Foxes Dragon and Souls

In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. – Robert Frost

Piper woke up with the sun shining in her face. She stretched and slide out of bed. Beck no longer slept in her bed since she curbed most of her feral instincts to go outside and chase all the little noise and scents that came though her bedroom window. He since moved to the spare room across the hallway. She brushed her teeth. She was still fascinated with the longer canines and her weirdly colored hair that faded to pink on her ends. Lucy was able to tell her about the stars on her left cheek. It was the Vulpecula constellation. Her kitsune pack, the stars of the fox.

Piper hurried and put on her workout gear. She was to meet up with Lucy to work on meditation with her evil goat spirit. Well at least Piper thought he was evil. Beck would laugh at her when the goat would correct her posture and point out that she wasn't concentrating very hard. Piper tried to explain it was hard to concentrate when there were so many other things vying for attention like the smells of the bakeshops, squirrels chattering and begging to be chased. Piper was annoyed by her behavior sometimes. She used to be a focus person. Now she had so much sensory overload it was ridiculous. She would growl in frustration. She had been surprised the first time she actually growled. Beck had helped her so much in understanding her wilder side now. He had shown her how to hone her animalistic side. He reined it in to where she could act like a somewhat normal human again and not some wild child loose in the civilized world for the first time. She still get curious over scents that she couldn't figure them out.

Beck was sitting at the breakfast bar sipping his coffee checking in with his guild. He could feel Piper's fox spirit's energy feeding into him her anxieties about 'that evil goat'. He just chuckled into his mug. "Hurry up star shine or that evil goat will have your ass!"

"Shut up you big bear! He's terrifying. Even Lucy flinches some times."

"Big bear huh?" He chuckled.

"Well your as big and cuddly as one but without all the fur." She returned.

Another voice answered spooking Piper only making beck laugh harder, "You know since she mentioned it you do resemble one that rolled in some Nair." A smooth laugh came.

"Shut up Vander no one asked for you opinion. What are you doing here anyway?" Beck snickered at the shadowquip's remark.

Piper looked at the newcomer in the kitchen. She remembers him from the airship. That's not what piqued her interested, not even his handsome features. It was his scent. She could smell mulled wine and something else. Her nose twitched. She boldly walked over to the man with wine colored eyes that were now sparkling at the fact that he had the woman's attention. Vander held still while she walked around him. He could tell she was trying to work through her mind what she smelled. He looked over at Beck, who just shrugged his shoulders. Finally, Piper came to a stop in front of Vander. She looked up into his eyes. She looked him right in the eyes, "Why do you smell like you've been to a whorehouse?"

Beck spit coffee all over the breakfast bar and Vander grabbed his stomach and bent over in pure laughter. Piper was confused. Why were they laughing. She looked back and forth between the two men. "What? Did I miss something? He stinks. It's the truth. He smells like…like…just eww." That earned another rounds of belly laughter.

"Oh Beck she's precious. She's the kitsune that Kaleb brought you here for, isn't she?" Vander finished laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes. "She has a nose much more sensitive than Cris and Emi's. So what kind of magic do you do foxy?"

Piper wrinkled her sensitive nose and covered it with her hand, "I'm not sure we haven't tried it out yet. I have my foxfire. I've been learning hand to hand."

Beck recognized the twinkle in Vander's eyes, "Van no…" but Vander and Piper were already gone into the shadows. "She's not ready for Vander level combat yet." He finished at no one. He got up and started for the guild.

Vander and Piper popped out of the voids in the middle of Fairy Tail. Piper screaming at the top of her lungs with a death grip on Vander. Vander was laughing as he set the poor woman down on a stool. "If I knew you wanted to scream and dig your nails into my back Foxy we could have went somewhere else." He smirked and winked at her.

Laxus came out to the bannister, "What the fuck is going on down there?! I should have known it was you Van." He just shook his head and went back to his office. The door shut and then opened followed by little footsteps and squeals. "Uncle Vander!" came a little girl's voice.

