This story is consuming my mind and I wish it would slow down. Lol.
Fairy Tail blah blah blah Hiro Mashima blah blah...
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"That should about do it for now I think. The rest can wait till the Fantasia parade." She could let them thing that was just a time reference. "We can wrap this all up unless anyone wants to add anything else to the information pool. Like secretly being a dragon slayer, or a prince from another dimension, or having a long lost relative in the guild they haven't identified themselves to, or secretly being pregnant?" She eyed the boys critically. "None of you are pregnant, right?" Freed turned an odd color and Levy snorted.
"I'd put money on all three of them popping out kids before any of those other things."
"Well. Let's make a bet on that!" Cana slapped a peice of paper on the table. There was a poorly drawn dragon on one corner, a crown on another, a baby, and a stick figure. "Put your money where your mouth is people. I bet you one of those is true and our Girly isn't just joking."
Fairy Tail wizards all being the betting type money was placed. Three of the S-class wizards bet on the dragon thing, as did Freed. Levy put her money where her mouth had been, though she confessed that after thinking about it she expected to lose. Cana's money went on her own secret, Laxus's as well, probably due to his nose. Lucy eyed the paper for a long minute before slapping money onto Mystogan's secret. Gramps bet on grand babies, prompting an eye roll from his actual grandson. They wouldn't let Alanza bet since she had all the answers. Apparently that was considered cheating.
"You guys realize that in order for anyone to win this bet the secret has to be confessed, right?" All three of them actually, but she was curious as to who would cave first. "Most of the money is on the secret dragon slayer. That means it is most likely, but has a lesser pay out if it is true, right?"
"Yep."
"Alanza, did you forget? You mentioned it during our meeting the other day." Alanza was pretty sure her face was doing some washed out anime special effect thing.
"Uhh... I did?" Laxus snorted.
"Yeah. You were ranting like a maniac at the time though. You seem to do that when you get frustrated."
"Woah! Does that mean there are two winning bets?"
"What do you mean, Cana?"
"I- uh- well..." She had totally trapped herself there. "That's... Umm... My, uh, dad is a member of the guild and... He doesn't know who I am."
"...WHAT?!"
"It's not really that big of a deal."
"It's a huge deal, Cana!"
"Yeah!"
"Who is it?" Mira teared up and started sniffling.
"You- you're somebody's baby, Cana. You have to t-tell them who you are! So they can have their b-b-baby back!"
"Geez! Ok! I'll tell him when he gets back! Pull yourself together!" Mira latched onto Cana's shoulders and started emmiting that dark energy that made it kinda hard for Alanza to breath. When she spoke it was with this deep, echoing tone that Alanza could only guess intldicated her inner demons were involved.
"You will tell us who it is, Cana Alberona. We will give you twenty four hours from when he returns to inform him or we will do it for you. Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am!" Mira dropped all the creepy, I'm-gunna-kill-you shit and smiled sweetly.
"Good. So. Who is it?"
"It's... It's Gildarts. Gildarts is my dad."
"Gildarts?"
"No way."
"Didn't see that one coming."
"Wow."
"Laxus. Wanna tell us why you bet on Cana's secret and don't look one bit surprised right now?" Lucy had this slightly evil smirk going on that resonated with the little devil in Alanza's soul.
"Because My dad shoved a dragon slayer lacrima into my face so I can smell shit like that." The room stared and blinked before Lucy huffed.
"Alanza's shitty dad party makes more sense by the minute."
"You said it, Lu." Alanza suddenly had a blue-gloved hand on her shoulder.
"Tell me someone is going to lose money on this bet. Please. Please tell me noone is actually pregnant."
"Nah. We've got years before the crazies start producing spawn." Mystogan collapsed back into his chair.
"Thank Mavis. These people are not ready to be parents."
"As sad as I am to lose my money to this bet I am just as glad none of us are about to have kids. Just to confirm something though. Does that mean Lu also placed a winning bet if the baby bet was the only one that lost?" All eyed turned to Mystogan and Alanza. Myst sighed and pointed at the motherboard.
"Edolas is the name of the country where I come from which also happens to be another world. It is why I required very little convincing to believe Alanza's story. Mine is a world where magic is a limited resource and other forms of the individuals in this one exist. Erza for example. Erza Knightwalker is an extremely distant cousin of mine from a military branch of my family." Huh. She had not known that.
"So... You're a prince... From another dimension?" Lucy was leaning forward with wide, curious eyes even as Levy leaned a bit away from her fellow blunette.
"Yes."
"Forgive me for asking, your Highness-"
"Don't call me that. Seriously, Freed."
"I...very well. Why are you... Here? Instead of there?"
"The abbreviated version is that I objected one to many times to my father committing murder in order to acquire magic power and he tried to kill me. He thinks he succeeded actually, but my life was saved by someone who should have been my ebemy. I was sent here both for my own safety and in order to prevent him from stealing the lives of this world's people for their magic."
"Wow. We might really need that shitty dad party."
"Is hiding your face a custom where you come from?"
"...no. It's... Exposing my face in this world would cause... Complications. Due to who my counterpart here is."
"Is he a criminal or something?"
"Not... Exactly."
"It's Jellal isn't it?" Mystogan tensed at Erza's soft comment. "Your counterpart in this world is Jellal. Your hair is the same color and once I knew you looked like a person I might already recognize i could see it. You have very similar eyes you know."
