CoLu Week Day 7: Staff
Staff (noun) a) employees of an organization b) stick, usually used for walking though sometimes used as a weapon
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It had been four months since Lucy had seen Erik. It had not, however, been anywhere near that long since he had seen her. He had come to check on her, just like he had promised. He had been to see her three times that she knew of.
Once after the Phantom War, like right after. She wasn't sure how he had known, but the morning after she got back from visting her father she had awoken to a second head imprint in her pillow which was still warm. All the ripe berries off her little cotoneaster bush were gone, and there was a tiny glass vial of murky purple stuff strung on a golden necklace on her table along with a note. 'In case of emergency when outnumbered or outclassed and alone. Hold breath, throw to break, run. Seriously don't breathe this shit.' She guessed it was some sort of poison gas bomb and hoped it wouldn't kill anyone if she was forced to use it. She also found a book of celestial spells on her bookshelf that week, that she could have sworn had been in her father's safe since her mom died. The same copy. Her mother's name was written inside.
After that she started picking her poison berries as they ripened. She used a needle and thread to hang them in the window to dry. After they were completely dry she put them in a small wooden box that had snake eyes carved in the top. The box actually came from Galuna Island, and her team had told her it was creepy, but it reminded her of Erik and Cubelios so it came home. She also had Mira save all the apple seeds she could. Those got toasted with sugar and put in a jar in the wooden 'box of death' as Natsu called it.
The second time he came to see her while she was asleep nothing interesting had been going on in her life. She was pretty sure he was dealing with some shit though, because she found bloody bandages in her bathroom. The 'box of death' was simply missing when she woke up. Two weeks later the box was back, but it wasn't empty. Inside was the silver key to Pavo the Peacock and a note.
'This was supposed to go to my sister, however I'm thinking you will take better care of it and appreciate it more. I'm losing her, Daphne. Her heart is just shriveling up inside her. She used to lIke her magic. She never lived it, but she at least liked it. Now if it had a choice her magic would leave her. She doesn't love anything anymore. Not her magic, not herself, and most days not even us.
She says you must be crazier than any of us for encouraging me to stalk you. I told them about you after Macbeth's nosy ass found the box. He doesn't sleep at night and the rest of us do so he gets bored. My brothers send their greetings. I told them what I heard you think about Bora after the charm spell broke. Macbeth laughed. It was barely there, but I heard it.
Be careful ok? Shit's getting heavy and my uncle is trying to drive this train strait off a cliff. Stay with your team. Avoid Demons and drama if you can. I know you are a trouble magnet though so it's probably impossible. Try for me.
Your Erik'
The letter was folded and hung in a locket on the gold chain with her little poison bomb. She had gotten the instructions etched onto the glass in Erik's handwriting. It was a piece of him to carry with her. She doubted she would ever use it. Circumstances had to be end-of-the-world dire for her to break his gift.
Now here she was, standing in front of atrociously heart themed building, about to do the one thing she was pretty sure that Erik specifically warned her not to do in his letter. Her team was representing Fairy Tail in a coalition of guilds to take down the Oracion Seis, a dark Guild whose members were also known by the name the Six Demons. She was pretty sure the word demons had been capitalized in Erik's letter for a reason. She had argued with the master when he assigned her to this job, but there was just no talking him out of it. She wrapped her hand around her bomb, prayed to Mavis for strength, and entered the ominously empty building with her team.
The Trimens were creepy. Don't get her wrong, she was flattered at first, but the rosy glow didn't last long. Ichiya was beyond even creepy. She had no words to accurately describe the little troll man. Lyon and Sherry were just as full of shit as they had been on Galuna Island. At least their asses were pointed in the right direction this time. Jura was intimidating as fuck, and unshakable. Wendy was so freaking adorable Lucy was thinking about shoving her into her suitcase and smuggling her home.
She listened with growing horror as Ichiya described the terrible magic the Oracion Seis was hunting for. It was terrible. If Erik knew about this it was no surprise to her that he had warned her away. She couldn't run from this though. It was to important.
"That's Archive."
"Don't believe I've seen it in use before."
"And it does what exactly?"
"Storing information." Her heart stopped beating when the images came into existence. "Such as these photographs of our enemy." It was Erik. Erik and Cubelios. "Don't ask how we got em." 'Problems' he said. If being eyebrows deep in shit could be classified as a simple problem. "First up is the snake wizard. Cobra." Well if she was going to give herself a bad ass I'm-a-total-psychopath alter ego, and she was a poison wizard Cobra seemed like a good choice.
"Beady eyes and a mischievous smirk. He looks like trouble to me." Oh shove it, Natsu! Erik's eyes aren't beady. They are beautiful, intense, but beautiful. She could acknowledge that his smirk was filled to brimming over with mischeif though. The rest of the coalition continued to make comments as Hibiki moved to the next picture.
