The Soul of a Fox

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows…. – Audrey Hepburn

Cat, Lex, Sam and the other men took the elevator up to the Sam's office. They chatted on they ride up about mundane things like how long the women have been in West Nitspring and how long they planned on staying, where's a good place to eat, things of that nature. Once they reached Sam's office, the men took a position on either side of Sam as he gestured for Cat and Lex to have a seat on the large cushioned couch. Sam nodded to Felix and Walker to take a seat as well they moved over to chairs on opposite sides of the women. Sam looked at both the women. Keen hazel eyes meeting and holding bright green eyes then bright blue concentric eyes without fear.

"OK ladies, we have tested your abilities and we are pleased with how you performed. You work well as a team but that's because your sisters, am I right?" Sam asked with an authoritative tone.

Cat not backing down from the authoritative mannerism straightened her back and pulled her shoulders back, "Yes sir, we are related and that is the only reason we work well together." Cat replied in a soldier's tone.

"What I want to know is what you aren't telling me. Two young ladies with control over magical powers like that at such a young age, especially you Catrina. Taking over Walker like that to blast through Felix's defenses. It was brilliant. Mind telling me where you got your training and who you're afraid of?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

Cat squirmed in her seat. She was afraid to tell the guild master she was a Bloodhunter. She was worried he might turn her away. She thought to herself, put your big girl panties on. You want to start over away from Bosco and Daddy. "Well sir…you see…I'm a…"

"Bloodhunter. She's a bloodhunter, Sam. And if you look on her right shoulder I'm sure your find a red and black shield. And according to the intel I was able to gather from Bosco she also a death dealer. Aren't you Lovey?" Zosia had finished Cat's sentence as the seith looked at the greenette with narrowed eyes.

"I only did what I had to do to keep Lex from getting killed. That motherfucker of a Captain, Grendace, dangled her in front of me like some sick carrot making me carry out missions. So yes I've killed and I've obtained information by ripping out memories from a person's soul. And if you done your homework, Joyan succubus, you know I've killed plenty of your killed and dined on their souls while I was possessed by a shade that my father had planted in me when I was a child that my grandmother had to removed." Cat seethed at Zosia. Lex sat there with her green eyes huge at the information

Lex whispered loudly, "I never knew all that."

"I know I tried to keep it from you. Like I said I wanted to keep you safe. You were safe as long as you were in the White Sea." Cat soothed her in a hug. She had tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. She glared at the succubus.

"Well little kitty cat, there is no need to glare at me. I told you before I'm a reformed Joyan succubus and I really would like it if you would join me in the Red Foxes as part of the Eyes and Ears. We really could use your skills. Also I did do some checking, you nightmare with Captain Grendace is no longer. He is dead. All you need to do is check in with your contact and they will give you further information. You and your family have been on the run for a long time haven't you?" Zosia told the blonde with a sorrowful look in her pale pale blue eyes.

"You have no idea. I'll call my contact later. If a Joyan succubus can change her colors so can a Boscan Bloodhunter and Death Dealer. You have my word." Cat stood and held her hand out to the greenette.

Walker cleared his throat, "Well that leaves you Red, doesn't it. I could always use more firepower in my division. I want you for the Fangs. You can be as flashy as you want with those pretty flames of yours." He laughed. "Never seen the boss man here have to work so hard to keep from being a crispy critter."

"Shut it Walker I had it under control until something took my shield. By the way what was that anyway? How did I lose my shield?" Sam asked with a slight hint of confusion in his voice. He had battled seith mages before and knew to look out for their figure eyes.

"Oh that was Tito. My wondering soul. I can move his soul around to various objects and talk to him telepathically. Uhh…let see…there…" Cat explained and moved Tito to a small paper weight on the desk. The small weight came to life and floated up to Sam's eye level. "Hi! Fox! Fox!" It spun around and then went back to where it was and was quiet again.

"Interesting. We have many seith mages in Sin but I've never seen them take a wondering soul as a pet, companion, that would be a better word." Sam said.

"That's because boss, the ones we deal with are usually just ripping and shredding souls out of beings to put in lacrimas to sell. She's probably the first one we have met that is a practicing good one." Walker added.

"You should meet Grammie then she has about three of them that help her. It's a strain on your magic pool but one you get used to it you don't notice it. She taught a boy a little older than me I think he keeps five of them all the time." Cat smiled.

