Chapter 6 - The Generous Robin
Written By Demod20 and LastationLover5000
The Generous Robin.
At one point, a legend of Ishgar as old as tales of dragons. Now, one adorned in the stylish telltale markings of the blue bird and calling oneself the clandestine leader of these magic wielding brigands has revealed themself. Radiating a passive Aura that made the ones she dealt with before seem paltry in comparison, the Hoodlum leader had beautiful features with a cherub face sculpted to look solid yet soft.
Blue eyes shined a teasing gleam at her, long locks of teal hair languidly lying over bare shoulders and down the back. Grey gloves covered slender arms up to the elbows, matching the heeled boots sleeved up to the knees. A velvet smooth cloth covered the curved slight upper body down between a pair of sleek black stockings that hugged the curves of the thighs like a second skin. With a teal colored witch hat resting on their crown and a serene shaped stave that looked more ice than solid wood or metal, lied in a casual right hand while the left tugged at the front rim of the hat.
This scent is familiar...but I swear I've never met this person before… Wendy thought, her eyes wide with uncertainty while her exhausted self was almost crumpled on the floor. But if that is the Generous Robin...then we really are in trouble…
Charle was still unconscious, curled into a fetal position as Wendy kept her small soft body close to her own. She could hear the pain as audibly as she could smell the blood coming from Max as he took labored breaths behind her. And with no sight of Doranbolt, they were truly out of sorts.
"What? Nothing to say?" The leader or the Hoodlums inquired with a raised brow. "Are you stunned or too bent out of shape for witty rapport?"
"Hold a s-sec!" Max suddenly blurted out. Raising a shaking hand to point at the bandit leader, he inquired with a believable sense of incredulity. "You are the Generous Robin?!"
"Yeah…?" The witch hatted individual replied with confusion.
"B-But...isn't the Hoodlum leader...a guy?" The beige haired mage inquired with a squinting glare.
Snort!
The sound came abruptly as the cherub faced figure of androgynous beauty began to let out a loud series of giggles. They were melodic, bringing a owlish pair of blinks from the Sandstorm Mage and his Slayer companion.
Wiping the tears from their eyes, the figure placed a hand on their hip and bent forward with a sassy smile playing on their lips.
"That's because I am a guy, dumbass," He giggled aloud.
Wendy's vision swam while Max's balance was undone. She had never guessed such a slender curved beauty would ever be a boy! And as she began to contemplate the lack of womanly assets to compete with even this brigand, Max fell to his hands and knees.
"We're out energy, our smartest ally is a cat who is out of the fight and our greatest foe is a Crossdressing weirdo," Max thought aloud, tearing up as he looked up mournfully at the ceiling. "Yep. This is what rock bottom feels like…"
"Like your sense of fashion means much, bowlcut," Robin snorted with a roll of his eyes, standing upright while twirling his icicle shaped stave. "Not that it matters. Stay down if you don't want to feel a world of pain. I'm going to finish what my girls started."
"W-Wait!" Wendy stammered aloud, bringing the heeled bandit to halt his movement. Seeing that she got his attention, she clutched Charle like a security blanket and mustered her resolve. Staring ahead defiantly she spoke as evenly as she could while being so low on stamina. "What you're doing is wrong. If you go ahead and do this, the whole kingdom will suffer. If you truly believe you're out to do the right thing, then stop now while you can-"
"Oh that is rich!" Robin exclaimed, swinging his stave around while placing a hand on his stocking worn hip. "Let me explain this so I don't have to repeat myself. You mages are just as guilty of disenfranchising the common folk as the monarchs are."
"H-Hey that isn't true!" Max pushed himself up wearily to his feet. Wincing past his bloodied injuries he rebutted with hands gesturing for emphasis. "Our guild has helped more people than you could keep count of! We even saved this nation from devastation multiple times singlehandedly!"
"Results are never so black and white," Robin persisted, glaring icily at Max. "For example, I recall an entire town was razed to the ground because a certain Salamander was running rampant in a port town due to a charlatan masquerading as him. Do you know who had to pay for the damages? Not Fairy Tail, but the kingdom; and where does the coin come in to pay on behalf of the kingdom?"
"So you think stealing our country's wealth will make it better?" Wendy asked incredulously.
"As someone part of the problem for common folk, I don't see how you could understand, let alone empathize with the plight of people you consider beneath you," The Hoodlum leader sneered stoically. "Every kingdom I go, you people are treated like you're the vaunted rulers of the land. How much collateral do you leave behind, damaged and in pieces for ordinary people to clean up? Has your guild, the most notoriously destructive force in this country, ever once feel sorry for the craters you leave in towns, the earth you leave scorched or the people's homes you decimate?"
