Chapter 7

A building somewhere in the forest hours away from a small town called "Gruene valley" (pronounced green) eleven days after Rana appeared

Gajeel pov

I still couldn't believe Makarov. After I talked to him that day and still he went right up to shrimp.

Thwack!

He told told her to help that girl with her problem.

Crack!

Acted like everything was gonna be fucking peachy.

Slam!

She acted like she'd be fine.

Lily: "Gajeel!"

Gajeel: "What!"I growled back.

Lily: "Get your goddamn act together! You already ran out of idiots to beat up! Tell me what's going on!"

I slumped to my knees after letting the last guy fall to the ground. I didn't notice till then but I'd been beating up an unconscious guy for a while. Heck it might have been twenty minutes already. I realized that I really didn't have any fight left. I was tired and angry still but I didn't have it in me to destroy anymore today. I looked toward lil and he was looking down at me in his battle form like he was ready for anything. I guess he was waiting for me to take out my anger on him.

Lily: "You done?"

Gajeel: "I think so."

Lily pov

Since we got here I watched Gajeel plow his way through everything in sight. He nearly scared our clients to death with his glares alone. The men of the dark guild we just destroyed, La Llorona's Children, couldn't come to match him in anger and magic power and in all honesty I was worried he'd kill someone by accident. I knew the rest of the job had to wait until he was clear headed and focused.

Lily: "So what's this about? You've been agitated since last week."I asked.

Gajeel: "The whole thing with Levy."

He said her name with an almost somber tone. The vitality he'd shone throughout his fight with the guild gone. Had anyone who knew him seen this they'd have thought Gajeel was an impostor. When something ate away at his soul it showed as defeat after he'd worked out his anger. It was all too familiar.

Lily: "Explain then."

Gajeel: "Makarov wanted Levy to help that new girl Rana or whatever the fuck her name was and I told him no. Then later on Levy comes up to me asking if I can help her translate some draconic. I got suspicious and asked what it was for then she told me it was for that girl. Lil how the fuck am I supposed to protect her when I can't even stop her from helping someone like Rana."

He looked angry when Rana was brought up and I realized he wasn't just worried about Levy's safety, but he was worried about being Rana.

Lily: "Gajeel, jobs like that are almost the same as when we go fighting a dark guild to her. They are her hardest fights, the ones that make her feel alive. I know you worry about her, but you worry her when you pull your shit. Besides when it comes to Rana I think what pisses you off the most is the similarities she has with you."

Gajeel: "Look I can control my shit alright."

I chuckled when I heard his comment. Though Gajeel could control his magic his temper was another story. I wondered how much damage control I'd have to do with Levy when we got back.

Lily: "We both know you're lying to yourself. We both know you can't control your anger very well. Hence why we're sitting on the ground covered in blood… by the way I never heard you two fight when we went back to the guild. When did that happen?

Gajeel: "I left after I figured out what was going on, I grabbed the first mission I could find and ughhh."

I watched Gajeel for a moment. He held his head in his hands and honestly I was proud despite his obvious frustrations. I didn't have to patch relationships or explain a long rant and the way he'd taken out his anger this time was productive in a way.

Lily: "Well that's all you could do."

He crossed his arms and started pouting like a child.

Gajeel: "What do yah mean it's all I could do? She could get hurt and I can't do anythin...I."

Lily: "Gajeel I'm just happy you didn't pick a fight with her. She can take care of herself. Heck she practically carried Jet and Droy for years. I doubt she'll be anything other than tired seeing as you said she was translating draconic… actually she might be pissed with you because she's still learning from that dictionary of yours but other than the obvious time lost she'll be fine.

Gajeel: "Fuuuuck..."

He had looked almost happy until I mentioned Levy still learning from his dictionary at which point he curled in on himself again.

Lily: "Now let's get back to business alright?"

Gajeel: "Fine wha'd are we supposed tah do again?"

Lily: "We're looking for the children that La Llorona's Children were holding hostage… Do you smell them anywhere?"

Gajeel started sniffing the air. Even though I had a decent sense of smell, mine paled in comparison to his. Suddenly he started walking toward underneath the stairs on the far side of the building. Wooden boxes were stacked there and it wasn't until we got closer that I realized they hid something there. Suddenly Gajeel punched one particular box, a small one in the middle that I would've overlooked, and sure enough after it cracked the facade of boxes vanished and left the cage with the children we were looking for behind.

Two boys and a girl lay sleeping in chains in the corner huddled together for what I imagine for warmth. I watched as Gajeel ate through the chains and soon we were on our way with the children in tow. When we got back to Gruene Valley the residents were overjoyed. It took a while but eventually the residents had finished thanking us and we started the trek home.