Chapter 4
Darkness surrounded Rogue, or so it always felt since he never dreamed as he slept. He figured his conscious just shut down during those few hours as his eyes saw nothing but black.
"Its not like it's the first time." Sweet, soft spoken words rushed through his ears as pale flashes of moonlight, far away bright lights, and blurs passed through his mind too quickly for him to piece together anything.
Distantly, he started to hear faded laughter and conversations as yellow light surrounds the room that appeared around him. What the topics of conversations between the vague figures were, he didn't know nor did he care. His ears were focused on a faint hum that was leading him out of the bright lights, through a door, and luring him into the shadows outside. Rogue stumbled as he tried to move through the figures and get closer to the sound that was familiar to him. He fought to push through the crowd and reached for the silver handle of the window door to pull it open before -
Rogue awoke with a start to darkness surrounding him, only this time he knew it was due to lack of light as he felt the bed under him, Frosh sleeping in his usual spot beside Rogue's feet, and extra warmth next to him. Looking to his side, he saw the form of a sleeping Levy.
Her features were soft and relaxed. Her eyes moved behind the lids, signaling dreaming, as her parted lips let out the quietest snores Rogue barely heard, and blue locks flared a pale face. Rogue sighed as he watched her sleep peacefully for a moment before he moved out of bed. After moving Frosh closer to Levy, Rogue checked the time and began to get ready for the day.
He knew it would still be a while before the two woke, but that didn't mean while he was awake he couldn't get a scope of the town. Going out onto the balcony, he moved to sit on the edge of the rail, looking out at the moon as he tried to remember what his dream had been about. While he couldn't recall the scenes that had tried to play our for him, he did have a few notes stuck in his head.
Shaking his head, Rogue jumped from the balcony and shifted to his shadow form to explore the town while the night gave him the most cover.
…...
Levy woke that morning with only an exceed beside her. She had wondered where Rogue was, but Frosh had informed her that Rogue didn't sleep much and probably went out like he did back at home. With a small nod, the script mage had gotten ready for the day in white shorts, a yellow crop top, a blue vest, and her red sandals. She had finally gotten around to replacing one of her more comfortable outfits that she hadn't worn in a while and was excited to wear it again. She was currently zipping Frosh in his frog suit as she heard the lock click and the door open as Rogue walked in, carrying a brown bag and a cup holder with three large cups and a small cup.
"Good morning." He greeted as he placed the bag and cup holder down on the dresser, picking up Frosh.
"Good morning. What's this?" Levy asked as she neared the dresser.
"Breakfast. I wasn't sure exactly what you'd like but there's a couple of options to eat. I got Frosh an apple juice," Rogue smiled as he pulled the small cup out of the holder and handing it to the exceed with a straw, " and I got us coffee. Sugar and creamer is in the bag." He said as he placed one large cup of coffee next to her and the brown bag of goodies before he grabbed the other two cups and sat on the sofa.
Levy picked out a cinnamon roll from the bag and handed a muffin to Frosh before she ate her quick breakfast, watching the dragon slayer finish off both cups of black coffee as she finished her food and doctored up her cup to drink.
"So I was thinking it would be best if we divided the town into four sections and split up. I have camera lacrimas to take pictures of any writings you come across, but that way we can maybe get half the writings today and I can begin translating them tonight."
"That seems best. I'll start in the north side of town. We'll come back here around lunch to discuss what we've found so far." Rogue nodded to Levy as he stood.
"Also, if we come across any mages that might be associated with the writings or any signs of a dark guild, the mayor said she has a special cell at the police station for them to wait in until the council gets here." Levy grabbed her purse and stuck the room key in it.
"Very well. I'd like Frosh to go with you. If you start translating, he would be a good look out, or he could fly you out of a tight spot if need be." Rogue said as they walked out of the room and out of the hotel, stopping at the desk and getting an extra key.
