Yes, another chapter!
So, this one was very long, so I divided it into two parts...
Enjoy!
Magnolia, Fairy Tail training ground...
Gajeel had had more than enough time to test Dalila new abilities. But not even him was expecting what was about to come.
On the other hand, had Master Makarov knew the two dragon slayers were on the train ground, he would have taken some precautions.
Like closing the windows of his study.
Indeed, even if Dalila was not nearly as powerful as Gajeel, a few of her roars had been enough to destroy a few benches, take off the flag of the guild from its pole, and pull out several clumps of dirt from the ground. And, somehow, to enter in Makarov's office through the open window and throw around papers, pens, chairs, the table and the Master himself.
Apparently Makarov had found himself going from having just tidied up his office, with stack of papers and documents neatly ordered on his desk, to lie in the middle of the room, surrounded by flying sheet of papers.
It took the small Master a few minute to realise what had happened, and a few se- conds to be on the train ground, chasing the wind dragon slayer with huge, mena- cing fists.
"Master, please! I told you I am sorry!" Dalila was doing her best to dodge her Mas- ter huge hands. "I didn't see that coming!" If the Master had caught her, she was dead meat.
"Why do you slayers don't get the usual hangover like anybody else!" roared Makarov, finally landing one gigantic fist on the poor slayer, slamming her on the ground and keeping her right in place. "I had just finished tidy my office!"
Meanwhile, in a corner of the training field, Gajeel was trying to comfort Lily. "Come on, Lily! That was nothin'!"
"But the sound!" Lily was trembling like a leaf, curled on a ball in Gajeel arms. "It sounded like a storm." "It was not a storm" "You are right, it was more like a hurri- cane!" "It was just her roar, Lily!" "You do not sound like a cataclysm when you roar!"
Gajeel should have been mildly offended, but huffed that away. "Yer just used to it! See, there is no storm comin'!"
Pantherlily had been shaking with fear when Dalila let out her roar. Gajeel agreed that sounded like a tornado, or something vey bad that was coming from the sky. "Hush Lily, quit it! It's ok!" "It is not!"
"Destructive as the other slayers!" Was shouting Makarov, with face red from anger. "You breath and destroy whatever is in your way!"
Dalila was still trying to crawl her way out from under his hand. I am the wind drag- on slayer and I am dying from lack of air! She could feel her chest cracking under the weight of Master Makarov. "I was-coff-not expecting it!" "It doesn't matter, you brat!"
Gajeel felt it was time to intervene. Although it was hilarious to see how the girl was struggling to keep her breath even, she was going to suffocate any minute. "Feath- erweight is right, Master. Let her got!"
"No! I had just tidied up my office!"
Gajeel sighed. No matter how old Makarov was, his office was still a mess. At least, Mirajane had forced him to tidy up and get rid of old papers and documents at least once a year, and so for one week the Master was grumpy and irate, having the de- mon keeping an eye on him and checking every hour or so that he was being 'a good Master'. But again, he knew Mira was right, and despite all the complaints, he was obeying. No wonders he was losing his temper.
"Maybe she can help you tidyin' it again?" asked tentatively Gajeel, raising a pierced eyebrow.
"I would be gla-dh" chocked Dalila, waving her arms desperately.
Makarov seemed to consider the offer. "Mh. Mh mh." he looked down at Dalila who was nodding furiously. After a few seconds, in which Dalila feared for her life, Makarov slowly retired his hand. "I have a better idea." he said with a wicked grin. "MACAO!"
As if he had been waiting for nothing but to be called, from the back door of the guild, a man sprinted out and run toward them. "Yes third! Or sixth, I don't remem- ber..."
"Yes, yes. Whatever." Makarov cut Macao off. "Macao, you are taking a job."
"Am I?" asked Makarov a little surprised. Behind Makarov, Dalila was slowly standing up. Damn! I am still alive! That punch was hard to dodge...
"This is not a question, Macao. You. are. taking. a. job." Makarov repeated, emphasising the last words.
"I am-what do you have in mind, old man?"
Gajeel looked Makarov's anger melting, while a grin appeared between the wrinkles of his face. The old man is up to somethin'.
"You," continued Makarov, pointing to Macao, "are taking a job," he pointed to he guild open door, from where we heads of Wakaba and Romeo were peeking at the destroyed training field. "With her!" finished triumphantly Makarov, pointing his fin- ger to the wind dragon slayer.
"Uh?" Dalila lift an eyebrow. "With me?"
"With her?" Macao eyed briefly the disaster that was the training field. "It was her who has done... This?"
"What is happening?" "No idea, kid." Romeo and Wakaba exchanged a glance, not sure it was safe to step out from the building. "I thought I heard a kind of storm..." mumbled Romeo.
"Well..." Makarov had not stopped smiling, although Gajeel saw a glint of amuse- ment in the way he was looking at his disbelieved friend.
"Makarov, you can't give me that kid!" Macao shouted. "She is out of control al- ready! Why don't you send Erza or..."
"Hey, I am right here! And I am a woman, not a kid!" Dalila protested, still unsure on her feet. "And I am not out of control!" But damn, I wasn't expecting those benches to be that light!
