Thoughts
Deity/Dragon Speaking
Normal Discourse
Notices/In World Text
(***)
X778
Laxus and Jack sat down for the first time upstairs, though both of them were in completely different moods.
Jack being happy for Laxus, the fact that he made S Class was impressive. Even though he knew he was on a different level from Laxus, it was still a massive accomplishment that not many would achieve.
Laxus was disappointed, even though he achieved his short-term goal of becoming an S Class, he felt like he didn't earn it. Completely outclassed by his icy brother, the rage and frustration of not being able to measure up with Jack or Makarov had reached its boiling point.
"So I was thinking that we could go on an S Class job together… you know to get your feet wet" Jack suggested as Laxus stood up abruptly. He walked over to the job board and ripped off two S Class quests.
"I'm not at your level… this guild isn't at your level" Laxus said, walking towards the stairs. "I can't call myself your brother if I can't keep up… so until I catch up to you, we're not brothers"
Ice erupted from the building, a glacier that pierced the heavens destroyed the back half of the guild building. Jack sent Laxus the coldest glare he could muster, which froze Laxus in his place. "Don't EVER say I'm not your brother"
Jack held out his hand, showing Laxus the scar. "Does our promise mean nothing to you?"
Laxus grit his teeth, fury bubbling out of him. "It means EVERYTHING to me! That's why I have to get stronger! So, I deserve to be your brother!"
Jack stood up and walked over to Laxus, grabbing him by the collar. "You deserve to be my brother regardless if you're at my level, beyond or below it! I don't care!"
Laxus bit back, grabbing the collar of Jack's jacket. "It matters to me! Everything is about strength! This guild is weak! Allowing me to be an S Class when I couldn't beat you!"
Laxus pushed himself away from Jack and turned around. "Next time we battle I will be stronger than you and make this guild a place for the strong!"
Jack clenched his fist. He could have prevented this, but he was too naïve, thinking that Laxus could change without having any consequences shoved down his throat. He watched as his brother walked down the stairs, out of his grasp.
He turned around and looked at the wall. "FUCK!" he shouted, throwing his fist into the air causing the air to ripple, and an ice glacier to erupt from the ground and soar to the sky, this one much bigger and taller than the other glacier, so big that its shadow consumed every part on Magnolia that was behind it.
(***)
X779
Jack sat down at the bar, he realised that he was somewhat depressed. Yet he couldn't find the energy to do anything about it. Laxus sat next to him, his Thunder God Tribe sitting somewhere in the guild.
"You're depressed" he stated as he was handed a drink from the bartender. "I feel bad about causing you to spiral down to this state… but my will remains the same"
Jack looked up at Laxus and sighed. "I just have to realise that you aren't the be all and end all"
"You do well to hide it from the kids and the rest of the guild, only Master, Guildarts and I know" Laxus said as he poured Jack a drink. The alcoholic liquid filling up Jack's cup, spilling slightly on the bar before filling up Laxus'.
"I'm a good actor… you'd be surprised about how much I really know" Jack confessed downing the ale filled cup in a split second. Jack had always liked booze, his lineage as well as past life playing a major role in expecting the bitter taste from the liquid.
"I'm sure when we sort this out… you'll be able to tell me about the things you know" Laxus hoped, secretly wanting to end this stupid quarrel now, however his pride forebode it.
Jack chuckled. "For sure brother… if only you'd swallow your pride"
Laxus stood up with a sad smile. "If only I could"
Jack sighed as Laxus walked away. He needed to do something to take his mind off his failure. He too stood up and looked towards the job board, a simple job would give him enough money to spoil himself.
Finding himself staring at several jobs, specifically the ones involving the need for an Ice mage. He would take Gray on a mission.
He sensed two presences walk up behind him. "And this is where we take our missions from"
Jack turned around and came face to face with a girl that looked around his age. He wouldn't deny that she was pretty. Light green hair and red lips that curved into a smile. "Ahhh Bisca, this is…"
She licked her lips and placed a hand on her hip. "Jack Frost, I've heard much about you"
Jack let his eyes examine the girl. "Have you? Good things I hope"
"Mostly good things" She giggled a little as he looked her in the eyes, she stood on her toes and leant into his ear. "Other naughty things"
Jack blushed a little as she took a step back.
"I was living in Iceberg for a bit and was sheltered by a house Jack had visited" She explained as Gray walked over to the three.
"I'm sure we'll have to discuss your time in Iceberg later" Jack said as he turned around and grabbed the request off the board. He leant towards her and smirked. Whispering into her ear "In a more private setting"
Jack walked towards Gray and grabbed the stripper by his head. "C'mon small one, we're going on a mission"
(***)
Gray sighed on top of the shoulders of Jack. "This was a dumb job… I only came along because I need to pay rent money"
Jack was confused. "Uh? Don't you live at the church?"
Gray nodded, not that Jack could see. "They charge all the kids that live there 100,000 jewels per month"
"That includes Levy, Cana, Erza, Lisanna, Mirajane, Elfman, Natsu, Max, Jet and Droy?" Jack asked, doing the math quickly it resulted in around one million jewels per month.
"Yep… it sucks but there's nothing else we can really do about it" Gray said causing Jack to sigh. He had amassed a treasure trove of money since he had completed the decade quest, yet he had no reason to spend it on anything as he practically lived on the road.
"I would really like to live in the mansion that's on the opposite side of the lake" Gray said with a sigh, knowing that the place was owned by a rich and greedy man who wouldn't dare sell anything.