"Next is a wizard who, judging by his name, likely uses speed magic. Meet Racer. Then there's a wizard who's willing to wipe out an entire military unit, if the price is right. Divine Eyes Hoteye." Shit! Running and money. Sawyer and Richard? His family was in the fucking guild? For fucking real! Problems my ass! "She's gorgeous, but just as vicious. This is Angel." Fuck, fuck, fuck! If that was Sorano then that meant Macbeth would be here too. "The next member is such a mystery that all we know is his name. Midnight." That left one of the Seis and only one family member. "Finally, the commander of the Oracion Seis. Brain." If his bag of dicks uncle was the guild master it would explain a lot. In theory. She narrowed her eyes and glared at the picture. You wait asshole. I didn't want to be involved in this until I knew you were here. I'll see you locked up where the sun doesn't shine. "There you have it. Alone they can wipe out entire guilds and together they are unstoppable. We have twelve to their six but that's our only advantage."
The wizards around her began to grumble and whine. Wendy was terrified, Carla was a snooty bitch, and Happy was only making it worse. Lucy had gone from jelly-legged-terrified to absolutely furious.
"Curb your fear my friends. There is more to our operation than mortal combat. With your help perhaps we can find the enemy's stronghold!" Yeah, no. Erik would hear them coming a mile away.
"Stop right there. It won't work and even if it did that's not what needs to happen."
"Lucy?" Erza blinked at her unusual bout of aggression.
"What's up with you, Luce?" Lucy ignored her team. This was important.
"Pull up the images again, Hibiki." The other wizards didn't know that she wasn't usually the take charge type, so they were just going with it, but she was getting weird looks from her team. "This guy." She pointed at 'Brain'. She would start at that end of the list and move backwards. "That's your enemy. He will be crazy powerful and he won't hesitate to use the others as shields or cannon fodder." Erik had made it clear that his 'uncle' didn't give one shit about any of them and made a habit of using them against eachother. "Next, Midnight. Unless he attacks you just leave him alone." He didn't sleep at night. He was sleeping in the picture. Maybe it had something to do with his magic. Let sleeping dogs lie. "In fact, accept for Brain that goes for all of them."
"Lucy I demand an explanation! What do you know about these people and why didn't you say anything before!"
"Erza, I need you to trust me. I know what I know because I know it and I'm not telling you anything else. I made a promise." She held eye contact with the redhead until she backed down.
"Ok. Angel. She's a celestial wizard like me. Get her keys. Don't hurt her. She probably can't do much to harm us without them."
"We don't even know that. How do you?" Ichiya seemed a little rattled.
"I just do. Now. There is no money in this, so Hoteye probably won't make it personal. If given an option Racer will probably avoid a direct conflict. These four are delicate in the head. Don't push them. They could become irrational."
"Lu..."
"Shut up, Natsu. This is important. Like really important in ways none of you understand. Just let me talk." She stared at him, but to her surprise he didn't back down like Erza had.
"Answer me one question. Is this about your dragon?" Natsu had smelled dragon on her when she first arrived at the guild. He mentioned it several times after that too. After each of the three times she knew Erik had visited, and several times when she guessed he had dropped by Magnolia just to listen from a distance. No matter what he said or did she refused to talk about it. He knew that it had something to do with what he called her obsession with dying slowly and painfully, in other words the Erik related poison collection she had. He said her bomb smelled 'dragony'. "If it is I will trust you on it and not ask any more questions."
"Fine. Yes." He settled down and started paying attention.
"You have a dragon!" Wendy was freaking out.
"No, I don't. Natsu is talking about a smell. I've never had the honor of meeting a real dragon. Though I hope that we can find Igneel someday and I can meet him. Anyway. Focus people!" She turned back to the pictures hanging mid air. She missed Erik. Hopefully when they were done dealing with this shit storm he wouldn't have to hide anymore. "So, let's recap so far. Master Asshole is the enemy. He's very powerful and very dangerous. Defend yourself if attacked from the others, otherwise let them be."
"What about Cobra? Do you have information on him? And what is the goal of this plan?" Jura. Unflappable.
"The goal of this plan is freedom. Let's leave it at that. As far as Cobra goes..." She thought for a long moment. She had information yes, but it wasn't for sharing. She was going to have to wait untill she could communicate with him to know how to play this. "The snake has human intelligence. She doesn't speak, but she understands us, and can communicate with anyone who knows what to look for. Natsu might be able to learn on the fly. He's good with body language. She is to ...to Cobra like Happy is to Natsu. She will follow his lead."
"Wait, so the snake the snake wizard keeps around isn't his magic?"
"Correct. Cubelios is her own magic, or has her own magic, depending on how you look at it."
"It has a name!"
"She, Gray. Cubelios is a female. Of course she has a name. How would you like to go your whole life without a name? Actually starting now you don't have one." She turned her back on her teammate. "Moving on! As far as Cobra goes just let me deal with him."
"You want to take him on by yourself?!"
"We aren't fighting. If this doesn't go the way I hope it will there is no way I can beat him. He..." He knows everything that we think. If Erik isn't there and we have to deal with Cobra we are so screwed. "Honestly I don't know if anyone can beat him if I fail."
"He is that powerful?"
"It's not a matter of power, Erza, though he has that too."
"What is it a matter of then?" She wasn't going to betray him by answering that question.
