With no regard for the time I am spending holed up in my room, here you go with Chapter 16!


The next morning...

Dalila had woken up early. She blinked in the light of the morning passing through the curtain, and stretched her arm out. It's going to be a sunny day, was her first thought. her second, was that team Natsu was going to leave for their next mission that afternoon, and that she had planned to meet with Lucy at the guild for breakfast.

But it's still too early for her to be up, considered the wind dragon slayer as she dressed. I might as well go to the guild and meditate a little, she thought stepping out of her bedroom and closing the door lightly behind her. I don't want to spend the whole morning inside, it's such a nice day!

Outside, the sun was warm, and a gentle breeze was blowing though the streets of Magnolia. Dalila walked with light feet and a good humour to the guild hall. But once in front of it, she didn't enter, but went all around it, directed to the train ground instead, which, as she expected, was deserted.

Good! She thought happily, walking to the centre of the arena and sitting down with her legs crossed. I will have such a nice session of meditation!

She was feeling elated by the events of last night. Her magic, channeled though her nose, had done wonders. She had no idea how it worked, But surely Gajeel knows a little about it. Or Master Makarov. I could ask Master as well.

She felt the same euphoria of a child that had just discovered the name of things, that goes all around pointing to objects and saying their name out loud. Now every single smell made more sense to her.

But now I should focus on my breath, as Gajeel and Lily had taught me. She placed her hands on her knees and started to shifting her attention from the world around her to the air going in and out of her lungs.

As minutes ticketed by, she found harder and harder to keep her focus. Her mind kept swinging back to what had happened to night before. She had felt proud, and admired. I should not rely on this too much but I can't but be happy! she giggled to herself. \Now, back to meditation...

More times passed, but Dalila concentration was not getting better. More images passed in front of her eyes, and none of them was about her breath or the calmness Gajeel had taught her to seek during meditation.

The wind slayer frowned, fighting against herself.

The sweet smell of Lucy, shaded of sadness of her childhood, had started to haunt her. And the solitude of Freed, and the tears of Cana. And the weird smell of Kinana, like new skin...

The comment about Laxus, kept also playing in her mind, over and over again. That had been inappropriate! she thought blushing.

And then, as if that memory had called other ones, she felt her nostrils fill with the deadly smell of a closed, dirty cell.

Damn it... Dalila grunted, straightening her back, trying to send away the claustrophobic sensation Cobra smell had given her last night. She inhaled deeply again, and she smelled screams, and blood, again and again. Blood... rivers of blood... On the ground around her, impregnating her clothes, on her hands and under her nails, the smell of dead flesh and pumping blood was nauseating.

Dalila gritted her teeth.

... high pitched screams, asking for mercy... men, women, children... hours spent in darkness, hungry and thirsty... sweat and tears...

"Go away!" Dalila hissed angrily, shaking her head. But memories were not a fly, and shaking her head couldn't send them away. Not a bit.

... pitiless laughs in the night... endless pain, and cruelty... death is a blessing... screams in the void of a wood, lone cells and rooms... and no one is coming...

The smell suddenly changed, becoming, if possible, more penetrating and real. Fear... blind terror, of both silence and noises... oh, being deaf...

Frustrated, Dalila lifted a hand and angrily held her nose. The sensations remained, but at least the smell was not strong anymore. Thank you very much! groaned the wind slayer to herself. Now maybe I could go back to what I was doing... It's not like Cobra is in front of me.

But a deep growl sounded in her ears. A growl that, after the events of last night, she would have recognised anywhere.

"Got some problem with me, Snow White?"

Dalila's eyes shot open, and the girl gasped.

In front of her, against the azure of the sky, stood the poison slayer. His tanned skin was shining like a statue from an exotic country, and his amethyst eye was glaring maliciously down at her.

Dalila made a strangled sound, surprised of finding him exactly where he should not have been.

Cobra heard distinctly a part of her soul face-palming. Why on Earthland had he to be here right now? Does the world hate me or something? He chuckled to himself. The wind slayer was comical, from a certain point of view. Maybe I should not killed her too painfully... he thought, flashing his teeth.

He had arrived to the guild early that morning, to spend some time with Cubellios before leaving for the next mission. Turned out that Kinana forgot about a shift Mirajane had asked her to do, so was going to be busy all morning. Being so early, and the guild empty, Cobra had just had breakfast, chatting with his friend, before the guild got too crowded for his liking.

He had heard Dalila coming, her soul singing like a bird in the early morning. Without realising it, part of him had been listening to her, as she struggled to keep her focus on the train ground. It had been fun when she was blushing about Laxus, maybe a little disturbing when she had thought about Lucy or Cana. Still, he was determined not to lose his control again around her. Stupid Snow White... Can't fucking mind her own business...

But it had been when she had started thinking about him that he had decided it was too much.

Fucking time to show you real screams and blood, Snow White. He had swallowed what was left of his coffee, and, already feeling poison pouring in his mouth, Cobra had waved goodbye to Kinana, and had exited the guild hall. Only to turn and, unseen by anyone, walk back to the train ground.

And now he was there, in front of the girl that had stepped over a red line that she had been too idiot to see.

I mustn't have heard him coming! I was too caught into... into...

"Don't even fucking think about it," hissed Cobra, "you little excuse for a dragon slayer."

After the first moments of surprise, Dalila was back to herself. She was ready to stand up and go, if he needed the train ground - not that she minded - but that sentence lit sparkles anger in her chest. 'Excuse for a dragon slayer'? she repeated in her head, narrowing her eyes to the man in front of her.