'I wont be able to get the mansion, not with that old man still alive… but the apartment block in the middle of town would be able to house them all, and more' Jack thought as a cool breeze swept over the two of them.
Jack created a thought projection behind them and made it teleport to Magnolia, he had some things to sort out.
He grabbed Gray by the legs and threw him into the air. "Think fast!"
"Ice Make: Slide!" Gray shouted as a small slide formed, allowing him to return to the ground unharmed.
Jack gestured to Gray to come at him, this mission hadn't been tough enough to take him to the next level, so he would drag Gray up himself.
(***)
Everyone looked at the tower in awe. To be precise this wasn't a tower, rather a four story building that was taller than any other housing structure in Magnolia. "Two rules, One: the top floor is mine and mine alone. Two: don't pay me rent."
Jack opened the doors for the kids, all of them had been summoned by the S Class for this very reason, to save their money until such an age in which they can leave if they choose. "I will cook a dinner every night I am here, each of you will have a set of keys to your own room. I strongly advise against using magic inside, as doing so would destroy the entire building"
He handed a bag to Erza, which contained keys for the tower. "I need to sort out some paperwork… I'll be back"
Walking away from the kids, Jack's smile slowly turned into a passive frown. The church where supposed to be charitable to those in need, not greedy.
Advancing to the orphanage part he found that the kids surrounding the place where somewhat happy, yet underfed. Quickly taking a peep into their bunks he found they where decaying as if they where 100 years old.
'100,000 jewels a month per kid and it isn't enough to refurbish the place? What a joke' Jack thought as he created a somewhat sentient cat out of snow and ice to grab the attention of the kids.
He reached the clergy quarters and opened the doors with a kick, sending them flying back.
In front of him where three priests, decked out in expensive clothes counting coins with escorts around them, drinking expensive wine and illegal powders scattered on other desks.
"S-shit!" one of the priests shouted as the everyone looked at Jack, who began to release his aura.
"Girls you may want to leave… its going to get really cold in here" He advised as the escorts left the room just as it began to frost up. He knew that the clergymen knew who he was. Everybody related to any Government in Ishgar knew who he was.
"S-Saint Frost" one of the priests said while gulping. As soon as the last woman had exited the building he used magic, freezing everyone in place.
"You know, I really hate those who abuse their power, and those who trick children" Jack stated glaring at the men.
He sensed two presences approaching behind him, one was intoxicated while the other was high. The one that had most likely had some sort of smokeable chuckled perversely. "Like I said babe… you can live with me, rent free"
"I like free" the drunk one said as they walked past Jack, ignorant of what was happening. The green hair of the woman looking exactly like Bisca's.
He reached out and snatched the woman away from the high one he could now determine was some sort of senior priest. She turned her head and revealed her identity to Jack, it was Bisca.
"You know what priest. On second thought. I'll reject you offer. I'm sure I can get it much better from this stud" She purred out, placing a hand on Jack's abdomen. Neither having the time nor care to remove Bisca from his person, Jack clicked his fingers and froze every member of church in place before reaching into his pocket and throwing out a beacon.
"The rune knights will be here in 24 hours, the ice will melt in 25. You are going to prison for extortion and use of banned substances, not to mention what the church will do once they find out what you were doing"
Jack and Bisca vanished from their sight.
(***)
Saint Frost found himself chuckling as Natsu charged him with Gray flanking him, thinking that he could beat him. 'Maybe this is his way of showing affection, it would make sense, he even does this to Lisanna though it is a lot less serious'
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu roared as his fist was coated in a layer of flame.
Gray stopped charging towards him and moved around Natsu to get a clear shot. "Ice Make: Lance!"
The combination would have taken a B class mage out with ease. Given time they would be able to push Jack, just not for a long time though. He slipped the punch coming from Natsu, punching him in the gut while redirecting the spikes from Gray back to him.
They both where immobilized as Jack turned around. "I need to do a couple things alone… see you brats later!"
'The power that I drew out when Laxus and I had our argument… I need to learn how to harness it' Jack thought as he teleported away to the middle of the lake. He froze the entire surface and sat down in a mediative stance.
'So my Grandson finally seems interested in his heritage, his birth right' a voice boomed from within Jack's mind.
'Father, you must let him figure it out for himself' another one stated. 'He is the middle child, not as smart as his younger brother nor as physically strong as his older'
'He possesses far greater natural talent than either of them… and he is yet to harness the true nature of his powers' the original, much older voice said.
'Hello there… Father, Grandfather' Jack injected with his thoughts. 'Though I suspect I am not the son you think I am'
'Bah! Boy, you think that you having a soul from another multiverse renders you immune to being truly related to us. You're wrong!' the grandfather voice announced with a slight chuckle.
'It is true that others from different multiverses have been transported here from the brink of death. You where the perfect soul that needed to fit the body that your mother and I had created' the Father said, strangely Jack could see his fond smile.
'Am I the only one?' Jack asked, wondering if there was anyone else like him around, someone he could find comfort in.
'At this point in time, yes' Grandfather admitted solemnly.
'Your body is the only one that can sustain the life of an older soul, while aging like a normal body' Father explained, letting the cogs in Jack's mind turn. If magic was linked to the soul, the more the soul had been through the more magic it would produce, like a muscle of some sort.
'It appears that we have powered the machine of his mind son, let us leave' Grandfather announced, refusing to speak anymore.
'Until next time, Son'