Edited chapter: 26/08/2022
Hello darlings! Sorry, I knew I promised to update weekly, but this chapter took me a little more than expected.
If you asked yourselves why I didn't start this story when Cobra was first assigned to FT for his probation... Well, I wanted to start when he was already well integrated in the guild (or kind of - it's Cobra we are talking about, aren't we?)
Might insert other flashbacks in the next chapters! Stay tuned ;)
And now... Let this second chapter begin!
XOXO
Back in the Blue Mountains...
While in Magnolia Cobra was walking him with Lucy, unable to think nothing but seeing Lahar and be taken to Era the day after, much far away, in a building next to an old mine in the Blue Mountains, two members of the Thunder Legion were shuffling through some old newspapers from the Archives of the nearby town of Linveland.
"We were lucky they have kept these old newspapers. Now things are starting to get clear." said Freed, picking up a newspaper and scanning with his eyes the first page.
In the chair in front of him, Laxus shifted annoyed.
During the afternoon the Thunder Legion had moved the crystal into the building that was hosting Mr. Jones office.
Evergreen had been waving menacingly her fan to everyone who dared to peak at the girl's body, until Freed had put some runes to darken the surface of the crystal.
Mr. Jones had been much happy to be able to continue his digging works, and had thanked the Fairy Tail mages many times.
"Well, now that we are done with the thanks, we can se tot work." Grunted Laxus once the Thunder Legion was alone with the girl. "The first thing to do is to understand who exactly is this girl."
Laxus had split up the team. Bickslow and Evergreen's job was to guard the girl. "Find a way to break the crystal and take her body out." Laxus had told them. "We can't transport her much far if she is in there."
"Don't you worry boss!" Bickslow laughed. "We will de done in no ti-Stop hitting me with your fan! I have done nothing!"
"You pervert!"
Left Bickslow and Evergreen, Freed and him walked to Linveland, looking for any reports of missing person.
"I don't know where else we could start from." confessed Freed, as they entered the local police station.
"Yeah. Me too." Laxus agreed.
The situation was utterly upsetting, and there were too many questions without answer. First of all, who was the girl? And how did she end up in a crystal? And how did the crystal ended up under the remains of a collapsed tunnel in an abandoned mine? A mine that has been abandoned for almost a century. completed Laxus in his head, as Freed asked at the counter for the police commissioner.
The police commissioner was a plump, giovial man. He invited the two mages in his office and invite them to sit down. "Coffee? Water?" he asked politely, before sitting on the other side of the table.
"No thanks." said Freed, taking a seat. Laxus, as always, stood behind him, looking at the room around him.
The office was neat, and pictures of the past officers were hanging from the wall. They all had relaxed, smiling faces. In a corner, a small plant was adding a touch of familiarity to the setting.
"We do not see many mages around here!" the commissioner said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "What brings you here?"
"Well, we have been called by Mr. Jones. He is working for the FioreTrain company."
"Ah yes, old Jones!" the officer said warmly. "How is he doing? Always working hard, I guess!"
"Well, he doing well... However, we are working for him at the present moment." Freed cleared his throat.
"Sure! I will be happy to help!" The officer sipped his coffee. "What can I do for you?"
"Oh, we will not make you lose time. We only wanted to ask if there had been any kidnappings in the town lately?" Freed had decided it was better not to mention that a girl in a crystal had been found while digging in one of the tunnels in the collapsed mine. He hoped the officer in front of him didn't link the mine and his question.
But as soon as he mentioned the kidnappings, the commissioner burst into laughing. "Kidnappings you say? Oh my god!"
He was laughing so hard that Laxus frowned. "What's funny about that?" he snarled. Who does he find kidnapping fun?
"Oh, I am sorry, I am sorry indeed!" the officer compose himself again. "I am sorry, young man, I meant no offense. The fact is, this is a small, quiet town. I have such an easy job here! Nothing had happened for almost a century!"
Freed furrowed his brows. "For almost a century?" he asked.
"Exactly." the officer laughed again. "No kidnappings in this town, no no. Everything is going well, thank god! Is there something else I might help you with?"
"No sir." Freed got up, and bowed quickly. "It was a mere check by us. It's good to know the town is quiet and there are no troubles here, of course!"
Laxus narrowed his eyes. He could see the Rune mage was thinking about something, but what that something was, he couldn't tell. The dragons layer said nothing when the officer brought them back to the entrance of the police station.
"Well, glad I had been of help!" He said, shaking again hands with the Fairy Tail mages. "Say hi to the old Jones for me!"
"Sure!" Freed bowed again, and he and Laxus were about to leave, when Freed turned, and asked, almost casually. "Oh, could you tell us where are the Archives of the town?"
"Sure!" The officer pointed a red brick building at the far end of the street. "Right over there sir!"
"Perfect! Thanks again!"
As soon as the officer was back inside the station, Laxus turned to Freed. "Why the Archives?" Asked the lighting slayer.
"The officer said that 'nothing had happened for almost a century'," Freed explained, as they headed towards the Archives. "Mr. Jones told us that the mine collapsed almost a hundred of years ago."
"That could be a coincidence, you know." huffed Laxus, as they walked in the crowded street.
"It could be." said Freed, "But I want to check something anyway." "Mh-kay." Laxus surrendered.
Inside the Archives, an employer met them. "Good morning sirs! How can I help you?"
