Sooo... THREE MONTHS LATER! Yes!


End of August, in a land not touched by darkness...

Dalila wake up early that morning. In the room next to her, she heard Warrod was snoring.

She smiled to herself. How lucky I have been. Coming here, having him taking care of me, training me...

Even if being encaged in a crystal for a century years was not was she would normally call lucky, on that morning she really felt thanking her good star for keeping her alive.

Dalila stretched, raising from the bed. The sun was still low behind the mountains, and a soft pink light was lighting the room. When she went to the window, that she still used to leave open during the night, to enjoy the breeze in the morning.

The mountains around the valley, tall and ancient, still in their cold and peaceful life, reflected the light of the raising sun. But even mountains became dust and crumble. The wind eats them alive, and everyday they become smaller.

The past three months have been intense. Time had flown away. Warrod had proven to be the best of teachers. He was incredibly old and even more incredibly powerful. The title of 'Wizard Saint' was well earned, although he didn't seem to mind that much.

"Hahaha, Dalila-san, everyone takes so much into account these titles! The only advantage is that I get free tickets at the cinema and at the theatre, as far as I can tell!" he had told her once.

Warrod also had told her had retired in that valley because the life at the Council was suffocating for him. "You see, my magic is quiet and simple. Do you think this flower," he had said, pointing at an amazing pink flower that was about to blossom, "could grow up and be that beautiful if it was planted in a crowded room, with closed windows and the smell of paper and ink?"

Dalila had nodded in agreement. "I am also seeking peace and quiet, for a while."

"I know, my dear friend. You are like a little plant that has been ripped from its native soil, and now has to get used to its new place. And how knows flower better than old Warrod?" Warrod has spoken in a soft and light tone, but Dalila caught the comprehension and the help he was offering her. And indeed, she had felt safe and protected and nourished every single day she spent with the Wizard Saint.

Used to the harsh voice of Gajeel, having Warrod as a teacher had been a great change. He had written to Era and Crocus, gathering as many books on dragon slayer magic and wind magic as he could find, and Dalila had soaked in them, getting to know so much about dragon slayers and their powers, she started to get worried. "Slayer are able to do that?" she used to say, looking at a picture in a book where an earth dragon slayer was opening a huge cave in a mountain. "Mh, maybe you not, but an earth dragon slayer sure can!" Warrod always laughed at her surprise. "Haven't you seen your guild mates fighting? They rival the mages in these books, trust me! Your magic is quite rare, my dear, but soon you will see what you will be capable of!"

Some other times, when books came, they were accompanied by note in which the library was asking Warrod to have great care, since they were almost unique, and very, very ancient. "These are books you people are not always free to consult." Warrod had said, picking up a book carefully. "But they agreed to send them to me, and this is another of the privileges of being a Wizard Saint!"

"Mh, they do not know I am here, right?" Dalila had always found herself a little taken aback by the aura of mystery and power some old books had - and by the layers of dust and the smell of ancient powers and spells that her nose was able to caught. Well, not that she was afraid. She was going to read anyway. Sometimes she thought she wished to be able to share with Levy those ancient text, but she was not sure anyone knew that someone else apart form Warrod was consulting them.

Indeed, anytime she mentioned the matter, Warrod had always laughed. "They have no idea you are here, Dalila-san! I wrote them that I needed those books for some research I am doing, and indeed I am searching the best way to help you." He winked "They will never find out."

Therefore Dalila had learnt by heart dozens of spells. However, performing them was a different thing. "'Wind dragon slayer air fang'... This seems difficult... 'Wind message'... 'Call of the wind'... Sacre wind dragon slayer art: Hurricane'...". But by the end of the month, under the guidance of Warrod, she was able to perform many of them.

"You need to increase your magic power and control. I have seen you are making great progresses with meditation, but these things just take time, Dalila." Warrod was aware of the impatience of the young wind slayer. But he could not blame her. He too had been eager in his own time to learn as fast as he could.

And indeed, Dalila had improved very much, in every aspect, going way beyond his expectations.

She was making progresses with her senses too. They had developed the habit of going around the garden and into the woods, Dalila with a cloth on her eyes, and Warrod asking her to recognise plants, animals, insects, or to hear the sounds the wind was carrying. She is going to became a great slayer, he used to think, while looking at Dalila declaring that a mushroom was deadly poisonous by standing a few feet away from it.

And whenever she was failing and felt blue, all that Warrod was telling her was to trust herself.

Trust myself.

Dalila repeated that sentence again and again in her head that morning, like it was another spell, equally powerful to 'wind dragon's slayer claws', or 'wind dragon's slayer roar'.

Apparently trusting myself is the key to everything.

Very often in the last weeks she had thought about Faity Tail. I miss them. She missed Lucy and Levy, and their chats at the guild with Mirajane. She missed waving hi to Master Makarov every morning. She missed chatting with Lisanna and Elfman, having Cana try to shove a beer down to her throat, bathing with Erza and Juvia at Fairy Hills. I even miss dodging the chairs and the tables that fly around when Natsu and Gray are fighting. And Wendy? Yes, of course Dalila missed the young dragon slayer as well.

I miss them all, so much, she though, looking at the mountains. However, I feel like it's not yet time to go back home.

And of course, she needed to talk to Cobra. What happened three months before was still very clear in her mind, and she was determined to apologise to the poison slayer.

The line of the horizon and the crested peaks, where she saw the snow glistening in the morning light, were hypnotising her, casting a silent spell she couldn't fight. It calls me.

She didn't hear Warrod coming in her room and sit next to her.

The Wizard Saint studied her for long minutes. Finally, he sighed. She had been like this for the past two weeks, looking at the mountains like they held a secret she was eager to know.

