Later that evening…
The dinner went well. Nothing had been destroyed, at least.
Natsu had tried to steal one of Cobra's sweets, but as the poison slayer had started during acid on the table, burning the tablecloth, the younger slayer had promptly stopped - maybe also because Erza had looked at them both with such a dark look, that none of them dared to try her patience.
After dinner, team Natsu had collected their full reward - much to Lucy's happiness - and had headed for the hotel.
Dalila was so tired that she would have tripped over her feet at every step, hadn't Lucy be guiding her by the hand.
Lucy that was, in the meantime, still protesting with Erza. It looked like the dinner had given her strength to voice her disappointment for the arrangement of the mission, and after having feared so much for her team mates, she was determined to give Erza no escape. The panicked look in Dalila eyes when she had destroyed the ceiling of the big cave, Wendy close to tears whit Charle fainted in her arms had been too much.
"What did I told you! Wendy and Dalila with Cobra outside, Natsu and I underground!" The Celestial mage said furiously.
"Yeah, I know..." The Requip mage shook her head, yawning and caressing her full belly - the waiter had truly brought Erza the whole menu! - "Next time I am going to listen to you, Lucy..."
"You better do!" Grunted the other girl. "The sky dragon slayer and the wind dragon slayer underground!"
"Lucy..."
"I could have used Virgo! Besides-"
"Cut that shit, Tinkerbell! You are making my ears bleeding."
Cobra's voice had the power to make Lucy close her mouth. It was of little use, since her soul was still screaming so loudly Cobra really believed his ears were going to bleed, but it was better than nothing. Tinkerbell has shitted in her pants when she saw those two coming out from the ground. Thought the poison slayer. She is still scared.
He was never going to admit it, but also he had had his heart skipping a beat when he heard the ground rumbling and shaking under their feet. The poison slayer had gone into a sort of frenzy state, in which he had stretched his Hearing magic to its limit, in the attempt to locate the other members of the team.
I am getting fucking attached to these idiots! He truly heated to admit it, but he had stopped to fight that feeling a while ago. He sighed dramatically. FIne. Let me become the fucking damn fairy I am doomed to be!
'Fucking damn fairy' or not, Cobra had internally sighed in relief when he had heard the barrier shielding his Soul Hearing breaking down, as the master was defeated, and the souls of the three girls screaming and roaring in his ears. First and last time I am happy to hear Tinùviel's soul. And the peep squeak, I have never heard her so fucking scared...
He glance at Wendy, who was walking at his side, supported by by Natsu. The little girl was really in a poor state, still shivering even after the nice dinner, covered in bruises and cuts as she was, and holding herself onto Charle, who had already fallen asleep. Look there. Thought the poison
slayer with a grimace. Not even the strength to heal herself. Maybe I should have had Tinkerbelll yelling at Titania a little more...
By the time they reached their hotel, Dalila was ready to collapse. Her left leg felt numb and hurting, and the long walk from the woods to the city had left her lumping visibly.
But better to lump than to take a cart! She thought, shivering at the idea of getting a hurting leg and motion sickness altogether. It's already bad as it is. Mavis, I feel so tired! I refuse to wake up before next week!
As they entered the hotel hall, Erza went immediately to speak with the receptionist, confabulating about something, while the woman behind the desk was eyeing their poor state with a wrinkled nose.
Dalila threw a glance at herself in one of the mirrors of the hall was disheartening. The reptionist is right... She thought, looking at her torn clothes, dirt with mud and grass. Now I understand why Lucy wears lo little clothes all the time... What's the point of dressing if clothes end up in this state? Thank Mavis I have seen a washing machine in my hotel room. I definitively need a shower before bed. I think I have never been that dirty.
Erza said one last thing to the receptionist, and then walked back to the rest of the team. "Alright, team Natsu!" She bellowed. "I knew today was a hard day! We deserve a solid night of sleep! We will meet here tomorrow morning, to go back to Magnolia. But cheer up!" Erza puffed out her chest with a big smile. "For tomorrow morning I have ordered pancakes!"
"Pancakes?" Natsu brightened up instantly. "Are you happy, Wendy?" Wendy, who Natsu was piggy-back riding, smiled faintly. "Yes, Natsu-san... But first, sleep please!"
"Yeee!" Chanted Happy. Gray nodded. "Nice idea."
"Good!" Erza smiled satisfied. "Now, each of us in their room! We will take a day rest tomorrow." She interjected a glower from Lucy. "And next time I am going to listen to Lucy!"
Mumbling happily at the thought of the pancakes the next morning, the team walked up to the stairs to their respective rooms. Dalila hissed in pain when her leg protested at each step.
"Are you alright, Dali-chan?" Asked Lucy kindly.
"Yes." Muttered Dalila in between gritted teeth. She felt her leg pulsing under her jeans. "It's just my left leg. It's not sprained or anything. Just hurting a little."
"Do you want me to check?" Wendy from Natsu's back.
Dalila shook her head. Asking Wendy was out of question. Wendy is too tired to take care of me. "Don't you worry!" She tried to smile. "I am good. A shower and a good night of sleep should do!"
Once on their floor, they bid each other goodnight. Dalila walked to her room, and before anything, she rushed in the bathroom, taking away her clothes and throwing them in the washing machine, ready for her much-yearned shower.
But when she took off her trousers, she had a bad surprise.
This... This doesn't look good! She thought, looking at her naked body in the mirror. And it didn't look good indeed.
Her left leg, the one that had been pulsing and hurting all the way back from the woods, was slashed in the middle by a large, bloody scrape, going form the top of her tight to her calf.
Must have been when I dragged Wendy and Charle out of the cave... there were rocks falling from every part... I guess I was too scared afterwards to think about it... She thought, touching carefully the sides of the abrasion. They were red and hot, and hurt like hell when the wind slayer brushed against them.
"Now I see why it was pulsing so much!" Dalila groaned to her reflex. What do I do now?
Well, she could start by doing a shower anyway. Maybe using cold water it won't hurt so much.
And it will wash the wound, in any case...
Easier said than done.
First of all, moving jumping on one leg and doing a shower proved to be more difficult than expected. Second, every time soap fell accidentally on the open wound, Dalila felt her eyes start tearing. And third, the water had washed away the ground and the dirt from the wound, but it had also made it bleed again.
And how much it was bleeding!
I need to do something about this! Thought Dalila, putting on some underwear, careful not to touch the bleeding scratch.
At the reception must have some kind of aid kit! Thought the wind slayer, jumping on one leg out of the bathroom, towelling rope tightly tied over herself. But I can't put on clean clothes for now! Maybe I can I go to the reception wearing only the towering robe?
She debated the option for a while, but she had to act quickly. The leg was bleeding more and more, and the more Dalila moved around the room, the more the wound was pouring blood.
Dalila groaned frustrated, looking down at her leg. "Is it supposed to bleed so much?"