"Good morning!" Freed looked around. These archives look smaller than the ones we have in Magnolia, but maybe they hare what I am looking for anyway... "Sir, do you keep the records of the old newspapers?"
"Sure!" The employer nodded. "Back to two centuries! We have the very first numbers, some historical pieces that-"
"Great. I would like you to gather all the news paper of year X690 to X692."
"Yes sir! But only a person can enter the Archives, for you know, limit the contamination of the oldest pieces..."
Laxus put a hand on Freed's shoulder. "You go Freed. I will be waiting here." "Alright. See you later, Laxus!"
Laxus set himself to wait, but two hours passed, and there was no sign of Freed
It was dinner time by then, and Laxus went outside and bought some sandwiches for him and for Freed.
He munched his dinner, while waiting for his team mate to be back, and wondering what the Rune mage had in mind.
I understand Freed wants to have a look at the old newspapers, to check if there is any news on the collapse of the mine. He thought, taking another bite of sandwich. And I understand he couldn't be more explicit with the police officer... I guess our client wants to stay discrete, or the excavation works for the railway could be halted...
It seemed to Laxus that Freed believed there was a link between the collapse of the mine and the girl encased in the crystal.
Freed has a great sense... I am trusting him. But I am curious of what he has found...
Laxus had had to wait one hour more before Freed emerged from the Archives. The Rune mage was holding a big folder under his arm, and he looked concerned, and preoccupied.
He hadn't wanted to explain anything to the dragon slayer. "Later." he only had said, munching the sandwich Laxus had brought for him.
And there they were, well past ten o'clock, shuffling among old newspapers pages.
"My journey has been very fruitful, Laxus." Freed started. "I had a look to old newspapers, and as I expected I found many interesting informations and answers. These you see here are the copies of the most relevant information I wanted to show you and Master Makarov."
Laxus eyed suspiciously the giant folder. "You think Gramps needs those?"
"I said I found some answers, but the point is that these answers might not be what we expected at first."
Laxus raised an eyebrow questioningly. Freed took a deep breath and opened the folder. Laxus lean forward, and looked at what was inside.
As Freed had said, he had made copies of old newspapers. There were at least a dozen of them.
"Pick one." Said Freed. "Have a look, and tell me what you think." "Well, let's see what we have here."
Laxus picked the first of the pile, read the title one, two, three times. He frowned, raised an eyebrow."Freed?" he asked, holding up the newspaper. "What the hell does this mean?"
"Exactly. I was also startled at first." Freed picked up another newspaper and started reading. "I went through them very quickly. But we are leading in the right direction."
"With a paper that is dated fucking X690? A hundred years ago?" screamed Laxus.
"Precisely. All these newspaper are from that year. My suspicious was right. You see," Freed lifted the page he was reading. A giant picture was on it, and despite the low quality and the smeared ink, Laxus recognise her.
"It's her." he said, "It's the girl in the crystal." "Yes, she is." Freed nodded.
A title was printed right above the picture. Freed read it out loud. "'Dalila von Altzner still missing. Researches continue in the mine'".
Laxus dropped his jaw open. "You mean, that she has been in the mine..."
"For a hundred years." finished Freed in a whisper. "I also didn't believe it when I first saw the picture... But it is her. There is no doubt."
The two mages looked at the pile of newspaper like it was haunted. And it was, from a certain point of view.
"We should have a look." Sighed Freed. "I had to look at almost a thousand of newspapers today, but I should have collected the most significant ones. We might be able to understand what happened."
Laxus reluctantly grabbed a newspaper, and started reading. As long as he went through the article, it became immediately clear that it was going to be rather easy to understand what happened.
"Listen here, Freed." Laxus began reading out loud.
" 'After one week of searching in the debris of the mine, the body of Dalila von Altzner, of years 22, has not been found. The rescuers despair to find the woman alive.
'Unfortunately, the collapse of the oldest part of the mine do not allow us to hope,' said the mayor of Linveland in an interview. 'But we will not stop until miss von Altzner is sent to her family'.
The family of miss von Altzner has not released any comment yet.
A friend of miss von Altzner talked with us yesterday 'We all hope she comes
back.' she said 'Nobody can believe she is gone.' "
"Well, no mention of the crystal we see now." Commented Freed. "How did that happened?"
"What was she doing in the mine in first place?" Laxus raised an eyebrow. "The article is saying nothing more."
"There must be an explanation. Look here." Freed took another newspaper from the stack and began to read. " 'The affair of the kidnapped paesants finally solved. Fairy Tail mages Mavis Vermillion and Warrod Sequen bring culripts to justice.' "
Laxus stared at Freed. "Wait, the First is involved?" he asked slowly. If that was the case, it meant things started to get more intricated.
A mission of Mavis Vermillion, First Master of Fairy Tail, and of Warrod Sequen, now one of the four Ishigar. What the hell are we getting into? asked Laxus to himself.
"It seems so. Both the First and Warrod-sama are mentioned here. See, in those years the First had already found the guild."
Freed eyes went through the page, and he started to read the article to Laxus.
" 'The Fairy Tail team that has come from Magnolia to investigate on the disappearances of thirteen people in the last few months, has successfully found the band behind them.
'The criminals were part of a dark guild. They were illegally trying to implant a dragon slayer lacryma in the citizens.' explained young Fairy Tail mage Mavis Vermillion.'All their trials have failed, causing the death of their victims'. "
"Wait!" Laxus interrupted. "A dragon lacryma, you said?"
