Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or O Willow Waly
AN: This was partly inspired by the Young Justice Episode Secret. Amazing episode. The spell Bickslow used is from Supernatural.
"How is she," asked Laxus, who was standing outside the hut, when Porlyusica came to talk to him. She immediately kicked him out and yelled at him, telling him she needed to concentrate in order to treat Lucy. While Porlyusica treated Lucy, Laxus teleported back to the Thunder Legion, executing Lucy's request to go to the security office. At first, they didn't let them in until Laxus showed the pendant Lucy gave him. They stiffened and acted all formal, personally escorting them to the surveillance room.
They looked at every video cam and every frame from the train yard where the unused trains were and the path to the unfinished stations. Junctions had hidden cameras as well. Laxus winced when he saw the video of Lucy stopping the train. It was dangerous, but if Lucy hadn't done that, all the people working were going to get injured or killed. He couldn't imagine the amount of pain she was feeling and the damage to her already scarred feet. It was why he quickly picked her up and teleported them away. The Thunder Legion weren't aware of Lucy's scarred feet and he didn't think she was ready to show them in a situation like that.
The surveillance videos showed nothing of interest except for one frame. It almost escaped Laxus's eyes, but he caught it at the last minute. The person knew the camera's blind spots and there was evidence of a video loop prior to their boarding and departure on the train. Laxus spotted a glimpse of green hair, specifically jade hair.
Now Laxus didn't want to jump to conclusions, but he was pretty sure that was not the princess. There was only one other person he knew who had the hair color. But dealing with this was tricky. Without concrete evidence to implicate him, Laxus can't accuse him of attempted murder, and he was a nephew of King of Fiore. He asked the Thunder Legion to head back to the mansion and inform everyone of the situation. While he went back to check on Lucy, they should focus on finding the location of the new jewel. He didn't think this was a coincidence; them visiting Altair and the murder attempt.
"Sheesh brat! Your girlfriend's fine!" Porlyusica shook her head in disbelief. She had to kick him out because he kept hovering over her while she tried to work and his constant pacing around the room. "She's just resting. You brought her in at the right time. Wendy healed her injuries, so she should feel a lot better when she wakes up. I couldn't do anything about those past injuries. They'll eventually fade."
Laxus let out a sigh of relief. Lucy was fine and her injuries weren't life-threatening anymore. It was a good call bringing Lucy here. "Can I see her?" He had to personally see her to see if everything was fine.
"Go ahead."
When Laxus entered the room, he saw Lucy waking up and attempting to stand. "Woah," he quickly rushed to her side, helping her balance herself. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine, Laxus," answered Lucy, gently removing Laxus's arm off of her shoulder. She feels great. Whoever Laxus brought her over really took the pain away. Her old scars were still there, but her recent injuries were gone. "See," she hopped up and down to show Laxus she really was okay.
Laxus tried not to get distracted at the sight of Lucy's breasts bouncing up and down. He let out a cough to compose himself and mutter clean thoughts to himself. "Good, because what you did was stupid and dangerous!" He finally decided to give her a piece of his mind. Lucy could have killed herself. A normal person would have their limbs ripped off.
"What was I supposed to do, Laxus?! Wait for the train to magically stop itself. It was the only other way and you know it." Lucy crossed her arms under her chest, unintentionally lifting them and making them bigger as she glared back at Laxus. She understood he was worried, but that didn't give him the right to yell at her.
"Will the two of you get a room already," shrieked Porlyusica at the two, shooing the blondes out of her house. It was clear that there was major sexual tension and attractiveness between the two. Laxus never acted like this around a girl before. She knew him long enough. He liked the girl.
"Oomph!" The two collapsed on top of each other, Lucy fell on Laxus. Laxus grabbed onto Lucy's waist and impulsively teleported the two of them back to the Heartfilia mansion.
"Miss Lucy," yelled the staff, tears streaming down, running towards Lucy, who was helped up by Laxus. "We were so worried about you."
Lucy was touched at the amount of love all these people showed her. "Thank you guys." She hugged each and every one.
Laxus left Lucy alone with her staff. It seemed like an intimate moment he did not want to interrupt. He headed to the library where the Thunder Legion was doing their research.
"You guys find anything." Laxus headed towards the table with the map of Fiore. He saw the crystal stop and turn green at a certain location. "Envy," he stated. The color gave it away.
"We're heading to Willow City," read Laxus out loud. He never heard of the town before. Must be small. It was near Clover town.
"If we're going to Willow City, we are going to have to make some preparations," stated Freed with a grim expression. "They don't take too kindly to strangers. They are a gated community that pride themselves as the safest city in Fiore. Apparently they screen and do background checks on families planning to move there." Freed wasn't sure if he should be impressed or bothered by something like this. There's no such thing as a perfect community. Every town has its skeletons.
"So what are we going to do," asked Bickslow.
"I have an idea," replied Evergreen with a mischievous smile.
At Willow City
"Why do I have to wear this," grumbled Laxus. "I look like a fucking turtle." Laxus adjusted the collar on his turtleneck. This is the first mission that required him to constantly change his wardrobe. At least he still looked handsome, the perks of being the Laxus Dreyar.