"You know I will not be offended if you leave, Dalila." he said softly. "We are having a good time, and you are learning much. I am honoured to be your teacher. But this place is only temporary for you, we must not forget."

"Uh?" Dalila hadn't even realised he had come in her room, caught in the contemplation by the shadows playing on the peaks under the the rising sun. "What do you mean?"

"I have seen you looking out there, spying the eagles in the sky, smelling the cold winds that come from the North. Maybe it is time that you visit the places that you have been dreaming of the past weeks." There was no bitterness in his tone. As always, his words were pondered and gentle.

Dalila didn't really knew how to explain what was getting over her. "Warrod..." Every second seemed to fall heavy on her, as she looked far North again. "It is like... I don't know that to say." she breathed. "It calls me."

The Wizard Saint nodded. "The wind is a traveler, Dalila. It never stops, and has no Master." his eyes were fixed on the wind slayer. "Follow your desire to go, my dear friend. But remember to not ignore the need to come back."


At the very same moment, city of Xianto, Raven Tail hideout...

"You fool! My revenge will crush you!" Ivan's face was purple of anger.

"Yeah yeah." chuckled Cobra, as the handcuffs clicked around Ivan's wrists. "Save that one for the next time, alright?"

"You, bag of-" "I suggest you to restrain yourself from such a language, Ivan Dreyar. Do not make your position worse than what already is."

Lahar appeared next to Cobra, looking at Ivan with satisfied eyes. "What Fairy Tail has collected in these months against you and your lot is enough to keep you in prison for the rest your life."

"I will come back!" spat Ivan. "I am Ivan Dreyar, and I will not lose against-oof!" Cobra fist collided with Ivan stomach, sending him on the ground. But hell, Cobra had been hearing him three months straight, and was more than happy to be finally able to make him shut the fuck up.

"You scum!"Ivan snarled, trying to kick the poison slayer - and obviously failing to do so.

Cobra rolled his eyes. "I will suggest you to inhale deeply the last breath you will in into the open air." he smirked, as two Rune Knights approached and collect the prisoner.

Now I see why stick-up-to-my-ass-Lahar enojyes his work so much. Cobra chuckled to himself, seeing Ivan hissing another insult as the Rune Knigths lifted him from the ground, bringing him away.

He felt a little sorry for the son of Makarov, though. The man really trusted Gajeel, Juvia, Pantherlily and him, and believed they were going to form a dark guild that could rival with the Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart. Those two places in the Balam Alliance had not been filled since when both guild had been defeated by Fairy Tail, and Ivan felt there was a good portion of power he could gain by gathering around himself some of the previous dark mages of Fiore.

The hatred the son of Makarov held against his father and his guild had surprised even Cobra, but that hatred had blinded Ivan to the point that he had blindly trusted the four mages coming directly from Magnolia. Devoured by envy and the desire of power, after being part of the Balam Alliance, the second main ambition for Ivan was to destroy Fairy Tail and all the mages that were part of it. Or maybe, he wanted more to destroy Fairy Tail than entering the Balam Alliance, Cobra couldn't tell. Well, whatever he wanted, it doesn't matter now.

After the first month, when they had seldom seen Ivan or any other member of Raven Tail, Ivan had started to trust them more and more, organising meeting and laying out possible plans, even asking for their advice in some matter.

It was most about recruiting and corrupting the officials of Xianto, and then of Era - some of them were already corrupted, and Cobra and the others had given Makarov lists and lists of names and informations on that.

The Reborn Raven Tail wanted to have some influence in the area near Xianto, before focusing onto more ambitious goals. And Cobra, who was the one Ivan was looking at with most reverence and the one who was considered the most expert onto 'dark guild matters', had suggested to keep a low profile for the first year or so.

And Ivan had listened to him, and didn't attempt to do something that would have exposed them too much. This had given time to Gajeel, Juvia and Lily to gather more information about Raven Tail, and plans and contacts.

Actually we could have ended the job way earlier, but seems like my word upon my Soul Hearing Magic is not enough. A pity. They had to present proofs that didn't lie only on the poison slayer's word. Makarov had declared himself more than ready to believe him, but Lahar? No way. The Rune Knights needed facts, documents, names. And they fucking got them. It took us three months, but now they have all they fucking need to close Ivan ad his fellows in a cell and toss the key.

Of course, the strategy had been agreed upon with Master Makarov. They had very few contacts with the Master of Fairy Tail in the past months, because Cobra had found out that Ivan was controlling their communication lacryma, so they had to find other means to keep contact with the Master, sending him messages towards the river that connected Magnolia and Xianto, using Juvia magic. And Makarov was communicating with them in pretty much the same way, sending them messages through a disguised Mirajane.

Once Lahar had thought that the evidence collected was enough, the Captain and the Rune Knights had surprised Raven Tail in their hideout, and there they were.

Raven Tail had tried to fight back, but the battle had lasted less than half an hour - mostly because Cobra, Gajeel and Juvia were all skilled mages and they knew perfectly the weak points of each one of the Raven Tail members. The Rune Knights with their anti-magic shields had been of little use.

At least that part had been funny. I got to poison Nullpudding, at least! A pity the chick, Fleur, was already back to her town when Ivan started to rebuild his guild, thought Cobra. He was sure those months would have been more pleasing, if only he had someone to tease and to look at. Cobra had been busy keeping Ivan hand's away from Juvia most of the time, but Ivan had stopped after Cobra had declared he had some interest in the Water mage. Juvia had honestly appreciated that idea of the poison slayer, thought very embarrassed. It was not like Ivan has a Soul Hearing magic of some sort, after all.

Ivan insults and threats stopped in the moment he was locked in a barred wagons that waited outside the cave. There was very little he could do. Lahar was right, with the evidence the Fairy Tail mages had collected, he was doomed.

