Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Being near Natsu was stirring up more anger than Invel liked. So, he moved. That boy did not even realize what he had done. He smiled effortlessly, unaware of the suffering his brother endured on a daily basis on his behalf. He smiled, not seeming to care that he was neglecting his own duty to his brother. He smiled, not realizing that each smile gritted on Invel's nerves, almost begging him to attack the boy on his emperor's behalf. With his magical energy already so depleted, he knew it was not a battle to begin now. So, he left.

Invel truly did not care if others followed him. Really, Sting was the only one he suspected might do so. That dragon slayer was odd, making such an easy connection with a boy he hardly knew. He was rather ignorant of the darkness in the world, it seemed. Perhaps he did know the pain of losing those he cherished. It still paled in comparison to his majesty's existence. It paled in comparison to the harsh lives of those growing up surrounded by nothing but war in the Alakitasia before Alvarez. None in Fiore knew suffering like the people of his country did, and none of them knew it as well as Emperor Spriggan.

The sound of footsteps behind him only confirmed his suspicions about Sting. He did not even glance over his shoulder as the dragon slayer quickly caught up with him, slowing to match Invel's pace and walk by his side. "Hey…you left rather suddenly back there. Was something wrong?"

It wasn't something he could explain, not without revealing too much. "I dislike crowds." It wasn't untrue, but it was not the reason he had left either. "My work with Eclipse was complete, as the gate was rendered unusable. It will take years for them to construct another, and by then…well, I do not believe I will have to concern myself with it quite so much." By then, his majesty would have his war. By then, everything in this world would cease to be. In a way, it was why it did not matter what Invel did anymore. It would all be forgotten and erased by his majesty's plans.

"Huh. You didn't seem to have that much of an issue with them at the Grand Magic Games. Those stands are far more packed with people than that courtyard was."

Shrugging, Invel folded his hands behind his back. "Those were different circumstances. The courtyard functioned as a battleground for my purposes. Fill a battleground with an endless sea of soldiers and anyone is bound to be unable to relax. Fill a stadium meant for entertainment with a sea of spectators and excitement is bound to start instead. Different situations call for different amounts of individuals being ideal for comfort."

Shaking his head, Sting chuckled. "So, an ideal battlefield is completely empty?"

"No." Invel glanced towards him, wondering just how easy it would be to scare him away. "An ideal battlefield holds only one…the victor who has slain his enemies."

The amusement in Sting's gaze faded, and he swallowed and looked away. "Right. Should have expected that from you…you really can't see any other way out of a fight, can you?"

"Death is the most direct and efficient path to ending a battle. Perhaps others exist, but this is the one that allows me to move forward sooner."

"And this is coming from the guy who tried to calm me down so I wouldn't kill anyone." Sting shook his head, smiling faintly once more. Invel did not understand what he had said that was so amusing, but it would be rather pointless to ask what it was. "You know, if you dislike killing so much, why do you seem to not care about death? I mean, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

Pausing, Invel frowned and took a deep breath, glancing up at the sky. It was still dark, with the eclipse slowly fading away and revealing the bright moon once more. "Because death is inevitable. Fighting against such a thing would be rather pointless…and I imagine many of us would regret actually succeeding in such an endeavor." Really, when he thought of fighting back against death, his emperor always came to mind. Such sadness was not something he would wish upon anyone. Then again, could he truly consider himself happy now? He didn't know, but he was content to live his life in service to the one who gave him a home and a place where his power belonged.

"That's not exactly what I meant." Sting scratched the back of his head, frowning for a moment. "I mean, you don't seem to have an issue when you talk about killing others. You sound like you'd be willing to kill, and that you wouldn't even bat an eye as you did so. Most people would be at least somewhat bothered by the idea…I mean, I know I would hate myself if it ever came down to something like that in one of my fights. In fact…I don't even think I could manage it, even if it would save my own life."