The question was rhetoric, and Dalila didn't expect anyone to answer. However, an annoyed voice sounded from behind the closed door of her bedroom. "No, it's fucking not supposed to bleed, Snow White."
Dalila almost tripped on the carpet. "Cobra?!"
"The one and only." Mused the voice. "Do you want this fucking aid kit or not?"
"Yes! Yes please!" Dalila rushed to the door - well, if hopping on one leg can be considered 'rushing'.
She opened the door. Whoah, it is truly Cobra! With the first aid kit in one hand.
"It was in my bedroom." He growled. "And that-" he pointed to her bleeding leg. "it's not the best to jump around with. I am not coming dragging your ass around again."
"Yes, sure! Thank you." Dalila tended her hand, but the poison slayer lifted the aid kit above his head, out of her reach.
"Ehi!" Protested Dalila. "Give it to me!"
Cobra ignored her. "Do you know how to medicate yourself?" He asked flatly.
"Of course I do!" Grunted Dalila, one hand holding the towel, the other stretched out, trying to grasp the aid kit.
The poison slayer weighted her for a few seconds, then sighed. "Fucking never applied a bandage... You really lived the merry life, didn't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Clearly you have never bandaged anyone." Groaned the poison slayer. "Not even yourself - which is far more difficult than doing it to someone else. Move now. I am going to do it."
Dalila sucked in air. "I am not-"
"You are not protesting, or I am going back to my room with this fucking aid kit, and let you bleed to death." Hissed the poison slayer, gesturing her to move from the door. "You have one second to decide."
Embarrassed to be babied like a five years old, Dalila moved aside, letting the dragon slayer step in her room. But then, she blocked.
"Wait!" She grunted, hands grasping the hem of her towelling rope. I am not going to be cured with only a towel on myself! It's indecent!
"Don't waste your time making yourself pretty for me." Cobra groaned, throwing the first aid-kit on the bed. "And I have already seen you in that sexy maid outfit in Hargeon, so there nothing 'indecent' about how you are dressed now."
"The... what?"
"Aww, Tinùviel." Cobra cooed. "You think old Yijima dressed up your pretty fairies for nothing?" Cobra still remembered Dalila's elegant legs and her tiny waist wrapped in the black dress, but he kept that to himself. "Now sit down, before I decided you are not worth my time."
Always a gentleman! Grunted Dalila in her head, but she hopped to her bed and sat. "Well..."
"Don't sweat it." Cobra chuckled. "As long as I don't get a shot of your cookie jar, we are good."
Dalila deadpanned. "My what?"
Cobra raised his gaze from the first-aid kit he had opened on the bed. His lips quivered in a dangerous smile. "You want me to be more specific?"
"No!"
"Sure?" Cobra tone was casually studied so that Dalila got as much embarrassed as possible. "You don't want me to update you? After all, you have missed a good deal of progress in terms of language and habits..."
"I am good!" The wind slayer waved her hands in front of her, before rushing closing her towelling rope in front of her chest.
Cobra put the kit on the ground, and went kneeling in front of the wind slayer. "In any case, if you wanted to..."
"I said I am good!" "... Show me your cookie jar..." "Cobra!" "... I will not be offended."
"Just stop!" Sighed Dalila. "Anyway, thanks for your help." She said after a little while. "I was going to the reception dressed like this, you know."
"It would have been a sight to see." Mumbled the poison slayer. His smile flashed in the light of the room. "You have pretty legs."
"Yes, in fact-wait what?"
Cobra roared with laugher. "So damn afraid of a shitty figure with the receptionist... I could be
dropping a bomb and you wouldn't even notice!"
Dalila felt her face suddenly grow terribly hot and red. And the fact that the poison slayer was kneeling in front of her, in what could have been a seriously compromising position hadn't she been wearing her underwear, was of no help.
You are doing this on purpose just to embarrass me! Protested Dalila in her head, so shocked she couldn't utter a word. Speaking like that to a lady!
"You are not wrong." Murmured Cobra, examining carefully her and the measuring with his eye the bandage he just cut. He decided it was of the right length. His eyes darted upwards, meeting the diamond ones of the girl. "I enjoy see their embarrassment. And you, Tinùviel, always so controlled and polite, are now really a sight to see!"
"It's not funny." Hissed Dalila.
"It is." Cobra finally opened the aid kit, tearing off his purple eye from the diamond ones of the wind slayer. "Even Tinkerbell loses her shit sometimes."
"I do lose my patience, poison dragon."
Cobra rolled his eye, examining the content of the aid kit. "No doubt. Now shut up, and make me work."
Inside the first aid kit there were bandages neatly folded, some disinfectants and packs of cotton, and plasters of several colors.
Cobra took some cotton and split it into half. "Here. Disinfect the tight." He poured some disinfected over the two pieces of cotton, and without a second glance to her, he started cleaning the wound open in her calf.
Dalila looked over at her tight, wiping with a hem of the towel away the blood that was trailing down to her knee. When to cotton touched the wound, she hissed and flinched. It burns!
She tried again, slowly and delicately, getting used to the pain quickly. In a few minutes, the wound was cleaned and disinfected. It was also bleeding less.
"Good." Cobra grunted, throwing the cotton dirty with blood on the floor. "Now stay still."
Dalila looked at him as he carefully unfolded the bandage, and started wrapping carefully Dalila's calf with it.
She saw him working, with precise and small movements of the hand, applying the bandage like he had done nothing for his whole life.
And his hands, Dalila realised, were kindly holding her, without touching the open wound, light as feathers.
It made a strange view to see Cobra busy in this activity, when his whole arms could be covered in scales, and on top of each fingertip he could grow in an instant claws that poured several kind of deadly poisons.
It was like he was afraid to touch her.
"Actually, Snow White, I have never seen a soul be so fucking embarrassed in my whole life." Cobra glance up at her. "I perfectly know that back in time, you in your panties wouldn't be seen by any man"
Dalila rolled her eyes. Yes, she was a little embarrassed, but Cobra was doing her a favour, and she didn't want him to know. But of course, he is listening to me.
"Not my fault." Cobra snorted, passing carefully the band around the knee. "Had I ever told you you are fucking loud?"
Dalila press her lips together, trying not to laugh. Cobra's touch, for light as it was, was tickling. "You might have mentioned it sometime."
Cobra smirked. "And hopping around like a fucking dying rabbit marvellously enhances it."
"A dying rabbit you said?" Protested Dalila, looking as the poison slayer tightened the gauze, proceeding up to her tight. "You make it sound terrible!"
"Dying from a painful death." Sighed dramatically Cobra. "And willing to make the whole world know about its suffering!"
Dalila stretched slightly back, giggling, eyes running over the poison slayer profile. "You really have a coloured imagination."
How soft is his touch. Was she thinking almost mindlessly at the same time. It didn't seem the same person that had drunk the whole bottle of heavy liquor at dinner, nor the snarling, unfriendly personage sitting always at the same stool in the guild hall. He looks more... Normal.