"Ila! Come on my little dragoness." Vander encouraged the little blonde. "Let me see how big you've gotten." He flashed over to the bottom of the steps and scooped up the blur of blonde hair and squeals. She gave her uncle sloppy wet kisses on his cheek and the biggest hug the little blonde could give him.

Piper took the reprieve from the strange man that ripped her through the dark cold realm that had voices whispering promises in her ears and pulling at her clothes for the briefest of moments before they landed in the Fairy Tail guild. She looked around. Mira wasn't the least bit surprise by their sudden arrival nor was Lucy who was sitting at the bar sipping on her signature strawberry smoothie. Piper was her the chipper voice of the guild master's daughter as she ran down the stairs towards the man. She showed no fear of him, only love and adoration in her stormy blue eyes. Piper enjoyed the little girl. She was bright and cheery. She lit up the room with joy.

Vander played with his little niece but the eyes of all the women in the guildhall did escape his notice. This usually happened when he was with Ila, but when he was with his lovely little niece she was the only lady he had eyes for during his time. "What does my munchkin want to do today?"

Ila pondered that question. She didn't get to see her Uncle Vander very often. She thought about what she wanted to do. "Hmm…I think I want to go get a sweet roll at the bakery by Uncle Bixy's. I miss him. He's been gone forever." She pouted.

"Ok, munchkin I think I know which one you're talking about. And don't worry about Uncle Bixy. He'll be home soon I'm sure. You know he works with hard with Auntie Ever and Uncle Freed to make sure each one come home safe from their job." Vander reassured her.

"I know but I miss playing with Peppe and Puppu. They are fun to talk too."

"And I'm sure they enjoy playing with you too, munchkin." Vander said as he scooped up the pouting blonde and throw her above his head and caught her as they left out of the building for sweet rolls.

Cana finally open her eyes at the guildhall. She was hungover and tired. All she wanted to go back to sleep but her back ached from the weird ass position she passed out in. She peered out over her barrel sleeping buddy and seen Lucy and the new girl, Pippi or Peppe. Fuck why did my brain have to hurt to think this hard. Her name was too similar to Bixlow's babies. She stretched and went to the bathroom where she tidied up so she didn't smell too horrible.

"Lu-bitch and foxy lady!" Cana called out waving her hand at them. Mira side her some water and aspirin. She gulped them with a nod of gratitude to her best friend. "It's been too gloomy around here lately. We need to go out and liven things up. Maybe help you, Lu, get over a certain slithering dragon slayer and you Pippi, well let's introduce you to Magnolia." Cana laid it out with a wave of her hand at each woman. "Or…" Cana started with a certain look in her eye as she looked from brown eyes to yellow, "we could give Peppe an introduction to the male population of our fine guild." She finished with a wagging eyebrow.

Lucy rolled her eyes at the card mage. "Cana I think you need to sober up a bit more. I'm fine waiting for Erik and if you wanted a wingman I'll be glad to do it, or we could introduce Piper to more of the guild members. That would probably be better." Lucy continued, "And her name is PI-PER," Lucy pronounced, "Not Pippi. That's Bixlow's babies' name. I'm sure you wouldn't mind either going out with us girls or just meeting more of the guild members, right Piper?"

"Uh no I don't mind doing whatever you want, but I'm confused. I live next to Bixlow. He doesn't have an children. Do they live with their mother?" Piper said with confusion in her voice.

Lucy giggle a little, "Oh no sweetie, Bix doesn't have children. You've seen those little wooden totem, right?"

Piper nodded, "Oh yes. Those little dolls that float around him and cause mischief?"

"Yes, those are his babies. And you are right they do cause quite a bit of mischief." Lucy giggled.

Cana draped her shoulders over Piper's shoulders, "So it settled, we'll meet here tonight. Lu, can you walk me home I think I need to rest up before tonight and take a shower. See you tonight Pippi."

