"You were awesome. I never thought you'd be this strong," Lucy told Ryker sitting across from her.
"I just used strategy, they're both very powerful, there's no denying it," he replied.
"Still, it was impressive to see you defeat Natsu and Erza. It's not something we see every day," Lisanna said, approaching the table where Ryker and the rest of Team Natsu were gathered. When she arrived, she leaned against his shoulder, smiling.
He looked at her leaning on him frowningly. "Don't you think you're being a little loose, Lisy?" he said and she smiled happily.
"I leave him alone, Lisanna," Mira said as she arrived at the table cheerfully. Ryker immediately moved away, making room for the Strauss to take a seat. Lisanna left the side beside the vacant mage for her sister.
"Yeah, but Lisanna is right, it was pretty impressive," Gray stated. "I was curious. How strong you really are."
"Like I said, I don't think I'm very different from either of you. I only used strategy and my greatest experience. How, by now, you must know," he shrugged.
"In your world, how strong are you?" Lisanna asked curiously.
"Lis!" Mira scolded her. She didn't want him to have bad memories mentioning this place.
"It's okay, Mira," he nodded at her. Ryker thought for a moment. "I think I must be in the third or superior fourth. But nowhere near the tip", the other members of the table were surprised.
Were there so many powerful people in his world? That's why this place felt like hell! They wanted to ask more but were interrupted by Natsu.
"I want a rematch!" Natsu yelled across the table, excited. "I'm all excited to fight you again," he said with his characteristic smile.
"Natsu!" called Lucy indignantly. "You just got out of a fight and want to start another one!?"
"But Luce…I lost, so I want a rematch." Lucy raised her hands in the air in defeat.
"Be still, breath of fire. Do you just know how to use your fists?" Gray snapped.
"Like you're the calmest person in the world, eyes drooping," growled Natsu.
"Don't talk like that about Gray-sama! He's perfect", returned Juvia, with hearts in her eyes, admiring her passion.
"Shut up, Juvia!", Natsu returned.
"Don't tell her to shut up, if you want to stay alive!", Gray defended his beloved with veins popping in his forehead.
"Awww! Gray-sama defending his Juvia. This is too much for her. Gray-sama is so perfect!", said Juvia going to her private world, hearts springing from her eyes, as she rocked back and forth with her hands in front of her chest and a terribly passionate face that only she had.
"Do you want to go stupid ice princess!?" the fire mage roared.
"What are you waiting for, ash brain!?"
Erza, tired of that stupid dispute, decided to knock them both out and bring some peace back to the table.
"GRAY-SAMA!", Juvia shouted horrified when she saw her love unconscious on the table. Lucy looked tired and disbelieving and sighed at the scene, now she would have to take care of her pink hair until he recovered.
Mira and Lisy laughed, which would have been Fairy Tail if it weren't for these occasional fuss, which happened daily and several times a day.
"Ryker," called the master approaching their table. The two have not met since the incident weeks ago. There was a certain discomfort, something to be resolved between them.
"Master!" Ryker said surprised and a little distressed.
"It was a beautiful sight you put on back there," Makarov said with a cheerful smile on his face. Despite the apparent tranquility everyone was a little tense at the table, Mira held Ryker's hand, supporting him. Erza noticed and glared at her rival and the man beside her.
"I've heard that," he replied.
"I'm glad you're okay and that you've recovered. Hope to see you doing missions soon. You know this guild doesn't magically pay the bills", the master spoke cheerfully and with a bit of greed.
"Sure, let it go," Ryker smiled slightly. "Ah, master," he called the little old man.
"Say, son"
"Eh... about what..." Ryker began, but was interrupted by the master.
"Don't worry about it, my child. It's all taken care of," he said softly.
"Yes, but…but I want you to know that…it was self-defense," Ryker spoke with his head bowed in embarrassment. He still couldn't face the man who helped him, he felt bad for being disappointed, just like the whole guild.
"And as for the fat one, he…he was scum anyway. A damn pedophile. When I saw the pictures I was filled with anger, and I didn't…", that shocked everyone. A pedophile was hard to accept really.
"Ryker," Makarov called him firmly, making him look at him. "What you went through was very heavy, what they did to you was a crime. I will never forgive them for hurting one of my children. And you are my son. I understand the whole situation and I don't blame you. We're here for you and you're not going anywhere", he said seriously, but in a sweet and fatherly way at the same time. "Mira told me you've been changing and getting better. Keep it up and if you need anything, we're all here."