"I-It happens, though…" Max lamely replied, looking a bit more sullen as he grasped where the bandit's anger stemmed from. "We fight bad guys, and sometimes things break."
"I'm sure that is a worthy explanation for the people you've made homeless or lives you ruined through your entitled rampages," The Generous Robin snarled with a dismissive swing of his unarmed, gloved hand. "Congratulations for feeling bad way too late."
The temperature in the air suddenly chilled. As the two took in strained breaths, they'd watch vapor turn into clouds out of their mouths. Eyes of the two of the three conscious Fairy Tail mages looked on in horror turned awe as a massive diamond shaped construct of ice formed near the ceiling down from the jewel etched stave Robin held with one hand. Easily scaling to the size of an automobile, he'd gesture with his wand forward while armed with a smirk on his face.
"I on the other hand..." He spoke softly, beckoning the crystalline form of ice to spin in the air like a drill before shrieking straight into the vault's door; piercing it with a horrid tear of metal and mineral lined bulwark. "...want to relieve the suffering your people have long been overdue."
"The door-!" Max hollered with a strangled cry, his arms raised in reflex from the blast wave.
The others only dented it, Wendy thought, her face paling at the sight of the ice oozing vapor from within the now visible vault. And he broke it down in one move!
"The Vault wasn't as tough as I thought," The buxom companion of Robin's spoke, her voice a dry lull as she placed a hand on her silky blonde head to give it an idle scratch. "Nice work, though, I suppose."
"I get the sentiment, Bobbie Blondes, I do but can you *try* to sound impressed?" The Hoodlum Mage inquired with incredulity.
"It's just, after the last few countries, this operation just seems a little too easy for all of its luster we've heard of their riches and guards. I haven't even needed to raise a finger so far," Bobbie sighed, her face forming a slight pout. "What a waste of time."
"Come now, Bobbie," The teal haired boy said, grasping the brim of his hat and twirled around to face it towards the outline of piles upon piles of gems, gold, and other kinds of riches lying within. Aiming the seat of his hat at the glimmering wealth he then spoke aloud with a sly grin on his face. "I'm sure the kingdoms will take us seriously after this."
All at once, a howling whirlwind was unleashed from a seemingly bottomless abyss. His tunic flapped about his legs, long hair swirled around his scalp like a flag while the space behind him was untouched. And before the eyes of Max and Wendy, a glittering storm of riches was siphoned into the hat as if it was without capacity.
"His hat is-"
"-sucking up all of Fiore's money!" Max finished for his smaller companion, the pair left awestruck at the bizarre act taking place before their eyes.
"Be grateful you're allowed to see this," The Generous Robin intoned icily with an even colder smile poised at the two. "This is what magic can do in the hands of a true hero; one doing this out of compassion for the common man and not for selfish gain or clout."
Wendy's eyes hardened at his words. He was so self righteous, but he had no clue what he was actually doing. If he took away the kingdom's riches, then Fairy Tail was finished!
She tried to push herself up but found her legs were weak and unable to sustain her own spritely weight. Gritting her teeth, eyes winced closed and she felt a gnawing in her gut. How was she going to stop them if she didn't even have the power to lift a hand to stop them?!
"Uuuuuugh," A voice suddenly jerked her attention away from the super suction. Amidst the pile of inert bodies, within the collapsed wall of the treasury room, a small woman pushed herself up to her feet. Wobbling back and forth, Wendy gawked as Runt stood up, bruised and bleeding but looking far from as damaged as the other two were.
"Oh, you're up," Bobbie piped up, turning her head to glance over her shoulder at the rusty blonde shorter mage limping over with a hand nursing a debris encrusted head. "Welcome back."
"My head feels like a hammer tried to split it open...where is that girl?!" Runt snarled out, trying to focus her bleary vision. When she saw the back of her superior, making her step back with a startled expression. "B-Boss!"
"Kind of busy at the moment, love," Robin replied, turning to look over his shoulder at the dirtied shorter woman. "Since you don't look worse for wear, why not be a dear and carry those two? I'm afraid we can't depend on Eris for ease of transportation this time around."
"F-For real?!" Runt cried with outrage. "Do you not see my vision is spinning right now?!"
"Are you saying you can't do it-?"
"Yes...no...Dammit!" Runt swore, limping back to the other mortar plastered pair of women, gesturing back angrily at her leader. "You owe me something strong for this favor!"
"Rightly so, love," Robin replied with a close of his eyes, turning to look back at the streaming contents of the vault.
"Damn Brutalia...you should...lay off...the fatty foods!" Runt wheezed, straining the posh dressed woman over one shoulder. Grasping Eris underarm, she was relieved that the elven woman felt like a pillow of weight in comparisons.
