Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it, nor any pop culture or classical references. All original plots and characters are mine.
In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.
PREVIOUSLY, on Fairy Adventure: Luke has made it to the isle of Demons, and boy, has Galuna Island changed since Team Natsu first came to break its curse! As a haven for Demons, abused Aberrant and Chimaera and those born with Curses and Black Magic, Bobo and Fairy Tail have done a fantastic in helping those ostracized by society still reap the benefits of the Current Era, even if they can't reveal themselves yet to the world. But even Luke has a lot of thinking to undo with his personal beliefs about the way Demons can act. Don't worry, Luke—have your mindset challenged and changed is what growing up and maturing is all about! After all, he took a stand against his old beliefs to show his people what he, too, looks like as a Demon.
"How do you feel?"
"Good."
They do say Demons can look like the most beautiful Angels. I think Luke's time on Galuna Island will show him that there is more to his people and their history than meets the eye…
RINRIN!
With the fire roaring and the stars twinkling, tonight was a good night to be a Roamer.
The violins, pan flutes, and drums broke out as skirts flared and bells tinkled. Laughter and good food passed around so seamlessly that it was easy to forget the bloodshed and the bodies it had taken to tuck into this winding mountainside. Tomorrow, they would remember. Tomorrow, they would dessert this slice of Heaven to go back to the hell of the desert. Tomorrow, they could watch over their shoulders and keep their children hidden and try to pass as Alakitasian vagabonds.
But tonight, they would dance.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • — • — • —
The Wastes of Alakitasia
Year X765
— • — • — • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Wagons and caravans and horses rested for the evening, but the few magical companions they allowed themselves had come out to play with vibrating tails and eager purrs. These flowy skirts were not for women alone—others had taken to the feminine art of their culture's dance, enticing their partners to shed their shoes and feel the beat of the music around the fire.
Were they in a place they could belong, a young lady with all the signs of merging into womanhood would have been gifted her veil to set the pace for an intimate relationship with a person of her choosing. Tonight, however, she seduced her private lover, the type of lover you quietly fooled around with under your parents' nose and said not a word to each other in public. Others had secret grins when her lover could not take his eyes off her hips and the way she moved, dazedly following her into the music. What a joyous night indeed!
RINRIN!
He watched from the outskirts. A gadjo, they called him in their tongue, an outsider, a non-Roamer—a Rooter. At least the untrusting looks had vanished for idle curiosity and disinterest. A few children had been bold enough to give him a share of food their leader approved, but no one else had disturbed him. He watched them dance and laugh and seeing them made one feel that wanderlust, the lightness, that need to belong.
"Thank you."
The woman sidling towards him had come in her tri-colored skirt and bodice, but she had shunned the traditional bells for a jeweled scarf to keep back her troublesome bangs. She cocked her hip and looked down at him with a smile that held one thousand secrets. "You didn't have to save my people from those bandits, especially when the dessert doesn't reward heroes."
He broke his bread and tried not to keep his stare lingering on her toned stomach or her generous curves. "It's fine," he dismissed. "I didn't do it for a reward. The job I'm in has been giving me Hell. Honestly, I was looking for a fight. And they happened to be in the wrong place at the right time."
She hummed. "A job? Are you a mercenary?"
He snorted. "No. I'm a little too destructive for something like that." He pulled back his cloak to jerk a thumb at the black stamp on his chest. "I'm a Guild Mage, actually. S-Class."
"And I suppose that should mean something to me?" A hint of teasing nudged her simper.
"No." Though he felt a little ruffled. "I guess not."
The fire cackled as the dance intensified. The adults made way as the new couple took the stage together, hopelessly devoted to each other and slaves to the soul-seducing beat.
He watched them, more curious than anything, and he murmured, "Y'know, this energy sort of reminds me of home. We throw crazy parties and everyone pretty much gets knocked out with booze."
Something in her smile went bittersweet. "Yes, well, our nights aren't always like this." She crossed her arms beneath her chest, but her adoration for her people shone through watching the young couple dance their passion. "Most nights, we try to hide as much as we can from bandits and any dogs of the military."
"What's so different about tonight?"
She heaved a sigh as the accepted past haunted her delicate present. "Nothing. We'll still be hunted down come morning. But we can't always live in fear. That's why we have nights like tonight where we can dance and drink and feel like we have a place in this world. We all know when tomorrow comes, we'll still have to keep moving. But for now, this is enough to get us by."
"Hmph." He glanced at her before looking back at his share of food.
She quirked an eyebrow as she flicked her gaze to him. "Well, Mister S-Class Guild Mage"—she teased her s's—"got a name? Or should I keep calling you 'gadjo'?"
He huffed, but he introduced, "I'm Gildarts."
"Well, Gildarts…" She waved her skirt with an impish grin. "Why don't you stop being such an outsider and come dance like the world is ending? There's no need for you to worry about your job. The assassin you're after won't be moving locations anytime soon."
He shot her a frown. "How did you know that? And how did you know about my job?"
"I have my ways," she told him, not giving an inch. "So? How about it? Care to dance?" Her skirt swirled as she turned. "Though I have to warn." Her hand came up empty, but when she gave him a side-eye, playful, a card appeared in her hand with an odd symbol on its back. "You'll fall in love with me afterward."
That made Gildarts grin. "You sound so sure, little missy." He got to his feet, a whole two heads taller than her. "I like a woman with confidence."
"It's not confidence. It's…"—a wry smile pressed her lips as she turned her hand and the card disappeared—"intuition." For all her assessments of him, she did not expect him to be gentle in wrapping an arm around her waist nor the way his knuckles brushed her cheek. "Careful. You're proving my intuition right."
"I'll take my chances," he decided. "And you never told me your name."
She matched the simmer in his eyes. "And why should I?"
"If your 'intuition' says I'll fall in love with you, then shouldn't I know the name of the woman I'm going to marry?"
She raised an eyebrow. "I never said marry."
"Your intuition not tell you that?" he asked in jest.
A sudden sober look crossed her as she looked up at him. "My intuition tells me marrying you would be the worst mistake of my life…and also the greatest joy in my life." She searched his eyes. "You're dedicated to your work to the point of admiration. But it leaves a lot to be desired." She gracefully spun out from his hold, but he caught her fingers before she could be the one who got away. "You're a dangerous man and a long way from home. You should head back to your people." She tipped her head. "And beware of Dragons."
He chuckled. "I thought you asked me for a dance?" When she stayed put, he prowled closer. "And I thought I was going to fall in love with you afterward?"
"You will." She did not joke or flirt her way out of this. Her words rang absolute. "But it'll bring pain as much as it brings you joy—" Her breath hitched when he ducked his head to her and feathered her cheek.
"Like I said," he breathed, "I'll take my chances."
A sad sort of smile contradicted her eyes. "I can't leave my people. But if I fell in love with you, I would." Now her fingers touched his cheek and all his stubble. "So I can't fall in love with you."
"Then don't."
She laughed slightly. "You say it like it's simple, but it's not."
"Then fall in love with me," Gildarts said. "And I'll fall in love with you, just like your intuition tells you."
She searched his eyes again. "You're a dangerous man," she told him once more. "And you'll ruin me as much as you'll love me." A bit of mocking in her smirk. "I guess I'll take my chances." She pulled away, but she took his hands in hers to draw him to the flames and the dancing and the music under the starlight.
He found himself asking, "You never told me your name."
A saucy glint made her look all that more alluring. "You can call me 'Lia'."
"That's not going to work." He surprised her yanking on her hand so she flushed against him. He murmured in her ear, "What's the name of the girl I'm about to fall in love with?"
A resigned laugh escaped her. "Everyone here does call me 'Lia'," she explained. She drew back to show him twinkling violets he could get lost in. "But my name…is Cornelia."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • — • — • —
"Ame no youna kaze no youna
Dareka no koto jama suru youna
Hito ni nante naritaku wanai kara?
Hare no youna hikari no youna
Dareka no koto teraseru youna
Hito ni naritai!"
nante itai tte dareka no koe ga?
Kikoetara nanda
Nagutte kowashite sayonara DILEMMA!
— • — • — • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Cane woke up like clockwork. It did not matter how crossed he had gotten the night before, how much he tanked his kidney with liquor, what city he met his lady of the night in—he woke up on the dot.
And this morning, he was not in his own bed.
The bad aftertaste of vodka made his mouth reek as he sat up, shirtless. A girl had fallen asleep beside him, most likely naked given how loose the sheets were around her, but she had no grand illusions of him being a cuddler, thank goodness. He scrubbed his face as he got up and tried to find his clothes. His boxers and pants were easy enough. It took a second for him to remember he had only come in his hoodie for him not to lose sleep over a lost shirt.
"Mmm…"
He found his slides and slipped them on as the girl in bed groaned in her waking and cracked an eye open. "You're leaving?" she slurred.
"Yeah." With his clothes situated, he raked his hair. "I have somewhere to be." He had no guilt when he got out his carton of CBD cigarettes and his lighter. He lit one up and let it sit on the side of his mouth as he made sure he had everything he came with. "But it was fun." He blew out smoke and fed her a charming grin. "Sorry I crashed. It's not really my style."
"That's okay." A little more awake, she was not shy as she peeled away the sheets, but there was no mistaking that hopeful and partially desperate feel behind her bedroom eyes as she came to the edge of the bed. "You sure you can't stay longer?"
Cane took another puff. "Sorry. I really have somewhere to be." He snickered when she fingered the waistband of his pants, but he made sure to be gentle in removing her fingers. "But like I said, it was fun." He smiled when she tried her best pout. "I'll see you around. Take care, all right?" He took another puff as he left the bedroom. Her apartment came with roommates without boundaries if the mess on the floor and cabins and open doors did not speak for themselves. And that was a damn shame. The apartment was nice.
It took him a good minute or two to leave the building. The sun's light irritated his eyes, but he flicked his fingers to summon a Magic Card. And in another flick, his card changed to sunglasses for him to put on. He sighed his next puff of smoke before getting out his Compact and checking the time. Damn. I wanted to see her off before I had to leave.
He scratched his nose and blended in with the pedestrian foot traffic. She already blew up at me for sending her money for her trip. I'm sure Gale's going to be in a pissy mood at Inter-Guild. Dragons aren't fond of others touching their treasures.
