Yes, Morgana is putting title to chapters now!
Uhm abd I have decided that in this fic, Minerva goes back to Sabertooth right after the GMG. She is a good girl, only her father has passed to the dark side! (Sorry, I love Minerva too much and I think it is an amazing character!)
A few days later, Magnolia, Fairy Tail training ground...
"Ha! I kicked yer ass!"
"I am not fucking done with you, metal brain!"
Levy yawned. "Lu-chan, do you think they will fight for much long?"
"I have no idea, Lev." Sat next to her on the bleachers of the training ground, Lucy yawned herself. "They had been at this for a couple of hours now."
"Shouldn't they be tired?"
"They should, but they are both too proud to call for a break!" stated Pantherlily proudly, sipping his third kiwi juice. "I have seen them battling for six hours straight once."
Levy dropped her chin on her hand. Gajeel and Cobra were doing a great job - sure it was a pleasure for her to admire the iron dragon slayer skills, and not only those, considering he was fighting shirtless in the heat of that September afternoon.
Lucy had teasingly suggested that he was doing it to 'show off' to Levy, but the Script mage was well decided not to listen to her friend teasing her. The only thing Levy knew was that Gajeel had promised to go on a job with her, and if the two dragon slayers kept their fight for much longer, they were going to lose the last train available.
I know the client has told us we can arrive a few days later... Grumbled Levy in her head. Not that I mind seeing Gajeel fighting shirtless, not at all... Ah Levy, you are such a pervert!
Luckily Cobra was not there to listen to her. Or maybe he had heard her, but he was too busy dodging Gajeel's fists to smirk and tease as he usually did.
"Don't be sad, Levy-chan!" giggled Lucy turning to look at her, and noticing her sour look. "You can always leave for your job tomorrow - it is not that urgent, right?"
"The client said it was not, but..." Levy's voice trailed off. She had no real reason to be in a hurry. No, it was not because she wanted to be alone with Gajeel. Definitively not.
"Ah Levy, you are always so precise! It is such a good quality!" Pantherlily praised, hiding a knowing smirk behind his juice. "I am afraid Gajeel and Cobra will not stop any soon. Why don't you come over for dinner, make up for the day of delay? Gajeel is a great cooker!"
"Oh, is he?" asked Levy, suddenly very interested.
"He is." Lily winked. "But you should come and test him as well. There is always room for improvement!"
Levy blushed. Heavily. Damn. I was not supposed to fall in his trap!
"You should go, Levy!" Lucy elbowed her. "If you spend the night there, you three can take the first train tomorrow morning. Am I right, Lily?" "That's a great idea, Lucy, I was about to propose exactly that. Levy, you must stay for the night. I will not accept any refusal!"
Levy head snapped towards Lucy, and glared in a way that was saying 'which side are you taking?'. Sometimes Lucy was just as evil as Mirajane. And Lily was not much better!
The Script mage sighed. It was all her fault, after all. Since when she had confessed her feelings for Gajeel to Lucy a couple of months ago, the Celestial mage had done anything but teasing her, insisting she should have talked to the iron dragon slayer as soon as possible. "She likes you Levy-chan! Why are you so worried?"
There were a thousand things Levy was worried about - being refused, having mistaken everything of Gajeel, making an idiot of herself... She could go on for hours. Lucy had tried to convince her, but the truth was that Levy would have been much happier if it was Gajeel who did the first step. If he was interested in her at all, of course.
But apart from that, what was wrong with going to dine at Gajeel and Lily's place? And staying the night? It's just because we are going on a job together, right? Lu- chan does it with Natsu, and no one ever says anything! Ok, Mirajane might have tried to lock them in the closet a few times, but...
Oh, the idea of being locked in a closet with Gajeel was making the poor girl so flustered and blushing, that she pushed that on the back of his head, praying every god out there that Cobra hadn't caught a glimpse of it - but she believed she had seen his smirk widen. I swear...
"Well, Levy?" Asked Lily. "What do you think? Sounds like a plan to me!"
"Ok, I will come over..." The Script mage finally surrendered to the mischievous grins of her two friends - and to her own desire to see Gajeel cooking. Is he really that good? Oh, for all the ancient alphabets, I can't wait!
"Great!" Pantherlily was about to ask Levy what did she liked for dinner - maybe he had to go the grocery store before heading home, a perfect excuse for leaving her alone with the iron slayer for a while - when the fight in front of them suddenly stopped. Or at least, one of the two contenders stopped.
On the field, Cobra had suddenly pulled away from Gajeel, and was now staring at an unclear point in the sky. Lucy could see him frowning, and tilting his head, listening.
"What is happening?" asked Lucy, narrowing her eyes.
"Ah!" cried Gajeel with a sneer. "That's an old trick! Yer not goin' to fool me!"
"Shut up, you bag of..." barked Cobra. His frown deepened. He was listening carefully to something up in the thin air. His expression suddenly turned into bewilderment. "Fuck."
Gajeel raised a brow, not taking off his eyes from the poison dragon slayer. He was too much of a sneaky bastard. And it wasn't the first time he played a dirty trick in the middle of a fight.
But Cobra was no playing any trick that day. "Can't you see anything coming?" He asked, pointing up in the sky.
Huffing, Gajeel followed his pointed finger, narrowing his eyes. "Yes, there is somethin'... What the fuck is it?" Even with his eyes, he could make out a shining form, getting closer and closer. He could grasp a few details, among the bright light of the afternoon. "It's still too far."
"What's going on?" Pantherlily stood up and went onto the battling field, followed by the two girls.
They all saw Cobra's bewildered face - a rarity - and the iron dragon slayer, staring at the same point. Gajeel's mouth slowly feel open, as the gleaming point slowly became cleared to his eyes. "Holy shit!"
What's up there? Lucy scanned the sky with her eyes, but she hadn't the same sight of the dragon slayers. Whatever it is, it must be something really out of the ordinary, the get Gajeel and Cobra that stupefied.
"Gajeel?" Levy raised an eyebrow. Next to her, Pantherlily was staring perplexed at the sky above them. "What's going on?"
Some loud cries coming from behind them made them suddenly turn. "Let go of me, you oversized cat! Fire dragon fist!" "My dear friend, trust me and I promise you will not be disappointed!" Loke dodged Natsu's enchantment, keeping his firm grip on the hair of the fire slayer, and dragging him in the centre of the training ground.
From behind the Lion, Wendy and Charle peeked curiously at the group. "Loke, why did you brought Natsu-san and me out here?" asked the young dragon slayer.
"As I told to our friend, young Wendy, you will not be disappointed." Loke winked at the young girl. "But I don't want to ruin you the surprise!"
Fearing another contending was about to join the fight in between Cobra and Gajeel, glancing preoccupied at the burning fists of Natsu, Lucy thought better asking exactly what was going on. "Loke? What is coming over there?"
Cobra, who had lost immediately interest in the trio that had entered the training ground, was already looking back at the far point up in the sky. He let out another curse under his breath. He had clearly heard what was in Loke's mind. Fuck!
"Ah Cobra, please do not say a word! This is a happy day for us all!" Loke the Lion bowed to Cobra, already knowing that the poison slayer had heard him. He was Cobra, after all. "And you, queen of my heart," Loke said dramatically, suddenly letting go of Natsu and seizing Lucy's hand. "You shall assist to this beautiful day by my side!"
"Eh?" Lucy looked at the Lion half bewildered, half embarrassed. Why does he always...
Levy blushed and averted her gaze. Wendy chuckled, and Charle rolled her eyes. So inappropriate!