The son of Makarov believed he was a good leader, most fit for leading a dark guild to prevail over the Council and Fairy Tail, but the truth was that he was vain, and did not instil nor fear nor respect onto his underlings. And Cobra could well say that, after having be himself under Brain's influence. He shook his head at the memory, when an unnerving, well-known voice next to him brought him back to reality.

"That was highly unnecessary."

Cobra turned to look at Lahar, suppressing the urge to punch the Captain as well.

Lahar was looking at him disapprovingly - not that the Captain was able of many other expressions. "I will have to report this, Cobra."

"Yeah, fine with me." Cobra shrugged. He spotted Gajeel and Juvia in a corner of the cave, and headed towards them.

"Gajeel-kun, you have to fill in this other form also. And this, which will be sent to Master to sign and then to the Council for approval..." Juvia was having a hard time instructing Gajeel on how to fill properly all the forms the mission required.

Cobra chuckled. After all, Gajeel had been designed as the leader of the mission, and even if the beginning the iron slayer had been happy about that, now it was starting to regret it. He kept thinking on how better would it be to have Levy with him right now - and also how much he missed her, but that thought was not emerging onto the conscious part of Gajeel brain, and was a constant and latent thought Cobra had grown used to hear.

"What, Metalhead," he smirked, "problems reading?"

He had to dodge a metal pole. But yeah, he was glad he had not to go through the same torture.

"These forms are quite complicated, Cobra-san. Lots of details are required." Juvia sighed. "Juvia is trying to help, but even her has trouble with these."

Cobra bent down and looked at the pile of forms already filled in. Of course, being that one a long and complicate mission, were a potential threat to the Council and Fiore was involved, the paperwork was triple, respect to a normal mission. Duble-triple, actually, since an ex-criminal - who was Cobra himself - was also involved.

Cobra shuffle through the papers Gajeel had already finished. Everything seemed in order, but there were as much still waiting to be filled. Maybe... If we could find Dorambolt...

But obviously, the Fairy Tail mages couldn't fill the documents without a certain Captain breathing on their neck. "So, Redfox, are you done?" Lahar voice cut in - again.

Gajeel didn't lifted his head, but growled loudly. "We're halfway through it."

"Move on." Lahar replied coldly.

Cobra had to restrain one second time to hit the pestering Captain. Damn, they had just completed an undercover mission that lasted almost three months, and helped the Rune Knights to avoid the re-birth of a potential dangerous guild, couldn't the Captain chill just for thirty minutes? Where the fuck is Dorambolt when you need him?

Grumbling, Cobra grabbed a pen and an empty form. "Come on," he hissed, as Juvia looked at him in awe. "We don't have the whole day. And I don't think I can stand that fuckface nagging on me much longer. Dorambolt will be here in ten minutes, we will have him deal with this shit as well."


The following day, Warrod's garden...

"Are you ready?"

"Yes I am!"

"Do you have enough food and water?"

"Enough for a week, I believe!"

"Have you packed enough clothes with you?"

"I have packed all I had!"

"Will you bag let you fly? Isn't that heavy?"

Dalila laughed and lifted the small cloth bag hanging on her shoulder. "Light as a feather!"

She had finally decided to leave, and surprisingly Warrod had not opposed her. He just made sure she knew where she was going to do, and had all the necessary to resist to the cold and harsh weather in the mountains. "It is summer now, and you will find a mild weather even on the glaciers." he had said to her, as she was folding the few clothes she possessed. "But the nights are cold, and so is the wind. Cover yourself!"

Warrod had given her a pair of gloves, and a blue cloak as well. "That should do."

"Thanks, Warrod. This will do the job!"

And so, Dalila had gathered in that small leathery bag all her belongings, and had prepared to leave.

It was strange to see all her possessions fitting into such small place, but she didn't bother. It was not important for her to possess more. She had no books, no other shoes than a pair of booths, no night clothes, a small bar of soap was all that she had to wash herself...

I don't have a sleeping bag... she thought when they stepped out of the door that morning, but she was too eager to leave to care about it. She was going to sleep wrapped in the cloak. She had never done something like this - leaving with only a bag and a map to sustain and guide her. And if part of her was worried for all that she might encounter long her journey, she was equally excited to see the world beyond Warrod's garden.

Sure, they had taken some tours every now and then, sleeping outside and staying out of home for a few days even, but...

"This is going to be different." murmured Warrod, walking with her to the fence. "I will not be here in case you need help. Never let your guard down. Always lit a fire. Sleep in caves or on trees. Do not wait too long to eat, sleep or drink. You don't have to wary yourself out." Warrod bursted into laugh. "Ah, but I am such an old man, telling you what you should and shouldn't do!"

Dalila smirked. "I'll excuse you, but only because you are an old man!"

"Now now, I feel like the youngest of the offshots!" Warrod winked. "Can someone be two things at the same time, Dalila-san?"

"I suppose. I am in your garden right now, but I don't know where do I stand, at the same time."

Warrod chuckled. "Then go into the wild now, dragon slayer, so you can be completely lost, and be one thing at a time again!"

It was Warrod's habit to laugh even at the most serious of remarks. And it had easily become an habit for Dalila as well. If there was one thing Warrod had taught her in these months, it was not to take anything really seriously. "There is always time to get worried, Dalila-san." he used to tell her. "If you look at things with a light spirit, you will see there is very little that should be taken seriously."

They had reached the fences. Warrod gallantry open the gate for her, and stepped aside. "I wish you to find what you are looking for. I had hoped you could find it here, but it was a lost hope, I knew that from the beginning."