Freed nodded, lifting his gaze form the article. "Apparently some dark mages wanted to... use it on civilians. And to do so, they started kidnapping people. Of course the citizens didn't know about the lacryma..."
"But people were disappearing." Laxus completed. "And so the mayor called some mages to solve the case."
"Wait, the article says something more." Freed went on reading.
"'Although successfully solving the case, Miss Vermillion and his companion, Warrod Sequen, declared that they will not take the reward promised by the mayor.
'Even if the criminals will spend the rest of their lives in prison, we are not going to take the reward. Not until Dalila has been found and brought back home safe and sound.' said Miss Vermillion in an interview yesterday.'"
"So, the First and Warrod-sama seemed to know Dalila!" Concluded Freed. "And they two helped searching for her in the mine, and-Laxus, are you alright?"
No, the lighting slayer was not alright. Laxus had closed his eyes, and a deep frown had drawn wrinkles on his forehead. "A dragon lacryma..." Laxus whispered. "How many people had died because of this?"
"Laxus..." Freed could understand how much Laxus was affected by the news.
Laxus had a dragon lacryma implanted in his skull by his dad when he was only a child. He didn't remember a thing of the process, but that he had almost died.
"Back then, the techniques to implant the lacrymas were a little bit more... rough." started Freed. "I got some informations on the topic, once." he explained, "There was not all the knowledge that we have now."
"It doesn't matter." Laxus growled. He felt nervous, and unease. When will this crazy idea of lacrymal end?
Freed put a hand on his friend shoulder. "Laxus, you don't have to feel responsible for these death, just because you have a lacrimal inside you al well." Freed pointed at the newspaper. "Those criminals were implanting a dragon lacryma into normal citizens... non-mages people. Today, no one would be such a fool."
"I was not properly a mage." Laxus pointed out. I have been lucky... Others apparently not. If it was the Laxus of Fantasia, he would have laughed it off. But now, he felt he was different.
"Remember that your father and your grandfather were mages." Freed pointed out. "Cobra was already a mage, and Sting and Rogue were already dragon slayers when they got the lacrymas from their parents."
Laxus let out a sigh. The rune mage had a point. "Still, it makes me feel rather uncomfortable. Where the heck is the lacryma right now? We must find it, before it ends up in the wrong hands."
Freed nodded. "I agree. Such a powerful object must be given to the Council at once!"
Freed's eyes went back to the pile of newspapers. "I haven't read anything about the lacryma... But we should do another check. Listen, there is an interview here." And the Rune mage started reading out loud.
"'Jared and Jean Tret, known in town as 'the Tree brothers', were only the last two victims of the dark mages. They had been kidnapped right after Miss Vermillion and Mister Sequen arrived in Linveland.
The two brothers were dear friends of miss von Altzner, and she insisted on accompanying Miss Vermillion and Mister Sequen into the mountains for their investigations. Together they managed to find the hiding of the band, which was right next to the mine.
Here is an interview from the Tree brothers, who recalled those terrible moments in the hands of those racketeers.
'After they kidnapped us, they brought us in a cave under the mountains.' told to our newspaper Jared Tret, the eldest of the brothers. 'It was smelling of coal. I understood immediately we were in the mine. We were terrified. We had lost any hope to be rescued.'
'Those criminals told us about the lacryma. That they wanted to see if it could be implanted.' Jean, the youngest, added to the story of his brother, 'We saw the bodies of the other peasants previously kidnapped. They were dead, and those criminals had abandoned the bodies in a corner of the cave. It was horrible.'
'When we saw Dalila and the two mages, we couldn't believe it.' Jared continued. 'I thought it was an allucination!'
'We tried to exit through the galleries of the mine.' Jean adds. 'Mavis was guiding us. She ordered Dalila to hold the lacryma, so she and Warrod could fight. My brother and I were too weak, and that object had scared us so much I didn't want to touch it.'"
Laxus growled. Innocent people, killed and left to rot in a cave...
Freed swallowed. It was horrible. But it was giving him an important information. "Dalila was told to hold the lacryma. So it was her who last had it."
"But she is not holding any lacryma right now!" Laxus grunted him. His amber eyes were deadly serious, and swirls of electricity danced the air around him. "Freed, we must find it before another dark guild goes around killing people." he growled. "We must give the lacryma to the Council. Or we could just destroy the damn thing, for all I care."
"You are right," Freed's eyes went back to the newspaper. "Wait!" he exclaimed, "Listen what the article reports afterwards".
"'Jean Tret details for us the moments of their escaping. 'The kidnappers were right behind us.' He says. 'One of them was holding something like a rifle. He shot. It was dark, and I am sure what happened, but I heard Dalila screaming.'
'She was hit. I saw it.' Jared says. 'I think those criminals didn't care about us... They wanted just the lacryma. This is why they aimed at her!' "
"Well, that's a given." Laxus grunted. "Of course they wanted the dragon lacryma." I bet there are a few things more precious than that in Earthland... He was still wondering sometimes how did his father procured his.
"Yes." Freed browsed the page. "There is something about the collapse, too!"
"'Jared keeps telling us those terrible moments. 'After Dalila was shot, there a flash of white light. It was blinding. Right after that, I felt the ground quaking under my feet. The walls were shaking terribly, like a house during a hurricane. All around pieces of rocks started falling on the ground.'
'It was very dark, and difficult to move. I remember Warrod took me and my brother a second before the roof of the mine started collapsing from above us.'