Gajeel sighed. He felt Lily approaching him. "Master is sending Dalila to work with Macao?" asked the cat, still shaking a little. "Seems so. Hey, old man!" Gajeel called out at his Master. "What do ya mean she is goin' with the old geezer?"
"What did you just call m-" "Oh come on, Gajeel! I am just saying that Dalila would learn how to roar properly in a more... open space. Macao is taking a job in the hills, right? I have seen something like that on the board."
"Hei, I am still here!" Dalila protested and sat next to her Master. "Master, I am sorry that I send some paper flying in your office, but there is no need to send me away!"
Makarov turned to look at her "I am not sending you away, child. But you need to start working, sooner or later, and-"
"Makarov, I will not take responsibility for-"
"-and who better of the fourth Master of Fairy Tail to accompany you?"
Cobra chuckled to himself. The old man. Always something up to his sleeve. Everyone in the guild knew that Macao turned to mush whenever he was called 'fourth Master of Fairy Tail'. That was too easy, old geezer.
The poison slayer had slept like a baby that night, and now that was almost lunch time, he had decided he was going to see Cubellios - just to check that she was still ok after that bottle of wine.
He had found Kinana singing in the kitchen. She had just finished polishing the bar counter, and to send back home all the guild members that had been sleeping on the floor. Cobra was hearing her soul chirping happily - seemed like Reedus had proposed her to go out on a wine tasting.
And of course, he had been hearing Makarov screams coming form the train field, and the way he had just settled the first job for Snow White. None of my business. The farthest Snow White stays away from me, the better.
Right now, the poison slayer could heard them coming inside, still arguing. Gajeel thought it a good idea, and he was telling Dalila. "...and trainin' is not the same of workin', ya know. I wanted to take ya with me and Lily, but we do dangerous jobs. And I got to go with Shr-Levy, for this one!"
"Yeah, I know. I was planning to ask Levy." Dalila sighed. "But I am not skilled for her type of works."
"Levy is wonderful in translations, but I am afraid your abilities would be better em- ployed in more physical jobs!" Lily had found his cool again, and was flying around them. "Slayers are very strong, not suited to stay inside all day!"
Dalila knew they were right. She had to start moving the first step as a mage and guild member. And she wanted to be independent, paying her rent and food, not relying on Master Makarov for everything. I guess this was going to happen sooner or later! But she was excited. Super excited!
Behind her, Macao was still protesting with Makarov.
"She needs to start working, Macao!" Makarov said solemnly, "We cannot keep her at the guild forever!" And I need her away while I order my office again, otherwise I might strangle this child of mine.
Makarov was sure he had had a brilliant idea. He wanted a smooth start for Dalila, which he planned on assigning a team, and his old friend was going to do the job. Team Natsu was too destructive, and he was not sure Cobra and Dalila were fine yet. The thunder legion was taking too complicated missions, and he didn't want Laxus to be all over the new girl. Team Shadowgear was splitting from time to time - wasn't Gajeel supposed to leave with Levy right that day? Laki was taking jobs that were not for a dragon slayer, Lisanna and Elfman were at the guild but they had too little experience. No, Macao is the perfect choice.
"Can I come?" shouted Romeo, running after his father as they entered the guild hall.
"No!" Macao snapped. "It is dangerous!" "But-" "I said no!"
"Come on, old man. The kid is strong!" Gajeel stepped in. "The boy is not goin' to get stronger if ya always keep him at the guild!"
"I said 'No'!" "But please, father!" "No, I-" "Macao, you are such an old man. Your boy is grown up now!" Wakaba laughed, throwing an arm around the shoulders of his old friend "You can't leave him home forever!"
Macao grumbled "The job is dangerous!"
"You have not even look at it!" Romeo protested.
"It's not really dangerous." Makarov picked a job on the request board. From behind his shoulders, Lily started to read it. "Here it says that there are some wild animals ruining the crops in the town of Pine Nut..." "You see, Romeo? Dangerous!" "It is not!"
"You can actually reach Pine Nut in three hours, by taking the route of the woods..." Said Wakaba, ignoring Macao's comment.
"We don't even need to take the train, father! Please!" "I said no!"
Romeo gritted his teeth. Why wasn't his father so adamant about keeping him home? Didn't he trusted him? Did his father thought he was too weak? His eyes started to prickle. He was not going to cry in the middle of the guild hall.
Romeo was ready to sprint out of the guild, when a small hand touched lightly his shoulders. "It would be just wonderful to have you with us, Romeo." a soft voice said.
The boy turned.
Behind him, Dalila slowly circled his shoulders with an arm. "Now isn't it?"
"Kid, I have said no!" Macao folded his arms. "It is too dangerous!"
"Oh, come on!" Dalila smiled. "I am sure it is not that bad! And it is close to home, isn't it? It is going to be fine!"
"I said-grrrr..." Macao glared at the wind dragon slayer. But he was powerless against that sweet, disarming smile. Damn it!
"You are letting him come, aren't you, right?" asked again Dalila, tilting her head, slightly battling eyelashes in a way she knew she was not going to receive a 'no' as an answer.
"I assume..." Macao fumbled with words, huffing.
Gajeel smirked. Good job featherweight! "Then it's settled! Romeo, keep an eye on featherweight for me!"