"Because we have to blend in," replied Lucy, swatting his hand away from the collar and going to go fix it herself. "Besides. I think it makes you look rather dashing." There was just something about a man wearing a tight turtleneck. The sophisticated look was so sexy to her because of the way it clung to the wearer's skin. Laxus's muscles looked amazing in the sweater.
"You damn right, I'm dashing." Laxus gave Lucy a cocky smirk, who rolled her eyes in return. "After all, you said it yourself." Laxus leaned in close to whisper in Lucy's ear. "I'm freaking hot."
Lucy's eyes went wide at Laxus's statement. She didn't recall saying that to him. At the pageant, she did mention he was good looking, but she never said freaking hot. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you talking about?" She smoothed the skirts of her blue summer dress.
"On your birthday, when you were drunk. You made me dance with you and sang praises of my handsomeness. You even copped a feel or two." Laxus's grin grew wider at Lucy's flushed cheeks. That's the look he liked seeing on her. It just made him want to tease her more.
"Shut up," murmured Lucy, trying to will the blush away from her cheeks. She couldn't deny it because it was possible she could have said that. She tended to act strange when she was drunk.
"Are you guys ready," called out Evergreen as she entered the room. She was wearing a henley gray shirt and black skinny jeans with black combat. Freed and Bickslow followed, wearing casual wear as well. "You remember the plan, guys?"
Bickslow raised his hand and answered the question excitedly. "Oh, I know. Us three are going to scope the town and pretend to be travelers who made a stopover. Laxus and Lucy are pretending to be husband and wife, newlyweds, looking for a perfect place to live to raise children." He had to give it to Evergreen. It was a pretty solid idea. Willow City did have an inn for travelers on their way to Clover Town, and they were looking to find more couples to move into the city. Maybe Laxus and Lucy pretending to be a couple would make them realize they have feelings for each other. After all, the interest that there is in the first place is slowly developing into something more. He and Evergreen are just speeding the process.
Freed nodded and turned to the blonde duo. "You know your stories, correct?" The story was about Laxus and Lucy eloping. They met at a social ball and slowly fell in love as they continued to meet at these balls. Her father was against the marriage because he did not approve of Laxus since he was not of the same status as they were. The little background would pique the interest of the townsfolk. They have been married for a year and are planning on having children. They want to find the perfect place to raise them. "Oh!" Freed took something out of his pockets. It was two small boxes. "Your wedding rings."
Lucy took the ring out of its box. It was a ring for a male; it looked to be platinum. She gestured to Laxus to give his hand. "See, Sparky. I treat you nicely," she joked, sliding the ring on his ring finger. This was a strange feeling for her. Years ago she would have done this with Bradford. Now, she's doing this for a fake marriage.
"Huh. My very own sugar mama." Laxus grinned back at Lucy, sliding a ring on her finger. "Has a nice ring to it. I should call you that." Lucy's hands were so soft. He wondered if they were naturally like that or if she used a special cream.
"Doesn't that apply to women who are married?" Lucy knew some slang and the general meaning of it. It was a bit strange to her, putting a label on these types of relationships that have existed for years.
"Well, according to this, you are." Laxus gestured to their rings. Freed even drafted up fake documents and information in the computer system for the sake of their story. Can never be too careful.
"Then that makes you my sugar baby." Lucy grinned at the frown on Laxus's face when she called him a sugar baby.
"You know what. I'm going to continue calling you blondie. I was going to be nice and give up an upgrade with the nickname, but it looks like we are back to square one." Laxus didn't appreciate being called a sugar baby.
"Oh! How kind of you," said Lucy sarcastically, rolling her eyes. It made no sense for Laxus to call her blondie when he was blonde as well.
"You can just call her Cosplayer like I do, Bossman," Bickslow chimed in, joining the conversation.
"Or, you can just call her by her name," stated Evergreen as a matter of fact. She was wondering why Laxus rarely called Lucy by her name. The only time he did that was when Lucy was in danger or out of concern.
"I have taken the liberty of getting you more motion-sickness potion," announced Freed, changing the topic as he gave Laxus a vial of green liquid. "After all, you are scoping out houses today."
Laxus nodded as he unscrewed the vial and drank the liquid. They were arriving by carriage. He was going to avoid taking the train for a bit. He faced Lucy. "Are you ready, dear?"
Lucy nodded back. "Let's go, darling."
"Why hello there!" A chirpy brunette called out. She was sitting at the front desk of the Willow Inn, the place Laxus and Lucy were going to stay for the next few days as they scoped houses. The Thunder Legion arrived earlier in the day. It was less suspicious if they arrived apart. "Are you the Dreyars?! I'm so happy to meet you!"
"Hello, Rosie," greeted Lucy back, as she read the nametag on the girl. She and Laxus entered the inn with their arms linked. "We have a reservation for the weekend."
"Yes. I see you here." Rosie nodded, typing into the computer. "Your room is 203. Here is your key." Rosie handed a key card to Lucy. "My friend, Leilani, should show you around at 3. Until then, get some much needed rest in your room. You're going to need it. She has plenty of properties to show you."
Laxus and Lucy headed to their rooms. They got lucky. The Thunder Legion were on the same floor but in room 205. In the evening, they can report any findings they have found. It was going to be difficult to find a jewel in the town, especially when they have no clue where it might be.