Dalila looked at her with amazed eyes. "How can you say-" "Please, my young friend, let me finish." Warrod smiled softly. "As you said, I am old, and one of the advantages of age, although not everyone come to understand it, is that you see and learn any things." Warrod took a deep breath, before going on. "I knew you need answers. No, not on what happened many years ago - I feel you have accepted it now, and this is a proof fo your strength. I admire it, and you should be proud of yourself too. My impression is that you are on a harder quest now. You are looking for a meaning, a new path where to direct your life. It is a hard quest, thought be necessary at the same time. But I have no doubt you will complete it successfully."

"Warrod..." Dalila was at loss of words. "How could you think you have not helped me? Without you, I would be much more lost than I am now!"

"You have spoken correctly!" Warrod smiled, "I have helped you, but I can't give you anything more than a few books I can't really understand, and the sustain of a friend."

"As if it was a little thing!" Dalila protested.

Warrod smile grew. "I am honoured what I have done is regarded so high in your heart. It is all that I wished for. But now you need to see the world yourself. To search, to travel, to test your power... All things you must do outside this fence, and alone."

Dalila lowered her head. She had been worried that Warrod thought her ungrateful for leaving him to go wandering among the mountains. But it hadn't been so, and she understood why now. He knows I have to go away, to be able to come back.

"I feel like... I feel like your lectures would be lost, if I was to go back to Fairy Tail now."

Warrod nodded. "You are not ready to go back to Magnolia yet. It's fine. But sooner or later, you will be."

Dalila nodded, and laughed when Warrod said "Trust an old man!"

The wind dragon slayer opened her arms and hugged the old Wizard Saint tightly. He held her tightly in return. He was going to miss her. Despite the heavy feelings she was carrying, Dalila had been cheerful, funny, and she singing for him during their long evening was a balm he had to renounce to. Inside of him, he had wished she was going to stay a week more, but Warrod had shooed away that desire, for it was only postponing the moment they had to say goodbye. He was old, and Dalila belonged to youth, and even if he wished to protect his friend as long as he could, he knew he could not bide her staying with him.

"Now, you should go! Otherwise you will not reach the mountains by night!" exclaimed Warrod, freeing himself. "Keep the map I gave you safe! Until you are able to orient your self with your senses only, at least!"

"I will!" Dalila chuckled. "The world is so vast, even for one the wind."

"You will find it yourself" Warrod beamed. "And now, go! I want to see you taking off!"

Dalila felt a rush of adrenaline towards her body. It was time. She smiled one last time to Warrod, and then she walked out of his garden.

I can do this.

The feeling of magic running in her veins, pulsing in her muscles and burning under her skin was not new anymore. The wind around her seemed to giggle and whispering, calling her.

I am doing this.

She turned one last time, and waved.

Then, she moved one step in the grass. And then another one. And another. And finally, she started to run.

A gusts of wind, luminous threads of magic followed her and wrapped her body. Glinting like a start, Dalila called to herself her energies, and the magic, she had learnt to use.

The profile of the mountains was reflected in her diamond eyes, and her mouth twitched in a crooked smirk.

Her strides became longer and longer, until she was barely touching the ground. When the wind around her was so strong it was bending the grass flat onto the ground, she hit hard the soil with her booth, and as if she had no weight, the wind took her with it, lifting her from the ground, and sending her spiralling upwards.

Dalila mastered the wind, mentally calculating her trajectory. The bag thrown on her shoulder was indeed light. She could have easily travelled until it was night time.

The vision of the high peaks was nearly blinding her with its grandness. They looked so close in the bright light of the morning, but were so much far away.

But that was her destination. The first one, at least. Free like the wind, she felt a melody coming deep from inside her, singing of freedom and happiness. And she let her soul sing, and the wind carry her, sweeping among the valley like an arrow thrown by a giant bow.

Warrod looked at that small form lost in the blue sky. He looked at her until she was anything but a dot, and then disappear in the horizon, and even then, he stood there, right at the border of his garden, the gaze fixed in the point were Dalila had disappeared.

I hope you will understand, my young friend, was his last wish for the wind dragon slayer, that the meaning of your life is not a thing, or a concept you can grasp, as you pick an apple form a tree. I wish you to understand, that it starts when you are born, and ends only when you have left this word. It changes and runs forward for all your life, it lights your steps at night like a star, and whispers songs in your ear like the wind.

A solitary tear run down the old man's cheek. The weight of the years was a burden Warrod didn't feel very often, but on that moment, each one of them was weighting on his shoulders like a pillar of stone. "I wish you go back to Fairy Tail soon, Dalila." he whispered, "For there I believe you will find what you are looking for."


A few days later, Magnolia...

"Gajeeeeel!"

Cobra groaned. They hadn't even reached the guild, that a small woman with blue hair had sprinted out from it. Levy had been looking out of the window for the whole afternoon, paying little attention to the translation that was due to that evening, waiting for the iron dragon slayer to return.

She run full speed towards to group, lifting dust on the street and almost knocking down a few walkers. "I am sorry!" she cried, not slowing down. "Gajeel!"

"Shrimp! How are yo-ouf!"

Invested by that small tornado that had become Levy, Gajeel was knocked down, with the tiny woman locked at his neck.

"Now even a message!" she hissed angrily. "And then I find out you were taking down Raven Tail? Find out from the news, and not from you?"

Her soul was boiling with anger, relief, and all that she had been bottling up in the last three months. "It was an undercover mission, short stack." groaned the poison slayer. "Metal brain couldn't just call and say hi."

Levy shot a glare at the poison slayer - probably forgetting how she usually was always trembling and shutting up when he was around - and then went back to her main target. "Well, at least before leaving Magnolia you could have told me! It's not like I was going to tell it around!"

Gajeel, who had been more confused than anything else having the tiny woman all wrapped around is neck, just blinked. But his mind was running wild, Cobra could tell, and even if he was looking desperately for something intelligent to say, the only sound that escaped his mouth was "Oh?"