It stung more than she expected. However, she was determined not to lose her cool just because of a stupid comment.

"Do you need the train ground?" Dalila huffed, unfolding her legs and getting on her feet. Good! My meditation session is ruined!

It came to her mind also that that was the second sentence she had been said to Cobra. The first one had been 'That was not necessary'. This is ridiculous.

But this time, he had not limited himself to puff poison clouds from his mouth, or deaf her in some kind of way. No, now he was right in front of her, glaring down at her like it was her who had been coming up to him!

This is ridiculous! thought Dalila again, dusting her trousers. "I was leaving, so you can use-"

She could not finish her sentence, because, with the fastest movement she had ever seen, the poison slayer had grabbed one of her wrists, twisting her arm behind her back. Dalila's body collided with his chest, and the wind slayer found his coat pressed hard against her nose and mouth. His scent, stronger than ever, was suffocating.

Dalila cried in surprise and ache. "Let go!" Fighting to put some distance in between her and the annoying slayer, half feared and half angered, Dalila moved her other hand, but immediately it joined the one pressed behind her back.

"So pathetic." chuckled Cobra in her ear. Dalila could hissed in pain when he tightened his grip on her wrists. "Even without me hearing you, you are so predictable. Almost boring."

Another sentence that stung. Dalila managed to turn her head up, and meet the mocking sneer of the poison slayer. "I said, let go!" she hissed. What did he want from her? He knew that she had never fought. Damn, she had been a music teacher, not a soldier! I am going to Lucy-kick him now! He deserves it!

Cobra looked down at her, hearing her intentions even before she could think of which leg to move. Under furrowed dark brows, bright silver irises, shining like diamonds, so perfect that made his rage turn into blind fury. Oh, the defiance in those eyes! He was going to cancel it from her, soon. Maybe taking her eyes off was going to be the first thing he was going to do to her. She doesn't deserve a quick death, he decided.

Dalila had just managed to rise her feet, ready to hit him in his crotch - she hated playing dirty, but it was not the case to be picky on that moment - when she felt her whole body lifting from the ground, and a second later, her back hit hard the ground, knocking her breath out.

Like magic - and at this point she was ready to believe Cobra has hiding a fourth kind of magic - he wrists had gone from her back to above her head, where the poison slayer was solidly keeping them.

Momentarily at loss of options, Dalila could do nothing but stare at the poison slayer hovering right above her. Again, too few inches away. If he dislikes physical contact so much, why is he so close to me now? grunted some part of her head.

"Again, so arrogant for someone so small and weak." growled the poison slayer. "I am disliking you more and more, Snow White!"

"Then why did you come to the train ground looking for me?" hissed Dalila from under him. The sparkles of a few moments ago had turned into a roaring fire the moment Cobra had slammed her on the ground. Who the hell thought he was, to lay his hands on her?

"Oh, you'll fucking see what happens when I land my hands on you!" Cobra's voice raised in volume as his rage almost reached the point of no return. After that, he was not going to care were he was. He could have been in front of Master Makarov himself, and yet just eat Dalila's face right there and then.

The unreadable mask Dalila had always seen on him, or his mocking smirk, had vanished and his hatred and intentions were so plainly written on his face. Dalila tried to wiggle out from his grasp. "Let go of me!"

the twisted features, evil eye of a monster.

Her wrists were caged by Cobra's hand, an iron grip she had no hope to escape from. His shins were pressed on her tights, blocking her legs. Probably there was a way to get out of that situation, If only I knew anything about hand-to-hand combat!

The poison slayer clicked his tongue, amused. "You think you have any chance with me?"

"Let go! And stop listen to my thoughts!" Dalila's anger was now a burning blaze, howling and growling like a caged animal. And so was her magic. But she was too bust staring at the sneering poison dragon slayer, and Cobra was too busy looking Dalila in the eyes - those grey, sparkling, annoyingly splendid eyes. Speaking of which...

"I would correct you on me listening to your thoughts..." Damn, he heard souls! "But we don't have time." murmured Cobra, passing the tips of his fingers along Dalila's cheek.

Time? Time for what? A slight gust of fear crawled over her. "I am on the ground, right? I can't fight back. You won" she swallowed. "What do you want now?" Tell him what he wants to hear and he will let you go... Oh no, he can hear me!

The small chuckle from the poison slayer only confirmed her that she was right. "Your soul is annoyingly loud, I might add." he neared his face to hers. "I hear you crystal clear."

He could hear the melody, the violins playing high notes of fear, and the drums rolling in anger. He could hear her heart racing, and her mind galloping, trying to find a solution out of that situation. You are not to have it that easily, he thought. He had had many beautiful women passing in his hands, that he had found incredibly pleasing to skin alive, slaughter, maim... But with you, Snow White, I will start with your eyes.

"What do you want now?" asked again Dalila. She could see the viciousness passing in Cobra's only eye, and she could smell anger, amusement, cruelness. ... satisfaction... I smell women screaming, their bodies turned into a pile of flesh and bones... and the sound of a single laugh of a madman...

And acid, grimaced the wind slayer. I can smell acid too!

Cobra sneer widened, until his pointed teeth were fully displayed. "Your nose is pretty good." he cooed. "You are feeling it." he lifted his free hand and Dalila saw his fingers. They were coated in a purplish liquid. "I am impressed. So good, for a poor excuse of a slayer."

A small growl left Dalila's throat, and without realising, she bared her teeth. Something deep inside her was pushing her, roaring in blind fury. But at the same time, panic threatened to overcome her.