Natsu realised upon that moment that the blue sky was catching the attention of them all - apart from Lucy, that was busy fighting Loke kissing her arm up to her shoulder. Choosing to ignore Lucy's squeals for the moment, Natsu narrowed his eyes. "Metal brain? What's all of this about?"
"Not the fuckin' idea Salamander." Gajeel grunted, and shrugged. What the hell is comin'? I can see it, but I do not understand...
Pantherlily had his eyes fixed on the sky, but whatever it was, it was still too far to be seen by human eyes. "Leo, what is arriving?" "Leo doesn't want to tell uuus!" Happy came out of a window of the guild on that very moment. "Luuuucy! Ask him what is coming from the sky!"
Lucy, that had just freed herself from the grasp of the Celestial Spirit, cleared her throat. "Ehm, Leo? Should we worry or..." "Not at all, my spouse!" Leo peppered her hand with kisses again. "Indeed, this is a happy day, Lucy. We are going to see and old, old friend of mine." he whispered, and by the twinkling behind his, Lucy understood it wasn't one of his usual jokes. Sure, the flirting was non-negotiable, but Like could be serious, sometimes.
Natsu and Wendy, who had been studying the sky as soon as they saw the others doing so, were still silent.
Wendy was the first one to see it. "Oh my... What is that?" She gasped.
"I see it!" Natsu's eyes went wide open. "How is it possible? Is it really..." "Yes, it is!" beamed Leo. "But not a word! Let the others see with their own eyes!"
"Natsu, Natsu! What is it?" Happy tugged the scarf of the fire dragon slayer. "Pleeease, tell me!"
"You will see, Happy!" said Natsu, without tearing his gaze from the sky. His lips stretched in a huge grin. Because what he and the other dragon slayer saw was nothing else but an immense, golden dragon, flying full speed towards Fairy Tail.
Minutes ticketed by.
The slayers hadn't moved an inch, bewitched by whatever was coming towards the Fairy Tail training ground, while the group of non-slayers mages was with his nose up to the sky, unable to do anything else, until Levy cried. "I see something glimmering!"
"I see it!" exclaimed Lucy, peeling at the small shining dot that had appeared against the blu sky. "It is shining... like gold!"
"I see it, too!" Pantherlily flew a few feet above the ground. "It is still too far to see any better!"
"Maybe we can reach it?" Happy chirped. "What do you think, Charle?" "Why are you asking me?" grunted the white cat.
Leo chuckled. "It is too high for an Exceed to reach. But he will come down here. I know it."
Lucy raised an eyebrow at him, but blew a kiss in her direction. I give up! Thought the Celestial mage with a huff, going back studying the shining dot. It was getting closer and closer. It is moving fast. I believe I see some wings... Is it a bird?
Indeed the spot was starting to take a more defined form. Now, even the others could make out the wings, and then there was a long tail, and a neck...
Levy was the first one to understand what it was. "Is it a dragon?"
"Yep Shrimp!" Gajeel chuckled, grin so wide it was reaching his ears. "So it is. A golden dragon, nothin' less."
"Allow me to correct you!" Loke said, "It is not a golden dragon, but the golden dragon. And he goes by the name of Draco, as its constellation says!"
"Draco?" Lucy felt her heart skipping a beat. Draco! Oh my Spirits! It is one of rarest keys of the whole sky! But wait, this means... she turned to Cobra.
"Don't even ask, Tinkerbell. I can hear them fucking yelling from here!"
Why, why on all people, fucking Sting fucking Eucliffe was coming at Fairy Tail? The soul of the white dragon slayer was even louder than Natsu's. Being among the two had given Cobra a headache for days.
And where there was Sting, there was Rogue, and where there was Rogue, there were all the whispers from the shadows around him. Usually darkness was quiet, but as soon as the shadow dragon slayer showed up, it became damn loud.
Enough for Cobra to avoid the two Sabers as much as he could.
But how did Lucy knew Yukino, Sting and Rogue were coming? Oh right. The phone call. Lucy's soul supplied his knowledge. And with the Sabers...
Cobra closed his eye and stretched his magic. He could hear Yukino talking to the Celestial Dragon, her soul tingling merrily. Next to her, the other two were making as much noise as possible - already. And then...
There she was. Flying in the wake of Draco, trying to keep up with his speed, and careful not to be hit by his tail again.
Cobra grimaced and his muscles stiffened. He was not expecting Dalila coming back so soon. Well, not exactly 'soon'. Four months had passed. In that span of time, he had seldom thought about the wind dragon slayer. The mission at Raven Tail had occupied him a good deal, and in this sense, he had cooled down about their fight.
That mission had been a good move, to take Snow White off my mind. Seems like the old geezer was right sending me with metal head and the stalker, after all... Kinana had even managed to make him admit that he was sorry for what he had done!
"... and she told me she was going to come back soon!"
The thrilling voice of Lucy dragged his attention back to the training field.
"Why didn't you told us sooner? Dali-chan is coming back!" Levy jumped happily. "Have you heard Charle?" Wendy beamed and clapped her hands. "I am so happy! I hope she will stay for a while now!" "Me too, Wendy!"
Cobra grunted. All that happiness was making him sick, just as when he was seeing the guild members all over the wind dragon slayer. He saw Gajeel and Lily glancing worriedly in his direction, and shrugged. He was not going to loose his cool again, that was for sure. Snow White is just another member of the guild I am going to avoid, that's it.
"Has she become stronger as she told you, Lucy? I want to fight her!" "Natsu, I don't think she wants to fight!"
Speaking of which, Cobra tried to search for her soul again. He heard it better, now that the group was drawing closer. He listened carefully, and frowned. Something was different. The soft, melancholic tunes that he was used to hear four months ago had disappeared. No, he decided, they were still there, but covered by a much stronger, glorious song. Hell, it was like a whole orchestra was playing inside her head, with bell, horns and pipes running on after another, building a persistent theme, and resolving it in a crowning accord.
Around the poison slayer, the others were gasping and pointing the dragon with their fingers. "I see Sting!" cried Natsu. "Dalila is behind the dragon!" added Wendy.
Gajeel neared the poison dragon slayer. "Oi, ye wanna go inside or..." "Can't see why." hissed Cobra, "It's not like I have anything to hide." And he was curious to see the golden dragon, but Gajeel didn't need to know that.
Gajeel nodded. Not that he was worried, but maybe it would have been better for Cobra and Dalila not to meet immediately. However, if Cobra felt ok, Gajeel was all for it. Those two will have to meet soon or later. He thought, individuating the form of Dalila sprinting behind Draco. The sooner, the better.
Draco was approaching the training ground fast. Soon he started descending, drawing big circles above them, and every time he got closer, more and more cries of amazement and surprise were rising from the mages below.
"It is incredible!" Wendy started to jump up and down. "A real dragon! Charle, have you seen?"
"Natsu, will you fight it?" Laughed Happy. "I don't think you would win!" But Natsu could barely contain his own excitement, and for once he wasn't thinking about fighting. Maybe Draco knows where our parents are! He thought, glancing at Gajeel and Wendy. Maybe he has seen Igneel from the sky...
"Is he showing off?" Laughed Lucy, seeing Draco grazing with his wing the ground, before lifting again.
"Well, Draco is Draco!" Loke beamed. "He can do what he wants!"
"But yes Lucy, he is showing off!" A voice sounded clear above their heads. They all lifted their gazes - all but Cobra, that was pretending to be suddenly very interested in the golden dragon.