"Got'em both. You almost do-"
Time froze for Runt. One instant she saw nothing but the fluttering of the Generous Robin's luscious teal colored locks. The next she bore witness to a reddish-orange striped blur of an outline, swinging a fist straight towards the Hoodlum's leader.
"ROBIN!"
Runt's cry came a second too late, but her voice stopping mid-sentence was all the warning he needed. Robin's eyes dilated to pins, bending his head back, and twirling on the backs of his heels. A subsequent series of shimmers followed, sparks flying as Robin disengaged his hat's suction and placed it on his head, twirling his stave around to discharge a storm of icicles at the silhouette.
"You move quite well in heels." A voice sounded behind the effeminate boy, his eyes registering the impact of his ice magic impaling the far wall of the treasury. Looking slowly over his shoulder, he'd see a scarred man, wearing a flared collar attached jacket with sleeves torn off and covered in blood. With sharp dark eyes glaring ahead, the man held a dangerous countenance despite his injured condition; one that made the Generous Robin stand alert before him.
"D-Doranbolt!" Wendy cried out with relief.
"Boy, are we glad to see you," Max admitted with a weary, wincing grin.
"Sorry it took me so long," He confessed, and smiled gingerly at Wendy, placing a hand on her head with a comforting pat. "I gave you my word, though. I intend to honor what I say."
She couldn't even say "Thanks". The cobalt haired girl began to choke out sobs, eyes overflowing with salty water, as the uncertainty and powerlessness she felt was washed away by his mere arrival. As she tried to rein in her emotions, the sound of the blonde woman's breasts jiggling reminded them that they weren't alone and the moment of respite was spent.
"Where did he come from?" Bobbie inquired, her voice tinged with intrigue and no longer disinterested like before. "He has a different look to him compared to the other two."
"I saw him with the other two earlier in town," Runt announced, her eyes fixed on the man with alarm with how quickly he moved. "I didn't think he was a Fairy Tail Mage too."
"You must be the other Robin's Hoodlums," Doranbolt intoned, his eyes steeling in its glare at the three; gazing at Robin himself, he choked back a short at his choice outfit and maintained a stoic demeanor. "Are you *the* Generous Robin?"
"In the flesh," He replied, a grin forming on his cherub face. "You're quite nimble for a less than buff guy. I'd rate you a six out of ten by my tastes; nice Teleportation Magic too."
"Six out of ten…?" Doranbolt repeated blinked owlishly.
"Just out of curiosity," The Generous Robin inquired, his blue gems for eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Who were you fighting earlier, to get those kinds of wounds?"
"Handsome, actually," Doranbolt casually replied, a smile playing at his own face. "He was a tough one, but I managed to...dispose of him."
Bobbie's and Robyn's eyes widened at the implication. Handsome was a powerful mage and physically near indestructible. To have someone defeat him in single combat was unthinkable. And given the circumstances, they had no way of finding out for themselves what befell their comrade.
"I see," Robin replied with a more cagey expression. "And now that he's out of the way, you want to take care of us too?"
"It may come to that," Doranbolt stated with a grim smile. "However, even if I fail, you have bigger concerns than us. I just got in touch with the Magic Council…they're going to intervene in this matter, personally."
At that, the air became pregnant with silence. Even the Hoodlums' leader became disturbingly quiet. It was odd how, until now, they hadn't attracted that kind of attention despite then affecting multiple nations' worth of treasury. And now their bold attack on Mercurius Castle was the last straw would be the final straw...if he was truthful.
"Say I believe you," Robin inquired with a level stare challenging Doranbolt's. "You expect us to stop part way to completing? You're willing to sacrifice yourself to another unfeeling bureaucracy of cold authority?"
"Say what you will about what you believe. I promise you this," Doranbolt snarled, raising his bloodied arms up in a threatening posture while shouting aloud. "My body is a weapon and shield. I will gladly use it in exchange to stop your heinous plans! So if you continue, be prepared to fight to the bitter end; and make sure you will have no regrets before I end you!"
It was enough of a declaration that Bobbie's cool countenance became incensed. Veins throbbed along her head and the back of her hands as she grasped the pole handle of her staff. Her curves swayed as she walked forward, her body becoming alight in a shroud of pale magical energy as wide eyes glare at Doranbolt.
But, a gloved hand raised up, stifling her approach.
"We aren't in any shape to handle the Council's forces after fighting someone with such resolve like you," The Generous Robin admitted. "I'll withdraw from this, if only for my comrades' sakes. Consider this a one-time mercy from the Generous Robin and be thankful that I don't kill without reason."
