"A common sailor has seen more than kings could ever hope to know."
- Lord Admiral Arlon Rainfall, Ruler of Sailor's Hill
A/N: If you're enjoying the story so far, please consider writing a review!
X777
"Pervy popsicle!"
"Pink-haired freak!"
Erza sighed as Fairy Tail's resident troublemakers engaged in yet another pointless brawl. It was a well-known fact that Gray had a nasty habit of picking fights around the guildhall, but this was a whole different matter entirely. Ever since that new boy, Natsu, joined their ranks, it seemed as if the pair made it their personal mission to utterly destroy the other. Sparks of fire and shards of ice flew around the room as the juvenile wizards continued to throw petty insults at each other.
Saying that this was just "boys being boys" would be an ignorant statement, these skirmishes would doubtlessly evolve into something much more serious in the future. The girl wasn't quite sure what sparked this needless hatred in the first place. Was it in a young man's nature to seek out worthy opponents? Did one just catch the other in a bad mood one day? Or was it the simple fact that fire and ice didn't tend to mix well?
Regardless, this needed to stop. Wordlessly, the young redhead walked over to where the boys were fighting, grabbed them by their arms, and threw them over her shoulder. The junior wizards yelped as their limbs were bent at an unnatural angle, some of their guildmates snickering at the humorous display. "Ow! Ow! Jeez, are you trying to kill us?!" whined Gray. The ice mage was about to protest further, but Erza's scorching glare made him rethink his actions.
"I'm sick of your reckless behavior. We're a family, so it would be in your best interest to act like it." She let them go, and the pair fell unceremoniously fell to the ground. "Why do you always have to ruin the fun, Erza? We were just horsing around!" complained Natsu as he stretched his battered limbs. "Magic duels fueled on anger can't possibly be considered fun. Since there are no jobs currently available, I suggest you do something productive to pass the time."
Natsu got to his feet and scoffed. "Productive? Sounds boring." Gray reluctantly nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, what are we supposed to do when the request board's empty? Read?" The girl smiled and folded her arms. "What a wonderful idea. That should keep you two idiots from trashing our guildhall again." Erza took hold of their wrists before the two of them had a chance to escape, and began leading them to the library beneath the main floor.
Natsu and Gray kept flailing their limbs in an attempt to hit each other, but the redhead simply extended her arms so they couldn't reach. After the painfully loud trip down a seemingly endless flight of stairs, Erza released the boys, who found themselves in Fairy Tail's Grand Library. The pink-haired juvenile stuck out his tongue in disgust. Books? He saw little use for those. They were a lot of fun to burn, though.
"There we are. Now that you've both mellowed out, I expect the two of you to choose a book. I don't care what it is, but you can't leave this room until you've read it cover to cover. There will be questions." The pair groaned loudly in response. That would take forever! "C'mon, give us a break! We won't fight for the rest of the day! Promise!" Gray sighed at his rival's silly statement. He wouldn't have phrased it quite like that.
The redheaded girl narrowed her eyes, which sent a familiar chill down Natsu's spine. "How in the world could you not enjoy literature? Do you have any idea how much knowledge resides in this room alone? You're bound to learn something, and hopefully, you'll think twice before stooping to petty violence in the future. Happy reading." The two troublemakers found themselves alone as Erza marched back up the stairs, and took a moment to glare at each other.
"This is your fault, flame-brain! I've got better things to do than reading a stupid book!" Natsu got right in his face. "Me?! You started it, Frosty! You're going to wish Erza didn't leave because I'm about to beat you senseless!" Instantly enraged, the ice mage balled his fists and was seriously tempted to freeze his mouth shut.
"Get out of my face, punk!"
He pushed Natsu back roughly, causing him to tumble backward into a nearby bookcase, the impact causing him to fall on his butt against the floor. Just as he was about to get up and knock Gray's teeth in, a hard-covered book fell from the shelf above, which landed abruptly on the young Dragon Slayer's lap. The cover immediately caused his eyes to light up in a mixture of curiosity and fascination. It wasn't some old biography of a king who died a couple of hundred years ago, nor was it a silly children's story about brave knights saving a damsel in distress. This book had pictures of dragons!
THE FEROCIOUS DRAGONS OF ISHGAR – VOLUME II
Immediately forgetting the desire to beat up Gray, Natsu began flipping through the dusty pages, mesmerized by the sharp claws and scaly wings of the various creatures detailed in the well-drawn illustrations. Maybe Igneel was in here somewhere? Maybe there was a hint on where he was? It looked like no one touched this book in years, but the young boy couldn't possibly understand why. Dragons are awesome! Confused by the fire mage's sudden shift in behavior, Gray folded his arms and smirked.
"What, are you getting all nerdy on me, flame-brain? You're not Levy, we both know you can barely read, so get your ass over here and fight me!" Natsu didn't even waste time glaring at him. "Zip it, ice boy. Go read a book." The raven-haired wizard let out an indignant noise of surprise. Throughout the short time he knew the hotheaded Dragon Slayer, Natsu never backed down from a challenge, that dumb novel must have really gotten to his head.