"Well like I said welcome to the Foxes ladies where do you want your emblems?" Sam asked with a sly grin.

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Final week closed up for Piper. She was so happy she could let her hair down relax not have to worry about getting to the guildhall on time, no papers to grade, no questions to answer. Now she just needed to figure out what to do for the summer. She had now been in Magnolia for five weeks. It had been almost two months since those mages broke into her apartment and destroyed it. She missed West Nitespring and her mother and brother. She had sat and talked to her papa about it one night, she didn't do much while she lived on her own. She jogged, worked, studied, ate and slept. Now she had some friends that were pretty amazing. They didn't care if she was not a mage, respected her insight to life and her culture.

She absolutely adored her neighbors, Bixlow and Erik. She wasn't sure how the tall Boscan put up with the snarky poison dragon slayer. He told her he grew up with two of them in his large family. He was used to the broodiness of dragon slayers. She also learned that Erik was the same Erik that broke up with Lucy. She never pushed the subject. She would just come over and Flick would flitter ,if you could call a three foot snake flying flittering, over to the dragon slayer. They would always seem like they would be deep in discussion.

Piper did fulfill her bet with Bix even though he cheated to win. She remembered that night. "I don't see why I have to entertain the idea of this bet considering you cheated and used your little tikis to lift me up in the air long enough to beat me to the guildhall. You know I am not a mage." She huffed with her arms across her chest while the knight cackled with his tongue out.

"It's not my fault my babies decided to take you up in the air for a few minutes." He chuckled. His totems floated up and surrounded her, "Bella, Bella, Bella" they chanted and tormented her like flies.

Piper batted at them, "Uh turn your telekinetic magic off you bufón!" She laughed but Bix didn't. He looked at her with his mouth slightly agape.

"Uh…Belladonna…I'm not a telekinetic mage." Bix said as he pulled his visor off. She had never seen the man without something over his eyes. That heavy visor or dark sunglasses he ran with, they were always covered. She looked at his naked face for the first time. She took in how handsome his face was with his little man tattoo and curly eyelashes, blue eyebrows. He had very pretty red eyes that were odd looking to her. She just looked at him like she looked at other people. He looked back at her with an expectance reaction.

"What am I not getting here?" She smiled with confusion. She looked at Bix then at Freed then at Ever who both had a weird look on their faces. "Do I have something on my face?" Wiping her mouth off.

Ever broke the uncomfortable silence, "Piper, sweetie, your guild, what kind of mages does it have? I mean aren't you familiar with sensing other people's magic?" Ever asked softly.

"Uh…the Foxes I know have my brother and mama who are requip gunner mages, and I know Walker and Felix are explosions and earth magic…Zosia I've only talk to about her poison and venom spells. I just joined the guild the day I left for Fiore. I can't sense magic. I have no magic in me even though Mama and Papa are mages. I've told you guys I'm not magical. So why are you looking at me like I'm missing the punch line?" Piper said with more embarrassment and a touch of frustration in her voice.

Bix stopped Ever and said, "We'll talk about it tonight, on our…daaate. I promise to be a gentleman." Bix said as he was putting his visor back on.

Piper sighed heavily, "Ok fine what do I need to wear for this date."

"Ha! I knew I'd get you to go out with me sooner than later! We're going dancing so wear something that will move. See ya at eight!" Bix whooped as he shot up and hopped on his babies and floated down to the first floor.

"Dios mío, ese hombre está loco." Piper said shaking her head. She looked at Freed as Ever excused herself from the table, "Freed seriously, what am I missing? And why do you guys insist I'm a mage?"

Freed looked at the woman who had slowly became a good friend to him. He enjoyed their intellectual discussions. He thought over the past three weeks she had never used any magic other than her electronics and her two rings but yet she emitted a calming soothing magic. Then he had an idea. "Piper may I see your guild emblem?"

Piper thought it was an odd request but she gave the rune mage her left forearm that was marked with a fox curled in a circle in black. He looked at it, moved her arm around, then held his hand over the emblem and then finally placed his warm slender hand on it. She watched him as his hand touched it. His eyes closed, a calmness had washed over him and then he pulled back in shocked. He shook his hand a little. His one visible blue eye looked right into her yellow ones, "Piper, It's your emblem. It is emitting faint magic that is soothing to my magic but it's not yours. Its protecting you. That's probably why you feel like a magic user to us. I think we need to talk to Laxus, but we are leaving for a mission tomorrow. I mention it while we are out." Freed said with a reassurance that Piper needed.