'I remember I saw the dark mages taking another tunnel.' - editor's note: the band managed to survive the collapse by taking a different route in the mines. They have all been found and are already detained in the town's prison.
'But Dalila had fallen on the ground. She was not moving.' Jared takes a shaking breath. 'I saw Mavis trying to reach her... but before we could do anything, the ceiling completely collapsed, over her. It was too late.'
After the collapse, Jean and Jared Tret, Miss Vermilion and Mister Sequen made it just in time out of the tunnel. A second more and they too would have been crushed by the collapse.
Miss Vermillion had mourned herself and she is currently looking for the Miss von Altzner in the part of the mine still intact."
"Still, no news of this lacryma. " Laxus grunted, folding his arms.
"Yes, the lacryma seems to be missing." Freed picked other two newspapers, skimmed over the titles, and put them down. "There is no article which reports that it has been found, as far as I can see."
"At least we know why was she in the mine." Laxus crossed his arms. "She was helping the First and Warrod with the mission..."
"It was hasty to take a civilian in a mission." Freed muttered. "That would have prevented Dalila to..." Freed shook his head. "It's late now. We should think about the lacryma."
"Right." Laxus nodded. The fate of the girl, Dalila, was sad indeed. But finding the lacryma we might be able to prevent other people to die uselessly. "It must still be somewhere in the mine."
"Should we talk to Mr. Jones?" Asked Freed. "They might excavate with more care, and help us."
Laxus thought about it for a moment, but then shook his head. "No, I do not think we should do that. Not now, at least. Better no one knows that there is a dragon lacryma hidden around here. Mr... How is it called? Jenos? Mr. Jenos said he didn't want any trouble, after all."
Laxus stood up, and shook out his muscles. "Go find Bicks and Ever. I am calling Gramps. This seems a delicate situation."
"Calling the Master seems a wise choice. I am also unsure on how to proceed." Freed smiled, collecting the newspapers on the table and piling them on one side of the desk. "We will be back in a few minutes."
When Laxus was alone in the room, she took a deep breath. Alright. Let's call Gramps. Laxus dialled the number of his grandfather office on his portable lacryma. I should be still in his office. he thought, staring at the greenish projected by the lacryma. It's quite late...
On that moment, the image of Master Makarov appeared on the screen. "Hello, my boy!" he greeted Laxus with a smile. "I was wondering how things were going in the Blue Mountains!"
"Hello Gramps, Mh-Sorry, I know it's late." Laxus said, eyeing the clock hanging on the wall. It was almost midnight.
Makarov, who had dismissed a while ago, had just finished talking with Yijima, and had had the discomforting news that nothing, as far as the ex-Councilman knew, could be done for the poison slayer.
But Makarov didn't want to share that weight for the moment. Laxus was in mission, and his nephew looked rather distressed himself. "No worries, Laxus. I had a busy day, I was reordering some old papers and bills..."
"Gramps, is everything alright?" Laxus could see his old man was preoccupied. His eyes were tired, and the wrinkles on his forehead seemed deeper than usual.
"Uh?" Makarov peeked at his grandson. "No, nothing to worry about, Laxus... Everything is under control." Better tell him about Cobra in person in person, when he would be back at Fairy Tail. "What about you, my child? You look tired yourself! Have you met with this Mr. Jones?"
"Yeah, we have met him." Laxus nodded. "Everything is alright. Or well, we all are alright." Laxus straighten in the chair "However, there is something we wanted to discuss with you."
Laxus saw the little old man drawing his eyebrows together. "So," started Laxus, "we arrived this morning, and this Mr. Jonas-Jenos... Whatever, while digging, found a giant crystal with a woman trapped inside."
"A woman?" Makarov raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"Freed and I have done some research this afternoon." said Laxus. "Let me tell you what we have found so far..."
Laxus told his grandfather about the collapse, and the identity of the mysterious woman.
"When did you say that this happened Laxus?" Asked Makarov with a frown. "If the mine is not in use..."
"The papers date back to X690, Gramps."
"What?" Makarov eyes shot open. "Laxus-how can it-are you sure?" he stuttered. "Did you just say X690? But that's one hundred years ago!"
Laxus took a deep breath. He had imagined telling his grandpa the news was not going to be easy. "The old newspapers of Linveland have her picture. There is no possibility of error: the girl trapped in the crystal is Dalila con Altzner." he explained.
Makarov was still looking at him in complete disbelief.
"I also didn't believe it at the beginning, Gramps. But wait, there is something even more interesting."
Laxus told Makarov about the kidnappings, the dragon lacryma and the role of the First and Warrod in Linveland, and at every word the eyebrows of the old Master were moving up from the stupor.
"The First, Laxus? Are you sure of that?"
"Sure, Gramps." Laxus nodded. "We will bring the copied of the newspapers to Fairy Tail, so you can have a look. But it is not all." Laxus tried not to look away from his grandfather while telling him the part of the story which, he thought, was the worst. "The criminals were a dark guild. They were trying to implant a dragon lacryma into the citizens they had kidnapped. If that was to make some experiment, or what, I have no idea. No one of the citizens they had kidnapped had survived their trials."
"They were hiding close to the mine." Continued the lighting dragon slayer. "The First and Warrod were able to find their hidings. While they were running away, Dalila was holding the lacryma. The reports tell that she was shot, and after that, the mine collapsed. The First and Warrod were safe by miracle."
