"I ruined the whole festival," Ace lamented on the couch, curled into a ball. Marco was stoking the fire, the twelve year old looking to him in a frown. "It wasn't how it usually is. People were worried, and didn't have fun, because they were worried about me," Ace elaborated. Marco sighed and sat down next to him. He didn't dispute or argue because everyone knew what Ace said was true.
"Well, there's some time until the next Fairy Tail event. Everyone can cool off before then," Marco offered. "I don't know what you can do to fix it, though. Training seems out of the question to Master. Purposely changing forms seems like it could be dangerous…" Ace slumped, and snapped about why he has to be a dragon who can't even be a dragon. He didn't snap at Marco, his words were just harsh. "Maybe when you're older you'll get the hang of it."
"I'm already nine! That's really old, isn't it? I'm almost in the double digits!" Ace replied heatedly. Marco started laughing, and Ace's face went red. "Hey! Who knows how long I live! I'm cursed, aren't I?!" he snapped. Marco went silent immediately, shoulders slumping.
He asked, "Are you afraid of dying? From it?" Ace quietly said he didn't really think about it much. They didn't know who cursed him, or what the curse actually was. What would happen if it broke, what would happen if it didn't. They knew nothing about his situation at all. All the dragons were dead and just left some strong humans behind.
Ace, according to Master and now in his own opinion, was a dragon. Not a dragon slayer, not someone with dragon powers. Hell, he didn't even have any dragon powers! It kept him from having any magic, which was really annoying, honestly.
"I wish I could be sure of something. Anything, just be sure of it."
"I know what you can be sure of. We're all here for you, no matter what happens." Ace smiled, and said one day he might eat them all. "Don't ruin my heartfelt words, idiot." They both started laughing, the air cleared a bit. They were also both tired from the festival ending. There was a lot to clean up the next day.
Ace ate his last sweets and then crashed in his room and fell to a deep sleep. They should go on a job soon.
-x-
Ace opened his eyes, the ten year old having both fists pressed together, sitting cross legged. He sniffed deeply, could tell Erza was back. She'd been gone a long time, a year long quest. He stood and yawned, stretching. He walked up the staircase in the pitch black, and banged on the metal door. It opened outward, Marco standing there. "All done?"
"Yeah. Sorry to keep you waiting," Ace said with a smile. "Wanna go on a job?" Marco nodded, and the two walked up the rest of the stairs, closing the hatch for Ace's safe space. Where he wasn't hurt and was in a controlled environment to not harm anyone else. Ace linked arms with his best friend as they went to the job board.
There were a lot there. Had people not been going on jobs? "Ace, how are you feeling?" Mira asked. Ace put his thumb up. He felt fine. He picked up a charging lacrima and put it on his ring finger. "Are you okay to go on a job?"
"Yeah. I think I'm okay for a bit. The charging lacrimas help a lot, too," Ace replied honestly. "Where's Master?"
"Meeting with other guild Masters. Just a small get together, nothing concerning," she said, waving it off. Ace nodded, and he and Marco chose a job to catch a white rhino that had eaten someone's wedding ring and needed to be purged. Sounded fun. They went back home and got their backpacks.
Ace got out some of the money from their last job to pay for food and rent on their trip. It might take a long time. They walked to the train, Ace fiddling with the charging lacrima. He had filled up seven in the last week. It was too much. They were gonna have to order a whole new crate of them by this rate.
Leaning against the window of their booth, Ace wondered if it could stay this constant. He was managing it, but it was excessive, too much. He was leaking out too much magic power. It was palpable to other wizards walking around. If Ace counted as one now. "You okay?" Marco asked. Ace nodded. "Liar. It'll be fine, don't worry so much."
"Okay…" Ace said, not really having anything else to say. "So, how are we gonna catch a rhino?" he wondered. Marco told him he was the one to pick it. "Still. I don't have any ideas." The blonde sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Maybe we could stalk it. I don't think we can chase a rhino, but if I get a scent, I could probably find it okay…" Ace mumbled. "Maybe I shoulda' chosen a different job."