"Thank you Freed. Now can you get me out of this 'date' with my neighbor?" Piper pleaded.

"Sorry, Bix has had his mind on taking you out. Enjoy yourself. Maybe you can rope some of the girls into helping you get ready." Freed offered with an apologetic look.

Piper walked home that afternoon wondering what she was going to wear. She never went dancing. Hell last dance she went to was her high school prom and that was only because her parents made her take the night off from studying. She didn't have a date, sat, and drank punch in a coral pink puffy dress, miserable. She walked through the front door of the brownstone she was living at and called out to her father, "Papa! Lucas! I'm home I need help for my date tonight with our neighbor and I have questions about our guild Papa!" She hung her keys up on the hook on the wall. She didn't get an answer immediately but heard soft moans from the master bedroom. She just shook her head, smiled and went up to her bedroom. At least someone is getting laid in this house she thought with a laugh.

Piper entered her room and went over to let Flick out of his terrarium. Flick was about three feet long and was startling people as they strolled through town. So she had been keeping him at home. She hated doing it but she was keeping everyone safe. As she opened the door on the terrarium, Flick darted out and headed toward the French doors that lead to the balcony in her room. It looked out over the backyard. She opened it and let him out so he could sunbathe but instead he took flight and went next door to Bix's house. She cursed at the not so little snake as she went back down stairs and next door and knocked.

The door opened and she was expecting Bix with some smart ass quip about being early, but the man from the other morning that barged into her home answered. "What!?" He hissed. His single indigo eye narrowed on her. She brushed off his bristly greeting, smiled and tried to push past him like he did to her. She needed to find he sneaky little friend. To her surprise the maroon haired man did budge and she was met with a tall lanky wall of sinewy muscle and a more pissed off look. "I can hear your fucking soul woman and his. He's out back in the yard hunting. I'll watch him with you go endure this date with Bix as your soul keeps screeching about. Now if you don't mind taking your loud ass soul back to your house, get yourself dolled up for Bix so he can show you a good time. I promise he won't let you down." The last part was said with a sly smirk as he shoved her back out on the stop and slammed the door in her face.

Piper stood there momentarily shocked at what the man had just told her. She then thought could she hear her at nights when she was lonely. The door swung open again, he was there again with that same smirk, "Yes I've heard you on those nights as well, you dirty girl. Now get out of here." The door slammed shut again. With her eyes wide opened and a now blush on her face she hurried back over to her home to get ready.

Eight o'clock rolled around and Piper was fidgeting in the kitchen with Oscar and Lucas. "Stop it Papa you act like I'm going to the Prom again." She tugged at the high collar of the dress. It had the high silver ring for a collar that secured the deep blue material that came down covering her bust. She wasn't as blessed as Lucy but she had enough to stretch the blue fabric out. Her entire back was exposed. The dress tapered at her waist and then the skirt was loose to just above her knees. She wore simple silver strappy heels. Lucas had given her a delicate bracelet with her birthstones. It was set in silver. Her hair, Lucas had insisted that she wear it up. He helped her set the purple tresses up in a crown of curls with some wisps hanging down. "Ok you two need to stop before you break out a camera lacrima." She said shooing them away. The doorbell rang and they both fought over who would answer the door.

Bixlow stood on an identical stoop as his own how not thirty feet from his own home. He felt a little nervous. He had bought her a small bouquet of belladonna lilies, not the poisonous ones. He wore a royal blue short-sleeved button up with the top two button undone and dark gray cotton dress slacks. He left his sunglasses at home. After he knocked on the door, he heard a little commotion behind it and then it open. He smile dropped when he saw the man's face.

Oscar Hatchet was an open-minded man. He was in a same sex marriage with his loving husband. He loved his children very much. He loved all life had to offer, but after his son, Riko, was kidnapped by his then girlfriend that was a seith mage. He has some reservations on that certain type of mage. His neighbor he had known since he moved here four years ago. He was a quiet man. He worked out in the morning, nothing to loud late at night. He respected his neighbors. Oscar respected this man. He knew he was a guild mage with Fairy Tail. He knew he fought hard for his country. Where Oscar's issue was he didn't know he had been living next door to a seith mage for the past four years. He wasn't a man to quickly judge before talking to an individual. He stepped out on the stoop and closed the door. "Mr. Pradesh, I have been your neighbor for the past four years. We have waved in passing but never spoke face to face until now. Now you are wanting to take my daughter, the light of my life out on a date. I can see with my own eyes the magic you practice. I'm sure you are aware of the stigma that come with it so I won't say anything other than a seith mage has hurt my family in the past don't let there be a second one. Am I understood, son?"