Oddly, this boy was rather trusting of him. Invel still did not understand quite how he had gained such trust, but at least he could comprehend some of his earlier explanation. For a wizard who disliked the idea of being a murderer, Invel supposed he had done the dragon slayer some good with his earlier bluntness. "No one truly knows how far they will go in the act of self-preservation until they are forced into such a situation." Invel began moving again, tilting his head and studying the streets. Few people were wandering about, with the festival coming to an end. "As for my ability to calmly assess a situation and determine if killing is something that would be required…I suppose you could simply say it came from my childhood. Beyond that, I am not willing to say."

Invel had practically been raised by Emperor Spriggan and his shields. More accurately, Invel spent far more time training under August than any of the others, but it was still the days he saw his emperor that brought pieces of joy to his past. Knowing that the emperor cared about his progress made him strive to become better, to master his ability so he could prove himself useful. "That has got to be one unusual childhood, then. I mean, I was raised by a dragon…and even I don't like the thought of killing anyone."

"The idea that dragons are monstrous beasts is a misconception. Expecting one to train a child to do little beyond killing would be rather foolish."

Sting chuckled at that, shaking his head. "I guess you've got a point there." He let out a deep breath, walking in silence for a moment. Invel glanced towards the boy, finding the quietness unusual. However, Sting appeared to be studying Invel, frowning as he thought. "Anyway…what are you planning to do next? You said you wanted to watch the end of the Grand Magic Games, and those are kinda done with. Plus, you finished whatever it was you wanted to do with that gate from before…so what's next?"

He wasn't even sure himself. Gazing down at the path he was taking, Invel frowned. "I…I suppose I do not know. There is still work to be done, but beginning it…I feel as if I may have approached this the wrong way." Really, if he was working towards observing Fairy Tail, why had he not lingered to watch the ice mage and requip wizard from before? He let his emotions get the best of him, and he cursed himself for fleeing simply because his majesty's brother had been nearby.

"Are you planning in sticking around in Crocus then?" Sting seemed to be growing to understand not to push too many specific questions his way. The boy didn't even bother asking what work Invel was doing, and for that, the winter mage couldn't help but admit he felt a small amount of relief.

Glancing around at the darkened streets, he realized there would be little purpose here. True, he could find the location of Fairy Tail in this town. However, if he arrived at their guild hall now, they would recognize him. He would not be able to make the same claim he had originally planned, intending to be a wizard in search of a guild. It would be suspicious if a wizard seen attacking the palace in Crocus suddenly proclaimed a desire to do work on the country's behalf. So, that approach was no longer an option. He might even need to return and switch places with August, that way someone new could start fresh on the task at hand.

When his silence seemed to linger, Sting seemed to run a hand through his hair. "Dang, is even that too much to explain? I get that you don't like talking about yourself…I mean, everyone has pieces of their past they don't like to share. This…this is just more extreme than even I expected." He paused again, sighing. "If you really need something to keep yourself focused on while you figure out what to do next…you could come with me. Sabertooth…we're kinda undergoing a change in leadership at the moment. We could use some more members in our ranks, if you were interested."

It wasn't Fairy Tail. Invel studied the blond for a moment, calculating the odds. Just before, he had come to his aid with the help of Fairy Tail wizards. Would his guild be considered a potential ally of Fairy Tail's in the upcoming war? Based on the way he easily fought by their sides, Invel would not be surprised. "Perhaps…though I am uncertain if it is what I should be doing." He paused for a moment, frowning. "Do you often interact with other guilds here? I am not from Fiore, and have been traveling for some time. You'd be surprised at how different guilds can be depending on the nation you are in."

Keeping his history vague would be for the best. Sting did not question it, smiling and nodding. "Really? I guess I might have to travel one day and see that for myself. In Fiore, we normally stick to ourselves unless the job warrants a mixing of guilds." That was too vague to be of much use. When he frowned, Sting patted his back and smiled. "Yeah, I guess that didn't make much sense, did it?" He chuckled, smiling. "See…for example, there was a job a while back that targeted this powerful dark guild in Fiore. A job like that is given to multiple guilds, expanding the amount of team members working together on it. Normal jobs are taken by one guild at a time, since they don't need quite so much effort to finish. Now, that isn't to say we don't still run into each other from time to time…wizards tend to stick together, so we get visitors from Blue Pegasus dropping by, along with Lamia Scale when they want advice on how to approach certain missions."