He listlessly scrolled through his notifications. A half-smile befell him seeing Luna's texts go from angry to reluctant to shy to scolding. I was joking when I said she could come with me. But I wouldn't mind the company.
He blinked seeing Luna's last message:
« I'll make you more suckers when I come home »
Violets softened. Even when you're not happy with me, you're still worried. Igneel won't like that one bit.
• — • — •
"Here you go."
Cane smiled when Luna pushed forward a plate of the works for brunch. She had even cleaned the apartment kitchen as she cooked and did her best to add little garnishes to make the plate perfect. "Thank you."
"Sure." Luna sat down with her own plate once she made sure Icarus settled with his own sausage, bacon, and eggs. "Eat up. I have extra leftover if you want more."
"Thanks." Cane observed Luna as she took to her food in small bites and partially dull eyes. "You know," he drawled, "maybe I really should marry you if you feed me like this all the time."
Luna thinly laughed. "No thanks. I might get stabbed by one of your many exes. And I like not being stabbed, thank you."
Cane took this as an opportunity. "Speaking of exes…"
Luna stopped pushing her food with her smile brittle and eyes averted. "You really do know everything, don't you?"
Cane did not run with her feeble jest, but he held his silence.
Luna sighed. "Bleu and I broke up," she confessed to him. No—confirmed. "It… It was time for us to. I had done a lot of thinking and… I'd just meant for us to talk, but…" Appetite gone, she abandoned her cutlery to place her hands on her lap.
Cane questioned, "Who broke up with who?"
Six beats.
"He broke up with m-me." Luna blinked when she could feel heat and wetness press against her eyes. "But I'm sure you knew that—"
"No," Cane murmured. "I didn't. The pendulum swung either way." He lifted his hand to cup her cheek. "But it always showed me your sadness."
Luna's gold lashes fluttered. "I shouldn't be sad." Words pushed towards him but meant for her. "I mean I knew…" Her words hitched. "I knew…I couldn't feel everything with him. It wasn't fair to him."
"But you still felt something." Cane softened when he saw Luna's body tremble. "Come here, beautiful." He sat back when Luna got up and came to his side to climb into his lap and tuck into him. He stroked her hair with one hand and thumbed her leg with another. "You don't have to feel everything with a person to still be sad," he told her. "Even feeling something is enough to feel like this when they're gone."
"Is this how you feel?" Luna asked him in a sniffle. "Is this how you feel when you break up with those girls?"
Violets glinted. "No. Because I didn't feel anything for them. I never do."
Luna sniffled. "Maybe I should do that."
"What, be with someone you feel nothing towards?" He smiled when all Luna could do was nod into his neck. "I know you're saying that because it hurts losing someone you felt something towards. It's easier and cleaner to be with someone you don't care about." He pressed a kiss against her forehead and breathed, "But you have such a big heart, beautiful. It's not in your nature to close it off. It's in your nature to give a piece of it to everyone you touch. It's a gift."
A few tears slipped down Luna's cheeks. "It doesn't feel like it," she croaked.
"That's because your heart's hurting right now," Cane told her. "And when you hurt, everything that felt good before feels horrible now. But I promise you it's a gift, beautiful." He closed his eyes as he shifted Luna. "I'm not sure when things will start to feel good again, but I'm here if you need me. And I'm sure Red and Little Prince are there for you too. Even if you just want to cuss his name out or watch a romance movie and cry, I'm here."
Luna giggled, genuine this time. "I don't want to cuss his name or watch a sappy movie." She let go of her mirth in a quiet sigh. "I don't know. I knew it was coming, but still, it just…hurts. And if I told E it hurts, she'd probably hunt him down and start going nuclear."
"She's protective of you," Cane reasoned. "If you're the heartbroken princess in the fairy tale, she's your gallant personal knight ready to defend your honor without fail. You know that."
Luna hummed and sank into the hold before she stiffened. "Oh. I almost forgot." With a swipe under her eyes, she got off Cane to grab her PDD and brought out a cute jar with a ribbon. "This is for you."
Cane blinked in surprise when Luna showed him a thick glass jar full of suckers. "What's this?" He grinned at her. "Are they as sweet as you are, beautiful?"
"Give it a rest," Luna sighed, even if her lips quirked upwards. "I'm not going to stop you or lecture you about smoking, but, well…" She pinkened a little as she lowered her eyes and murmured, "I just thought…these could be a nice alternative when you're getting upset and you want to smoke. I made sure they didn't have a lot of sugar since you don't like sweets. And each one is a different flavor." She chanced a look at him. "So? Do you like them?"
Cane looked at the jar of suckers in a new light. 'She made these for me?' He snickered as he covered his eyes with a hand. "You're too damn cute, beautiful."
Luna puffed a cheek. "Now you're making fun of me," she accused. "I put a lot of effort into those suckers—!"
"I know you did." Cane took his hand from his face to give her a sincere smile. "I don't need my cards to know you did this because you cared."
"Well, duh, of course I care," Luna huffed. "I can't stop you from smoking, but if you feel like you need to smoke because you're upset, I just thought you could have a better alternative so you're not overdoing it and—" She halted when Cane dropped his head into the crook of her neck. "Cane? Are you okay?"
'Ha… I'm not okay. Because if you keep acting this caring…' He briefly closed his eyes. 'These feelings really are troublesome.' Ignoring his thoughts, he jested to her, "I can't handle how sweet you're being. You sure you don't want to marry me? I'll make it worth your while."
Luna snorted. "Yeah, right. I'd be stuck being your little housewife." She combed through Cane's hair. "And Igneel made it pretty clear he wouldn't let you ever marry me. Sorry."
Cane chuckled as he put the suckers on the table to wrap his arms around her. "Your brother's a nasty fucker with that right hook. You might stay single for the rest of your life with him around."
Silence.
"Would that…be a bad thing?"
Cane drew up his head to see Luna's calm expression.
"Maybe…it's better that way," Luna said, eyes duller than before. "I felt everything for someone…and I got hurt. I felt something for someone…and I still got hurt. Maybe it's better to be alone. And then I don't have to feel like this ever again."
"Don't say that," Cane admonished not unkindly as he tucked a stray lock of Luna's hair behind her ear before thumbing her cheek. "I think that whole phrase 'better to have loved and lost' whatever is complete bullshit. If my mom hadn't fallen for my dad, she might've never experienced her heartbreak."
"But then you wouldn't be here," Luna pointed out, frowning. "That's different."
"Maybe it is." Cane moved Luna so she straddled him and he could cup her cheeks in his hands. "I'm not sure what's going on in your head or your ex-boyfriend's head. And I know it hurts. If you want to stay single, then that's fine. It's good to guard your heart. But if you ever start feeling something for someone again and your heart is telling you that even if there's a chance of pain, the joy outweighs it? You should go with that."
Luna looked at his chest. "I don't know…"
"Or"—he showed a lopsided grin—"you could just date me until death do we part."
SMACK!
A flat-faced Luna smooshed Cane's cheeks. "Stop joking like that or else I'm going to do something I'll regret." She slipped off him and flushed out her hair. "Geez. You say the nicest and soulful things and then you ruin it," she complained in a mutter. Tapping the glass jar of suckers, she warned him, "You better use these. Or else I'll never make you them again."
"Well, we wouldn't want that," Cane supposed, amused. "You sure you don't want to keep sitting on my lap, beautiful? I make a comfortable seat."
Luna looked like she was counting backward from ten, and Cane could not help how his mirth increased. "No, Cane," she forced out. She rounded back into her chair and scratched Icarus behind the ears. "I feel sorry for all those girls who fall for those lines. They're blinded by your bad flirting to see the real you."
"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow. "And what's the real me like?"
"Annoying."
Cane laughed at Luna's deadpan answer. "But you love me."
"Against my will," Luna muttered. This time, when she picked up her fork, her hearty appetite returned. "Unfortunately, I can't stop loving family."
Violets went half-mass. 'Yeah.' His hand tightened. 'Family.'
• — • — •
Cane took the last puff of his cigarette before killing it in an ashtray above a public trashcan. I knew she was going to be sad. However… I also knew she wouldn't ask me to use my powers to tell her why her ex broke it off with her first or what was in the cards for her. Never has she asked me to use my powers for her benefit or peace of mind.
Violets sparked. But still, it's not time yet. I can't understand why it isn't. But my intuition tells me I'll be waiting quite some time until she's ready to learn.
Cane blinked when a call from his mother came in. He swiped to answer it and helloed, "What's up, Mom?"
"Are you coming home soon?"
Cane smiled slightly. "Yeah, I'm on my way. I wouldn't forget breakfast with you before I head out for my job."
"Good." Cana's warm relief came through the Compact. "I'll make sure to have it warm. I won't have too much time since I'm going on a quick trip, but I still wanted to see you off."
"I got it. See you at home. Love you, Mom."
"Love you too. See you."
The call ended, but a pensive look crossed Cane. I'm getting a bad feeling again… When his hand flicked, a business card was in his hand rather than his normal Magic Cards. Nothing fancy about it outside of the title and time scrawled across:
RADIOCLUB
11:30
Cane twisted the card between his fingers. So… Radioclub. I've never heard of it, but if this is where Coeus wants to meet, so be it. He's the only one I can turn to for my assignment.
His hand twitched to change the business card to a Magic Card that housed a sucker. After waving it twice, one of the suckers Luna had made for him came out. Popping it in his mouth, he took in the flavor. Ah… So this one is strawberry.
He knocked the sucker around as he scrolled his Compact, but his violets twinkled. You were right. A half-smile. This does make me feel better.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure 136
•
A Spring Holiday Side Story
Joker Game
•
春の休日のサイドストーリー
ジョーカー・ゲーム
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
MERA-MERA!
Fire gave life as much as it cemented death.
Screams ripped up the air as fire spread in mass. No one—no man, woman, child, or animal—was safe from this condemnation. Their temples, their schools, their homes—all had been mauled as the sky opened up and rained fire, ash, and blood. Desperate scholars scrounged to gather their work before the flames consumed their life's purpose before their eyes. One child, wet in the pants and frightened, got picked up in the chaos by an adult not their parent yet soothed them with promises of escape. These conquerors—these thieves of life—did not care who or what they latched onto and tortured. A few had gained sick pleasure from pouncing onto a runner and burdening them with such excruciating curses that their prey died with their last vision being of their murderer.