But before she could demand once more to be left free, Cobra neared their faces even more. "So, since even the sight of you annoys" he started casually, "how about I take your eyes off, to start with?"

"What?" breathed Dalila. Was he mad? He wants to blind me?

"Oh, I have killed for much less." whispered Cobra, nearing his face to the wind dragon slayer. Dalila could see the rich tone of his iris, and all the hatred that it contained. Her whole body suddenly felt heavy and numb. The smell of poison was biting her nose, nearly chocking her.

"Now," purred Cobra, drowning himself in her fear and finally, finally starting to feel satisfied. "what were we saying about your pretty eyes?"

The smell of acid became stronger, and Dalila was suddenly much aware of the proximity of Cobra poisoned fingertips and her face. She must get away from him, and quickly!

"Let go!" she shrieked, struggling with her arms and legs. She didn't have much choice, trapped in between the solid ground and the growling mage.

Except that, when she moved her limbs with all her strength, she didn't feel anything solid under her. Yelping in surprise, her legs waved in the void, and her back had now nothing to sustain it. Her wrists still above her head, Dalila instinctively wrapped what she could - her legs - around the nearest thing - Cobra.

"Sod off!" cried angrily the slayer, but even him had realised that something was wrong. Despite kicking with his legs, he could not feel the ground under his feet. "What the fuck have you done?" he yelled, glancing around. They were still on the train ground, right behind the guild hall, but... But he didn't remember the ground to be at the same level of the bleachers!

"Me?" Dalila looked frantically around, trying to not let Cobra go and not touching him at the same time. "Oh my Mavis!" she cried "Bring me down!"

It couldn't be true. It was impossible. She was having hallucinations. She couldn't believe her eyes. Because the train ground where she had been pinned two seconds ago was now six, seven feet below them. Are we flying?

Yes, they were flying.

Had it been any other situation, Dalila would have been the happiest dragon slayer ever. How many times she had been dreaming of flying like an eagle, playing with them on the crests of the mountains, diving int he light of the sunset and hiding in the clouds...

But there she was, with a dragon slayer and all his murderous intents holding onto her, and the earth looking farther and farther. Fifteen feet at least!

Cobra had left her hands go, and much to his annoyance, Dalila had instantly tugged herself onto his coat. "Don't fucking touch me!" he barked, but he himself had wrapped his legs and arms around the other dragon slayer. "Get our asses down now!"

"Me?!" Dalila let out a small scream when the breeze circled around them, gently pushing them further up int he sky.

"See?! It's the fucking wind!" yelled Cobra, seeing the ground getting more far away. Damn, was it around twenty, thirty feet already?

"I can't use magic!" Dalila clutched furiously to his jacket. She was torn in between excitement and terror, but excitement was winning. She was using magic! She was flying!

She was 'all fired up', in opposition to the slayer she was clinging to. Or it was the other way round, Cobra was clinging to Dalila with all his strength? They both were now so entangled one with the other by now, that it was impossible to tell.

The wind slayer couldn't help but giggle. She glanced at the poison slayer, who was glaring at the bleachers as the wind slowly lifted them above the top of the training building. Dalila could smell surprise, cold sweat, and worry at the same time.

Truth to be told, she ought to be worried as well - after all, it was something she didn't know how to control, and what if they get smashed on the ground? - but it was stronger than her. "Well, still impressed?" she asked with a crooked smile.

Cobra head snapped in her direction. Amused. Snow White is fucking amused. And he was cold sweating. New rage added up to the pile. "Listen here, Snow White-eeeeek!" "Cobraaaaa!"

Maybe the poison slayer had triggered something in the wind. Maybe she had made some muted request, or was truly able to control their swinging back and forth in the air, who knew. Whatever the cause, a stronger wind wrapped around them, grabbing with its invisible fingers their hairs and clothes, and dragged them up in the sky, above the train ground, the bleachers, and the Fairy Tail roof.

And once they could see all of these things from an uncomfortable height - well, Cobra was paralysed, Dalila was still in between bursting out laughing in happiness and terrified at the idea to fell from that height - the wind suddenly changed its direction, lifting the two slayers over the guild hall, and above the streets of Magnolia.

They rolled and twisted in the air, Dalila thanking Mavis she had not had breakfast, and Cobra cursing because he had. "Fuck!"

"Where are we going?" cried Dalila. "Don't fucking - stop touching me!" "Ok!" "No!"

Dalila had started loosening her grip, but as soon as she did, the poison slayer had felt himself falling. He clung to Dalila's body, burying his face in her chest, not stopping cursing a single moment.

"Eeek, Cobra!" Out of instinct, Dalila started pushing him away from her chest and trying to kick him. "And stop swearing!"

The poison slayer was quick to climb back again levelling her face, their nose almost touching. "Fucking get down!" "I don't know how!"

"You fucking-chimney!" "Aaah, where?" Dalila turned, and she screamed from the top of her lungs, as she saw the tall chimney right in their way. And the wind wake they were trapped in was dragging them towards it full speed.

"Get the fuck down!" "Oh my Mavis! Go up! Go up!" "Go down!" "Go up!"

With the chimney getting closer and closer, the wind that had no intention of slowing down nor to bring them down, Dalila did something basic and idiotic. She wiggle her legs as fast as she could, like she was under water.

"Idiot! What the fuck are you-fuck!"

Basic and idiotic, but it worked. Dalila felt a surge of magic coat her body, and suddenly it was really like under water. Her feet found the viscosity of the wind, and pushing onto it, the girl was able to pull them further up, passing over the chimney.