"Come on you lush and her name is Piper." peeled the card mage off her new celestial friend. "Piper I'll be back and we'll talk about tonight, k"

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Cat was exhausted. She used a shit ton of magic if that was even a standard unit of measurement, plus inviting a soul to possess her on top of it. She felt like the day after New Year's and a full moon at Vander's. She didn't want to get out of bed. Her body ached, her head felt like it was going to pop. Her eyes were like two little piss holes in the sand. The sun peer through her window and gave a cheery light in her room. She pulled the covers over her head and flipped the sun off for being too bright then to top it off her perky as fuck sister came trotting in and jumped on her bed.

"Get up lazy bones. Grammie says that if you don't get up she's sending Nick in here to soak you and your bed." Lex said in a singsong voice.

"Fuck you and you perky morning self. You are the spawn of the devil, red." Cat grumbled with a raspy voice that would make a phone sex operator proud. "What time is it, evil spawn?"

Lex giggled. To Cat's sensitive hearing it was like fingernails on a chalkboard. "It's nine." A pillow hit Lex square in the face and knocked her off the bed and she couldn't get it off her.

"Cat! Stop it! I was only doing what Grammie to do. Get Tito out of the pillow or I'm turning it to ash."

"It's not Tito. That's Riko apparently he's not a morning person either. And don't burn my pillow."

Smoke wafted downstairs to the two elder Sinclair women. Sylvia turned to her nephew, Nick. "Nick got spray cold water on those two girls and get down here for breakfast. Tell them to stop acting like they are 10."

Nick groaned he hated getting in between his cousins spats because he always got the worst of it later. They would gang up on him later for revenge. Cat was the worst. She knew where to strategically place glitter bombs and time them to go off at the most inopportune moments. It didn't help that she had two souls working with her now and the training as a Blood Hunter. Lex told him stories from before they had to leave the guild how she and another friend of hers who were notorious for pranks. He could shadow step them anywhere he wanted and be gone without anyone the wiser. He grudgingly went up to her bedroom, put out the pillow fire, and hosed the two girls down. That only got shrieks of revenge as he ducked and ran back down to his mother and aunt at the breakfast table. He knew that there was hell to pay in his future and glitter was going to be part of it.

Cat and Lex came down to the breakfast table soaked. They hair stuck flat to their heads. Glares of dark promises pointed at Nick as he tried to shrink his large Boscan frame down at the breakfast table to avoid their looks.

Sylvia sat at the head of the table and Opal sat at the opposite end. Frank sat at the left side of Opal on the oval shaped table reading a newspaper. He learned long ago not to get involved in the Sinclair sisters' schemes. He wasn't all too happy that Opal allowed Nick to get involved in getting the bickering girls downstairs. "Girls don't blame Nick he was following your grandmother's orders. I don't want glitter all over his bedroom, like last time." He sent a look over the paper to drive the point home before he snapped it back up.

"Whatever Uncle Frank. I'm going to that mage guild. Maybe I'll be able to sleep there instead of having this spawn of Hel pestering me. Besides aren't you leaving for a job today anyway that's far away from here…and me." Cat said and stuck her tongue out at Lex.

"I am blondezilla. I don't like your new friend anyway. He plays dirty. At least Tito is a gentleman." Lex returned the gesture.

"Shut it Red. Riko chose me just like Tito did. He has his own personality just like Tito. I knew him before he was a bound soul. You would have like him as a human. So watch what you say about him." Cat crossed her arms over her chest.

Sylvia had enough of them bickering, "That's enough you two. It's been a hard past few days for everyone here. We have houseguests that are powerful spirits of ancient times. You two need to stop acting like your 10 and back in the White Sea guild where you ran amuck and I had to come in there and apologize to Master Grenlow and then Master Kaleb until we had to leave Bosco because of that law. I'm surprised they never kicked both of you out for your shenanigans but I guess they would have had to have kicked out Kaleb's youngest brother as well."

