Oh, has my niichan truly forsaken his dearest sister for the joys of hot and steamy sex with a beautiful swimsuit model?"
"I'm disowning you," the shinobi declared. "Right now."
"It's too late. Lisanna has already adopted me into the family," Cana responded mock conspiratorially, planting her fists on her hips. "I'm going to be your sister by hook or by crook! And that goes to the both of you!"
"Since when did I do that?" Lisanna wondered aloud.
"Since now," the brunette nodded exaggeratedly.
"Yay! I have another sister! Cana-nee~"
"Lisanna-imouto~"
The two females hugged each other, making all sorts of silly noises as they pranced around and frolicked in Mirajane's room. Mira shook her head as she slipped into a navy dress, an indulgent smile on her lips. Naruto heaved a loud sigh, and Lisanna and Cana promptly broke into peals of laughter. "What am I going to do with the two of you? And here I thought at least you would have matured a little since our mission, Cana."
"I can be mature when I need to be," his adopted sister grinned. "But you're just too fun to tease, Naruto-nii."
"Maybe a promotion to S-class might help?" the eldest Strauss remarked.
"Oh, that's right! The S-class promotion trials are around this time of year, isn't it?" Lisanna squealed in delight. "It's going to be so exciting!"
"It's today, in fact," Mira added.
"Whoo! So Master is going to make the announcement later then?!" Lisanna exclaimed brightly.
"Mmhmm."
"Aw, crap, not again!" Cana grumbled. "I don't want to endure another few days in some stupid desert or forest or whatever terrible location the old man's nefarious mind imagined was good for the test."
"That's too bad, because I believe Master will be nominating you again," Mirajane chirped happily.
"Er, you don't want to participate?" Naruto asked awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "What about that goal of yours?"
The brunette raised in eyebrow. "Hmm? What do you…oh, that! Ah, I already told Gildarts when we got back to Fairy Tail weeks ago. I forgot you weren't there. So, erm, yea, I don't really care for S-class anymore."
"That's good," Naruto smiled sincerely. "How did he take it?"
"As embarrassing as people say dads usually are, I guess," the brown-eyed woman shrugged.
"It's never a bad thing to have more family," Mira commented.
Lisanna giggled, spying an opportunity. "Does that mean I can expect a nephew or niece in a few months' time?"
"If you behave. Come, let's go, or we'll be late for the announcement," her sister commanded, linking arms with Cana and Lisanna and dragging them to her door. She turned around to offer Naruto a quick, wistful smile as she chased the two playful women out of her door. "I'll see you later."
Naruto waved as the door slammed shut.
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The main dining hall in the Fairy Tail building was packed with mages, loud chatter filling the area. Large curtains shielded the stage from view, although a flag of Fairy Tail peeked out from above the white cloth barrier. Surprisingly, none of the usual fisticuffs erupted, especially given the exceptionally crowded hall. Lucy stood beside Wendy and Carla, having gravitated towards each other by virtue of being newcomers and unaware of what the big event was going to be.
"I've never seen Fairy Tail so packed before…" Lucy mused aloud. "It's like everyone is back for whatever this is."
"I hear it's an important announcement!" Wendy said, her hands clasped behind her back. "But Erza-san refused to say anything about it…"
"Everyone's been so pumped about it," the blonde mage complained. "I couldn't even do any missions with anyone!"
Carla folded her arms, a smug smile on her lips. "Whatever it is, it's kept the blue cat from annoying me, so it's been a good week for me."
"You should give Happy a chance, Carla," Lucy remarked.
"No way," the white-furred Exceed shot the idea down immediately, shuddering in revulsion as she glanced over at her fellow Exceed. "He's a child, in every sense of the word."
"That's…actually the nicest thing I've ever heard you say about him," the Celestial Spirit mage laughed awkwardly. She too, cast her gaze over at Happy, who was trying and failing to calm an excited Natsu down. "But he's not the only one…"
"No kidding," Carla snorted.
"Hey babe~"
Lucy shrieked as a hand grabbed her butt, giving it a firm squeeze. She harrumphed as the molester turned out to be Cana, who was accompanied by Lisanna. "Cana, stop molesting me! I get enough of that from Master already!"
"I can't help it, you have a great body~" the brunette smirked, turning to where Lisanna stood. "What do you think, sister?"