Cobra let out a small breath in relief. He looked down - fuck, wrong idea, they were too high in the sky now - and then to the wind slayer. They were almost romantically closed, one in the arms of the other. If only she hadn't been the person he hated the most at Fairy Tail. Her soul had stopped sounding like and angry orchestra, and was now more silent and attentive, tensing to feel the magic running in her veins, and her eyes were caught by the vision of the city from above.

She was not even paying attention to Cobra, fact that made Cobra even more angry. "Listen here, you Snow White!" he managed to say, while Dalila was still head over the fact that they were passing over the cathedral, one of the tallest buildings in Magnolia. "Now you bring us down!"

"I don't know how we could get down." Dalila answer was a murmur, despite he had almost screamed. She was studying the clouds around them, and looking down at the same time, trying to figure out were they could land. If we will manage land...

"Fucking sure we are landing, you shithe-!" "Cobra, do not provoke me again!" snapped the wind slayer, turning to him. "If you had not come to the train ground, this would have never happened!"

"If you had not bothered me-" "I?" cried Dalila angrily. "I have done nothing!"

"Your fucking soul is loud!" "Use some earplugs!" "I am going to poison you so hard when we get down!" "Here you go!" cried Dalila, suddenly opening her arms. To her amusement, Cobra paled and gasped, clutching to her with a force that almost hurt her.

"Don't you dare letting me fall!" Cobra tried to get a handful of Dalila's hair, but he almost lost balance again. He glanced down. Fucking two hundred feet from the ground! Shit! Jumping from that height was out of question.

"Then stop insulting me!"

They kept being carried by the wind, this time in silence. After that first moment of enthusiasm, now Dalila was starting to be worried about how they were going to get back on the ground. Like, I seriously have no idea how to move...

Maybe she could turn with her head down and then wiggle her legs? Like I was on a lake and I wanted to reach the bottom?

That was one option. Or maybe... Maybe... she mindlessly inhaled deeply the wind, and sucked a small gust in her mouth. It was sweet like sugar, full of the taste of streets of the city, the laughs of the children going to school in the morning. And baked bread. Definitively some baked bread, she thought, going back studying the landscape they were passing over, trying to figure out where they were heading.

"Towards the woods." grunted Cobra. He had regained some of his composure and had decided that for now, Dalila had to stay alive. But he was not going to guarantee for her when they were reaching again the ground. Stupid Snow White!

"The woods?" cried Dalila, turning her head. "Oh damn!" What if we get lost? she thought terrified.

"Pray that it will not the case." hissed Cobra. "Or I'll find out what you biggest fear is, and I-iiiih!"

A very high pitched note left his mouth when the wind suddenly dropped them twenty feet.

"See? I told you!" cried Dalila. "Think that you won't be able to kill me if we get smashed on the ground!"

"I am going to fucking poison you, so hard-" "Shut up!" roared Dalila. "I am sick of your threatens! It's your damn fault!"

Cobra narrowed his eyes and growled. "Don't you dare-" "I dare as much as I please, thank you very much!" grunted Dalila. "If you have no idea on how to get down, keep your mouth shut!"

He better keep silent, or I am really going to lose my temper and drop him, guild mate or not! Dalila looked grudgingly around her. Bet he will survive anyway. She glared at Cobra, who was now obstinately looking down, and sighed. Perfect! I am blocked at hundred feet high with a stubborn dragon slayer that threatens me with poisoning! Dalila rolled her eyes. Next time I am meditating in my room. However, practical as she was, she knew that complaining and fighting was not going to get them down.

The task was not easy at all. I can't feel... anything! No magic running in her veins like the night before, when she had felt it channeled in her nose. Nor even like a few minutes before, when she had miraculously avoided the chimney. I will ask Gajeel to teach me the basics next time. If there is even going to be a next time! she thought, looking down.

They were now passing the outskirts of Magnolia. Behind them, brown fields just ploughed were laying in the April sun. At least we haven't got any rain for now. She studied were the wind was taking them, and she saw the tall trees that marked the wood around the city getting closer and closer. This is not even the part of the woods were we trained with Gajeel. We will be lost. If Cobra was useful orientating as he was being right now, they were going to died there. Or well, if I survive his promises of death...

Dalila glanced again at the poison slayer. She wasn't taking Cobra promises of death lightly, - ok, she didn't believe he was really going to poison her - but right now her main concern was trying to get hold of her magic.

At least up here his smell is less strong. She couldn't tell she could bear his smell in that situation. He had gotten on her nerves, and the more time they were spending up there, the more she was feeling upset.

One fucking good side is that, with all this wind, I can't practically smell you either. Stupid Snow White! And also because Cobra was keeping his head as far as he could from the wind dragon slayer. Out of disgust, mainly.

After several minutes of Dalila trying to concentrate to feel at least the tiniest gust of magic in her body - which was all but easy, with a six-feet-tall, angry man, furiously holding onto her - they were flying above the woods.

If there is a tall tree, maybe we could jump! thought Dalila, as she was losing her hope to concentrate. At least, maybe Cobra could- "I am not an idiot."

"Really?" Dalila raised an eyebrow. "Oh, excuse me, because-" "Now I am fucking done! Poison dragon roa-aaaah!"

"Help! Heeeelp!"

But no one helped the two mages, that the wind had abruptly dropped, letting them fall like dead bodies.

"Eeeeeh!" "Aaaaah!"

They clasped each other clothes, trying to put the other in between them and the ground. Of course, being Cobra the heaviest, it was him who ended up with his back towards the ground. "Fuck you!"