"Be thankful I don't attack without reason either, Hoodlums," Doranbolt replied with an even glare. "Less I scatter you all to the four winds of Fiore and beyond."
A musical laugh was all that he got in response to his comeback. Strutting out as stylishly as he entered, his buxom partner followed suite and Runt behind with her colleagues held under and over her arms. After seconds turned to minutes, Doranbolt could sense they had finally left the castle.
They were finally safe.
Doranbolt forced his body to stay upright until he was one-hundred percent sure that Robin and his Hoodlums were indeed gone. When he could no longer sense their magical energy, the young man felt his knees buckle, and he fell backwards into the embrace of a Wendy Marvell who caught him. She too, sunk to the ground, allowing Doranbolt to rest his head in her lap. The dimunitive Dragon Slayer, keeping a firm hand on her unconscious exceed partner, breathed a prolonged sigh of relief.
"We're...we're safe..." She exhaled, her body shaking even as she placed a small hand on Doranbolt's head. Wendy hadn't had time to truly take in just how battered Doranbolt was; as clever as his escape was, that Handsome had still done a number on him. But he was alive. "You kept your promise...Doranbolt...you came back to me..." The tears didn't flow nearly as freely this time, but Wendy's eyes began to water nevertheless.
Doranbolt smiled — an exhausted, weary smile, but a pleasant smile still — and raised a tired arm to Wendy's face, wiping the tears away. "I made you a promise, of course I kept it. I'm not leaving you."
Max, tired as he was, couldn't help but feel like he was intruding at the sick bed of someone else's family, and said nothing for a long time. He was pleased, however, that they'd made it out of this alive...even if their mission had been unsuccessful. "We...we were completely outmatched..." He hung his head in shame, his sandy-hair drooping and obscuring his face. "All of them use such strange magic..." His mind drifted to Runt. If this hadn't been a life and death situation, he'd have been forced to admit she was very cute, if a bit small. But her magic stumped him the most. His hand rested on the cuts and abrasions his body carried from her. "Fire that cuts the body...if only Natsu were here..."
A slight tension rose in the group at the mention of Natsu's name. Eyes briefly fell on Wendy, but she wasn't crying anymore. Perhaps she'd shed all her tears for the day, or the perhaps Doranbolt's words had steeled her young heart. The little Dragon Slayer's face betrayed only the slightest flicker of emotion, but she nodded. "We...were beaten. But I don't think it's because we were weaker..." She truly didn't believe it was. She knew her friends were strong. But something about these opponents was strange.
"As much as I wanted to complete this mission for Fairy Tail, we won't have to deal with them at all if the Magic Council is coming to deal with it," Max suggested, still more crestfallen. Fairy Tail didn't get along well with the Council on principle — and this in part lent itself to his distrust of Doranbolt — and it was with grudging acceptance he realised he felt relieved they'd be getting some help.
"A-About that..." Doranbolt chuckled weakly. "I bluffed them out. I've retired from the Magic Council; I am a Fairy Tail Mage now. I have no more authority than you do to bring the Council here."
"You're kidding," Max's mouth with wide, and then he grinned in spite of himself. "Your bluff worked better than mine, then. Looks like we're still the only ones on hand for this."
"Honestly, we drew a bad lot," replied Doranbolt from Wendy's lap. "But...I'm familiar, at least roughly, with the combat strengths of these Mages."
Max's eyes widened, and Wendy gasped. Both of them had their eyes firmly on the man, who was looking none too impressive with his damaged body and prone position on the lap of the young Dragon Slayer, yet he carried the information vitally necessary to completing their mission.
"Yeah, I—" Doranbolt's words were cut off by a splutter of blood and violent coughing. He spasmed viciously on Wendy's lap, spitting up blood again, before he lay still. Wendy felt her body slammed by a sudden chill; Doranbolt was not moving. On her lap and in her arm lay two wounded and unconscious comrades, Wendy only able to watch in horror. Doranbolt's name escaped her mouth in a hair-raising shriek.
Mercurius, Hospital Wing
Wendy stood at the side of a bed in the medical ward of the Mercurius Castle, her hands placed lightly over the diaphram of Doranbolt's torso. Teal magical energy spread out from her hands, enveloping the unconscious man as she tried to heal him. Shortly after Doranbolt had fallen unconscious, Arcadios had regained his — Wendy's first-aid, combined with the Jade Talisman that he wore underneath his armour — had caused him to recouperate at a rate quicker than his own Knights. Arcadios had gone to get help, and with the aid of the remaining Mercurius Guards, Doranbolt, Charle, and Arcadios' knights were escorted to the medical ward of the Castle.