"Vander, Grammie, his name was Vander. He was fun to hang out with when we were kids and he kinda help me out when they 'recruited' me into the Blood Hunters later." Cat added.

"Yes yes. I remember that day well. You registered a week prior to that Gods awful law they instated that banned seith magic. I bet Grendace was proud of himself for snatching you up before that law went into effect." Sylvia clucked. "Took Lex and I forever to find you and basically kidnap you to only be on the run for years after that. Maybe I should thank the youngest Pradesh boy for what he did to take that old bastard down. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll send his father a missive so that we can thank that family for they had done for ours. What do you think Opal, dear."

"I think that's splendid sister. Maybe we can visit Pelerno for New Year's. It's been forever since we've celebrated it in Bosco." Opal smiled.

Cat was bored. She didn't want to sit here and reminisce with her Grammie she knew what happened. "Well I'm going to that mage guild, tootles."

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Piper sat at the bar and watched the coming and awakings of the guild members in the guild. There still wasn't many people here but people were filtering in the closer it got to ten. She decided to talk to Mira while she waited for Lucy to show up.

"Hey Mira, can I get some relationship advice from you?" Piper asked without knowing about the matchmaking demoness the barmaid harbored within, nor did she see the hearts in the platinum blonde's eyes.

Mira calmed herself. She knew her guild mates avoided her about this sort of thing, but Piper had no idea. So in her smoothest, calmest, sweetest voice, "Of course Piper, dear. What's on your mind?"

Piper paused and gathered her thoughts that have been shoved to the side for a few weeks now with everything that has happened, her magic powers being awaken, training, finding out about her guild and her family. She now has had time to filter through her thoughts and focus on things that have now come to the forefront of her mind, the kiss her and Gary shared. It was a moment that was emblazoned in her memories. No one had ever kissed her so tenderly yet she felt the passion burning just below. She felt drawn to him more now but every time she saw him, she smelled a female scent on him. A very faint one but it was there and her nose was pretty sensitive. Beck always put all her senses through training to get her used to the heightened awareness she now had. She looked up at Mira and felt a slight blush to her face when she asked, "Uh…Gray…do you know if he has a girlfriend? I just wanted to know beca…"

Mira all but busted out laughing. Not at Piper but at the subject she was asking about. Mira knew Gray himself wasn't funny, Mira knew the man had a serious crush on the woman talking to her now but was too damn shy to do anything about it. So Mira being the devilish matchmaker she was took fate by the reins and was going to guide these to souls together so she could get beautiful black hair/yellow eyes babies out of it. Her inner souls all laughed together and rubbed their hands in unison. Sitri especially knew how much Duke Astaroth wanted to be with this mortal before everyone found out she was a kitsune spirit embodied in a human soul. "I can assure you Piper that Gray does NOT have a girlfriend. So if you want to go out with him, be bold and ask him out yourself. There is nothing wrong with a woman going after a man that she wants." Mira said with a sweet smile.

"Thanks Mira for the advice. It's been a long time since I've dated and with everything that's happened…"

"You're welcome Piper and I'm sure your family would be happy for you." Mira smiled as she squeezed her hand.

Piper sat at the bar waiting for Lucy or Vander or Beck to show up so she could start her training. She was deep in thought over what Mira had suggested when she noticed what she thought was Lucy returning from taking her drunk friend home. She was so entrance in her mind she didn't notice the different scents. "Hey Lucy what do you think Gray would go out on a date with me if I asked him?" There was a strange pause and a throaty laugh that Piper didn't recognize.

"Well, I'm not sure who this Lucy is and this Gray fellow would be an idiot not to go out with you." The voice finished.