Laxus brought their luggage into the room and started unpacking. "Everyone's so nice. It's kind of nerve-wracking," admitted Laxus. As they walked through the town to reach the inn, everyone greeted them good morning and how they were so happy to meet them. It sounded so scripted, so robotic, so fake.
Lucy nodded sympathetically as she put away her own stuff. "I know what you mean. I feel like something's not right. Like they are overcompensating for something." She should know. She was surrounded by those types of people for years. She can tell when something is genuine and when something is fake. She wondered how long until their true faces were revealed.
"Well, we have an hour to kill. What should we do?" Laxus lay on the bed with his arms crossed behind his head. They had an 'appointment' with the realtor at 3. They were hoping to get some information about the town. Anything that can help pinpoint the location of the gem. It was clear there was a connection with the jewel and where it was found. This time it was envy. It's a tricky one. Who knows what someone might do when they are envious of something someone had and want it for themself.
"I don't know. We could watch a movie." Lucy took a seat next to Laxus, who made room for her. She reached for the remote by the table and turned it on while surfing through the channels. She stopped when she heard something familiar.
"I like this song," both stated at the same time. They looked at each other in disbelief.
Laxus turned to face Lucy. "You know Eric Clapton?"
"Of course," exclaimed Lucy excitedly. "My dad's a huge fan. He had all his albums." She leaned down to whisper in his ear as if telling a secret. "Actually, he's the reason he managed to score a date with my mom and eventually marry her."
Laxus recalled that the name of Lucy's mom was Layla. He pondered for a few seconds and his eyes went wide in realization. "No! He didn't."
Lucy giggled in response. "Yes! He did. I couldn't believe it when my mother told me. She never expected him to do something like that." Lucy let out an elated sigh as she recalled that memory. "Any man who is willing to get out of his comfort zone and embarrass himself for the person they love is a keeper. Don't let them go."
Her mother told her that even before she married Jude, he was a shy and awkward man, uncomfortable with expressing his emotions. But at the end of the day, he had a good heart and had good intentions. It was why Lucy would constantly give her father a chance. He became even more of a recluse when Layla died. Whatever social skills he had went away. Slowly over the last few years, Lucy and her father have been working on their relationship and his social skills.
"Your father must have really loved your mother," said Laxus in a gentle voice. He couldn't imagine the pain he went through, losing the love of his life at an early age. Watching the light fade away from her eyes. He wasn't sure about his parents, but he was told Ivan wasn't the same when his mother died giving birth to him.
"He did," Lucy whispered back with a faraway look in her eyes. "He still does," she continued. "It must have been difficult to look at me because I resembled her so much. She was an amazing woman."
Laxus patted Lucy's hand. "I think your mom would be proud of the woman you became today." Laxus meant it. Any mother would be proud to call Lucy their daughter.
Lucy smiled at Laxus and grabbed the hand he was using to pat hers. "Same. Your mother would be proud of the man you became today."
Laxus shook his head. "I'm not sure about that." His mother would be disappointed in the things he did in the past.
Laxus was cut off when Lucy interrupted him in an angry tone. "Why do you always do that? Give yourself some credit. Not everyone realizes what they did is wrong and works on improving themselves. Why can't you be proud of yourself, Laxus? You came a long way from the man you used to be." She was aware of the whole Fantasia incident, who in Fiore wasn't. Laxus needed to learn how to forgive himself.
"I feel that if I don't keep myself in check, I might revert back to my old ways," confessed Laxus softly. He wasn't sure what compelled him to say that to Lucy, but it was the truth. Everyone in the guild might have easily forgiven him, but he has yet to forgive himself.
Lucy was about to retort when there was a knock on their door. She stood up, straightened her appearance, and opened the door. A woman with pink hair was standing there wearing a suit. "Leilani, correct?" That was the name of the realtor who was supposed to show them houses.
Leilani nodded and raised her hand for a shake, which Lucy returned. "And you are the Dreyars, I presume?"
"Yes. My name is Lucy, and this is my husband Laxus." Lucy pointed to Laxus, who rose from the bed and headed towards them, shaking Leilani's hand as well. Leilani seemed like the most normal person so far.
"Nice to meet the both of you. If you don't mind me asking, why are you looking for a house here?" They looked like newlyweds to her.
"Oh, we just came to do a little browsing," giggled Lucy. "We're thinking of moving here in the future. It seems like a wonderful place to raise children." This was the lie they were going with.
Leilani nodded in understanding. "Well, you came to the right place. Willow City is a great place to raise kids. We can start now." Turning around to leave the room.
"I was wondering if we can get a tour of the town," Laxus added before Leilani started. "It would be best to know more about the town before making a final decision, dear." He and Lucy can gather information that way.
"I thought you already knew about our town." Leilani narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the two blondes.
Lucy quickly cut in when she noticed the doubtful look in Leilani's eyes. "We do. However, all our research was done online. Sometimes what you see on the internet may differ from what you see in real life. You're a local. Maybe you can suggest a few hidden gems." Lucy let out an internal sigh of relief when she saw Leilani nod.
"I understand. Let's start the tour," declared Leilani.
"And this is the statue of our founder William Willow," explained Leilani, showing the town square to the blonde duo, stopping in front of a statue of a man. He was well-dressed, with a mustache and top-hat. "People said this land was inhabitable a long time ago. But he proved them wrong with advanced farming techniques. Today, we are known for producing some of the best herbs in Fiore." She was proud of the accomplishments of their small town. William Willow defied against the odds and helped his people. "Rumors were he was an Earth mage."