So it would be likely for Invel to see Fairy Tail again, if he chose this route. Considering how unlikely he was to be able to join the guild he needed to observe, this just might be the best path. After all, would ending a war not constitute enough of a challenge to warrant the participation of multiple guilds? He was certain it would, given the strength of his comrades. "Interesting. Would I be able to simply do work for the time being, before becoming an official member? Hasty decisions are often not the best to make." Really, Invel was simply hoping to avoid joining a guild altogether. Adding in the crest of a guild to his skin meant to only bear the mark of his empire felt wrong, like a betrayal of his emperor.

"Sure! I'd be happy to let you go on a few jobs with Rogue and me to help you get a better idea of what you'd be doing." So he did work with the other dragon slayer often. Invel simply observed the blond for now, watching as he seemed to pick up the pace, taking the lead. "Besides…I just realized I don't even know what kind of magic you use. I mean, I saw you do something with ice back near the gate…but it wasn't enough to give me much of an idea of what kind of ice magic you have."

Narrowing his eyes, Invel studied the blond for a moment. It seemed as if Sting was trying to ascertain his weaknesses and strengths, probing for more information. However, as he studied the blond, Invel realized his slight mistake. Guilds were places where wizards fought together. To properly do so, an understanding of each other's magic was necessary. This was not coming from a place of suspicion, but once again from his unfounded desire to become friends. The realization made him relax ever so slightly, smiling faintly and lessening his harsh glare that had begun to form originally. "Ah, I suppose I have not explained. Then again…it is likely something best kept to myself for the time being. Simply being aware of the fact that it is ice magic should be enough for you to work with."

"Okay…so, ice magic and swordplay? Kinda makes me think you're used to fighting at close range." Sting seemed to think for a moment, frowning.

Invel interrupted, shaking his head. "Range is perfectly acceptable as well."

The dragon slayer studied Invel for a moment, before shrugging and continuing to move. "Alright. Well, you'll probably be observing at first anyway until you get the hang of things. Rogue and I already have a system that works for the two of us, so adding you in might feel weird at first…but I'm sure he won't mind."

Really, Invel could care less about Rogue's opinion on the matter. So long as he managed to observe their magic more closely for Emperor Spriggan's war preparations, all would work out as needed. "I am content with observing, if participating would interfere with your usual work." Sting nodded, biting his lip as he glanced over at Invel.

"Yeah…but that would be kinda boring for you." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We'll get it figured out. We're almost to our guild's room anyway. This is where we were staying during the Grand Magic Games. Our actual guild hall is a little ways away from the capital, in Dordria City."

Where it was didn't matter, at least not at the moment. Invel did not know Fiore well enough to identify the location of the city geographically yet, but he would be obtaining a map soon enough to manage just that. "I see. And you are certain the others will hold no objection to me returning with you? It does not seem as if I would fit into a guild so easily."

Sting laughed, opening the door to the room. "Wouldn't fit in? You make it sound like you're not a wizard." Invel blinked at him, frowning. "See, that's all you really need to be to join a guild. Guilds are places for wizards…we don't care about what kind of person you are or where you came from. We learn who you are the longer you're with us…and the more we work together, the closer we become. As Fairy Tail often thinks…guilds are meant to be like family. That's the kind of guild I want us to become." His gaze flickered towards the people in the room, who looked up as he entered. "Sabertooth is going to change, I'll make sure of it. After all, did I not mention us going through a change in leadership?" He grinned, holding out his hand. "I'd like to properly introduce myself to you, since I don't remember ever actually doing so, Invel. My name is Sting Eucliffe, and I am the new master of Sabertooth."

Invel definitely is interesting to try and write when he's not fighting. I seem to give him a very logical mindset...not certain if you guys agree that it fits with him, but I think it somewhat does. Either way, he's now meeting a few more Sabertooth members (and is convincing himself that he's stuck with them rather than Fairy Tail). Feel free to review and tell me what you think!