"If you contact him without me tell him the truth and tell him I'm looking for him. If it comes to a fight just run. Strength won't help you against this guy. Don't stay and defend yourself. Run. If you are with me when we meet you need to take your cue from us. Watch, wait, listen. Act only if we do or if directly attacked. There's... a lot going on here. More than just a simple dark guild hunting dark magic. Trust me on this. Back me up and we will all come out of this better than our guilds are expecting. If... If Cobra attacks me then I was obviously wrong and screwed us." She refused to believe that would happen. Erik would be freed. He and his brothers and his sister were coming home with her.
"Does anyone need supplies before we go?" She scanned the faces around her. "Where is Ichiya?" Noone knew. They found him in the bathroom with a huge lump on his head, mumbling about big blue bugs. Wendy healed him but said he needed to rest and wake on his own to be in fighting shape. Lucy doubted he would be in fighting shape even then.
"I doubt even Ichiya is clumsy enough to do that to himself." Erza muttered.
"Right. That means they probably already know we are here. We may already be screwed, but let's go."
"Go where?"
"I think we should just start walking honestly. Cobra will find us." He would hear them. Some of them sooner than others considering how much noise Natsu was making. She just hoped he did before anyone else could cause trouble.
Of course Natsu turned their just walking into a race. Gray got involved which involved Lyon. Erza and Sherry followed the boys. Lucy and Wendy followed, carrying Happy and Carla, because no way were they staying behind when the Trimens were following them. Jura kept up.
Natsu ran off a cliff, because winning a race was apparently worth breaking your neck for. By the time they regrouped the magic bomber was overhead. The enormous Pegasus was quite promptly shot out of the sky. It fell to the ground in a huge ball of fire, from which emerged, with true dark guild worthy drama, the Oracion Seis. Erik, or at least his apparently evil alter ego, and his family. Lucy kept her expression passive, but immediately began directing her thoughts at the poison slayer as if they were being spoken aloud.
I missed you, Erik. Like really, really missed you. You could have stayed, like, five more minutes that time you stripped my bush and I could have, I don't know, seen your eyes or gotten a kiss or something. The corner of his mouth twitched. He was trying not to smile.
"Lowly maggots, swarming together."
Maggots can't swarm, because they don't have wings idiot. I really don't like your uncle. He quirked an eyebrow at her. Yeah, that's right. I figured out the family thing. Not Stupid, standing right here. You however...
"Gemini learned all sorts of interesting things while she was in short stuff's head. This is going to be an interesting party." Sorano I'm guessing? Gemini is a Zodiac spirit. If they were 'in' Ichiya's head then they use some sort of mind swapping or copying magic. Please tell me she didn't feel like sharing with Brain and we have time to talk.
He gave her a single dramatic blink that she took as a yes. Cubelios didn't have eyelids and Erik couldn't go around sticking his tongue out. That would be weird. She was really grateful for her crash course in Cubelios during their trip from Hargeon to Magnolia. She would be lost without it. Communicating this way must be frustrating as shit for the snake. His eyes were laughing at her.
"The quicker we wrap this up the better. I'll run you over so fast it'll make your head spin." Sawyer? Her eyes ran to the man sleeping on a flying carpet. Macbeth? Is he running magic through that thing constantly? That sounds exhausting.
"Money determines strength in this world. Oh, yeah! If you save but a penny today it shall become a vast fortune in the future." Sorry to disappoint you Richard but it doesn't work that way. Oh, that reminds me. We destroyed the Tower of Heaven, Erik. Blew the whole thing to oblivion.
"No fucking shit!" The Oracion Seis all gaped at their wide eyed slayer. All accept the sleeping one. "Wake him up, Cu! He needs to hear this." The snake slithered down Erik's leg, over to the sleeper, grasped a corner tasle in her mouth and yanked. Red eyes snapped open before he even hit the ground. He didn't change position, but he was wide awake now.
"What is the meaning of this, Cobra?" Erik sneered at Brain as he helped Cubelios back onto his shoulders, but didn't answer. Lucy saw the glimmer of fear in Sorano's eyes and felt a red hot rage toward the man who had obviously hurt these people. It took that angry demand for Lucy's fellow light wizards to realize that there was something off about the snake wizard's behavior. He turned back and looked at her.
"How did you even find the damn thing?" Erza. She escaped during a revolt when she was little. "I remember that." Crazy shit went down. Possession, betrayal, lots of drama. Long story short, an old frenemy of Erza's tried to sacrifice her to the tower in order to resurrect Zeref. Who would ever want to do that? We objected, fighting ensued, we blew the thing to shit. Natsu actually ate a piece of the tower while it was an etherion lacrima. Made him really sick. Erik chuckled. "Fuck I missed your trouble magnet self, Daphne."
"Daphne!" Sorano gasped and her eyes flicked from Shelly, to Erza, to Lucy and settled there. "That's why..."
"That's why you woke me up? Your Daphne is here?"
"She is, but that's not why we woke you. I can hear you. It isn't like that!"
"Cobra! Must I remind you what is at stake here? Who is Daphne and who are you talking to? I demand you focus on the task at hand!"
"Your demands can fucking wait for this story!" Erik's snarl had the other four leaning away from both him and Brain. "They deserve to hear this! We can all focus after!" Lucy's side of their little standoff was getting antsy. She could hear Natsu sniffing at the air.
"A story! Can we call a truce for story time!" The Seis just stared at Erza for a moment. Brain was obviously unhappy, but stayed silent. Erik shrugged.