The king's own Healers worked on the knights — Arcadios refusing all but bandaging — while Wendy slaved over the bodies of Charle and Doranbolt. Wendy was aghast; as she moved her glowing hands over the man's body, she could feel internal abrasions and bruises. Whatever he'd done to shake off his opponent, the man hadn't let Doranbolt go easily at all.
"Can you heal him?" Max inquired.
"I can..." replied Wendy slowly. "But...he pushed himself too hard...is it my fault? Is it because I asked him to come back to me? Max...did I do this?"
"Wendy, this isn't your fault!" Max told her firmly. "Doranbolt made his own decisions...and besides..." He scratched the back of his head, his voice betraying begrudging respect. "It's in a Fairy Tail wizard's nature to go over the top to protect their friends, right? Doranbolt...has the right spirit."
The blue-haired Dragon Slayer wasn't entirely convinced, yet she plowed on with the healing nevertheless. She didn't need to devour any extra air, as the air she'd consumed during her battle with the Robin Hoodlums still energised her, even if the girl's entire body felt limp. Doranbolt's external injuries began to stitch themselves, his internal wounds doing the same, even though Wendy couldn't see it. It wasn't an arduous process, as Wendy was an accomplished support player far before she took up combat, and moved onto Charle, tending to her broken ribs.
Charle...and Doranbolt...my best friend and the man who saved me...I'm causing them all to suffer... Her thoughts dived deeper into negativity, the young girl unable to contain them. Charle's wounds repaired themselves, and Wendy slumped into a chair, her hair shrouding her face from view as she stared at the floor. She felt like she was cursed. All of her friends perished on Tenrō Island, and now, Doranbolt and Charle had nearly died because of her. Even Max had suffered wounds, though he was putting on a brave face to keep up Wendy's mood; she knew it, she wasn't a fool.
The idea that she was the cause of her friends' misfortune brought the beautiful boy — the Generous Robin — back to the forefront of her mind. Wendy hated to admit it, but it sounded like he was talking sense. Robin was the sort of fanatic who truly believed what he said, and, having the time to give it some thought, Wendy began to wonder if what he said had merit.
"Every kingdom I go, you people are treated like you're the vaunted rulers of the land. How much collateral do you leave behind, damaged and in pieces for ordinary people to clean up?"
"You mages are just as guilty of disenfranchising the common folk as the monarchs are."
Ever since Wendy had joined Fairy Tail, she couldn't remember anything she'd wanted more than to be an active part of the guild. To actively enrich her friends lives, and protect them as a mage of Fairy Tail. Cait Sith had been her home, ever since Jellal had brought her there. But in the end, it was an illusion; a comforting illusion, but none of it had been truly real. Fairy Tail was her first real family...but Robin's words turned everything upsidedown in her head. She knew that Natsu, Gray, and even Erza had possessed a...tendency...for the dramatic, and certainly did cause collateral damage. But they'd had to have been more helpful than hurtful in the long run, right?
"Do you know who had to pay for the damages? Not Fairy Tail, but the kingdom; and where does the coin come in to pay on behalf of the kingdom?"
Wendy shook her head. She wasn't so sure anymore.
"What would you do here...Natsu?" Wendy muttered to herself. She tried to imagine the Dragon Slayer she'd come to view as an elder brother figure. Focusing intently, Natsu's strong voice rang clearly in Wendy's mind, so clearly it almost felt as if he was speaking to her.
"Don't screw with us! You're just justifying your own greed by making us look bad so you can feel like heroes. But a thief is always a thief, no matter how generous you think you are!"
It was the sort of thing Natsu would say exactly. He wouldn't mince words, and he wouldn't let this Robin push Fairy Tail around.
That's right...this isn't just about me...Fairy Tail is counting on all of us!
"Urk..."
Max and Wendy heard the groaning from the nearest bed, immediately turning their attention to a stirring Doranbolt. The former Magic Council member weakly turned a head to look at Wendy, who was hovering worriedly over his bedside. "Sorry...did I make you worry...?"
Wendy nodded mutely, unable to find the proper words, this having been the second time in the same day she'd feared for Doranbolt's safety.
"I went a bit overboard..." Doranbolt explained. "My opponent, Handsome...he's something else. I didn't actually defeat him...I was only able to teleport him to the surrounding mountains, and altered his memory by a full twenty-four hours, making him forget why he was even here."
Wendy and Max stood, mouths agape, at this news. Doranbolt — who was certainly the most skilled of their group, even if he wasn't the strongest — had been unable to defeat his opponent, and resorted to making him exit stage left. The fact that they were dealing with extremely unorthodox opponents was beginning to dawn on them. Wendy frowned deeply, placing a finger to her chin. "They're not as strong as Grimoire Heart's members...and Master Hades was certainly a bigger threat...but we're being caught on the wrong foot. We just don't know enough..."