"Dalila!" "Dali-chan!" "Welcome back Dalila-san!" "Oi featherweight!"
Hovering above the Fairy Tail mages, the wind dragon slayer waved her hand. "Hello everyone! I am back home!"
She was back. And being back to Magnolia was filling her chest with a sensation of elation, and delight, that Dalila thought could be defined as 'happiness'. I am home. I thought I was never going to call 'home' any place. But there she was.
With a flip and a twirl - because she wanted to show off as well, even if she wasn't covered in golden scales! - the wind slayer landed with her feet on the ground. Finally! She thought with relief. We have been flying for the whole day! True I can eat as I fly, but it was tiring nonetheless!
Cobra glanced at her, throwing her arms at Lucy and Levy, her feet not even touching the ground and swirls of wind circling around her.
"Girls!" cried Dalila, tugging the mages in her arms. "I have missed you! How have you been!"
"Good, Dali-chan!" "Dalila, it is so good to see you!"
Wendy and Charle soon jumped in the hug. "Dalila-san!" Chirped the young slayer. "We have missed you greatly!" "Right!" Charle said pointedly, but she was smiling widely. "We hadn't even said goodbye to you! Why did you had to leave so abruptly!"
Ouch. If there was a question Dalila was not ready to answer - well, that she didn't want at all to answer! - was why she had left. There is no way I am going to... Wait...
Dalila eyes darted around, and she saw him.
Bloody red hair, bronze skin that seemed even darker under the blazing light of the afternoon, dressed in black like he always was, Cobra was - luckily - not looking in her direction, But surely he knows I am here. He damn knows.
The image of the poison slayer crouched on the ground with the hands pressed painfully on his ears crossed her mind for a second, clear as it had never been in those past months. A wave of guilt rushed over Dalila. I shouldn't have... I will talk to him. She thought. I will, just...
Her train of thought was promptly interrupted by the huge hand of Gajeel landing on her back, that almost sent her flat on the ground. "Gajeel!" Scolded Levy, seeing Dalila gasp. "Do not destroy her, metal head!" Cried Natsu from behind. "I want to fight her!" "Dalilaaaa!" Happy flew around the wind slayer, with Lily. "You can fly!" "Ya can damn flyin', I would say!"
Coughing, gaining her balance just in time to be crushed by a hug from the fire slayer, Dalila snorted. "'Damn flying' it's a little exaggerated. I learned."
"With Warrod, right?" Lily looked at Dalila up and down. "You have gained weight!" "I have what?"
"More weight it's more muscles!" Gajeel laughed. "Ya might be moved from 'featherweight' to 'lightweight' now!" "Yes you look a little fatter!" Natsu inspected her closely, and it was hard for Dalila not to slap him. "Fatter?"
"But you still smell good!" Natsu chuckled. "Oi, since you are stronger, can we fight?"
Dalila exchanged a glance with a facepalming Levy and Lucy, but before one of the two girls could point out that no, none of those was exactly a compliment, the golden dragon landed, and a moment later, Yukino, Sting and Rogue - and Lector and Frosh - jumped from his back on the training field.
Sting and Rogue waved at everybody, before they started a friendly punching with Natsu and Gajeel - because that was the most firefly way you could salute friends you haven't seen in a long time, right?
Yukino, not very found of punching - she had other ideas about reunions with friends - reached the girls, and Lucy dragged one arm out, bringing her close to her and squeezing her tightly. "Yukino! I am so glad you guys made it! You got your keys back!"
Yukino laughed, s jeering Lucy back even harder. "Yes, Lucy-sama! We did it, as I promised!"
"And you got a new key!" said Lucy with admiration, looking at the huge Celestial Key with the dragon that Yukino was sporting at her belt.
"Yes, I have! I can't believe I am possessing such a precious key! I am still floating over cloud nine!"
"Tell us!" Pleaded Lucy. "How did you defeated the dark guild? Did you destroyed the mountain as you said?"
"No!" Yukino snorted. "We didn't! But the master of that dark guild was a Celestial mage!" She explained. "A terrible and wicked one, really! He was making Draco scare the people of the valleys around, to go into their home and rob them afterwards! Right, Draco?"
The dragon had been silently watching the mages in front of him. In particular, his gaze had fell onto the dragon slayers. Taking into little account the Exceeds, Draco had lowered his head, and was closely inspecting with his huge, gold eye Cobra, Gajeel and Natsu - interrupting the punching game in between the last two and Sting and Rogue. And it was for good, because Sting was about to drag Cobra into the game, and the poison slayer had already planned to poison the four pesters with a single breath. Fucking noisy...
When Yukino called him, Draco moved his neck, hovering above the girls like a huge idol covered in gold. "That is right, Master." He said, his deep voice cutting the air like a long, slow growl. "I received the most humiliating of orders. Scaring poor peasants, instead of protecting them."
Wendy was so impressed by the dragon, that she gasped a little, and took a step back. Grandine was much less intimidating! She thought. That dragon was emanating power from every single scale!
Yukino sighed. "Please Draco, call me Yukino! There is no need to call me Master!" She had tried to correct the dragon many times by now, but he was still calling her 'Master' form time to time.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Draco." Lucy bowed. "I am also a Celestial mage. Yukino is a friend of mine. Your key couldn't get into better hands!"
"I know you, Lucy Heartfilia." The dragon moved a step towards Lucy. The stones behind his paws cracked and broke. "I have heard your name pronounced in the Celestial Realm. And I see you have brought here this old friend of mine. It is nice to see you in this world, Loke."
The Lion pushed the glasses up to his nose. "And I am glad to see you, Draco. We all have missed you."
The dragon bowed his head. "As soon as my Mast-Yukino, allows me, I will come and visit you too. Be sure of that."
"Whenever you want, Draco!" Said quickly Yukino. "Even now, if you want to!"
"Wait wait wait!" Sting cut in, jumping in front of the dragon. "Could you please carry us back to Sabertooh, dragon?" he pleaded. "Otherwise we have to take the train, and it will be a long ride! the longest ride ever!"
"His name is Draco, Sting!" grunted Yukino folding her arms. "And you should ask him more politely!"
The dragon shifted again on the ground. "I shall accomplish such a request," he said slowly. "if Yukino allows me."
"Please Yukino-chan!" "Yes, please!" Rogue sided his brother. "We have helped you with your keys!" "Fro thinks so too!"
"Of course there is no problem." Yukino smiled. "I know dragon slayers suffer motion sickness!" That earned the Celestial mage knowing nods from everyone - especially Wendy and Dalila. The wind slayer was still remembering the shock of the train ride of four months ago. Argh! I still feel bad if I think about it!
"Yesss, thank you!" Solved the problem of the train ride back to Crocus, Sting went thinking about other urgent matters. "Natsu-kun! Do you want to fight?"
That shouldn't have even been a question. As soon as Sting said it, he was invested by a blaze of fire. And the answer came immediately. "Light dragon roar! Rogue, come and help me!" "I don't think tha-ack!" Despite he was not exactly in the mood for a fight, Rogue found himself dragged in by Sting. And used as a shield against a metal pole coming from no where.
"Shadow dragon claw!"
"Go, Sting-kun!" "Go, Natsu" "Gajeel is the strongest!" "Fro thinks so too!"
The four girls looked as the dragon slayer started a brawl, right then and there, and the Exceeds cheering them. Typical, their grimaces were saying, as Rogue and Sting started to kick one another, despite being in the same team.
"I guess that has not changed." Dalila snorted.
The others shook their heads. No, definitively, the dragon slayers being unable to stand still for more than a few minutes was something that was not going to chance.