Like fucking shit! Was thinking Cobra. Normal my ass...he was trying to concentrate on the task at hand, ignoring Tinùviel's thoughts. But it was easier said than done. This scent...
So close to her exposed skin, Cobra could feel Dalila's sweet, fresh scent like he had never done.
It's truly like fucking wind... It's like being not he top of a fucking mountain... I swear... It's like being on drugs.
And that sweet note of tiny flowers, was making it just flowery enough to be just perfect.
What the hell... Cobra felt his cheeks getting hot. Luckily he was keeping his head down as he worked, and with his brown skin Dalila would have never noticed it.
But he felt burning, anyway, and he didn't like it one bit.
Suddenly Dalila sniffed the air. Her nose had detected something that wasn't there before. What's this smell... Like caramel burning on a hot hot fire, under a starry night in the desert. It's sweet... But also... It was like the breath of the sea. Salty, and tasty, and furious and juicy.
"Cobra, have you smelled this?" She asked, looking around. "It wasn't here a moment ago..." Where is it coming from? She asked herself, sniffing more. I want to know!
The poison slayer bit his lower lip. But Dalila kept sniffing, and he didn't want her to find herself. "That happens to be my smell, Snow White."
"What?" Dalila almost jumped on the bed, but she recomposed quickly. "Uhm, alright, alright... Thanks for telling me!"
Cobra was bandaging her tight now. The combination of what she knew was his scent, and his hands carefully touching her skin, wasn't idea, to say the least.
I thought he had a different smell... Well, actually, every time it is different...
"Careful of what you think, Snow White." He chuckled darkly. "I am still tempted to plug one of those pretty eyes out of your face." Right, Snow White. I don't fucking like that you like it. Damn, I don't like that I like it either!
When he saw the sudden annoyance spreading on Dalila's soul, Cobra put a hand to his heart, faking a gasp. "What? You not happy? Didn't you just said I looked unfriendly?"
Dalila laughed. "You have a peculiar way of making friends." No, she wasn't going to take his threat seriously. Not that night. He can be fun when he wants to be.
She felt strangely safe in his hands - maybe because he was smelling better than usual? Or it was because when he was disinfecting her, he had been so light and delicate she hadn't even realised it?
"Oh, but it's not to humor you." He tightened the bandage on her tight, finally closing it. "I truly wish I could plug one of your pretty eyes."
Dalila stung her tongue out.
"Well, it's done." The poison slayer was on his feet again, looking down at the bandaged leg. "At least, it will stop bleeding."
"Wow! You are also a doctor?" Dalila admired the work. To her, it was remarkably well done. "Thanks!" She yawned. She felt extremely tired. "I would never be able to do it myself."
Cobra chuckled. "This is why I was here. Now, I won't suggest you to go under the bedsheets. The bandage wouldn't survive the night."
Dalila yawned again. She threw herself on the duvet. "Alright. Ii'll just sleep here."
Cobra blinked at her. "As you wish." He said slowly, stupefied at the rapidity with which the wind slayer was drifting to sleep.
He was about to leave the room - he could hear the soul of the wind slayer already fa away from reality - when she called him.
"Cobra?"
He turned, and saw her sheepishly looking at him from he bed. "What?"
Dalila made a sleepy smile. "Thanks."
The poison slayer raised an eyebrow. "And..."
"And yes, could you give me one of the blankets that are in the wardrobe?" Dalila giggled. "Sorry. I am too tired to get up."
And you don't want to ruin my work, Tinùviel! Groaned the slayer in his head. But he walked to the wardrobe Dalila had painted at, and opened it.
"There are no blankets up here." He groaned, looking inside, and finding the wardrobe empty. "You must have been dreaming already."
No answer came from the girl in the bed. When he turned, Cobra saw that Dalila had already fallen asleep.
The poison slayer rolled his eye. She is going to get freaking cold this way.
He thought for a moment, then exited Dalila's room. He came back a minute later with a thick blanket folded in his arms.
"This is the blanket I used last night, Snow White." He grunted, throwing it on the top of the sleeping woman. "Hope you don't mind too much."
Dalila made no answer.
I didn't like that blanket anyway. Thought the poison slayer, as he turned off the lights and left.
The morning after...
She was a dragon, and that was her nest.
And what a nest it was! Cozy and soft, like she wanted, and smelling wonderfully.
She adjusted a little bit in the nest, and as she moved, a whiff of the smell of sea and desert came to her nostrils. She inhaled deeply, and sighed contented.
She liked that scent, speaking of starry nights, far lands, rich tropical flowers. It was salty and sweet at the same time, and sometimes is reminded her of caramel, other times of strange spices she had never tasted. But the smell was enough for her to taste, and she happy like that. She didn't need anything else, as long as the nice smell stayed with hers.
Oh, it wasn't her smell! Her smell was different, like the snow and the winter, like small flowers blooming in a cold dawn, like the wind that blew on the caps of mountains. Her smell was sweet and delicate, while this scent she liked so much was strong and diverse.
She, the dragon, rolled in her nest, basking in that smell she liked so much.
The nest wouldn't be the same without it. If the smell hand't be there, she would abandon it, in search of the smell. The smell was speaking of home, somehow, and she didn't mind cosiness or softness as long as it remained with her.
But wait, there was someone, outside the nest, shouting... Who was there? "Dalila, wake up this instant!"
"Quit trying, Erza! It's useless!"
Erza gritted her teeth. "It's fifteen minutes I am calling her, she hasn't moved an inch! How is that possible... Dalila, wake up!" The Requip mage screamed in the dragon slayer's ear, but to no avail. Dalila frowned, turned her head to the other side, an a moment later she was snoring peacefully again...
"Lucy, I am beginning to lose my temper..."
Lucy waved her hands in front's of Erza's face. "Right, then it's time to go to breakfast then!"
"We can't go without-" "I will wake her up!" Offered Lucy. "I am sure in a few minutes we will be downstairs."
Erza grimaced, shot a glare in Dalla's direction, but then surrendered. "Ok then. But I give you five minutes. Then I am coming up here again, and this time I won't be gentle!"
She marched out of the door, and a couple of seconds later Lucy heard her voice booming in the kitchen. The Celestial mage sighed in relief, and turned to the wind slayer.
"I can't believe you are a dragon slayer!" She chuckled. "With all this noise, you would be up by now... Come on Dali-chan, wake up!"
The voices were gone now. She, the dragon, huffed, and a small cloud of smoke exited from her nostrils.
What impudence! Disturbing her in her own nests! Those voices had better to be careful... she was a dragon, and wasn't taking lightly invasions of her nest.
She was ready to sleep again, but right when she was about to lose consciousness, something started disturbing her again and she, the dragon, growled soundly.
