Fairy x Adventure

by Magnafeana

In a new era after the Alvarez War, Lucy, Natsu, and the rest of Fairy Tail not only face new challenges but watch as their kids go on new journeys, learn new powers, and battle new enemies and old! Join Luna, Nashi, and the upcoming generation of Mages on Fairy Tail and more on their never-ending adventure!

8. Adventure 008

Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it, nor any pop culture or classical references. All original plots and characters are mine.

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In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.

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NOTICE: This is a revision of the 2017 version, which is simul-posted to AO3. Episodes 001 through 030 are set to be replaced and other episodes edited. This may cause confusion. To read the 2022 revised edition as it is updated, you can go to AO3 and look for Fairy Adventure (2022 Revised Edition). Otherwise, all 144 (in counting) episodes will remain here and continue to be edited.

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PREVIOUSLY, on Fairy Adventure: Luna's journey alone turned out to give her the boost she needed to cast her first spell. But in a Demon's Labyrinth, one spell might not be able to save her. Meanwhile, the rest of the team is facing their own issues. Whether it's Gale hanging on as he faces a siren, Mystogan in battle with himself, Lance's possession leading him and Nashi down a dark path, or Gary's fears becoming reality—no one on this team is safe.

'And I will keep you safe as I have promised you…Gary Fullbuster.'

The past can hurt you more than you think—but for our heroes, it looks like their present is about to get even more dangerous.

---

Magnolia Town had wound down and no one could wake it until half till sunrise. And that was fine. The trolleys would not start up again for a while nor would the trains. The well-looked after "community pets" had found their home inside or in one of the outdoor pet homes.

Silence wrecked the Fullbuster house, save for the late-night dishwasher run. Juvia was a stickler for making sure the dishes were done and the laundry room spruced up before going to bed. Gray had grown accustomed to dealing with his wife's vice grip in bed and compromised: she could sleep and death-grip her Gray body pillow and he would still loosely big spoon her. Julia would fight anyone who told her she drooled in her sleep, but her poor pillows were proof she did. Everyone deserved a good night's sleep.

But Silver could not get any.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Fullbuster Household

Magnolia Town

Fiore, Ishgar

02:56 FST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

He sighed as he rubbed his eye before grabbing his Compact and checking the time. That alone disheartened him. I'm sure Gary and Lulu are still on their assignment. And my Beloved Paige is asleep too.

He let go of his Compact to sit up. Julia always made fun that his room was one of a stereotypical teenage girl and he resented that. Did he have Young Nation and Magia posters all over his room? Sure. But that should not make his room girly. He huddled himself in his Young Nation ARMY hoody blanket—it matched with the one he bought Luna just because—slipped on his Nicky-nyan slippers—and yes, Luna had the Nina-nyan slippers to match him—and got out of bed to sneak to his desk. Another knitting project still needed work and he debated.

I could keep working on the cardigan for Lulu. He sighed again. But… I don't think I'm in the mood for it.

He grabbed his teru teru bōzu his mother had stitched for him when he was just a baby, and he turned away to vacate his room. All was quiet. He glided to the staircase and skipped the fifth step—it was the squeaky one that woke up his father, and screw Julia for never telling him about it—to get to the third level of the townhouse. Julia's room had a blatant KEEP OUT on the door that always made him roll his eyes, but he ignored it to head down the hall to the only other room.

Gary's old room.

The door was cracked open, so all Silver had to do was nudge it. His older brother's old room had been left intact. No one ever commented it should be turned into a guest room or an alternative space. Instead, it remained the same room from when Gary was 10 years of age with a few additions from when he grew into a teenager. His twin bed had been swapped for a queen, but Gary had barely touched much else when their parents had tried to get his opinion on a room more suited to his age. He had taken all his clothes when he moved out, but nothing else.

To Silver, it felt like a mausoleum.

He went to Gary's mirror with all those pictures shoved into the framed edges. His brother had declined to take any of them to his new home all those years ago, but at least Silver got to look at them now. One had Gary kneeling with his hockey team with that big grin on his face. Another showed Gary proudly showing his guild mark on his chest. A few were from past birthdays using Animate Pict, but the ones that always made Silver smile a little were the old-school photos Luna took when they were small. Gary helped Luna take her first selfie with him, her, and Silver bunched together.

He touched the photo, fond. I remember this. Lulu was so excited that day. He chuckled to himself. Nashi was upset Lulu took her first selfie with Gary. I think Igneel was upset too.