Well, all slayers but one.
Bunch of idiots. Cobra had drawn away from the four boys battling, with an annoyed huff. Loud as fucking hell! Sparring with Gajeel was something, but the poison slayer refused to deal with four idiots at the same time. He avoided a flying Natsu, hit by a combined attack of Sting and Rogue and Gajeel, only to be caught by Happy and throw again in the rain - which Natsu entered with great enthusiasm. "Fire dragon's roar!"
"Uh." Lucy looked dubiously at the flames developing Rogue's cape. "Wendy..."
"I am ready, Lucy-san." Wendy sighed, resigned. "I have learnt to be always prepared."
"Oh well, you can't say that they don't make you be on your toes!" Charle patted Wendy's back sympathetically.
"Why don't you stay here for tonight?" Asked suddenly Lucy. "We could make a party! It has been ages since last we have celebrated something! And Dalila is back!" And by saying so, Lucy grabbed Dalila by the waist, and squeezed again her tightly. "And you girl haven't seen a really Fairy Tail party yet!"
"Oh, that's right!" Levy and Wendy said in unison.
The wind slayer beamed. "Of course!" Of course I want to see a Fairy Tail party! Maybe this time there is the chance I do not risk being maimed or blinded or poisoned! She realised what she had just thought only when it was too late. Dalila glanced at the poison slayer, but Cobra seemed suddenly very interested in the fight going on in front of him. But Dalila was ready to swear she had seen his pointy ears twitch. Ops. Maybe I should not have thought about that... Why am I always messing up? I was supposed to apologise to him, not to make he detest me even more!
"Well..." Yukino glanced at the four slayers fighting. The fifth was growling menacingly at Happy, that was trying to push him against Gajeel. "Come on, Cobraaaa! You will have fuuun!"
"I assume we might stay for tonight." Yukino nodded. "What do you think Draco? Could you come back tomorrow, so we can go back to Sabertooth?"
The golden dragon tilted his head. "I will come to you whenever you call me, Mas- Yukino. I feel blessed, having such a honourable mage holding my Key."
Yukino had blushed heavily at those words. Draco had been treating her with a deference she was not used to. It was very different from Lucy's Spirits, that were often teasing her - or kissing her hands, flooding her as often as possible, asking for punishment in the least appropriate moments... Truly, there isn't one sane constellations?
Loke noticed her embarrassment. "Oh, don't mind this ceremonious guy." he chuckled, seizing the girl's hand. "He is just of the old school. After all," The Lion winked, taking Yukino's hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss on it, like the true flirting latin lover he was. "he is old himself."
Yukino cheeks coloured of a deep crimson shade, and the other girls looked at her giggling. "I am sorry, Yukino!" Lucy chuckled, very little apologetically. It is more funny when it is not me the one Loke is flirting with!
"It is true. I was already very old when the first dragon broke the shell of its egg." rumbled Draco, glowering at the Lion. "And I believe you should leave my Master hand now!"
Loke jumped back, but he was still smirking. "Ops! I should take my leave then... I am waiting for you, Draco!" and, after blowing another kiss in Lucy's direction, Loke was surrounded by gold light and disappeared.
Dalila giggled. "I see also this has not changed." she said to Lucy.
"No." sighed the Celestial mage, fanning herself, as to shove away the Lion's kiss. "I am trying my best, I swear, but he is so persistent!"
Then, Yukino started to fill in Lucy and Levy about the way they had fought Rimbaud. Lucy snorted heavily when she heard that Libra had started to argue with the dark mage, consenting Rogue to have the better of him in no time.
Dalila was half hearing them. Her mind was still occupied by the poison slayer. Now that she was so close to him, all the things she had wished she could say to him - that she was sorry for what happened, that she was not going to bother him anymore, that she hand't been able tot control her magic, that he was not in any case allowed to call her 'Lale', better if he didn't call her anymore, and many others - now seemed inadequate. But I had promised Warrod I was going to talk to him! Ah, I am such a mess! And he will be hearing me now, and all of this, and when I will be talking to him he will know everything I wanted to say... I guess that would be an advantage... No wait, maybe not...
It was the tiny voice of Wendy that saved Dalila from that spiral of thoughts - Cobra is hearing me-even now-I am such a mess-Oh my Mavis, he has heard even that! - "I am so happy you are back, Dalila-san!" Said the young slayer. "Have you learnt something more about your magic? You fly really well, by the way!"
Dalila smiled, the bright eyes of Wendy sending away the hard stare of a single indigo one from her mind. "I am very happy to be back as well, Wendy! And yes, I have learned a little. But I need to train a lot before becoming a real slayer." Dalila winked. "Maybe we could spar sometimes! Or maybe, if you like flying, I could take you for a little trip somewhere!"
"Really?" Wendy gaped. "That would be awesome! Thank you!"
And unable to contain her excitement, the young dragon slayer threw herself in the arms of Dalila. "Thank you! I would be so happy to do that! Charle is excellent when it comes to fly, but with you!"
Dalila snorted, and squeezed her back. "I would be glad to take you with me."
The wind slayer buried her nose in Wendy's hair. ... Elation and delight... Sweet dreams in warm nights of summer, and walks along bubbling rivers... Delicate white flowers blooming in a sunny day of spring, and sweet candies, and smell of rain... Dalila inhaled deeply, basking herself in the sweet, delicate smell of Wendy. I have missed this. It was good to be back.
"Ah..." The murmur of the golden dragon sounded behind them, like a thunder of a distant storm. "I am honoured and humbled by such a sight."
Dalila and Wendy didn't broke their embrace. No, Wendy even nuzzled herself into the crook of the neck of the wind slayer. Smells so good... Cobra heard the young girl thinking.
Charle raised an eyebrow. What is Draco saying?
"You are asking why, Exceed?" the dragon chuckled, and Charles gasped. The Celestial Dragon could read minds? "Yes, I can." Draco chest rumbled again with his laughs. Then he turned to Dalila and Wendy, looking at the two as if the sole sight of their embrace was delighting him immensely. "Dragons deeply honour their females." He explained. "And I am glad to see that the only two female dragon slayers of Earthland share such a close bound and affection."
Charle swallowed. Being addressed by a Celestial Dragon was not an everyday experience. "Sure." she croacked. "Perfect."
"Dragons do that, indeed." confirmed Gajeel, that had just landed on last fist onto Sting head. The fight seemed to have come to an end - sort of. Natsu was still trying to set on fire Rogue's cloak. "We were raised like that, too!" Sting said, massaging his head, and Rogue and Natsu nodded. "Would you stop setting my clothes on fire?" "Why? It's funny!"
"Females are godly creatures, and we feel blessed to have such companions among us." continued Draco, tilting his head. "Even I, the Celestial Dragon, bow in front of them."
Maybe it was just his imagination, but Cobra believed he had seen the dragon gaze lingering over him a little more than what was strictly necessary. Soul Hearing magic was of no use with the Celestial Spirit - why was that? He could hear Leo and the other Spirits just as well!
Not knowing what Draco was thinking, but even worse, knowing the dragon knew what he was thinking, was irritating the poison slayer immensely. He folded his arms in front of him, and held its golden gaze, trying to keep his face as straight as possible, even if it wasn't easy, knowing that the Celestial Dragon was watching him.
Saber-freaks had to bring this... beast here, right? He grunted in his head. There was no other way, but to accompany Snow White home?