Bix took a gulp and swallowed. He knew the stigma with seith mages. He was sent to Fiore to live with Laxus when he was 15. His dad, Arman Pradesh, worked hard to get him out of Bosco when seith magic was outlawed. He knew there were more dark seith mages out there than good. Before he was basically smuggled out of Bosco he had a wonderful teacher, Sylvia Sinclair. She was loving kind and lived in the old ways on the seith. She had her own daughter and granddaughter that were seith mages. He was taught the walk the way of the light and fight the darkness. All seith mages had to fight the darkness. It was inherit in the magic. Standing there on the stoop he felt like a teenager again. He looked Oscar in the eyes and held out his hand and said, "I will honor your daughter sir. I know the kind of mages you are referring to and that is not who I am, sir. My father taught me to be respectful of people and my magic and my master taught me a deeper understanding of respect for my magic. I do not use my magic for evil but for the betterment of my guild, my family and myself, sir" Bix acknowledged Oscar's unspoken fears. He watched the older man reaction to his response.

Oscar smiled at the blue haired man. He knew that this mage held his magic with respect. "Ok then come on in and let's let you give those beautiful lilies to my daughter." He said as he clapped the taller man on the back. "Hija mía, tu cita está aquí y él tiene algo que darte y decirte." Oscar called out as the two entered the house.

"Papa I'm 26 years old I think I can handle going out on a date with our wonderful neighbor. Did you go and intimidate him?" Piper returned as the two entered the kitchen where she and Lucas were talking. She saw the serious look on her father face and the expression on Bix's face that she had never seen the man have before. It was a look of consternation. "Papa what did you say to him?" Piper glared at her father.

"It's ok, Piper. Your father has raised some family issues that I feel I need to set straight right now so that nothing gets misunderstood. Piper I'm not a telekinetic mage. I'm seith mage. I was born with that magic…" Bix started

Piper face screwed up in a scrunched up look trying to process what her friend was telling her. "Wait you're a seith mage. The kind that will suck out my soul or possess me and make me do unspeakable things and then kidnap me and sell me…Nope…not going down that road…Papa did you know?" Piper had fear raising in her voice. "Bix were you going to try to kidnap me tonight and take me back to SIN to work for your drug ring boss…and and and" Piper's brain just started spiraling with anxiety and fear. She started hyperventilating. The fiasco of what happened to Riko slammed into Piper's mind so fast she didn't have time to process everything. She heard and saw the three men in the kitchen talking and moving but she registered nothing. She sank to the kitchen floor sobbing and shaking. She hated being like this. She thought she was safe here in Magnolia with her Papa and Dad. Her mind couldn't think about anything other than what Riko had told her ten years ago.

"Hermana, I need to talk to you." Riko had said as he walked into her room. He had been gone for three weeks before he came back. He was withdrawn and wouldn't talk to anyone. Today though he decided to talk to her.

"Hermano, what is wrong?" Piper asked her older brother. He told her what happened in all its gory details. He spared her nothing. At that point in time he hadn't even open up to their parents. Thay sat on her bedroom floor embraced crying. He vowed vengeance to her to wipe out every seith mage because they were nothing but evil mage users because his now dead girlfriend, warped his emotions for her to lure him to Pergrnade to be used as a slave. Piper Remember how happy he used to be with that girl.

She sat now on her Papa's kitchen floor stuck in that memory. She was frozen in her brother's own traumatic emotional torment. Riko never told his father what really happened to him. She knew exactly what happened and know to be face to face with an actual seith mage who she had become great friends with was tearing her apart. Bixlow never did anything undesirable or malice towards her. He was always a gentleman. He may have said pervy things but he said that to everyone. No one was safe from his savage tongue.

Her mind was stuck in a loop. She would go through what Riko had told her ten years ago and then go through everything the past two months. She could hear her Papa saying her name over and over but she couldn't respond. She was stuck in a cationic state. Piper had finally cracked under the stress of all that had happened to her. She felt her father pick her up and carry her upstairs and place her in her bed.