"It would explain why he was so knowledgeable on agriculture," Lucy nodded her head in understanding. "I will admit your parks are beautiful. Just seeing the greenery puts a smile on a person's place." Everything complemented each other.
Leilani beckoned the blonde couple closer. "Well, I can't take all the credit. William Willow's descendants still live in town and are responsible for the well-being of nature. There's also the Foxglove sisters," she added.
"Who are the Foxglove sisters?" Laxus was curious about that. They were the only other person Leilani mentioned other than the Willows.
"Their father was a famous botanist. Their mother practiced Earth and plant magic. They are just as passionate about the Earth as the Willows." Her expression turned sad, as did her next words. "They were killed in a bandit attack when they were young. That's why we are hesitant about letting strangers in without a screening process of some sort. To prevent another tragedy." The bandits pretended to be traveling merchants.
"What happened to the sisters?" Lucy couldn't help but empathize with the sisters. She lost her mother at a young age. However, they lost both parents. Did they have someone to take them in?
"Jasmine and Violet lived with my family until Jasmine turned 18. Their father had a will where Jasmine inherited the cottage the family lived in. Violet was given that house over there with the greenhouse." Leilani pointed to a run-down house faraway at the edge of town. It looked like no one lived there for years, except for the well-kept greenhouse and garden. "Jasmine is our local herbalist. Violet went to the city. She was given this high-paying job with this famous pharmaceutical company. She pops in once in a while. Although I'd wish, she'd fix that house up." From the way Leilani was speaking, it seems she really cared about the sisters.
"I don't suppose that house is up for sale." Lucy couldn't explain it, but for some reason, she felt drawn to that house. "That house has a lot of potential and all it needs is a little renovation."
Leilani snorted. "Ha. You're not the only one who wants that land. I've been trying to convince the sisters for years before I finally gave up. Everyone else has the same idea. It's a beautiful piece of land. Tell you what. Jasmine is a good friend of mine. I can set up a meeting with her. Maybe you can convince her." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Great," beamed Lucy, sharing a look with Laxus. "When can we meet her?"
Leilani escorted them to this quaint little cafe in the town square. Leilani told them that she texted Jasmine to meet them there. Unfortunately, her boss called her to show another couple some houses, so she promised to continue the tour tomorrow.
Laxus and Lucy barely entered the cafe when they overheard two people arguing. One was a woman with silver hair and golden eyes, and another had brown hair and brown eyes. The woman with brown hair looked very upset.
"You and Violet used to work for the same company! I don't understand why she's not home yet. It's been almost 6 months. Is she really that swamped with projects?" The brown-haired woman was red with anger.
"You have to face it Jaz, Violet's left you to be in the big city." The woman with silver hair flipped her hair and stood up from her seat. She placed a few bills on the table. "It's time you accepted that."
"I know my sister, Lily. She would never do that."
"And I'm her best friend." The silver-haired woman placed a comforting pat on the woman's shoulder. "There's a lot you didn't know about Violet." She left the brown-haired girl with those words, leaving the cafe.
The brown-haired woman, who the blonde duo deduced was Jasmine, was left in a state of shock. With a shaky breath, she wiped the tear that threatened to roll down her face. Giving her a few minutes to calm down, Laxus and Lucy finally approached her. "Hi. Jasmine, right? We are the Dreyars. Leilani spoke to you about us." Lucy hoped their appearance would distract Jasmine from whatever was bothering her.
"Oh, yes." Jasmine quickly composed her and fixed her hair, placing her gathered hands on the table. "Please take a seat." She gestured to the blonde duo to sit in front of her in the empty seat in front of her. "She told me you were interested in the land with the greenhouse and garden. I know you two seem lovely, but that property is not for sale. It belongs to my family and my sister inherited it after our parents passed away." She let out an awkward laugh. "We've been meaning to renovate it and spruce it up. The task keeps getting delayed. My sister works in the city, with a pharmaceutical company. She's responsible for creating vitamins, supplements, and innovative skincare products to help people with health problems and boost their confidence." Jasmine continued to ramble on. She looked happy talking about her sister.
"I understand. That property belongs to your family and I wouldn't want to take that away from you." Lucy couldn't help but smile. "You seem very proud of your sister. I can tell by the way you are talking about her." There was pride in Jasmine's voice when she talked about her sister's accomplishments.
Jasmine nodded, smiling back at Lucy. "I am. I practically raised that girl. Sweet kid with a big heart. Always shy and hesitant to talk to people. Spent most of her time in the garden or the greenhouse. Although, I can't say I blame her." Jasmine muttered that last bit under her breath.
Laxus narrowed his eyes at Jasmine. "What do you mean by that?" Leilani had nothing but praises for the sisters. Then again, they grew up together. She had a close bond with them. As they made their way through town, everyone was constantly interacting with each other. The fact that Jasmine implied her little sister was excluded sometimes caused Laxus to get a bad feeling in his gut. He knew something wasn't right in this perfect town and the Foxglove sisters were part of it.
Jasmine lowered her voice to a whisper. Before she opened her mouth to say something, she scanned the cafe to make sure the coast was clear. There weren't many people at this time. "My family, specifically my mother and my sister. Well, the townspeople weren't exactly fond of them."