"I- yes. As far as I know we are identical." Erza gestured toward his face.
"May we?" Mystogan slowly removed his mask and then his hat, running his fingers through his hair nervously. Alanza had to admit, the guy was pretty damn handsome. "Interresting. Yiu even have the same tattoo."
"It's a birthmark actually. At least mine is." Alanza snorted.
"The most intricate, detailed, styalized birthmark ever and they both have it. Cuz it's a crazy as shit world where stuff like that Levy and Lucy giggled at her.
"Should we not discuss the Edolas event during this meeting? It is on the board after all?"
"Nah. We've got plenty of time. We can get back together next time Mystogan is in town or right after the Fantasia parade. I do need to talk to Carla at least sometime soon."
"Carla?"
"That's Wendy's cat, right?"
"Carla and Happy are exceeds. A species origionally comes from my world. The same spell that sent me here sent many of their eggs as well. I am not sure why they made the choice to do that."
"To save their children. The exceed queen has the gift of clairvoiance. She gets glimpses of the future and she saw death coming." Alanza pointed at the Edolas event. "We will be there to hopefully prevent that in a less disasterous manner this time around. I need to talk to Carla because she has the same gift and doesn't know it yet. She thinks the things she sees are supressed memories or something. She will be a bit less... Catty once she knows the truth."
"Catty? Like we don't get enough lame ass puns from Bix."
"You're just jealous of our punniness."
"Not remotely. I'm hungry. Can we be done now?"
"Any objections? Anyone have anything they think we should talk about that I haven't already mentioned? I don't know everything after all. Don't know Lucy's middle name. Don't know whether Laxus sucks on extension cords or rubs balloons on his head for snacks- Ow!" Alanza rubbed her now numb shoulder, trying to make sure she wasn't smoking and get feeling back into her hand. Lucy started snickering, but cut herself off when Laxus glared at her.
"I will take that as a no. Remember. What happens in the Hall of Secrets stays in the Hall of Secrets. Also... What are we calling this... Group? And what are we telling people we have been doing up here all day. Most of them will know we are lying, but still."
"Gajeel said you were playing chess, right? Let's just go with that. We can be the Chess Club." There was giggling and eye rolling, but Alanza got the feeling everyone approved.
"All right then. The next official Chess Club meeting will be the day after Phantom Lord is defeated. Yes Mystogan I expect you to be here. Chess Club members are all welcome to meet in the Hall of Secrets whenever they like in the meantime however. Master Makarov, do you wish the Club to be present when your guests gather?"
"I will think on that and let you know."
"Very well. This meeting of the Chess Club is now officially adjourned. Let's go eat."
"I need booze!" Cana was the first one out the door, but the rest quickly followed.
"Me too!"
"I think we could all use a drink today."
"Want me to bring something up for you Mystogan?"
"If you don't mind it would be much appreciated, Mira. I've had to deal with more... People today than I am accustomed to in a whole month." Mira swept out of the room and Mystogan dropped his head back onto his chair with a sigh. "I'm going to have to get used to doung this on occasion aren't I?"
"It's good for you."
"I'll take your word for that. I'm just... So used to being on my own all the time. How do you know I won't be halfway across the continent when Phantom hits?"
"Cuz you dropped the flags of every Phantom Lord branch hall on Porlyusica's doorstep the first time around." He chuckled.
"Bet she was thrilled with that."
"You also stole an apple without her permission." He smiled and she felt her heart squeeze. He was just so... Gorgeous.
"She is a good woman. Antisocial in the extreme, but a good woman."
"You calling someone else antisocial is funny."
"Yeah, well... She does it by choice, I do it by necessity."
"When will you be leaving again?"
"When the sun rises."
"Try to spend some time with Wendy today?"
"I will. As soon as I finish my lunch. I just needed a break from all the...crazy."
"I know you love them."
"I do, but they can be a little much sometimes."
"Just an idea. Have you ever considered taking a partner with you on your travels? Having a team?"
"I have, just... I never found the right people or felt it was the right time." He picked up his head and looked at her. "Will you tell me? What happened with Edolas?"
"Well... A giant anima took Magnolia, but left the slayers. You sent them through to rescue everyone. There was fighting and drama. Your dad tried to commit genocide against the exceeds. You had the extremely stupid idea of blaming everything bad on yourself and having Pantherlily kill you. Needless to say he refused. In the end your father was defeated and you cast a spell to send all magic from Edolas to Earthland. The exceeds and all of Fairy Tail came back here and that was that."
"A reverse anima. I was trying something similar when I brought you here. But how... I didn't come back did I? I cast the spell there and once the magic was gone I had to stay."
"Yes." He looked pained by the idea. "Spend time with Wendy. Maybe even ask her to travel with you for a bit."
"I... I will think about it."
"It's your life. I can't make choices for you guys. I can only share what I know and give advice."
"Thaank you. For helping us."
"You're welcome. Speaking of Wendy, I'm going to go down and ask her to look at my feet. I'll tell her yoou will be down in a bit." He hummed in acknowledgment, but kept his eyes on the Edolas paper. He seemed to be studying it as if he would find answers in the word. Alanza hoped he found what he was looking for.
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To be continued.