Touching deep into the warrior's heart he smiles. "Thank you master".
"There is nothing to be thankful for," Makarov smiled. "I want you to know that my door will always be open for you if you need anything." Ryker gave his guild master a soft, genuine smile, nodding his head.
They continue to talk animatedly after everything is cleared up with the master and things are back to where they should be. Lucy notices a tattoo on Ryker's right forearm. She had seen it before, but never dared to ask what it was. The celestial mage realized, however, that it looked a lot like the altar he made the day before on the hill to honor his deceased friends. Now that he seemed calmer, she took the courage to take her curiosity out of her mind.
"Hey Ryker," she called him calmly. "That tattoo of your...", he said pointing to his right forearm and drawing the attention of the entire table.
He saw where she was pointing. "Ah yes. The embedded sword enters the boots. I did it to remind me of my fallen friends," he said a little wistfully.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to…" Lucy was saying and was interrupted.
"It's all right. Don't worry about it," he soothed her. "I even have others".
"Do you have more tattoos!?" Erza said a little surprised. It wasn't something she thought he would have, for some reason.
"I didn't know either," Mira said.
"Neither do I," Lisanna spoke from her sister's side.
"Since we've touched on this subject, I have two more tattoos. A white shark tattooed on the inside of my left arm and a skull with wings made of blades and with a knife embedded in its skull, with the words 'De Opresso Liber', which means, or at least we believe it is, 'Free from Oppression '".
"I'd like to see it," Lisanna said, getting two murderous looks her way.
"Another day maybe," he replied casually.
"No! Don't be shy, show it," Lucy said without ulterior motives.
Ryker looked at her and shrugged. "Okay," he took off his jacket and pulled up the sleeve of his t-shirt, revealing his tattoos. Everyone looked and stood admiringly for a while, it wasn't a big deal, actually, but it was well done. Only his skull tattoo bothered his companions a little.
"They're very pretty," Lisy commented and Ryker smiled slightly.
"I agree, just that last one seems a little macabre to me, although the message is good," Lucy said.
"The image may look like it, but it has a deeper meaning. It means 'The victory of life over death,' or more or less that," Ryker clarified.
"This is really great," Erza stated and Mira agreed.
Then everyone continued talking casually, the rest of the day.
The next day Ryker was at the bar along with Mira. He drank some juice and enjoyed a certain tranquility unusual in the guild.
"Today it's very quiet. Still talking about yesterday?" he commented looking at Mira who was moving back and forth in her work.
"No. Things here change quickly. Nobody talks about your little show yesterday anymore", she commented smiling.
"That's good, I hate being the center of attention. I just did it out of friendship and curiosity, anyway", he said a little irritated with the repercussions of the day before.
"Curiosity?" Mira asked intrigued. Ryker responded with just a shrug.
He turned in his chair to scan the guild and noticed a crowd around a table. "Hey Mira. What's going on over there?" He pointed to the crowd.
"Levy has returned from a mission, and apparently she has to translate a mysterious book."
He snorted. "What else is there? Is that reason for everyone to gather around the poor girl?" he had a frown on his face.
Mira laughed and smiled happily. "It's always an event when Levy does this kind of thing."
"Tsh! I don't see the fun of it, but..."
"Wouldn't you like to go see?" the white-haired mage said happily.
Ryker looked at her in mock indignation. "If you want me to leave, just say so. No need for hints".
Mira blushed and was embarrassed, not realizing her friend's joke. "No I…I didn't mean it," she tried to justify herself.
The wizard gave a light laugh. "Too late, I'm leaving", he got up and walked towards the melee, not before looking at the mage at the bar and smiling. Mira saw and understood his joke, she smiled back.
"What's going on here?" he asked when he reached the group.
"Levy is trying to decipher a book, but she can't," some wizard said.
"This is almost impossible. She always makes it," another extra replied.
"Levy-chan, you can do it," Lucy cheered for her best friend.
"Shut up all of you, useless! You can't see you're bothering Levy!" Gajeel yelled at everyone, making them shut up.