"Ya know what, why the fuck not." Erza requiped into pajamas and pulled a stuffed bear from somewhere. She sat and stared at Erik. "You have issues. You won't like this story, and you have to help tell it, so you shouldn't be happy."
"Why won't I like it?"
"Jellal." Lucy was pretty sure the air pressure dropped. There were noisy inhales from all the Seis, the Fairies, Jura, and Wendy. Lucy guesses Jura was well informed as a wizard saint, but she didn't know what Wendy's issue was. She didn't see her either, so the shy girl must be hiding.
Now that we've thoroughly confused and upset pretty much everyone... Should I get my drama on or just sit still and look pretty?
"Go ahead." He grinned at her. She started weaving her way to the front of the crown to sit next to Erza.
"Gather around boys and girls. Have a seat, pop a squat, or stand there like a creeper. I don't really care. I don't have any marshmallows, but we can pretend Natsu is a camp fire. Come here Natsu. The storyteller is supposed to sit by the fire. Nameless one you can come support us too. Happy can stay where he is." Happy would be with Carla who would be with Wendy and she needed extra furry cuddles. Erik suddenly turned to Racer.
"Then you can run laps for all I care, but listen!" That sounded like her cue.
"It was a dark and stormy night. Well actually it was in the middle of the day and sunny, but Natsu ate the Tower of Heaven anyway."
"He fucking did what!" Midnight had been about to fall asleep again, but he was definitely awake now. Racer sat. Lucy wasn't entirely sure it was intentional. Erik, this story won't hold everyone for long. When this makeshIft therapy session ends what happens? If you really want to do this whole 'Cobra' thing I know I can't stop you. I doubt even Jura could and he's a fucking wizard saint. His eyes flicked from Racer to Midnight, then focused on Natsu.
"Luce! I only ate it because I was out of magic energy and there wasn't any fire! You just want an excuse to make fun of me for getting sick." The story? Is it supposed to help them decide? Is that why we are doing this? He blinked again and tipped his head back just a little. So, yes with a positive flavor.
"You ate a tower and expected not to get sick?" Lyon scoffed. She guessed it would sound like that if you didn't know what the tower even was or anything. Come home with me, Erik. She could see the conflict on his face.
"I didn't eat the whole tower! It was just a few bites and it made of etherion!" Your sister and brothers can come too if that's what they want. I know you are here for them, but you are losing yourself too. Look at where you are right now. What you were doing before I got here.
"You ate etherion and lived?" Huh, looks like even Brain was into the story. She knew starting at the end was a good idea. Erik looked into her eyes and nodded. She had to fight to keep her relief from showing. He was coming home.
"It was an emergency! He made Erza cry!" Cobra snorted in Natsu's general direction.
"This shit is getting us nowhere fast. The story needs to start at the beginning. Hell I'll even kick this AA meeting off. Hi, I'm Cobra."
"Hi, Cobra!" Lucy chimed in with her happiest, sunniest voice. He gave her a look that said she had a couple screws rattling around up top. What? It was funny. You started it.
"Thank you, Shits and Giggles." She giggled. She couldn't help it. She missed his brand of humor. "I was there, in the Tower, when Jellal rose to power. I wasn't there long before he and Brain struck a deal that got me out. I suffer from severe sarcasism and a fatal case of assholeness along with a tendency to kill people prematurely as a result of childhood trauma. End of story. Moving on. Next victim. Titania, I nominate you. Ready, set, go."
Wow. You're trying really hard to not make friends aren't you? He shrugged. You really aren't a people person are you? He glared at her.
"Hello, I'm Erza Scarlet. I was just Erza until Jellal gave me my last name my first day in the Tower. He was a good boy, and my best friend, before we were caught in an escape attempt. I lost my eye. He lost his soul. I escaped, and he chose to stay." We need to move this faster don't we? Brain is the opposite of happy. He double blinked. There really needed to get moving then.
"Erza, Cobra was being sarcastic. They just want to know what happened to the tower. Recently."
"Yeah, can you pick up the pace a little, so we can get back to what we came here for?"
"Agreed, Racer. I to am interested in how they accomplished such a feat. That is the only reason I am allowing this delay in our search for Nirvana." Erik's lips twisted into a sneer again. Lucy was guessing that Brain didn't really have a choice in the matter as long as the other five were united in their wish to hear about the Tower's destruction. He could always Leave and go search without you. It would make this whole peace treaty negotiation/ transfer of allegiance thing easier. He smirked at her.
"Right! Let's finish this story so we can fight!" Because fighting was always the priority in Natsu's book. "Jellal was trying to use the Tower of Heaven to resurect some evil wizard because he was crazy and thought he was a god. So he had his brainwashed buddies kidnap Erza to use her as a sacrifice!" Natsu continued telling the story with interjections from Gray and Erza.
Natsu's version of this story is likely to be a little... skewed, but it will do. So the plan I laid out was: Brain as the enemy and defence only with Sorano and your brothers. I couldn't get much more specific other than to take Sorano's keys if she proved to be a problem, because I have no clue how the chips will fall once Brain realizes you aren't backing his play anymore. Honestly my entire plan hinged on wether you were Erik or Cobra when I found you and the decision your siblings have yet to make. He rolled his intense purple eyes at her. I know. It's a kinda sucky plan. There was that tiny smile again.