"No going back now. I don't want to return empty handed," Marco replied lightly. Ace nodded, and looked down at the charging lacrima. On the go and on the road, he and Marco had it figured out. Ace handed him the ring, which was blinking brightly, already full. Marco took it and absorbed the magic, aging himself up and down until the magic was evened out. Then Ace took the empty lacrima back to charge up again, and nobody else was bothered.
Unlike many of the strongest in their guild, Marco didn't damage or cause any inconvenience when outputting magic power. He didn't burn things or create ice or take up space or energy. They were both able to function with Ace's magic issue. Marco was actually the one that benefitted Ace having his magic.
Unlike everyone else in Fiore, Ace couldn't use any of his magic power for himself, at his own will. Still, all he had were his senses. The magic he outputted was more like what his body had to run on to stay in the human state. He couldn't control it or direct it. But having it collected somewhere else and not just leaking off of him kept his clothes and belongings safe from damage.
Only six months ago, Ace unlocked magic in his sleep, and they found out that it was nothing helpful or wanted when it destroyed his room. Anything touching that kind of power constantly would be damaged. He had no magic moves, no power. It was just like his life force seeping out of him. It was useless and inconvenient magic for himself. Once it was filtered through a lacrima, it could be used by others. So at least something good came from it.
And he could be considered a wizard now, since he did have magic, but he was also inferior because he couldn't use it. He was trying, that was why there was an underground bunker for him to try and focus his magic in. Didn't harm anyone else down there. It wasn't working very well, he wasn't improving. Not at all. It was everyone else who benefitted from his magic, but he wasn't mad at them for that. It wasn't their fault. It was just a bit frustrating.
Ace looked out the window again, seeing the train stop at the station that lead him to Naguri, whose city had been reclaimed and people lived there now. So long ago. Well, only a little under two years, but it felt so long. He'd changed so much. He leaned against the wall, and Marco moved to sit next to him, crossing the small distance.
"We can go back. The person can just buy a new wedding ring," Marco offered. Ace shook his head. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. Sorry I seem so down. I just don't feel like I'm improving at all. It's frustrating," Ace explained honestly. Marco sighed and leaned back in his seat. He agreed. It was frustrating that things felt to be keep going wrong with Ace. "Don't say it that way, you'll make me feel even worse…"
Marco realized the way he said that, and apologized. Ace nodded, and lifted his hand, looking at the thin, visible layer of magic along his hand. It was clear, and looked like a translucent, touchless membrane around his skin. You could even see it being sucked into the lacrima ring. "I was thinking… I want to really train. More that sitting in the basement. I want to really train."
"Then why don't you? I'll come too, we're a pair! But how would you want to train more than you already do?"
"I was thinking that maybe there's reason it's getting stronger. And maybe I'm wasting it. Like, what if it's because I can transform now?" He said the last bit quietly, in a hush. "I don't know a good comparison to it. Like coming out to get ready for something to happen. What if I convert all this raw magic power, and can turn into a dragon?"
Marco was looked skeptical. "I just want there to be a reason for me to be doing this. Doesn't it seem excessive, and unnecessary? Why would I secrete this much for if not for something big?" Ace insisted. He opened his bag, and showed hundreds of lacrima rings. "I want to charge these all up in preparation to try."
"Whoa, you want to try not at home?! Why? What if something goes wrong?" Ace insisted that they wouldn't let him do it if he did it there. "How do you know? Did you ask?" Ace frowned and shook his head. "You could at least ask first."
"But I already did all this stuff to prepare! Now it'll look stupid if we go back and ask after I already thought this far ahead!" Ace protested. Marco looked at him in disbelief, and Ace's face went red in embarrassment. "I just want to do something on my own… I packed a lot of medicine, too, just in case."
