December 24th, x777
Curry in A Hurry
5:00 PM
After wandering the streets for thirty minutes, Sting found himself outside a small restaurant stored away in one of the resort's corner. The sweet and savory scent alone was enough to entice the dragonslayer. The meaty smell caught him ever since he left the hotel, and the sweet aroma of fresh coffee interested him.
The Sabertooth mage entered the restaurant and was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of grounded coffee beans. He noticed the wall of assorted beans and a few authentic coffee makers placed on the counter. The dimly lit restaurant had a small bar counter with five stools and a handful of cushioned booths. Given how small the cafe was, Sting was pleasantly surprised there were three employees still working. The oldest was clearly the man with a slick back black hair and a slight hunch to stature. To the owner's left stood an orange-haired teenage girl that wore a pair of headphones around her neck. To his right, there was a messy black haired guy, around Sting's age, that was the only one actually wearing an apron. Sting couldn't tell if they were related or close coworker, but their scents were ingrained into together.
"What can I get for you today?" The man standing behind the corner couldn't have been any older than forty smirked as Sting took a seat at the closest stool.
"Can I get six plates of curry, wait! Seven, I got to get a plate for her," Sting ignored the eyebrow raises coming from the guy in the apron. "Do you got anything for a hangover too?"
"I think we got what you're looking for. Akira and Sakura, think you can handle the curry?" The owner chuckled to himself as the two nodded along before they got to work. "Is the coffee for you or your friend?"
"Both," He groaned. "I didn't think she'd be a lightweight. "
The boss smiled to himself as he stared at the wall of coffee beans. "Ah youth, I remember those days. It's good that you're caring for your girl."
"Wh-What?" Sting sputtered out while a light blush appeared on his face. "We're just friends. Nothing more!"
The owner sarcastically reassured the mage. "Hehe, alright. You're just two friends spending Christmas Eve alone at the spa resort."
"I'm serious. Besides, it's clear that she already has someone else in mind," He retorted with a slight glare. "I'm sure that if she could be with him, she would."
"Do you want to be more than friends?" The older man asked while loading the coffee maker.
The dragonslayer glowered at the restaurant owner. It didn't really matter what he wanted. Lucy made it clear that she wanted Natsu, and only him. Not only that, but they also came from two different guilds, so Sting doubted they'll stay in touch when the mission is finished. Hearts, the girl, was too comfortable with being a Fairy to join a guild like Sabertooth, and Sting was too fucked up to join Fairy Tail. And yet, a part of his heart clung onto hope.
"I don't know. I don't want this to end, but we gotta get back to our lives," Sting answered bitterly. Leo and Pisces will eventually cross their path, and Sting will have to face Future Rouge and the truth. Traveling Fiore with Lucy has been fun, really the most fun he had in a long time. All of their problems were the size of dimes when he was beside her. Nothing was impossible with her. She taught him how to care for a guildmate, and he, in return, saw her grow exceptionally combat-wise.
"I'm sure you will come to a decision one day," The boss suggested as he placed two coffees in front of the dragonslayer. "Just make sure you're not too late. Love waits for no man."
"Thanks," He mumbled in a low tone while tracing his finger around the cup's rim.
The dragonslayer lost himself in his thoughts again. Sting knew she was truly one of a kind and almost irreplaceable but was it right for him to stay once everything was said and done? Eventually, the mission will end, and they'll have to return to their normal lives. Where would that leave them? They've shared dark secrets and emotional moments, so they were passed the point of being simple acquaintances. Calling Hearts a friend hurts too much to say aloud, so what was there?
"Hmm? It looks like we have another customer." The owner's voice brought Sting back to reality.
An extremely short, elderly man entered the hidden cafe. He had a thick white mustache and wore an orange hoodie, a matching pair of shorts, and a blue and orange jester hat. Sting almost dismissed the man entirely, but his eyes locked onto the fairy tail mark printed on the man's white t-shirt. The dragonslayer groaned underneath his breath as he turned away from the newcomer.
"Ah Makarov, you brought the brats to the resorts, or you ditching them for the holidays?" The boss showed off a more mischievous smile as the guild master took the seat to the left of Sting.
"If I left them alone for the holidays, I wouldn't have a guild to return to." Makarov joked. "They might be young, but I'm sure they'll mellow out as the years go on. How are Sakura and Akira doing these days?"
"Akira's visiting for the Christmas season, so, of course, I put him back to work." The owner chuckled as he poured some coffee for his friend. "Sakura's learning the ropes, but she's getting the hang of the routine."
"Hehe, I think it was the right choice to bring Akira here to you, Boss."
Their conversation devolved into two old friends catching up. Sting half-heartily listened, careful not to draw too much attention to himself. The dragonslayer sipped on his coffee and silently appreciated the taste. The coffee wasn't too strong in his opinion but was enough to wake his senses. The drink went down smoothly. Sting was tempted to ask what was in it but, instead, tasted Lucy's coffee. Her drink had a faint aroma of coffee beans, and the flavor was creamer than his drink. The extra ingredients masking the coffee beans. Sting placed the top back on her drink and wrinkled his nose in slight disgust.