"Dali-chan!" Lucy was shaking Dalila lightly. Well, maybe not so lightly. "Stop growling at me and wake up! Erza will be here in minutes!"
Someone coughing made her suddenly jump. She turned, and saw Cobra leaning on the doorframe.
"You are not a dragon slayer, but I was pretty noisy this time, Tinkerbell." Cobra raised an eyebrow.
"You scared me!" Panted the Celestial mage. "I thought it was Erza!"
"Wendy is distracting her, but it won't be for long." Cobra glanced at the wind dragon slayer, still
sleeping wrapped in the blanket. His blanket.
The poison slayer sighed. "Go downstairs, tell the monster I am taking Snow White ass down for
breakfast."
Lucy glanced in Dalila's direction. Cobra waking Dalila's up? "Cobra, are you-" "Flame brain is almost finishing your pancakes, you know."
Lucy sprinted out of the room. "Cobra, promise me you won't poison her... Natsu, don't you dar eating my pancakes!"
Cobra chuckled when she heard Lucy bursting int he breakfast room, just in time to see Natsu munching the last bit of pancake. "Sorry, Tinkerbell... Should have told you sooner maybe..." he said to the silent room. "Well, now let me take care of you..."
There was silence now, and no one was shaking her. She, the dragon, rolled in her nest, breathing heavily the wonderful scent that surrounded her.
The scent was enough to calm her and put her in a good mood again. She wasn't growling anymore.
Maybe now would have been able to enjoy her nest and maybe taking a nap?
"A nap? I don't think so." Cobra snorted. He neared the bed and studied the sleeping form, entangled in his blanket. "It's nine in the morning, Tinùviel... Time to wake up!"
Nothing happened. Well, it was true that Cobra hadn't yelled nor touched her. I have touched you Tinùviel a lot more than I wanted last night... I am fucking done for the rest of my life, thank you very much. No, he was simply waiting for Erza to come up again and enjoy a little show after breakfast. What we travel with the monster for, otherwise!
But he was enjoying so much the connection Dalila was made between her own dream and the other word, that he couldn't resist. "Tinùviel... Wake up!"
She growled. Another voice! How daring! Hadn't the first two told everyone that she was a dragon and was in her nest and wanted to take a nap and not be disturbed for any reason?
But the voice kept calling her, and she growled again. Until... Until her nose detected the same scent of her nest.
Then, her heart started to beat faster. Oh, what a surprise! Was this last voice connected with the wonderful smell surrounding her?
"Oh, for fuck's sake..." Cobra snorted, leaning closer to the sleeping bundle. "You like my smell, Tinùviel?"
She was hearing he voice again, and this time it was close enough for her to confirm that yes, it was exactly the same smell of her nest.
What a wonderful news! Has the voice asked maybe if she liked the smell. She, the dragon, nodded vigourously. Of course she was! Wow wouldn't have?
Cobra saw amused Dalila nodding in her sleep. "Well, I know a lot of people who might disagree, Tinùviel." He chuckled. "Come on, or you won't find any breakfast downstairs..."
She had to reach the voice, wherever it was. It didn't matter. If the voice and the smell where a single thing it...
And besides, she, the dragon, considered, it was a nice voice. Deep and husky, sounding like music in her ears.
She growled, pleased to know that such a beautiful voice and the wonderful smell where so strictly connected. But after all, she reflected, it couldn't be otherwise...
And talking about breakfast! That too was too inviting to resist. She felt her stomach growl soundly.
A beautiful smell, and a beautiful voice speaking about breakfast... What could she ask more?
The poison slayer chuckled again. "You like my voice as well? You are flattening me, Tinùviel. But I fucking bet you like it only because I am talking about food."
He saw Dalila moving int he blanket, rolling to face him. She wrinkled her nose, sniffing, and smiled, mumbling something.
Cobra stood still for a few moments, waiting for her to open her eyes. Tinùviel is going to have a damn heatstroke when she sees me here... He chuckled darkly to himself. Next time the learns to oversleep...
But then a delicate scent of a winter morning reached this nose. Winter morning, the the wind blowing on a soft blanket of snow, candy floss, and tiny flowers.
Before even realising it, Cobra flared his nostrils, taking in as much as he could. Shit if it smells good... No wait, I don't fucking like it!
"Tinùviel, wake the fuck up!" He growled angrily. "And don't distract me with the smell of... of candy floss!"
Usually Dalila's smell was balanced, but in the morning the note of candy floss was predominant. I shouldn't have such a sweet tooth. Thought the poison slayer, sighing, and, despite everything, taking a big breath. "You too smell too sweet for your own good..." he mumbled, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth.
He took another deep breath, then another one. What the hell am I doing! "Tinùviel, fucking wake up!"
"Eeek! Oh my Mavis, what happened?" Dalila's eyes shot open, and she raised from the blanket all at once. "What's going on? Are we attacked or-ouch!"
"Fuck!"
Cobra wasn't expecting such an outburst of energy. He hadn't realised he was leaning very close to the wind slayer, inhaling her scent - he hated to admit, he liked it a little bit... ok, maybe more than a little bit!
When Dalila had raised so suddenly, he hand't had time to move, and their heads collided midair, with a loud 'stock'.
"Ehi! There is no need to head-butt me so early in the morning!" Dalila frowned, massaging her forehead. "There are nicer ways to wake up someone, you know!"
Massaging his own head, Cobra blinked. "We have been fucking call you for-never mind!" Then he smirked. "You were having a nice dream?" He asked, with his eye glinting maliciously.
Dalila yawned. "Yeah... I guess it was pretty good." She tried to remember. She had dreamt to be a dragon, in her nest, and that the nest had a nice smell... And then some voices started to call me...
"A nice smell, uh?" Cobra chuckled.
"Yes." Dalila sighed. "It was nice."
"Has it occurred to you where have you slept tonight?"
The wind slayer looked around her. "My bed?"
"The blanket, Snow White." Cobra snorted. "Here. Smell it." He took a hem of the blanket that was all around the wind dragon slayer, and put it under her nose. "Here you go, the 'wonderful smell' of you 'nest'!"
Dalila studied and then carefully sniffed the blanket. "I don't..." then she froze. Cobra's hand, so close to her nose, had the same identical smell of...
"Oh!" Dalila felt a sudden heat raise to her cheeks. She had no courage to lift her eyes and look at the poison dragon slayer, but she could practically feel him smirking above her. "I... I assume you are right..." she murmured. I have never been more embarrassed in my whole life.
"I take it as a compliment, you know..." cooed the poison slayer. "It will be our little secret." He was not going to tell that he had taken a few deep breaths of the wind dragon slayer. No, not even under torture. Lahar could lock me up in prison again, this is something I am never going to confess.
Seeing Dalila getting red was about to become even better than her smell, but a furious cry coming from the kitchen came to same the poor girl.
"I am going to wake up that sleepy dragon, no matter what!"