The giggling Juvia next to them, half hoping to see Gray coming towards her and knocking down her as well, was not of help, but thank Mavis, Pantherlily came to his rescue. "It was just a matter of security, Levy!" he smiled broadly. "For the mission, for us, and for you as well!"

Levy raised an eyebrow. "Me?" - she had yet to let go of Gajeel, and the more she was so close to him, the more he was getting flustered and blushing.

"Sure!" Lily blinked and stretched out a hand, helping Levy standing up. "If we communicate with you, you might have become a target. Now, we could not allow that for any reason, isn't it Gajeel?"

"Ehm?" Finally free from Levy, the iron dragon slayer mind had started to work again. "Yeah, sure. Ehm, yeah!" he nodded furiously. "I could never allow ya gettin' drag into this, Shrimp, ya know!" Gajeel puffed out his chest and grinned, hoping no one had noticed how much his face was getting red. Damn, it was like Natsu had just lit a fire over him.

Speaking of which...

Cobra moved out of the way just in time.

"Fire dragon's roar!"

Good lord! thought Cobra, seeing the huge blaze coming out from the guild door, destroying it in the process, and flooding over the street. Several people cried in horror and fled, others just covered their heads and waited for the worst. Thank Mavis Natsu had a good line of fire - literally! - and his roar fully hit the cursing man covered in iron scales in the middle of the road.

"Oh well, Juvia is going to say hi to Gray-sama!" And to tell some very juicy scoops to Mirajane! Ah, maybe she will agree to lock Juvia and Gray-sama in the closet again! Sensing troubles, and a sure reward, Juvia bowed to Cobra and Lili and without wasting a minute, she run towards the guild, dodging a screaming Natsu exiting form it.

"Metal head! Fight me!"

"I better be going!" Lili winked at Cobra and Levy and moved to the guild. Free kiwi juice for me for one month! I must find Mira before Juvia...

While Natsu had finally reached Gajeel, and the two were already wrestling among both concerned and cheering passers-by, Levy looking still concerned but relieved they all were now home, Cobra walked towards the guild. I am home, he thought. After three months, I am home again.

Home.

It was a strange concept for him, still. He had departed Fairy Tail with a grieving heart, but was coming back with his usual smirk and his chest felt less heavy. I guess the old geezer was right after all.

He waved to a naked Gray that was running outside to join his favourite rival in the fight. "Oi!" smiled back the Ice mage, before disappearing outside - and Cobra could hear the cried of protest his nudity was raising among the ladies.

Cobra looked around, but didn't heard the soft music he was looking for. Snow White must not be here. And from what he could hear, she was not back yet.

"Ehi! Long time not to see!" "Hello, Cobra-san!"

Cobra turned, and he couldn't help the smile - a true smile - stretching his lips. "Monster woman, runt, glad to see you are good."

And of course, with her bright smile, slightly concerned for the mess she was hearing coming from the outside, the last component of his team came smiling to him.

"Hello, Tinkerbell."

Seeing him smiling like that, once again fully himself, Lucy could not help but grinning brightly at him. "Welcome home, Cobra!"


A few hours later, Kinana's apartment in Magnolia...

Kinana was staring at the cup in front of her. "Well, that was..." it was hard to find the words, and she just moved her hands in the air. "I knew you were not completely yourself but... But I had no idea Master sent you away for this reason!" she concluded.

"Technically, the old geezer sent me on this mission because I was the best fit for it." the dragon slayer in front of her stretched on the chair. "If it hadn't been for me, Metalhead and Water woman would still be out there, trying to convince Ivan that they were on his side."

"Technically yes, but we both now that Master is not seeing it this way." frowned the barmaid.

Cobra granted it with a nod. "Technically."

He and Cubellios had left the guild hall a couple of hours ago, and were now at Cubellios place, drinking some tea, and chatting. Master Makarov had discreetly informed team Natsu and Kinana about Cobra's mission, and the barmaid had seen the capture of Raven Tail in the news the day before. She had been worry about the poison slayer, not seeing him for so long and not hearing from him, but of course, Erik couldn't just text her in the middle of a mission undercover.

So, Cobra was making up for the time they lost, and had told her about this and that, making her chuckle when he told her about that time when he almost poisoned Needlepud.

And, before Erik realised it, he was telling Cubellios about Dalila and him, and how they fought and especially why he found himself inches from tearing her to pieces.

At the beginning, Kinana was not believing him. She hadn't noticed anything, apart his strange behaviour and his apparent disliking for the wind slayer. But seemed like things were more deep and serious than she had thought. But as Erik went on talking to her about their flight over Magnolia, and about the voices that had been filling the kitchen, Kinana began to understand.

And when finally Cobra talked about the child screams - his screams - and of Brain's laugh - yes, those mad cackles were Brain's - she had shivered, and had fallen into silence.

"Technically, we also were ready to kill each other. I can assure you." added the poison slayer, folding his arms in front of him.

Kinana took in a deep breath. "I think Master knew it."

"He did."

"But this is not the point."

"Technically, it is, because we are even."

"We are not speaking technically here, Erik!" Kinana took another sip from her cup. "We are speaking about something serious that went on, and I... I don't really know what to think!"

She was not mad at Erik - why should she be? Ok, maybe a little, because she knew him and she just knew he was not going to hate a random person out of the blue. Well, not to the point to threat him with blinding.

"I really wanted to blind her."

"Erik!"

"I know, Cubellios. I know I was wrong." he grimaced and averted his gaze from her, settling in on his knees. "I know."

Kinana was silent for a few minutes, sorting out all that her friend had just said to her. I can't blame him to snap so bad after hearing... she shivered. She might not remember much, but she felt her muscle tighten and her heart race as she recalled in her mind the face of the man that had lead Erik's life and hers since when they were five until they become the Oraciòn Seis. I would have crumbled to ground, probably... she considered. And as she knew Erik's way to crumble to the ground was to murder someone. Or at least try to.