So should I keep talking? He blinked a yes. I learned some if the spells in that book you stole from my dad. I'm going to want to hear that story by the way. Urano Metria is probably the most powerful, but it totally wipes me out to use it even once. I also learned a purifying spell, and one that is basically a really bright flashlight that can double as a laser, but I don't have that kind of control with it yet.
I got some new spirits! Pavo the Peacock you know about. He is like the world's most miraculous tailor, not much use in a fight unless my enemy has a fear of velvet or taffeta. I also have Pyxis the Compass. He's a real sweety.
There is Loke of course. He uses light magic. He's really Leo the Lion, but you already knew about him being a spirit didn't you. I helped him and he is my most loyal spirit now. Though Virgo may be tied with him. It's hard to tell with her. She drills holes and uses chains. Honestly she is really odd, but I love her. I also have Sagittarius the Archer. That makes six out of the twelve Zodiac.
"Erza wanted them to join Fairy Tail, but they wanted to go see the world instead, so we gave them a Fairy Tail send off. Gray and I even made fireworks with our magic." Erik's head snapped around to look at Erza.
"Say that out loud."
"Say what?"
"Their names. Say their names out loud." Erza's eyes grew wide and flicked back and forth between Lucy and Erik. She had probably realized that he had read her thoughts somehow and was going over the implications of him having that ability. She finally focused on Erik with narrowed eyes. If Lucy had to guess she would say questions were being asked silently. He nodded at her and she let out a loud breath she must have been holding.
"Chips are about to be tossed, Daphne." Shit. And most of her team was sitting on the ground, totally open to attack. She had no idea why the names of their traveling friends were important, but something was about to change shit up.
"Natsu, help me up. My leg is asleep." It hadn't really, but getting her up would get Natsu up. Erza was at least halfway in the loop now, so hopefully she would be prepared. She stayed sitting, but Lucy could see her tense. Lucy dropped her hand to run her fingers over her keys. Loke send a pulse of magic through his.
"Their names are Millianna, Sho, and Wally." The younger Seis all jerked.
"Wally? Wally Buchanan?"
"I...yes. How did you know?"
"He is alive?"
"Well, yes. I just spoke with him via lacrima last week." Shit seemed to go all to crazy pretty quick. Richard started crying great big anime style rivers. Brain gasped as one of the tattoos on his face started to disappear. He let out a cry of rage and dark magic began to gather around his staff. Cubelios lashed out to sink her teeth into his left arm, retreating just as fast. Another tattoo line started fading as Erik spun and planted a foot in the man's gut, throwing him backwards.
While he was in the air Gray and Jura got shielding spells up. Loke was summoned with a thought. An ice ape and a mud doll were manifest and the Trimens fell into battle formation. Erza got to her feet, now in her Purgatory armor. Natsu, somehow ended up outside their iron rock/ice cave and was of course on fire.
Erik hit Brain with a poison dragon roar as soon as he hit the ground, sending him up again and further into the trees. Richard was still crying, but on his knees. Racer and Midnight had joined Sorano where she stood. They were quite obviously shaken, but none of them drew on their magic, or cast any spells either defensive or offensive. They seemed to be waiting for something.
"Angel, Racer, hold your prayers. We already lost me and Hoteye. I don't want to have to deal with Zero." Lucy had no clue what he meant by that. Erik stepped back so he stood even with Natsu and the two dragon slayers crouched low facing the man Lucy had designated The Enemy.
"Cobra, what are you doing? Why would you betray us?" Midnight looked lost, torn, like he had been stabbed.
"Not you, Midnight. Just him. I'm done. All we've ever wanted was freedom and he's been dangling it as a carrot for years with no intention of giving it to us. His price was our soul and I refuse to give him mine. I'm going home with my Daphne. Starting over. She has offered you the same chance if you come with us."
"But..."
"How dare you turn your poison against me! I gave you that magic!" The Enemy began to glow again with dark magic.
"You cut me open while I screamed and fucking shoved it inside me!" Lucy's rage reached new heights. She began working her way toward a small opening in their shelter. "The dragon magic killed me twice before my body acclimated and you fucking laughed the whole time." She focused all her anger on her spell.
"Light of Sirius brought to bear." That was the easy part. The spell was just light if used at this point. It was the rest of the incantation that made it dangerous. Her chosen fingertip began to glow, but she contained her magic so as not to give herself away yet. "Shine with a brightness that burns the air." She lifted her glowing middle finger in a big F you to Brain before pointing it. "Celestial Ray!"
The white hot light melted Gray's ice away from the small opening it shot through. Natsu yelped and leapt away as it passed him. Grass and bushes wilted along its path and a tree burst into flames. She was a little off with her aim, because of her poetically chosen finger, so Brain survived. The laser cut clean through his right arm though, searing the wound shut. He screamed.
Lucy had just cut off a man's arm with starlight and she didn't even feel guilty. Natsu gave a cackle of glee as he slurped the fire out of the tree. She was glad he was here because she would have felt guilty if she had burned down the forest. It hadn't hurt anybody ever.