Levy wore her magic reading glasses and she had tons of books on the table to help her with the translation. But for some reason she wasn't having an easy day, it was noticeable the sweat that was running down her forehead.
"I don't understand!" she complained. "I've never seen this writing before, these lyrics are abnormal. There's nothing in any guild book that's helping," she said dejectedly.
"Don't give up yet, Levy!" Jet cheered her on.
"You're the only one who can do this!", Droy.
"Levy! Levy! Levy!...", the two began to cheer.
Ryker knew that tiny Blunett was smart, possibly the smartest in the guild. Which in his opinion wasn't very difficult and so he wasn't sure if it was, in fact, notorious. But just in case... he decided to take a look at that book. He crept through the melee and craned his neck to see and was taken aback.
"Wait! This is...", he thought when he saw the book open on the table in front of the little one and noticed what was written.
' ИА Надежда
Владимир Маяковский
аполни мое сердце кровью, наполни меня до края вен!
Закладывай мысли мне в череп!
Я
над землей
Я не прожил своей любви. Я л великаном, но почему такой размер?
Для такой работы хватит и одного дюйма.
Я нацарапал бумагу окурком,
в углу комнаты, абившись,
как очки, аправленные в футляр.
Но все, что хочешь, я сделаю бесплатно:
terretь,
mыtь,
чистить,
фланговый
стоять на страже.
Я moгу, если хотите, работать швейцаром.
Достаточно ли среди вас носильщиков?
Я был счастливым типом
No such thing as a radon,
когда боль - безбродная река?
В naши дни
еубы оказывают вам, это только для того, чтобы укусить или разорвать вас. то бы не случилось,
в едах,
весить...
Позвони мне! Веселый парень может пригодиться. Я предложу вам загадки, гиперболы и аllегории, жонглирование дам вам в стихах. Очень онравилось ... но лучше не трогать. Тебе плохо? '
"Levy," he called to her, who immediately lifted her head and looked at him. "Could I," he said, pointing to the book.
"What do you want with the book?", she asked curiously.
"Just take a look while you get some rest. You're tired aren't you?"
"Hey, weirdo, don't bother Levy! Can't you see she's working!?" Gajeel scolded Ryker with a serious and angry look.
"Shut up pinhead", the wizard returned not intimidated by the Dragon Slayer. He gave him such a deadly serious look that it made the iron mage step back a little.
"I don't think he's changed that much," Gajeel muttered.
Levy was exhausted, a little rest wouldn't hurt anyway. She took it and handed the book to Ryker, not knowing what he would do with it. He thought he was just curious, just like the others, and he wouldn't destroy him like the other mages in the guild would anyway.
Ryker took it and looked at the book, it was clear. He flipped through the book, saw the front and back cover, analyzed everything. The others looked at him curiously, but without much interest. For the wizard, however, it was clear what it was. He was from another world and spoke the same language as them, no wonder the same, or at least some languages evolved in the same way here.
"Hey Levy. Where is this book from? If I can ask," Ryker said curiously.
"Apparently a nobleman acquired this book from a merchant on one of his journeys. He said it contained a description of a treasure, so he asked me to translate and would give a percentage of the winnings." Ryker had to stifle a laugh, failing miserably. He laughed more than anything in the world.
"What's funny?" Levy asked in astonishment, as everyone around him was looking at him strangely.
"No…it's nothing," he laughed wildly. "Sorry, sorry", he tried to contain himself. "Did you manage to translate anything?"
She looked at him very confused and a little annoyed at his behavior. "Well, I think I identified some letters and I think I was getting close to some words, but more than that, no."
To everyone's surprise Ryker started to read the text she was trying to translate, leaving everyone stunned, including poor beautiful Levy.
"IA Nadezhda
Vladimir Mayakovskiy
Napolni moye serdtse krov'yu, napolni menya do kraya ven!
Zakladyvay mysli mne v cherep!
YA ne dozhil do kontsa svoy zemnoy bit,
nad zemley
YA ne prozhil svoyey lyubvi. YA byl velikanom, no pochemu takoy razmer?
Dlya takoy raboty khvatit i odnogo dyuyma.
YA natsarapal bumagu okurkom,
v komnaty uglu, zabivshis',
kak ochki, zapravlennyye v futlyar.
No vse, chto khochesh', ya sdelayu besplatno:
teret',
myt',
chistit',
flangovyy
stoyat' na strazhe.