"But aren't you the town's herbalist?" Lucy whispered back. She would have thought a role like that would give the family respect.
"My father married an outsider. Someone out of town. A lot of people did not approve of their marriage despite my mother healing their sick and wounded." Jasmine spat out with a frown on her face. "My mom was an Earth mage and my sister inherited her magic as well. I dabble in it sometimes." Jasmine waved her hand over a nearby flower pot. The drooping daisy stood straight and grew a foot taller. "They had most of the talent, but lately my magic is going haywire, stronger." One day she noticed her magic was stronger and for some reason that put a bad feeling in her stomach. Jasmine longed to be as talented as her mother and sister but finally accepted she was only able to do the basics. She dedicated her time to growing and nurturing her plants the old-fashioned way until she tried to grow vegetables. They grew twice the normal size. First time, she thought it was a coincidence until she decided to test that theory and realized the plants she was unable to conjure or had a hard time summoning before she was able to do it with ease.
"Maybe we can help." Lucy pulled out her Celestial keys. "My husband and I are both mages." She pointed to Laxus. "He is part of a guild. I am a Celestial Spirit Mage and Laxus is a lightning mage." She wasn't about to casually mention he was a dragon slayer. Best to keep some things hidden, but she knew they gained Jasmine's trust.
Laxus nodded. "One of the founders of the guild I am a part of is an Earth mage. Maybe he can help you answer your questions." Warren was a good friend of his great-grandfather and still close to Fairy Tail. He was around for a while. Maybe he could explain why Jasmine suddenly got a boost in power. Earth mages got their power from the Earth.
Jasmine thanked the blonde duo. "One word of advice though." She looked around once more to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "If you're going to stay here for the weekend, it would be best to hide the fact that the two of you are mages. Lily, that girl who was here. She is part of the Willow family. We don't have many mages here and the Willow family loves being the only family who can practice magic." It was their way of staying in power. The current patriarch and matriarch weren't that bad, but the children were another story. They loved boasting about the fact that they can use Earth magic like their founding ancestors. To this day, she wasn't sure how the out-going, spoiled Lily and her sister, shy and generous, got along. Maybe it was because of the magic.
"We will. Laxus, why don't you give him a call. The sooner we get answers, the better." Laxus got up to head outside to call his grandfather, explaining the situation. Warrod didn't have a phone, but he did have a communication lacrima. That left Lucy and Jasmine alone in the cafe.
Lucy scooted over to Jasmine, lowering her voice. "As a herbalist, you know how to make magic potions, correct?" She was wondering if Jasmine had something to counteract against the Djinn's influence or something to wake them up.
"Yes." Jasmine nodded. "As long as it's something basic or in my family's notes. Some of the more potent potions are not easy to make or some ailments don't have a cure found for them yet." Her mother and sister like to experiment and they wrote their findings down. Violet digitized everything and kept them with herself in a flash drive. She tended to be more old-fashioned, hitting the books if she needed something.
Lucy tried not to get her hopes up, but maybe Jasmine can help them. "My father, he's not well. This creature forced him into a deep sleep, a dream. I wonder if you have something that can wake them up or create something to help wake them up."
Jasmine rubbed her hand under her chin. "How does this creature force people into a deep sleep?" She needed more information if she had to make something from scratch.
"They do it through touch," explained Lucy. Altair and Khalid provided them with more information about the Djinn's abilities. "Their touch causes you to hallucinate what you desire, what makes you happy. Being in that happy dream-like state prevents the person from getting up."
Jasmine was deep in thought as she went over the vague information Lucy just gave her. Whatever this creature she was talking about certainly wasn't local. If it was, she would have heard of a case like this and research for a possible remedy in her mother's journal. "I'm going to assume this creature isn't from Fiore." Lucy nodded at her. "If we want the slightest chance of an antidote working, I would need something of the creature. Something I can study or add to the concoction." She needed to see what it was that allowed this creature to create hallucinations through touch and use the appropriate ingredients to counteract it.
"Will this do?" Lucy reached into her purse to take something out. It was a tiny bottle filled with ashes. After the attack in front of her home, Lucy gathered the ashes of the fallen Djinn just in case it was needed for something.
Jasmine grabbed the bottle from Lucy, squinting her eyes to get a better look at what was inside. It looked like ashes. "Well, it's a start." She could inspect it under a microscope. If the teeth or bones of the creature burned along with its body, she could salvage some sort of DNA, studying the physiology and the creature. "But it's going to take some time." She'd also need some advanced equipment. Her usual stuff is not going to work.
"How long," asked Lucy in a worried tone. Jasmine was her best bet at a cure and they were running out of time. Just the other day, news of 3 more victims passed away in their sleep. That was six in total. The time between killings is getting smaller. Laxus and The Thunder Legion have been living in her mansion for three weeks now.
"I'm not sure," replied Jasmine truthfully, as she put the bottle away in her coat pocket. "I'd need access to a lab to see how the specimen reacts to different variables." She could try contacting an old friend of her father's. They went to the same botany school. The different controlled experiments can show which antidote is the most effective and access to the greenhouse will give her access to different herbs as well. "Some herbs and objects that I might need will take some time for me to gather or receive." She also needed to hit the books. So much to do, but Jasmine loved the challenge. Creating something no one else has done before. Her sister and parents would be so proud.