"You know, Tinùviel, the monster had been shouting in your ears for half an hour and you hand't
budge." Cobra smirked. "If she knew my smell was enough to wake you up..."
"I woke up because you were talking to me!" Grunted Dalila, getting more red in the face. Damn,
Cobra and his Soul hearing magic!
The poison slayer nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, you are right. And you found also my voice pretty nice..."
"What?"
"No fucking joke."
"Dalila, I am coming right there!"
"This is not true!" Hissed Dalila, frantically working herself out of the blanket, realising on that moment she was wearing only a towel and her panties, and hoping no one had noticed.
"Oh, it is indeed." Chuckled the poison slayer. "I am not going to tell anyone if you promise you will keep your pretty mouth closed upon that." He pointed the bandage on Dalila's leg.
"Ah." Dalila looked down at her leg. She had forgot that Cobra had been there helping her the previous night. "But-"
"No but." Grunted the poison slayer with a grimace. "I don't want this fucking bunch of merry-go- round crazy to think I am a fucking nice person. Because I am not!"
Leaving Dalila baffled, he exited the room in big strides, just in time to meet Erza halfway in the corridor.
"I tried everything, but Snow White is still sleeping..." Dalila heard him saying in a dolent voice. "We are in your hands, Titania. You don't want to miss the train, rigth?"
"What? I am taking care of her!" And before Dalila could protest, she found herself dodging a huge sword that had come flying in the room.
The night, at night, Fairy Hills...
After Dalila had woken up - and dodged the swords thrown by Erza - the whole team had come back to Fairy Tail.
It was good that the wind slayer had not had any time to get some breakfast, because the ride in the train had been terrible. Natsu had had too many pancakes, and had ended up throwing up on Lucy, who had then refused to stroke his hair. The poor fire dragon slayer was barely able to walk after they got out of the train in Magnolia.
Lucy had gone straight home to change herself, disgusted and stinky of dragon's vomit.
Cobra had looked quite distressed too, and he and Wendy had opted to change wagon at the first station.
Wendy and Charle had joined right out of the train station, but the poison slayer had disappeared. "He said he was tired, and went home." Had explained Wendy.
"He had said we was tired of us all." had pointed out Charle with a huff.
Well, who can blame him... Dalila, now alone in her room, glanced at her right leg. He had been up half of the night to help me...
She had almost forgotten it was there. Before entering the guild to confirm to Mirajane that the mission had been successfully completed, Dalila had taken the bandage off, and Wendy had healed her leg. It was now normal, with no sign of the previous scratch.
At the guild, Erza, Gray, Wendy and Charle and her had eaten, and then each of them had gone for their own way for the rest of the day. Erza had ordered to meet the morning after, to pick up another mission from the board.
Dalila had spent the rest of the afternoon alone in her room. Being with the team was super nice, and she just loved it, but she felt she needed some 'me-time'.
Sometime to think about how I feel... If I am alright...
One of the advices Warrod had given her once was to take some pause from the rest of her friends once in a while.
"You are one of the most solar souls I know," had told her the Wizard Saint, "but also the sun goes to sleep during the night. To have balance, once must do like him: be out in the day, warm and bright, and retire some other time."
I guess tonight is a good time to retire. Chuckled Dalila to herself. I bet at the guild there will be some kind of party, like every night... But I really don't feel up to it...
She had been lying in her bed, looking at the ceiling, and seeing it slowly turning dark as the sun went down. It was October, and the days were short and cold.
Dalila got up and went to the window, opening the flyings and looking down to the city.
From up the hill, Magnolia was beautiful. The tiny houses were enlighten by the lamplights, and several windows were dotting the bluish profile of the city. The sky was of a deep blue, and the moon was raising on the horizon. Already some stars were dotting the sky.
It is really a beautiful night. Thought the wind dragon slayer, admiring the mood rising. "You look very much content." A voice had sounded right next to her.
The wind slayer jumped surprised, but she had already a smile on her face. "Mavis!" She cried, seeing the ghost sitting on the windowsill next to her. "It's so good to see you!"
The First smiled brightly. "It's good to see you too!"
Dalila had not seen Mavis since that last conversation they had before she and Cobra had their fight. It was months ago... Realised the wind slayer. I wished I could give her a hug... I have missed her.
Mavis was looking down at her with a kind smile. "Well?" She giggled. "You are staring at me like you have seen a ghost."
"Do I?" Dalila laughed, but then just smiled. "I wished I could hug you. I was hoping to see you sooner."
Mavis shook her head. "I can't appear outside the guild. This is the farthest I can get. And you have been out quite a lot." She winked. "So, how is work going? And how did you find Warrod this summer?"
Oh, I thought she could appear everywhere she wanted! Thought Dalila. "I found Warrod... Old." She said then. "But his spirit has stayed young. Hadn't it be for the wrinkles, I would have thought no time had passed for him. And his magic has increased immensely." Dalila thought back at some of the things Warrod had shown her. "Yes, incredibly. He is one thing with his magic."
Mavis nodded. "He is not a Wizard Saint for nothing. I am glad to know you have found him well."
"And also... I think it did me good." Dalila caressed the windowsill with her hands. "A lot, in fact. I needed some time to adjust myself to the new world."
Again, Mavis nodded. "Yes, that is right." She glanced an oblivious look in the dragon slayer direction. "And you spoke with Cobra?"
The question came abrupt, and took Dalila a little off guard. She had to think a second to recall what she had Cobra had said.
"Yes, we talked..." she said slowly. "We are fine now." She thought back at the night before, when he had come to her won room to bandage her leg. "In fact, for now is going well. I am in his team, we are collaborating. Not that we are great friends..."
"I see." Mavis eyes run over the sleeping city. "Cobra is not an easy person... But behind that appearance, I see a man who had always had to fight to survive... And that thinks he still has to fight."
Dalila weighted mavis words. She is right. As always.
Also to her Cobra un-trusty and un-friendly looked to her more like a facade than anything else, but she had never dared to think about it. Or maybe I think it, but I am not realising it. In any case, she didn't want to risk to anger the elder slayer again. She tried to keep her place around him, not minding him much if she could.
"What are you thinking about?" Mavis murmur sounded in the stillness of the night.
Dalila shrugged. "Just that you are right. But I don't want to make any false step with Cobra... We are good as we are, and that's all that matters."
"Mh-mh." Mavis nodded. "Alright."
They stayed in silence for a while, admiring the moon and the city. Dalila inhaled the breezy air. "It is a beautiful night."
"It is indeed." Echoed Mavis. "You said Warrod is a sole thing with his magic... You know how he managed to do so?"
"No. I have never thought about it." Dalila turned to the ghost.
"It's not hard, in some sense. And much easier than one would think." Mavis winked. "You must do it everyday, in every occasion he has. Even the time that seems lost, will not be. And even if one is not gifted, one can become skilled."
"Oh." Dalila nodded to himself. "I see."