But then he bit his tongue. He knew he shouldn't be thinking like that, or things were going to repeat just as the last time. His bad temper had played a dirty trick on him, making him lose it over nothing. I can't really blame Snow White for the dragon. He forced himself to think - and surprisingly, it was not that hard to believe.
Obviously he had heard Dalila ranting over for the whole time, her worries sounding louder every second. But even for that part, he knew he should expected that. Kind of. He thought. Snow White is going to apologise, alright... She is right, I have heard her.
In all fairness, Cobra hand't thought Dalila would have been that much worried about him. She knows she has fucked up. He shrugged. Well, I might not poison her, after all, if she asks for forgiveness nicely.
It was as Cobra was busy pondering that no, maybe Dalila had earned the right of surviving, is she didn't pulled out more shit in the future, when Lucy, sizing the wind slayer again by a hand, exclaimed. "Why don't we go all inside now? Master Makarov sure will want to see you all! And Natsu, stop setting Rogue's cloak on fire!"
Half an hour later, Master Makarov office...
The Sabertooth mages had finally decided to stop for the evening at Fairy Tail.
Mirajane had been asked to provide extra food, and double-extra alcohol for the night. And the demon, after having squeezed Dalila to her chest and duly suffocated her with her breasts, had set Lisanna and Kinana to work. "We have a lot to celebrate! We have guests, and a member is back!"
Master Makarov was incredibly happy to have Dalila back at Fairy Tail in one piece Maybe Warrod didn't do such a crazy thing sending her away on her own, after all... She looks stronger and fairly good! Ah, but it doesn't matter! As soon as I will call Warrod, he will hear me upon this again! Letting a child go alone, who inconsiderate!
Now it was almost dinner time, and Makarov and Dalila were of them were alone in the Master office, sipping some tea. Sting had been discussing with Makarov about some matters regarding the Council - very briefly, as Sting had little idea of what was going on in Era, and Makarov didn't really bothered of what the Council was thinking and planning, as long as Fairy Tail could be happy and merry as always - and then the white slayer had given a full recount of what had happened in the Blue Mountains. "Without Dalila, we would have had no means to defeat the gold dragon! She had been of great help!"
After that, Sting, Rogue and Yukino had just been sent in the guild hall with the others, but Makarov had wanted to exchange a few words with Dalila, before letting her join the rest of the company. After all, there was a high probability that the wind slayer would have needed a few days to recover from the amount of alcohol Cana had promised she was going to make her drink, and Makarov wanted to speak to her as soon as possible.
"So, you are back!" chimed the small Master, sipping form his cup of tea. "I am glad to see you! Very, very glad indeed!" Thank Mavis you are still unscratched... He thought once more.
"I am happy to be back as well." Dalila smiled. "the time I spent with Warrod had been useful, and I was glad to see him again. But it was time for me to return to Fairy Tail."
"I must confess I had been a little worried when Warrod told me he let you wandered alone in the mountains. I wished he had been with you." But maybe then you wouldn't have come back so strong and fierce as I see you now. thought Makarov, looking proudly as the grin plastered on the wind slayer face, and at her eyes, shimmering lively like diamonds.
Dalila smiled brightly. "I managed. I was living in the mountains before, after all!"
"Right." Makarov nodded. The smile of Dalila was contagious, and he couldn't help but wink at her. "And you managed much more, too! It is not everyday that one meets the Celestial Dragon! You have honoured Fairy Tail, child!"
And Makarov believed it. Seemed like Dalila's nose was truly prodigious. And her cleverness is not that bad either, I would say! He considered, glancing at the wind dragon slayer. She was gracefully sitting on the same chair she had been four months ago, right after Cobra and her had almost killed one another. And yet, the child looks like a hole different person. Makarov gaze softened. So scared she was... And now, look at the woman she had become!
"So, how Warrod a good teacher, then?" asked Makarov with a smile. "How did you find him?"
"A great teacher. And how did I find him?" the wind slayer snorted. "Old. But he is still as much Warrod as he used to be one hundred of years ago."
"And has the time with him proved fruitful? Did he taught you how to use your magic?"
"He had raided all the libraries he could think of, and asked to as many people as he knew." Dalila caressed the cup in her hands smiling tenderly. There are no words to express how much he did help me. "Seems like wind dragons were careful about their secrets. Even in the Official Library of the Council we hadn't found answers to many of our questions." she went serious. "But I have learned a lot, anyway. And thought wind dragon slayers had been rare in history, I intend to make honour to my predecessor, and fight darkness and black magic."
Makarov nodded solemnly. "This is what I hoped to hear."
After that they stayed in silence for a while. From the guild hall, songs and cheers could be heard already. Even if it was not even sunset, the party had already started.
Dalila enjoyed the warmth of the late summer afternoon. The sun was still shining, but she could smell a fresh wind from the north had started to blow on the city, reminding Magnolia that summer was not going to last forever.
And it took her back to the summer she had passed through the peaks of the mountains, and the snow, and fo her travels, and what she had learnt and understood. "I have been away from one month from Warrod and from anything." she mumbled quietly. "I have learnt to fly from the eagles, riding the wind, and letting him trace my route for me."
"You don't need to talk me about your errands, child." Makarov said softly. "I trust you have experienced much, and by your smile, I see it has been necessary and pleasant." 'The wind is a wanderer' he remembered himself. Warrod couldn't have worded that better. I see you have tasted freedom, and are not going to set for anything less.
"Oh, but I want to tell you!" Dalila giggled.
And so the wind dragon slayer spoke, not because she felt she had to report where she had been, but because she enjoyed to talk with a friend she had not seen in a long time.
She told Master Makarov about the stories the wind had carried her in the night, and about the rooster crows at daybreak, when she was hard to wake. And of the bear possessed by a Vulcan she had to kill, and how she had buried him under the snow, and when she had to dive deep into a frozen lake, to retrieve a precious sword lost long time before.
She described him the biting cold, and of the time she flew so high she was both freezing and burning, closer to the sun she had ever been, high were the wind was strong and sharp and cold.
And of when she had helped some villagers remove the snow of an avalanche that was blocking their way to the valley, and of the songs they had taught her that night when they asked her to stay, and she sang it to Makarov, and it was a love story in between a girl and a glacier, where in the end the glacier transformed the girl a statue of ice, and wrapped around her, so that no one was ever going to tear them apart.
"And finally, I have been to Linveland." she whispered, taking one last sip from the cup. "The city looked different, but I recognised some streets and houses. I went to the school I used to teach in, and to my old house. I heard laughs coming out of the window, and that made me happy." her voice trembled a little, but she kept talking. "And I have been to the cemetery, and I bade farewell to my parents and sister, and to all the ones I had known. It was when I was there that the wind brought me the call of Yukino."
Makarov lowered his head. "You did good, saying goodbye to the one you have loved, that had been in your life. I am sure they would have been glad to see you now." The dead are dead, he thought. And we can't prevent death. All that we do, we do for our own grief, but this is just and not selfish at all.
"I want to make them proud. I always wanted. This hasn't changed." smiled Dalila, placing her cup on the counter. "And here? How has been Fairy Tail?"
"I think you will find your guild mates just as you left them a few months ago!" Makarov laughed. "Brats, that is what they - and you as well! - are! I am afraid only Mirajane's evil schemes have advanced during summer, but I think Lucy is better informed than me!"
"I will go and ask her, then!" Dalila stood up, and stretched. "It's good to be home."
"It's good indeed my child." Makarov hesitated just a little before posing the question that was moving into him. "And Cobra?"
Dalila tensed imperceptibly. "I... I have seen him. But we haven't talked yet."