Marco clarified that he wanted him to be his accomplice. "Sorry, your helper," he amended when Ace got upset about the word used. But Ace did want his help. "You could have asked. I would have said yes if you did." Ace was very embarrassed, now. "For now, why don't we go on the job while you stock up on all the lacrimas you brought? That way you are preparing, but not doing anything reckless," the blonde suggested. Ace smiled and nodded. Marco was super smart.
"But, if they say no, we're going anyways. Okay? I want to try something new, because I'm tired of this," Ace said firmly. Marco frowned, but agreed to go with him, regardless of his decision. They were best friends and a pair, after all. On the train alone, Ace filled up one whole lacrima. It was clear it was coming out faster and more.
When they got to the job site, they found it was a big mansion. Holding up the flyer, they both confirmed the address matched. It was like a castle! So why wouldn't they just buy a new ring instead of hunt down the animal that stole it? Oh well, they were going to pay them for this. They entered, and immediately, it was clear these were rich people.
"Oh, you're the wizard boys!" the woman said, who had a ring on her finger. Must not be the same one.
"Yes, I'm Marco and this is Ace," Marco replied cordially.
"You're a bit young, aren't you?"
"I completed my first job when I was six," Ace said cooly. He didn't really like this woman already, but she was right about Ace being young. Marco was masquerading as a young man right now. Maybe in his early twenties, not his early teens. She nodded, and looked at her ringed finger.
She said, "Well, I don't need the ring. But I want that rhino killed for stealing it, and I'd like to have my ring back from it, too. But that's just a plus, I don't need it." Ace wondered why it had the ring in the first place. "Watch your mouth, you're working for me!" she snapped.
Marco took the job poster, ripped it to pieces, and said, "No, you don't have our service. Go kill the rhino by yourself. Wizards aren't slaves." His voice was cold and calm. Ace approved of the action completely. Master told them to never work for people who completely disrespect them, regardless of how it might paint the guild.
"Ah! How dare you!? We paid to print that poster!"
"Look at your house, you can afford a few jewels worth of paper." Marco was really angry about this, since she was glaring at Ace, not Marco. She pleaded them to stay all of the sudden. Begged that her husband would be mean to her if they left. "Then divorcce him," Marco said in an uninterested voice.
She looked very upset, and Ace wondered if she was really going to be hurt if they left. But he widened his hearing, and heard nobody else there. He didn't even smell someone else. This house only belonged to her. Literally no other person had been there. She was a big liar. But it didn't need to be said, he had no reason to tell Marco or her that he knew that, because it wasn't important to their decision.
So, they walked all the way back to the train station. But it was closed for the rest of the day. There had been damage on the tracks. They couldn't go home now. "Well! That was unpleasant," Marco said, back in his true aged body.
"She didn't even have a husband, I didn't smell that anyone lived there but her. How do you get your ring stolen by a rhino, but also not get hurt?" Ace wondered, tossing a filled ring into his little bag inside of his main backpack. Marco shrugged, seeming angry and hateful towards the woman. "Well, Master will be fine with it. She was a mean liar, why would we work for her?" Marco agreed, and asked Ace if he wanted to go into town. The train was closed for now, and no way did they want to spend the rest of the day sitting there. So they headed into town to do some sight seeing.
This place was a rich city. Extremely clean and with fancy houses and buildings. Everyone there oozed privilege. Though Ace couldn't complain, he was relatively well off considering he had no parents or anything and was only ten. He and Marco wandered around, shopping for nicknacks. Shockingly, they realized why a rhino had taken her ring: it seemed that rhinos were pets here, as many were seen with collars and with other people. What strange pets to keep!
Ace avoided them, knowing animals didn't like him much. Happy was the outlier. Ace didn't make eye contact or make any show he knew they were there. It wouldn't do to have panicked or defensive rhinos attack both of them. Ace grabbed Marco's hand when they were stopping at an overly expensive antique shop.