But all in all, the footsteps of these takers went directly to one table. The leader brought down the doors with a wave of their hand.
A lone man in a toga sat within the hallowed temple and a statue of a praying and hooded woman behind him. His eyes glowed with power as three magical sigils rearranged themselves like ticking clocks of the past, present, and future. Even as the army of slaughters shot him with a barrage of their powers, a barrier kept the attacks from harming this man.
This would be the last fortune he would tell.
The sigils stopped their shifting when they finally got their stories straight. The man's lips moved fast, ignorant to those trying to tear down his defenses and gun for his blood. Between the lone man's hands, Magic blossomed and morphed and shifted until born was a card.
An Unknown Card.
The spell cast, his power rescinded into his chest, and he took hold of the card. It did not matter that his home had been ravaged in death and destruction. It did not matter that the army before him would take pleasure in making him bleed. He studied the card in his hand.
A smile came to him.
When he looked up, he did not let his gaze waver to the dozens of murderers trying to break down his barrier. He locked eyes with the person who lead this charge of damnation, and he did not look away. He showed the back of his Unknown card with his violet regard level and unbroken.
His lips moved as he showed the front of his card—
"You're too late."
—and showed a woman fashioned out of the cosmos.
Cane took off his shoes as he came into the apartment. "I'm home!"
"I'm in the kitchen."
Cane set his slides aside and ventured further into the apartment to see his mother practicing tasseomancy (tea leaf divination). "You almost never do tea leaves when you're dukkering," he prompted as he went to make both him and her coffee. "Is everything okay?"
Cana frowned as she studied the teacup. "I'm not sure. I'm seeing the comet and a snake and a toad. But then I see a clear butterfly." With her hair swept back due to her headband, she brushed it to the side. "I hate doing tasseomancy, but the querent was insistent."
"Hm." While Cane waited for both coffees to be ready, he piled on his eggs and hash. "You couldn't read their palm? That's better than tea leaves." With the coffee finished, he started adding cream and sugar to his mother's.
"Well, I offered reading their palm, but they specifically wanted tea leaves. And you know how much I hate using crystal balls." Cana smiled when Cane gifted her coffee. "Thank you. I guess I'm getting old to the point where my kid's taking care of me now."
Cane snorted. "You're not old, Mom." He fetched his breakfast and coffee before sitting adjacent to her. "You want me to do the reading?"
"No, it's fine." Cana sighed as she grabbed her mug and sipped it. "I'll let the client know. I'd prefer them to be with me, but they couldn't. They sent me a cloth with their aura instead, so the tea leaf reading is as accurate as I can get right now without their physical presence. The answer is just…odd based on their question." She looked over the rim of her mug to her son and his messy look. "I take it you had a good time last night."
Cane chuckled. "Not really."
"Mm-hmm," Cana simpered. "You know, one of these days you're going to get into trouble, I swear."
Cane smirked. "Is that your intuition talking?"
"No. That's me as your mom talking," Cana laughed, shaking her head. "You're just like your granddad in so many ways." Her dark violets softened a smidgen as she thought about her roaming father. "After my mom, he was all over the place with women. I used to get all pissed at him. But now I understand him a little better." She feathered the rim of her mug. "Those women are a temporary distraction for him. He might be a pervy old man, but I know he misses my mom. Just like he knows he can't replace her." She glanced at her son, sadly knowing. "That's why I know you take after your granddad a lot more than you think."
Cane paused for a few moments before exhaling a resigned laugh. "Yeah." Violets flickered, poignant. "We have that in common, I guess."
Cana observed him before she set down her coffee mug. She broached, "Cane… I've been thinking… I know you don't want to speak to your dad—"
"Good." Flint cut Cane's words. "Then we're on the same page."
Cana pursed her lips. "We both promised we would never force you to go back to having a relationship with him," she remembered, "and we want to honor that promise, but…" Her shoulders slumped. "Your Orthrus misses you so much. Bacchus says they've become severely depressed and barely eat. They stay with Goldmine and sleep in your room there. They barely go on walks anymore."
Guilt touched Cane's chest. "They're more Bacchus' dog than mine—"
"You know that's not true," Cana swiftly rebutted. "Bacchus brought them home for you, Cane. You're the one they bonded with, not him. But you can't look past your stubborn pride for their health—" She took a breath. "I understand why you resist most of what your father bought you. But Miss Mossycoat and Miss Matuja belong to you, Cane. Don't punish them for what Bacchus did."
Cane clenched his jaw.
Cana sighed as she got up. "I'm just a Com-call away if you need me. Be careful on your mission, all right?" She kissed his cheek. "I'm not saying this to hurt you. I'm saying this because I love you. Go to them. At least visit them. They miss you." She touched Cane's shoulder before leaving him at the table.
Cane looked down at his half-eaten breakfast before he reached into his pocket and pulled out another card. It turned into another sucker Luna had made for him, and he popped it into his mouth to crunch on it for a minute and taste the flavor.
Huh… Watermelon.
The desert was where you went when you had no choice.
Caravans and wagons had been prepared in advance for the day their home would be stolen from them as foretold by their powers. They had been honored enough for a friend Enchanter to reinforce their caravans and clothes with protective enchantment to survive the tall dunes and harsh sandstorms. Wind blasted the sand this way and that without rhyme or reason, but everyone had to keep moving with their scarves and eye coverings keeping them protective.
It was traumatic when an elder fell prey to the sand twister. They would die alone and mourned when their people had the chance. Little children and nursing mothers stayed within the cramped caravans and held onto each other for support.
A young woman held up the rear to try and help those who faltered and stumbled. As she quickly got another elder back onto their feet, she looked back into the storm where the shadows played tricks on her.
And her violet eyes held hatred.
The speakeasy had no guests today—or so it seemed.
When Cane ducked into the bar, it looked spotless without the film of tobacco and too many drinks mucking up the air. The Jukebox Lacrima played a slow-moving jazz piece where the saxophone wailed the highs and the lows of economical struggle. The bartenders—the lithe older gentleman with half-moon glasses and the shorted, stouter middle-aged man with a thick mustache—looked uncanny in their serenity that their little bar in this low-profile town had no customers.
And yet, this bar could still afford the nicest scotches, whiskeys, and rums Cane had ever seen.
The stouter bartender smiled. "Welcome." He gestured a hand to the back of the speakeasy. "We've been waiting for you."
Cane nodded and bypassed both bartenders to go to the back. The private rooms held more expectations than they should. Many must have thought the fancy shut doors held debonaire debauchery, but they could not be more wrong.
KARA…
Cane stopped when one of the mahogany doors opened to his right—
"Good afternoon." Coeus sat inside the private room on the U-couch as he swirled godfather with lemon peel. "You're on time."
Cane slipped inside, unbothered the door closed after him. As he sat across from Coeus, he asked, "What is this place?"
"A bar," Coeus said, sipping his godfather drink. "A meeting spot. Maybe even a date spot, if that's what you're into." He set down his drink to gesture to Cane. "Thirsty?"
Cane shook his head. "Not while I'm on the job." His hands pressed together before expanding to bridge playing cards. "Want to play a game with me? I'll deal."
"Naturally."
Coeus tapped two fingers down on the table, and that was enough indication for Cane to start dealing each of them ten cards. A discard pile sat neatly with one card flipped over to reveal the ten of spades. Cane and Coeus picked up their cards, but it was the non-dealer who went first. Now Coeus had to choose if the ten of spades would help him form a set or run or if he should pass the option to Cane.
As gin rummy went between both men, a knock came on the door. Coeus passed on the card and said, "Come in."
The stouter bartender came with a tray, a towel, and ingredients for a drink. "Please excuse me." With ease, he made Cane a non-alcoholic drink with spherical ice in the middle of his glass, all while Cane passed, and Coeus flipped the next card to exchange his queen of clubs for a ten of diamonds. Once the drink was finished, the bartender left and closed the door.
As it became Cane's turn and he flipped for the next card, he murmured, "There's been some trouble Master wants me to investigate on. And I think your expertise is needed for it."
"You want to take advice from a schizophrenic conspiracy theorist? How funny." The back and forth of the gin rummy remained unhurried. Coeus glanced at Cane as though assessing. "I'm sure you're not used to being the one asking the questions, knowing your abilities."
Cane focused on his cards. "No, I'm not." His turn came back around, and he exchanged his eight of hearts for a king of clubs. "But you should know that a shoddy fortune teller can tell their own fortune. I can't use my abilities on my life and situations. That's just how it works. Doing so would be considered a Taboo." Violets flickered. "Is my answer satisfactory payment?"
Coeus stole a five of hearts for his seven of clubs. "That's the question."
The game continued on in a hush. Cane went for the four of spades to trade for his seven of spades. Coeus went for a two of spades for his nine of hearts. Would this round continue pursuit or would someone call for a knock or a gin?
Cane spoke first. "There seems to be some confusion about my identity. What I mean is"—violets darkened—"there seems to be another one of me walking the streets."
"Plastic surgery," Coeus threw out as a possibility. "Impersonation through plastic surgery and Transformation Magic is nothing new. Some have gone so far as to copy the powers of those they desperately want to imitate to show they can live their lives better than the original. Or a Golem implemented with Copy Magic could be used."
"I understand that." Cane stopped dithering around to level Coeus with a firm look. "But that's not what I'm asking."
Coeus tilted his head. "What's your question?"
"Coeus." Cane laid his elbows against the table. "Is it possible to have a doppelgänger without the use of Magic or plastic surgery?"
Coeus' lips turned upwards into a sly smile. "That's the question." He set down his cards to stand up. "Come with me." Without preamble, he left the table to open the door. However, rather than the hallway of the speakeasy appearing, an old school elevator with mahogany doors had taken the place with red plush carpeting.
Cane collected his playing cards and made them disappear. Draining his glass, he followed Coeus into the elevator. A liftman stood by the buttons, a living Shadow with his own prestigious uniform complete with a hat. The speakeasy door had turned into shut elevator doors, and the Shadower liftman did not hesitate to turn a nob and press one of the multiple buttons on a panel.
Cane looked up, but with no floor numbers, all he could see was an arrow assuring him they were passing floors. "Where are we now?"
"My apartment building," Coeus answered with his hands in his trench coat. "It hasn't been modified for quite some time. And I don't normally bring guests over outside Thirteen and my therapist, so you'll have to excuse the mess."