"Why don't you go and have a little flight?"
"Now?" Dalila snorted. "I don't think... I am a little tired, in fact..." but her gaze was lingering on the dark profile of the city, and on the trees. The wind came to her, and she had a mouthful. It's such a beautiful night...
"Yes, maybe it's not a bad idea, after-Mavis?"
Dalila looked around. Where has she gone? The ghost was nowhere to be seen.
Dalila leaned over the windowsill. The wind blew, bringing her the thousand smells of the city. She smiled.
What if...
The wind blew more, inviting her to join him in his run.
The wind dragon slayer chuckled. After all, why not? It is such a beautiful night...
She jumped on the windowsill, and a moment later, she had thrown herself in the night, flying around Fairy Hills, encircling the hill, and the raising up above the roofs.
An owl hooted when she passed too close to him.
"Sorry!" laughed Dalila, raising a little more. It was cold, but she didn't feel it. She didn't mind.
All that counted was the wind singing around her, a new music to her ears, and the city, beautiful as she had never seen it, extending below her like a deep dark sea.
More or less at the same moment, Fairy Tail guild hall.
The guild hall was empty now. It was late in the evening, and everyone had already gone home. It was one one of those rare evenings when Kinana found herself alone in the large room. The Master was up in his study, and Mirajane had left an hour ago.
The barmaid was polishing some glasses, enjoying the silence and the calm, so seldom in that crazy family that was Fairy Tail.
Suddenly, the door opened and a figure stepped inside the room.
Kinana lifted her eyes from the cup she was cleaning, and smiled broadly. "Ah Erik! Here you are!"
"Hello Cubellios."
Erik entered the employ hall. He didn't look surprised to find nobody. After all he knew. That's the exact reason why I had come so late.
"What brings you here lo late?" Kinana went back polishing the cup. "I know tomorrow morning you guys have to meet with Erza for a new mission."
Erik huffed. "Don't tell me. If Titania doesn't give us a fucking break, next time I am locking my ass to my bed."
"Oh my my!" I have rarely heard you swearing so much in one sentence! Kinana snorted. "You look tired." She said. "Some whiskey might make you feel better?"
Erik tilted his head, smiling and making his sharp canines visible. "S'il tu plait, Cubellios..."
Yes, a strong drink is right what I need. He thought, looking as Kinana took a small glass from a cupboard and filled it. "Merci."
"De rien." Chuckled Kinana. "So, what brings you here so late in the night? Was the last mission difficult?"
Erik savoured the whiskey. It was bitter and dry - he was taking without ice. Refreshing. Thought the poison slayer. Right what I needed.
He let a few minutes pass, before he took into consideration Kinana's question.
"The mission? Ah, the usual. Actually Titania had made a shitty plan... We had been close to lose Snow White and the little one... And once of the cats, of course."
"Oh, really?" Kinana frowned. "How come?"
Erik summarised briefly how things had gone. "Tinkerbell had a better idea, but she needs to speak up more. She's fucking smart, and she doesn't even realise it. Which makes me think she is not smart at all."
"Come on, Erik!" Kinana smiled softly. "Don't be so hard with Lucy. You know how it is with Erza." "She is fucking stubborn! And short-sighted, sometimes."
"She is so rooted in her ideas because she feels responsible for you all." Said Kinana. "And transmitting strength is her way to keep the team united and strong. She is a good leader, you can't deny it."
"She is, but she should listen fucking more to others. Sending the runt and Tinùviel down there!" Erik clicked his tongue, and took another sip of whiskey. "How stupid. It's a miracle they made it out of there."
Kinana glanced in his direction, with a hint of surprise in her big, green eyes. "You were worried Cobra?"
"Me?" Erik grunted. "Fucking not!"
But he knew it was pointless. Cubellios managed always to understand even the feelings we was denying himself.
He drank another gulp from the glass, emptying it by half. Damn. He felt the alcohol run in his throat, and his body already starting to absorb it.
"Ok, I was. A little."
"Well, it's normal. They are your team mates! You don't have to be angry at yourself for that, Erik."
"I am not angry." Erik passed a hand in his hair. "I am pissed off because it was a shitty plan."
"Alright alright." Kinana giggled. "It all ended well, right?"
"Yes..." Erik took another small sip, and fell into deep thoughts.
Kinana glanced at him, and frowned. "Something is worrying you?"
"Uh?" Erik emerged from his thought. His purple eye scanned Kinana up and down a couple of times. Well, I better tell Cubellios, and take this off from my chest.
"Cubellios, have you ever thought I smelled... Nice?"
Kinana eyes popped. Then the barmaid bursted out laughing. "What? Are you asking me if you stink?"
"Fuck you." Grunted Erik, but he was chuckling himself. "I do not stink, and this is a serious
question! Do you like my smell or not?"
"Ok, ok, I am serious now." Kinana went serious. "Well... Right now I can't really discern smells, not like you do... But when I was a snake, I remember I could recognise you. Your smell meant was yours. It meant I was safe." She nodded to herself. "So yes, I would say you smelled nicely, but it was for what you meant to me."
"Mh." Erik scratched his chin, thinking. "But would you say it was nice nice?" "What do you mean by nice nice?"
Erik huffed. He didn't like to talk about such things. "Like... Like something you wished to keep close to, because you just like the smell."
"Like when Mira does her special cakes, and you can tell from outside the guild, and you are already happy and only want to get inside and have a slice?" Kinana giggled. "And if it is finished you feel desperate and blue?"
"Yeah." Erik was studying the whiskey left in his glass, making it rotate around the edge. "More or less."
He felt the presence of the barmaid in front of him. "Erik." She murmured. "You look not like yourself tonight. Is everything alright?"
Again, the poison slayer didn't answer immediately. With a single gulp he emptied the glass. "Snow White likes my scent." He blurted out. "I found out this morning."
"What?" Kinana shrieked with a huge smile. "Oh Erik, this is so-" "Hold on!"
The poison slayer told Kinana the condition on which he found out Dalila liked his smell. She was dreaming, so she hadn't exactly told him or anything.
"I see. She was dreaming, then." Murmured Kinana, a little disappointed.
"Exactly."
"But she was wrapped in your blanket!" The barmaid sighed. "It's sweet!"
"It's not."
"Yes it is." Kinana winked. "Also the fact that you have gave her your blanket..." "It means nothing." "... That is really sweet as well!"
Erik shook his head. "I surrender."
"I am joking. Here, have another glass." The barmaid filled again the poison slayer glass. "Anyway, I don't see anything wrong with her liking your scent. Actually at the beginning I thought she didn't like it."
Erik shrugged. "She thinks I smell like the sea... Like salt... And like caramel... And starry nights in the desert... And all that shitty stuffs that Tinùviel always thinks and says..."
"Oh, really?" Kinana leaned over the bar counter, sniffing. "I don't feel anything of it! How does a starry night in the desert smell?"