"What's wrong?"
"We're being followed," he answered. "Maybe five people. They smell similar to that woman's property. They're planning on making a mockery of us by stealing our things and leaving with them," Ace explained in detail. Marco sighed, technically being the one to put them in this situation by getting angry at the woman. Though it had been justified. "What should we do?"
The other wasn't sure. So they were both standing there, wondering what to do. They were ahead since they knew their presence and intentions, but this wasn't the right place to get in a fight. Ace tried to be one of the guild members that didn't bring home a bill instead of a check. "Maybe they'll attack first and we can just do self defense. Or lead them to the police station. We're kids, aren't we?"
That was a good point, and so they did that. "Excuse me, do you know where the police station is?"
"Police? Why would we have that?" Marco and Ace were a bit stunted.
"For protection?"
"We all have personal guards to keep us safe." This city seemed quite dysfunctional, and was surprisingly put together considering they apparently had no law enforcement. Marco said they should just leave this place, and Ace agreed wholeheartedly. What kind of city had pet rhinos, but no police? How are rules enforced? It was so weird! But interesting, too.
They evaded the five following them, who eventually gave up when they left the city limits and ended up back at the train station. There was a small crowd now as they all waited for the tracks to be fixed. Everyone were hungry, Ace could hear rumbling stomachs from everyone he was waiting with. There was no source of food in this train station, so they were all waiting with empty stomachs.
"Can you stop? It's making me feel itchy," someone said to Ace suddenly, a young woman. She clearly wasn't from this city since she was wearing more rugged clothing. Ace saw a guild mark on her wrist. He didn't recognize which one, though. Assuming it was his magic output that was bothering her, he moved to another bench without confrontation.
But it seemed to bother others as well, as they moved away discreetly. Ace was happy they weren't making a scene. He put on three more rings and it came back under control so that the amount of output he was making didn't bother anybody.
"Hey, give me those," someone said beside Ace, surprising him since he'd been relaxed enough to star gaze. There were plenty of people around the well lit area that he felt he was safe not to be completely alert at all times. Marco was napping on the bench beside him. It was late, and both of them were tired. "Brat, give me the rings! The full ones!"
"No. They're mine, I'm not giving them to you." A knife was pressed to his back. It didn't hurt. But he wasn't going to submit, and still refused to give the rings.
"How about I get your friend there instead? You don't care about yourself it seems, what about him?" Ace scowled. "C'mon, don't want to be a burden to him, right?" he sneered. He didn't get a good look of the guy, but he sounded like an asshole. Ace took off three of the four rings and gave it to the guy, who slipped away. But of course Ace had his scent.
He waited in embarrassed frustration until the train rolled along at midnight. They should have been back at Magnolia by now. Ace waited from behind while the others loaded onto the train before he caught who had mugged him, a guy with a bald head and a green mustache. Not very discrete at all. So Ace reported him to the train security.
"Excuse me, he robbed me at knifepoint, and threatened my friend. He stole three full lacrima rings from me," Ace explained quietly. Ace and Marco sat in their booth as Ace listened to the train guard confront the thief, who was adamant about it being a lie.
"Then open your pockets. If he lied, we'll boot him off." Evidently, it didn't go to the thief's plan, and he was kicked off the train, Ace getting his three rings back from a frustrated guard.
"You can't kick me off of here cause of some brat after being six hours late!"
"Yes we can, you promoted violence at our station, and that is unacceptable. Find another way home." And the train doors shut, and then they were finally one their way back to Magnolia. What a pointless and frustrating trip this was. Took all day, and they got nothing productive done, and actually lost potential money.
It was an all around bad day. Nothing good came from it, and the two just went home instead of to the guild first. Besides, it wasn't like anyone was up at this hour to process a completed job. It could wait. The two boys were dead on their feet when they crashed on their beds, barely being coherent enough to make sure to lock the front door beforehand.