Cane frowned. "Why are we going to your apartment?"
DING!
The doors opened, and the Shadower liftman pulled back the guard fence.
Coeus cocked his head. "To get your answer." And he stepped out of the elevator.
Cane felt like he would step on a minefield given how the inside of Coeus' apartment looked. Pictures upon artifacts upon evidence had amassed on his floors with sticky notes and multiple strings of yarn connecting things together. Theories had been slapped together and acted as the catalyst for such crazed and in-depth research that would make any evaluation psychologist think Coeus was madder than a hatter. Even the furniture looked disconcerting. He had the bare basics to provide any guests with one singular leather accent chair and a coffee table. Anything else was his extensive desk and DAL set-up.
As Coeus ruffled through filing cabinets, Cane came closer to one of Coeus' theories involving a phantom stranger with a black hawk on his shoulder and a brimmed hat shadowing a good portion of his face. Connected to him looked like three different people, all intelligent Chimaera—a male Wolf Chimera in scholarly attire, a female Leopard Chimera who looked like a femme fatale, and a Lion Chimera who looked like someone you would never want to meet in a dark alley. More and more yarn connected this man and his associates to newspaper clippings and printed out articles and photos. One photo directly under the phantom stranger showed a hooded teenaged boy with tawny eyes—
"Find something you like?"
Cane pulled back. "Your entire place is full of conspiracy theories?"
"It's full of questions," Coeus corrected. "And I'll find the answers."
Cane pointed at one particular set of photos and printed out article clippings. "Jar lids are tight to keep the patriarchy alive?"
"Think about it," Coeus said. "They force jar lids to be irrationally screwed on tight to force unsuspecting women to seek out men and rely on them to open jars. When in reality, the entire practice is outdated since I've personally seen more women stronger than men when it comes to jars."
Cane found another theory and asked deadpan, "The Girl Scout administration secretly vets out the more aspiring Girl Scouts to train them to become undercover agents and secretly control multiple governments?"
Coeus did not even flinch. "It's a known fact Girl Scouts as an international organization promotes friendliness and trust. No one would suspect the same organization selling cookies with their sashes would cover up that all the girls in the organization are in covert ops and use their influence to gain the trust of government officials."
Cane's eyebrow twitched as he stared at a dead-serious Coeus. What the Hell am I going here? He ruffled his hair. "Fine. Sure. Whatever." He nodded to the thick file in Coeus' hand. "What's that?"
Coeus handed it over. "Your answer." As Cane took the file and opened it up, Coeus explained, "Shape-shifters died a thousand years ago because of their nature. They could transform into any organic matter. But they couldn't use Magic in doing so. They used pure Spiritual Power to fluctuate themselves into alternative forms."
Cane looked at all the reports and findings on the phenomenon. "How did you get that information?"
"Someone always asks the question," Coeus said, cryptic.
Cane narrowed his eyes to see a blurred photo of an unconscious woman with silver hair down to her feet. Suspended in a water tube, it looked like scientists had flocked to her as though she was a test subject. Hm… Some of this is in another language. I'll need to thoroughly read over everything before I piece together how this happened. Why is someone impersonating me? Violets darkened. And why are they trying to break the trust I built with my friends?
• — • — •
"You need to figure this out."
Cane and Jaxton sat across from each other in Jaxton's living room. Cane had no delusions with Jaxton, not a single one. Being in his apartment and enduring Jaxton's cold eyes alone—it was asking for a fight. But he was not afraid of that. "Figure out what?"
Jaxton's dark eyes stormed. "I don't appreciate your doppelgänger practically assaulting Tesla," he said, tone steely. "Hunting that thing down isn't my concern. My concern is Tesla. And killing your doppelgänger would keep me away from her, so I'm telling you this once."
His lips curled to show wolf teeth and sharp incisors. "Figure it out quickly." He made sure Cane felt the throat-constricting pressure of the power he normally kept controlled. "Before I figure out for you."
• — • — •
Cane looked down at the blurred photo. When Master asked me for my assignment, I was grateful it coincided with my own investigation. But with Fairy Tail's backing, I have a lot more resources and leverage to pull. Violets hardened. So I should get this job done quickly.
Cane closed the file. "I can take this?"
"I have more copies." Coeus checked his watch. "I'll have to ask you to leave. My therapist will be coming over soon, and I have to greet her before one of the other tenants gets to her."
Cane chuckled. "I don't think I've ever heard you sound more upbeat than now, and it's about your therapist of all things."
"None of my therapists survived me long enough," Coeus alluded as he walked Cane to the door (which was not the elevator door, but a regular apartment door instead). "I like this one. She hasn't gone insane yet. All my other therapists either gave up or started going insane. But she hasn't."
Cane opened the door to see the outside world of Magnolia waiting for him. "Any conspiracy theory about that?"
"Of course." Coeus crossed his arms. "A therapist who withstands the theories of a madman without ever going mad herself. Is she as mad as her patient?" His lips twitched into an intrigued smile. "That's the question I want to answer most of all."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
They came with blood in their teeth and the weapons of a predator.
Like thieving shadows, they skulked around the abandoned wagons and caravans. Their leader barked orders like a master to his dogs. Nothing would be left overturned. Time well-spent gathering supplies from traders and bartering in foreign markets would be all for naught as these traitorous fiends stuck their nose into anything and everything. They brought their hounds on chains, letting such barbaric things wag their tails as they try to catch the scent of their prey. A doll left behind in the escape had been crushed under boots. A dreamcatcher an Indigenous friend had gifted them stood no chance when claws ripped it down.
These mercenaries would show no mercy.
And yet for all their hounds and their weapons and their lust for blood, none of them realized the desert had adopted their prey as one of its own. Buried in the sand lay the Roamers in their sand-proof tents. Mothers desperately quelled their babes. A little boy had to pee badly, but he said not a peep when his fear against those monsters mattered more than his full bladder. An elder held her cross necklace as she silently mouthed the prayers her people had forgotten. Others could get annoyed with her deep faith in the old way, but she would keep praying.
But everyone else knew the truth.
The world—even the gods—had made a decision on the Roamers long ago. They now only had one place they belonged—buried below.
But even as their hunters prowled above, they would hide below. A pregnant Roamer woman and her husband huddled together with the midwife. Sweat drenched the soon-to-be mother's body as her contractions worsened. To her pleading, a cloth gag stuffed her mouth. Her little one had the worst timing in the world, but when they decided they wanted to be born, they would be born.
She clamped down on her husband's hand as the next encouraged push had her feeling like she might die as her head threw back and fluids escaped. Her husband whispered words of love and affirmation and promises, squeezing her hand back and unafraid to be ready to do what he must for their little one. And her eyes cracked open to reveal teary, anguish violets.
GATON-GATON-GATON-GATON!
SHUWA! SHUWA!
The local train had more passengers than usual, but it was nothing out of sorts. Tourists brought to Fiore for its beauty and flora had boarded the local line to get a glimpse of the farmland and forest wedged between towns and cities. Others were Fioren natives who wanted to get from A to B. A young secondary couple held onto passage loops as they shared EarPods to listen to ONCE's latest song. An older woman texted her granddaughter that she was all right and she nor her fiancé need not trouble themselves with her temporary stay. A Tamer had gotten on with their guiding animal, a creature that was half dog and half mountain goat.
GATON-GATON-GATON-GATON!
SHUWA! SHUWA!
Cane had his EarPods in as he leaned near the door and watched the scenery spread about. It would be a few short hours until the sun got lazy and called it a night. Only the barest hints of a tinged sky could be seen.
My double is sowing seeds of distrust, Cane thought. It kills me how uncomfortable Tesla is around me. Lady J even confronted me that my double hung around Miles' ex, Cassie. So far, however, my double hasn't done anything seedier while impersonating me. Dash would've notified me. However, by them showing up at the Snow Ball, it was a warning. Violets thundered. That their impersonation goes so deep, not even a room of S-Class Wizards would notice. Which means Magic couldn't have been used. But Spiritual Power, huh?
As the planes passed, a young man had taken his lover out for a horseback ride and by the blush on his face, he enjoyed holding onto his horse-riding partner more than he would ever say.
Cane instinctively summoned another card to produce another suck and popped it in his mouth. While he sucked on it, his playing cards came out so he could absently shuffle. If it spreads someone with such an ability exists, the divide between communities will increase. I'll alert Master and my mom, and I'll talk to Genius when he returns about some sort of discrete device for this sort of confirmation of identity. But still… Why did they impersonate me? If they're after what I think they're after…
Violets narrowed. Then why haven't they approached Luna if they know what she is to me? Maybe they don't. Then if that's the case, what connections do I have that no one else would have? Or maybe I should ask another question: are they intentionally trying to catch my intention with this double in the hopes I hunt them down? Are they trying to lure me so they can use my power? Do they know I'm a Roamer too?
He suppressed his sigh. This is becoming more and more complicated. But it can't be helped. He learned his head against the metal of the train. Is this what you had to endure, Grandma Cornelia?
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • — • — • —
GATON-GATON-GATON-GATON!
DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!
— • — • — • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Cane finished his sucker and threw away the stray as he walked out of the train station. One of the chain bars nearby already had full capacity, thanks to the lunch rush. A couple of gossiping old women on their scooters gabbed about the latest male nurse in their community. A couple of punk goths strolled back to their apartment building with groceries in hand. A local chain supercenter had a field day with many buyers coming in to take advantage of the spring holiday sales.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
« This is Monkshood Town, home to the Quatro Cerberus Guild, which is now led by Guild Master Bacchus Groh. Even though Quatro Cerberus might be an eccentric and punkish guild, Monkshood Senior Living is ranked highly in Fiore as one of the most peaceful retirement communities. That said, every year, Monkshood holds a festival for rock music and death metal called Summer WildFest and HellFest respectively, which brings in scores of metalheads and rockers from all over! »
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Cane sighed and dug his hands into his pockets. He had showered and changed into a hoodie and jeans in the hopes of not being recognized. I'm just here to get my Orthrus back. And then I'm leaving. No one has to know I'm here. He checked his Compact to make sure Goldmine's message was still there. Goldmine said he'd be home, but I didn't ask him anything else. Let's just hope my bad feeling is wrong for once.