"I didn't said-" "He will be of great help, I am sure." Dalila soft voice seemed to cast a spell on the older mage. He looked angrily first at Dalila, then at his son, then at Gajeel, who shrugged and turned to sit at his table, where Kinana had already brought some iron for him.
"Here is the request! Good luck and stay safe!" Lily handed Macao the request and joined his partner at the table. Iron for Gajeel and kiwi for him, yeah!
Makarov smile widened. Smart brat... I only hope she will not use this technique on me!
Macao anger started cooling down when he read the request. Well, maybe it would not be that hard... It is really close to home, and it doesn't seem that difficult...
"Be ready in one hour!" he finally grunted, still not happy to have surrendered so easily to the slayer sweet voice. "We will come and pick you here at the guild. Come Romeo, let's go home and prepare! And stop smiling like that!"
"I will go back to my study..." Makarov shook his head. "Guess who has to order all the files again!"
"Come on! Even Macao was better than you with the paperwork!" Wakaba laughed and winked to Dalila "By the way, good job, miss! Macao is not that easy to con- vince when it comes to Romeo!" he whispered, looking at Macao and Romeo exit- ing the guild.
"Romeo wanted to come so bad. I am sure there will be no problem." Dalila smiled. And he was about to cry... And there is no way I am letting Romeo cry!
She waved to Macao and look for an empty table. All that roaring made her terribly hungry. No I do understand why slayers eat so much... She thought, glancing as Gajeel devoured a huge pile of metal.
"Coffee to start with?"
"Yes, thanks Kinana!" Dalila nodded and smiled again at the barmaid, going through the list of the plates for the day. "I will come in a couple of minutes, I haven't decided what to have for lunch yet!"
Kinana smells so good. Thought Dalila, humming as Kinana passed her the menu of the day. ... Kindness... So good... She smells a little of paint, either...
The fact that she now was sure Kinana's skin was somehow 'new', was still bugging her. Ah! I shouldn't think such weird things!
Dalila couldn't but spare a glance at the poison dragon slayer sitting at the bar. A good reason why she shouldn't think anything strange. Or anything at all. Making a disaster once had been bad enough.
She turned her attention fully on the menu. Well, what do I want today? She thought, trying to think solely on how calming the twitching pain in her stomach. Sweet or salty?
Meanwhile, the poison slayer was staring so hard at his own coffee like he was about to brutally murder it.
"You good?" Kinana asked, preparing Dalila's coffee.
"Yeah." he grunted. "Snow White there, still thinking your skin is fucking 'new'." He whispered, but Dalila was so busy thinking about her lunch, that she didn't hear him. The poison slayer heard her soul torn in between the soup and the slice of cake. Too torn to pay attention to her surroundings! Ridiculous!
"Well, she is not far from the truth." Kinana laughed lightly. "I have turned into a human eight... Nine, years ago. Before I had scales!"
Erik shrugged, as to wash away whatever tension was there. "This is not the point, Cubellios."
Kinana laughed again. You know, maybe you could go and apologise. She said with a soft smile.
"What?" Cobra's eye shot open. "Why would I?"
First of all, because you have promised me. I am sure Dalila would like to apologise first, but she doesn't want to bother you.
Cobra shifted on the stool. "She is not sorry, Cu. And it was her damn fault."
"You know both of this are not true, Erik." You called her that nickname. You more than anyone else should know the-
"Importance of names, yes yes." Cobra rolled his eyes. He had already admitted that maybe he took it a little too far. But the wind dragon slayer had pulled out that shit, that damn wind that carried all the sounds that he wanted to forget, that by the time he realised what he was doing, it was already too late. We have spoken about this so many times, Cubellios and I, that it seems to be to have already apologised one hundred fucking times! However, the slayer had no intention to make the first step.
Are you scared Erik? Kinana asked, pouring Dalila's coffee into a cup.
"What? How-" "It is normal." It is normal to fear that people would not forgive us, you know. But she is ready to forgive you, otherwise I don't think she would have come back. And she needs to hear you forgave her, too. You should go.
"I am not going". "Yes, you are!" "Hell no!" Cobra slammed one fist on the counter. Someone turned to the growling dragon slayer, and quickly looked away when he glared back at them.
"You are going." Kinana placed the cup of warm coffee in front of him.
Erik froze. His eye went from the cup to Kinana several times. "Are you going nuts?" he hissed.
"What do you mean?" she asked innocently. Come on Erik! You can do it!
Erik knew it was a lost battle. The fact that Cubellios was not supporting him, was enough to make him withdraw.
But bringing the coffee to Dalila, saying what Kinana wanted him to say, was com- plete defeat.
The poison slayer lingered for a moment, glanced at Cubellios one last time, and when the barmaid started polishing some plates, ignoring him, he sighed. Defeat will be.
Cobra got up from his stool, taking his and - was he damned! - Dalila's cup of cof- fee, and headed to her table. Let's make this quick. Not even a year with the fairies, and I am becoming a pussy. Almost a fucking nice person!
Dalila saw him coming with the corner of her eye. She had just opted for the soup for her lunch and most important, she had no intention to start a fight with an empty stomach. So she forced herself to ignore him, convincing herself that he was going to someone else table. But the fact that his purple, snake-like eye was burning holes onto her, was not a good sign.