"I have no fucking idea." Cobra sipped his second whiskey. "Fucking weird, if you ask me."
"I don't know how dragon slayer's noses work, or how much they are sensitive." Kinana was now cleaning he bar counter. The polished glasses were neatly aligned in a shelf on the wall.
They stayed in silence a while more, Kinana cleaning, and Cobra sipping the whiskey thoughtfully.
All of a sudden, the poison slayer snapped his head in the direction of the barmaid. "Cubellios..." he growled.
"I haven't said anything." Giggled Kinana.
"I am telling you..."
"Ok ok, I will ask." Kinana stopped cleaning the table, and placed both her hands on the counter. "Do you like the way Dalila smells, Erik?"
"As if!" Hissed her poison slayer. "The less I smell Snow White around, the better for the both of us!"
"Yes, you like her smell." Sighed Kinana. "How romantic!" "Cubellios, stop this shit now!"
Erik had raised on his feet and growled, but it was useless. The barmaid winked at him, and pressed her index on her lips. "I promise I won't tell anyone."
"You better not." Grunted the poison slayer. He took another sip, and almost talking to himself, he murmured: "Tinùviel doesn't smell bad..."
"Of what she smells like?"
"Like... Like the fucking wind, of course..." grunted Cobra. "And of candy floss. Yes, fucking candy floss."
"Oh, really?" Kinana smile was way too bright for the dragons layer taste. "But only in the morning."
"Erik!" Cried Kinana. "How do you know that?"
"I woke her up." Said the poison slayer.
He realised his mistake one second too late.
"You... Oh my!" Kinana jumped up and down. "I want to know everything now!" "There is nothing, absolute nothing to know!"
But Kinana was beyond herself. Her soul was giggling like the one of a toddler.
Erik wanted to bang his head on the bar counter. "Cubellios, you will make me go crazy one of these fucking days..."
At the same time, in a bedroom in Magnolia...
Lucy was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.
"Yawn! It's late!" She said to the empty room. "But it's ok. I needed to clean the house." She looked around her, satisfied.
The house was shining, neat and tidy like it rarely had been.
Lucy cooked a quick meal, washed the dishes, carefully put everything away. Erza wants to pick up another mission next morning. I don't know for how long we will be gone this time...
She was losing for some time home. A weekend, at least...she thought, brushing her teeth. A weekend shouldn't be that long... I am ok with rent for a couple of months with the last jobs...
The fact that their team was numerous - Seven mages! I thought Master was going to split us! - meant that they were getting less money - The rewards are always the same, but we must split it in seven... - but at the same time, they could do more jobs in a row - We get less tired, and it takes us very little time to finish. Nera Tellus, for instance, if it was just Natsu, Gray, Erza and me, we would have completed it in a week or so... Instead it took us a few days, and I am not even that tired...
It was with these considerations that Lucy turned off the lights, check that the front door was locked, and went to bed.
Right before she turned off also the small lamp on the night stand, something caught her attention.
Wait, she thought, Who is snoring here...
She turned, and noticed a strain of pink hair peeking out from under the covers.
"Natsu!" Che cried, angrily, throwing violently the duvet away. "And Happy!"
"Oh, hi Lucy!" "Hello Lusche!"
It was indeed Natsu and Happy sleeping in her bed, that she had just woken up and were sheepishly looking up at her with an innocent expression.
"It is already morning?" Asked Natsu with a loud yawn. "I am still tired!"
"Get out of here now! This is my bed!" Hissed the Celestial mage angrily. "Go to your place!" "But yours is nicer!" The dragon slayer pouted. "And it's night already!"
"You are not going to send us all alone int he night, right?" Happy sniffed - but it was a fake sniff, Lucy could see it clearly. The cat was sprawled on a pillow and look like he had no intention to move.
Lucy gritted her teeth. "I told you..." I can't even find the words! Why do they always come to my place to sleep?
"Come on Lucy." Natsu muttered, closing his eyes again. "It's late. We can talk tomorrow morning."
"I... I..."
"Goodnight!" "Nighy night Lucy!"
Seeing them snoring so peacefully, slowly the angry expression of the Celestial mage softened. These two... She thought. Oh well, it's not that a night more will make any difference. I am used to sleep with them, now.
She hoped that Natsu had taken a shower after he had poked on himself that day on the train - she sighed relieved. Judging by the smell, he had remembered to clean himself.
Well, I have learnt to take anything for granted with him. She thought with a small smile, adjusting herself as best as she could under the covers. And now, off to sleep!
But as soon as she turned off the light on the nightstand, she felt two arms encircling her.
"Natsu..." she giggled, trying to break away from the fire slayer embrace. "I can't sleep like this!"
"But you smell good." Slushed Natsu, clearly not awake.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "You will burn me in your sleep!"
"I have never done so!" Came the fable protest.
"It's too hot under the duvet!"
"You are always cold!"
"Natsu..."
"He likes you!" Came the tiny voice of Happy. A moment later, the cat was snoring loudly on his pillow.
Lucy rolled again her eyes. Natsu wasn't letting her go, and that was making her blushing way more than she thought was good.
"Natsu..."
"No!" He grunted, locking his arms fiercely around her waist. "I am not going anywhere!"
Lucy sighed. Maybe I won't be that uncomfortable... She thought, grabbing the pillow from under the head of Natsu and pulling it a little on her side. And it's nice to be so warm...
The next moment she felt sleep falling over her like a second blanket. And Natsu smells good, too... She thought, inhaling the strong scent of cinder and burning ashes. I don't think this would be considered a nice smell by most of the people I know, but I like it...She inhaled deeply. I do like it...
She didn't realise she was talking out loud when she said: "You smell good too, Natsu..."
In his sleep, the fire dragon slayer smiled.
The day after, city of Xyxx...
"And this is the fourth and last one!" Erza threw an unconscious man in front of a group of Rune Knights. "I guess the band you were looking for is all here!"
"They are for sure, miss Scarlett!" Nodded the head Knight that was guiding of the group, signalling the others to bring the men away. "We will take them immediately to prison - those four won't be able to do any more troubles around!"
They won't for sure! Thought Dalila with a shiver, glancing at the four unconscious men that were being dragged away by the group of Knights. Natsu found them in so little time that they hadn't even time to understand what was happening!
The morning after coming back from their last mission against Nera Tellus, team Natsu had met at the guild early in the morning. Erza had chosen another mission: a band of burglar was vexing the small city of Xyxx, up in the north.
There were already some Rune Knights quartered in the region, but they had other business than running after a group of burglars, so the townspeople had handed out a request to legal guilds.
Erza had predicted it would have taken them one week to complete the job, but by a fortunate chance, Natsu and Happy had found their hidings - actually Happy had tried to steal to a man at the market his sandwich with fried fish inside, and that had attracted the attention of Cobra to the man, revealing that he was part of the band.