Mayan blues glinted. But… He was happy back then, wasn't he? We were all happy. Blues flicked to the side. I wish we could say that right now.

He moved away from the mirror to curl into the bed. Taking a deep sniff, he noted, Mom must've cleaned the sheets. She always keeps Gary's room clean in case he wants to come home. He buried his nose in his blanket. Even if he never wants to come home.

• — • — • — • — •

"I'm moving out."

Breakfast was supposed to be uplifting this morning. Mom had made all the works and snuck in Gary's favorites, but we all had known why. If he would eat even a forkful of food, we could rest easier.

And then he said those words.

Even as barely a teenager, Gary looked so calm and mature as he took his fork and pushed around his breakfast. Never did he look up at any of us at the table—not at Mom who looked ready to cry from those three words, not at Dad who went rigid, not at Julia who looked at her plate…and not at me.

• — • — • — • — •

Silver sniffled and curled into a tighter ball as he clung to his handmade doll. I hope his mission is going okay. I just…want him to come home safe again. He shut his eyes and prayed to anyone listening, Please let him come home safe again. Please don't let anything happen to him. Please let my brother come home safely.

And now he had to hope his prayers were answered.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Natsu ga hajimatta

Aizu ga shita

"kizutsuki tsukareru" kedo mo iin da

Tsugi no koi no yukue wa doko da

Eiga janai

Shuyaku wa dare da

Eiga janai

Bokura no ban da

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Red Chiron!"

A stampede of glowing red centaurs trampled the hounding monsters, and none stood a chance against the rampage.

Mystogan stayed behind with his surgical gloves on to look over the remains of the monsters. With practiced hands, he took more vials of blood and brought out tweezers to pluck hairs and scales. Hm. These will make for valuable research as long as that nosey Magician doesn't try to break into my lab. He felt mentally and physically exhausted recalling that bumbling fool and his odd belief the pair were good friends. It's agitating I'm not allowed to Banish him. Perhaps I should petition for it again.

He looked around the deserted tunnel. The monsters have been quite easy to put down. I would expect a Demon to have stronger legions beneath it. But perhaps strength is not what it wants—it could want to overwhelm with numbers and reserve its more powerful legions. Or perhaps its contract to being on Earth Land prevents it from summoning stronger opponents.

He looked at his surgical gloves sprayed with dirt and black blood with disdain. And now I need more gloves. As he rolled them off, he muttered, This assignment has shown me I should invest in surgical gloves with an Auto-Sanitize Charm. I should ask—

Innocent browns. "Big Brother?"

Mystogan stopped with his gloves balled in one hand. No. He snapped his fingers and dark oaks reflected Magic eating away the gloves. Not her.

Another bright light circled him, but this one spoke like it was ringing a bell. It insistently kept speaking in its language, but Mystogan swatted it away. "Calm yourself, Canopus," he commanded, stern. "Sirius wouldn't dare be distracted. We should continue our walk."

If a bell could huff, Canopus did, but it continued to light the way.

Mystogan looked displeased at all the carnage around him. "Hm. How unpleasant." He clasped his hands behind his back and chanted: "Sunflower Surfer!" Blossoming below his feet was a miniature sunflower galaxy, slowly spiraling. It lifted him and floated after Canopus.

It's curious, this Demon and its summoning, he mused. Gale said he heard screaming. And as well, the townspeople spoke about how they did not want monsters. Gary checked and all townspeople are accounted for and there are no missing person reports rooted in Arfaj Town. And monsters dwell further into the mountains, but they stay away from the towns. The Ministry of Magical Creatures normally works with Council Defensemen so towns like this have wards repelling monsters. So why did he hear screaming? And why are the townspeople so afraid that, instead of contacting the Ministry and Council, they summoned a Demon? And…

Dark oaks thundered. How did a town with no magical background get its hands on texts to summon a millennia-old Demon?

WAOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

Canopus paused, and so did Mystogan. Sirius?

WAOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

Mystogan took off his glasses and hooked them on his neckline. Gold took over his pupils. A thread of stardust came from his chest and parted down the tunnel. He found Luna. And… He listened to the howl as he and Canopus started moving again. She's all right, but… He says… They aren't alone. Gary is—

Dark oaks widened. What?

Mystogan gritted his teeth. Dammit. He dispelled the sunflower galaxy. It was a possibility, but it was highly improbable. I can't waste time with any more samples for study. He chanted: "Barnard's Nebula!"