Damn, what have I done in the span of ten minutes? she asked desperately herself. She prepared mentally herself for whatever was about to come, considering the
space in between her and the next open window, praying that the wind didn't start swirling around her as it usually did - oh no, she could see it coming from outside, a gentle warm breeze, but damn it that was the lest inappropriate moment!
Her mind was a crow of crazed thoughts, crashing one into the other, and she wai- ted to be invested by a wave of poison.
Until he slammed the cup of coffee in front of her.
"Here."
With her heart pounding in her chest, Dalila slowly looked up at him. Hair red as blood where the perfect frame for the scowl on his face, and his fangs shining on his dark skin. "Oh." she only said. For the briefest of moment, a hidden layer of her consciousness was tempted to touch her own canines - she hadn't notice any change in the past months, but maybe they got long and sharp as his - but pushed the thought away. That is not right moment for that!
Cobra was ready to remind the wind slayer to keep her eyes to herself - yes, he had sharper canines, so what? - but the couple of sparkling diamonds that were staring back at him, half questioning, half worried, and the soft rumble of her soul in the background, distracted him for a couple of seconds, and he lost the perfect moment to snap at her.
Then he remembered why he had bothered to come to her table, and his scowl deepened when he noticed that Dalila was looking at him and not at her coffee. "The coffee." He pointed. "For you."
"Uh?" What?
Dalila looked for Kinana, but the barmaid was cleaning some plates at the bar, ap- parently oblivious of what was happening. Mh, yet I think there is Kinana behind this... The fact that Dalila caught immediately a whiff of her kind smell on Cobra, confirmed that they had been talking or something.
"You do not want to start this shit again."
Dalila eyes shot open at Cobra growl. "No! Absolutely!". Is this coffee for me? A cup of coffee? For me? She looked down at the steam cup of coffee, to stop staring at the poison slayer. Do I have to thank him?
"That would be nice." Cobra let himself plop in the bench by the other side of the table, without tearing his eye from Dalila.
"Oh-yes, sure. Thanks, then." Dalila said. She took the cup and glanced at Cobra, forcing a smile.
Why on earth was he sitting here now? Maybe, that was his table, and she was oc- cupying it. Well, if it was his table, she could move. She didn't mind where she was sitting.
Cobra rolled his eye. The speed of Dalila's thoughts was driving him crazy. They were light dissonant accords, playing from different instruments. He could have just stop hearing. But it was strange. Usually when people were scared, their souls were just loud. Even if she was sipping warily at her coffee, Dalila soul still sounded like an orchestra. An orchestra of drunken musician without director, but still, an orchestra.
"No. I am not like the metalhead over there," he stated, as Dalila took a second sip from her mug, "-that thinks he own the fucking table."
"Oi! I heard that, poison breath!" a scrap of metal went flying towards the guild hall, touch her shoulder and would have hit Cobra, if the poison dragon slayer hadn't dodge it by leaning backwards.
Dalila stiffened a laugh, but turned instantly serious when Cobra glowered at her. She cleared her throat. Taking another sip of coffee. For a moment she feared that maybe it hadn't been the best choice. What if it is poisoned?
Several seconds passed before Cobra spoke again, and in this span of time Dalila realised that yes, he had heard her, and no, he was not going to let it slide.
Baking in her raising, panic, Cobra smirked. "You know, if I had wanted to poison you, I would have been able to."
Dalila bite her tongue, trying not to bite back that poisoning her was nearly impossi- ble. Warrod made her try several times, even with the most subtle, tasteless of poi- sons, but not even the Wizard Saint had been able to pass her sense of smell.
She looked hesitantly at Cobra. You heard that, right?
What a stupid question, she slapped herself mentally one second after. She saw Cobra blinking, but he didn't get mad. He didn't started yelling, or growling. Which was making her even more nervous. And he damn knows it!
Dalila cleared her throat. Well, if he is not speaking, I will. It will be a repetition, however... "I can recognise smells pretty well." she started. "I would have felt it."
Then again, as Cobra didn't change his expression, she added quickly "Of course, I am not willing to try."
"That's better." The poison slayer smirk widened. Good move, Snow White.
Dalila huffed. She didn't like when people made her say what they wanted. And I believe what I said.
"Just to be safe." Cobra suggested, still smirking.
Dalila didn't bother to answer to that, safety or not. She sipped her coffee and said. "I can distinguish between Kinana and Mirajane coffee. And-" she looked at Cobra's cup and leaned slightly on the table, "you have poured bleach in yours. And a lot of sugar. I can smell it from here."
"How many spoons of sugar?"
Cobra didn't mean to, but the mocking question slipped through his lips before he could stop it. They didn't need more tension between them. He just needed to say he was sorry - which he was not - and then leave. What was the point of even talk- ing?
Dalila raised an eyebrow. "Three." she said annoyed.
"Then you are wrong. I used four." That was a lie. Dalila had guessed the right number, but he was ready to die before admitting it.
Dalila looked at him, and even she kept a straight face while sipping her coffee again, Cobra could hear that part of her was believing he was lying. I know I am perfectly right, and I can smell a lie, as well.