He descended from the train station to head into the town. Life bustled around him, but he put in his EarPods to block out the noise. Still, even without the noise, it was hard to ignore surfaced feelings that blindsided him. I haven't been back here since Mom and Bacchus separated. What a fucking joke. His teeth ground on his sucker. And I'm not here to walk down memory lane.
But even as he told himself that, the more he embedded himself into the town, the more his feelings scratched the surface. He turned his head to catch an ice cream parlor—
• — • — •
"You excited for WildFest, Wildman?"
Bacchus and a little Cane sat on one of the parlor outdoor benches. A juvenile Orthrus laid down with their own bowls of dog-friendly ice cream, looking like a mixture of a Doberman and a golden retriever. Cane kicked his feet as he spooned his ice cream. "Mm-hmm!" He swallowed his mouthful to give his father a messy smile. "And Grandpa Goldmine will be there too?"
Bacchus ruffled his son's hair. "He wouldn't miss your first WildFest for the world, Wildman," he promised. "We gotta get you some rock-and-roll clothes too so you can be a proper rocker, all right?"
Cane giggled. "Aye, sir!"
• — • — •
CLACK-CLACK!
Cane broke through part of the sucker when his teeth chomped down. Yeah. He averted his eyes. Now's not the time for that.
His walk led him to an artistic neighborhood lined with restored townhouses and out-and-about neighbors and pedestrians. He wasted little time picking out the townhouse. Potted plants lined the stoop, and it looked like all the unsightly leaves and branches had been pruned and put out in composting bags waiting to be picked up. Cane climbed up the steps and knocked on the door before he rang the doorbell and waited.
After a few moments and some clicking, the door opened with the screen door the only barrier.
Cane smiled, a tad awkward. "Hey, Godfather. Long time."
"Cane." Goldmine opened the screen door. His sandy brown hair had salted with white over the decades with a few more wrinkles prominent on his face, but his physique had yet to diminish. His spiked collar still looked good on him, even at his age, and he wore a black robe over his black t-shirt and pants. Even now, he still wore his sunglasses, but he smiled at his godson. "Yes. It's been quite some time, you stubborn puppy."
⌜MONKSHOOD TOWN
Name: Goldmine
Magic: Sight Beyond Sight
Occupation: Retiree, Director of Monkshood Humane
Likes: bringing in stray dogs Dislikes: retirees bragging about their grandkids
Special Note: When Goldmine overturned Quatro Cerberus, he opened up a no-kill animal shelter to help with abandoned or stray animals and magical creatures for rehabilitation and eventual adoption! The reason for his sunglasses is his Magic! ⌟
Cane rubbed his neck, ready to make some sort of excuses, but he softened when he saw an old Hellhound limp to her master with her droopy cheeks and dopey eyes. Even in her old age, her tail wagged mightily seeing Cane, and she gave a gruff bark.
Cane crouched to pet her. "Hey there, Delilah," he murmured. "You've gotten a little old while I was away, huh?"
"She has. So has your Orthrus."
Cane looked up at his godfather and noted his cane. Rising to his full height again, he asked Goldmine, "How are they?"
Goldmine sighed and beckoned him. "Come on in. They're still sleeping in your bed. I can't even bring them downstairs to eat. They'll only eat in your room, so excuse the mess."
"It's fine." Cane crossed the threshold and took off his shoes. He stopped when he saw Goldmine had already prepared his house slippers, but he did not have the time to think about it. He got them on and ventured up the steps. He would catalog later the decorations and any changes. His bedroom door was wide open, and he pushed inside. Nothing had changed over the years. His full bed still had a ridiculous comforter-sheet set from his childhood years and all his posters and figurines and toys had been cleaned and put away.
The only thing that had changed was the wolf-dog Orthrus laying in his bed, both she-dogs perpetually exhausted and gray in their mood.
More guilt and regret wrecked Cane seeing the Orthrus. They've gotten so thin… They look sick almost. Carefully, he approached the bed and murmured, "Miss Mossycat? Miss Matuja It's me. It's Cane." When the magical beast would not stir, Cane dipped onto the bed. "It's okay now. It's okay." He rubbed their back before putting his hand before Miss Mossycat's nose. "It's me."
She took a sniff.
To Cane's relief, his Orthrus' tail started wagging as the cojoined sisters picked up their heads when Miss Mossycat recognized his scent. Whines came from the pair until they could not contain their excitement. Cane laughed when his Orthrus got up to crowd him with licks and whines and nuzzles, neither sister able to part from him for more than a second.
"I know, I know, I missed you both too," Cane chuckled as he rubbed them down once they flattened him onto the bed. "I'm so sorry I was gone for so long. I really have missed you." He closed his eyes when both his girls nuzzled his head, and he embraced them wholeheartedly. I've missed you both so much.
A cleared throat.
Cane held the wriggling Orthrus as he opened his eyes to see Goldmine waiting at the entryway, looking at him in both warmth and grimness. "I don't want to break this up too soon. I know it's been so long, but…" Goldmine sighed. "We need to talk."
°•°•°•°
Miss Mossycat and Miss Matuja made sure Cane was within their sights as they chowed down on their food next to the kitchen bar attachment to the island. It was as though they felt like if they left their master alone for one second, he would leave them again.
Cane sat at the bar in the modern kitchen while Goldmine came back to give them both iced water and beer. Cane popped open his bottle, but he asked his godfather, "Shouldn't you be cutting down on your drinking? I'm pretty sure Granny Porlyusica told you to watch what you drink while you're taking her potions."
"Bah." Goldmine waved away the concern. "What Porlyusica doesn't know won't kill me. Cheers." He and Cane blinked bottles and took their first sips. Goldmine, however, retreated to examine his godson. "How have you been doing?"
Cane finished his swallow. "My mom doesn't tell you?"
"She does," Goldmine alluded, "but you know that's not what I meant."
Cane sighed. "I'm all right," he supposed. "School's okay. Things at the guild are fine—"
"Cane."
And Cane quieted.
Goldmine sighed this time. "Don't forget I've known you since your parents couldn't wait to tell me Cana was expecting. Answer me honestly." He softened his tone. "How are you doing, Cane?"
Cane took his time to answer. "I'm…okay," he slowly replied. "These past few months have been pretty busy with my cards. But I'm okay for the most part." He made sure to look at his godfather. "I really am."
Goldmine studied Cane for another moment before nodding. "All right," he accepted. A crooked grin crossed his face. "You finally got yourself a girlfriend? I think your mom fears you'll give her the speech you got one in a family way."
Cane snickered. "No." He shook his head, violets twinkling. "No, nothing like that." His smile twisted wryly. "No, I don't think anyone like that is in the cards for me—no pun intended." His thumb circled his beer bottle. No. She's for someone else.
Goldmine quietly scoffed. "It's times like this you remind me of your damn granddad," he muttered. "I don't know how Makarov dealt with that stubborn dog." A sip of his booze. "If he wasn't lone-wolfing, he had a woman under his arm. Drove us all crazy how irresponsible he was." Understanding, however, negated his harsh words. "But…none of those temporary distractions could ever become his Cornelia again."
"My mom said the same," murmured Cane.
"And she's right," Goldmine affirmed. "It seems to be a running theme when it comes to Fairy Tail. Makarov never thought of much else when Anastasia died." He chuckled. "Porlyusica whacked him if he even thought of flirting again. Grouchy woman." Remembering his old friend made Goldmine sadden. "I want to visit him again, but…" He shook his head. "Seeing that disease take his mind like this…"
"You're not a coward for not seeing him in a while," Cane said.
Goldmine's laugh came out dry and mirthless. "Maybe I am. He's the one suffering, not me. Sometimes, he'd look at me and think we're those cocky seventeen-year-olds ready to take on the weight of the world. And I could see my best friend sitting there before me. And other times… I don't think he knew I was there. He'd just look out the wind, mumble a few things, and need to go to bed. And I can't even recognize him." He took a lengthier sip of his drink. "I don't mean to burden you with my nonsense."
"No, it's fine," Cane promised. "Granny Porlyusica, Guild Master Bob, and Mister Yajima have asked me to tell them about Mister Dreyar's fortune. I can't reveal the answers to their questions, but I understand where everyone is coming from."
Goldmine bobbed his head. "You've always been like that—understanding."
"No." Violets wavered. "Not really."
"I disagree," Goldmine quietly countered. "Even as a kid, you've always been understanding and accepting for the way things are." He lifted his chin as he sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. "I remember how you'd spend weeks out of your summer here, especially when WildFest and HellFest were here." His lips quirked upwards. "You weren't even curious about all those people you met with their spikes and piercings. You just accepted it and moved on."
"I was a kid," Cane excused. "Most kids do that."
"Most kids at least express some form of curiosity about their surroundings," Goldmine corrected. "But you didn't. You just…kept going as though you had always been around rockers and metalheads and goths." Behind his shades, dark eyes danced. "Though I guess you traded in your rock and roll for classical, considering your little ballerina."
"I wouldn't trade anything for rock and metal," Cane shot down good-naturedly. "And Luna's fine, thanks for asking."
Goldmine snorted. "So I heard." His grin widened when Cane lifted an eyebrow. "You don't get to my age and my status without being knowledge with the stand-outs of the younger generation." His grin faded. "I heard about the Snow Ball. Is she truly doing okay after that?"
"She's…drifting," Cane answered. "She'll be okay eventually."
"That's good to hear," Goldmine said. As he lifted his bottle, he taunted Cane, "When can I expect an introduction? Didn't you want to bring her here for WildFest? I think you could if Natsu's little fire-breathing hellhound is away."
Cane shook his head, amused. "Maybe one day I'll take her." And he took another sip.
Silence fed the kitchen. Miss Mossycat lapping at her water while Miss Matuja taking it easy with her softened foods turned into white noise. The quiet stretched out for another minute or so.
Cane shattered it. "I'm not talking to Bacchus."
"You don't have to." Goldmine meant that. "I'd never force you to contact him again."
Cane did not drop his guard. "'But'?"
"But," Goldmine sighed, "while Bacchus may be someone you resent, does that extend to all of Quarto Cerberus?"
Cane could not retaliate that.
Goldmine continued, gentle: "I'm not saying this to be cruel. You and Bacchus have whatever relationship left. But Quatro Cerberus as a whole is still your family. They still consider you 'family', Cane. They never stopped. But they understand why you have." His dark regard flickered to Miss Mossycat and Miss Matuja as they deliberately laid down next to Cane's chair. "But just like your favorite two ladies down there, it doesn't mean they were hurt when you cut them off."