"Doranbolt, didn't you say you had some info on these guys?" inquired Max, his tone. "If...if you're one of us, please, tell us everything you know. For your comrades."
For your comrades... Doranbolt needed no reaffirming of where he stood. He could feel the Fairy Tail branding on his shoulder — the symbol that he was one of their own — and Wendy's doleful eyes simply spurred him to speak. "You both know I was a member of the Magic Council. The Robin Hoodlums are a notorious band of criminals who reach far out beyond the realm of Fiore. We were planning on dealing with them only recently...but the events of the Tower of Heaven, Siegrain — no, Jellal — and Ultear's attempted coup set that operation back quite a ways."
Wendy hadn't been in Fairy Tail during the incident with Jellal, but she did know what talk around the guild that his work had drastically affected the Council. It had shifted the staff and their priorities entirely, though they did eventually reform and continued to be the sort of overbearing presence that only the Magic Council could.
Doranbolt forced himself to sit upright, grunting all the while, waving off a concerned Wendy. "I'm living proof that simply knowing how to fight these opponents is no guarantee we're going to succeed. The Robin Hoodlums all use unorthodox Magic, and their teamwork is exemplary. They're responsible for multiple successful heists, and have destablised the economies of multiple countries."
Hearing this, Wendy and Max nodded. It was clear to them now that Hisui's explanation earlier that morning had only been needed for them; Doranbolt was intimately familiar with the group, if only by reputation and official documentation. Hearing Hisui's account had merely confirmed governmental records to the former Magic Council member.
"The Magic Council," Doranbolt continued holding up one finger, "ranks perceived threats and criminals with a lettering system, directly correspondent to the the threat they pose to magical society as a whole. The bounty the on their head also raises in correspondence to this rank. The lowest ranked fall under the classification of 'D'; these would be petty, independent Dark Mages who use their abilities for small crimes." Doranbolt raised a second finger. "The second lowest ranking is the 'C' ranking; individuals in lower-tier Dark Guilds would typically fall under this rank, and have branched out to more severe crimes." A third finger. "'B' rank individuals have numerous crimes attributed to their name, wield powerful magic, would be the threats that the Magic Council's Rune Knights are at least considered for dealing with." A fourth finger. "'A' Rank criminals are among the most dangerous; members of the Balam Alliance are typically blanketed under this ranking, and they command arcane magics, and possess very high bounties." A fifth finger.
"T-There's another ranking above 'A'?" Max asked hoarsely. He was unfamiliar with the bounty and ranking system on principle; Mages did not take jobs directly from the Council, while they did answer to them. Doranbolt was divulging information that would typically be used by the Rune Knights or black market bounty hunters.
"'S' rank criminals are the highest ranking we have," Doranbolt explained grimly. "This ranking encompasses Mages who do not fit the 'A' rank classification, due to their potential to destablise magical society as a whole. The members of the Grimoire Heart Guild, for example, consisted of a multitude of 'A' rank threats; only Ultear and Hades himself were truly considered 'S' rank criminals. The 'Generous Robin' has gathered under his banner criminals who are all 'B' rank or higher. That is the kind of organisation we're dealing with."
Max found himself at a loss.
"But...the guys from the Balam Alliance, like those Grimoire Heart guys, were like way stronger, right? These people are tough, but we managed to defeat a few of them when push came to shove."
"I think you're misunderstanding why the Council gives out these particular ranks," Doranbolt chided his beige haired companion, shaking his head as he gestured with his hands for emphasis. "We —they — are a justice system, meant to govern the law of magic across the whole continent of Ishgar. They establish ranks as the crimes pile up, and their notoriety increases. Just because a Dark Mage is currently D Rank doesn't mean they are weak; it just means that's the level of crime and perceived threat they are at the moment. Its why we had previously prioritized the Hoodlums so low; before, they had never directly targeted the monarchies of various nations so openly, nor robbed so much in single operations."
"So...because this Generous Robin has robbed so many countries," Max began to put together, his face beginning to construe into something akin to deep thought. "Means he's capable of causing just as much damage to magical society as the big-timers from the Balam Alliance?"
"Precisely," Doranbolt acknowledged. "Every single member of the Kin Purgatory was considered to be an A rank threat by relation to a known menace like Master Hades and Ultear, a former Councilor and known terrorist. If we had compiled more data and understanding of their true crimes or intentions, they may have ranked much higher as threats and bounties would have been immense in worth."