A scarlet gaseous cloud cloaked Mystogan with crystals inside and he held back his flinch from the high pressure and magical consumption. "Canopus, keep up!" And he lifted himself off the ground to soar forward and chase after the starry thread, Canopus keeping pace.

He clenched his teeth. Gary… This mission is a test for you too. And as unethical as this is—he forced himself to surge faster—I'll do whatever it takes so you can pass.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 008

•

He Who Casts the First Stone

•

最初の石を投げる者

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Whoever said sirens were beautiful should have looked at one on dry land.

Gale wrinkled his nose as he dragged the wrinkly siren on a gemstone sled. All its hisses full of spittle and venomous cursing had died for gasping breaths. Its decent monstrous looks were now of cracked scales, breaking hair, and bloodshot eyes. And the smell… He pinched his nose. "I'm guessing this is what a back-alley sushi place smells like, fuck."

Nashi glanced back at the siren, uncomfortable. "Do we really have to take it with us like this? Shouldn't we just…put it out of its misery?"

"Didn't you read the proposal?" Gale questioned, quirking an eyebrow. "Yeah, we're here for investigation. But this is a 'learning special assignment'. We need to collect all the samples we can, so Misty, my mom, and the king of nerds can do their thing." He adjusted his grip. "And let's hope they get something out of it."

Nashi frowned and looked at Lance. "How are they going to research this?"

"Misty will take all the samples back to his lab at the Tower in Academy City," Lance told her. "Since the League and the Tower are affiliated with the Council, but they don't report to any country or even the Council, he can research in his lab without worrying about red tape." He could not fight down a grim look as he looked back at the dying siren. "I admit, it's not…pleasant. But Gale's correct. Earth Land might have monsters, but demonic creatures and dark creatures aren't common enough for us to rely on older studies. And we'll need all the knowledge we can get if this is going to become the norm."

"Right." Nashi fiddled with the sleeves of her suit. "A world with Demons…" Hickories burned. Vile monsters like that shouldn't be researched. We should take them down.

"So." Gale looked down the dark tunnel. "Any idea where this leads us to?"

Lance shook his head. "No. My Radar is blocked when I try to cast it. But for some reason, I was found walking in this direction."

"So either it's a trap for us specifically," Gale presumed, "or it's a trap for anyone who comes into the Labyrinth."

"It would seem like it." Lance stopped and the other two stopped with him. "Wait." He faced Gale. "You said you could hear footsteps and screaming, right? But you couldn't tell if they came from humans or Inhumans. Could you try again?"

Gale did not look all that hopeful, but he nodded. "Sure." He took off his glove to kneel on the ground and felt the earth below. Shutting everything else out, his ears tuned to the surrounding nature. For a moment, he picked up nothing but silence—

UGYAAAAAA!

Gale tensed. "Screaming. I can hear screaming again." He looked into the tunnel's depths. "And now I know for sure we're headed for the source."

"Any chance the screaming is a trap too?" Nashi asked.

Gale's frown twisted. "Could be. But the screaming didn't sound the same, so that rules out a recorded scream trying to lure us in."

"We have to assume everything is a trap," Lance told the pair. "Assume nothing you see in here is real. That's why we have to stay close together and verify who we are to each other. The screaming could be a trap, or it could be a genuine cry for help. Nashi—we'll need to rely on your Soul Sight if we encounter people. As much as you may want to say them, they could be illusions, decoys, or a trap themselves."

Nashi hesitated.

Sunset oranges flashed with lightning. "Nashi."

"I…" She swallowed. "Right. I can do that."

"All right." Lance turned to Gale. "Out of all of us, you have the biggest advantage. If we come into a trap, we're going to retreat. When that happens, collapse everything behind us. We can't risk any more monsters escaping this place."

Gale nodded. "Fine."

Lance caught Nashi's worry and murmured, "If actual people are there, you'll know, and we'll do everything we can to bring them to safety. I know you'll want to help them. But right now, we don't need to be heroes. We need to be practical and take the safest option without needlessly risking lives. Can you do that?"

Nashi nodded, firmer now. "I can. I won't let you down."

Lance smiled. "All right then." He looked into the darkness. "If things go sideways, as a last resort, I'll use my Lightning and get us out." Static clacked off him. "Because whether we like it or not, there's always a chance we're walking straight into a Demon's lair."

---

Silver was one of those heavy sleepers who could sleep through a hurricane. Juvia swore he did not inherit that from her, and she was right. He got it from Gray.