"As hot as that was can you imagine if it had failed like every other time you tried that spell?" Erik wasn't even looking at her. He was still watching Brain writhe in agony. His creepy witch doctor staff was still standing there. "Hey you! Look at me! I'm flipping you off with a flashlight! Fear my wrath!" Lucy started to laugh, until she heard a single broken word from Midnight.
"Father..."
"Gray, let me out."
"Oh, so now I have a name, do I?"
"Just let me the fuck out damn it!" Gray rolled his eyes, but dropped his ice enough to allow her passage. She tried to look as unthreatening as possible as she walked away from what, from the outside, looked like a scary little hedgehog fort.
"He's not your father, Midnight! He's no more your father than he's any of ours..." She stopped next to Erik and leaned into his side just a little. She got a slither tongue kiss on her chin from Cubelios. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and give him a proper I-haven't-seen-you-in-months-and-missed-the-fuck-out-of-you hug, but they were still in the middle of a battle ...type ..thing. Sort of. She wasn't sure what it was right now, but a real hug didn't sound safe. There was tittering coming from the hedgehog fort and the Seis were giving them disbelieving looks.
Audio hug. He snorted at her. Can I talk to him? About the dad thing? I don't know if he will listen but you know I've been through the bag-of-dicks dad thing. He pressed a hand lightly to her back. They walked slowly forward with Natsu trailing behind. I really hope he behaves himself. I get a real hug when this is over with. He hummed in what she took for agreement.
"Midnight?" The make-up wearing boy eyed her warily. "I'm Lucy. I'm Erik's Daphne." Angel gasped.
"He lets you call him that?" She gave them a smile.
"I didn't even know the name Cobra until this morning. He's been Erik to me since we met." The feather clad girl looked at the slayer beside her.
"Why?"
"Apricots and Fecal smears." Natsu made a choking sound. She dug an elbow into Erik's ribs. He must have let her, because he should have heard that coming.
"That doesn't even make sense to me and I was there. What the hell have you been telling them about me? If it was all that weird I'm dumping the box of death down the toilet."
"It wasn't. I promise. And you wouldn't do that. You are looking forward to attempting to get me to do embarrasing things in a toxic induced haze way to much to follow through with that threat."
Brain made it to his feet with the help of his staff and took a step toward them. They tensed, but before anyone could do anything he was locked in an iron rock prison. The staff was knocked several feet away, but somehow the creepy thing remained upright. Erza shot out of the hedgehog fort and slapped him with magic canceling cuffs, well one cuff at least, that she must have pulled from requip storage. Midnight literally wavered on his feet. Would using his real name be good or bad right now? Erik pushed against her back encouragingly.
"Macbeth." She had barely whispered but his red eyes snapped to hers. "What is family? Does family hurt each other or protect each other? Do they take from those they care about or give? Do they tear each other down or hold each other up? Does family harm family? I had a father once. A real, honest to Mavis, blood father. He tried to sell me into what he called a marriage and I call slavery. Sell me. As a business proposition." She looked straight at Hoteye. "We were so rich we didn't know what to do with ourselves and he still needed more. When I refused he tried to take my magic, so I ran."
"Erik was the one who helped me find the people I call family now. I have two brothers who are annoying as hell and twice as retarded" Cries of outrage were heard from said brothers, and a wail came from Happy at not being included. Sucker. "And another brother who is retarded as shit and four times as annoying." Another wail from Happy. Erik snickered. "I found a sister who always has my back in Erza. I've got a shit ton of cousins, a handful of pervy uncles, and apparently the pervy grows stronger with age because Gramps really is a super perv." Agreement was heard from everyone who knew Makarov in the slightest. "But I really wouldn't trade them for the world. We take care of each other, protect each other."
"When my 'father'" She literally made air bunnies for that word, because she was still pissed as all hell at the man. "Brought war to Fairy Tail's doorstep in an attempt to bring me back I was going to leave. It tore my heart out, but I was going to do it. To protect my family. They had different ideas. Natsu said something I will never forget. 'You're Lucy of Fairy Tail.'" She lifted her eyes to Racer. "'No more running, cuz you belong here with us.' Then my family told Master Jose they would rather die than let him take me somewhere I would be unhappy."
"That is what family does. They do everything they can to make eachother happy, even if they have to sacrifice to do it." She pointed at where Brain was struggling to escape the trap that had by now had several layers added to it. "That guy is not your family. Erik is your family, and if you let us Fairy Tail and I will be your family too, but only if that is what makes you happy." She was silent for a long moment. Gray and Lyon started a fight in the background, which their little group managed to ignore after the initial surprise and a raised eyebrow from Angel.
"What do you guys want? Out of life I mean. Maybe thinking about that will help you know what you want right now."
"My prayer. To vanish into the heavens, like an angel, pure and white." Lucy gave that some thought.
"There is a mage in my guild who loves fairies so much she learned what she calls fairy magic. Like strait up shoots people with sparkles and has wings and everything. Was celestial magic your choice or someone else's?" Angel just looked away. "You could leave this Angel behind. Be Sorano again. We can help you find a magic all your own. One that you love. We could give you wings, help you fly." Angel's eyes were wide by the time she was finished.