"Aaaaah!" Dalila didn't hear him. She was too terrified by the sight of the trees getting closer and closer. They were going to die. I have survived for one hundred years, and I am going to be smashed on the ground with an idiot!

"I'm going to fucking kill you!"

Like it mattered! Dalila closed her eyes, clasped Cobra's neck and hair and buried her face in the nearest place. Which happened to be Cobra's chest. Insensitive at the strain of curses that was exiting the poison slayer mouth, she squeezed her eyes and waited for the impact.

In all her life, the highest place Dalila had fallen from was a chair. She had never fell from the bunk bed she was sleeping with her sister, never slipped from a cart, never tripped over her feet and fell down the stairs. Please be quick! Falling from a heigh of five hundred feet was a sensation that made her blood run cold. The air was whistling and hissing around them as they picked up velocity.

"Let fucking go of me, you cunt!"

Now we go, now we go, now we go... I hope it will be quick!

Dalila felt some twigs break close to her head. The rustling of leaves as the passed among the head of the tree.

Please be quick! Please be quick! Be... quick?

Right in the moment when she was ready to feel her whole being shattering on the ground, to her amazement, the wind wrapped around them once more. Dalila felt its fingers crawling under her clothes, tickling and whispering words in her ears she didn't understand.

It collect them in its embrace, and they slowed down, until...

The air was not hissing anymore in her ears. Only her heart was beating like crazy, deafening her. We... have stopped? Slowly, she opened her eyes, and dared to peak at the outside world.

We stopped! They were a couple of feet from the ground, in a clearing next to a path among the dead leaves. The breeze was kindly sustaining them, caressing Dalila cheek as to reassure her. We stopped!

She had never felt such a strong love for a path covered in mud and grass. "We stopped!" she cried. The solid ground, firm and close as it should have been, was within her reach. "We-" "Yes, we fucking stopped!"

Dalila rolled her eyes. But her hands were in fact wrapped around Cobra's neck, and her hands were fisting his hair in the most embarrassing way. There had never been a time were she had found herself so close to a man, and considering that- "Stop considering and fucking let go-ouch!"

Landing with his butt among the dirt of the forest, with a woman he absolutely hated clutched to him, Cobra was more than ready to murder something. Preferably said woman.

Flustered and blushing, half scared and half relieved, Dalila quickly let go of him and stood up, taking a few steps back. She still didn't believed he was going to truly murder her, but just in case, she thought, looking at the poison slayer as he slowly got up on his feet. Just in case...

"'Just in case'..." growled Cobra, shooting her a glare that made her think she should better have run for her life.

"You..." started the poison slayer. "You will think better next time you dare crossing my fucking way!" She was not going to have the chance of stepping on his feet again.

And Dalila must have guessed his intentions - maiming her, taking advantage of the silence and the isolation of the woods, and bury her body like an experienced killer like him could do - because she took a couple of steps back. "Cobra..." she started, putting her hands in front of her. Maybe she could have flown away again, this time alone?

"Don't you fucking think about it..." started the poison slayer, when a crack coming from the woods behind them distracted him.

Cobra stiffened, listening. Dalila too had heard it. She sniffed the air. Ugh! What is this? A strong smell, like the one of a wild beast, had suddenly invaded the clearing. Or probably it was already there, and none of the mages had realised it, so preoccupied to insult each other as they were.

"Pre-ty!"

A rasp voice was heard from the woods around them. Dalila frowned. This is no human voice...

More cracking of woods, her hears picked the sound of heavy, huge feet moving among the leaves.

"Pre-ty!"

It was a male, deep, strangled voice, muttering two syllables with the strange accent of one who is not used to speak human language.

Cobra threw her arms in the air. "Good! Perfect!" he cried exasperated, "A Gorian!"

"A what!"

"Pre-ty!"

From the shadows of the woods, a figure came out on the clearing. It was tall more than ten feet, and covered in green fur. Patches of purplish skin were appearing here and there, and the tail behind him was cutting the grass with its sharp twisting. His eyes, luminescent in the faint light of the woods, were glaring menacingly at the Fairy Tail mages.

"Pre-ty!" "Tell me, Snow White, how can you put yourself always int he worst situation even?" "M-Me?"

Dalila was starting to asking herself the same question. How could it end up like this? Trapped between a Vulcan and a furious dragon slayer! Next time I am definitively meditating in my room!

Again, if there was ever to be a next time.

Vulcans were known even in the valley of Linveland. Mountains Vulcans had white and black fur, and were known for taking over human bodies in order to survive. And even if they were not the smartest creatures, they were incredibly strong, and very dangerous.

This one, in particular, was moving slowly towards them, turning his large head to look now Cobra, now Dalila. "Pre-ty?" he said, as if it was a question.

"Eh-ehm..." Dalila looked around frantically, searching for a way out. Running in the woods was an options? But Vulcans were quick, even with their ridiculously disproportioned legs.

A few steps next to her, Cobra buried his face in his palm. "Fucking stupid creature..."

"Cobra, what do we do?" whispered Dalila. They were mages, right? There were going to team up or something now, right? Isn't it what should happen at this point of the story?

"Pre-ty!" the huge Gorian seemed finally to have reached a decision, and was now looking at the wind dragon slayer, licking his lips with a vicious expression that Dalila didn't like in the slightest.

"Good!" muttered Cobra. "He wants a woman. Hey you!" he shouted to the Gorian. "This is your woman!"

"What?!" Dalila looked horrified as the dumb creature moved another step towards her. "Pre-ty!"