Gray sighed angrily as he stomped to a bookshelf on the opposite side of the library, his eyes scanning for a book that could miraculously pique his interest.
Natsu didn't know there were so many different kinds of dragons around back then. Igneel didn't share too many details about dragons throughout his early childhood, and when he did, they were quite vague. "No dragon could match Cyranus the Great in terms of raw strength. It was said his mighty roar could be heard from anywhere on the continent. So cool!" Natsu was glad Erza taught him to read a couple of months back. Those long, dreadful lessons paid off after all. He eagerly turned to the next page. "There was no dragon nearly as brave or as bold as Vorga the Valiant. When the Dragon King called on warriors to defend their lands against a terrifying rebellion, he volunteered without hesitation. This hero charged headfirst into a pack of three traitorous dragons and, despite horrific odds, emerged victorious. That's great and all, but Igneel could have beaten those punks with his pinkie claw!"
Speaking of which, he'd seen no mention of his foster dad thus far. Natsu kept flipping through the pages with hope-filled eyes, but just as he was about to search for another dragon-related history book, one particular title caught his attention.
Draclana, Blood Dragon Queen
This one didn't look anything like the dragons mentioned earlier. She was rather thin compared to the others, possessing horrific black scales and unusually long claws. Her snout seemed so sharp it could pierce through a giant hot-air balloon, and those massive red eyes didn't exactly scream "friendly". There was something about this dragon Natsu didn't like, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Cruel, brutish, terrible. These were the gentlest words used to describe the vile Queen Draclana. No one truly knows where she came from, but we do know of her insatiable hunger for blood. When her sacrificial demands of the human kingdoms became too much for the other dragons to bear, they exiled Draclana, and she eventually came back with an army unlike anything ever seen before at that time. The Blood Queen's Rebellion, more commonly referred to as the "Dance of Dragons", remains as one of the deadliest conflicts in draconic history. The fighting was ferocious, and many of them fell to her mysterious Blood Magic, but the King's finest managed to banish and seal her away deep beneath Ishgar. Draclana is long dead as the rest of her kind, but some believe she's still out there. Forever present, forever knowing, age wouldn't dull her talons nor quell her lust for vengeance. The Great Blood Dragon never forgets."
The boy grimaced. "Blood Magic? I think I heard gramps mention it a few times. Sounds pretty gross to me." That was the vaguest, most unsettling thing he ever read. If anything, this was just one more question to ask Igneel following their imminent reunion. Natsu left the book open on the ground and searched the shelf for another, eager to know more about the history of these long-lost reptiles.
Draclana's picture glared menacingly up at the ceiling, her eyes burning with a hatred bright enough to reduce an entire city to ashes.
Little did the world know, this dragon's desire for freedom would one day come back to haunt them.
Fairy Tail's suite in Crocus was unusually quiet that morning. There wasn't any shouting, laughter, or brawling, just an eerie silence as they packed their bags and made last-minute preparations for the trip back to Magnolia. It was truly a shame. The fairies should be ecstatic right now. With all that prize money from the Games, they could get their old guildhall back, they could even spruce the place up a bit if they wanted. Unfortunately, Natsu's fistfight with Johannes Bolton the night before definitely came as an unpleasant surprise.
They were just getting ready to rejoin the ranks of the magic world, and now they had this to worry about. Their little pyro angered one of the most powerful men in the country just to win a silly pissing contest. This should go without saying, but Erza wasn't exactly pleased with him at the moment. The knight glared at Natsu as she polished her armor, who was currently sitting on a chair and staring out the closest window, evidently lost in thought.
What could he possibly be thinking about right now? Did he regret his actions? Did he want to hunt Bolton down? At this point, it didn't really matter. Nothing could be done about it now. Erza just hoped Johannes didn't hold a grudge. "When we get back home, you're going to write a formal letter of apology to the Bolton Company for assaulting their founder. No amount of crying or complaining will get you out of this one, boy." The Dragon Slayer grunted in response at Makarov's serious tone.
"He touched Mira, gramps. We're just going to let that go? I say we find Black Jack and show him what happens when you insult Fairy Tail!" The old wizard sighed. Natsu has come a long way since he found him all those years ago, but it was obvious the young man still had much to learn. "I don't intend to start a war over nothing, Natsu. Calm down and don't do anything stupid. A decision made out of anger can only lead to catastrophe. Now finish packing."
Mirajane sighed at the Dragon Slayer's furious demeanor and rested her hand against the doorframe. She hated seeing the pink-haired boy like this. He was usually so cheerful and seeing him in any other state definitely affected the morale of those around him. "What are we going to do with him, Mira? The fool's more of a loose cannon than I originally thought," said Makarov tiredly as he approached her side of the room. "Don't be so hard on him, Master. Natsu's heart was in the right place, and neither Johannes nor the King will be pressing charges against him."