"This girl... Dalila... She was buried, then..." Makarov lowered his gaze. "I see."
Laxus nodded. "Exactly Gramps. After that, Mavis and Warrod tried to recover her body, but with no success."
At the other side of the line, Makarov was speechless. "And the dragon lacryma?" was the first thing he was able to say. "Where did those mages get it?"
"No idea. It's not written. But Dalila was holding the lacrime when she was hit."
Makarov nodded slowly. "I understand. So the lacryma must be somewhere under the mine, if someone hasn't taken it already."
"The dark mages were all found and brought to prison." Laxus said. "And Mr Junis is excavating the mine again... He is the first one after the collapse happened, as far as we know."
"I see." Makarov sighed. "Poor girl... Was she a mage?"
"No. She was not a mage."
"Then why did she go with the First and Warrod?"
"Some of her friends have been kidnapped. She wanted to help." Laxus sighed. "And now her body is inside this huge crystal..."
"Isn't she holding something in her hands?" Asked Makarov hopeful. "Maybe the lacryma..."
"No." Laxus blushed. "She is holding nothing... She is naked, in fact." "Laxus!"
"Evergreen is taken care of her!" Protested the dragon slayer. "I just happened to be there, ok?"
Makarov grunted something under his breath - probably a protest about his nephew misbehaving. But then the Master seemed to be hit by a thought. "Laxus, if you and Freed had to search all this afternoon to discover all these information... Then why did Mr. Jones called explicitly for Fairy Tail." He asked. "He couldn't know that the First and Warrod were involved in this story, am I right?"
"You are right Gramps." Laxus mouth twisted in a grimace. "Mr. Jones had no idea who the woman was."
The reason why Mr. Jones had called Fairy Tail was was very different, and Laxus looked for the right words to tell his grandfather.
"Mr. Jones called us because Dalila is wearing a Fairy Tail guild mark."
In the meantime, in the city of Magnolia...
The Fairy Tail guild mark was standing black against the caramel skin of his forearm. Cobra looked at it in the mirror one last time, and then lowered his sleeve.
He could remember very well when the Master of Fairy Tail had applied that mark.
Cobra had always worn the one of the Oregon Sèis with proud, but when that mark had been erased form his skin, he had sworn himself that there wasn't going to be another one.
At that time he was still convinced the Sèis was the sole guild he would belong to. It was only worth belonging to.
After seven years, he had not changed his mind. Not because he thought that it was a nice place to be, but because he was against every kind of association to other mages.
He didn't want to belong to any guild at all, that was it.
Which, having been he assigned to Fairy Tail, made his resolution difficult to maintain.
It had taken all Kinana influence and persuasive ability to convince him to get a guild mark.
Of course he knew who she was. After the battle against the future Rogue, he had turned in his mind the voice he had heard after so many years, and it had taken a while, but finally he managed to individuate among the souls he remembered of who exactly was Cubellios.
Of course Kinana remembered him. Their reunion was one of the happiest moment of Cobra's life.
'Do it as a gift for me, Erik. So that we still belong to the same guild.' Had told him Kinana. 'It wont' hurt, I promise.'
Kinana knew how much Erik was afraid of being touched. Her memories were restored almost perfectly, and she remembered the beatings and the tortures Erik had had to endure as a child.
And as a young boy, and a young man... and as a man, in prison, it wasn't much better... Thought the poison slayer, looking at himself in the mirror. Some guards were too afraid of even nearing me... But others had not.
At the thought he growled. "Easy, with a chained man..." Had he be free, they wouldn't have last a minute.
Cubellios... He hadn't even said goodbye to her. What for?
The thought of losing again his friend crushed over him like a tsunami. Alone in his room, Cobra started to cry.
His sobs were bouncing over the walls of his house, filling every corner, and soon Cobra had the sensation to be surrounded by his own sorrow and desperation.
"I am not going back to prison!" He shouted to the empty room. "I will not lose Cubellios again!"
Cubellios, but also Lucy, Wendy, Erza, and he hated to admit it, but Natsu, and Gray, And even the cats.
And why, hadn't he never exchanged a few words with Gajeel, or with the other cat, that had that insane passion for kiwis and seemed only a little less grumpy than his best friend?
Or had he never been treated with a special liquor by Mirajane, or...
There were hundreds of little moments Cobra was secretly treasuring. He would never admit it, but he had started to like his life at Fairy Tail.
And Cobra remembered that first encounter with its members like it was yesterday...
Magnolia, once again seven months ago...
Lucy saw the Rune Knights entering the guild hall, bringing Cobra in the office of Master Makarov.
The ex-member of the Oraciòn Sèis was handcuffed, thank Mavis. Cobra hissed as he passed next to the table were team Natsu was eating, but Lucy forced herself to spare anything but a glance at him, while Natsu, Gray and Erza looked clearly annoyed by the presence of the poison dragon slayer.
Wendy, on the other hand, had hidden under the table. "Is safe to bring him inside the guild?" she whispered into Lucy's ear, after the group had disappeared up to the stairs.
Wendy had never been comfortable with the fact that Cobra was able to read thoughts. Or souls, it didn't mattered. He had scared her to death when she had fought the Sèis, years ago, and even if she knew now she was stronger, she was still much intimidated by each one of them.
"I have no idea... I do not know why they brought him here." Lucy sipped her strawberry smoothie. "Must be some important business. Yesterday Mira told me that Master had received a letter from the Council a while ago, and he had been gloomy and serious since then."