Bixlow watched in horror as his friend started to slide to the floor. It all happened in slow motion. He had been watching her soul. It was ok. It have a few mended cracks in it. Probably from just regular old life, relationships ending, family stress. He would watch it light up whenever Fullbuster was around. He just wanted to take her out get her mind off things. Show her a nice time dance, dinner, and take her home. He knew she wasn't the girl for him. She never gave off that vibe. He considered her a good friend and that was it. "Oscar I know you rhave reservations about my magic but can I just check her to make sure she's ok? Then I'll make some phone calls to get my brothers here and Wendy." He asked Oscar.

"Uh…yes please anything to help her…" He tried to hold the panic back in his voice. He should have known Piper was hiding her emotions back. She was so good at it. He watched the seith mage's eye glow green as he looked at his daughter laying on her bed. It was maybe a minute, but he was done and was telling him something about her soul and it was ok. He sat on the edge of her bed as he was on his phone making phone calls to his family.

Oscar heard a crash of thunder outside his house that made him jump and then pounding on his front door. Lucas had beat him to the door since he was still upstairs with Piper. First, he heard the laughter of a young girl and Bix, the baritone voices mixed with a growl. As he sat on the bed with his daughter, he her a knock on her door, it was open already. He saw a tall platinum blond man with pale lavender eyes standing there. Oscar swore up and down the man was an angel. He made a cross symbol over his chest as he said, "Gracias a Dios por el ángel que enviaste para ayudar a mi hija."

The man chuckled as he entered the room, "Sir, I am no angel but I am here to help your daughter in any way I can. My name is Kaleb Pradesh. Bixlow's older brother." He looked down at the woman on the bed and frowned. "Do you care if I take a look at her?"

Oscar studdered, "No…no…please go ahead anything you need to do to help mi hija."

Kaleb settled himself on the opposite side of the bed and held Piper's hand. He closed his eyes and pushed inside her mind. He saw all the turmoil in her mind: the hardships growing up in a mage guild as a non-mage, the scene of her as a 16-year-old girl being told by her brother the horrors he endured, the attack at her apartment, Vander scaring the piss out of her, her fear of this drug ring kidnapping her, Bix telling her he's a seith mage, her feelings for an ice mage. She was stuck in her own mind and in there she reverted to the safest point she could remember: an 8-year-old girl. He tried to talk to her. They were in her mind but her mind placed them in a bedroom that was decorated in pink with frill and ribbons. "Hi Piper, My names Kaleb. Our dad wants me to talk to you."

The small purple haired girl kept her back to him and only said, "Papa says I shouldn't talk to strangers. You're a stranger. You should go." Kaleb felt a strong push on him to leave. He withdrew from her mind. He turned to Oscar and told him what happened.

"Mr. Hatchet, do you mind if I try one more time but a different approach? It's not something I would normally do but she has regressed in her mind to an 8-year-old." Kaleb asked the elder man in a soft voice.

"Yes, please anything you can think of to help her." Oscar pleaded.

Kaleb left the bedroom and went downstairs to see his mate standing with his arms crossed over his chest glaring at Bix while he played with a little blonde haired girl with pigtails. The little girls was talking between Bix and Lucas, weaving stories about dragons and foxes. She jumped up, ran over to Laxus, and jumped into his arms. She said, "Daddy I need to go help Dad get a fox out of a trap, K? Stop being so grumpy Daddy. Dragons and foxes are best friends." She kissed Laxus on the cheek and wiggled down then ran over to Bix, "You too Uncle Bixy, we need you to help with the little flame."

Laxus couldn't stay mad around his daughter Ila. She always knew what to say to make him smile. She was only six years old and acted like the wise old woman at times. Kaleb would tell him it's because she could perceive things better than either of them. She had the heighten senses of a dragon slayer and she was starting to show the capacity for his mind-bending magic. Laxus looked at Kaleb and they shared a nonverbal conversation. I need Ila for this. Piper has reverted to an 8-year-old and essentially pushed me out. I need Ila to try since she is basically her age.

Fine, but I'm still not happy about it at all. I told you this woman would be trouble.

Laxus she is trouble. She's in trouble. She's having a psychotic break and is in a catatonic state.

Ila bound upstairs, "Daddy remember dragons and foxes are friends." She smiled as she disappeared upstairs.

Piper sat in her bedroom that was pink and purple little hearts on her bedspread. She sat playing with a stuffed fox. She heard another girl in her room. She turned to see another little girl in her room.