But she was no longer there. The white-haired girl was squatted before Carla with an outstretched hand. "Hi there! I don't think we've been formally introduced! I'm Lisanna Strauss, Mirajane and Elfman's younger sister! Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Carla," the Exceed deadpanned, shaking Lisanna's hand awkwardly, before pointing at Wendy. "She's my friend Wendy Marvell, the Sky Dragon Slayer."
"Oh! Just like Natsu, huh?" Lisanna grinned at Wendy, who returned the smile shyly. "And friends with an Exceed too. What a coincidence!"
"It's not really one, but we only just found that out recently," Lucy chipped in.
"Really? Anyway, did you know I helped hatch Happy?" the cheerful teen commented. "Natsu had no clue what to do with it at first!"
Carla smirked. "That sounds just like him."
"Uwah!" Cana moaned, interrupting the conversation. "I'm being ignored by everyone!"
"That's because you're a serial molester who contributes nothing!" Lucy pointed out loudly.
"I can't help it, it's the genes from Gildarts~" the Card Magic user cackled, wriggling her fingers with a perverted leer on her lips. "Ever since I told him I'm his daughter, he's been teaching me the art of seduction~"
"Stay away from me!" Lucy wailed in fright, scampering away from the laughing brunette.
Carla groaned as she watched the two run around in circles. "How childish."
"Eh, I think it's a good thing, you know? Most of us in Fairy Tail have our own stories, and it's not always rainbows and sunshine. I think it's better to be childish and happy than gloomy and sad," Lisanna remarked wisely. "Cana finally managed to tell Gildarts about their relationship, and that's lifted a weight off her shoulders. Well, Nar…her brother helped a lot, but it's still not an easy burden to bear. So I feel like it's good that she can let loose now."
"Perhaps," the Exceed mumbled to herself, the white-haired girl's words hitting her close to home.
"Look, the curtains are opening!" Wendy exclaimed.
A loud hush fell over the dining hall as said curtains were pulled aside, revealing the stage. Makarov stood at the front, with Erza, Mirajane and Gildarts lined up behind him in a show of power. A flag, inscribed with Fairy Tail's name and crest, hung proudly behind them. Makarov cleared his throat, his stern gaze sweeping across the room.
"Members of Fairy Tail! It is once again that time of year!" Makarov boomed. "This has been a custom of ours for many years, and it is my pleasure to announce the participants for this year's S-Class Promotion Trials!"
A deafening roar drowned out all other sound, as the excitement bubbled over. Lucy gasped at the words of the Fairy Tail guild master, momentarily forgetting that she was getting touched all over by Cana. "S-class promotion?!"
"Yep," Cana replied, letting go of the stunned blonde reluctantly. "It's tradition."
"The venue for this year's trials will be Tenrō Island, the holy ground of Fairy Tail," Makarov continued his announcement as the noise levels subsided. "I've been watching all of you carefully, looking for the qualities that mark you out as potential candidates for the trials. There will be six participants this year!"
"They are!" Makarov rumbled. "Cana Alberona! Elfman Strauss! Gray Fullbuster! Levy McGarden! Mest Gryder! Natsu Dragneel! Only one of you will attain the rank of S-class! The trials will be conducted in a week's time, so prepare yourself!"
"YES! I'm all fired up!" Natsu cheered.
"Finally," Gray clenched his fist.
So cool… Juvia drooled, staring longingly at the Ice Make mage.
"My chance to be a real man!" Elfman smiled in satisfaction, as Lisanna whooped in celebration at her brother's selection.
"Eh? Me?" Levy pointed at herself in surprise, a pleasant flush in her cheeks.
"I don't want this!" Cana shouted. "Screw you, old man!"
"Why wouldn't you want to become S-class?!" Lucy gawked incredulously at the brunette.
"Because it's a chore," the S-class candidate moaned.
Makarov's eyes flickered across several faces. "As we have some new members, I will now explain the rules of the trials. Each participant will select a partner within this week! There are two simple rules regarding partner selection. One, the partner must be a member of Fairy Tail! And two, the partner must not be an S-class mage! Further details will only be revealed when we get to Tenrō Island, but this year…"
"I will be participating in the trials in some capacity," Erza stepped forward confidently, to shouts of horror from the gathered members.
"And I'll be involved too," Mirajane smiled sweetly.