The aging man grunted and stroked his beard. "I was planning on sending him to Oak Town for an emergency job request, but I suppose Erza can go in his place. Natsu would end up burning the place to the ground just to vent his frustrations." Mira tilted her head in concern. "Oh my, it's been quite a while since we've received an emergency request. Is everything okay over there?"
Master Makarov shrugged his shoulders. "It could be worse. Apparently, there's a springtail infestation. Those little buggers usually keep to themselves, but there's a whole colony of them in the surrounding forests and mountains. With Phantom Lord disbanded, nobody's been keeping them in check." The barmaid bit her lip. Natsu and Erza have already done so much for them in the past couple of weeks. The knight managed to defeat one hundred ferocious monsters all by herself, and Natsu crushed Sabertooth's Twin Dragons and destroyed the Eclipse Gate for crying out loud!
All she did was win a glorified beauty contest.
This was something they didn't need to be burdened with. "Send me, Master. I'll handle the springtails for you." Makarov raised an eyebrow. He thought the Take Over mage had retired from wizard work years ago. "Oh? Is there a reason for this sudden interest? You're not light on cash, are you?"
The beautiful woman shook her head. "No, it's just that… I want to make sure I'm doing my part. There are wizards all around me that can do stunning things, and… I'm just a bartender. Plus I can take my brother and sister with me. I'm sure this will be great practice for Lisanna." The guildmaster certainly didn't expect this from the young model. No matter how dire the situation, Mirajane always managed to keep a smile on her face. He had no idea she was feeling insecure with herself.
"Nonsense, child. You're one of the few things that are holding this family together. However, if you still feel the need to assist your guild further then I'm not going to stop you." Her eyes lit up in excitement. If anything, this would be a good chance to bond with her siblings. "The next train to Oak Town leaves one hour from now. Report to Magistrate Burnside, he'll point you in the right direction. Oh, and do be careful, those blasted bugs are more dangerous than they appear. We'll see you back in Magnolia."
Giving a quick nod of thanks, Mirajane rushed off giddily to go find her siblings, unaware that springtails weren't going to be the true obstacle in this mission.
"Land, I've fuckin' missed ya!"
Johannes Bolton practically kissed the ground as he stepped off the train. It seemed as if his nasty case of motion sickness never occurred in the first place. Lieutenant Noda cringed at his employer's silly actions, thankful that there was practically no one around at this time of the day. The few people that did notice couldn't help but chuckle. "Thanks for the escort, pal, but I can take it from here. Great work today!"
The soldier frowned. "Sir, Vice President Crenshaw insisted that I remain with you at all times throughout the duration of this campaign. It's for your own protection." Jack clicked his tongue. That woman was always terrified of "worse case" scenarios, a little bit of action would do her well. "Huh, that's funny, Lieutenant, because It looks like she's not around. Why don't we ask her? Hey, Crenshaw, is it okay that Soldier Boy here pisses off back to HQ?" The man craned his neck out at nothing in particular as if he was expecting a reply. "Hm. No answer. I guess that means yes!"
Getting the message, Noda reluctantly turned around and got back on the train. "Best of luck with the springtails, sir. I'll inform Ms. Crenshaw of your arrival." The doors closed and Jack was left alone in the relatively empty train station. He couldn't remember the last time he was here, but Bolton thought there had to be at least one decent bar in Oak Town. "After I've saved the day maybe I'll stop by for a drink or two."
Bolton walked along the cobblestone path that led into the main square. It was certainly beautiful this early in the morning, with the sun shining off the massive river and tall buildings far in the distance. He heard the old castle that was once Phantom Lord's base of operations was now converted into a popular destination for tourists. There was a time when he even wanted to join that guild, as he heard countless stories about the great Element Four and the ruthless "Black Steel" Gajeel, but ultimately decided against it.
The life of a legal wizard wasn't particularly appealing to the young oligarch. There were simply too many stupid rules you had to follow for too little pay. Plus, he wasn't exactly keen on the idea of taking marching orders from some dick guildmaster. No, no, no, Jack was far better off being his own man.
"Those bugs don't know when to quit. Mayor says the springtails attacked a couple of workers from that old iron mine. My brother works there, you know. Thank God he wasn't there at the time."
Bolton's ears perked up as his acute hearing picked up on an interesting conversation from a group of men having breakfast nearby.
"I heard they hired a Fairy Tail wizard to route them out. Isn't that dandy?"
"Those losers? When's the last time anyone's wasted their coin on them? They're a mess, that lot."
"You haven't heard? They're killers! They crushed Sabertooth and beat old Jura back in the Magic War Game, and boy, you should have seen that Strauss girl. Greatest pair of tits in Fiore, hands down!"
Well, Jack couldn't argue with that last part. There's been an attack on the mine? It must have happened quite recently or else it would have been mentioned in Crenshaw's report.