Cobra dusted his coat. "I am going." he said, starting to walk fast in the opposite direction.

"No! Cobra Wait!" "Pre-ty!" The Gorian advanced one more step. Dalila gasped and frantically pointed behind the Gorian. "Look! Women!"

Like the slow, dumb giant he was, the creature widened his eyes and turned his head. "Pre-ty?"

But of course there were no women behind it, and when the creature turned again, Dalila was already tailing the poison slayer along the path.

Where is he? Oh, finally!

Cobra had moved a hundred feet in the woods, and was staying still in the middle of the path, staring at something in front of him.

Dalila slowly reached him. "Ehm," she cleared her throrat.

"Shut the fuck up!" Dalila heard him whispering.

Dalila rolled her eyes. They better move, the Vulcan was close to them! What has he now? Why has he stopped?

Cobra turned, looking at her with so much hatred Dalila feared for her life. "Because," he said slowly. "You have dragged me in a fucking Vulcan nest!"

He moved back a few steps, and Dalila saw them.

In a small open in the woods, rolling themselves into a small, muddy pond, grunting like animals, with their eyes shining of a purplish light, stood other five huge Vulcans. And as Dalila stared at then, frozen in fear, she realised the Vulcans were staring back at her.

"Cobra," she whispered. "What... what can we do?"

"You can stay, for all I care!" hissed angrily Cobra, "I am running for my fucking life!" And saying so, the poison dragon slayer punched hard Dalila in her stomach with his closed fist, almost knocking her down for the second time that day, and sprinted towards the woods.

Holding her stomach, without looking at the Vulcans slowly raising from the mud, Dalila run after him. She almost collided against the first Gorian, but avoided his huge hands just in time.

"Wait for me!" breathed the wind slayer, following Cobra figure among the trees.

And behind them, the Gorians.

They run in the woods for long minutes. Cobra was damn fast, but even him had some difficulties moving swiftly among trunks, bushes, rocks and brooks. And Dalila, light on her feet, was praying in her mind for him to slow down. But Cobra, despite hearing her, didn't.

First, he didn't want to fight a Gorian. Their smell was making him vomit, and the flight in the wind had already turned his stomach upside down. Second, because he secretly hoped that Dalila lost him. If I say that the Vulcans took her, no one is going to blame me. And he wouldn't even been lying.

But Dalila had a good resistance. Cursing the poison slayer for not waiting her, cursing the Vulcans tailgating them, she only wished she could lift herself in the sky and be done with it.

After what was maybe an hour, Cobra started to slow down. The Vulcans had given up following them, and they were too close to the hem of the woods, were the first farms of Magnolia were.

"Cobra!" Dalila called him angrily. What has he to say for almost letting me among those monsters?

"That I should have hit you harder!" he turned his head and spat a ball of poison. It was pure luck that Dalila avoided it.

"What?" the wind slayer clenched her fists, her side aching as if a knife had been planted on it.

Cobra took a sharp turn, and disappeared form sight. "Because you fucking drag me here!" Dalila heard him replying

"Next time do not slam me on the ground, threatening to blind me!" panted Dalila, turning on the same point the dragon slayer did. "You know, nothing of this would have happened, if it wasn't for you!"

She expected to see him running somewhere in front of her, but he had disappeared. Oh my Mavis, where is he now?

"Now, don't be a fuss and wait for me, since it is your fault!"

She kept running, waiting for an answer that might give her a clue of were the poison slayer was, but the woods were silent around her. She stopped, panting, trying to catch her breath, and listened.

"Are you listening to me?" Dalila cried angrily. When again no answer came form the wood in front of her, she frowned. "Cobra? Are you still there?"

Silence.

Dalila swallowed, looking right and left. Nothing. The trunks of the trees, thick and dark, were all around her her, shielding the light of the morning. Where did he go? she asked herself, turning her head right and left. She listened again, but heard nothing, apart from the rustling of the trees above her.

She feared he could attack her taking her by surprise, or the Vulcans had followed them, and were just waiting for her behind the trees. But she could feel no one in the woods around her. We run away, right? she reminded herself with a shiver.

"Cobra?" Damn, even the sound of her voice sounded menacing, all alone in the woods.

"Co-Cobra?" called Dalila, quickening her pace on the path. She didn't wait for an answer, too afraid of hearing the huge beasts panting behind her, and started running again among the trees.


Half running, half walking, taking turns right and left and then going back to her steps, Dalila had managed to get out of the woods to the cultivated fields that were surrounding Magnolia only after three hours.

She had tried to follow Cobra's scent, but rotten leaves, wild animals and pine had mixed with the blood-salty scent of the poison slayer, until Dalila had not been able to recognise it. The only thing she was paying attention of was that no smell of Vulcan was crawling up to her nose. At least, for now they are not near.

Dalila was used to walk in the woods - back in her times, she enjoyed taking long walks in the valleys next to Linveland. But now her hearing was so perceptive that she could catch the howling of the owls, the scratching of the squirrels running in the branches above her head, and the calling of the birds among the crowns of the trees. This, and the frowning and whispering of the wind, the subtle sound of made by insects, the logs cracking under her feet...

Those countless, new noises were making the wood an alien world she had just be thrown into. And since Dalila woke up from her centenary sleep, she had never felt so abandoned, at the mercy of her own senses.

It was with relief that she saw the trees opening in front of her, and when she finally met a group of farmers hoeing a field, she almost cried of relief.

"Good morning sirs!" she smiled brightly. "Is Magnolia that way?"