Levy knew that Rogue didn't mean for it to sound as if she couldn't handle herself, he wouldn't have agreed to split up if he didn't, which is why she agreed. The bluenette knew that having the exceed could come in handy if she were to have to call on Rogue for back up. Soon, the trio was out of the hotel and parting ways across the town to look for the writings.
…...
Levy sat on the sofa, currently cleaning her knee with some rubbing alcohol and cotton balls as Frosh stood on the floor next to her, holding the bandages for her. The Script Mage and exceed had spent the better part of the morning exploring the east side of town, finding two writings that she was able to photograph before Frosh had warned her of an attacker. It wasn't long before they heard the lock click and the door open to allow the Shadow Dragon Slayer inside, not having a full moment to get inside before the exceed ran up to him.
"Rogue-kun, Rogue-kun, Levy had a big fight!" Frosh started as he tried to explain the details. "She was taking pictures. I heard them coming up. So many more than I thought!" He said hyper-actively as Rogue picked him up, taking the bandages from him and placing him on the bed.
Rogue nodded as he listened to Frosh give what he thought were all the facts, which was mainly him trying to act out the battle with his own sound effects, as the dragon slayer sat next to Levy on the sofa. Picking up a clean cotton ball with alcohol on it, Rogue moved to clean a cut on Levy's shoulder before Frosh had finished his tale and disappeared into the bathroom for a few minutes.
"So what happened?" The shadow mage inquired as he heard Levy hiss from the contact of the cotton ball.
"East side of town has two writings in it. I was trying to get a few photographs of the second area when Frosh gave me the warning." She said, securing the bandage on her knee. "There were six mages, unfortunately two of them slipped away, but they came out worse than me." Levy smiled as she felt Rogue's careful hands finish with the bandage on her shoulder.
While Rogue knew the script mage was strong, he'd never expected to hear that she would take on six mages by herself; but, then again, this was the same girl who survived a malicious attack from Phantom Lord's Kurogane in the past. This was the same girl that opened her heart and forgave the one that nearly killed her and her friends when their attacker had join the same guild as her. Even Rogue couldn't forget the gossip that passed through all of Foire back then, but, in this moment, he realized just how much the script mage had been perceived as weak during that gossip and why she must be working so hard to build herself up.
"Um, Earthland to Rogue?" A soft voiced snapped him out of his train of thought as he looked up to warm brown eyes and a small smile on the script mage, who was now standing in front of him.
"I apologize, I spaced out. What?" The dragon slayer blinked for a moment as he returned to the actual conversation.
"I said that I haven't been able to figure out the language they're using yet, and then I asked how was the north side?" Levy was putting her travel first aid kit back in her suitcase.
"Oh, I found two writings there and two, so far, in the west. I didn't have any problems until I was on the way back. I might've ran into the two mages you ran off, but, either way they're sitting with their friends." Rogue shrugged before he stood up. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Levy nodded as she picked up Frosh and looked around for her red purse.
"Oh crap, I think I left my purse somewhere during the fight." Sighing, she had been greatful that Frosh had been there to warn her as she had been approached from behind and to fly her back to their hotel, but she had a lot of important things in her purse, including her wallet.
Rogue once again shrugged and moved to hold the door open for her and his exceed.
"I wouldn't worry about it too much. Let go get some food, my treat. I'm sure it will be where you left it." The trio walked out of the room and out of the hotel as they made their way down the street a few short blocks until they came across a small diner with an outside area. As they sat at a table on the patio, Rogue sent his shadow away to find her purse and cover it until she could reach it.
Levy still felt embarrassed that she had left her bag where anyone could just run off with it, and she felt bad for Rogue having to pay for lunch. He had already went out of his way to get them breakfast this morning.
Soon a waitress with a black bob cut and blonde bangs came over to ask them for their order. Frosh had ordered the kid's chicken strips and a juice. As Rogue was giving his order to the waitress, Levy was browsing over the cheaper menu items, planning on getting on just a small salad with water.
"Make that two." Rogue finished before he grabbed the menus from their table, including the one from Levy, and handed them back to the waitress.