Before he could rush off to check on the safety of his employees, a sudden, unpleasant aroma assaulted his nostrils. That was a scent the man knew all too well. It reeked of nature… and death. "What's that, mama? It looks silly!" A child walking next to her mother pointed at a nearby manhole, only to giggle as a dozen eyes leered back at her from inside the sewer. Jack heard hissing and crawling, sounds you'd expect to hear from a giant spider. There was no doubt about it, those things have started making their way into the town.
Suddenly, the manhole burst open and all hell broke loose as citizens ducked for cover, panic overtaking the previously calm city street. "IT'S A SPRINGTAIL! RUN!" The woman screamed and grabbed her child by the wrist, yanking her backward on instinct. Calling the creature ugly would be an understatement. The first thing you notice is the legs, twelve of them to be exact, all of which were twitching simultaneously as the arachnid made its way onto the road. Thick, insect-like armor covered the majority of its body, which was colored in appalling shades of green and orange. It had quite a few eyes with a massive tail rather close to that of a scorpion, poison dripping from the sharp, spear-like tip.
This springtail wasn't a drone, it was one of the warriors, so lucky him. Terror flashed through the mother's eyes as the creature hissed and skittered towards her, causing the child to start whimpering out of fear. The woman tripped and fell over as she attempted to get away, and the monster rose its weapon threateningly in the air, preparing to strike a killing blow.
"Alright. I guess I should do something."
Jack ran over and grabbed the warrior's tail from behind, which was a staggering six feet in length, and yanked it backward, giving the pair a chance to escape. It thrashed and hissed, angered by the man's persistence as it tried to break free. Bolton lifted his leg up and stomped on one of the creature's legs hard enough to break it right off. However, the springtail didn't seem too concerned as it continued to thrash about violently. "Now this is what you call a rodeo! Come on, boy, even Salamander put up more of a fight!"
Using his inhuman strength, Jack picked the monster up and began spinning it in the air like a top, only letting go when he gained enough momentum to send it flying. The creature landed on all legs like a cat and bared its venomous fangs. It lunged towards Bolton with the speed of a cobra, only to be blinded by a flash of scarlet light. Now wielding a wicked-looking crowbar, the oligarch reeled his arm back and swung viciously at the springtail's carapace, shattering its armor and causing some gross liquid to ooze out the nasty-looking wound.
"I bet you didn't expect that, you ugly gnat." Concerned bystanders nearby were confused as to where his weapon came from, it had to be magic of some kind. The arachnid thrust the tip of its tail towards him, only to be reflected with a swift strike of the crowbar. Deciding he had enough, Jack dug his boot down on the monster's skull and pinned it against the floor, continuously bashing its legs and tail in an attempt to cripple it.
It desperately attempted to escape but to no avail. The life drained out of the springtail's eyes as Bolton crushed its head against the pavement. He swung his trusty crowbar over his shoulder and took a moment to admire his handiwork. Although Jack was covered in guts and bug juice, this little spectacle was good for publicity, and he was all for publicity. The gathering crowd began to applaud as the creature's blood ran through the pavement below. "That was amazing, man!" He waved his hand as if to say it wasn't a big deal.
"Don't worry folks! I'll ensure these bugs won't harm another soul in this lovely town of yours! Team Bolton for the win!" There was another bright flash of light, causing his weapon to disappear back to the dimension he stored it in. Urging him to learn Requip Magic was definitely one of Crenshaw's more practical decisions. He could carry around almost anything he wanted without breaking a sweat. "Well that was a nice little warm-up, but there's going to be more of them by the mine."
He straightened out his belt buckle and broke out into a sprint, grinning at the thought of crushing more insects beneath his boot heel.
"…and following Mr. Bolton's coronation, he will ensure the Stormwall will receive enough manpower to protect your lands for decades. The shipments of pyrewood you've been expecting from Crocus will double in quantity, meaning of course warships could be built at record rates if you choose to do so. And in exchange for your loyalty, taxes would be reduced on Sailor's Hill by 15%, a far cry from what the other nobles are getting. I do hope we can count on your support, my lord. Any questions, comments, or concerns?"
The sound of a knife carving through flesh filled the room as Vice President Crenshaw closed her notebook and patiently waited for a response. She originally thought charming the man would be child's play, like swindling an unruly client, but he was a clever one.
Mavis Vermillion herself wouldn't be able to fool Arlon Rainfall.
Taking a moment to wipe the salmon's blood off his fillet knife, the lord threw an unamused glance in his guest's direction.
"What Johannes did was foolish."
Hours were spent preparing that pitch, and that's how he responded? Nonchalantly, Arlon turned back to the table and continued removing the scales of his most recent catch. "Rational men do not engage in drunken brawls with guild wizards." Crenshaw bit her tongue, this was horrendous timing on Jack's part. Bolton just had to make a fuss the day before her imperative meeting with the most powerful sea lord in Fiore. "If my sources are correct, Natsu Dragneel started that brawl. A "rational" man would defend himself, wouldn't you agree? A king fights for what's rightfully his."