"...Was Jellal an S rank?" The words left Wendy's throat before she'd registered asking them. Concern for Jellal — even if this world's Jellal wasn't the Jellal who had saved her — came to her naturally, and with this new knowledge of a ranking system for criminals, she needed to know.
"Jellal's actions — infiltrating the Council, masquerading as a member of the Magic Council, interfering with official Magic Council business, enslavement of fellow humans, and intention to commit terrorism — all branded him as an S rank threat, yes," Doranbolt replied.
Wendy nodded. She figured that much. "But what about the Robin Hoodlums? You said that every one of them was 'B' class or above?"
Doranbolt rubbed the back of his head. "This...this is going to be a very long list, so let me see where to even begin." His wounds, singing out in pain, steered Doranbolt through to the waters of conversation to his first bullet point. "My opponent, codenamed 'Handsome'. His real name is Harris Jahsome, a former member of the 'Fair-Day Guild'. He sank into depravity of his own accord, and is wanted for multiple accounts of sexual assault, harassment, as well as multiple counts of manslaughter, and destruction of private property. His most notable crime, however, was the assault and later grevious wounds inflicted on his local village lord's daughter. Harris has a bounty of 7 Million Jewels, and is classified as a 'B-rank' threat."
"He's...horrible..." Wendy said lamely, unable to find the words to describe Handsome properly.
Max shuddered. "And what about his abilities? Are we going to go in blind again?"
Shaking his head, Doranbolt continued, "No. Fighting him firsthand confirmed it even without the reports. Harris uses a rare form of Take-Over; Take-Over: Inanimate Soul."
Inanimate Soul? The name itself was a contradiction. The term 'inanimate' meant that something was not alive, and if it wasn't alive, how it could have a soul? Max voiced his question before Wendy could, evidently as confused as she was.
"Doranbolt, Take-Over requires the user to absorb something with a 'soul', doesn't it? Demons, Beasts, Animals, or something else?"
"You're thinking too small," Doranbolt replied. "I'm not pretending to be an expert, but according to the archives of the Council, everything in the world has a soul. While the amount of soul within an inanimate object is considerably smaller than souls found in truly living creatures, you'll find that even something like glass, boulders, and chairs have souls. Harris is able to Take-Over the soul of inanimate objects, and acquire their traits and abilities; he is a walking arsenal, a human officer's knife."
"A man of a thousand weapons..." Max's voice came out tired. "And that's just the first one..."
"The young woman, 'Runt', is one of the harder ones to pinpoint," Doranbolt said grimly. "Despite being very small for an adult woman, she is a capable fighter, physically competent and uses strange magic that we've still yet to pinpoint; flames are a common Magic she uses, but her fighting style is unorthodox, as you can see. Her bounty of 5 million Jewels was accrued entirely after joining up with the Robin Hoodlums, and she is considered a 'B-rank' threat."
"W-Wait, you don't know anything about her beyond guesses?" Max asked incredulously. She was the one he had been most curious about, the girl with the cutting flames.
"I'm sorry," the former Council Member apologised. "She's the strangest of them all, despite not even having the highest bounty or being regarded as the biggest threat. She's reputed for being able to respond to attacks she couldn't have possibly seen, and move in ways that defy conventional human movements; eyewitness accounts have described her jumping vertically while running up a horizontal surface, deflecting attacks from outside her peripheral vision, among other impossible feats.
"Jennifer Baleus, codenamed 'Brutalia', was originally a member of the Watchful Seer Guild in Bosco. She earned her infamy through the mass murder of several hundred hypnotised civilians simply to undermine the hypnotist who was controlling them. Jennifer is the daughter of a noble family who also hails from Bosco; her family has been pleading, futilely, for the young woman to return home. Her bounty is 10 million Jewels, and she is classified as an 'A-rank' threat."
"And she uses telekinesis," supplied Wendy, trying her hardest not to flinch at the fact that they were going up against an organisation with at least two people who saw murder as a means to an end.
"She is a very skilled user of Telekinetic Magic," nodded Doranbolt. "It is her only known magical skill, but she is able to use it for defence, attack, and supplementary purposes.
"Eris Vythis, who freely uses her real name, is a non-human member of the Robin Hoodlums. She is an Elf from the seven-allied nation state of Seven, and has a reputation as an outspoken detractor to the worship of pagan deities — specifically deities that date back before the decline of the original gods and dragons. Eris is wanted for slaying multiple civilians she claimed to be cultists, and is currently on the run from her own people. Her bounty is 15 million Jewels, and she is classified as an 'A-rank' threat."
"So she actually wasn't human," noted Wendy. "But...she killed people because they were 'cultists'? There's something odd about that..." The young Dragon Slayer had felt like Eris would have been one of the least likely to kill, at least among their opponents. Even when Eris had fought Wendy, Charle, and Max, her attacks had felt like they were meant to incapacitate, not kill.
