Chapter 13: Day 2- Not Raven Tail

Riku was floating again in Lacrima. The same hazy feeling surrounding him, but it was a comfortable haziness of relaxation, not of determination or anger. No one else was floating in the lacrima, no one needed to be saved, and there was not timeline for him to leave. He was floating in eternity and it felt so nice and warm.

Maybe there was someone? He lazily moved his head to the left. Two figures were approaching him. What were they walking on, he wondered. Was there a floor here? Was he lying on it? He considered making a move to test if there was a floor beneath him, but it was too much effort. His arms were too heavy anyway.

Instead he just watched the two approach through the fog. There was a woman with a slim & curvaceous figure, her dark purple hair cut to chin length, bangs covering her eyes in shadow. Next to her was a small girl.

So you're both back again, Riku thought, but he didn't speak. He'd gotten use to this dream and their appearance. Who ever they were, made up or some buried memory, he couldn't bring himself to worry when the fog was so comfy.

The figures stopped and beckoned to small girl called to him.

"Come on, Ubel" she said. "Mom's waiting for you!"

He'd given up correcting the girl. Given up wondering what Ubel was. He felt himself shrinking down, down, down, compressing until he felt like a small child again- smaller than he was when Acnologia had found him. He didn't move, a floating toddler, watching the figures. Would they turn and leave as they usually did? Would they approach this time? He was never able to reach out to them, so he had stopped trying years ago.

This time the woman moved, releasing the girls hand and bringing her own together. There was a cracking sound and next to Riku's hand a rose began to appear, with beautiful petals opening before him. He watched it bloom before picking it up and peering at it. It was a pinkish sort of ice, but it didn't feel cold to Riku. It did seem... familiar? Like Deja vu?

Riku blinked his eyes open to see large green eyes framed by very long, wavy, pastel yellow-blonde hair. Riku nearly fell off his bed in surprise. He looked around hurriedly and found that he was in his own room at a Crocus Inn. He looked back at the girl, who was now giggling behind her hand. She was wearing a frilly, pink layered robe with a red ribbon tied in a bow around her neck and wing-like adornments around her ears with small hoop earrings. She was also barefoot.

"I'm Mavis," The girl said sitting on the bed and peering at Riku's spot on the floor. "Are you alright?"

"What the hell are you doing in my room" Riku demanded. He looked down at himself to realize he was only in his boxers, heat rising across his face. "Look away!"

"Well, you must be alright if you can yell like that," Mavis observed, turning to face the other wall while Riku hurried to throw on some clothes. "To answer your question, I'm here because I was curious."

Fully dress now Riku leaned against his dresser and observed the girl. She had to be in her very early teens or late childhood. "Curious about what," he asked.

"Can I turn around now," Mavis asked. She turned to face him again as he grunted in response. Her feet dangled off the bed, barely touching the floor. She continued, "I was curious why you hadn't been to the arena yet. I asked Cana as well, but she is going there today. She said you weren't."

"Who are you again," Riku asked.

"I'm Mavis Vermillion," Mavis said cheerfully. "First Master of Fairy Tail!"

Riku blinked once, twice, and then a third time. "Mavis the first master of Fairy Tail from like a hundred years ago?"

"Yes," Mavis said simply. "Now you tell me why you aren't going to the arena today to support Fairy Tail. You are obviously a part of Fairy Tail by guild mark & heart because you can see me."

"It's nothing personal," Riku assured her. "I just have some other responsibilities that have been keeping me busy."

"This has to do with our friend pretending to be Mystogan," she said, hopping off the bed. "So I suppose you have him in the arena, you in the town, and some other friends observing from above? It's a good strategy. Hopefully you get a chance to root for us in the arena, but I'm sure rooting in the city is also alright."

She gave him a final nod before exiting the room. He hurried after her, but when he got to the landing he saw it was empty. He sighed running his hand through his hair. Well, he supposed he'd seen weirder things than the spirit of the first master.

...