Cane could not swallow back his sorrow when he looked down at his Orthrus. They perked, tail tagging, when they garnered his attention and made a show of nuzzling his legs as though to tell him they would be there for him.
Goldmine brought up, "I remember how badly you wanted to be in Quatro Cerberus." He laughed. "Wet-behind-the-ears, always yapping away. You told everyone in the guild you'd be stronger and wilder than they could ever be."
"Yeah." Cane clutched his beer bottle. "But that's in the past now."
"It is," Goldmine readily agreed. "You're in Fairy Tail. All of us couldn't be prouder of you. Do I selfishly want my godson in Quatro Cerberus? Of course. But if the guild couldn't have you, Fairy Tail was an excellent choice. None of us would dispute or discourage that." He sighed. "But it doesn't mean it didn't hurt when you wouldn't speak to any of us. Cana still checks in with us from time to time." His mouth twitched into a wry smile. "Even Erza talks about you to me."
"Should I be worried about that?" Cane asked, tone dry.
Goldmine chuckled. "No. She has nothing but good things to say about you." His chuckle faded to a somber frown. "She recognizes you're an adult Wizard. So do I. But that doesn't mean we're not worried about you with the nature of your jobs. I'm proud as shit of you. But I don't want you getting yourself into trouble like that. No one does. So take care of yourself."
"Hmph." Cane took a big gulp of his beer. "That a threat, old man? Aren't you a little too retired for that?"
Goldmine snorted and tapped his sunglasses. "You get to my age, and there's nowhere you can go but up." He took his last swig. "Military came knocking on my door the moment I retired. Now that I'm not a Guild Mage, they know my power could be useful in the Wizard division of the military."
That did not surprise Cane, but it made his jaw tick all the same. "But I thought you're still involved with Council politics?"
"I am," Goldmine confirmed. "Sight Beyond Sight is both a controlled blessing and curse. When I finished my resignation and handed Bacchus the guild, I had MCPs from the legal department approach me with a contract. In exchange for joining the Magic Council on the advisory board, I'd regain their protection. Fiore's branch of the Council has always been fair. So I took the contract with a few stipulations and amendments of my own. But my contract isn't public." His eyes darkened. "And other offers from other countries have trickled in."
"From whom?" Cane questioned.
"Let's just say I don't plan to move away from Fiore any time soon," Goldmine told him in vague. "You kids have it easier. With Chairman Draculos heading the Council and with him being the Lord Magic-Speaker of Fiore, he has made sure any type of ability in sensitive nature can be hidden. But in my day, we didn't have that luxury. Our abilities, and by extent, our battle history, were public. That's why the old generation is trying to lie low. We're a little too old for this game."
"Don't say that," Cane admonished. "In Wizard terms, you're still in your prime."
Goldmine half-grinned. "That might be. But I'm a little past being used as a warhorse. That's a young man's game."
"Well I'm so glad to be sacrificed for your old ass," Cane muttered.
Goldmine chortled. "The world's changing. All us older Wizards are still useful and in our prime when most Spiritless our age are obsolete. But the world is taking advantage of that. Independents from my generation, who never trained extensively, are finding themselves being conscripted and abused by their government. Their bodies are almost the same as a Spiritless, only a little more durable. But to the government, a Wizard is a Wizard, even a severely undertrained one."
He made sure to meet Cane's eyes. "I know you're in Fairy Tail and you don't have to worry about it. But you should still be careful. Your fortune-telling might not be made public now. You can skate-by by telling people you're not an avid practitioner and only dabble. Right now, your mother is more public with her abilities and gets clients from all over. But if anyone knew how advanced your power is, or that you are a Roamer—"
"I know." Cane looked at his now empty beer bottle. "I know."
Goldmine nodded. "As long as you do." He added after a few beats, "We're all here to support you, Cane. Don't forget that. And stop being a stranger to your own family for gods' sakes." He adjusted his robe with a huff. "Those old biddies at the retirement center like to brag about their grandchildren like it's their life. You need to come visit more so I can shut them up. Calling me an old spinster. Bah!" he spat. "As if their grandkids are anything special."
Cane snickered. "I'll come visit more often, old man." Violets softened. "I promise." He smiled when good ole Delilah whined, nudging him, and he scratched behind her ears. "And I'll visit you too, Delilah."
"I'm sure those wild dogs at the guild hall would like to see you too," Goldmine said, but he added when Cane tensed, "but take your time. No one wants to pressure you. But even a message might help them understand you don't resent them."
"I don't hate them," Cane murmured. "It's just…" His fingers twitched, but he resisted summoning his playing cards. "It's…difficult, I guess. But I don't hate them. Maybe I did in the beginning, but now, I…" His eyes lowered. "I really…don't hate any of you."
I've never really hated any of those guys. But with them being in the same guild as Bacchus, I… His lips pressed together. I just…
He blinked when Goldmine set a hand on his shoulder.
"We know it's been difficult for you and your mother," Goldmine told him, soft. "We understand. I consider myself lucky Cana still gives us all little updates about you. So don't stress yourself out. I'm happy enough you could come visit this old dog now."
"You're not old," Cane told him.
Goldmine let out a grim laugh. "No, but I'm up there. It was time for me to relinquish control of the guild. Bob and Ooba are considering the same thing as I did all those years ago. We're needed elsewhere. It's your kids' turn to take center stage. But we'll still be here to support you." A twinkle dotted his eyes. "Though I hope to see you with a serious girlfriend before I'm in the ground."
Cane waved off Goldmine's hand with a good-natured eye roll. "Yeah, right."
"Well, you don't have to put up with those grannies at the center," Goldmine huffed, crossing his arms. "I know they're smug as shit when they show me how their kids and grandkids got married to all these successful people. You need to get yourself a serious girlfriend so I can show those old ladies up for once." A tick mark twinged his head as he growled. "And even damn Makarov would show me up whenever the bastard was lucid. Bragging to me about his grandkids. That's why you need to get a serious girlfriend!"
"I should be concerned your social status hinges on my romance," Cane said drily. With a twitch of his hand, he brought out another Magic Card that held another sucker. He turned the card into one of Luna's suckers with its color giving nothing away of its flavor. And even if I wanted someone… She considers me 'family'. And I can't give that up, as selfishly as I want to.
"You want to play some cards?" Goldmine asked him. "I need to practice some more. The poker pool at the center is no joke. I thought they'd bet on canes and candies, but the pot goes into millions of jewels. Even the nurses are in on it."
Cane snorted a laugh through his nose. "Yeah. Sure, Old Man." He popped in the sucker before bringing out his playing cards. As he shuffled around his deck and listened to Goldmine rant and rave about how unfair the elderly could be, Cane swirled the sucker around his mouth until he smiled when he figured out the flavor.
Hm. Cherry.
Tonight they would send off their dead.
The violet-eyed little girl held her hand in her father's with the desert in a calm tonight. The tribunal fire had been built with wood they had brought alone and others they had found across the voyage. Everyone from their traveling tribe had worn their black skirts and scarves and shirts. All except the violet-eyed little girl and her father. They wore bright white against the darkness.
Because they would be burying his wife and her mother.
Because the parents had been lost before their daughter died, other of the traveling caravan had burned the deceased's possessions. It was wrong, though. Not the burning of her shirts and her skirts and her earrings—no, not that. It was wrong that she would be buried in the wastes, where no honest man could live without getting his hands dirtied. They should have gone to the generational burial ground and stopped at all the significant landmarks of their tribe. She should be honored with a lavish headstone with a coffin big enough to take her photos and her floral arrangements. The entire tribe should have been mourning to send this lost soul into the afterlife.
But they could not.
They could not travel back the way they came. They could not gift her a coffin and a headstone. They could not weep aloud, so they kept silent.
Because the beasts hunting them down would not give an inch for them to continue their traditions.
The grave dippers were expressionless as they kept digging deep while those who came to the funeral possession held their candles and their silence in solidarity. Tonight, father and daughter would wear white, but tomorrow, he would wear black to honor his late wife and the love of his life.
The violet-eyed girl blinked when her father gave his back to the funeral to kneel before her. Tears stained his eyes—dark brown eyes—but he held strong for him and for her. From his pocket, he produced something to slip to his little girl. She looked down, curious and blank at first, before those violets shone.
Cards.
Her father was giving her her mother's Tarot cards.
BEEP-BEEP!
Cane let his Orthrus into the apartment before he turned off the alarm and turned on the lights. He knew no one else was home—his mother was more than likely at Fairy Tail and hoarding a barrel from gabby Macao and Wakaba—but he still treaded light. "All right, you two." He held a box of all the toys and bowls and leashes Goldmine entrusted to him and the broken-down crate he wheeled in. "Let's get you guys set up. And then I have to review the file Coeus sent me."
Both sisters barked, tail wagging furiously, and they pranced after Cane.
Setting up their water and food bowl was a matter of placement, but a position against the wall in the kitchen was perfect enough. The large crate set up in the living room nicely—it made Cane smile that his mother must have rearranged the furniture in knowing he would bring home Miss Mossycat and Miss Matuja. One dog bed fit in the living room while Cane put the other one in his room.
Though, that was for nothing when his Orthrus jumped into his bed and rolled all over his comforter.
Cane sighingly laughed when he saw all the dog hair flying. "Yeah. I deserved that."
He looked at the box to see the toys, leashes, harnesses, and even all the dog food Goldmine passed onto him. Well, I don't have to worry about buying anything. I'm sure Mom and Goldmine tagged team on me to make sure Miss Mossycat and Miss Matuja had everything they would need. I'll have to ask Dash for a recommendation for the dog park here. And get back into doing early morning and evening walks.
He sat on the edge of his bed and pulled the box towards him, only to snort when he pulled out a large thing of treats. "Of course." He chortled when the Orthrus heard the jingle of the treat tin and playfully teethed and nudged him. "Okay, okay, hold on you two." He unscrewed the lid to feed the connected sister their fair share of treats. "You guys deserve it."
Sadness needled him as he took in the Orthrus' body. Goldmine said they were a little underweight. The vet gave them anti-depressants, but they threw them up. Their fur was so matted, they had to shave it down. I'll have to go steady getting their weight back and their stomach used to eating every day. Probably short walks too to build up their stamina. I'll have to take them to a professional for medicated baths like Goldmine recommended. Violets downcast. And it's because of me they've gotten like this.