Makarov nodded. "Are you going to talk?"
It was hard for Dalila to speak. Yes, she wanted to talk, she would have liked to do it now and take that weight off from her chest, but she knew a few days must let be passed. She yet to get used about the presence of the poison slayer again, and she thought he needed a few days as well. But she wanted to do it, oh yes she did. "Yes." she only said, nodding slowly.
"Good!" Makarov decided it was enough. Take you time, child. There is no reason to rush. Besides, he doubted Cobra was ready to face the wind slayer any soon. The small Master jumped off form his desk, and moved towards the door. "I just wanted to know if you had forgot about it, but I see it is important for you to have a word about what happened. And for him it is important too." Even if I think it will be cold in hell before he admits it!
Dalila tilted her head. Is it true? Does Cobra wish to speak to me as well?
"But now you don't have to think about it!" Makarov clapped his hands. "Now you have a party to join, and I think your friends are well intended to make up for the parties you have lost this summer!"
Makarov couldn't have been more right.
Two hours later, the wind dragon slayer was at the end of her fourth beer - the first two 'offered' by Cana, who had threatened Dalila to shove them down her throat personally. And after those two, the wind slayer had started and finished the third without even realising it - which would have normally worried her, hand't she been totally drunk.
Right on that moment, she was whit Lucy and Yukino, trying to cheer Levy up for having lost another day of work.
"Come on, Levy-chan!" Dalila slushed. "Don't be sad!"
"Yeah!" Lucy hiccupped. "Now there is a party! What's more important than a party?"
Levy grunted in her head, but took a large gulp from her own beer. On that moment, the job wasn't her first thought. She doubted they were going to leave even the next day. I will have more serious matters to take care of. Matters that included her own hangover, and a totally wasted iron dragon slayer that had just rolled under her chair in the attempt of putting her on his shoulder, and his not-so-sober Exceed.
"Leeevy~" chanted Lily happily. "Would you go out-hic-with-hic..."
Levy hushed a hand over Pantherlily's mouth, quite unceremoniously. Not that the
Exceed realised. "Hic~"
Levy groaned. She was not completely sober herself, nor were the two Celestial mages next to her, or the wind dragon slayer in front of her. Why do I even bother? She thought, finishing her drink in another gulp.
Dalila patted Levy on her back, trying to feed her with her beer. "Drink, little one! You seem to need that!"
"Let's talk about more interesting things!" Lucy clapped her hands. "What were you saying, Lily?"
Dalila was giggling with Yukino, and winking at Levy. "Lily-chan-hic~" they chanted. "Tell us!"
"There is nothing to tell!" cried the Script mage, sober enough to know where those mischievous grins wanted to take her, but not enough to defend herself. "Lisanna, save me!"
Lisanna, that was passing next to their table with a tray full of giant mugs of beer, beamed. "What do you need Levy? More beer? Vodka?" Chimed the barmaid, risking at every word to drop the tray and its content on the iron slayer snoring on the floor. "We have everything tonight!"
"They are bullying me!" Sniffed Levy dramatically. "Save me, please!"
"Alright!" Lisanna laughed. "Let me just bring these beers to that table, and-" "No, we want those beers!" cried Lucy with a pout, forcing Lisanna to lay the tray on their table. "And you can have one as a prize! Sit down with us!"
Form his table, Wakaba could be heard groaning. "Damn these girls..."
"Hey, why I see two Yukino's now?" Dalila tilted her head. "Am I wasted already?"
"You have little resistance for a dragon slayer." giggled Lisanna, sitting down and taking a beer for herself. "But as Cana said, is a matter of training!"
Around them, the party was at a good point. Mirajane had already given up taking count of the single beers and was serving directly barrels to the tables. In a corner, Cana was dancing with Romeo - and the card mage had lost the count of barrels too.
On another corner, Kinana was at her third glass of wine, and was laughing hard at something Elfman had said. "You are a real man, Kinana! A real man!" bellowed the man, making Kinana cry from laughing, even if she had forgotten the reason why she was a 'real man'.
Next to them, Cobra huffed at took a sip from his beer. Fairy Tail parties meant getting wasted, in the sense of the brain and of the wallet. And he had little to spend money in, considering that he could drink as much alcohol as he wanted, without getting even tipsy.
He threw a pleading look at Kinana, but she shook her head at him. No, you can't poison Elfman, Erik!
"You are saying this because you are not drunk enough!" snorted Cobra. "Or because you have drank too much. You choose."
The poison slayer had been forbidden poisoning Natsu and Sting by Erza - although he knew the monster was very tempted to say yes to him. Thank the gods Rogue had passed out a while ago - it wasn't clear if it was for the alcohol, or because Natsu had suffocate him with a cloud of smoke. Well, that strange Exceed of him was sleeping peacefully at his side, so Cobra thought it was all good. And shadows are back to what they should be, that is, deadly silent!
The poison slayer let his gaze roam on the people at the guild. Mira serving barrels, carrying them around as if they were weighing nothing more than a few ounces. Cana and Romeo had quitted dancing and were stealing Max's beer, as the Sand mage stared at a point in the void, holding a broom quite romantically in his hands. Disgusting. Why do I fucking bother to hear what's going on in these freaks heads...
Cobra jolted when high pitched laughs sounded above the music. He turned to glare at the five drunk girls, but of course they all ignored him.
Lucy was laughing with small screams that could have made his ears bleed, if the music hadn't done it a while ago. Next to her, Yukino and Dalila were no better. Only Levy and Lisanna seemed to have a little control with themselves, but seeing the full mugs in between their hands, it was a question of time before they got wasted as well.
The only positive thing was that Gajeel had passed out right under Levy's chair. He would not be singing that night. I doubt Sting would have allowed it, anyway. That chaotic dragon slayer, half drunk as he was, could just grab the iron dragon slayer guitar and slam it on the floor, careless of the consequences. So maybe it is a pity that metalhead is not singing. Currently the white dragon slayer was jumping on the beams of the ceiling with Happy and Lector, and Cobra was seriously hoping he would fall and break a leg. Wendy will be sober enough to heal him later anyway.
Somehow, his gaze fell on the wind dragon slayer, now at her fifth beer. She was laughing at something idiotic Lucy had just said. Damn, her skin is fucking white. He thought, studying her. Truly, she is Snow White. And hadn't she spent the last month flying on mountains peaks, among snow and ice? Ridiculous. Who would ever do that?
"Found something interesting?" he heard Kinana whispering in his ear. Elfman had gone defending Mirajane's honour from Macao - like Mirajane needed any help, or Macao was attempting at her honour. It was just Eflman being the over-protective brother he was and trying to be a man at the same time, even if everyone thought that Mirajane was more 'manly' than he was, Cobra knew that for sure.
The poison slayer turned to Kinana, and shook his head. "Just you fairies being damn fairies." Juvia passed by, running after Lector, who had snatched Gray's pant's from her. "And sabers being damn sabers."
Kinana giggled. "Any fairy that you interested in, staring so hard?" she insisted, following his gaze. "Uh, I see!" she murmured, when she spotted the table of girls cheering at Yukino's new key.
"I was not 'staring hard'"
"Yes you were!" Kinana winked. "Either you like Yukino, either is a certain dragon slayer you are looking at!" Kinana leaned over the table. "She is pretty, isn't she?"
Cobra rolled his eyes. Great! Now that I was looking at Snow White, Cubellios will give me no break!
"Cubellios..." groaned the poison slayer, taking the glass of wine from her hands "You have definitively drank too much."