"You, you don't even know me, who I am, what I've done... I killed people for this magic. I can't just give it up. You would have been next. I would have killed you and taken your keys off your cold dead body! You don't want to help me!" That hurt. She couldn't deny that. But it wasn't the thought of dying that bothered her. It was the thought of losing her spirits to someone who wouldn't love them.
"Can I ask you a question? It might be kinda personal and you don't have to answer it. When you use your keys, every single time, it reminds you of what that man forced you to do doesn't it? It hurts to use them doesn't it? So why would you keep doing it if you can choose to be happy?" Lucy saw a single tear escape before the feather clad mage turned away to hide her face. She thought about offering a hug, but Erik's fingers tightened in the back of her shirt. Apparently this wasn't the time or the place. Maybe later. These people were in desperate need of hugs.
"I'll go with you." Racer spoke up. "Just because I'm the fastest man alive doesn't mean I have to run..." Brain began protesting. Loudly. Gray put an ice bubble layer on his cage that dulled the sound, he then proceeded to start a mini brawl with Natsu, Lyon, and the Trimens. Wendy had emerged at some point and seemed to be the cause of the disagreement, though she didn't seem happy about it. "...Right now though I think I'm going to run and get the shackles." Angel and Midnight both turned to look at Brain. Lucy wasn't sure what Racer meant by shackles but if the looks on their faces were anything to judge by it was bad. Midnight looked pained. Angel's grin was ...dark. "We'll need a bigger magical drain than that puny cuff if all the prayers fall." Sawyer, well, raced off.
"I too will leave the name of Hoteye behind and be reborn in brotherly love as Richard. Oh Yeah! When the time comes I shall be reunited with my little brother and we shall travel the world together in search of adventure. Oh Yeah!" Erik pressed his hand against her back. Yes! Hug time! She jumped as high as she could and gave it her A-best effort to wrap her arms around the man. She failed because he was huge, but she tried. I feel so tiny right now. I need a footstool next time, or a ladder. Erik snorted at her.
"Welcome to the family, Richard." He hugged the breath right out of her.
"Thank you Lucy! Thank you for bringing me news of my brother!" Erik pulled her out of his pseudo-brother's arms and put her feet back on the ground.
"My pleasure. I just wish we could have gotten you news sooner." Which we could have if a certain someone had told me Wally's name and given me a way to contact him. Not that I'm pointing any fingers. Erik. Richard wandered off to talk to her guildmates.
"You just aren't going to let that go are you? I was protecting you. You have no idea what Brain is capable of."
"I'll take your word for it. He didn't seem that scary to me."
"He never expected me to turn on him. That and you cut off his arm. He didn't see you coming. No-one ever does."
"It's not like you ever gave him reason to doubt you." Angel piped up. "Accept for when you disappeared without a word back in August and refused to tell anyone where you went. You brought back a shit ton of jewel though so he didn't give it much thought afterwards."
"Erik..." She knew her voice had taken in the dark tones of 'Scary Lucy' and heard comments along that line from her team behind her. "What did you do to my father?" She knew he had visited the mansion. There was no other way to have gotten her that book. She guessed it had been after she left that day.
"Didn't touch the creature."
"What did you threaten to do to him?"
"Nothing." She glared. "Exactly."
"Are we really going to play this game?"
"Sounds fun to me." She narrowed her eyes at him. Your Daphne right? So your dragon slayer self would object if I had Natsu rub himself all over my apartment and encouraged him to sleep in my bed for a few days when we get home, right? He growled. I know you scent marked my apartment when you visited. Or whatever it is you call it. Natsu always told me about it. He freaked out the first time, tried to accuse me of hiding a tiny dragon in my dresser or something, but I told him to leave it be and just accept it as a part of my weirdness. So... Still wanna play that game?
"Fine. I might have strongly insinuated that if he ever came after you or sent anyone after you ever again it wouldn't be your guild he had to worry about. I might have also told him that poison was a slow, painful way to die and that if it was strong enough it would melt right through bone and leave nothing behind. He might have also payed me an exorbitant amount of money to get out of his bedroom and not come back. However there is no proof that that may or may not have actually happened."
"I like him, Luce!"
"Don't encourage him, Natsu!" She sighed. "You can be a really scary guy when you want to you know that?" Erik gave her a weird look.
"I am the boogeyman, Daphne. The only thing more terrifying than me is Midnight because he doesn't even have to touch you to melt your brain while you sleep." That did sound kinda scary.
"No you aren't. You are a sweet, cuddly guy who eats flowers." She leaned forward and stage whispered. "They make you giggle." He blushed. Angel laughed, Midnight released a breathy chuckle.
"I'm in. Just so I can watch whatever it is you two have going on. If you can really get me angel magic, Lucy, I'll... I'll give my keys to you. I've got three Zodiac keys. It would make you really powerful.
"Who! You said earlier you have Gemini. Who else?"
"Scorpio and Aries." Lucy could feel her eyes grow wide.
"Loke...Loke!"
"Princess, what's wrong?"
"I found her! I found her, Loke! You still have the ability to open your own gate into the guildhall right? We have to start right now! Evergreen and Freed could help. I'm thinking big fluffy white wings. Maybe some teleportation or invisibility. And light. We need light! We have to get Levy to..." Erik clapped his hand over her mouth.