YA mogu, yesli khotite, rabotat' shveytsarom.
Dostatochno read sredi vas nosil'shchikov?
YA byl schastlivym Tipom
in chto delat's radost'yu,
kogda bol' - bezbrodnaya reka?
v nashi dni
yesli zuby pokazyvayut vam, eto tol'ko dlya togo, chtoby ukusit' ili razorvat' vas. Chto by ne sluchilos',
v bedakh,
vest'...
Pozvoni mne! Veselyy paren' mozhet prigodit'sya. YA predlozhu vam zagadki, giperboly i allegorii, zhonglirovaniye dam vam v stikhakh. Ochen' ponravilos' ... no luchshe ne trogat'. Thebe plokho?"
He finished his reading, everyone looked at him with wide eyes and jaws dropped to the floor. Someone did something Levy couldn't. This guy was full of surprises, they thought. Ryker just chuckled inwardly, amused by them.
"Can you read it?" Levy asked in alarm.
"This is Russian. You're translating Russian, Cyrillic alphabet, and not only that, but in this book there's also Mandarin, Greek, Latin and more," he said as he noted everything that was in the book.
"I…I didn't know you knew more than one language," Lucy said in surprise.
"When I joined Special Forces I was trained in many things, including languages," he said, boasting. "This book is not a treasure hunting book", again he took everyone by surprise. "It's a book of poems, in several languages. Your customer has been deceived and no one here will receive any rewards. Unless you like poems," he grinned mischievously.
Levy, Jet, and Droy put their hands over their heads in utter disbelief, eliciting a slight chuckle from Ryker.
Gajeel felt bad for his little bluenett, but her mocking spirit is far more powerful than he could control. The image of a book that was supposed to treasure but was actually a bunch of poetry made him laugh. Levy glared at him and when he noticed she stopped laughing, but her laugh always tried to come out despite her control.
"Do you know what it means?" he asked, intending to translate. Levy said not asking him to translate.
"I Hope
Vladimir Mayakovsky
Injects blood into my heart, fills me to the edge of my veins!
Puts me in my skull thoughts!
I didn't live my earthly piece to the end,
on earth
I didn't live my bit of love. I was a giant, but why this size?
For such work an inch is enough.
With a quill stub, I scribbled paper,
in a corner of the room, huddled,
like a pair of glasses tucked into the case.
But whatever you want I will do for free:
to rub,
to wash,
to brush,
flake,
mount guard.
I can, if it pleases you, serve you as a porter.
Are there enough porters among you?
I was a happy type,
but what to do with joy,
when pain is a fordless river?
in our days,
if the teeth show you, it is only to bite or tear you apart. whatever happens,
in afflictions,
to weight...
Call me! A funny guy can be useful. I will offer you riddles, hyperbole and allegories, juggling I will give you in verse. I loved it... but it's better not to mess with it. Do you feel bad?"
"It's quite a beautiful poem," Lucy said. "Look Levy-chan, if you translate this, at least we'll have some beautiful poems from other lands we don't know. Maybe this is the treasure", the blonde said encouraging the girl.
"You're right Lu-chan, I'll translate", she said with new determination. Jet and Droy looked at her with comical sparkles and tears in their eyes, in admiration for their friend, or infatuation, whatever.
"I can help if it doesn't get in the way," Ryker said.
"Would you do that?" the little one asked, surprised and pleased, much to Gajeel's disgust.
"I don't have anything better to do anyway," he said dismissively.
"How many languages do you know?" Lucy asked intrigued.
"Some," he said and a malicious thought came to his twisted mind. Some provocation wouldn't do any harm.
He looked provocatively at Lucy, and used his most seductive voice he could manage, which wasn't very good. He took Lucy's hands in his and looked her straight in the eye, taking the blonde by surprise with his gesture, making the poor girl blush.
"Lucy, la tua bellezza risale a tempi immemorabili. Niente è più bello di te, la tua pelle chiara, i tuoi capelli color oro dimostrano solo la tua discendenza divina. Il suo viso e il suo corpo perfetti farebbero cadere i re ai suoi piedi."
Lucy, even not understanding much, blushed even more strongly, and looked away in a cute and shy way, earning prying eyes from the others.
He did the same to Juvia, very maliciously. Ryker gently took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.