"Hey, give it back!" "Light dragon roar!"
Without any warning, the glass Cobra was holding out of Kinana's reach was invested by a ray or burning white light, and went into pieces, sprawling wine right on his coat. Great! Thought the poison slayer, staring at Kinana pouting at the other side of the counter. Now the demon is going to...
"Natsu Dragneel and Sting Eucliffe, I am coming over there now!" ... Exactly.
Cobra wanted to slam his face on the counter many, many times. Or even better, the face of Salamander and White-freak. After fucking poisoning them.
His coat was drenched with wine, and was only because Mirajane Alegria had took hold of the two dragon slayer, freezing them with her glare, that the poison slayer didn't move from his stool.
"I don't want to look!" Whined Kinana, turning her head to the side.
"Good idea." Cobra snorted. The wine poured on his coat at least had paid him with a nice show of Mirajane lecturing the two slayers by growling so menacingly that even him felt a shiver running down his spine.
"And do not burn or destroy any more cloaks, have I made myself clear!" "Yes Madame!" "Absolutely!"
The poison slayer looked at the two pathetic excuses for dragon slayers dropping the cloak they had already half destroyed, before sneaking to the other side of the guild - surely ready to destroy something else. But he knew Mirajane was secretly happy to have someone to scold, so it was perfectly ok.
Bunch of crazy idiots... No, despite he had been at Fairy Tail for almost a year now, he had yet to get over the absence of rationaliy of its members.
"Ah Kinana!" Mirajane - now only Mirajane, thank fucking god! - came to the bar counter next to them, handing something to the barmaid. "I think this is Rogue's cloak... Or what is left of it. Would you keep it safe, please? I think Macao is about to pass out and I don't want he to do it while he is holding that tray of glasses!"
"Sure!" Kinana laughed, and waved as Mirajane - now Sitri - marched to the fire mage.
"Sure Macao is going to pass out soon!" Chuckled Cobra, bursting into laughing as Mirajane gave the man the last blow, catching the tray just in time before twenty glasses of beer went crashing onto the floor.
"Poor Macao!" Sighed Kinana, studying the remnants of the cloak. "And poor Rogue! This thing is ready to be thrown in the bin, I am afraid!"
Cobra shrugged. "It's not of the shadow-boy." He pointed to the passed out Rogue. "See, his cloak is in place. Half burnt, but whatever."
"Oh, right!" Kinana tapped her chin with a finger. "Well, this one will belong to someone else them! Keep it safe Cobra! I need to go and get another bottle of wine, since someone just took my glass!"
Cobra muttered a curse that didn't erase the smile on Kinana lips - she was too happy to have an excuse to have some other wine. "I will wash your coat Cobra, if you promise me you will not steal my glass again!"
"Deal."
Erik took the cloak from the hands of Cubellios, as she disappeared in the kitchen. He was ready to put it on the bar counter, when his nose caught... A gentle smell of tiny flowers, enriched with a sweet nuance of...
What the hell is this? Cotton candy?
He sniffed better the blue cloak, doing his better to pass the smell of burnt and of that chaotic dumb of Sting Eucliffe. What was that?
It was like... Like a cold winter morning, the breeze blowing among the peaks of tall, tall mountains... He sniffed better, for he had never been so high in the mountains to see their tops. And how on the love of fuck I am smelling something I have never seen? He frowned. This smells a little like... a glacier? And then... the frost air of northern winters...
It was fresh, but not fresh as Mirajane peppermint smoothie could be, not as cold water in a hot day, and not even as the snow on his hands on winter. It was a greater sensation, of being not simply cold, but surrounded by nothing else than wind and sky.
Erik felt his skin prickle in pleasure. It's like I am standing at the fucking top of some high shit. Does it really smell so fucking good up there? And the slightly sweetness was making it just perfect. He could almost feel the sun burning his skin, and hear the wind howling like crazy around him.
It's good... He thought again, sniffing the piece of cloak. I smell the wind...
Wind...
Wind.
Holy fucking shit!
Cobra nearly threw the damn thing. If it wasn't the cloak of Snow White! Fucking damn it! He shot an angered glare In the direction of the wind dragon slayer - only to see that she was definitively too drunk to even remember that she actually had a cloak.
"What's the matter?" Cobra internal cursing was interrupted by Kinana, emerged from the kitchen on that moment. "Why do you look so upset all of a sudden? Your were almost smiling smelling that thing!"
Said internal cursing started again full force. "I was not smiling!" Hissed the slayer, tossing the cloak to the side. "This is damn stinking of sweat, and dust and dirt!"
"Oh well, there is no need to get angry!" Kinana frowned.
Cobra bit his tongue. He didn't want to fight with Cubellios because of Snow White. Not again.
But, as he politely poured her another glass of wine, so that the soul of the barmaid started bubbling happily again, he couldn't really focus.
Not even when Erza gave him the green light to finally start chasing Natsu and Sting for all over the guild - and that should have absorbed his mind completely!
No, Cobra was still a little for what he had smelled on the cloak. Snow White can't smell like that. He decided, grabbing Sting by the ankle and finally managing to take him off from the ceiling. But, hell if that wasn't fucking wind!
The poison slayer had no intention of admitting that the scent was endearing in itself. However, there was something he couldn't place. It wasn't the wind, it wasn't the flowers, it wasn't even fucking cotton candy. It was something so intertwined with all the other scents he could distinguish, something that was entangling them together and at the same time so different from them... Different from everything he had felt before.
The morning after...
Lucy was freezing. Maybe it was because she was used to sleep with Natsu at her side, maybe because she had gotten used to the warm summer night, or maybe it was because Cana had dropped a bucket of ice over her, before falling asleep herself with a hand over Lucy's breasts.
Like the cold wasn't enough, Lucy was disturbed by someone tapping delicately her shoulder. She frowned, grunted, and then started snoring leader than before.
The tapping was repeated, and this time Lucy rolled - or try to, because Cana had no intention of moving her hand even in her sleep - and did her best to near the nearest source of heat, that in that case was still a slayer, but not Natsu.
Unfazed by the droplet of cold water dotting her skin, Dalila was sleeping peacefully. The party had tired her to the point nothing could have woken her up, so she didn't flinched nor twitched when Lucy wrapped her arms around her and started drooling all over her shoulder.
"Well..." "It has been a while since we tried to wake them up..." "Yukino-chan, you will say goodbye to Lucy another time."
Yukino, Rogue and Sting had woke up early. Oh well, it was more correct today that Sting hand't slept at all, and Rogue had passed out right at the beginning of the party. Yukino didn't realised she was sleeping, but now was regretting having done that half sprawled onto a table. Yuk, and I stink of beer! And my back is killing me!
Master Makarov was up - he had been sleeping behind a barrel, and had been awaken by Sting falling from the beans of the ceiling he was resting onto. The Master looked at the three girls sleeping all together. "Yes, I think it is better for you to go, if you truly want to be at Crocus before evening!"
"It's not that we want!" Sting whined. "But we have been away for more than ten days..." "And Minerva got the paperwork in the meantime." Finished Lector pointedly. "And I bet she will not be super-duper-happy if we delay our return a day more."
Makarov snorted. Minerva... Now that is one that would be a great Master... But it was understandable that she preferred to have Sting on that role, after what her father had done. I wonder where did Jiemma go... Sometimes I am afraid I might ally with dark forces, just to try to win back some sort of power... Ah, I can't think about Jiemma now! I haven't drank my morning beer yet, I am not read for such displeasing topics!