"That's insane! How is anyone going to beat Erza AND Mira?!" Lucy gaped.
Gildarts cleared his throat, cutting through the noise. "As will I. It wouldn't be an S-class trial if it wasn't a challenge."
"EHHHH!"
"Silence! Participants!" Makarov thundered. "Take your partners and head to Hargeon Town in a week's time! We will assemble at noon! That is all from me. Any questions?"
"Old man!" Cana raised her hand, waving it in the air wildly. "I got one!"
"What is it, Cana?" both Makarov and Gildarts replied in unison, before staring at each other in surprise.
"Er, the older old man please," Cana smirked, as the guild burst into laughter. Makarov grumbled about the lack of respect as he gestured for Cana to pose her enquiry. "So, I got two questions. First! Can I not go?"
Loud shouts of anger and disbelief filled the hall. Erza leaked killing intent that immediately silenced everyone, as Makarov pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are participating. This is non-negotiable."
"Why?" Cana whined.
"I'm losing S-class mages like mad, okay! I need it for our reputation! Otherwise the Mermaid Heel girls will look down on me!" Makarov roared shamelessly, before visibly calming himself. "Ahem. It is also an important part of being a mage of Fairy Tail, a responsibility to the guild. What's the second question?"
"If I'm participating, won't the fact that Gildarts is my dad possibly affect the integrity of the trials?" Cana asked.
"I won't go easy on you just because you're my daughter," the man in question interjected. "In fact, I have very high expectations now that I know you're my flesh and blood, so it might even be harder for you."
"Ugh."
"Any other questions?" the diminutive guild master offered. "If not, I will see the participants in Hargeon Town!"
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"I can't believe all of you are first-timers," Lucy remarked. Seated at her table was most of the participants, with the exception of Levy and Mest. Lisanna, Wendy, Carla and Juvia were with them too, eager to discuss the upcoming trials.
"I'm not!" Cana retorted with a grin. "I'm a four-time failure, and I'm proud of it!"
"But the only one you had a real chance of passing was last year's," Gray refuted. "Erza, Mira and Mystogan each got promoted in the years before the last, so it's not like even Natsu or myself would have passed. And heck, I've been in the guild for almost as long as you, and it's still my first time."
"Woah, really?" Lucy marvelled. "Is it so hard to even get selected?"
"Yup. But I only need one try!" Natsu declared.
"Natsu-san, have you chosen your partner yet?" Wendy asked curiously.
The Fire Dragon Slayer stood up, posing heroically with Happy. "Of course! Happy's going to be my partner!"
"Aye!"
"That's going to be a huge advantage if there's a race!" Elfman groaned. "Happy can fly, so obviously they'll win!"
"But Happy won't be able to help Natsu fight," Cana commented, to agreeing nods from the rest. "Don't forget, Mira, Erza and Gildarts will be involved, and you can be sure they won't just be standing around looking pretty."
"That's mean," Happy whined.
"Ignore her, I'm going to make S-class for sure!" Natsu pumped his fist into the air. "C'mon Happy, let's go train!"
As the two friends ran off, Lisanna sighed happily. "I've only been gone about two years, but Natsu's already aiming for S-class, huh?"
"But he's still a little immature, so you gotta make sure to teach him well, eh?" Cana elbowed Lisanna teasingly.
"Cana-nee, just because my training plan for Natsu has been delayed by a few years doesn't mean I can't make up for it now," Lisanna began to lecture her adoptive sister, the brunette listening with great amusement.
Yea, I'm not going there, Lucy shivered at the weird turn in conversation topics, turning to Elfman and Gray instead. "What about you guys? Have you chosen your partners yet?"
"Yea, I already have one," Gray smirked.
Loke materialised beside the black-haired man, dressed in his usual dapper suit. His hair was short, much like how he styled it during his time masquerading as a mage. Lucy goggled at her Celestial Spirit, who winked at his mistress. "I made a promise with Gray last year. Don't worry Lucy, I made a gate with my own magic, so this won't affect you."
"But the rule require partners to be members of Fairy Tail!" Elfman argued.
"I still have the mark," Loke replied, shedding his jacket and shirt to reveal the Fairy Tail logo on his back. "So I'm still considered a Fairy Tail mage."
"Juvia…wished….she could be…" the enamoured woman blushed.