The men lifted their heads, and looked at the girl with wonder. She was dressed like she was ready to go to the gym, but she was dirty with mud and leaves.

"Yes Miss." nodded one of the man, pointing the dusty road that lay above them. "That way. But it's a long walk. About two hours."

"No problem." she smiled, hasting on the road. "Thank you very much! have a nice day!"

After being among a group of hungry Vulcans, walking two hours among the fields was a bright perspective. If I walk fast enough I might be at the guild by lunch! thought Dalila, I only hope Cobra has already left.

But she had undervalued her strength. It took her another four hours just to get to Magnolia, and from there, one hour to get to Fairy Tail. She had to stop several times to rest on the street, and her back and feet were aching when she finally pushed the door of the guild open and walked inside.

It's already three in the afternoon! she realised, looking at the clock, and letting herself falling on a chair. I can't feel my legs!

"Oh dear!" Mirajane appeared next to her, looking at her in disbelief. "Where have you been?"

"Hello Mira!" Dalila smiled weakly, glancing at her poor state. "I-ehm... I went meditating..."

"This doesn't look like meditating!" giggle the barmaid, taking a leaf out of Dalila's hair. "Do you meditated rolling in leaves usually?"

"No, Gajeel hasn't taught me that yet." snorted Dalila. She didn't feel like telling how her morning went. She was too proud to say that Cobra had threatened to blind her, and that they had been flying all over Magnolia and ended up in a nest of Vulcans. Over my dead body! She was not some cry-baby that had to tell Master that she had been a few inch close to some sort of mad man.

"Has team Natsu left already?" she asked cautiously instead, looking around the guild hall.

But the guild was almost empty - only Cana was snoring on a barrel, and a tall, thin man with a hat was talking with Kinana in a corner.

"Yes, they left right before lunch." smiled Mirajane, sitting next to her. "Ah, Lucy was looking for you this morning, but she guessed you were sleeping - but don't worry, they should be back tomorrow! They went to Hargeon, to the 8Island!" Mirajane nodded. "It's a restaurant of a friend of Master, Yajima. He is a very nice guy, a retired member of the Magic Council. Sometimes he contracts Mages to assist the restaurant as waiters and waitresses."

"I see." Dalila grimaced. Tomorrow, then?

Mirajane had time for talking that day. And the fact that Dalila looked so distressed, and not exactly like a person who had been meditating, was spurring her interest. Maybe she had met with someone? Truth it is Laxus had left this morning... But maybe...

"Well dear, can I bring you something?" chirped the barmaid. "And then, since I have so little to do, maybe we can chat a little... I am not convinced about you 'meditation' skills..."


Fairy Tail guild hall, the next evening...

Mirajane had insisted so much that in the end Dalila had to spill the beans.

"Yes, I was flying." she had confessed. "I don't know how, but I flew and... And I fell in the woods."

Typical of Mira, she had been first concerned about Dalila getting hurt, and then she had been squealing because 'For all demons, you have used magic!' "We have to tell Master!"

Makarov had been very pleased by the news. "I am glad!" he had laughed. "Only I wished there was someone with you... You could have got hurt, you know!"

Dalila had completely omitted the fact that she was with someone. Someone who actually was really concerned about me getting hurt! In fact, have her getting hurt was exactly Cobra's purpose.

To her honour they decided to throw a party next evening - or just because it had been passed a couple of month since the last one. "We get a little carried away sometimes." had giggled the barmaid. "And of course, we have to restore the stock of barrels and bottles!"

And when next evening came, Dalila could see it with her own eyes.

"Cheers!" "Drink, Dalila!" "You are a mage now!"

Dalila had managed to escape all the toast the other guild members by pretending to drink. They were all already too drunk to notice anyway.

"You have a gooood resistance girl!" had slushed Cana at a certain point, before swallowing in one gulp a whole pint. "And you said you have never drink?"

"Ehm..." Dalila had managed to escape the Card mage before she could test her skills personally.

"Good grace!" Dalila breathed, reaching Lucy and Erza. "Is is always like that?"

"More or less!" giggled the Celestial mage. She felt a little tipsy already. Erza, at her fifth glass of wine, made no response but a crooked smile.

Team Natsu had come back just before the party got started. Dalila had feared their arrival for the whole afternoon, but had been relieved to see that the poison dragon slayer was not with them. Maybe I will be lucky, and spend a nice evening tonight. Really, there hadn't been a time when she and Cobra had been in the same room without clashing on onto the other.

Well, it's not my fault, shrugged the wind slayer. It was not me who threatened him with blinding.

She hadn't told anyone about their fight first in the train ground, then in the sky above Magnolia, and didn't plan to do so.

He can provoke me as much as he likes, was what she had thought, It will be cold in hell before I lose my temper! I am superior to his childish tantrums and threats. He will get tired sooner or later. That's it.

And on that particular moment, while she was talking with Lucy and Erza, retelling for the fourth time on how she almost crushed onto a chimney while she was flying - rigorously alone! - she was not really thinking about Cobra. She had erased his memory from the events of the previous day, to the point she was really believing she had been alone the whole time.

But, if Dalila had pushed Cobra out of her mind, the poison slayer had been thinking about her a good load. And not in good terms.

For the whole day, he had been thinking to all the way he could have killed her. Slowly, quickly, skinning her alive, drowning her, strangling, slaughtering... There was spoilt for choice.

Those thoughts had moderately been enough for him, but when he had walked with his team towards the guild, and had heard the souls of his guild mates and the story Dalila had shared with them, he had decided thought were not satisfying him anymore.