He hummed sarcastically at that poor excuse for an explanation. "A king doesn't drown himself in liquor. A king doesn't act on petty, violent desires. A king fights for the interests of his people, not himself. If Johannes Bolton is as influential as they say, he should have no difficulty preparing for his ascension without my help. Frankly, I've grown tired of these games, Elizabeth. Why are you here?"
His voice was firm, commanding, and left little room for nonsense. The young lord couldn't have been any older than Jack himself, yet he seemed to carry a sense of maturity and wisdom few men his age possessed. "The executives at the Bolton Company have always admired your dynasty, Lord Arlon. It would be an honor if you stood by our side for the years to come. Everybody benefits."
Rainfall still didn't bother turning around to face her, instead, he focused on cutting open the fish's belly to remove its internal organs. The smell wasn't exactly pleasant. "What have I done to earn this touching admiration? I don't recall bribing or threatening anyone recently." Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at the lord's sarcastic tone. She was sure he and Jack would get along swimmingly. "You've built the strongest family of course, with the strongest navy to boot. With Bolton's army and your fleet, no other noble house could challenge you."
"And what would you do when we no longer have the strongest navy? I know how his kind thinks. He'll abandon us to the sharks when we've lost our usefulness and carry on with the next fool ignorant enough to shake his hand. Tell me, Ms. Crenshaw, what has the Bolton Company done for House Rainfall recently? When did Black Jack ever make a decision that wasn't solely in his own interest?"
Arlon circled his head around to make eye contact with a questioning glare. The woman remained silent for a few seconds before answering. "You clearly aren't very experienced in business, sir. Believe me, he wouldn't forget about you anytime soon, Johannes takes good care of his friends. Surely a great lord pays little mind to the rumors and heresy of peasants." With a soft grunt, Rainfall yanked the fish's innards out of its gut and dumped them on the floor. This salmon was to be cooked and served for supper, but he would have to enjoy it later.
"Friendship, you say? Pirates are harassing my supply routes in the Cobalt Sea, subordinate guilds of Tartaros are attempting to breach the Stormwall, and Mermaid Heel is challenging my claim on the Town of Seabreeze. House Rainfall doesn't have the time nor the resources to help Johannes bed Toma's daughter. Oh, and you can keep your pyrewood. We have plenty."
"Johann-"
"And where is Johannes exactly? If he truly held my house in such high regard he would make his offer in person. Instead, he sends his woman. Our "future king" will spend the days of his reign as he always has; drinking with outlaws and sleeping with whores. If there's nothing else, I must respectfully ask you to leave my island." A dangerous glimmer shone through Crenshaw's glasses as Arlon seated himself in the large chair behind his desk.
She encountered many reckless men throughout her career but very few of them had the audacity to spit on Jack's name. He was truly something else, that Lord Rainfall, but fortunately, Elizabeth was prepared for this particular circumstance. "Your family has done quite well for themselves, haven't they? Just look at this view. The Rainfall Admiralty has built the greatest naval force the world has ever known and it's all thanks to your indomitable will and strategic cunning. We're more alike than you think."
Dipping his quill in ink, Lord Arlon began scribbling words on a piece of parchment, ignoring her entirely. "While Mr. Bolton is just one man, your blood has been around for centuries. A Rainfall has always commanded the fleet from Sailor's Hill, and you are no exception. These were lessons your father doubtlessly taught you, and lessons you'll teach your children when the time comes."
He folded the paper and poured a small amount of wax on the parchment, pressing his ring against it to officially seal the document as word of the Lord Admiral. Although irritated by Elizabeth's presence, Rainfall simply continued his paperwork as if she wasn't there.
"If that time comes, of course."
That quill stopped dead. Arlon slowly tilted his head up to make eye contact with the woman. While his expression appeared calm, those bright green irises of his portrayed a fury that would put a raging dragon to shame. "I'm not entirely sure what you're implying, Crenshaw." He could easily be mistaken for an ice wizard, as that cold voice alone would be enough to freeze the blood of anyone who crossed him.
"I meant no disrespect, Lord Rainfall. It's just that, well, Mr. Bolton is well aware of your affliction." The admiral pressed his hands firmly against the desk and wrenched himself to his feet.
"My affliction, mainlander?"
Elizabeth would be lying to herself if she said the man wasn't intimidating, but she now had no choice but to play this hand to the end. "How many wives have you taken in the past couple of years, Arlon? I've lost count at five. How many of them were able to give you a child?"
Crenshaw swore she saw his eye twitch. "Black Jack isn't here right now, woman. I suggest you watch your tone." She calmly pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "The answer is none. Five infertile women in a row? What are the chances of that happening? Of course, there's the possibility that they weren't the problem." He snorted but couldn't think of a logical response. "You're sterile. What will happen when you're unable to produce an heir? Who will command that legendary fleet the Rainfalls worked so hard to perfect? You'll be forever known as the lord who disgraced his house."
