Hey guys! Thank you all for your patience, I hope you will enjoy this new chapter! Thanks CJ for proofreading!
''It's pretty clear you guys are weak as hell,'' Laxus declared in front of the flabbergasted group he had just summoned at the beach, ''Who trained you? Mira?''
''Watch it,'' Mirajane sharply retaliated with a glare that could kill.
Laxus grinned and gave her a playful wink. ''Just kidding, just make sure you've leveled them up a bit the next time I check in.'' He turned towards the group again. ''My name is Laxus Dreyar and I'm Makarov's grandson,'' he said, ''I'm currently in charge of scouting the country to locate outbursts of demons like you've just encountered.''
''Mira totally has a crush on him,'' Lucy whispered to Cana.
''Let me introduce you to my team, the Thunder Legion,'' he said as he gestured to his side and a group of three people stepped forward from behind him.
A slender-built man with bright green hair down to his waist presented himself as Freed Justine. He might as well have been abducted from a nearby fantasy fair, in his unusual attire of a long red coat with buttoned sleeves. His long hair was slickly put into a ponytail, leaving only an asymmetrical bang hanging loose. His presence was stoic.
He was followed by a lady with the most-perfectly styled honey-blonde hair. She had stern, dark eyes and her glasses only accentuated her firm gaze. She was wearing a simple, yet beautiful purple dress that reached just above her knees. She introduced herself as Evergreen Tobin.
Everyone was looking at them in awe. They thought they were used to weird haircolours and attires, but this elite team of mages radiated an entirely different kind of aura.
Lucy and Cana eyed each other in confusion. ''Pretty sure those names never showed up in the records,'' Cana whispered.
''Maybe they're secondary wizards?'' Lucy suggested.
''I don't think so, that girl has a birthmark on her collarbone.''
Laxus caught them whispering and gave them a deadly glare. Quickly they stood up straight again to pay attention.
The last person told them his name was Bickslow Campbell. He was by far the most unusual person Lucy had ever seen. He was very tall and wore skinny jeans and a baggy sweater. His head was shaved on two sides, and had a dark-blue dyed mohawk haircut in the middle. His eyes were a striking shade of green and as he talked, it appeared that he had a dark spot on his tongue. His way of talking and moving was unhinged and all over the place, unlike the other three mages next to him.
Mirajane thanked the three mages for introducing themselves and cleared her throat before turning towards the group again.
''Your powers have awakened in this generation because now is the time to use them,'' she said, ''however, the Fairy Tail is not the only community home in this country. There are way more, and you'll learn about them soon.''
It must be a hilarious sight, Lucy thought, all these people in their beach attire being given a speech at the seaside. It was almost as if they didn't just fight off demons.
''Next week, you will all enroll in a training camp that will take 10 days.''
''What about our jobs?'' Loke said as he raised his hand, ''we can't just disappear like that.''
Mirajane gave him an assuring smile. ''The government knows about our presence and importance and will take care of it for everyone.''
Laxus gave her a reassuring nod and continued. ''These three will be your mentors and you'll meet the other mages from other parts of the country. They might be far ahead of us already, so don't put us to shame.''
''This decision to organise the camp has been made this morning by master Makarov and the other leaders,'' Mirajane said, ''we'll make sure to pass this message to the other ones not present here today.''
Lucy looked around to see the reaction of a certain someone and felt her heart jump up when she found him doing the very same.
''Hell yeah,'' he whispered, his eyes shimmering with excitement, ''this'll be so much fun.''
She loved seeing him so happy and had to admit she was feeling energised too. The thought of meeting more mages and finding out more about her magic made her feel all tingly.
She looked back, realising she hadn't checked Cana's reaction yet, but was met with a sad silence.
''What difference will it make,'' Cana quietly said, ''I can't find my magic anyway.''
Lucy felt bad for her; she had been so caught up in finally finding her own magic, she had neglected Cana's frustration of not being able to cast magic yet.
After Mirajane and Laxus dismissed them and let them continue their holiday as if nothing had ever happened, the group scattered and returned to the resort. It was close to twilight and everyone was longing for their beds. Using magic wasn't common for them yet and they still had to build up their magic stamina.
''Phew, I'm beat!'' Natsu said, draping his arms around Lucy and Cana from behind, ''I think I destroyed at least five demons!''
Lucy laughed at Cana's unimpressed expression.
''Just five?'' Gray said, ''those are rookie numbers, I think Juvia and I hit at least twenty.''
Juvia nodded confidently.
''You two make the perfect duo, don't you?'' Cana said with a sly smile.
''Yes, I really think so!'' Juvia said excitedly, ''do you think it's fate?''
Gray had stopped talking and was turning redder by the second.
Cana saw her chance and took it. ''Definitely!'' she played along, ''what's the phrase again? Star-crossed lovers?''
''I-I think I forgot my hotel-room key,'' Gray muttered, pretended to search his pockets and turned around towards the sea again.
''You mean these?'' Juvia playfully said as she held up a card.
''How did you-'' Gray blurted out. His friends couldn't stop laughing.
''Good night, you two,'' Cana winked, before gesturing Lucy and Natsu to head towards the restaurant.
As soon as they entered the main building again, Lucy felt as if she'd set foot in the wrong scene.
Something was off. Why were all the guests at the resort acting as if nothing had happened? She had low-key expected the police and the local news station to be here by now after the large-scale beach evacuation, but seeing everyone else so calm made her almost wonder if she had dreamed it all.
She looked aside and saw Natsu and Cana were bewildered as well. Cana had her eyes set on something further ahead and Lucy turned her head to see what it was, but was too late. Cana sprinted away after someone who just disappeared around the corner, out of the restaurant.
Cana knew it for sure. From the moment they stepped into the restaurant with the oddly calm guests who had just witnessed a supernatural attack to the second her eyes locked with someone else's in the back of the restaurant.
It was the professor, again.
He ran off the second he spotted the mages and Cana didn't hesitate for a second, knowing he could literally go up in thin air.
As soon as Cana turned around the corner, she leaped forward and grabbed him by the fabric of his blouse.
He cursed himself for still feeling the effects of the alcohol earlier that evening. Before he could even process what was happening, he felt the back of his head slam against the wall.
Cana held him by his collar and felt a rage welling up inside of her. But, no matter how mad she was, yet again she felt the overwhelming sense of dejavú and melancholy.
''What are you hiding from us?!'' she let out, feeling unexplainable tears stream down her face, ''Who are you?!''
His mind was hazy, he had used up way too much magic to deal with the witnesses of the incident. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't teleport right now. He was trapped.
''I wish I could tell you, Cana...'' he said having a hard time talking with his collar pulled up. Seeing her cry let his heart ache. ''I really do...''
''Then why don't you?!'' she sobbed.
His lower lip started to tremble and he felt tears burn behind his eyes.
Cana suddenly loosened her grip as her eyes widened when realisation hit her like a cold splash of water. ''You know me already, don't you?''