"Sorry Juvia. But a promise is a promise," Gray shrugged. "I won't fail, but if I do, maybe we can partner up next time."
P-P-Partner u-up? The obsessed girl flushed crimson, grabbing her face as her imagination ran wild. In b-bed?
"Yea, not gonna go there either," Lucy eyed the blue-haired mage warily, before switching to Elfman. "What about you, Elfman?"
"I'm going with Lisanna of course!" the muscular man roared.
"Eh?" his younger sister turned back to the main conversation. "Oh, erm, sure! It'll be fun!"
"Ah, Lisanna, I wanted to ask you too!" Cana pouted childishly. "What happened to being sisters?"
"Ehehe, sorry Cana-nee!" the white-haired teen scratched the back of her head.
Lucy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What's with this weird sister thing you two have going on? And nowadays, I keep seeing the two of you hanging out together too!"
"Ah, it's nothing, nothing~" the scantily clad mage winked. "So, now that Lisanna is unavailable, how about you and me partner up?"
"EH?!" Lucy screamed, crossing her arms in front of her in surprise. "You want me to help you become S-class? Or are you just taking the opportunity to try and molest me again?!"
"Mou, where's the trust?" the brunette sighed dramatically.
Another voice joined in, but this time from behind Lucy. "If you don't want to be Cana's partner, how about being mine?"
Startled, the blonde mage jumped off the bench, spinning around to face the speaker. He was a young-looking man, dressed in a short coat with orange and black stripes and long tan arm warmers. A large upturned collar reached his ears, an earring hanging from the left lobe. There were three prominent scars on his face, crisscrossed around his left eye.
"Oh, Mest!" Gray greeted the mage. "Haven't seen you in a while. How are things?"
"Good," the raven-haired man nodded in reply, before focusing on Lucy once more. "So, what do you say? I've heard of your exploits with Natsu and the rest, and I think we'll make a great team."
"R-Really?" Lucy stuttered, blushing at the praise.
"Of course!" Mest smiled.
Looking back to Cana, who only gave her an encouraging wink, the Celestial Spirit mage nodded firmly. "Okay! I'll be your partner!"
"Great! I'll see you in Hargeon then!" Mest flashed her the thumbs up, before walking off.
"He can be a bit of a loner, that one," Gray remarked, as the table watched him disappear into the crowd.
"Yea, but he's pretty reliable," Cana shrugged, heaving a theatrical sigh. "Well, it seems like our dear Lucy has gotten her head turned by some boy, but no matter! Wendy?"
"Erm, I don't think I'll be much help to you, Cana-san…" the Sky Dragon Slayer laughed embarrassedly.
"And I'm not about to let her partner with a serial molester," Carla added resolutely, folding her arms across her chest as she eyeballed Cana in suspicion.
"Aw, your healing powers would've been real useful," the brunette groaned in disappointment, punching her open palm. "Never mind! Juvia, wanna partner up with me? I promise I won't molest you!"
"M-Me?" the former Phantom member frowned, quickly coming to the wrong conclusion. "Are you…are you another rival for Gray-sama's heart?!"
Cana chortled loudly. "HAHA! No way! I'm totally rooting for you to get together with this blockhead!"
"Then Juvia doesn't know…" the blue-haired woman sighed forlornly. "Juvia only wants to be with Gray-sama…"
"You know, I've been in Fairy Tail the longest among all of us here, even Gray. I know lots of interesting things about him that I can share with you," Cana cupped her hand around her mouth and mock whispered, loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.
Gray looked horrified as Juvia's navy orbs glinted with desire. "Then Juvia agrees!"
As the Ice Make mage attacked Cana, resulting in a loud brawl, Levy was seated elsewhere, laughing nervously as Jet and Droy argued with each other about their own merits and who should partner her. Privately, the teen wondered if she was even strong enough to become S-class. When the rest of Team Shadow Gear suddenly fell silent, Levy looked up, only to find herself staring at a black tunic. She craned her neck back to find intense red eyes staring into hers.
Gajeel grinned, his sharp canines glinting menacingly. "I'm going to be your partner, and I'm going to make you S-class."
"Erm…I'm not very strong, and I don't have a lot of talent either…" Levy looked down into her lap despondently. "So it might be over really quick…"
"That's not the attitude to have if you want to be S-class," Gajeel leaned forwards, cupping Levy's chin and raising her head to make eye contact. "I'm going to blow away any guy that's in your way."
