Sands of Change
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 15
The next day, Lucy dragged Hermione to the guild. Rushing to Master Makarov's office. Who shoved something into one of his drawers. Hiding something within.
"Children," he huffed at the two of them. "What can I help you with?"
"Did you assign teams yet," asked Lucy.
Makarov rolled his eyes in a huff. "Thanks to Natsu, I had to delay that! I had been going to a few council meetings. I hadn't had a chance to assign new teams yet. But I shall have a lineup for you, by tonight. Since I was nearly done."
Hermione gave him a raised eyebrow. "Can you tell us who we're teaming up with?"
Makarov chuckled, "Now that would be telling!" He waved them out. "Go, enjoy the day."
So the two left the master's office. Only to move across from Levy at her table. With her many books.
"Oh, hey Lu." Levy laughed, blushing over her mountain of books. "I think I got carried away."
"What are you researching," asked Hermione. Grabbing one of the books and opening it.
Levy sighed, looked around the guild for a moment. "I'm researching a rare gem, something called a White Beryl."
"White Emerald," asked Hermione. "What about it?"
Levy blinked at her for a moment. "It's supposed to give someone an inner truth, judgement, insight to things around them."
Hermione nodded in agreement. "But why are you researching it?"
Levy groaned, "Emerald also means suspenseful love." She shrugged her shoulders. "It could help us find out who our fateful love is supposed to be."
Lucy hit her head on the table. "Wow, I haven't thought of that." She turned to Hermione with a smile. "We could get some Emeralds to grinned up and see who we're meant to be with."
"But we can't," whispered Hermione harshly. "Emeralds are costly and not always reliable. Since interpretation has a liability factor."
Levy groaned, "Plus pure Emeralds are hard to come by, these days." She tossed a book away from her. "Useless books."
Lucy sighed, "Why were you looking for love, Levy?"
"Lu, I may like Jet and Droy as my teammates. But that is all I will ever see of them, my teammates."
Lucy smiled kindly. "I guess having your own cheer squad is annoying."
Hermione wiggled in her seat. "Cheer squad?"
Levy sighed, "Yeah, they would come up with cheer routines for anything I do. It was kind of cute, when they had started it. Now, it's just annoying. They even have one when I use the bathroom."
Hermione shivered, granted, she wanted her friends' support. When it came to reading and school work. But a cheer squad. Nope, she would have hexed them.
"Who would you like to be with, Levy," asked Lucy.
The blue-haired girl glanced around. "Someone fun and strong, who doesn't mind me reading," she whispered softly.
Lucy looked around. "You may want to focus on Freed. You two are very similar."
Levy giggled, "I could definitely get lost in his library. That man has a lot of books."
Lucy smiled, "Don't forget, you broke his Rune barrier." She turned to Hermione with a smile. "Laxus and his team had a fight against other Fairy Tail members. Wanting to know who was the strongest member was."
Levy nodded, "They went at it the wrong way. Taking the girls out, before we even knew anything. That was a sexist move, on Laxus' part."
"Who won," asked Hermione.
Lucy sighed, "It was mainly a group effort. But I took down Bickslow. Cana and Mira against Freed. Erza with Evergreen. Laxus was a massive tag team with Natsu and Gajeel."
"Mira was a she-devil against Freed's daemon ass," cried Cana in her whiskey.
Causing many within the guild to chuckle.
"Please," whimpered Bickslow. From his seat on the second floor. "It wasn't my finest moment. I was close to having a cosplayer, as my personal puppet."
Hermione sighed, zapping his ass from where she sat. Only to see him hop out of his seat. "Who did that? I know it wasn't the boss man!"
Hermione smiled, "I did, you needed to calm your butt down. Lucy couldn't be anyone's puppet. Her heart is too pure for that."
Bickslow lolled his tongue out. "You can zap me any day, baby." He jumped at that moment, turning to glare at Laxus. "What is your deal, man?"
"Just wanted to see if you knew when I did it."
Bickslow chuckled, "Whatever you say, boss. But I think you don't like being out matched with getting my attention." He wiggled his eyebrows.
At that moment, his totems flew around Bickslow. "On your own," they chimed. Before rushing around, Hermione, Lucy and Levy. "We hide here." Then settled around the three girls' shoulders.
"Even my babies are against me," he glared at Hermione. "First it's Popo, then the rest. Come on!" He may look like he was upset. But his eyes flashed with a bit of humor.
Popo snuggled up to Hermione, causing her to giggle. "I protect Hermione's smile. You hardly smile, even at Hogwarts."
"I was trying to keep my friend alive." Then another totem nudged up to her. "Who are you?"
"Papa," the new totem answered. "I was Bickslow's father." He nodded towards the others. "His brothers and sister."
Levy cuddled one of them. "Who are you called, sweetie?"
"Pipi, sister." Giggling next to Levy's neck. "You should be with Bickslow," Pipi whispered to Levy.
Causing the girls to blush and giggle. While Bickslow fell out of his seat. Hitting the floor with a big bang.
"Well that is one down," Lucy giggled some more. "I can see that. Bickslow has been friends with Freed. It means he can get you out of your books to eat, once in a while."
Levy blushed a deep red. "I just love to read. Speaking of reading, when am I going to get my hands on your story?"
Lucy sighed, "I'm working on a new one. Thanks to Hermione's dream guy."
Causing everyone to stop and listen in. None of the girls had realized.
Levy grinned, "So, who is your dream guy?"
"Strong," smiled Hermione. Causing the guys to flex in the background. "Deep voice." The guys cleared their voices. "Knowledgeable, at least in a survival since."
Lucy had seen a few guys flexing around them. Only to see a few looked sad. But when Hermione had said Survival. A few tried to arm wrestle one another. Only to see Natsu falling asleep at the corner, in disinterest.
Gajeel and Elfman were arm-wrestling each other. They were sitting for a moment. Before getting onto their feet. Then ended up head locking one another.
Hermione sighed, turned towards them. "Would you two stop it! I don't enjoy watching dumb brawls, they are pointless!"
The two fell to the floor in a thump.
"There goes my free entertainment," groaned Cana from the bar. "Why did you do that, anyway?"
Hermione turned towards Lucy with a raised eyebrow. "Are brawls really entertainment around here?"
"Sadly," Lucy huffed. Raising her hand over the guild. "Men fight each other, to see who is stronger than whom. Women watch, only to notice the ripped muscles."
Hermione gulped, shaking her head. "I think I should go for a walk." She pushed herself out of her seat and left the guild behind. Only to hear that someone was following her.
'This is what I needed right now. Have my haunted mate following me.'
She made her way into the park.