As though sensing he was distress, Miss Mossycat and Miss Matuja finished chomping their treats to whine and take turns nuzzling and nosing him.
Cane stroked through their fur. "I'm so sorry I never came to see you both," he breathed. "But I promise I won't be going anywhere anymore. You two are going to stay with me until I get old and gray." He smiled when the sisters yipped, butt wriggling, and attacked him with a fury of licks. "Hey, hey, I'm going to need a second shower after all this!" He pulled away before they could descend upon him again (though they seemed pleased they got sloppy kisses in). "I'm going to have to leave to investigate for my job."
His Orthrus did not like that at all as they whined, ears pulled back.
"You want to come with me?" Cane heartily laughed when he was trampled onto his back when the sisters ganged up to lick his face. "All right, ah, no, not my mouth!" He sighed when they laid their heads on his chest, tail going a mile a minute. "No licking my mouth, you two," he scolded in good humor. "I like kissing pretty girls with this mouth."
As though the words reminded them, the Orthrus clamored off Cane to get down. To his confusion, he saw them rummaging through the box Goldmine gave him only for Miss Mossycat to find purchase.
Cane's frown deepened seeing a picture frame in her mouth. "What's that?" He took the frame—
Violets widened before softening. I didn't even realize he had this…
The picture within the frame showed the day Cane and Miss Mossycat and Miss Matuja all met and bonded. They had been a smaller dog, not necessarily a puppy, but still smaller and juvenile, and the three took to each other instantly. Luna had been with him that day, all blonde hair and big eyes. Some passersby had taken a photo with Luna's camera at the time of him, her, the Orthrus, and with Cana, Bacchus, and Goldmine all together at a playground.
Miss Matuja whined and butted her nose against Little Luna.
Cane briefly closed his eyes. Of course you'd give this to me, Old Man. You really are sentimental. He got up to put the frame on his desk before throwing another Magic Card down. The case file Coeus had given him emerged from the card. As he pulled off his shirt, he thought, I can start reviewing tomorrow. Right now… There's something else I want to do.
He found his Compact and placed a call, cramming his Com between his shoulder and ear, while he brought out another Magic Card. He pulled out the sucker he stored inside and popped it in his mouth when the call connected—
"Cane?"
"Hey, beautiful." Cane rolled the sucker around. "You have a long day?"
A deep sigh. "Yeah, it's been…a long couple of days, honestly," Luna said tiredly. "What's going on?"
"Had a long day too." Cane looked out at the image frozen in time. "But your suckers got me through it."
"Mm, that's good." It sounded like she was rummaging for something. "What flavor are you on now?"
Cane sucked on the pop for a minute more before the answer came to him. "I think this one is vanilla bean." He popped out the sucker to look at its heart shape. A smile quirked his lips as violets twinkled. "And just as sweet as you."
— • — • — • —
Starry Sky nemurenai yoru nee aitai yo aitai yo
Kirameita ittousei osaekirenai kimi e no omoi wo
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Gyutto dakishimete mou hanasanaide
"aishiteru" dake ga zutto kagayaki tsuzukeru
— • — • — • —
"Mama?"
Maybe their house had leaks and the neighbors were nosey (in a good way), but it was their home with all their divination baubles and trinkets. On a rainy day like today, however, more pots and vases and cups needed to catch all the leaks from the room. The wind blew at the house's side, huffing and puffing as though trying to blow it down.
Six-year-old Cana came back into her mother's room with fresh soup and another cold towel. Their shared bedroom never bothered Cana. She loved sleeping in the rickety old bed with her mother if it meant more stories and bonding time after her mother's shift at the bar.
"Cana…" Cornelia smiled, even with tired violet eyes, a gaunt face, and her tan skin grayed. Skin and bones were all that was left to her, and her hair needed a desperate cut. "I'm so sorry you have to do all this by yourself."
"I don't mind," Cana chirped as she got on her tip-toes to set down the tray on the wooden nightstand. "You always work so hard, Mama. So it's my turn to work hard to make sure you feel better." She shoved over the stool and traded her mother's warm towel for a cold one across her shoulder. "Misses McCreery helped me make the soup so it wouldn't hurt the sores in your mouth. Here." She spooned the soup and blew on it before feeding it to her mother.
Cornelia took a sip and smiled. "It's good," she praised. "And you're right. It doesn't hurt. Thank you, Cana. I'll have to thank Misses McCreery too. She's been so helpful to us, hasn't she?"
"Mm-hmm!" Cana kept spoon-feeding her mother when she frowned at the clap of lightning outside. It's raining really hard… Mama's body always aches more when the weather's bad like this.
"Cana?"
Cana snapped her attention back to her mother. "Yes, Mama?"
Cornelia gripped her sheets with frail fingers. "You know… I always told you the story about the Roaming People. The travelers with no home. Do you remember that? Do you remember what I told you about them?"
"Uh-huh," Cana promised, kicking her legs. "You told me they were a tribe of people who were chased from their home. And even though they kept looking for a new home, bad guys were everywhere to snap them up and they murder them in cold blood because they're bastards."
Cornelia frowned. "Who taught you that word?"
"Mister Jojo."
Cornelia suppressed her tick mark as she remembered Farmer Jonathan and his obscene language. I should give him a bad omen. That should keep his cursed mouth shut. She sighed. "Well… Yes, that's true." Violets dimmed. "It was said the Roaming People once had a home. And it was a beautiful place made just for them. This place belonged to no country or no nation. But it was their home. But one day, a man who could be the Red King had stumbled across the Roamers. He fell in love with a man and swept him away from his tribe to bring him to his kingdom."
She smiled at Cana. "Do you remember the next part?"
"They got married," Cana recounted.
"That's right." Cornelia patted Cana's head. "They married. And when the man was coronated as the Red King, his husband was made a prince. Never had one of the Roaming People been in such a high position and in honor of such thing, the Red King invited his husband's people to come to the kingdom and celebrate."
"That's when the Red King found out about the Roamers' powers," Cana inserted.
Cornelia nodded, though her gaze grew distant. "Yes. The Red King knew his prince had come from a mysterious people who claimed no country or kingdom as their own. But he never understood the reason until he saw his husband show his fortune-telling. Such Magic had never been practiced before. And the Red King became obsessed that his destiny could be whispered in his ear. By day, he acted as a loyal husband. And at night in their bedchambers, the Red King would tease out from his prince all the ways the Roaming People could see destiny."
Violets wavered. "The Red King was ambitious and wanted to become a conqueror. So he asked his prince to speak his destiny: if he took his soldiers into the mountains, would he emerge victorious? But when the prince addressed the question, he spoke the answer his cards received."
"He would die," Cana murmured.
"Yes. He would die," Cornelia said softly. "The Red King grew furious his own husband would question his strength—so angered, he imprisoned his husband. Day and night, the Red King would come to his imprisoned husband with a new battle strategy, but the prince said the same. 'You will die,' the prince sadly said. 'And your people will die with you'. So driven into anger and madness, the Red King had for his husband to be publicly executed for being a deceiving witch. And as he gave his husband one last chance to tell his fortune, do you remember what the prince said?"
Cana shook her head. "I like it when you tell me."
Cornelia tittered. "Well, the prince said, 'If you go to the mountains, you may come back alive, but you will be driven astray. Your kingdom will be plagued ten times over for your arrogancy and aggression. And in your foolishness, your bloodline will fall victim to eternal damnation'."
Cana giggled. "Serves him right."
"It really does," Cornelia agreed. "The Red King still executed his husband and proceeded to enter the mountains to conquer the people. But he had never expected the people of the mountains to have such strength for such a small kingdom. They mercilessly dispatched the Red King's army and forced the Red King to retreat. But it never ended there. Plagues washed over the kingdom. The crops and cattle died. An airborne virus diseased half the population. Even births had been reduced. But Red King refused to see reason he had done this wrong to his people. He blamed his late husband for Cursing him and gathered the rest of his soldiers to kill the Roaming People."
Cana angrily pouted. "What an asshole."
TICK!
Cornelia's eyebrow twitched. "Yes. He was certainly…that," she agreed. "But the Roaming People had foreseen they would be driven from their home. Still, the soldiers had come far earlier than they expected and in that, these monstrous soldiers ripped apart all they could and burned whatever they saw to rid of the 'curse' the late prince cast on the kingdom. Many died that day because of the Red King's foolishness, and the Roaming People were left to keep running for execution as the Red King spread rumors of how devious their powers were."
Cornella looked at her daughter's violet eyes with such a mixture of love and despair. "But that was not true at all. The Roaming People had been given such a gift of divination, to see into Destiny's eyes. They were as blessed as they were cursed. No place would ever be safe for them again. It was the fate of the Roaming People to never settle down." She cupped Cana's chin as tears brimmed her eyes. "Just as it's our fate to be betrayed by the ones we love."
She was born with the same eyes as me… The same eyes as the late prince, Cornelia thought. That means she'll also know betrayal of the heart. Oh, Cana. I wish you didn't get my eyes.
Cana held her mother's hand. "Mama? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Cornelia breathed with a shaky smile. How could I wish for my own daughter not to find love? But finding love… It's the curse in our blood. I pray she never endures such heartbreak—
GOHOGOHOGOHO!
Cane's eyes widened when Cornelia keeled over with body-quaking coughing. "Mama!" She quickly poured some water into a glass and offered it to her mother, even helping her bring it to her mouth.
Once Cornelia had taken a few sips, she pushed the glass away. All those coughs made her age ten years as she sagged against her propped pillows. Cana set down the glass to dap her mother's forehead with the rag, and Cornelia carried a brittle smile as she said, "I'm sorry. I guess I just need a little more rest and then I'll be back in no time. Would you mind ringing Miss McCreery over on the crystal ball?"
Cana obediently nodded. "Yes, Mama!" She hopped off the stool to scuttle out of the bedroom.
Cornelia let the weight of her sickness show. I don't have a lot of time left. There's so much I want to teach her. And so much she needs to know. Her power flared to show her the card of a woman made from the cosmos. There was one last part of the Red King and Roaming People's story that I need to tell her. Violets shimmered. I need to tell her the reason our violet eyes are cursed to give us heartbreak. The reason is that… Her lips twitched into an ugly quiver. Because we turned our backs on H—
GOHOGOHOGOHO!