Taking a moment to compose himself, Arlon turned around and took a step towards the massive set of windows overlooking the great harbor below. "The vicissitudes of family aren't lost on us, Elizabeth. Do you think this is the first time a Lord Admiral has suffered such a hindrance? I have cousins and other capable relatives that would make a suitable replacement if necessary. Our name will live on until the end of time while your master drinks himself into an early grave."
"But what about your name, Arlon? There will be no one to remember your heroism when you finally take that proud badge off your chest. Can you die knowing there will be no sons or daughters to retell your tale?"
He breathed out a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid there's nothing to be done. Healers all across Ishgar have assured me I'll remain childless until I'm rotting beneath the dirt." She smiled. "It doesn't have to be that way. We have a doctor, the best I've ever seen. He's got a knack for this kind of thing. Let us help. I assure you Jack isn't asking for much in return."
Lord Admiral Rainfall leered at her with those piercing green eyes of his. The man felt nothing but disgust towards Johannes Bolton, but if he was the solution to this crisis then there was nothing else to be said. Reluctantly, Arlon motioned for her to sit.
"I will listen for now, but let it be known that I have no tolerance for deception. They don't call me the Forgiving. Take care they don't call you the Headless."
"BEATING UP MONSTERS IS FREAKING MANLY!"
"Take it easy, big brother, we're in public!"
Mirajane giggled at her siblings' bickering as the trio made their way through the cobblestone path leading to Oak Town's humble meeting hall. It was quiet, peaceful, quite a nice change from the last time they were here. She remembered the brutal fight against Jose Porla like it was just yesterday, but despite suffering through the disbandment of one of Fiore's strongest guilds, the little settlement seems even more prosperous than ever.
Phantom Lord was vicious and spiteful, but they did keep the local monsters at bay. The Fairies probably wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for Jose's reckless desire for war. Tyrants in this kingdom don't remain in power for long, based on what she's seen. Citizens paused what they were doing to wave happily in their direction with excited eyes. Word of Fairy Tail's victory seemed to have spread quickly throughout the land, and Mira would take cheers over mockery any day.
"Everything looks fine to me. Are you sure the springtails are here, big sister?" questioned Lisanna as she waved to the crowd. "Master Makarov says they usually keep away from humans, but for some reason, they've been growing unusually hostile towards the people living in Oak Town. I'm not sure why this is just happening now, though. Phantom Lord has been gone for seven whole years."
Elfman snorted and folded his burly arms. "Those little cockroaches don't stand a chance against you, sis. But you better stay close, Lisanna, you're still learning how to use your magic again." The girl pouted in response to his protective nature. "I'm not a baby, Elfman. I can take care of myself, you'll see!" It was sweet to see her gruff brother's protective side every once and a while. Ever since the youngest Strauss sibling returned from Edolas, Elfman's been watching over her like a hawk.
The pair argued until a relatively short man gained their attention, who was seemingly waiting for them at the meeting hall's entrance. "Hello there! You must be the wizards we've requested. Welcome to Oak Town." Seeing their guild marks, he walked out to meet them and smoothed out his dress shirt. "I'm Harold Burnside, but please call me Harry. Congratulations on winning the Grand Magic Games, I hope you've recovered from your time in the arena."
Elfman laughed. "Ha, we're stronger than ever, pal. A real man's always ready for a fight." Both sisters gave him a warning look. "We're happy to help, sir. The three of us will clear out those springtails in no time." The magistrate smiled at the kind woman's reassuring smile. He heard Mirajane Strauss of Fairy Tail was beautiful, but she was far more alluring than expected. "I'm glad to hear it, miss. Come inside, why don't you? There's much we need to discuss."
After a brief meeting with Mr. Burnside, the siblings had a pretty good idea of how to handle this little infestation. Springtail colonies almost always have a single queen, who's well protected in a dark place underground and issues orders to the drones. These workers weren't particularly threatening, but the warriors were in a completely different league, and frequently attacked people who wandered too close to their nests.
This colony probably relocated from the nearby mountains or forests to somewhere dangerously close to the town, where they discovered an ample amount of livestock to steal from the residents. The plan was simple, get rid of the queen, and the rest would crawl back to wherever they came from. They weren't entirely certain how many warriors this colony had, and that disturbed her, but the three of them together should be more than enough.
Fighting them was easy, but finding them, not so much. The most likely spot for their nest was a prosperous iron mine on the other side of the great river. It was abandoned five years ago but was purchased by the Bolton Company for a shockingly low sum and made into an invaluable source of minerals. The previous owner was surprised and thought he harvested every scrap of the ore, but the organization never revealed its mining secrets to the public.
Mira winced slightly when Harold mentioned that name. Bolton. She remembered her dance with Johannes, the brutal fight that broke out between him and Natsu, and the unpleasant words exchanged between them at the Grand Banquet. "Whether it's paid in jewels, tears, or body parts, I always get what I'm owed." The barmaid narrowed her eyes as she remembered that unsubtle threat. She had to make sure collateral damage was minimal on Bolton's property. Now wasn't the time to give Jack ammo to use against Fairy Tail.