"Do we know anything about her magic?" inquired Max.
"Yes, but what I can tell you won't help us," admitted Doranbolt. "Her magic is a very rare form of Light Magic, referred to as the Kaleidoscope. It gives her a wide array of abilities based on the 'colour' of the light in question. As for which colour corresponds to what ability, I couldn't tell you; users of the Kaleidoscope Magic are far and few between, and knowledge of it in the Council is limited."
"Bobbie Blondes, another member who uses her real name without much fear of the Council's eyes and ears. Little is known about her past, and she operates typically as a hired sword, and as such, she has chosen to work for Mercenary Guilds, until she was recruited by the Robin Hoodlums. Her Bounty is 11 Million Jewels, and she is also classified as an 'A-rank' threat. Allegedly, she uses some form of Requip, but the type isn't known, meaning it's most likely an obscure branch."
"Requip...just like Erza..." Wendy realised with a pang in her heart. Max and Doranbolt gave her a moment of silence, but Wendy motioned for Doranbolt to continue, and so he did.
"...Now for the most problematic of the lot. The Generous Robin. Their real name is unknown, and all those who do encounter the Generous Robin are unsure if they're even a male or a female. They're known to be idealistic, and impulsive, but their strength is real. They're the head of the Robin Hoodlums, responsible for leading their multiple other heists in countries besides this one. Their bounty is 100 million Jewels, and is classified as an 'S-rank' threat. We believe the Generous Robin's power stems from his staff, making the Ice-type Magic he uses a powerful sort of Holder Magic."
A prolonged silence followed Doranbolt's explanations. Wendy, Max, and Doranbolt shared glances that held the same meaning: this information, while useful and interesting, had only put them slightly above where they had been minutes before. The Robin Hoodlums were a carefully chosen selection of mages; the Generous Robin, much to Wendy's chagrin, had his comrades well-chosen. There had to be something else they could do to prepare for this.
"After listening to all of that, it certainly doesn't boost my confidence," Max confessed, defeated. "We barely made a good showing against them before, and now we're going to have to do it all over again."
"I...think we have a chance," said Wendy, her words taking both Max and Doranbolt aback. "When we fought them before...we were caught off-guard, right? So we should turn the tables. We're the ones ambushing them, we'll have the advantage this time. And after all, we don't need to beat them; we just need to get what they stole and I know how we can do it in a single move."
"You...know how?" the beige-haired sand Mage was unable to keep the tone of surprise out of his voice.
Wendy nodded, smiling widely, "He tipped his hand just a little, I think. I'll explain everything once we've worked out when we're going to make our move, but we can do this, especially if we avoid direct combat."
"But how can we find them?" Doranbolt asked the obvious question. "Crocus is the capital city of Fiore; over one million people live here. Assuming for even a second that the Robin Hoodlums are based here, this won't be like searching for a needle in a haystack; this'll be searching for a very specific piece of hay in a haystack."
At this, Wendy smiled more broadly, and she pointed at her own face. "The Generous Robin...he has a very specific scent. I'm still not sure where I've picked it up before, but it stands out from regular humans." Her body trembled, a mixture of nerves, and even a little bit of excitement at the prospect of being able to complete their mission for Fairy Tail. "I think Natsu would say, at a time like this, 'Don't underestimate a dragon's nose'."
A/N:
Demod20: This was what you could call a Aftermath Chapter. While I got the privilege of showcasing the Antagonist's face and true nature - including that he is, in fact, a Trap - but also just how strong he is and why he's the leader of the Robin Hoodlums. And of course, this wouldn't be complete without a badass boast and rescue by Doranbolt, having guts enough to keep fighting even on the brink of collapsing and bluffing hard enough to make the enemy retreat. My co-author's section, while not action packed, has plenty of emotional weight to it and some good lore development with also some context to the nature of our villains. Can't wait to get started on the next chapter, so see you guys soon!
Lastationlover5000:
I cannot stress how much of a relief it is for this fanfic to not include back to back battles. At least not yet, anyway. It's nice to wind down when writing this fanfic, from the constant battles of my other two fanfics. This chapter was definitely a good one to write; my counterpart got to illustrate just how strong our Robin is — and that he's a trap! We both like traps, and being able to feature one prominently definitely feels like something we can only pull off in a fanfic like this. But he isn't just a cute face; he's ridiculously strong, and able to pull off feats of magic you wouldn't expect. I hope you enjoyed our ranking system and exposition section; not often I get to write a section like that, so it was quite a bit of fun. Anyway, we'll see you all in the next chapter!