But you are keeping your pretty little mouth shut, Snow White, and that is another smart move, trust me.
After that, they were silent for a while. Dalila was trying to enjoy her coffee and the quietness of the guild, trying not to concentrate too much on the poison slayer in front of her. He seemed to have lost interest on her as well.
Dalila started to relax. Maybe it was a good occasion to tell him she was sorry. Yes, definitely it is. And Cobra had brought her coffee, which was already a step towards her.
Despite knowing that Cobra could hear her, which was making the conversation with him a little embarrassing for Dalila, she started speaking. "I can't really keep my nose under control."
Cobra tilted his head. Yes, he knew what she was going to say, but he wasn't antic- ipating one's words that often - thanks to Erza losing her temper after a couple of minutes when he was doing so.
"It is a dragon slayer thing. Like a sense which is more enhanced than usual." Dalila continued, hugging the cup with both hands. "It is not that I can filter what I smell. I do it, and the only thing I can do is keep my mouth shut about that."
Cobra nodded. He had to grant her that, that she was reserved. Well, she hasn't had the chance yet to exploit what she smells. But the poison slayer knew for a fact that she was not going to use her nose like he was using his Soul Hearing. Nope, her soul was all against that. Fucking damn against that. He knew how much people liked to spread around private information - like him - he had to admit that her had a small kernel of admiration for the wind slayer.
"I see." he said slowly.
"And I... I can't really control my magic really well, so..." Dalila coughed, "I am sorry what happened a few months ago... I... I had no idea I could do something like that."
Cobra stared at her. Dalila was caressing the steaming cup in her hands, and her fingers tracing its profile and her soul playing a distant melody, sad and quiet.
The poison slayer fidgeted on his chair. Dalila had no yet roused her diamond eyes to him, and before she could, he had to say something. Otherwise her stare, so pure and bright, might have him admitted things he had no intention to admit. Like for instance, that I have been a total dick, Snow White. And that he felt a little guilty for it.
"Trying to poison you was not one of my best ideas ever as well, probably." He said instead.
Dalila eyes snapped up on the poison slayer. Has he really said that? Am I deaf? Is this another trick? But no, there wasn't any trick, for once.
"So," she said hesitantly, still bewildered by the chance of path, "Are we good?" "I would say so."
Wow. thought the wind dragon slayer, taking a sip from her own cup, that has been easier than expected.
It was true that, as Warrod said to her some months ago, they were merely 'people who had to say sorry', but considering what they had fought about, what he heard about her, and what she heard about him, those words held a huge meaning. It was worth the four months of waiting.
"Don't think about that too much." Cobra huffed. He finished his coffee and rose.
Dalila hummed and smiled in her cup. "Mh-mh. Thanks for the coffee, Cobra."
He didn't say anything. Those diamond eyes, that he had been hating so much for no reason, were studying him with such care and curiosity, that he was tempted for a second to snap at her again.
But Cobra managed to control himself, and just nodded, turning to leave. Suddenly, a window shot open, and a strong, cool wind blew in the guild hall.
Dalila didn't even notice, but Cobra cursed inside himself for not having his coat with him. He was already halfway to the bar counter, asking himself when was Cubellios going to give him back his cleaned coat, when his nose caught something.
A gentle smell of tiny flowers, and cotton candy, and a snowy winter morning...
Fuck. He truly wanted to just turn and leave, but before he could control himself, he was already sniffing the air.
A sudden shiver passed trough him, and some sort of vertigo, like he was truly standing on the highest top of the tallest mountain in Fiore... Surrounded by a fuc- king storm!
And once again, that something he couldn't name. Something I have never ever fucking... How it is possible?
The door of the guild slammed violently, breaking him off his stupor. The voice of Macao boomed in the guild hall, followed by Romeo and Wakaba laughs.
Cobra stirred. He hadn't realised he had been standing still, with his eye closed. For how long? He move swiftly to the bar, back to his stool. Judging by the thoughts of the other guild members, he had been lost in his little world had been a second or two. Even closing my fucking eye... Like an idiot... What the hell was that?
Kinana placed the last plate inside the cupboard. "So, how was it?"
"Fucking done. You happy now, Cubellios?" hissed Cobra, gritting his teeth and glancing back at Macao and Romeo. The two had joined Dalila at her table, and Romeo had in mind to stop by a bakery on the way, since Dalila hadn't had time to have lunch.
"And you haven't even an hangover!" Chimed the boy. "You are a real slayer!"
"I am very happy!" Kinana winked, rubbing a glass until it was shining. "You two seemed to be having fun. You should have lunch together or something one day."
"Now, you are just being... crazy." Cobra chuckled and handed her his cup. He turned, and saw Dalila standing up and grabbing her cape and bag, Romeo jump- ing around the wind dragon slayer. Macao was already heading towards the door, shouting them to move.
From his table in the far corner of the guild, Gajeel gave a nod to Cobra and smirked. He was proud of the poison slayer. And of the wind dragon slayer as well.
Cobra nodded back to Gajeel, and turned back to Kinana. He found her smirking, with both brows raised. "Do you want to join-" "Do not finish that sentence, Cu, or I will poison you."