Wendy shivered, but went back to her vanilla ice-cream.
"Don't you worry, Wendy!" Charle comforted her. "You are at Fairy Tail... You are safe here!"
The two girls finished their lunch, while their team mates were brawling and fighting in the guild hall.
Natsu was wrestling with Gajeel in a corner of the room, with Erza as a referee, while Gray and Elfman were arguing on the opposite side.
Gajeel threw an iron pole to Natsu, which dodge it, and ended up hitting Elfman's back.
For some reason, Elfamn thought it was Gray fault, even if the Ice mage was right in front of him and not behind, and landed a fist on Gray's head.
In less than a minute, chairs and tables were flying from one side to the other of the hall.
Lucy had forgotten about Cobra, and was giggling, chatting with Wendy, and dodging the flying chairs in the meantime. Her guild mates were a little boisterous, But I love them anyway! she thought, as Max was sent flying by Natsu fire dragon roar and crashed onto a wall, by mistake crushing Happy under him.
Half an hour had passed, when the Rune Knights reappeared. Lucy looked at them, and immediately her muscled tensed. She looked around warily. Where is Cobra? Why is he not with them?
Had he run away? That was a bad, bad news. Or, even worse, was he still in Makarov office? And if so, why?
In the sit next to her, Wendy started shivering again, while Charle stopped sipping her tea and stared at the Knights with wide eyes.
Lucy was about to call Erza - she didn't feel secure about the poison slayer, Master Makarov or not, when Mirajane came to their table. "Master wants to see the whole team Natsu, in his office!" said the barmaid.
"What's going on, Mira?" asked Lucy, standing up.
"I have no idea, Lucy. But Master has said it is urgent. I will go and tell the others to come. You two go upstairs."
Mira looked not too pleased. She noticed that Cobra was not with the Rune Knights when they exited the guild, too, but she tried to look encouraging. "I am sure everything is alright... It's safe to go upstairs!"
"Alright." Lucy swallowed, not feeling reassured one bit. But she got up from her place, and headed with Wendy and Charle in Master's office.
Wendy was trying her best not to shake in fear. He is here! I can smell him all around! she thought, tightening her grip around Charle. Cobra had an unmistakable smell, strong and itching, somehow juicy and wild at the same time. Nothing that Wendy could forget easily, anyway.
"Come on, child, everything is going to alright." said softly the white cat.
Charle could feel Wendy's arms shaking around her, and she herself was not feeling safe, with such a criminal so close.
"Yes, Charle... Don't you worry. I am ok." Wendy forced a smile, but inside, she was screaming. She could smell Cobra from outside Master office, and that smell remembered her of the short time she was kidnapped by the Oracion Sèis, to be promptly saved by Natsu and Gray.
The memory of the cave, Brain, Cobra, and the other dark mages, was making her guts twist in fear.
Lucy turned the doorknob and entered the office. "We are here, Master. What was that-Oh my stars!"
Cobra was sitting in a chair, in front of Makarov. The poison slayer turned slowly his head, enjoying how Lucy's fear spiked when she saw that the handcuffs were gone.
"Oh hi!" He cooed. "Happy to see me?"
From his spot on the desk, Makarov ignored the poison slayer, and motioned the two girls and the Exceed to come forward. "Come in, my children... There is nothing to be worried about!"
Makarov tone was light, but it was not nearly enough to make Lucy enter the office. Her hand went automatically to her key holder hung on her belt, ready to open one the gates of the celestial realm. She could feel Wendy trembling like a leaf. Charle let out small scream.
But Lucy didn't want to look scared either. She swallowed and forced herself to move a couple of steps in Makarov direction. Without taking her eyes off Cobra, she slowly asked, "Master... What is he doing h- What's going on?"
"Cobra has been assigned on probation to Fairy Tail, Lucy. So there is nothing wrong going on in here. Cobra is now part of Fairy Tail."
Lucy eyes widened. Eh? WHAT?
Wendy eyes popped. It wasn't possible. Master can't have agreed to such a thing!
Cobra didn't flinch under their stupefied gaze. He only lifted an eyebrow, musing internally at their terror, but kept his face straight.
But even if he looked like the most bored person on Earthland, Lucy knew the dragon slayer was a subtle liar.
After all he has done... she thought with anger, After Nirvana, and all that the Oraciòn Sèis... After the battle with Fairy Tail, too... They sent him here?
Sure, probation was ok, she guessed, but... They couldn't have decided it was Fairy Tail. It couldn't be true. Had Lahar and the Council gone mad?
Cobra snorted. He let his internal amusement draw a wicked smirk on his mouth. "I don't know, Jugs..." he said mockingly, "Maybe they have."
Back to present time, still in the city of Magnolia...
The night was warm and silent. A few clouds covered the moon and the glint of the stars. Lucy was sleeping in her bed, dreaming, or maybe remembering.
Seven months had passed since the day Cobra joined Fairy Tail, and had been assigned to team Natsu.
She chuckled in her sleep, remembering the face Natsu made when Makarov told him, Gray and Erza the news.
They were ready to start a fight with their own Master. It took almost an hour of shouting and screaming from the two sides, before Makarov lost his patience and landed a huge fist on Natsu and Gray's heads.
That had been funny - it always was.
She remember she laughed a little, forgetting that Cobra was there. And when she turned her head towards him, she had been greatly surprised in seeing a faint, weak twitching of the corner of his mouth.