"If I provide access to a state-of-the-art lab and gather the herbs and objects that you need, how long would it take to create an antidote?" Lucy knew some people who owed her and wouldn't hesitate to help. Her connections will get the herbs and objects faster, but there is still one problem. Test subjects. They'd have to see if the antidote actually works or else all that research would be for nothing.
I guess I could try it on Dad, pondered Lucy as she mentally created a list of people she had to contact when Laxus got back from his call. But what if there are side effects?! It's a risk I'd have to take. But then there was what Bickslow said. If a Djinn and its victim have a mental connection to each other, they would know if their victim has awakened. Who knows how many are out there? We aren't equipped to face an army! Lucy needed to read Ella's diary. She must have left some useful information in there.
"Two weeks tops," stated Jasmine confidently. This was more up her alley. The scientific part of creating an herbal remedy. Creating an antidote from scratch. She studied pharmacy in college, how they create medicine and cures for ailments.
Lucy opened her mouth to respond when Laxus came back inside the cafe after his call. "My gramps said he can arrange a meeting with Warrod today. We better leave now so we can catch him before he leaves."
"Leave? Right now," said Lucy and Jasmine simultaneously.
"Gramps explained to me that the council summoned Warrod to the imperial place for a special mission. The details of the mission are confidential." Laxus couldn't help but wonder if the King was gathering the 4 Gods of Ishgar to do their own investigation, regarding the Djinn problem.
"Laxus, we just got here. We can't just abandon our mission. We don't even know where THAT is," hissed Lucy in a harsh whisper. If they all left today, that meant that the Djinn could get their hands on the jewel. Even worse, since the jewel pertained to envy, who knows what someone would do when they feel envious of someone who has something they want. A possible crime can happen that can be prevented.
"I can't just leave." Jasmine voiced her protest as well. "I have the flower festival to prepare for. So many of my clients are waiting for their orders." The Flower Festival celebrated the founding of this town and creation of life. It was a huge event every year and people purchased flowers to give to their loved ones.
"We're not staying long. I'll teleport Jasmine and I to Warrod's house. It would be quicker that way. You and the Thunder Legion can take care of Jasmine's shop and the orders." Laxus leaned close to whisper into Lucy's ear. "It would be the perfect opportunity to interact with the townsfolk. You're good at reading people. Maybe someone is hiding something." He saw firsthand Lucy's social skills as a noble lady at the ball they attended. How to ask the right questions in order to obtain information without seeming too obvious.
"But that's such a long distance." Lucy whispered back in a concerned tone. She heard Warrod stayed by himself, away from people and surrounded by wildlife. "And that's with someone else. You'd need time to recover. Take Freed with you and use his teleportation rune spell for both ways. Ever, Bicks and I will be fine here." They needed everyone at full power in case another fight broke out.
Midnight
"Thank you for shopping at Blossoms!" Lucy smiled cheerily as she handed a customer a bouquet of daffodils. When the customer left the store and out of sight, Lucy let out a tired sigh, sitting in the chair behind the register. "Bicks! How many more orders do we have to hand out today?" Her feet were starting to hurt from standing for hours.
Ever since Freed, Laxus and Jasmine left to talk to Warrod, Lucy, Evergreen, and Bickslow helped Jasmine with her orders. Luckily, the day before, everything was already arranged, assembled, and packaged for pickup and delivery. She and Evergreen manned the store with the in store pickups while Bickslow and his babies did the home deliveries. It was a lot of work and it was getting dark outside.
"I just have this one left and we are done for the day," Bickslow called out as he came from the back room. In his hands was a box that was gift-wrapped. It was the final delivery of the day and he couldn't be happier. He was exhausted from him and his babies delivering packages throughout the day. At least Jasmine had everything ready the night before. He couldn't imagine having to create extravagant bouquets for clients, each one different and unique for a specific client.
"Why don't we all deliver that together," suggested Evergreen as she gathered her things to close the shop. "After we deliver the final package, we can head back to the inn. Freed told me they will get back tomorrow. They might have to stay longer than expected."
Freed called a few minutes ago to give an update, and that they arrived safe and sound. His call was short and did not give a lot of details, but they were staying longer than they planned. Warrod was intrigued by Jasmine's situation and needed time to figure out what the issue was.
"Finally," yawned Bickslow as he raised his arms behind his back and stretched his limbs. "That was the last order of the day and now we can head back home."
It was almost 2 in the morning and quite dark outside. Bickslow, Evergreen, and Lucy were on their way back from a client's house. They lived on the outskirts of town, far from everyone else, so this delivery took longer than the others.
"Hopefully Freed and Laxus are able to help Jasmine with her situation," replied Lucy, crossing her arms over her chest in a hugging manner, hoping to warm herself. The night was chilly, and she wasn't dressed for this weather with her blue summer dress. She kind of wished Laxus's coat was draped over her shoulders like at the ball.
Or his muscular arms, thought Lucy, blushing at the thought of having Laxus embrace her again. She was grateful that it was dark outside, so no one saw the blush on her face. She felt confused around Laxus and having him act as her pretend husband certainly wasn't helping. Then he had to wear that freaking sexy turtleneck that did wonders for his body. Laxus was hot, and he knew it. Gosh, if he was here beside her right now, he would tease the hell out of her. It was something that annoyed Lucy, but at the same time, she looked forward to their little squabbles.