Kinana didn't but chuckle more. An empty threat, considering that once it was me poisoning you!
"Goodbye! We leave for a mission!" Romeo waved goodbye to the guild members.
Cobra huffed. The soul of the boy was chirping like a million of birds, and if from one hand Cobra wished them to go away for the sake of his hears, it was still some- thing pleasing to hear. That was not a bad move, Snow White... Hell, that I am thinking!
"See ya kid!" "Have a safe journey!" "See yous soon!" "Bye bye guys! Be back soon, do not destroy anything valuable!" Kinana waved them goodbye.
"We will do our best!"
"Hurry up, you two!" Macao yelled, keeping the door open for Romeo and Dalila.
On that moments, the cold wind once more entered in the guild hall from the open door. It went unnoticed by anyone else, but Cobra could fell again, clear as ever, the same gentle smell of before, the mixture of winter snow and flowers and candy, that let him with his mouth open and his only eye wide.
Was it possible, he asked himself once the three mages had closed the door behind them, that it was truly the wind dragon slayer the source of that heavenly scent?
Three days later, Pine Nut town...
"Please Macao, stand still..." "No!" "Dad, it will get only worse if you keep moving!" "I said no! I am perfectly fine!"
Dalila let out a defeated sigh. She looked at the nurse next to her with an apologetic look. "No worries, miss." he whispered. "We meet these kind of patients every day. Especially the older-" "Who have you just called old?"
They arrived at Pine Nut the evening three days ago and spent the next day hunt- ing the monsters that were destroying the crops. They were some kind of dwarfed, moving mandragora, hiding among plants and digging small tunnels in the soft ground around crops. It wasn't hard to hunt them if you had a dragon slayer nose with you, and not hard to send them away if you had some fire. The only problem was that, once discovered, they launch high pitched screams, and Dalila ended up almost deaf.
Despite the screams, in one day only Macao, Romeo and Dalila had successfully removed all the mandragora, and helped the townspeople spreading some fertiliser and traps to keep them distant for the rest of the year.
The peasants had been so happy that they had invited the mages to dine in the town inn, and had kept offering them some cider that was the local specialty of Pine Nut.
Dalila had taken a sip from her glass, and had felt her head spinning in an instant. Romeo had stolen her glass without his father noticing, but it was too strong for him, and his eyes had watered as soon as the alcohol had started burning in his stomach.
But Macao, he had drank in a way that could rival Cana. And despite Dalila and Romeo had bide him to pay attention, by the end of the evening he was dancing on the table but a bunch of drunken, happy citizens. That hadn't be a problem, of course, until the table broken down, and Macao found himself with a sprained an- kle.
The morning after, Romeo and Dalila had convinced him to go to the hospital for a quick check, and the doctor had told him to rest al least two days. "We do not have many patients at the moment. I suggest you to stay here, while your wife and child go back home. You will be well cared, sir, and the expenses are minimum." had said the doctor who visited him, filling in and signing some papers.
"Ehm, I am not his wife." Had grumbled Dalila. She was mad at Macao, for being so silly. He had literally just fell from a table. At Fairy Tail there were fights every five minutes, and the older mage had never ended up in the hospital!
And so there they were, Macao in a hospital bed, protesting and yelling to whoever was unlucky enough to pass by him, that he was perfectly fine and able to walk.
It came to a point when Dalila lost her patience. "Listen to me," she started, when the nurse had exited the room, "you got drunk, you fell from a table, and now you are staying in the hospital. End of the story!"
"I do not need any hospital nor doctor. And-" "Have your forgot that we have to cross the woods by feet to go back to Fairy Tail?" asked Dalila frowning. "Pine Nut is not connected by any bus or train. And I am not certainly piggy back riding to Magnolia."
"Well..." he muttered. Macao hadn't considered this. With a sprang ankle, it was go- ing to be painful to walk among rocks and bushed. And of course, how could he protect those two kids? "If someone attacks us in the woods, I would not be able to help..." he cleared his throat. "So, I guess, I will wait a couple of days."
"Yes dad." Romeo nodded from the other side of the bed. "It is for the best! You will recover in not time!"
"But only two days!" Macao raised his voice again. "No more!"
Dalila sighed in relief. And they said slayers are stubborn... she giggled, looking at Romeo and his father fighting over the fact that the boy had just called Macao his 'old man'.
"Watch you mouth, kid!" "You are old, dad! You twisted you ankle falling from a ta- ble" Romeo sneered.
"Now, now, you two stop fighting!" Dalila put a hand on Macao shoulder. "How about we have lunch with you Macao, and then we go and explore the city a little? We will be back for dinner!"
She really hoped Macao didn't get offended. He was ok, he only needed rest after all, and it was not like Romeo and her could stay in the hospital for the whole day. And even if they wanted, since Macao was not a serious case, they had visiting hours to respect.
Macao huffed. "Yeah, you two should order some lunch. I am starving!"
"I want fish and chips!" chirped Romeo, sprinting off from the room. "i have seen one in the street nearby! I will be back in an instant!"
Before one of the two adults could utter a word, he was already far away in the cor- ridor.
Dalila chuckled, and Macao huffed again. "That boy..." "He will be a great mage, Macao."