And Dalila... She hadn't been any better. Just because he called her... What was the name?

"I haven't told you, and I am not telling." Cobra's voice snapped Kinana out of her train of thoughts.

"Uh?" she left an eyebrow, questioningly. Why was he not telling? It's just a name. It's not like I am going to spread it around.

"It's not that Cubellios, and you know it." groaned the poison slayer. "I know you are a tomb. It's just..." his voice subsided to a murmur. "It's just that I shouldn't have done that."

Now Kinana lifted both her eyebrows. Erik? Aknowledging a mistake?

"Is it really that strange?"

Kinana snorted. "Yes, yes it is." Then, seeing the poison slayer pouting, huffing, and looking quite embarrassed, her expression broke into a smile. "Erik, talk to me. I see there are things you have been thinking of." And I know that face you do when you are trying to sort out the emotions you are feeling.

Cobra huffed. Damn, woman... he shifted uncomfortably on his seat. Where to start from? "I know I was wrong pulling that shit out, first. She had pulled out even worse shit afterwards, but it's not that." he took a deep breath. "I have no idea why I started to hate her so much in the first place. I knew it's stupid, but I have no idea. I tried to remember the exact moment when it started, but..."

"Maybe when she crashed into you and she didn't apologised profusely begging to be spared?" suggested Kinana with a small smile.

"Nah. Her legs were not even working at that time. Lighting rod had to take her up from the floor, do you remember?"

The barmaid giggled. "Yes, I do remember that." Oh yes, it had been topic of many, many conversations with Mirajane.

"Not even when she snatched Metalhead guitar and started playing. Or when Tinkerbell was all attentions for her, or when Asuka was all taken by that stupid little song of hers..." and not even he had caught Max thinking about dating her. That had just been disgusting in general. "Not even when she pulled out that shit with her little pretty nose." Cobra grimaced.

"Well, you seemed quite angered that evening." Kinana said. "I guess she had felt something that she should have not."

This time, it was the slayer that chuckled. "'Something' is an understatement, Cubellios. She felt Lucy's lost birthdays, and she smelled her magic so clear that not even flame brain could equal. And she unearthed Erza's past in the Tower in a sniff. And her crush about that Blueberry thing, too."

"What what what?" asked Kinana with sparkling eyes. Blueberry means Jerald, right?

Cobra sighed. "Never mind."

Yes!

"But back to the main point," Cobra cleared her throat, trying to ignore Kinana's internal outburst-giggling-wedding-planner moment. "For Snow White you smelled line lost memories and new skin, Cubellios. New skin, understand?"

"New... New skin?" Kinana now deadpanned. "But... But it's just skin!"

Cobra shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Snow White smelled it, and with little effort. She had no idea what did it meant, but just to give you a flavour to what her power could do."

Kinana shivered. "It was like having you, but through her nose."

"Believe me, you are not the first one to think this." Cobra shrugged. "Anyway, she didn't told. Somehow, she felt like she was stepping over boundaries, or something."

Kinana nodded. "Yes, I imagine." she whispered.

Another one like Erik in the guild might have been quite distressing, especially for the poison slayer. Having secrets, and having someone able to discover them... Exactly the thing that needed Erik to get over the edge. More than what he was usually, anyway. And was maybe because Dalila had scruples and concerns he had never had for digging so deep into one's private life, that maybe had made Erik less keen to like her?

"No."

The barmaid glared at him, and took a sip of tea. Speaking with you is not easy, you know? "What did she smelled about you, anyway?"

"Not telling."

"Erik..."

Cobra rolled his eyes. "Ok, ok." he sighed. "Screams. Blood. And all that might sum up my life since the Tower up to now."

Kinana's eyes shot open. "But she said she smelled poison!" she cried. "I remembered this clearly, and-" "She lied, Cubellios. She lied about me, and you, and Tinkerbell." When the poison slayer saw the effect his words - 'she lied' - had had on Cubellios, he just shrugged it off. "She lied, take it or leave it. She was smart enough to know she had better keep her mouth shut."

Kinana frowned, trying to remember that night of four months ago. "She just said the nice things." she concluded.

"Yes." Cobra nodded. "Like any nice person would have done. So, it has been just stupid, hating her so much. I guess I had something else on my plate and instead of dealing with my own shit, I just blamed Snow White for whatever reason. And so, here we are."

'I guess I had something else on my place and instead of dealing with my own shit, I just blamed Snow White for whatever reason'. The words sounded in Kinana's mind over and over again. That explains pretty much everything. thought the barmaid, looking sadly at Erik. Being thrown again in prison has really hit you hard, hasn't it.

Erik gritted his teeth. He hated to say it, so he just nodded. Yes Cubellios. It was way fucking worse than I had imagined. And Snow White had been the perfect target for my rage.

"And have these months been useful for you, Erik? How do you feel about this, now?"

The poison slayer sighed. "I... For the first time in my fucked up life, I wish I haven't done it." That was the furthest point he would get to.

But Kinana had the brightest of smiles on her features. "Well, this is the first time I heard you talking like this! It's a good starting point to say that you are sorry!"

"I am not fucking saying I am sorry." Cobra said coldly. "I might trade her forgetting what I did for me forgetting what she did."

"Come on, Erik, this is not how things works!" groaned Kinana. "Not in between guild mates, anyway! We are family, we do mistakes but then we forgive each other. It happens, sometimes, it's normal." she added, seeing that she had not convinced the poison slayer in front of him. "You should give her a chance!"

"I might say I shouldn't have done what I did, and then we can ignore each other for the rest of our lives, for all I care."