Footsteps approached the open door, and a moment of silence was needed to take a look at the sleeping Silver. The footfalls were still silent as they approached the bed. Gray settled on the edge as he watched his son. He gently threaded fingers through Silver's hair, but never did his son stir. Ha… He's still doing it.

Silver sighed and cuddled his cloth rain doll.

Gray had one of those melancholic smiles. You had said you wouldn't come in here anymore, but I know you keep sleeping in here every time Gary has a job. Ravens shone. But… I'm sure your brother would be beside himself if he knew.

Footsteps slapped against the hardwood. "He's here again?"

"Hey." Gray put a finger to his lips as he watched Silver. "Let him be." He made sure Silver was tucked into his blanket before he got up and faced a judgmental Julia looking at Silver. He took great care in nudging her aside to bring the door mere centimeters from complete close before grinning down at her. "Care to join me for tea?"

°•°•°•°

If you were familiar with Fullbuster slang, then "tea" was not tea.

Julia snorted as she sat at the island when her father set down a thing of the good gin and two glasses already with ice cubes and lime wedges in them. "You need to come up with something better than 'tea'," she told him in a mutter.

Gray snickered as he poured them drinks. "Yeah, well, I had to be careful with my language raising all three of you and now it's stuck. Old habits die hard." Once finished, he put her glass before her before taking his own. They clinked glasses in cheers before downing a few sips.

Julia savored the spicy flavor before glancing at the staircase. "Why do you let him go back in there?" she asked her father. "It's not exactly a 'healthy coping mechanism'."

"It's no better than your mom needing the Blackout Draught to fall asleep whenever Gary goes on a job," Gray pointed out. "And it's not better than you smoking or me drinking."

Julia tensed. "Dad—"

"It's fine," Gary chuckled, shaking his head in dismissal. He leaned forward and whispered, "Between you and me, your mom knows, but she's trying to cling to you being her innocent princess daughter."

Julia snorted into a laugh. "I think it's a little too late for that. You and Uncle G corrupted me." She lifted her glasses. "And Silver's a better fit for that." She knocked back another sip and savored it. "He's practically the daughter she never had."

"Now I wouldn't say that," Gray disagreed. "You know your mom was right in the front row to all your games and matches. We both got our perfect daughter and perfect sons."

"Yeah, and one of your 'perfect sons' has a security blanket and a doll at fourteen," Julia said, dry.

Gray sighed with a smile. "And there's nothing wrong with that either."

"He can't keep sleeping in Gary's old room every time Gary leaves Magnolia, Dad," Julia told him, like an adult scolding their child over their parenting skills. "Who is he helping by doing that?"

"And who is he hurting by doing that?" Gray countered with ease. "You can't blame him for it, Lady J." Ravens threaded with bad memories. "Six years later and we're still all trying to recover in different ways—all of us." He looked at her, knowing. "Even you."

Julia cupped her drink with both hands. "Yeah, but we're not crying about it," she muttered. "Because it won't change anything. It can't change the past or the future. You have to do something if you want something to happen. So why doesn't he do something? Just crying about it… It's pointless." Oceanic blues glimmered, angered. Why can't he just do something for once?

"I think we have a very different way of thinking what 'doing something' is." Gray sat down on the stool beside his daughter. "I know you—the bossiest out of everyone in this family—prefer to fight it out. And that is your way of doing something. But you don't have to train and get stronger to do something." He looked into his drink. "Your mom goes out of her way to cook a lot of dishes, so when Gary comes home, he doesn't have to worry about food for a while. She'll even insist he bring her his laundry so she can do it for him and if he's gone on longer missions, she'll care for his condo, even though we all know she doesn't need to."

He thumbed the rim of his drink. "I take care of his Settlers for longer jobs. Silver prays for Gary's safety and likes sketching out things he's done and seen while Gary was gone to show him when he comes home. And he'll help your mom keep Gary's condo clean too. So, you tell me: would you consider all we're doing 'pointless'?"

Julia had a reply before, but after hearing all of that, she was forced to rethink things. "I just…" She sighed. "It's been six years," she started anew, tone quiet.

"And sometimes, it feels like six years is sixty," Gray said, "and other times, it feels like six years has been six days. You can't control how any of us cope, Lady J. But you can accept what you do and how we do things is just…our way of doing things."

Julia could not find any argument to that that would not sound immature and harsh. "It's not like I don't get nervous too," she confided, "but it's just… I mean…" She blinked when a cold hand rubbed her head.