"Yes... Ehm..." Sting scratched the back of his head. "Also, I was behind with work when I left, and I might have left Minerva a few things to take care of..."
"Well, then it is better if you go!" Said the Master of Fairy Tail, as the image of Jiemma vanished from his mind, substituted by the much more menacing one of his daughter, submerged by a pile of documents and files.
"Sting!" Cried Rogue. "I can't believe you did!" "Fro thinks so too!"
"I can perfectly believe it, instead!" Groaned Yukino. "Thank you for the evening, Master Makarov! Say goodbye to the others as soon as they wake up!"
And with a wave, the three mages and the two Exceed exited the door. Makarov chuckled to himself, hearing Yukino raising her voice and starting scolding Sting for his 'irresponsible behaviour', and for 'putting all of them at risk, since it was Minerva they were talking about'.
"Are they going to be alright?"
Makarov turned with a smile. Kinana was exiting for the kitchen, a mop and a bucket of water in her hands, ready to give a good scrub to the guild floor and to the members sprawled on it. "I am sure they will be, Kinana! Minerva is not that cruel, after all!"
"Well, but with the paperwork..." Kinana shivered.
"Right." Makarov grimaced. "Anyway, why are you up so early? I thought we all planned to get knocked out for a few days at least!"
"Oh, Reedus once told me you should never chance too much alcoholic gradation." Kinana winked. "So I have finished a whole bottle of wine, instead of mixing drinks and beer! I feel just as fresh!"
Makarov paled for a second, then shook his head. It was pointless to discuss any further. He was about to ask where was Mirajane - he still needed his morning beer! - when Lucy groaned in her sleep. The blonde moved again, sniffled, and curled up even more to Dalila, shivering.
"We should cover then, somehow." Muttered Makarov. "Or they will catch a cold!" And then Lucy will have to stay home and this means that Natsu and Gray will have to stay in Magnolia! Those two have destroyed the guild door again yesterday night!
"Right Master! Let me just-oh, here it is!" Kinana grabbed a white, furry coat resting on a stool. "This will do! I was going to wash it anyway!" She chuckled, putting it over Lucy, Dalila and Cana. Lucy let out a small satisfied moan instantly, snuggling with the fur on the hem on the coat.
"That's better!" Makarov nodded. Wait... I have already seen that coat, somewhere... Isn't it...
"That's the coat of Cobra, he left it here yesterday because... Well, an incident with Sting and a broken glass of wine." Kinana explained. "I had promised him I was going to wash it!"
Makarov wasn't sure the poison slayer would have been delighted by seeing his coat used as a blanket, but then remember Cobra had left one hour after midnight, after he had almost broken Sting's ankle.
"I assume it's ok." Makarov mumbled. "Now Kinana, dear, would you pour a mug of morning beer for your old Master?"
Some hours later...
It was the best smell ever.
It was salty, like the sea and the spices, with some nuances of rich flowers, drenched of dew. And it was tasting of foreign lands, with black soil, where strange plants were growing.
Dalila rolled in her sleep, sighing happily, basking herself in that wonderful scent.
And it was pulsing, like a living thing, of ragged breaths and pants, of sweat and gritted teeth, of determination to live, no matter what, and that was sending chills all over her, but was also engaging, bewitching.
It was smelling of terrible and sad things, and it was bitter, and the salty nuance she was feeling was now the smell of old tears.
In her sleep, Dalila gritted her teeth, rolling to the other side.
The bitter-sweet smell of hope filled her nostrils, mixing with the salty savour, and the sweet ones, and the one of cold stone and metal.
Dalila, now half-asleep, thought that it was a smell so strong and powerful, that she might as well taste it in her mouth.
The only thing was that, when she opened her mouth and slightly dragged in some hair, all that she got was being nearly suffocated by a furry animal.
"Ghh!" Dalila let out a strangled cry of surprise, and started to cough badly, hands searching frantically for the animal that was suffocating her.
Except that there was no animal. "What the..."
It took a few more seconds to Dalila to realise that it was just a coat. A furry coat! A furry coat that had just attempted to murder me!
Dalila yawned and scratched the back of her head. I must have fallen asleep on the floor. Why was she wet with cold water? I don't think I want to know.
Another wife of that wonderful smell, so strong and rich, filled her nose, and she sighed happily. This is coming from this coat. She glanced at the withe coat covering her. Either it's the coat, either it's the person who possesses this coat that smell so good!
She sniffed one more time. It is a person. She decided. Definitely a person.
But who? Who was having that wonderful smell, that was speaking to her of endurance and of someone who had been put through the wringer, and yet had been able to survive?
The wind slayer was about to examine the coat more closely, when someone snatched dit under her nose.
Dalila frowned, looking as next to her a snoring Lucy wrapped herself in the fur with a loud grunt.
Why is Lucy covered in ice? Dalila asked herself, discarding quickly the matter as soon as she leant to smell the coat more. She just wanted to know to whom it belonged...
She sniffed once. Twice. Flowers of another land, blooming at night, of wonderful shapes and colours... The sea, invading the land with marsh and channels... Spices of all kinds, eaten at night under a sky full of stars...
Her nose twitched. Tears... I smell tears... Running blood, the desperate desire to live... The bitter taste of metal... Biting cold and screams... She frowned. I smell screams...
Screams...
Screams.
Oh my Mavis!
Cornelia sprung on her feet, half dragging the coat with her. It's Cobra's coat! She started looking frantically around her for the poison slayer, but she didn't see him among the half-asleep, completely drunk members of Fairy Tail, sprawled on tables, chairs, floor, and stools.
Good, he is not in sight! But how was she going to conceive that episode from him? That hellish magic of him! Dalila thought, Wait Dalila, just forget about the whole thing! Forget the party, forget you slept, now just go back to Fairy Hills, Levy said Mrs Rukio has kept your bedroom...
In the attempt of sprinting out of the guild, slaloming in between the bodies of her guild mates and looking behind her to check that Cobra was still not in sight, Dalila didn't realise the there was someone standing in front of her. Not until she bumped into a tall figure.
"Oi!" Boomed a deep voice form above.
Dalila panicked for a second, before being surrounded by the strong smell of iron. "Ah!" She breathed relieved. "It's only you, Gajeel!"
"What do ya mean, 'only'?" Hissed the iron slayer, but he was already smiling when he leaned over her. "Yer back, aren't ya? How was trainin' with Warrod? Did him teach ya well?"
"Come on, Gajeel! Are you doubting Warrod Sequen?" From behind Gajeel Lily waved. "Good morning Dalila!"
Dalila waved happily. "Hello guys! And by the way, yes, he taught me well!" She smiled proudly. "And I have a been a while on my own! I know how to roar almost properly, now!"
Gajeel's eyes glinted. He smirked. "Ya do?"
"Yes sir!" Dalila smile widened. "You don't believe me?"
The iron slayer and the black cat exchanged a knowing smirk. Then Gajeel threw an arm over Dalila's shoulders, eyeing the messy guild around to be sure no one was hearing him.
"Ya featherweight really thought I was not going to test you? Come on, I have promised Shrimp Lily and I were leaving for a job today with her, and we got only a few hours before she gets up!"
"A few hours?"
Before Dalila had any time to process what was going on, she was picked up by an enthusiastic iron dragon slayer, and dragged onto the training field.
Showing Gajeel what she had learnt filled her with such pride that she truly forgot about the coat and the strange smell. And yet, in the back other head, the question persisted: Was then Cobra smelling that good?
So how is it? Do you like it? Things are ready to take a whole different turn... Just wait!