"Oh, now don't talk like this!" Kinana took his hands across the table and chuckled. "If only because she has stole Gajeel's guitar, sparing us a night of 'Shobedo-bop'!"

Cobra laughed. "Yes, that was a good one. Thank heavens she knows how to sing, thank Mavis."

"Right!" chirped Kinana. "Dalila is a nice and fun girl, Cobra. I am sure you might like her, if you just started to talk to her."

"Her soul is loud."

"So might be yours, if she could smell it."

"She practically can."

"Then it's only fair!" Kinana giggled and glanced at the poison slayer. "Don't tell me you are afraid of her, Erik!"

Erik jolted on his sit. "Me!? Afraid?! As if!"

But Kinana had started laughing at his pout, and there was nothing in Earthland that could stop her. "Yes, you are scared to death of even the chance of not having the upper hand! And there is nothing you can do, and the thing that most bothers you, it that poor Dalila has no idea! Oh, you should see your pout, Erik!"

"I am not pouting!"

Kinana was launched. "Dalila has practically turned upside poor Laxus, merely by not picking up his advances..." "Snow White is incredibly dumb when it comes to men!" "... and has disarmed Gajeel of his guitar!" Kinana tapped her chin with her finger. "She is really a scary woman, indeed! I have heard she has the most powerful of sneezes..."

"Cubellios..."

"A woman full of resources! She dragged you up over Magnolia, in a nest of Vulcans!"

"This is reserved information, I remind you..."

"If you look at it from this point of view, it's hilarious!"

"It's not!"

"Come on, Erik, you should see the bright side!"

"Cubellios, I am begging you..."

"What if you really ended liking her?"

Cobra buried his face in his hands. That was it. Cubellios had gone mad while he was in Xianto. But then, he smirked. "Just because in between you and dabber things are going well, it doesn't mean all the world has to be in love with someone..."

Point for Cobra. Kinana turned red in the blink of an eye. "This is not... Not the point!" she stuttered. "And Reedus is a kind person, I enjoy talking to him!"

"Yes, yes." Cobra sneered, relaxing a little on his chair. It was easier, now that he was no more the topic of the conversation. "Tell this to your pretty crimson face."

"I am not crimson!"

"Yes, you are right, it's more cherry red than crimson."

"I am not..." Kinana groaned, but she had to surrender. There was no point in fighting the poison slayer about it. He was right, and thy both knew it. "Ok, I might enjoy his company." she grunted. "But we were not talking about me!"

"But it's funnier. And you are almost canon by now."

Kinana blinked. "I am what? Well, never mind. Anyway," she resumed, "I just think that, as now you have elaborated the worst part of your relationship, maybe seeing the funny side might be helpful once she will get back."

"We have not a relationship." pointed out the poison slayer, frowning. "But is Snow White still with Warrod?"

Kinana shook her head. "Yes, I have heard thar she went with him, but I don't know when is she planning to come back. She will eventually, but who knows when? I don't think even Master has any idea."

Cobra shrugged. Not that he wanted to see Dalila or anything, but he just wanted to get rid of that disturbing sensation that has been nestled in his chest for a while. He knew what it was. Regret. I have not felt remorse in any moment in my life and I am feeling it now for Snow White. That was hilarious. He didn't even know her, in the first place. Well, he knew everyone sincerely loved her back then, and that she liked to sing. More than enough for me. He just wanted to 'be done' with it as soon as possible. Me liking her! As if!. What a crazy idea had had Cubellios! Ridiculous! he thought, glancing at his friend, who was looking at him with a small smirk on her face.

"Cubellios, stop shipping me!"


At the very same time, Makarov's office...

"What? You let her go?"

The sixth Master of Fairy Tail was staring incredulous at the greenish lacryma screen.

"Yes, I did! A few days ago! She should be in the mountains right now." On the screen, Warrod was smiling, while sipping his morning tea. "She is powerful enough, Makarov. Don't you worry."

"But... But Warrod! She is not... It is dangerous!" Makarov was not having it. He was not mad at the Wizard Saint, but the idea of Dalila wandering in the mountains alone sounded so wrong to him.

"There was nothing else I could do for her." Warrod said calmly. "I have taught her all I could, and she had learnt it all."

"You could have stopped her!" Makarov was bewildered. How could Warrod look so serene when Dalila could be in danger.

However, the Master and the Wizard Saint were not of the same mind. "Makarov, my dear friend..."

"Warrod, the mountains are dangerous! There are dark guilds, Vulcans, wild beasts..." Makarov could not even think of all the dangers Dalila could face. "I did not left Dalila to you so that you could send them to death!"

Despite the angry tone of Makarov, Warrod bursted into laugh. "Hahaha! Oh my apple trees, Makarov! The is not in danger! She is able to distinguish poisonous plants by smelling them from afar! She can smell an ant nest from feet away and she recognises every bird in this valley. She is perfectly safe!"

"But her magic-" "Her magic is exactly the reason why I sent her away."

"What?" Makarov asked "Are you trying to do a kind of test? Do you think she will become more powerful if-" "No no, nothing of the sort!" Warrod went serious. He put down the cup and looked the Master of Fairy Tail right in the eyes. "You know how dragon slayer magic work, right?"

Makarov nodded. Of course he knew. Even before having five - now six - dragon slayer in his guild, he had Laxus and he implanted lacryma. He had done a good load of research on the matter during the years.