After crossing the bridge, the Strauss Family entered the mining grounds and was greeted with a rather chaotic scene. Dozens of miners were running around wildly in an attempt to reinforce the area. Walls and other defenses were set up hastily around the property, and whatever iron they mined that day was being loaded into carts and shipped out to a safer place.
"Faster, you bastards, faster! Get that ore out of 'ere!"
The rough voice of a foreman echoed off the hillsides surrounding them. "I'll skin every one of you if Mr. Bolton losses a single penny here today! LET'S MOVE IT!" He noticed the trio that entered his workplace and marched over to where they were standing, shooting Mirajane an annoyed glance. "The hell do you want, lady? I've got no time for tourists. Can't you see there are men at work here?" Elfman growled but his sister gestured for him to calm down.
"We're wizards from Fairy Tail, sir. Magistrate Burnside told us this is where the springtails are hiding. We're here to flush them out." The older man grumbled something unintelligible under his breath and looked down at his clipboard. "You gotta wait for my boys to finish their job, lady. They aren't done movin' the ore from the caves yet. Give us an hour or two and then you can go on your little monster hunt."
Lisanna frowned. "There are still people down there? That's probably where the springtails are!" He scratched his nose and snorted. "Look, girlie, production here at the Bolton Company ain't ever going to stop, capiche? It will take more than a few bugs to scare us." This man clearly wasn't thinking it through.
Mirajane glared as she spoke in a tone her siblings thankfully didn't have to hear very often. "Your men are in danger, foreman. We need to evacuate now." The foreman seemed unconcerned and just waved her off. "Look, I don't take orders from a woman. My boss will cut my balls off if he doesn't get his ore in time. That's not a man you wanna piss off."
"Oh, believe me, your boss is pissed off already."
That accent was all too familiar, and both Mirajane and the man she was talking to stopped dead. "Hey there, gorgeous. Dusty iron mines are no place for a stunner like you." Johannes Bolton, who practically came out of nowhere, grinned at the wizards' arrival and approached with an arrogant smile. It didn't look like he changed his clothes from the night before, and she was pretty sure there were a few drops of Natsu's blood on his shirt from their skirmish.
Elfman's scowl deepened and Lisanna just looked concerned. Not waiting for the barmaid to respond, Jack set his bright blue eyes on the foreman's nervous expression. "You. Explain why you're all still here." He put his hands on his hips and craned his ear forward in an exaggerated display of anticipation.
"Mr. Bolton, sir! I… didn't know you were 'ere. The miners won't be down there for long. They're getting the last bit of today's haul before we leave the premises."
The oligarch just sighed. He should have sent orders here prior to his arrival. "So you're threatening the future of the company and my throne for a single day of production? Let's say our roles were reversed and I royally fucked up, what would you do?"
"Sir, I didn't mean-" Jack silenced the man with a furious backhand to the face, craning his neck violently to the side and causing the helmet he wore to fly off. Lisanna gasped along with a few of the workers nearby, but they quickly went back to what they were doing before Bolton had the chance to chastise them. Mirajane and Elfman winced. That slap looked much more painful than any punishment Erza issued out in the past. Black Jack calmly walked past the foreman (who was groaning in pain) and addressed his workers.
"Pull up your socks and grab your cocks, this show's over! Leave everything behind and regroup at Oak Town!"
Bolton leered down and grabbed the man he just struck by the collar. "You better get my boys out of those caves safely, foreman." After letting the words sink in for a few seconds, Jack decided his message was well-received and pushed the man roughly on the upper back, who uttered out a quick apology and scurried off to the mine entrance.
"Maybe I should hire that fool Ichiya to run the place. Even he would have more sense than this lot."
The eldest Strauss's face hardened.
"Don't you think that was a bit much?"
Here we go again. The "you went too far" speech. Jack has heard this plenty of times before and he didn't have time to suffer through it again. "Listen, some men learn through books and scrolls, others by time and experience. When a student refuses to learn, however, his teacher must crack the whip. I'm sure your pal Titania realized that a long time ago." Well, they couldn't really argue with that. The barmaid lost count on how many times Erza knocked some sense into Natsu and Gray over the years.
"What are you doing here?" grunted Elfman crossly. Natsu claimed he groped Mira at the party last night, and he was inclined to believe him. "I own the place, of course. Like your period, I visit once a month. Someone needs to keep these wankers in line, and I needed to make an unscheduled stop when I heard about the springtails. Now, I could ask you the same question, Strauss, you should be halfway back to Magnolia by now."
Lisanna grimaced at his crude analogy, catching Jack's attention.
"And who's this pretty little thing? Ms. Mira, you never mentioned having a sister." He took a step forward and was cut off by an angry Mirajane. "We were sent here to help solve this problem, Mr. Bolton. Let Fairy Tail get rid of the monsters so production can continue." That lovely smile Johannes saw the night prior wasn't present, instead, she wore an expression of evident warning. Elfman knew she would kill this man if he touched their little sister. Jack didn't cower before Erza, and he certainly wouldn't cower now.