"Yeah, yeah... With such a father, of course he will be." smirked the fire mage.
Dalila leant back in the chair. Now that they had convinced Macao to stay in the hospital, she felt a little bit more relaxed. She didn't mind spending a couple of days in the town. It was a small, but cozy place. The inhabitants were mostly farmers, working in the crops and the grazing lands around the town. Romeo could come and sleep in her room for a couple of nights. She had a couch were she could move, and the boy could have taken the bed.
"Well, how was it?"
Dalila broke from her trance. "Uh?" she asked, looking questioningly at Macao.
"Your first job!" exclaimed the mage, waving his arms. "How was it?"
"Ah!" Dalila rose on her chair. "It was good!" she smiled. "Apart from the screams of the mandragora, I am happy!"
Macao smiled. The little personal mission Makarov had implicitly trusted him seemed to have been accomplished. "I know that for a dragon slayer maybe this work is not the best one, but for a start, you were not that bad!"
"Thanks! And I have got money! I can start to be a little more independent now - I do not want to rely on Makarov's kindness for too long."
"Ah, don't even think about that." Macao waved his hand. "You would have done the same for one of us, would he be in need, right?"
"Sure!" said Dalila. Was she going to host at her expenses Lucy, or Levy, or Erza, or any other of the Fairy Tail, if she or he would be in need? Yes, of course. "You know," she murmured in a low voice, "I have spent little time a Fairy Tail, and yes... I have thought about you all for the whole time I have spent away, and... And Fairy Tail is really a place were I wanted to return. It feels like..." Dalila gazed outside the window, looking for a word. "It feels like home."
Macao smiled. Definitively, mission accomplished. "I am glad to hear that. You know-" "I am back!"
Macao was interrupted by his son, bursting into the room with a big bag in his hands. The smell of fried chips entered Dalila's nose, and her stomach growled loudly.
"What! Do you think this is the appropriate way to enter a room, Romeo!" Macao yelled from his bed.
"Do you want you lunch or not, old man?" chuckled Romeo. Dalila snorted once more, as Macao grumbled that he was definitively not old!
Nighttime, Pine Nut town...
Before leaving the hospital, Dalila had made a call to Mira, telling her that they were ok, and that the job had been done, but that they were delaying their return be- cause of Macao twisted ankle.
"Oh, I am sorry!" Had said the barmaid, "Take care! Macao is incredibly stubborn, don't let him move until he is fully recovered!"
"No worries, Mira. Romeo and I convinced him to stay in bed for a couple of days." "Good, see you then!"
Then Dalila had called Lucy. She had already called her right after leaving Fairy Tail three days before. The Celestial mage was still on a hangover, but she was going to leave the next morning for a job Erza had just chose - after having dealt with her own hangover, of course!
"Congratulation, Dali-chan!" Lucy said happily. "But I am sorry for Macao. At the guild he never ends up at the hospital."
"I have no idea how he manage to hurt himself here." Dalila huffed. "But we will be good! I will see you soon!"
"Yep! come to me when you are back! Bye bye, say hi to Romeo!"
After that, Romeo and the wind dragon slayer had spent the whole afternoon wan- dering into the town.
They went up and down the main road, looking curiously at the shops with farmers utensils and equipment. One of the owners was a beekeeper, and he had invited them to visit the beehive under his care in a nearby field.
Dalila was not fond of bees - well, she was not fond of anything that was flying and had at the same time could stung and were poisonous, but Romeo had been so ex- cited at the idea, that she had not the courage to say no.
"See, now they are caring the larva." Was explaining the beekeeper, pointing at the hive. "And from here, we take the honey and the wax. Look, it looks like gold!"
"Yes, I see, yes..." Dalila was trying to keep her distance, and not looking too ner- vous as the bees danced around them. Romeo was inspecting the beehive, un- afraid of the dozens of insects around him.
"Scared of bees, miss?" asked the beekeeper with a smile. "There is nothing to worry! As I always said, when you are around bees you, if you feel something under your shirt going down it's a sweat drop, if it goes up, it's a bee!" and then he bursted into laugh.
Dalila had forced a laugh. But bees! No, I can't be around bees... They are so... Bees!
After the beehive, they had taken to route in between the farm, and had stopped to look at horses and cows. Despite being almost fourteen, Romeo was having the time of his life. And also Dalila was having fun, even if she preferred animals back in time when her nose was not so sensitive. But it's ok. She thought, scratching the head of a pony. Maybe for you I do stink just as much!
By the time they went back to the hospital, it was past seven o'clock.
When they came into Macao's room, they found him half asleep, with the newspa- per in a hand, and a half-finished mug of tea on his night table. He stirred and opened his eyes when Romeo closed the door behind them, and the smell of roast and vegetables that Dalila and Romeo just brought for dinner filled the room.
"Oh, hello, you two!" he yawned. "How are you? Had fun this afternoon?"
"We met a beekeeper, dad!" chirped Romeo. As the boy made a full account of their afternoon, they eat dinner, and after a couple of hours, the nurse came into the room, announcing it was time to leave.
"You can come back tomorrow, miss." said the nurse with a gentle smile, accompa- nying them to the exit door. "Goodnight!"