"Well, you know that dragon slayer are somehow, close to their element." Continued Warrod. "Natsu is destructive, but his hope is like a flame that never dies out. He easily starts a fight," Warrod looked at Makarov significantly, "but he boy has a warm heart, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he does..." mumbled Makarov. "But if you are up for analogies, Warrod, I-" "And what do you tell me about young Wendy?" Warrod interrupted him. "Pure and clean like the sky, but I have seen her fighting. Beware the storms the young sky dragon slayer can call! And regarding storms..." Warrod chuckled a little, before continuing with a gentle smile. "Your grandson is a great example. So powerful and impulsive, striking with the speed of lighting. And I bet you agree with me that with Gajeel, you have to dig a little deeper to find the resilient, strong person he truly is."

Makarov twitched his lips. He got the parallel, dragon slayers' character was reflecting their own magic. "So? How about wind then?"

Warrod took a long breath. "The wind is free, Makarov." he whispered. "It is both the soft breeze that blows through the hills, and the hurricane that destroys and kills villages and cities. As I told Dalila, the wind is a traveller, and has no master. This is why I could not keep her here with me. She was willing to leave, and she was going to do so, sooner or later. The best thing I could do was to let her go."

Makarov nodded. It made sense. "Dalila is a wanderer, then."

"But she will come back." Warrod smiled. "She is somewhere flying around some high peak far from here right now, but she is young and needs the warmth of a family. She is not made to roam alone in the sky, and although the scars in her heart will stay and hurt for a long time, she will heal."

"I was hoping she was going to stay at Fairy Tail." sighed Makarov. "I promised to the First we would have help her."

"But you did!" exclaimed Warrod, with wide eyes. "Makarov, how could you think you did not help her! She will come back to Magnolia and to Fairy Tail, but you need to let go for a little longer! She is meant to fly like an eagle!"

Makarov smiled to himself. "Like an eagle..." he whispered.

Warrod looked at his old friend. Makarov was old - not as old as him, but old enough to start feeling the years. And he was worrying for his children, just as Mavis had expected from a Master of Fairy Tail. "Makarov," Warrod said softly, "you know, I have seen many times these past weeks Dalila looking at the birds that fly above my garden."

Makarov lifted his gaze. "Uh?"

Warrod nodded. "But she wasn't only watching. I saw it in her eyes, she was learning, Makarov. She was studying how they flew in the currents, how they changed their paths according to the wind, how they landed and took off. You know slayers can modify their body according to their element, but well, I think Dalila is meant to fly. She cannot really turn her body into thin air, you know."

"Yeah, she can fly actually." Makarov chuckled at a sudden memory. "Has she told you that Cobra and her ended up in a nest of Vulcans, a week or two before she left Magnolia?"

"Yes, she told me! Dragging Cobra with her as well! Then you see how much strong she is!" Warrod clapped his hands. "She will be a wonderful dragon slayer, Makarov, I am sure of it!"

Makarov didn't understand why Warrod seemed so happy in knowing that the two slayers had ended up in a Vulcan's nest. I bet Cobra is still mad about that detail. But yes, he had seen the poison slayer back along with Gajeel, Juvia and Lily. He seemed fine, he had even gave the Master a small smirk as a greeting. But Makarov couldn't help but being preoccupie for him. "And how about poison, Warrod?" he asked. "What can you tell me about that?"

"That child is keeping you worries, isn't it?" Warrod voice had a little sadness.

"Honestly? Yes, I am worried. A lot." Makarov had told him about Cobra and his fight with Dalila, his mission with Gajeel and Juvia and his latest missions with team Natsu. "I am afraid I am missing something about Cobra, Warrod. Like I can't really touch the right string with the boy..."

"He isn't exactly a boy, Makarov. He is a man. And, from what I heard from the Council, his life has never been easy. The Tower of Heaven, the Oraciòn Sèis, Brain, and the prison of the Council, have left scars we can hardly imagine. Letting him go with Gajeel Juvia and Lily the Exceed had been a great idea, my friend. And you told me he is going along well with his team."

"Even too much!" Makarov groaned. "Before he left for Xianto we got a bill for property destruction... I am not even going to tell you!"

The Wizard Saint had to stiffen a laugh. "A real member of Fairy Tail, then."

"Mh, mh, if you say so."

Warrod compose himself once more. "I don't really know much about Erik, Makarov, but I can say something about poison. And this young man has also other types of magic."

"Yes. They said he is a psychopath, but I mean, Gray strips in the middle of crowded streets, Juvia commands the weather, Natsu sets everything he sees on fire, Mirajane is a half demon... I could go on. Is there really a sane mage in Fairy Tail? Not even I consider myself totally right in the head!"

Warrod chuckled. "Well, would you say I am? But back to Cobra, what do you think would it be to know what persons think of you, always? To know when someone is lying to you, or if someone wants to hurt you? How much does this young man suffer, knowing that everybody despises him and is scared by him?"

"A lot." Makarov finally said, after a long silence. "Cobra must be suffer a lot."

"I also though that, Makarov."

The Wizard Saint had a sad look in his old eyes. He also thought that Makarov had been brave taking Cobra under his protection. And as months went by, he had been proud of his friend, for being able to keep him at Fairy Tail, safe. But there was no doubt that Cobra needed time. "He has surrounded himself by his own element," Warrod said slowly, "keeping everyone at distant. Burning every hand stretched towards him with acid and poison."

Makarov sighed. "We are trying our best Warrod."

"I know, my friend. But, I can tell you, dealing with plants and mushrooms for most of my life has thought me that some plants are poisonous for some animals, but not for others."

Warrod tone for cheerful and his eyes were glimmering with hope. "You will find there is someone out there, that is immune to poison. And maybe this person will be able to take his hand and guide him out of the prison he himself has built around him."

"I hope this person exists, Warrod." Makarov tone was not as light as the one of the Wizard Saint. His eyes were still filled with worry and his heart was heavy. "I really hope you are right."


I have written 'Iwan' for 'Ivan' basically everywhere in the story, ops! Someone pointed it out to me, thank you very much :) It should be corrected now!