He had excused himself from his team mates, saying he was tired and was going to home. They didn't protest, nor suspected a thing. Only Lucy was a little worried. Cobra had been gloomy and silent - more silent than usual - for the whole day. But maybe he's just sick for the train ride, she had thought, waving him good night.

Of course, he hadn't walked home. He had walked back a few streets, and then, when he had heard the rest of team Natsu well into the party at the guild, he had walked back.

He was now standing right outside the door, listening, shadowed by the darkness of the night. I can hear you...

Erza, drinking wine, and thinking about the next armour she was going to buy. Gajeel, thinking about taking his guitar out. Levy, hoping for him to do it, and Pantherlily, praying him not to do it.

Mirajane, walking among the tables, mentally keeping the count of how many beers each one had ordered. Elfman, imaging new ways to be more manly. Cana, thinking of breaking her own record of barrels of booze.

He could hear them all, their souls, whispering, rattling, chuckling and singing.

And among them, the one he was looking for.

She was giggling like an idiot, sitting with two who should have been on his side - even though they had no idea of the blood feud in between the two dragon slayers, so they ignored Cobra was accusing them of taking his opponent side. Her soul, singing like she was in heaven, a soft sweet music that made his clenched fists tremble in anger.

She has not told anyone about yesterday, he realised. Bad, bad mistake, Snow White.

Now, Lucy wanted to take her on the dance floor. Someone wanted to start a karaoke instead. "Let's go!" was pleading the Celestial mage, "We don't have much time before Gajeel starts singing!"

Erza was already on her feet, marching towards the dancing crowd, and scaring to death everyone on her path.

"Mh, I am not for dancing..." mumbled Dalila. But in front the puppy eyes of Lucy, she couldn't but surrender. "Ok, fine!" she smiled. "But I need to drink some water first!"

The blonde snorted. "You won't find a drop of water here! Cana would have thrown it on the floor instantly! But she shouldn't have closed up the water furniture, so you should be able to drink from the sink of the kitchen."

That was true: at more than one party at the guild, Cana had closed all the water taps in the building, forcing the mages that were thirsty to drink ale. Despite Kinana doing her best to control the running water, it was not guaranteed Cana had not been able to distract Kinana and prevent anything that was not alcohol flow.

Dalila grimaced. "Let's hope so. I'll see you in a minute!"

Cobra saw her waving to Lucy, and pushing her way down to the kitchen.

In the darkness, he smiled wickedly. Nice thing you said goodbye Snow White... For this is the last time you will see any Fairy Tail mage. Well, except him. He waanted to look her in the eyes, when finally he was drawing the final blow on her.

He hastened to the back of the building, quick and silent, unseen by anyone but the shadows.

Dalila entered the room. Can't even find a clean glass... she chuckled to herself, nearing the sink. All of them full of beer or whatever Mira has pulled out form the bar...

"Clean glasses are on the second cupboard to your left. But I am sure there is no need for them, now."

Her blood run cold. Slowly, she turned, and saw him leaning onto the frame of the back door, as if he had been waiting for her.

"In fact, I was." he chuckled, closing the door behind him and turning the lock.

How... How... Dalila measured the distance in between her and the kitchen door. She had left it half closed, and the sounds of an old song were entering the kitchen. If she run, maybe she could have opened it and, on the other side in the guild hall, Cobra wouldn't have dared to touch a hair of her.

But once more, she had forgotten the poison slayer most peculiar ability.

Even if he was at the opposite side of the room, it took Cobra a few, quick step to interpose in between her and her only hope of survival.

"Thinking you could have a way out? I am afraid I can't." No way he was going to let her out of that room. Not alive, at least.

Dalila let out a small cry, and found nothing better than running behind a table full of pots and clean plates.

"Not when you have dared to be so defiant with, me, me! The poison dragon slayer!" Cobra moved towards her, starting to circle the table.

"But what have I done to you?" Dalila had found the strength to talk again. She mirrored his actions, moving around the table as well.

Cobra didn't seem to have heard her. "You know I killed for a living?" he whispered. "You knew what did it mean to get on my bad side!"

She hadn't really thought about that, but sure she was getting his point now. "Wait!" Dalila swallowed heavily. "You can hear souls, right? You know I didn't mean to-"

"Silence! I don't fucking care!" hissed Cobra. "I mean to finish what I started yesterday, before your pathetic stunt."

"You can't be serious!" cried Dalila, running at the opposite side of the table, trying to keep some distance between her and Cobra.

The poison slayer made a feint and almost caught the girl.

"You'll see how damn serious I am." Dalila's soul was getting louder and louder. Her head was banging with the sensation the scent of his poison was giving her. And it was like even him could hear around himself the screams she had perceived with her nose.

"With that habit of yours of going all around and sniffing with your pretty nose..."

"Like you are the one to talk!" Dalila gritted her teeth. "You hear thoughts," she repeated. "you hear the deepest part of us, and have to guts to-"

"I said silence!"

With a jump, Cobra was on the table. He crawled on his four like an animal, and a second later he was on the other side.

Dalila wanted to scream, to run away, to fly even, or to call for help, but she found herself pressed against the door of the closet, and a hand gripped at her throat, strangling her. Her voice died, as she fought for breath.

"Oh no," hissed the poison slayer in her ear. "You won't call anyone in here."

He... he really wants to kill me! thought Dalila with terror. Her courage had left her, and her legs almost gave in.

"Yes, I do." whispered Cobra, almost lovingly. "And no one and nothing will save you this time."


Cliiiiffhanger!