"Here, you go," Akira appeared by Sting's side with two tied bags of curry in his hands. "Merry Christmas, sir."
"Er, you too," Sting grabbed the bags whilst trying to juggle the coffees. Normally, he would down half his food right there, but he didn't want to stick around Makarov too long. "Thank you."
"Are you sure you can carry all that?" Master Makarov raised an eyebrow before pausing for a moment. "Actually, I'll lend a hand, Wiess."
"You two know each other?" Boss questioned, and Makarov was quick to nod in approval. "Wiess and his partner, Rebecca, participated in the Veilstone Tag-Team Tournament, and Rebecca is a Fairy Tail member. I will be having dinner with them tonight. Isn't that right, Wiess?"
"Yeah..." Sting answered and resigned to his fate. The Fairy Tail's master tone was enticing yet had a very intimidating undertone. The dragonslayer was slightly concerned about what would happen if he said no.
"I'll see you later, Boss. Merry Christmas to you all," Makarov waved them goodbye as he grabbed the coffees. "Come on along Wiess, we have to meet Rebecca."
December 24th, x777
Balsam Village's Inn
7:00 PM
Sting glanced back at Master Makarov. The dragonslayer took a deep breath before knocking on their room's door, "Hey Rebecca, are ya decent?"
A moment of silence passed before the trio heard footsteps approaching the main door. With the door unlocked, the maiden appeared at the entrance. "Master...Weiss, you brought a guest...?"
"Yeah Virgo, I got careless. How is Rebecca hold up?" He hung his head in shame before turning to a more important topic.
"Master Rebecca is recovering. I may I ask who this gentleman is?" The spirit slightly tilted her head to the left as she studied the Fairy.
"This is Master Makarov, the master of Fairy Tail, and he would like a word with the two of us," Sting answered in a strained voice.
Wordlessly, the maiden spirit assisted the dragonslayer with the bags in his hands and allowed the gentlemen to enter the room. Lucy was back at the same table and drinking another bottle of water. Some playing cards were scattered around as if they were in the midst of a game. The Celestial Mage had changed in a simple black pair of leggings and a matching tank top. Sting gave Lucy a half-hearted wave as Makarov came into view. Lucy felt her heart stop when the grinning master made himself comfortable. She stared Sting, desperate for an answer, but he could only mouth 'I'm sorry'. The Fairy found herself absentmindedly shaking her future father figure's hand while she gazed at him.
Sting let out a deep sigh before he helped Virgo with the food. A moment of silence passed as the two became to place the food at the table. Master Makarov thanked the duo for their effort as Lucy stared at the curry. After distributing the coffees, the dragonslayer found his spot at the round table, between the Fairies and across from Virgo.
"Boss has certainly taught them well," The short man praised the shop owner as he took another bite. "This curry is delicious!"
"Are...Are you serious," Sting sweatdropped. "What? Is this way of torturing us?"
"Hmm? Boss is a professional chef, so of course, his prodigies would mirror his abilities,"
"So, you blackmail me into bringing you back here, and you wanna talk about curry? Seriously?"
Makarov let out a tired sigh before placing his plate back onto the table. "One day, the young will learn some patience. Very well, allow me to propose a question. What you believe is going through my mind right now?"
"How do I hide two bodies?"
"Wh-No," Master Makarov frowned. "I won't hide that I'm upset. How do think a father feels when his daughter refuses to visit him?"
Lucy blinked twice as she tried to process the words she heard. "I'm sorry...what? Master Makarov...what are you saying?"
"Well my child, I'm saying that you should visit Fairy Tail more often. Did you honestly believe I would mistake your mark for a forgery?" Makarov let out a mischievous chuckle once he noticed the dumbfounded expression the two travelers had. "Ah, that truly never gets old."
"...I... I have several questions," Lucy raised a shaking hand and continued on once she had everyone's attention. "So, you knew? For how long?"
"Roughly six months, after all, I have tracing magic embedded in every guild mark. Imagine my surprise when I noticed a new one under the name, Lucy Heartfilia who happens to be a Celestial Wizard." Master twisted his mustache as he spoke fondly to his child. "Of course, I know what towns you stay and for how long. After news of two unaffiliated mages took down the Casino in the Stratosphere and uncovered a human trafficking ring, I realized something. You're collecting the twelve zodiacs, correct? Why?"
Sting let out a frustrated groan as he scratched the back of his neck. "Geez, I thought we being sneaky too. I guess there's no need to beat around the bush, huh? Are you sure you can handle the truth? It's kinda wild."
"Young man, these old ears have heard many of stories. Nothing less than Zeref's death will surprise me."
"Alright, but if ya lose a year off your life, it ain't my fault," Sting muttered to himself as he wiped the makeup from his hand and revealed Mavis's signature mark to guild master's surprise.