"Se ci fosse la personificazione della bellezza, saresti tu, Juvia! I suoi capelli e la sua pelle setosi avrebbero portato gli uomini in guerra per apprezzare la sua purezza per un minuto. I suoi occhi, azzurri, il colore dell'oceano più bello, sono bellissimi. Non tutta la natura è all'altezza della perfezione che sei. Sei semplicemente bellissima!"
Juvia looked at him with sparkles in her eyes and an intense red in her face. She started to move shyly not knowing what to do earning a slightly annoyed look from the ice mage.
"Are you blushing, Juvia!?", he said, a bit irritated and indignant.
"N…no Gray-sama! Y…you're seeing things," she said shyly, squirming with her hands over her face and a dreamy look and a goofy smile that Gray knew all too well.
"This is ridiculous! What did you tell her!?", Gray roared furiously to Ryker who smiled, while Juvia tried to control her angry boyfriend, still blushing and awkward.
Ryker continued, going to his next victim, Levy.
"On dit que la perfection est dans les petites choses. Et Levy, tu es parfait. Beau, intelligent, gentil et fidèle. La femme parfaite pour tout homme. Des combats seraient menés pour toi, des rois s'agenouilleraient devant toi, petite belle femme."
Levy also blushed and acted the same as the other two.
"What did you say!?" Gajeel yelled angrily, almost advancing on the mage. "Levy what did he say!?" demanded the Dragon Slayer.
That was too good, he needed to continue, he turned to Erza, but before he could say anything he gasped and blushed. I think this will backfire now. But he wouldn't back down. The provocation must continue...
"Erza! E tu? Sei bella, forte, amichevole e protettiva. Sono un uomo fortunato ad averti incontrato e chiunque vorrebbe essere al mio posto, per godersi un secondo al tuo fianco."
Unlike the other times he was also blushing and the two acted strange and shy towards each other. Yes, the shot hit him too, but what he said was true, not a stupid line like the others.
He turned to the other person and thought it would be easier. Great mistake...
"Mirajane, non so nemmeno cosa dire di te. Sei... sei semplicemente perfetto, una divinità dai capelli bianchi, la tua luce illumina tutti. La stessa luce che mi guida nelle tenebre. Posso solo ringraziarti per avermi aiutato. Grazie per essere il mio più caro amico, per essere la mia guida, il mio salvatore. Come donna, sei perfetta, bella, amichevole, gentile e premurosa, il tuo cuore è puro e la tua anima è gioiosa. Ogni giorno che guardo nei tuoi occhi annego in loro. È solo che... ti ammiro così tanto."
Filth! He blushed too, and with Mira! These last two were different from what he expected. It was as if every word had come straight from his heart, coming from his soul.
He'd better go home, as the mess he caused wouldn't let anyone translate anything. He chuckled to himself and left without anyone noticing.
The rest of the day was the girls trying to clear up any misunderstandings with their boyfriends and gossip going around the guild. Erza and Mira fled to their worlds thinking about what Ryker had told them, almost as if they were both in the same land Juvia liked to visit always.
TRANSLATION
1- Lucy, your beauty goes back to time immemorial. Nothing is more beautiful than you, your fair skin, your hair the color of gold just prove your divine descent. Her perfect face and body would make kings fall at your feet.
2- If there was the personification of beauty, it would be you, Juvia! Your silky hair and skin would bring men to war to appreciate her purity for a minute. Your blue eyes, the color of the most beautiful ocean, are beautiful. Not all of nature is a match for the perfection that you are. You are just beautiful!
3- They say perfection is in little things. And Levy, you are perfect. Beautiful, smart, nice and faithful. The perfect woman for any man. Struggles would be fought for you, kings would kneel before you, little beautiful woman.
4- Erza! What about you? You are beautiful, strong, friendly and protective. I am a lucky man to have met you and anyone would like to be in my place, to enjoy a second by your side.
5- Mirajane, I don't even know what to say about you. You are... you are just perfect, a white-haired deity, your light illuminates everyone. The same light that guides me in darkness. I can only thank you for helping me. Thank you for being my dearest friend, for being my guide, my savior. As a woman, you are perfect, beautiful, friendly, kind and caring, your heart is pure and your soul is joyful. Every day I look into your eyes I drown in them. I just... admire you so much.