"Well, then you wasted your time, barmaid. I've got this. Tell your pet dragon I said hi, though." Lisanna looked concerned as he cracked his knuckles. "You're going in there by yourself? Are you crazy? Can you even use magic?" Bolton just chuckled. "I'd take insanity over boredom any day, Luv. I'm no badass wizard like you lot, but I can hold my own. Now get off my property."
Jack didn't want to share the glory with a guild. It would look far better to the public eye if he took care of this problem by himself. King Bolton, Protector of the Realm, it certainly had a nice ring to it. Elfman and Lisanna appeared indignant at being dismissed in such a fashion, but Mira just looked at Jack as he walked off with a calculated gaze. She knew exactly how to get through to him.
"Are you afraid that we're going to show you up, Jack?"
He stopped. Mirajane's signature smile returned as she spoke in her usual cheery voice. "It's perfectly fine if you feel insecure with yourself. I mean, there're three of us and only one of you. That would be difficult to compete with and, well, you have your reputation to consider. Come on, guys, let's leave Mr. Bolton to his work."
Much to the Take Over wizard's delight, Jack spluttered and spun back around to face them.
Lisanna put a hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle. That little trick worked on Natsu plenty of times in the past. Despite trying to kill each other last night, he and Bolton seemed to have quite a bit in common. The usually smug man was caught completely off guard. While this was obviously an attempt to manipulate him, letting them go just didn't seem right.
Their guild won the Grand Magic Games, yes, but there was no way in hell he would lose to a couple of girl scouts and an oversized man child.
Mira tilted her head and put a finger to her chin. "Is everything alright, Jack? You seem a little tense." Black Jack clenched his jaw and spat on the ground, his signature smirk creeping back on his face. "Those are fighting words, sweetheart. Salamander couldn't beat me, so I seriously doubt you can." She took a step forward and playfully folded her arms. "Then prove it, Jack-Jack."
"Jack-Jack?"
His eye twitched at that stupid nickname but otherwise didn't react. Everything he's heard about Fairy Tail was true. First, their pet dragon tried to kill him, and now their poster girl is taking a swing at his ego. Nothing was off the table for these people, and although he respected that to a certain degree, someone needed to knock them down a peg. Sabertooth failed, but they were just dumb guild wizards.
He was Johannes Fucking Bolton.
"Fine. Know why call me Black Jack?" Elfman rolled his eyes. "Because you're good at cards?" The man chuckled and shook his head. "I'm a gambler. No, scratch that, I'm the gambler. Business is about taking risks and crushing your opponents, and all those bets I won got me where I am today. I'm not in it for the money, anymore. Competition is what gets me out of bed in the morning. My main rivals on the continent died out years ago, and I've grown bored, you see. Why don't we turn this scuffle into a little contest?"
Lisanna frowned. There was no telling if this creep would keep his word, but Mirajane spoke before she could voice her doubts. "I'm game. What did you have in mind?" Bolton clapped his hands excitedly, which caused Elfman to jump in surprise, and grinned. "Excellent! There are roughly a hundred of those things skittering around in the caves below us. Kill the queen before I do, and I'll give you a million jewels. Each."
The two younger siblings balked. That was way more than what Burnside was going to pay them. "We don't want your money, Mr. Bolton," said Mira respectfully, causing Elfman to look at her in a mixture of shock and anger. The barmaid's cheery attitude vanished once again, and her voice took on a chilling tone.
"You threatened us. You insulted our friend Erza, attacked Natsu, and belittled Master Makarov. We're not sure those things can be overlooked, Jack." Bolton just snorted as if she just cracked a bad joke. "Well, sorry if I hurt your feelings, sweet cheeks. If you're not looking for cash, what do you want? A friendship bracelet?" Those snide comments simply went ignored.
"If we win, you have to apologize to our guildmates in person for your behavior. I don't care if you have to get down on your knees and beg, one way or the other you will earn their forgiveness."
The oligarch leaned back casually against a nearby mine cart and clicked his tongue. While that would be a devastating loss, Jack was certain his magic could trump theirs. His expression turned lecherous. "Alright, Mira, I'll play your game. When I win, you have to strip and give me a peek at that model body of yours. Dragneel interrupted our dance in Crocus and I've been craving more."
Elfman balled his fists in rage. "You bastard! I guess you didn't hear what happened to Bacchus! A real man doesn't tolerate such disrespect!" Much to Jack's surprise, the Strauss woman just smiled. "You have a deal, Jack-Jack." He licked his lips at the thought of claiming his prize. She was far better looking than any whore he's been with.
"Alright then! Onetwothreego!"
Breaking off into a sprint, Bolton grinned wildly and made his way towards the mine.
"Hey!"
The siblings gave chase, determination overriding their sense of concern. Mira's pride wasn't the only thing at stake, but all of Fairy Tail's.
Mirajane giggled just thinking about the look on Jack's face when they beat him at his own game.