"Hi. Who are you do you want to play with me?" Piper asked the blonde little girl.

Oh, I would love to. Can I bring my toy with me? It's a dragon. My name is Ila by the way." The older little girl told Piper.

"A dragon? Wow! They aren't real are they? I like my foxes. They keep me safe from the bad things." Piper explained.

"Oh no dragons are very real. I'm a dragon slayer. My daddy is a dragon slayer. I have an aunt and uncle who are dragon slayers and I've met a real dragon. You would like her. She's so beautiful. She's the color of the night sky. What about your fox what do they look like?" Ila went on.

Piper sat there wide eyed, "You know a real dragon? Wow. My fox is Sam. He's an old man. I don't think he knows that I know but he's a real fox. I saw his tail once. It was fluffy and red with a white tip. I was playing hide and seek when I saw it. He always makes me feel safe. Now I'm here so far away from him, but I'm with my Papa and Dad now."

Ila laughed, "That's funny. A fox hiding his tail. What about the other fox? What do they look like?

Piper giggled, "The other fox is black and is shy. She had yellow eyes just like me. She hides in here." Piper pointed to her chest.

"Wow, so are you a fox? And what happened tonight to make you not feel safe?" Ila asked as she saw a flash of black ears appear on the girls head and quickly vanish.

Piper swallowed a bitter gulp, "I don't want to talk about the black fox, but I was supposed to go out with a good friend but he has scary magic and is probably going to try to steal me like the same kind of mage tried to steal my brother. I like Bixlow. He funny and nice..." Piper started to cry.

Ila being a sweet and mature 6-year-old crawled over to the other girl and hug her, "Uncle Bix would never hurt you. He is funny and nice and likes to make other happy. Uncle Bix doesn't like to steal people. Someone tried to steal me once when I was with him and Uncle Freed. They didn't do nice things to that person. So I promise, Uncle Bix wasn't going to steal you."

As Ila sat there holding Piper hand talking to the 8-year-old Piper in her mind, Bix was watching his friend soul. He has seen it many times in the past three weeks. It was its vibrant purple like her hair. In a instant it wavered ever so slightly. Most seiths wouldn't have been able to perceive it. Bix almost didn't, but it pulsated with just a flash of a black fox appeared around the purple flame and then it was gone in a flash.

Ila was on the bed in reality holding Pipers head and soothing the older woman. The little girl had broken the state of catatonia. Ila stepped back and curled up into her Dad's lap as Piper reached for her Papa. Kaleb carried Ila out of the bedroom back downstairs to let Laxus know everything was fine. He needed to soothe his grumpy dragon, but Ila beat him to it, "Daddy, Dad, I want ice cream, pretty please."

Bixlow felt awkward standing there and tried to excuse himself from the room but Piper caught him. She had darted off her Papa's lap and had him in a bear hug. "I'm sorry Bix. I really am. Fear overwhelmed me. Your little niece showed me who you are, which I think I already knew, but I refused to trust my gut because of everything that has happened to me over the past two months. In West Nitespring, there are no 'good' seith mages. They are all dark. That's why I overreacted and I'm truly deeply sorry."

Bix was caught off guard by the apology. He was used to women being put off by his magic. The was Piper explained it to him she wasn't put off of him, but just put off of his magic because the only seith mages she knew were dark. He returned her hug. "It's ok Belladonna. I understand. Maybe a raincheck on our 'date'? I'm leaving in the morning for a long mission."

"Aww but who's gonna jog with me in the morning or annoy the shit out of me every day and eat my fries?" Piper whined jokingly.

"Try Erik. He's not a morning person but he's snarky as fuck. You may bribe him with Flick. He loves havati venom." Bix laughed as they walked back downstairs. Lucas and Oscar were downstairs alone. Oscar had left the room shortly after Piper got off the bed. "Well it's getting late, and we are leaving early. If you don't mind checking on Erik for me. Maybe feed him."

"Wait is he your roommate or pet?" Piper laughed at him.

"Both kinda. Since he dumped Lucy's he's been mopey broody dragon boy."

"What about this date?" She looked at him with a little disappointment.