"At least they will get some sort of information. We spent the whole day interacting with the townspeople and nothing," said Evergreen in a slightly exasperated voice. The whole point of them helping Jasmine with her orders was to gather information, but they barely learned anything new. Only that Jasmine and Violet were treated like outcasts by some of the townsfolk, Violet more than Jasmine. No wonder she left for the city. Treating someone like an outcast didn't exactly scream envy and a lot of people were in a good mood because of the flower festival tomorrow. Did they miss something?
"Sorry for ranting," apologized Evergreen sheepishly when she realized her voice became loud. Seeing Bickslow's and Lucy's attention on her, Evergreen continued. "I-it's just ever since the whole mission started, I've been feeling uneasy about everything. Every time we go out to find another jewel, that feeling gets stronger and I feel particularly worried about this one. Envy is a dangerous emotion to have and act upon. Anything could happen and I would like to prevent a tragedy from happening." Too many innocent people had their lives affected or passed away because of the Djinns. She would like to prevent more victims if she could.
"There's also the possibility that something has already happened," said Bickslow in a grim voice. It was something no one else wanted to admit, but it was a factor that they had to consider. Something was affected by the jewel of envy and under the influence of the jewel may have possibly committed a heinous act towards an innocent.
"If that's the case, then someone is hiding something." Lucy didn't want to admit it, but Bickslow made a good point. Something may have happened already. They just arrived. They barely knew anyone, and none of the townsfolk trusted them enough to say something noteworthy to them. Either the whole town is hiding something or someone has a secret that they are good at keeping.
"Isn't that the house with the greenhouse Jasmine mentioned Violet inherited," Bickslow pointed out, quickly changing topics. He didn't want to talk about this anymore until they had some evidence.
Lucy squinted her eyes at the house Bickslow was pointing at to get a better look. She nodded with confirmation. "Yes, I believe that it is. I must say, although the house is in need of fixing up, the garden and the green house look exquisite. No wonder people want to live there. It looks like a fairy tale garden."
Lucy really meant it. The house was made from bricks with greenery all over. A variety of flowers and trees all over with a pond in the backyard. The second most striking object other than the greenhouse and garden filled with bright flowers was this huge willow tree. It was enormous.
Lucy squinted further to get a better look at the tree. She swears she thought she saw a bright light emitting from that area. That's strange. If the house was abandoned for months, with Jasmine rarely checking in, the electrical system should not be working. Unless someone turned it on.
"Did you guys hear that," asked Bickslow as he turned to face his companions, straining his ears to hear better. "I-it sounds like someone singing?" Bickslow wasn't sure, which was why he asked the girls for confirmation. He wasn't sure what it was, but something was drawing him to that house and he could feel the presence of magic.
"Let's head closer," declared Evergreen, quickening her pace. Did someone break into the house?
As the trio got closer, the sound of singing got louder. It was soft and sweet. The song, on the other hand, sounded sad.
We lay my love and I beneath the weeping willow.
But now alone I lie and weep beside the tree.
Singing 'Oh willow waly' by the tree that weeps with me.
Singing 'Oh willow waly' till my lover return to me.
We lay my love and I beneath the weeping willow.
A broken heart have I. Oh willow I die, oh willow I die.
As Bickslow, Evergreen and Lucy approached the abandoned house, a bright light was emitting in the backyard. They headed to the source of the bright light under the willow tree. A woman was wearing a blue dress, singing in the garden. Her hair was purple with green eyes. She looked directly at them and gasped, halting her song. "You can see me?" She said with wide eyes. This was the first time someone heard her singing.
A twig snapped and the mystery person abruptly disappeared, the white light from before disappearing along with her.
"Wait," yelled Bickslow just before the figure disappeared, but he was too late. He cursed under his breath. He didn't mean to scare the spirit away. The spirit could give the answers they needed and the spirit themselves might need help as well to help move on to the afterlife.
"What the hell was that," said Evergreen with wide eyes. Did they just witness a wandering spirit? Sure, she was used to seeing spirits working with Bickslow on missions with his totems. Usually, they would have a host or be angry and hostile. This one seemed so calm.
"I'm pretty sure that was a ghost," replied Lucy with a nervous smile. Normal human beings did not glow or disappear into thin air.
"We have to talk to her," demanded Bickslow in a serious tone. "She needs help!" They can also obtain information from her. Spirits are a good source of information since normal people are unable to see them and they can overhear and see things without getting caught.
"If you haven't noticed she just disappeared, how do you suppose we can help her," said Evergreen in an exasperated tone. She knew Bickslow was passionate about cases like this, ghosts and spirits, but there was only so much they could do.
"I know a spell. We can summon her by doing a seance," explained Bickslow, removing his helmet and sitting cross-legged by the base of the tree, preparing himself to cast a spell. He drew a pentagram on the ground, likely he didn't need candles this time. Because of his magic, he would be used as a medium to communicate with the dead. Depending on how attached the spirit was to this world, he wasn't sure how long she would be able to sustain her ghost form. He just hoped the bond was strong with the land of the living.
"Spiritual shade (of my) beloved (or steemed) one, we summon thee, we pray to thee, (come) talk to us, join and be among us!" Bickslow chanted his eyes glowing green, his babies joining in the chanting.