He chose the Garden Bar since he and Cana hadn't gone the day before, so there was less chance of anyone trying to pick a fight with him. Ultear and Meredy liked it because it was closer to the castle, a weak area in their observation. Garden Bar had lacrima all across their walls as well. Riku chose a seat at the very end of the bar with the wall on one side. He gently used his foot to push the only chair next to him farther away. He didn't need anyone trying to make friends with him and trash talking Fairy Tail.

His drink arrived just as the event called Chariot began. Representatives of each team had to race through Crocus to the Domus Flau atop moving wagons. As the race continued Kurohebi from Team Raven Tail pulled into the lead, with Ichiya in 2nd place, Yuka in 3rd, Risley in 4th and Bacchus in 5th. Far at the end were Gajeel, Natsu, and that blonde from Sabertooth, Sting. Riku looked away from the lacrima, feeling his stomach churn with empathy for the dragon slayers. Why would they choose this event, Riku wondered sympathetically. Finally, the contestants started to cross the finish line with Bacchus in first, followed by Kurohebi, Risley, Yuka, and then Ichiya 5th. The camera cut back to the three dragon slayers.

Riku looked back at his drink, trying to ignore the motion in the image. He didn't need any reminder of motion-sickness. On the screen he could hear Sting asking the other why there were trying so hard, despite being in such pain. Natsu replied that it was for everyone in the guild who waited for them for seven years, whow ere laughed at and mocked. They did it for them!

"That's pretty sweet," the bartender observed. He noticed Riku's darkened face. "You alright? Need another?"

Riku sniffed and ran his hand passed his nose, then chugged his drink before handing over the pint to be refilled. Natsu always has a way with speeches, Riku smiled to himself as Natsu crossed the finish line, followed by Gajeel.

The first match was between Raven Tail's Kurohebi & Lamia Scale's Toby. It was a fast fight, even with the spectacle of gambling added. When Toby he revealed his secret is that he can't find his other sock. The bartender made a sympathetic tut sound.

"Doesn't he see it's around his neck?"

Riku glanced around the bar at the face of confused drinkers. People are really invested in this sock dilemma, Riku thought.

"Someone tell the kid where his sock is," said a man at the other end of the bar.

As if in response, Kurohebi did just that, pointing to Toby's sock around his neck. Kurohebi held out his hand to Toby, but instead of taking his hand as expected, he grabbed the sock and tore it to pieces. The bar was full of sounds of displeasure.

"Not very good sportsmanship," the bartender observed. "Besides, what was the point? The kid obviously liked that sock a lot."

Riku nodded in agreement. Sure they were cheaters and assholes, but he still wasn't sure Raven Tail had anything to do with this dark and mysterious power they were looking for.

The next match was more interesting as Bacchus represented Quatro Cerberus and A Elfman represented Fairy Tail A.

"Bacchus, Bacchus,Bacchus," Riku muttered to himself. "Where have I heard that name before?"

Riku's eyes widened as Bacchus began mercilessly hammering Elfman. He remembered. He'd been out helping Erza on a job and they'd run into Bacchus, drunk and fighting a group of bandits. But, he was taking it too far. Erza stepped in and the fight that proceeded was an impressive competition. The fight on the screen was nothing like that. This was a blood bath. Or it was until Elfman transformed into a lizard man, leading to Fairy Tail's first victory.

"Well I'll be damned," said the bartender. He glanced back at Riku. "Another?"

Riku hadn't realized he'd left his seat watching the fight so intensely. He sat down and nodded. "DO you have any food here," he asked. His stomach rumbled in agreement.

...

Riku had just about finished his meal when he heard Jellal's voice in his ear, Riku, there was an attempted kidnapping. Someone tried to kidnap Wendy, Carla, and Porlyusica.

Who,thought Riku, turning away from the lacrima as Mira and Jenny entered the arena.

Natsu said that the group was arrested and taken in, Jellal responded.

Riku paid the bartender and moved out of the bar, letting the sun hit his face.