The Iron Dragon Slayer leaned even closer, their noses almost making contact.
"If you're not strong enough…I'll make you strong."
Levy blushed.
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Mirajane squatted down in front of the familiar grave, gently placing a bouquet of flowers before the tombstone. The twilight sky drenched the cemetery in hues of orange and red, reminding the Fairy Tail mage of whom she was visiting. She ran her hand across the new inscription on the stone, fresh tears welling up in her aquamarine orbs.
"I'm sorry, Kurama," she whispered, her words nearly inaudible. "If I didn't ask you to help me…maybe you would be…"
"Don't blame yourself," a soft voice comforted. "If anything, it's my fault."
The ivory-haired woman scrubbed the tears from her eyes, gaze never leaving the name of the deceased fox carved into the gravestone. "Why is it…why is it that just as I got back my sister, I must lose someone else? Am I fated to constantly be losing loved ones?"
"There are always people who like to hurt others, Mira," the man knelt in the snow beside her, gathering the upset woman in a hug. "But fate doesn't exist, and if it does, we'll fight it together."
She nodded silently in his embrace, tiny snowflakes falling onto her long tresses. "Will you be fine? I was never as close to him as you were."
"I'll manage," he murmured, running his fingers through her ivory locks. "With your help."
A sorrowful silence blanketed the couple, clinging to each other desperately for warmth. Mirajane pressed her head against his broad chest, soothed by his steady heartbeat. "Is it even safe for you to be out here in public like this?"
"I've taken precautions," the cerulean-eyed man answered quietly.
"Then will you walk back with me?" she pleaded, staring up at his cerulean orbs.
Will you never leave me?
He planted a cloth-covered kiss on her forehead.
"I will."
Author's Notes: I'M SORRY! *Begs for forgiveness*
This really should have been out ages ago. I guess I still can't manage school and other interests with writing, especially when it refuses to flow like I want it to. Oh well, at least I managed to get it out, right? I have exams next week, so the next chapter will have to wait.
It's a lot of talking again this chapter, but hey, this is a story labelled 'Drama'. The action is coming soon, I promise.
Edolas is finally fully wrapped up. While canon never reunited mother and daughter, I thought it was appropriate given that I've written the arc with the theme of family in mind.
And yes, I created an OC to become the guild master of Tartaros. No, I'm not going senile; I planned it before the Tartaros arc came out in canon. Yes, Mard Geer still exists as a character. Yes, Zilévo will serve a purpose. No, I won't tell you guys the meaning behind the butchered translation that is 'zilévo', because that might give away something.
I hope the scenes flowed well enough. I tried to write everything I wanted to write in, but that led to major mood shifts within and between scenes. There's more fluff than usual too, because as a certain Stark family always says: "Winter is coming."
Yea, it probably won't be that fluffy again for a while.
P.S. I want to like Mashima-sensei's attempt to reconcile all the contradictions of Zeref that have pissed me off so much. It's quite smart to make it an essential part of Zeref as a character. But Zeref/Mavis? On account of their shared curse? You know what, I'm surprised by this plot twist, but not pleasantly so. Mashima-sensei has humanised Zeref to the point where he's less of a villain than Natsu and his collateral damage. There's adding depth, and there's going in the wrong direction.
But I should apologise for going apoplectic over the whole 7 year timeskip thing. Re-reading the talk between Zeref and Makarov, apparently Zeref only decided he wanted Fairy Heart recently. It's a cheap way to circumvent the issue, but at least Mashima-sensei did. But here's another thought: what about Ivan?
Yea, I'm still not convinced, especially given how lame Fairy Heart is. But hey, credit where credit's due, all the major plot holes have been dealt with…although Zirconis stated that the Dragon King Festival was the 'birth of Acnologia', but Zeref says it's Ishgar's name for Ragnarok, and he defined it as a clash between humans, dragons and dark mages. So, erm, wtf?
Oh, and the quality of the fights have been deteriorating for goodness knows how long. Or maybe I just have nostalgia-glasses on. But the fights are ending so bloody quickly it seems, with assured victory for Fairy Tail. Also, even secondary characters are getting great at appearing when convenient. Ugh.