Not the same smile that was making everyone crawling on the floor in fear, but a real smile.
She had wished to have his same Soul Hearing magic, to see what he was thinking right then.
Of course Cobra had heard her, and he had shot her a menacing glare. But, for some strange reason she could not explain, she believed it was much less menacing than it could have been.
And on that very moment, part of her fears calmed. She felt hope rising, instead.
Lucy hadn't been wrong. Many other memories crowded her head: Cobra's first mission with the team, his fights with Natsu and Gray, their common fear for Erza, although Cobra was never going to admit that he was afraid of the Requip mage. And also the first time he let Wendy heal him, and how the young dragon slayer had grown fond of him...
In the span of seven months, Cobra had become part of the team. They were still a little wary around him, specially when he was in a battle - in those moments, he looked like the same Cobra from the Oraciòn Sèis they defeated many years ago.
But he always ended up handing the criminals they captured to justice, instead of maiming them or eating them alive - yes, Cobra had told them that he used to do that too - and Lucy believed that was a sign that something inside the slayer had started to change.
She had always thought it was just a matter of time.
Cobra wanted freedom, that had been immediately clear to her. Her story strangely resonated with the poison slayer, and she decided to welcome him in the guild, as Fairy Tail had welcomed her years ago.
And now, when he was finally starting to find his place at Fairy Tail, the Council wanted to take him back to prison, with no valid reason.
Her happy memories faded away in the night, while fear and anger replaced them. She turned and twisted in the bedsheets. A small tear escaped her eye, and run down slowly to her cheek and into the pillow.
Lucy grunted in her sleep. What if they revoke his probation? What was he going to do alone in Era, with no one else in the guild to support him? What if he lose his temper and give Lahar an excuse to jail him again, this time time for the rest of his life?
There was a small rustle out of her window, but Lucy didn't hear it. She kept sleeping, even when a loud crack filled the room. Her window opened slowly, and two figures jumped in her room. A boy and a flying cat.
Natsu reached the bed and looked at Lucy. He could smell her silent tears, and without a second thought, he kicked off his sandals and crawled in the bed with her.
"Goodnight Natsu!" whispered Happy, rolling up on the pillow, next to Lucy's head.
"'Night, Happy!" Natsu whispered back, before lifting one arm and wrapping it around Lucy's sleeping form. He dragged her close to him, until her breath was fanning on his chest. Caressing her hair, he let her gentle smell of strawberry and vanilla surround him.
She is thinking about Cobra, isn't she? I bet she managed to walk home with him! Natsu hoped Lucy had managed to console the poison slayer a little. She was the best, and the fire slayer knew Cobra wouldn't have liked too many people around him on that moment. If there was Lucy, it was alright.
Cobra was family. He is nakama. The Council can't take our nakxmas away like that!
Natsu had asked himself many times what would have been of him, if he hadn't found Fairy Tail. If he was born as a slave, and then abducted by an unscrupulous, cruel man like Brain. I have been lucky. Even if Igneel is not here, I have been lucky.
The memories of his father came to him all of a sudden. They were happy memories, of him being cuddled and pampered by Igneel, sometimes scolded - maybe more than 'sometimes'.
Precious memories, that he was never going to forget. Cobra must not even know what having a father means.
Natsu knew Lucy had decided to go to his place and see him in the morning, when Lahar was coming to take him. Natsu and Happy were going with her, of course.
Lucy moved under Natsu's arm. After a moment, she opened her eyes. Their gaze met, and Lucy whispered "Natsu... You are here!" Thank the stars, she also thought, but she didn't say it out loud. For once, she was not mad at him for tucking himself next to her. His warmth was comforting - as always.
"Of course I am here!" Natsu grinned.
Lucy smiled. She was not going to admit it, but she had hoped he would come to her house on that night. "So, are you coming tomorrow?" she asked softly.
"Sure! Happy is coming as well!"
They fell in silence, as Lucy's mind slowly cleared her from all her fears.
Natsu must have the magic power of making her feel safe, she thought. His grin, so characteristic of him, almost as stripping was characteristic of Gray, had the power of brighten the worst of the situations. It makes you believe everything is possible.
And in the end, she learned, everything became possible with the fire dragon slayer at her side.
"I am worried, Natsu." she said after a while. "I am worried they are going to keep him in jail, for no reason..."
"I am also worried, Lucy. Just as much as you." Natsu didn't try to hide his own worry from her. It was pointless, anyway. Lucy knew him too well.
Having her so close to him was making him feel more serene.
"What can we do?" she asked, snuggling in his chest and closing her eyes.
Natsu didn't answer immediately. "If it was for me," he finally said "I would follow him to Era and I would not take my eyes off from him. No matter what Lahar says... criminal or not, Cobra is family."
Lucy sniffed. "It is like they took away any other of us."
"Yes. But we will have him back at Fairy Tail, Lucy. I promise." Natsu needed her to believe him. He himself, needed to believe Cobra was coming back to Fairy Tail. He tightened his grip on her. "Back at Fairy Tail, understand?"
"Gajeel and Lily are going to Era too." said Lucy, "Gramps couldn't send us, I understand, we are his team..."
"I do not care if Lahar freaks out because we are in Era." huffed Natsu.
Makarov had been clear on this point. No one of team Natsu was allowed in Era. "We are not going to give Lahar any reason to retain Cobra more than what strictly necessary." had explained the old Master.