The voice startled Piper because it wasn't Lucy's like she was expecting. She then took a breath in and noticed that there were cherries on the air and not strawberries. She looked over at the profile of a blonde that was similar to Lucy's yet not. This blonde was a little taller, more muscular and had tattoos down her right arm and giant dark sunglasses. "Oh I'm sorry I thought you were someone else. I didn't mean to drag you into my personal issues."

"Oh you're fine. It usually my job to blend in. My name is Catrina but I got by Cat. I think we met the other night…at the pyre. Your brother…I don't think we got properly introduced." Cat smiled sadly at her new friend.

"Oh yes. Um…thank you for what you did for me and my family. My name is Piper. I'm sure it was very hard for you to do what you did. Are you a seith mage then?" Piper asked respectfully.

Cat looked at the purpled haired woman she had only met briefly a few nights ago. She could see the similarities between her and her brother. Her new friend didn't look at her with disdain that she was used to because of her magic. She looked at her with respect and curiosity. Cat wasn't used to that. She grew up in a well-respected mage guild the White Sea and no one ever made her feel uncomfortable there. She knew there was another mage there her age that had the same magic but their paths never crossed. When the law forbidding seith mage was lifted she went back to Pelerno only to be looked down upon by people with fear and anxiety. She heard the whispers, 'Is she gonna take my soul? My children's souls'. It became too much that Cat left Bosco and never stepped foot on the soil again. She took her jobs from the Blood Hunters via Ltablets. Grendace wasn't happy about it but she performed to his satisfaction so he didn't push the issue. She had gotten to the point she hated her magic and what she was forced to do with it. When Grammie 'kidnapped' her she was relieved. Her Grammie also taught her the proper ways of a seith mage and how to use her bound soul to the best of her ability. She was still learning in a way. Grammie and Opal think she may be the missing piece to their broken trio of sisters since their middle sister is gone. She shook her head trying to get back her new friend, "Uh…yes I am and I'm sorry that we had to meet in those circumstances."

Cat slide her dark sunglasses up into her golden yellow hair. Her blue eyes meet yellow. Both women smiled at each other. Cat didn't sense the fear most people had when looking a seith mage in the eyes. Cat was mesmerized by the yellow eyes because she could see the warmth, love and acceptance in them. She could also see a little deeper than most because of her magic and what she saw was something that hadn't been seen in millennia, the twinkling of a celestial kitsune soul. Cat smiled wide and hugged the woman. "Well, well, well look what the fox dragged in a wilted sunflower. This guild will just let anyone in won't it." Vander winked at Mira.

"I'd say it will if it's letting the likes of you in it, you smarmy shadow shit." Cat said as she jumped at Vander and crushed him in a hug.

"Uncle Vander, whose your friend?" Ila tugged on Vander's coattail.

"This munchkin is Uncle Vander childhood friend, Cat. My partner in crime from when I was little." Vander said with a wink.

"Oh, she has pretty hair. You have Cat. It's almost like Dad's hair." Ila compared with a smile, "I'm going back up to sit with daddy, bye Uncle Vander."

"Bye Munchkin. Don't rat me out to daddy, ok." Vander called out only to be answered with girly giggles.

"Cute kid. Farron's or Kaleb's" Cat asked with a big smile on her face.

"How do you know it isn't Cris's or Emi's?" Vander teased.

"Because Cris has dark hair Emi would be mom or mommy not dad. She has two dads so she's a slayer's kiddo and your uncle that leaves Farron or Kaleb with blonde hair. Unless the two brothers I've never met have blonde hair as well. Spill it Van. You know I'm not stupid. I got paid for this for years just like you." Cat pressed with a grin on her face.

"She's Kaleb's and Laxus Dreyer's munchkin. So she has…"

"…lightening dragon slayer and mindbender powers. Kid is gonna be a powerhouse and a heart breaker. The first hearts she's gonna break is dad and daddy's" Cat finished.