"Master...A lot has happened. In our future, someone opens a very powerful artifact called the Elipse Gate, which allows the user to time travel. This person chose to bring ten thousand dragons to the year x791, and...the two of us are the only ones to survive. The First sent the two of us back in time with a mission: To prevent this ruin from occurring. However, when we time travel, we overshot our destination by fourteen years. So, we are trying to find the twelve zodiacs and return to our correct date." Lucy submitted the entire truth. "I'm sorry for keeping this from you. But we couldn't risk manipulating the future."
Makarov held the Celestial Wizard's hand as a sincere smile grew on his face. "There's no need to apologize, child. I understand the need for precaution. Time travel is always messy. Besides, you're not the first time travelers I've met."
"Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?" Sting frowned. "How many times has this happened!?"
"A number greater than one but less than infinity." Makarov's smile turned slightly mischievous before he cleared his throat. "But, I must ask for your name, and please do not say 'Wiess'. From the tracker alone, I know 'Rebecca' is an alias, so it must follow that Wiess isn't your real name."
"...Sting Eucliffe, the Light Dragonslayer and a third-generation breed." He answered in a defeated tone. He truly underestimated the old man. It felt like Makarov was five steps ahead of them without either of them noticing. "So, what now? You got the information out of us."
"Another dragonslayer, huh. Very well, report to the guild on January 2nd of the new year." The elderly master rose from his seat and straightened his clothes. "I have an old friend that wishes to speak with you two. Also, it seems you have caught the attention of some detectives. You must remain diligent with keeping your identities a secret."
Lucy frowned as she tried to think about his warning. "Wait, detectives? Do you mean Detective Saisuke and Kiriyo? Why do you know them?"
"They paid the guild a visit shortly after Veilstone tournament. Apparently, the detectives found you worthy of investigating, and they certainly learned a significant amount. Detective Saisuke offered the option of placing a bounty for forging an official guild's mark." Makarov shook his head. "I declined, but I'm afraid that you're still being investigated. Avoid those detectives at all costs. If they can pinpoint your location, then I'm certain they'll move in for an arrest."
"That's bullcrap! We haven't done anything wrong!" Sting slammed his fist against the coffee table. "Why are they trying to arrest us?!"
"On the counts of trespassing on Everlue's property, 'forging' a guild mark, and underage gambling," Makarov Dreyar answered. "I suspect that one of them used a spell to undercover this information. Nevertheless, you do not have to worry about the detective knowing that we've spoken today."
"How can we be sure?"
"Sting!"
"It is fine, child," He raised a hand. "I will support you as much as I can. My old friend will help you find another key, Pisces I believe."
"Thank you, Master," Lucy politely bowed before him. "Thank you for your kindness. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for everything you've done for us, today."
"Hold your head high and continue on your path. Though we might diverge for a moment, the day we truly reunite will come again. Until then, live as if today is your last and smile brightly." Makarov proclaimed with a bright smile before he exited the room. "I must be on my way. I left Laxus in charge of the boys, and I have the sneaking suspicion that Natsu and Gray are fighting again. You're more than welcome to visit us during your stay but keep your alias. Your real names will be a secret between only us."
The duo shared a moment of silence as they tried to process what just happened. Master Makarov seamlessly shattered all of their expectations, and Sting couldn't stop himself from comparing Makarov to Jiemma. The Wizard Saint effortlessly controlled the conversation without the need of fear or violence and put all their worries to sleep. A weight of uncertainty was lifted off his chest, and he can breathe a little better. And...it was a nice change of pace, for once. Sting, for once during the entire trip, felt like he was a part of something greater than himself, a family.
"I get it," The Sabertooth smiled.
The Fairy turned to him with a raised brow. "Huh? Get what?"
"I get why y'all fought so hard during the game. I get why I couldn't beat them that night," He explained whilst placing his hand on his heart. "Y'all weren't fighting for the glory or the title itself. It was for those who suffered those seven years, and Makarov taught you all that. Fight for everyone who wears the mark."
"We might fight and bicker every day, but when the chips are down, Fairy Tail will always protect their kind," Lucy reassured him. "Master Makarov did a great job instilling that into our hearts, but why do you ask that?"
"I don't know. I was expecting him to scream at us for well everything, but Makarov was chill about everything." Sting admitted. "Jiemma could really take a page out of his book."
Lucy let out a small laugh as an idea popped up into her head. "Come on, how about we check out guild as kids? I'm sure Mirajane will surprise you."
"What? The model?" Sting asked, slightly interested. "How much can she change? What, did she take care our everyone else or something?"
The Fairy grabbed his hand and quickly lead him out the door. The night was still young, and there was still much to do. The uncertainties of the future were forgotten, and neither of them was upset about it. Their worries and concerns faded away underneath the moon's light.
A/N: Lowkey keeps thinking about a Persona 5 and Fairy Tail Cross Over for no real reason. And, I can't focus without thinking about the idea of seeing Yusuke v Gray, Joker and Morgana v Natsu and Happy, Ann v. Lucy, Makoto v Erza, Ryuji and Futaba v Wendy and Carla, Haru and Violet v Juvia and Lisanna. I really think this is about to be a whole side project.