"Or maybe Master sent Gajeel and Lily because you and Gray are too destructive?" Lucy giggled between the sniffs.
"Hey! I am not destructive, it's ice princess that always starts to fight!" "Yes, yes, Natsu." Lucy let him wrap his other arm around her. "Now sleep.
Tomorrow we need to wake up early to see him. There is not much we can do."
For now. They both thought, before falling asleep one next to the other, as the sky outside had finally cleared, and the moon and the stars were shining brightly into the night.
At the same time, in the Blue Mountains...
Laxus lean back in his chair. Yes, the guild mark was the exact reason Mr. Jones had called Fairy Tail.
When Laxus first looked at the girl, much to Evergreen and Mr. Jones annoyance, he immediately notice it. On her left tight, was starring a Fairy Tail guild mark, black against her pale skin.
"This is not possible, Laxus!" cried Master Makarov "If the girl was not a mage, how could she had a guild mark?"
"No idea, Gramps. Maybe the First could give us some explanation?" Laxus said hopefully.
Makarov looked around him, as if expecting to see Mavis appearing from inside a wall. "I will ask as soon as I see her. This seems a matter of great strangeness, Laxus. It was good that you called me. I do not even-"
"Pervert! Absolute disgusting man!" Evergreen high pitched voice echoed through the corridor.
Laxus heard Bickslow laughing, and then the sound of a fan against iron.
The door shot open, and Bickslow came running into the room. "And this is why I wear a helmet!" the man said, laughing even harder. "Hey Gramps! What's up?"
"Hello Bickslow. I assume you have made Evergreen angry again." asked Makarov with a smirk.
The Seith mage stuck his tongue out. "Nah, Gramps, he loves me! Elfman should be jealous!"
"Elfman has nothing to do with that!" shouted Evergreen, entering the room and glaring at him.
Freed was behind them. He met eyes with Laxus, sighed, and bowed lightly to Master Makarov. "Good evening, Master!"
"Good evening Evergreen, Freed." Makaror smiled at the Thunder Legion. "Now, brats, Laxus told me a little about this woman in the crystal. Did you find something else?"
"The chick is pretty" said Bickslow quickly, ignoring the irate glare of Evergreen.
Makarov grimaced. "I get it Bickslow. But could you please restrain yourself from commenting the poor child? A bit of respect for the dead, at least!"
"Dead?" Bickslow jumped on the chair. "Gramps, what are you talking about? The girl is alive!"
"Alive?" Evergreen gasped again and started fanning herself frenetically. "What do you mean 'alive'?" Freed gasped. "How is it possible?"
"Bickslow, explain yourself!" Ordered the Master. Things were getting more confused every minute. "How can she be alive after a century under the rocks?"
"Well, that Gramps I have no idea." Bickslow snickered. He had prepared the surprise effect, and it had worked perfectly.
"The only thing I can tell, it that my magic allows me to see souls." Bickslow pointed to his visor."I can tell then if a person is alive or dead, and believe me, that doll has a soul that is dimming and shining!"
"It is like she is in a state of deep sleep, for now." the Seith mage clapped his hands happily.
Laxus stared hard at the Seith mage. He could have told miles away if that was just a stupid prank pf Bickslow, but it wasn't. He is speaking the truth! "Bicks, why didn't you say it sooner? We must take her out of there!"
"Right, why didn't you say it sooner?" Freed and Evergreen shouted in unison. "How can she be alive in crystal?" asked again Laxus.
"That's because the crystal is not a crystal, boss." Bickslow began to rock in his chair. "It is a magic shield. Sort of, as far as I understood. It protected her from the collapse of the mine, and it continued its job for almost a century. It is already disappearing, like evaporating."
"Evaporating?" Freed frowned. "Like..."
"Dissolving, breaking up, dispersing, melting!" Bickslow laughed, mouth opened, tongue out. "I don't know why or how, but it's happening!"
"How didn't I notice?" Grumbled Evergreen.
Bickslow winked. "You were too busy keeping me at distance to notice!"
"This means you were too close!"
"Silence, brats!" Makarov pressed his fingertips to his forehead. "So Bickslow, are you telling us that Dalila is alive and that she is good?"
"Yep Gramps." Bickslow stuck is tongue out "She will wake up, when the barrier is gone. Though I think the chick has no idea of how much time had passed, since she is sleeping so soundly."
"The lacryma problem is then solved!" exclaimed Freed, nodding to the rest of the team and to the Master. "She could tell us where did it go, and we can bring it to the Council!"
"No need to wait for the chick to wake up! I know where the lacryma is!" sang Bickslow, rocking more in his chair. "And I can tell you that it will not be possible to give it back to che Council."
Laxus frowned. "And why is that?"
Makarov rolled his eyes and sighed. The Seith mage could be nerve-wreaking sometimes. "Explain yourself, Bickslow."
"Yes Gramps." Bickslow stopped rocking in his chair "It's very easy. The lacryma is inside her!"
Silence fell in the room.
Laxus blinked. This can't be... He looked at Evergreen, that was holding her breath, then at Freed, and finally at Makarov.
If the lacryma is inside her... Makarov slowly draw the only possible conclusion, It means that Dalila is...
Freed was the first one gain again the ability to speak. "Bickslow, are you telling us that..."
"Yes I am, man." Bickslow cackled wildly. "What are those faces? The doll is safe and sound, and what's more, she is a dragon slayer!"