The pair laughed and moved over to Piper and caught her up on the pranks they used to pull when the doors slammed open and a flurry of fire and ice rolled in. Mira and the rest of the Fairy Tail mages paid no attention to the rumble because it was an everyday occurrence. Piper was semi-used to it as Gray and Natsu squabbled of just about anything. Cat and Vander on the other hand were witnessing it for the first time. The two mages fought and tumbled around til the wound up outside the guildhall. More mages had gathered to watch the two fight because Cat and Vander had started a betting pool.

Gray had finally had enough of Natsu's bullshit over his dating life. This is what started the fight this time. It wasn't any of the pink haired idiot's business what he did at the clubs. Natsu told him he was stupid for going to the clubs and picking up the same type of women when the one he wanted would probably go out with him if he would just ask her. This was the crux of their fight. They rolled out onto the sand of the beach to the lake that was behind the guild. Gray stood up to concede but Natsu in all his fervor for the fight didn't recognize his concession fast enough. Gray took a Fire Dragon Iron Fist that sent him flying across the beach. This wasn't the first time Gray had taken this punch. He had been trading punches with the fire dragon slayer all his life. What he was prepared for and neither was Natsu was the response from Piper.

Piper watched Gray fly across the beach and land in a heap. She has seen him take that hit before. This time was different. Something inside of her woke up. Something ancient, something feral. She felt her magic pulse through her body and the feral instincts take over. She looked at the fire dragon slayer with a snarl. Her canines had elongated. Words came to her, words she didn't know, "Starfire!" she casts as she held out her left hand. Golden fire shot out toward Natsu and engulfed him. She agilely moved herself between the two mages and took a fighting stand that felt natural to her.

Natsu stood there a little puzzled by the golden flames. He took a big inhale and ate the golden flames. He thought the magic they were from tasted familiar. The flames themselves were invigorating. "Oi! Fox girl you wanna fight? Bout time I was gonna ask if you wanted to. Thanks for the fire. I got a fire in my belly now!" He grinned a toothy smile with his dragon teeth showing. He felt no malice towards Piper. He only wanted to better himself. Natsu thought that if he fought a kitsune it would make him stronger.

Piper looked at the fire mage. She still felt the feral instinct to fight the mage but felt another tug at her inner self. She looked over at the gathered crowd, Beck was there. He nodded. She heard in her mind, 'He's tough star shine. A dragon slayer with a demon in him. Not just any dragon but the king of dragons, Igneel. Let your emotions and instincts guide you but remember you have a limited magic pool.'

Flick flitter down to her. 'I'm here momma. I'll help anyway I can.'

'Thank you baby but I don't want you hurt.'

Piper steeled herself for a tough fight. She was a novice in fighting. She was a fricking schoolteacher turned mage, but there was an instinct that was guiding her. It was strong. She looked back at Gray who had a black eye starting. She growled, "Meteor Shower!" with her hands held high. The sky darkened over Natsu. He looked confused but then looked up as golden orbs starlight started falling from the sky at him. He was able to dodge it, took a hit to his shoulder and rolled. He stood up and laughed, "Ok, Foxy get ready, Fire Dragon Roar!"

The column of flame roared to her. She froze she didn't know what to do. She was saved at the last sec by an ice wall. She sagged a bit. Her magic pool was running low, but she couldn't give up the fight. 'I got him momma. I'll distract him for you.' Flick flew off towards Natsu. She could hear him shouting about making the snake stop spitting poison at him. 'Don't hit him, baby. I don't have any antidote.'

'I won't. I'm not aiming for him. Just annoying him.'

"Piper, are you crazy for fighting Natsu?" Gray demanded with concern in her one eye she could see. The other had swollen shut.

"Apparently." She shrugged. With the last bit of magic in her, she cast a spell that just felt natural to her. Her left hand extended to the sky and the right one pointing at the dragon slayer, Piper incanted,

Sisters four blessed be

Judge those who harm the ones

I care for and love

When she finished the incantation, a constellation appeared in the sky above Natsu. The constellation of Vulpecula descended from the sky in heated blazes of golden falling stars. Piper fell to her knees as she watched what she unleashed against the pink haired dragon slayer. Gray gathered her up in his arms. "I don't know who's the bigger idiot. You or him." He said.