"I could have ordered my own food." Levy said quickly, blushing slightly as she had seen the waitress leaving with a small smirk.
"You could have. But you wouldn't have gotten much." Rogue grabbed his glass, taking a sip of the soda he ordered. He gave Levy a knowing look. "After battling six, you need to eat and gain strength."
Levy once again blushed lightly before she took a sip of her drink and nodded.
The three mages enjoyed pleasant conversations ranging from books, to magic, to cultures, and most topics in between. Levy had told Rogue more in detail of how her battle with six went and how she had received a blast from a magical weapon that sent her back, explaining the large scrape on her knee she had been doctoring when he returned to the room. He found himself becoming more and more intrigued by Levy's magic and her style of battle.
Levy had also started asking more questions about Rogue's dragon slayer abilities and how he got his strength differently than Natsu or Wendy who could eat their element, being intrigued by their power. It was almost an hour later, before they decided that they should return to the mission.
"You should go find your bag. I'll finish checking out the west side of town. We can meet up in the south." The dragon slayer suggested, receiving a nod from the bluenette.
"Yeah. Maybe Frosh should go with you this time." She replied, taking notice of the exceed who had perched himself on Rogue's shoulder, obviously looking tired. While the dark haired man was reluctant, he agreed, knowing Frosh would probably nap on his shoulder for a while, before they parted ways once again for the day.
…...…...
Levy had just made it back to the alley where she had found the second writings and looked around. It didn't take long for her to find where her bag had landed in the fight and noticed it's slightly more shaded color as she reached for it. Before her hand made contact with the strap, she watched as Rogue's shadow pulled itself off her bag and slide onto the wall. She smiled at the sweet gesture as she threw her bag over her shoulder.
'I'll have to thank him later.' Levy thought to herself, getting ready to go check out the south side of the town before she noticed a symbol underneath the graffiti writings. She took out the camera lacrima and looked back at the picture of the first writing. Almost merging into the writings to look like it belonged was an upside down triangle with a eye inside. Levy knew then that they were dealing with a new guild. She kneeled down with the camera and focused on the symbol.
She heard the camera click but before she could view it, something slammed her against the wall from behind. If her head wouldn't have hit the wall, maybe she could have fought her new attacker, but for the moment, Levy lost all conciousness.
…...
Rogue had already cleared most of the south part of town when he noticed the sun starting to set in the distant sky. He narrowed his eyes as he searched through the alleys and streets. Luckily, the dragon slayer hadn't ran into any more trouble makers yet and he had found two of the writings, collecting photographs before he continued on his path. His missing shadow had given him a tingle to let him know that Levy had found her bag as he made his way back towards the hotel with his exceed.
He had just walked into the hotel room and placed Frosh on the bed so he could actually nap when Rogue's shadow rushed throughout the room before attaching itself back to Rogue. The dragon slayer closed his eyes as the initial sting that use to be unbearable faded quickly now before he cringed and his eyes shut tightly.
Before he could stop it, or prepare for it, his shadow replayed the events that had happened to Levy in the alley in Rogue's mind. His bright red eyes snapping open, Rogue bared his teeth as he turned towards the balcony. Looking back at Frosh, he gave him a simple 'stay put' before he took a running start, leaped over the balcony ledge, and dissipated into his shadow form as he made his way to find the script mage.
'Levy... stay strong, I'm coming to help.'
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Author's Note: Wow you guys, I wrote 3 chapters this month. I'm not gonna lie, I'm proud. But I want to know what yall think so please review! I know these last couple of chapters are kinda rush-y and perhaps not as good as the original I wrote, but I did try. I'm going to try and keep this up, still my minimum is one chapter update a month, but I log on almost daily to see if I have any new reviews or messages because this is like my only hobby. I finally got my work schedule set up to how it should be, and my courses started earlier this week, so hopefully I'll be able to properly balance everything better this semester until finals start. Thank you all for reading!