We didn't feel any dark energy up here, Ultear said.

I'll investigate anyway, Riku assured them. He looked up at the castle, walking around the gardens edge until he saw a wooden door to the side. After sneaking about following leads for seven years on hsi own, he'd gotten pretty good at spotting possible entry points. I'm already here anyway.

Call us if anything goes wrong, Ultear said.

Yeah, yeah, Riku replied moving swiftly to the door and trying the knob. It was locked. With a slash of his dark twister it opened revealing a dimly lit tunnel.

The tunnel slowly descended, growing darker and darker. His eyes began adjusting slowly to the dim lighting. Certainly this hallway had all the usual signs of a dungeon or prison, but it also had a strange feelings to it, growing stronger and stronger the longer he walked. He didn't know how long he'd been walking, but he came to an old wall. It had some kind of image but he couldn't make it out clearly. Riku grabbed a light from the wall and held it up. He most certainly was getting near the prison cells of the castle. This wall was crumbled and old. The majority of the picture had disappeared. All Riku could see now was the figure of a man holding up his hands in defense as black fires surrounded him on all sides. Riku returned the torch and continue don his way. It was an interesting picture, sure, but not much help to him now. The path straightened out and divided into three pathways. He could hear voices from one of the paths and looked around hurriedly. There was nowhere to hide. He looked up at the crumbling walls, then to his swords.

The guards passed beneath him just as he managed to use his sword to secure himself to the ceiling. He could feel the dirt and stone loosening with every second he was pushing against it.

"You think you'll go to the games tomorrow since you're off," asked the first guard.

"I think so," the second replied.

"Who are you rooting for this year? Sabertooth again?"

"That's no fun anymore. I want a comeback, so maybe Lamia Scale or Mermaid Heel?"

Their voices began to fade into the darkness just as Riku felt his sword and hold lose their grip. He fell to the ground in silent pain, working hard not to make a sound. Despite that he had to jump up and rush down the hallway he'd heard the guards approach from. In a matter of moments he limped into a room of cells. In one of them sat three glum looking men in red coats and pants. They were nicely dressed for prisoners. The one with a mustache looked up at Riku from his place on the floor.

"You're not a guard," he observed.

"No," Riku agreed squatting next to the cell to meet the mustached man's eyes. "I just have a few questions."

The man rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm tired of answering questions."

"Who hired you to kidnap the girls?"

"Read the report," replied the man.

Riku reached through the bars, grabbing the man's nice coat and pulling him forcefully towards him. Now faced eye to eye he saw some sweat appearing on the man's forehead as Riku narrowed his eyes.

"R-r-raven Tail," the man squeaked. "We were hired by Raven Tail."

"What did they say to you exactly," Riku asked. "What was your job?"

"We got a nameless note with money saying to get the girl who was in the infirmary with a description. Said we didn't need to know why, but that she had to be unharmed and to bring her keys."

"Her keys," Riku repeated.

The man nodded hurriedly.

"But you didn't grab anyone with keys," Riku observed.

The second man was laying on a cot against the far wall and he sighed loudly. "No, we didn't. We know."

"So you grabbed the wrong people," Riku said. "You said the note didn't have a name. How'd you know it was Raven Tail?"

"Well, it was obvious," the first man spluttered. "Who else would have something out for Fairy Tail wizards."

Riku released the man, who hurriedly moved out of reach and fixed his coat, glaring at Riku. Riku considered this interview as he left the dungeons. He considered it as he walked through Crocus, the sun beginning to dip below the hills creating an orange and pink painting in the sky. He considered it as he left the city limits and approached Ultear, who was sitting next to a fire as if expecting his arrival.

"I don't think it was Raven Tail," Riku said, "but I'm not sure what to make of it otherwise."

"Hello to you too," Ultear said, a smirk pulling her lips. She patted the spot next to her on the ground. "Tell me what happened."

I'll admit that this is not my favorite chapter, but we gotta get to through these first two days of the tournament so we can get to the real discoveries! Don't forget to review!