Natsu stood there in the smoldering glass that formed around him where the stars had landed. "Holy shit! That would have hurt if it hit me. Why didn't hit me?" he asked checking over his body for any damages.

A blue hair man stepped forward from the crowd of mages. Natsu recognized his immediately, "Because Natsu, the four sisters judged you not guilty for harming someone the celestial kitsune cares for. That's how that spell works. It's similar to my Grand Chariot spell."

"Jellal! When did you get here?" Natsu asked. He tolerated the mage only for Erza.

"Doesn't matter now does it? I need to speak with the celestial Kitsune over here." Jellal excused himself.

Piper looked up at Gray. "Well I lost so…I'm the bigger idiot?" She smiled.

Gray looked over at his longtime friend who was talking to Jellal about how he survived that star fall. "No Piper I think you won because Natsu looks like he may need to go change his underwear." He chuckled.

Piper blushed and turned her head from the ice mage, "So I know this is the most inopportune time, but Mira told me I should just do it and another new friend of mine agreed. Uh…would you like you go out on a date with me?"

Gray blushed now and scratched the back of his head. He had been trying to figure out for months now how to ask her out and here she was asking him. How could he say no to this beautiful creature in his arms, "Um…sure I would like that."

He picked her up and carried her into the guild as Jellal met up with them and Beck had joined them. Jellal wanted to speak with her about her magic. She was exhausted. She told the strange tattooed man that she had no idea where she got those spells. She just wanted to go back home and sleep. Beck came over to take the tired body of Piper from the ice mage but he declined politely. So they walked to Piper's residence with only Jellal speaking. Piper snuggled deeper into Gray's chest. Piper relaxed to the scent of peppermint as she took a deep breath and let sleep take her over.

Gray let the other two men talk about legends of kitsune, heavenly body magic, spirits, and stars. He was too enthralled by the warm feminine body her carried. He had been plotting since he met her on that airship and found out she was going to Magnolia how he was going to ask her out. His dreams were filled with her. He tortured himself by taking home purple haired women on the weekends. It was what he and Natsu were fighting about today. She surprised him by asking him out and he accepted. He had figured Bixlow would have swept her off her feet by now, but no, here she was asking him out on a date, snuggling on him as they went to her home because she got some hair in her ass to fight Natsu. He shook his head and thought 'What an idiot to want to date me and fight Natsu.'

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Back at the guild Cat was collecting her winning as she had bet on Piper the entire time. She was cackling, "Never underestimate the heart of a woman, boys!"

Vander laughed as he handed over his Jewel, "Tell me Sunflower, how did you know?"

Cat raised a blonde eyebrow at him, "Well I guess it's been awhile since you and I been around each other. Grammie has been teaching me some things that I should have been taught at the age I was off gallivanting around as Grendace's lap dog." Cat said then pointed at her eyes, "I can see strings, strings of soul mates. It happens very rarely. Those two well, let's just say that string was bright and golden." She sighed almost feeling a hint of jealousy that she seen her first one since Grammie told her about them. Cat always checked hers but it never showed up to anyone. That recurrent dream still bugged her. Then a light bulb went off. She looked at Vander who wasn't paying attention to her but his niece who had come back down to see him. She activated her magic and looked down and like every other time nothing. She felt the sting of loneliness in her heart. She just wanted someone to actual love her for her, except her magic, and not just share pleasure.

Cat watched another blonde walk back into the guild. She smiled at everyone but Cat could see that there was something wrong with her. She looked at her soul. It was bright and cheery yet part of it was reaching for something that wasn't there. She could see the underlying pain on the blonde face. She hide it well, but Cat knew she was hiding the same thing that she was, a dream and hope of being loved by someone special.