At the hotel, Dalila had a little trouble convincing Romeo in taking the bed, but in the end won the argument.
As soon as he was tucked under the bedsheet, Romeo fell asleep. Dalila could hear his even breath in the still air of the night. This boy is precious.
Before going to sleep, turned the lights off, and opened the window. Better eat something before sleeping.
Outside, the city was asleep. A few street lamps were lit the night, but the stars and the full moon were lighting the night, and for the dragon slayer it was as clear as midday. The cry of a nearby owl only could be heard,
The breeze was carrying the smell of hay and baked bread, and if Dalila concen- trated enough, she could hear the snorts of the sleeping animals, their slow breaths.
Dalila took a long breath, eating a little wind. She grimaced. Bleah! It was coming right from the stables, and if it was not bad, it was not tasty either. Tomorrow morning I will have a decent meal!
The night was so perfect and still, that without noticing, her mind started to wander.
A faint scent of blood reached her. She sniffed the air, but realised it was some little animal. The owl must have found its prey.
The scent was quickly carried away by the wind, but the smell woke up another memory, to the one and only person she had met that smelled like blood.
Blood, yes... But running blood. This time, it was different from the previous one. It was not the blood of his enemies, the blood of innocents who had been slaugh- tered. It was the blood of a living creature, running into arteries and veins. It was a smell that recalled her of a creature that had not surrendered to anything, that was fighting for his life.
And also, flowers... Tropical flowers... The warm and rich smell of a wild, hot forest, with black and fertile soil, mushrooms and strange climbing plants. A place were the wind was to fight his way down among the thick crown of the trees.
Cobra doesn't smell bad, actually. But it was a luck I didn't thought about the episode of the coat when I was talking to him a few days ago!
Dalila shook her head. I should stop worrying about him. He said we were ok, right? But the poison slayer was not there, so she felt free to let her thoughts wander as much as they wish. And he had brought her coffee, right? Well, maybe that was Ki- nana's idea, but he had agreed, after all.
Dalila closed the window, and forbade herself to think about that anymore.
As soon as she slipped under the duvet on the couch she had totally forgotten the poison dragon slayer and in less than a minutes she had drifted peacefully in dreamland.
The day after, at lunch time, Pine Nut hospital...
"I am not sure you should go, you two." was protesting Macao, glaring at his son.
"But dad, it is only one hour away!"
Macao glanced at the wind dragon slayer. "Well, if Dalila is ok with the train..."
Hearing the train mentioned, Dalila felt the smoked salmon she had just had for lunch swimming his way back from her stomach to her throat. "Oh, no, it is totally fine!" she swallowed.
After all, she also wanted to go. The Pine Springs were advertised everywhere in the town. That morning Dalila had seen a beautiful picture of a valley with a steamy spring, immersed among flowers and pines, and Romeo and her had decided it was worth a visit.
There was a train they had to catch to get there, but Dalila believed the hot springs were worth an hour or two of nausea.
Dalila had bought for them two swimsuit that morning, but that was a secret be- tween Romeo and her. "Otherwise dad will think we were sure that he will let us go! But he will be a nuisance for ten minutes, but he will let us go!" had chirped Romeo, as they entered the hospital with lunch. "Just let me handle it!"
And indeed, after exactly ten minutes, Macao nodded solemnly. "Fine, you two can go."
"Thanks dad!" bellowed Romeo, jumping on his feet. "We will be back before din- ner!"
"Wait, what did you-" "Let's go, Dalila-san! We can catch the first train if we run!"
Dalila hadn't time to answer that the boy seized her arm and dragged her outside the room, running as fast as he could towards the hospital exit.
"Bye dad! See you later!" were the last thing Romeo shouted before they ended up on the street.
"Rom-" "Let's go! This way, I remember the map!"
Dalila had no choice but to run after his young companion, meandering among pedestrians and carts.
Finally, the train station came into view. Dalila could heard the train whistle, and the conductor shouting everyone to get on board. "Run!" shouted Romeo. And Dalila did run.
They were at the binary, a few steps from the train, when the door started closing.
Romeo sprinted.
"Wait Romeo!"
Too late. The boy crashed heavily against the closed door, bunching back and ending up with his butt on the ground.
"Oh my Mavis, Romeo, are you ok?"
Dalila crouched next to him, but Romeo was already on his feet, looking angrily at the train as it started to move.
"Natsu would have crashed just the same as you." chuckled Dalila.
"Thanks." muttered Romeo. "But now we have to wait one hour before the other one passes!"
Dalila sighed. She was sincerely sorry, but there was no way they could have caught that train. "I am sorry, Romeo." said the wind dragon slayer, sitting on a bench at the binary. "Probably, neither flying from the hospital to-"
Dalila stopped. 'Flying', hu-uh?
Dalila eyed Romeo from head to toe. You must not be that heavy, right, little one?
The boy caught the wind dragon slayer stare. "Dalila-san?" he asked, "Are you mad because... because I made you run for nothing?"
Dalila's mouth twitched in a crooked smile. "No, Romeo, not at all."
Romeo looked warily as the wind dragon slayer neared him, bending down until their noses were almost touching.
"Can you keep a secret, Romeo?"