Following him to their hidings - they were not taking any precautions, since they were not suspecting to be hunt by other mages in a small city like Xyxx, were not even a legal guild was present - and taking them by surprise was a matter of a couple of hours.
As a bonus, Happy got the fried fish as a personal reward, and the small cat was now munching enthusiastically.
"Could you do less noise when you eat?" Asked Lucy with a frown, looking at Happy flying right above their heads. "It's a little bit irritating."
"Oh, is it, Lucy?" Happy grinned mischievously, and started munching with his mouth open.
"Bleah!" Lucy grimaced. "It's gross!"
"You-h don-th li-h-e it-h?"
"How impolite!" Muttered Charle under her breath, glowering at the blue cat, who blushed and instantly closed his mouth.
"In their hiding there are all the stolen goods." Was saying Erza to the head Knight. "The address is Fffh 6."
"No, it was Gahh!" Said Natsu, pronouncing the name 'Gahh' like he was about to puke. "No, Gahh was where we first found the man!"
"I am sure! Happy, am I right?!"
"Ay-eh S-h-ir!"
Wendy wrinkled her nose. "Why do the streets have such strange names here?"
Next to her, Gray shook his head. "What can you expect from a city that is called Xyxx?" "This street is called Bubbh" snorted Dalila, pointing the sign above them.
"And I know there is a town nearby that is called Yxyy!" Charle laughed. "What a name!"
"Since we have time, we should visit that as well!" Lucy thought. "It's a small city, but I have heard somewhere that is really pretty!"
"Wait, you want to go to to Yxyy?"
The Fairy Tail mages all turned. It was the had Knight who had spoken. He had interrupted Erza and Natsu discussion, and was now studying carefully the rest of the team.
The Fairy Tail mages exchanged perplexed looks.
"Yes, we want. So what?" Grunted Gray annoyed. "We finished the job here."
Dalila frowned. This smell... She glanced at Cobra, but the poisons layer looked perfectly calm from the outside. But from the faint scent the wind slayer had caught, he was not exactly ok.
She saw him tilting imperceptibly his head, and his gaze became slightly more vague on the head Knight. He is listening to something. She realised. He is listening the head Knight!
Why would he spend his time listening to the head Knight?
We have done our job, and are about to go back to Magnolia. Considered Dalila. Maybe it's because there are some Knights quartered here and in Yxyy? Right, the townspeople had told us so, but they also added that the Knights were currently busy with some other stuffs...
Right, what was dragging so many Rune Knights around small, quiet cities like Xyxx and the nearby Yxyy? Dalila had asked herself that a couple of times, but she hadn't dwell into what possibly the Knights were doing there.
But maybe Cobra has found out. And giving by the attention he was listening with - not with his proper ears, but with his magic - it must something interesting.
"The city of Yxyy is not really visitable, at the present moment." Said the head Knight.
"Right, you guys better go another time." Echoed a young Knight, that had come standing behind his chief.
"Not visitable?" Erza raised an eyebrow. "Is it forbidden to go there?"
"Not exactly..." the head Knight huffed. "I would suggest to plan your trip another day, that all."
This is not smelling right... Dalila frown. The head Knight is not lying, but I can smell there is more to it...
And she was not the only one suspicious. Natsu had stepped next to Erza, and was staring at the two Knight attentively. "And why is that?" He asked. "Is there a problem or anything over there?"
"Absolutely not!" Said the young Knight, with an air of importance, and ignoring the grower coming form his superior. "In fact, a big problem has just been solved!"
"What do you mean by that?" Erza tilted her head, curious.
All team Natsu was listening to them now. The two Knights were fixed by eight pair of eyes and a single, purple one.
The head Knight glowered again in the direction of the younger Knight- "There are two companies of Rune Knights quartered there." He said slowly. "Nothing to worry about. They will leave tomorrow."
"Oh?" Erza frowned. "I see."
Cobra leaned over Lucy shoulder, and whispered something is her ear.
"Ehm... Is there any problem, over there?" Asked the Celestial mage, throwing a questioning glance in the direction of the poison slayer.
"Oh, not at all!" Exclaimed the other Knight, glancing at Lucy's cleavage. "In fact, it's all too good for-oof!"
The other Knight had jabbed him violently on the side. "Reserved information, miss." he said quickly, glowering ta his companion. "We can't say a word..."
"But it's just a dark guild!" Protested the other. "That we managed to capure, by all means!"
"It's not 'just a dark guild'." Hissed the first one, glancing suspiciously in the direction of team Natsu. "Now keep your mouth shut! This is reserved information!"
Cobra whispered again something in Lucy's ear, and the Celestial mage quickly said. "Oh, no worries! We don't want to know anything!
"Right!" Grunted the second Knight, turning to the other. "You see-"
"Let's go! Have a nice afternoon to you all!" And by saying so, the first Knight seized the other by an arm, and forced him away.
Gray raised an eyebrow, seeing the two walking fast on the streets, clearly still in an argument. "What's wrong with them?"
"Reserved information meant that we are not supposed to know them, right?" Dalila wrinkled her nose. "The tall one looked pretty agitated..."
"He was." Muttered Lucy. "I wonder why they didn't want to tell us... After all, we are a legal guild, and have just completed a mission... It should be safe to entrust us with these information."
Erza said nothing. She wanted to shrug away the conversation, but something inside her was twitching and trembling. Her guts were telling her something wasn't right. Who is being currently held in the city of Yxyy? She asked herself. And why is it reserved information?
"Or maybe they didn't know! Hahaha!" Chuckled Happy, flying in circle above them.
"No, I think they knew."
Everyone turned to Natsu. The fire dragon slayer voice had a strange vibration that made Dalila sense alert. Natsu has something in mind. I feel it.
"What do you mean, flame brain?" Gray opened his arms. "You can read minds now?" "No." Natsu bit his lower lip. "They had a smell I think I have felt somewhere else."
"And who? Of their captives?" Asked Wendy. "I had a similar impression, but... But I thought it was just my mind..."
"So you think you recognised a smell, but don't know whose smell it is?" Asked Charle. "We might go there and get some more information. After all, it's not forbidden to travel there."
"There is no need to get the information." Natsu tone was dead serious. "Because you have heard it, right?"
Natsu was looking at Cobra. And by the face the poisons layer was making Natsu was right.
The poison slayer blankly stared back the poison slayer, but didn't utter a word.
Looking at him Dalila had the impression he was battling with himself. Why? Does he know this dark guild? No, Cobra looked more... Like someone who wants to tell and not tell something at the same time.
"Who has been captured?" Asked Natsu, crossing his arms on his chest.
Cobra pressed his lips together. He looked at his team - Gray, Lucy, Wendy with Charle in her arms, Dalila, Happy, Natsu - and them his gaze stopped on Erza.
"There are two captives in Yxyy." he said in a whisper. "The sole two members of a guild called Crime Sorciere: Meredy, and Jerald Fernandez."