A gust of wind flew by when Bickslow finished his chanting. Evergreen and Lucy looked at the pentagram expectedly, hoping for something to happen but nothing.
"That's strange," mumbled Bickslow as he rubbed his chin, confused by the situation. "It should have worked. It always worked." Bickslow was surprised at this was all. At least there should have been a sign or even an astral form for a few seconds.
Bickslow was about to get up from his seat when another gust of wind sat him back down. A bright light shined in front of him and when the light disappeared, the woman from before appeared again. Now that Bickslow had a good look at her, she was very beautiful, with green eyes that reminded him of nature and purple hair. But it wasn't exactly purple, it was more…
Violet, thought Bickslow, slightly taken aback at the spirit's appearance. Appearance wise, she was exactly his type, and he had a feeling her personality was something he would have liked as well. He tended to like the shy, introvert types. Something about being able to bring out their wonderful personality when it is just the two of them together. He believed that everyone was extroverted; it was just a matter of finding the right interest and topic to talk about that makes a person so passionate and animated.
Bickslow cleared his throat when he realized he was staring too long at the spirit, who had a slight blush on her face from his constant scrutiny. Evergreen and Lucy were waiting for him to work his magic and work his magic he will, literally and figuratively. "Spirit! We have summoned you because we require your assistance. Please tell us your name." Usually, he was never this formal when talking to spirits, but he didn't want to scare her off with his kooky personality so he'll start off by being nice and formal. Guess the etiquette lessons with Capricorn are paying off.
"M-my name is V-violet," said the woman in question, getting flustered by the blue-haired man's constant stare. He was the only one who actually noticed her and tried to talk to her. Every time she tried to talk to someone, they would just walk past her, sometimes through her. That's when she realized she was dead and no one could hear her.
"Wait," said Lucy with wide eyes, stepping forward to get a better look at the spirit. It couldn't be. "I-is your last name Foxglove," she asked in a shaky tone. She was afraid she wasn't going to like the answer.
Violet nodded. "Yes, my name is Violet Foxglove." Wow, and the blonde girl even knew her name. These people are interesting.
"Oh no," muttered Lucy under her breath in horror as she tried to hold on to something to keep herself from falling. Her knees lost all strength at that answer. She was hoping for another answer, that it was just coincidence that the ghost they encountered had the name Violet.
"Lucy, you okay." Evergreen rushed to steady the poor girl, who just became pale as a ghost. No pun intended.
"Ever." Lucy whispered softly so Violet didn't overhear her. She wasn't sure if Violet had all of her memories. Best to get some answers first. "That's Jasmine's sister." This caused Evergreen to let out a gasp.
Violet Foxglove, Jasmine's little sister, was dead. And from the looks of it, she was dead for a couple of months, considering the conversation Lucy and Laxus overheard this morning. She didn't come back home for months. Well, how could she, considering Violet was dead?
If Jasmine finds out, she'll lose it. Poor girl. This isn't the best way to find out your baby sister was dead. Lucy couldn't help but feel for the poor girl. She was in a mess when her mother passed away. Lucy couldn't imagine the pain Jasmine would feel finding out the sister she raised as her own child was dead.
But why is she dead? Lucy thought as she tried to figure out the puzzle in front of her. If I remember correctly from the books I read on spirits and ghosts, ghosts tend to frequent the area they are most attached to. Typically, it would be something close to that they cherished or the place they passed away at. The city is far away. Violet must have died here. But Jasmine would have known. Are we missing something? Lucy needed to question the girl in front of her.
Looks like Bickslow is a mind reader because he decided to start questioning Violet. "My name is Bickslow and I am a seith mage. I specialize in spirits and lost souls. You, my dear, are a lost soul, wandering around this plane because you have unfinished business. My job is to help guide spirits like you to the afterlife. In order for me to do that, I require information from you, so I will ask questions. Some may be uncomfortable and hard to answer, but know that I have your best interest at heart," stated Bickslow in a sincere tone. His feelings were genuine and he will help Violet move on to the afterlife. He began with his first question, the obvious one. "How did you die?"
Violet opened her mouth to answer that when she felt a pang of pain rush to her head. She let out a pained gasp, clutching her forehead, her mouth moving against her will, singing the song from before. She felt like she knew the answer, but nothing was popping into her mind. Her mind felt hazy and foggy. In the process of rubbing her temple, her bangs were swept to the side, revealing a sigil on her forehead.
"Shit. Violet, you okay." Bickslow cursed as he got on his feet to help Violet. When he got closer, he saw the black sigil on her forehead, causing him to let out another string of curses. "Dammit!" If that symbol was what he thought it was, they had a bigger problem at hand and a lot of investigating to do.
"What is it?" Seeing the distressed look on Bickslow's face made Lucy even more worried. What was the meaning of the symbol that caused Bickslow's expression to turn even more grim.
"It's a warding symbol," explained Bickslow, running his fingers through his mohawk, making his wild hair even wilder. "Meaning she can't talk about her cause of death or the events that led up to it. Even something related." Violet might not be able to talk about her death, but it made one thing clear to Bickslow. The symbols were used in certain cases, so he knows what her cause of death was.
"But someone would have cast that, right? Wouldn't that mean.." Evergreen couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
Bickslow nodded grimly. "Someone murdered Violet."