Blood splattered onto the card as Cornelia choked on her own bloodied vomit. Her heart rebelled against her as it furiously beat with her muscles spasming. Her body went into full convulsions and nothing she could do would stop them. The Unknown Card in her hand became abandoned as she hacked and coughed into an angered seizure. Her eyes darted this way and that, unfocused and strained, and her mouth made a horrifying wheeze as it tried to capture her last breath.
Little footsteps rushed back in—
Cana looked into the bedroom, into the quiet, toward her still mother. "Mama?"
Silence.
"Mama?"
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— • — • — • —
Bonus Story
"He's kinda cute…"
「ちょっとかわいいですね」
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KINKON!
Academies like this one meant when you came to the main campus from the dorms or from your host family, your shirt had to be tucked in, your skirt had to be straight, and you had to hope the advisors on uniform duty did not suspect you of any sort of delinquency.
Though Didi was used to it at his point.
Hundreds of students from Year 10 to Year 13 bombarded the front lawns. Some had an open period for the morning and decided it was best to snap something from one of the dining halls and take up a patch of the grass. A few students had decided on a morning game of pickup football hoping to impress their girlfriends. Others had taken to catching up with their friends. Already a friend group got together to listen to one of their own rant about their strange roommate. A couple of students tastefully wore their uniforms to honor the grunge and rock of Minstrel's older days.
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« This is the East Aronia Community College, a coeducational secondary school with academy status. Around 88% percent of A-Level students achieve A-B and tuition per term can cost from 285,000 to 339,000 depending on the programs a student enrolls in and if they choose dorm living versus off-campus residency. »
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Didi had his headphones in as he came onto campus in his uniform and his navy hair untamed, ignoring the sharp side-eye one advisor gave him. Can't spring break come any sooner?
Light blues flicked to take in the student population, and he tried to mask his distaste for the conflicting scents around him. Just being around the humans gives me a headache. I still don't understand all that crap to cover your scent. He went a little dreary when he remembered his sister's version of a "good time" was tormenting him in a perfume store. But Cici is all for it.
He blinked when a body slammed into his before he took off his headphones—
"Didi, Didi, guess what!"
Oh. It's her again. Didi sighed and he paused his music. "I don't want to see any more of your creepy blog stuff, Fuchsia."
"It's not creepy!" Fuchsia had no height compared to Didi, but she made up for it in enthusiasm, even with her color-tipped hair, her long acrylic nails, and the little bell on her choker. She latched onto Didi's arm as she scrolled through her Compact. "It's art! It's such art! He's such a beautiful masterpiece that I want to lick him all over!"
⌜EAST ARONIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Name: Fuchsia Ceheszk
Age: 16
Occupation: Year 11 Student, Professional Stan
Likes: fangirling Dislikes: anyone who dares harm her idol
Special Note: Fuchsia might be a bit of a fangirl, but she's a dedicated fan of her idols and will go on soliloquies if you let her! Though she tends to change idols constantly… ⌟
Didi gave her a shrewd look when all he saw was a lustful red blush and steam from her nose. Ugh, her lust scent is so overpowering. He sighed again. "Who's the poor flavor of the week this time?"
"He's so beautiful!" Fuchsia crooned. "I want to marry him so badly, Didi! He's so perfect!"
"That's what you said last week about some Cipanguese singer," Didi reminded her dryly. "And the week before, it was some YouViewer. And the week before that you decided to stalk and fangirl over some J-Pop group—"
"Didi!"
His eye twitched when Fuchsia's nails dug into his arm as she laid into him dramatically. "But I really mean it this time!" she promised him. "If you saw him, you'd know perfection too! He's, like, the cutest and sweet shy boy ever, and I'm going to be his wife someday!"
"He could already have a girlfriend," Didi pointed out.
"Then"—a terrifying smile lit Fuchsia's face—"I'll make sure my precious baby doesn't have one anymore so he can marry me."
Didi internally shivered. Maybe she was a Demon in her past life after all. Scary. He scratched his hair. "All right, whatever. Let me see him—" His words stuttered to a stop when Fuchsia shoved her Compact in his face. Light blues widened. This is…
Fuchsia came prepared to profess her love. "Isn't he so pretty? I already changed my wallpaper to him on my Com and my PAL. He doesn't have any social media, so I've had to resort to stalking through all the stan accounts and blogs with his promotional pictures, but he's literally so freaking cute and perfect," she gushed. "He's so precious, isn't he? Isn't he, like, the cutest thing ever?"
Light blues flickered. "Yeah," Didi murmured. "He's…cute…"
"Right? Isn't he?" Fuchsia took Didi's quiet agreement and ran with it. "He's just so precious! They debunked all those rumors he was dating some guy, and his hardcore fans are so ready to lock him down. I already made a few fan edits of him and uploaded them to Twit…!"
But Fuchsia's (partially disturbing) spiel about her love and dedication for her new idol got tuned out as Didi looked at the picture more and more. So… This is what you look like all grown up, is it?
A gif of Luke took up the screen, but it must have been a fan meet and greet. Someone had made him laugh, and the lightning in the photo made his light pink hair all that softer and fluffier. Honeyed-ambers twinkled as he smiled at whoever had made him laugh off-camera.
I haven't seen him since we were babies. I knew he was a Fairy Tail Mage, but that stuff never interested me. And he wasn't really online, so I didn't think about him much, but… A slight smile. If this is what you look like now…
Didi's blues glinted in mischief and interest as he watched the gif repeat as Luke laughed. Then I hope I can see how cute you are in person, Your Highness.
Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance
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Cornelia – Laura Post
Gildarts Clive – Jason Douglas
Cane Alberona-Groh – Clifford Chapin
Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill
Cana Alberona-Groh – Jamie Marchie
Coeus – Orlander Jones
Jang-ta "Jaxton" Yang – Eddy Yeong
Bacchus Groh – Chris Hury
Goldmine – Chris Ryan
Didi – Sean Chiplock
Fuchsia Ceheszk – Kira Buckland
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Additional Voices
Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn
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⌜OPENING SONG
⟪ SAYONARA DILEMMA ⟫
Vivid undress
Lyrics by
yu-ya⌟
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⌜ENDING SONG
⟪ Starry ⟫
ClariS
Lyrics by
丸山真由子⌟
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Next time, on Fairy Adventure
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Episode 137
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LET'S GO TOGETHER
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Starting next week is the premiere of a new Fairy Adventure series!
Next week, the premiere of The Disappearance of Igneel Dragneel
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Episode 01
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RECKONING
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TO BE CONTINUED…
Chibi-Luna is in front of her desk with an odd shape hidden beneath a tablecloth. "Good day, class!"
"Good day, Teacher!" her students chorus. "What's our Fairy Lesson of the day?"
"Today, we're going to talk about"—Chibi-Luna pulls off the cloth to reveal a Magic Card on a display—"Magic Cards! More specifically, storage cards!" She steps aside to showcase the card. "Storage cards allow Card Mages to basically store items within their cards. However, if Card Mages want to hold bigger items, they have to invest in more expensive storage cards."
She takes the storage card out of the case to tap a number on the corner of it. "Each storage card comes with a weight limit seen at the corner of the card. When Enchanters create these cards, they can attach a pocket dimension, but the bigger spatial requirements are, the more costly the card is. And, even with storage cards, there are certain limitations to the materials used."
A hand goes up. "But how would you know that, Teacher?"
"With this!" Chibi-Luna uses Magic and a Lacrima Screen pops up to show the conditions and limitations. "A good Magic Card Maker or Enchanter will attach a sort of 'terms and conditions' onto their cards that can be easily activated. This storage card, for example, can hold up to one kilogram of material, but it can't be used to hold any sort of fragile material since they did not configure the pocket dimension for fragile items. It also can't be used for non-perishables. Enchanters can coordinate a pocket dimension for certain requirements, but that lesson is for another time!"
"Aw…!"
Chibi-Luna giggles when her students groan. "And now, a message from the author!"
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I'm not sure if this is all that I wrote for Cane's side story, but I did my best to replicate from what the episode summary had been. Goldmine does not have a canon Magic Type for some odd reason, so I gave him the ability Sight Beyond Sight to justify why he always wore sunglasses. I liken him to what Sirius Black would have been like had he lived to Goldmine's age. The names Mossycat and Matuja come from true Romani lore and storytelling. Since Cane, Cana, and Cornelia are Roamers (Romani IRL), it's a headcanon Cornelia told Cana those stories and, in turn, Cana told Cane. I hope I did Gildarts and Cornelia's meeting justice.
It might be strange why a man as strange as Coeus came to Fairy Tail, for lack of better wording, but he has his reasons. RADIOCLUB and the speakeasy bar with the two bartenders are an ode to Kon Satoshi's 2006 sci-fi psychological thriller movie Paprika. The titular character also inspired Coeus' therapist. Coeus himself is a nod to DC's The Question and Mr. A, but Coeus' is schizophrenic and less…intense.
Shamballa Arc and The Disappearance of Igneel Dragneel are up next. I'm not sure how Fairy Tail: 100 Year Quest will take Ignia's character. If he dies at the end of the series, if he becomes an irredeemable homicidal maniac—I will be diverging from that characterization unapologetically. In this story, Ignia is still psychotic and much more interested in fighting and bloodshed than being kind and caring, but he does enjoy having a crazy nephew like Igneel around him, even if that means purposefully antagonizing him for fights. But he has his moments of genuine familial care (and also still a little sore a certain time-traveling Star Queen stone-cold rejected him).
Getting my house in order before surgery has been difficult thanks to all my flare-ups, but we're getting there! I had ASC in the morning and then surgery is on the 20th, so fingers crossed all goes well! I'm still not too happy with the first episode of Gale, Julia, Thirteen, and Vinyl's Shamballa arc, so at least I'll have plenty of time to think about it. That being said, I am very happy with Igneel's first episode.
Daniel Murphy: I have considered commissioning an artist so I can have visuals on the characters, especially because of how large of a cast was created. The three artists I 100% adore, however, have their commissions closed, so I'm waiting for their commissions to open back up. I spoke to a fantasy cartographer as well since I work better with physical maps and would like to see the countries and continents I created, but we shall see!
Thanks for your support. Onto my surgery!
頑張ります。
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KINKON!
"That's the bell!" Chibi-Luna raises a peace sign. "See you next episode!"