"Kitten, you are leaving out huge chunks of this conversation. No-one but me can hear what is in your head. This can wait. We need to finish here before we move on to the next problem." Lucy's shoulders dropped a little. Loke let out a resigned sigh.
"What is the next problem?"
"You Fairies need to find or create angel magic. You do and you get reunited with your stuttering cotton candy." Loke stared at them blankly for a long minute before his eyes snapped to Sorano.
"Aries..." He looked at Lucy with pleading eyes. "Truly, Princess?"
"Sorano holds her contract. She is willing to release her in exchange for angel magic. You can be together again." Loke lit up and started to move toward Sorano. Erik tensed beside her and Lucy snagged her spirit by an ear. "Oh, no you don't lover boy." Either a hug or flirting had been in the works and Lucy was getting the very strong impression that personal space was extremely precious to this little group. As in they would react violently if it was invaded. The way her new friend was eyeing Loke supported that theory. They would need to have a talk about how physical her guild tended to be with their affections before somebody got hurt. Erik's slightly evil sounding chuckle confirmed that. "Go glow at the Enemy or flirt with Sherry or something."
Loke scampered off toward the crowd around the love crazy pinkette. An agitated Lyon was trying to fend off the Trimen and fight with Gray at the same time. Interestingly enough Ren seemed to have actually pulled the girl's attention away from her ice mage. Lucy hoped that went somewhere, for Sherry's sake.
"What about you?" She turned to Midnight who had been sleepily watching Jura fend off Natsu's attempts to goad him into a fight by repeatedly blocking his attacks with impenetrable iron rock. The man blinked at her, only slightly more awake now. "What do you want?" When he didn't answer Erik spoke up.
"Come with us. Sleep in peace and safety. Use your magic to build dreams instead of nightmares. I know you want to. I heard it."
"I... I don't..." The poor man looked at his 'father' obviously conflicted. Sawyer returned then, with a set of the most ornate, heavy looking magic canceling shackles she had ever imagined, much less seen. There were four cuffs linked together by chains. Lucy did not like them. Judging by the low growl from the slayer at her side and the looks from the other Seis, including the man holding them gingerly at arms reach with doubly gloved hands, they didn't like them either.
Erza requiped into some pretty impressive gauntlets before taking them from the speed wizard, who seemed unwilling to approach the Enemy. Gray dropped his ice so she could get to the prisoner. The minute she attached the cuffs to his remaining limbs the man's color changed, shifting through pale and heading straight to green. Gasps from the now free wizards and an enraged hiss from Midnight told her some new level of underhanded assholeness had just been revealed.
Should I ask him? Lucy ran an idea through her head for Erik's approval. He pressed his hand to her back again.
"Midnight? Come with us. Be Macbeth. Be free." Still he hesitated and she very slowly reached out to lay her fingers softly against his arm. He stared at her hand as if it were some alien creature. "I'd love to have another brother." He gaped at her with wide eyes before suddenly snatching her away from Erik into a tight hug. She was startled, obviously, but not afraid. Erik wasn't going to let anyone harm her. She could hear Brain cursing and screaming before Gray recast his ice bubble to dull the noise.
"Thank you. If you really mean that I will come with you. I admit he messed up my head pretty bad. I'm not even sure if I know right from wrong anymore. I'm not sure if any of us do. If you can be our Polaris though I want to try. I don't want to live like this anymore. I don't want to walk in the dark." She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. These poor people. If they needed a guiding star she could do that. She could be their family and help guide them to walk in the light.
"How could you all abandon your duties to Master Zero like this?!" An new voice spoke. Erik and Sorano both groaned. Macbeth released her from his all but smothering hug, though he kept his arm around her shoulders. She expected he needed the physical reassurance that she wasn't going anywhere, and that he would make an awesome cuddle buddy. She shifted herself in his arm loop to blink at the now animated, and talking, creepy witch doctor staff.
"Who the hell are you?" Natsu asked the question she was sure everyone was thinking.
"I am Clodoa! The secret seventh member of the Oracion Seis, honored staff of Lord Brain, and advisor to Master Zero!" What in the actual fuck? Who was Zero and why was the stick talking?
"Zero is Brain's other personality." Erik grumbled. "He is the one screaming in the elemental prison right now." He began to stalk toward the staff. "You aren't a member of anything, Clodoa, or the honored staff of anything, or an advisor to anyone. You're just an annoying, soon to be melted talking stick!"
Erik lunged. Clodoa dodged. Apparently the creepy stick didn't think in a way that the slayer could hear. Natsu shot fire at it and missed. Gray cast an ice hammer, which somehow managed to hit Lyon instead of the stupid staff. Pretty soon the entire coalition, sans Lucy who stayed tucked up against Macbeth but including Erik, were brawling with each other while trying and failing to catch the witch doctor staff. Apparently the thing wasn't really dangerous without it's master, because her newest brother did nothing about the situation other than chuckle.
Lucy was incredibly happy. Erik was coming home. His family was free and coming home with him, and she got to claim at least one of his brothers as her own. The coalition had succeeded in destroying the Oracion Seis, as five out of six members had simply ceased to exist and the sixth was very captured. Everything was perfect.
XxXxXxXxX
Till tomorrow.