Bix sighed, "Belladonna look I originally wanted to take you out show you Magnolia dance eat laugh, maybe steal a kiss, but I know your soul lights up for another and I'm forever stuck in the friend zone. Don't look at me like that. Remember I'm a seith mage. You can hide feeling but not your soul. Ha ha." He laughed as he pointed to his eyes. "I also will make sure that nothing happens to you because I do consider a good friend." He gave her a big hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you when I get back. May sure to walk him twice a day, ok?" Bix laughed as he left. As he left the house was did the really short hop skip and jump to his home he was glad that everything worked out in the end. He was glad that Piper under stood that his magic wasn't evil. It had it dark components to it. He knew he needed to get her more comfortable around magic because if what Ila seen and he felt pulsate was true, something powerful was locked away deep inside Piper.

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Now here she sat another three weeks later finishing up finals week. Bixlow was still out on his mission as well as Lucy and her friends. She wasn't sure what to do with herself. The guild was pretty busy with Spring coming to an end and Summer starting to pick up. Even Erik was gone, he had grumbled at her and slammed the door in her face but she offered him Flick as a peace offering. He refused to jog with her but he would walk to the guildhall with Flick and meet her there. She went over to the dark little corner of the top area. She slid into the booth and just ate her fries and petted Flick.

She found out what happened between him and Lucy. She didn't pry, didn't ask. They were just sitting there silently. She was eating her fries and he was stealing a few of them. He had been 'talking' to Flick.

"I dumped Lucy because I'm afraid I'm not good enough for her. She's the most caring thoughtful beautiful woman that I know. I'm so in love with her it fucking hurts to know that I'm putting her through all this because I'm being a pussy about it." He just blurted it out.

Piper just kept eating her fries and didn't say anything. She looked at him and he looked at her expectantly, "Oh you want me to say something back. Usually when you blurt shit out like that I just figured you are talking to Flick and not me." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Usual when two people have a conversation there is a back and forth verbal exchange. And I think Box is subbing off on you with that tongue shit." Erik rumbled.

"Usually that's how a conversation goes but your anything but a normal person. Maybe I should just let Flick bit you again, get you good and high then have these conversation. You're a great conversationalist then." Piper laughed. The day Flick bite him it was a scary day for Piper and great day for Erik. He didn't have to wait for Christmas anymore.

"OK fine. Lucy I'm pretty sure loves the ever loving shit out of you, but you are too coiled up in your own damn mind because of your terrible past that I don't want to know about because that's your business. So let's look at it this way, remember that day we first met? Flick was stuck in his first shedding. You told me if he didn't shed his skin he would die. Well Lover boy if you don't shed your skin you're going lose Lucy regardless of how forgiving and shit she is. Hot chicks like that will only wait for so long and I'm betting there are guys knocking on her door. What about that ginger hair guy with the sunglasses I see her with sometimes that hits on her she just yells at. He's a handsome guy." Piper just laid the facts out in front of Erik he was a no nonsense man. His response was he just growled and left with Flick.

"Don't let him bite you too much…" She called out at him. He just flipped her off.

"Yep love you too you bristly dragon!"

Piper went downstairs and plopped on a barstool. She was bored with was three in the afternoon too early to get drunk. She watched Mira wipe the bar down. She wasn't as busy as she had been earlier. She walked over to Piper, "Why hello there Piper how are you doing? You look a little lost with Bix and Cobra." She said with a smile.

"Meh. Bix is still out on whatever he's doing. Erik is mad at me and had turned me into a woman who using fuck more than I ever have. Papa just laughs at me. He said his daughter with a PhD swears like a sailor now. Anyway…can I talk you into to letting me cook some Sinese food tonight for the guild, Mira?" Piper just prattled off.

A/N Hey thanks for hanging in there with me this far. I know its creeping along. I've been busy with work and life. I'm trying to build a good base structure for everyone to grow on. I've got ideas brewing. Halloween is upon us. That's a busy time for me. Hope you are enjoying this so far. Leave me some reviews to let me know how your like how this.

Ila kinda just came to me. After reading how the lovely Desna set up Laxus and Kaleb, I wondered what if Laxus didn't hide his true feeling when we was in Bosco when he was banished from Fairy Tail and they actually had a baby. And BAM! Ila Dreyer Pradesh was born, baby mind bender dragon slayer.

Translations

Dios mío, ese hombre está loco : Oh my god this man is crazy

Hija mía, tu cita está aquí y él tiene algo que darte y decirte : My daughter, your date is here and he has something to give you and tell you

Gracias a Dios por el ángel que enviaste para ayudar a mi hija : Thank God for the angel you sent to help my daughter.