"I know Gary isn't the only brother you're nervous about." Gray grinned when Julia scowled and turned away, red on her ears. "Let Silver be. You and he have always been polar opposites. He's just a lot more sensitive than you."

"Really?" Julia drawled, sardonic. "Y'know I couldn't tell even after I got him crying with Luna at the end of High School Music three because 'it's the end of an era'." She brought up her drink to mutter, "Not even Gary is that sensitive and he freaks out over butterflies. Butterflies, Dad."

Gray huffed a chuckle as he dropped his hand. "Yeah. Silver is definitely your mom's son. I'll always regret letting him watch Bambi and causing a level three rainstorm." He shook his head. "You and Gary never batted an eye at that movie. You'd think I was the one who shot Bambi's mom with the way he was sobbing." He grimaced. "But your mom calmed him down…eventually."

• — • — • — • — •

"There, there, Mommy's Precious Prince."

From the pounding rainstorm to the flood inside, Juvia proved a mother's love could withstand anything as she bounced a crying Silver in her arms and cooed at him (and she somehow ignored all the horrified cries of the townspeople outside).

"It'll be all right," Juvia soothed. "Mommy's right here." She kissed Silver's hair. "And Juvia's impressed Silver could cry this much. When Juvia was Silver's age, Juvia's rainstorms only made it to level one." She nuzzled her son. "Mommy's so impressed with Silver's powers. Yes she is! Yes she is!"

Gray sweatdropped, drenched, while Juvia shone with the power of maternal love. 'That's not something you should comfort him with, Juvia.'

• — • — • — • — •

Julia fanned her mouth as she yawned.

Gray caught it and mentioned, "You've been pretty tired lately. Everything going all right in your world? Been training hard?" He took another swig. "It's been a while since we've had any practice matches."

Julia quickly rebutted, "We had one last week—"

"In hand-to-hand combat, yeah." Gray raised an eyebrow. "But not in Magic."

Julia tensed.

Gray raised a hand in surrender. "I get it. You told your mom and me you wanted to train with someone else," he recalled. "But if you ever need sparring partners, we're both here. You're the rare one here with two Magic Spirits in Water and Ice." He smirked. "I might be getting older, but I'm still tough enough to take down Natsu, y'know."

"No, you two always end up in a draw because you're both this close to causing pretty bad property damage and either Master or Aunt Lucy stops you guys."

Gray tried not to think about a murderous Erza or a pissed Lucy. "Yeah, well, we all know I'm stronger than that hot head." He saw Julia yawn again and nudged her. "Finish your drink and go upstairs. I need to clear the evidence before Juvia wakes up since she's not a fan of 'teatime'."

Julia laughed. "Fine." She finished her glass before getting up. "Night, Dad."

"Night, sweetheart."

Julia rounded out of the kitchen—

"Lady J—"

She paused and peeked back into the kitchen. "Yeah?"

Gray had words to say, but he thought the better of them. Instead, he said, "Don't wake up Silver and I'll see what I can about you meeting—"

"The left defensemen from the Cacao Chimeras?"

Gray gave his daughter a faux stink eye when she looked ready to drool. "Y'know, you're makin' me regret savin' that guy's ass."

Julia grinned. "Fine. I won't wake him up, but I am not watching his stupid comfort shows with him. MCOM movies?" She pretended to hurl.

Gray chuckled. "Deal." He watched Julia flee for the stairs before downing the rest of his gin. He could have cleaned up right then and there, but he sat for a bit and looked at his empty glass. 'You can't control how any of us cope', huh? He tsked, shaking his head. Yeah. He flourished his hand and the melting ice in both glasses rose to meld into a shape.

A knife.

He sighed. If only I could take my own advice. And he crushed his creation.

---

DOTA… DOTA… DOTA…

The Devil kept his pacing even with Luna comfortably in his arms. The bright light floated around, but between Sirius' starry form and the Devil's special vision, the bright light felt like a waste of space.

DOTA… DOTA… DOTA…

Sirius glanced up at the Devil and Luna before looking forward.

The Devil did not glance back, but he rumbled, "Mutt—if you have something to say, I suggest you change your form and say it to me now. I'm not in the mood for your staring."

Sirius walked on as a friendly retriever. But then, enough was enough. The stardust and burning light that made up the Dog Star converged and morphed. Mid-stride, translucent paws exchanged for flesh feet. That friendly retriever shifted into a tall man with shaggy hair and an uncivilized look about him. Maybe it was because of the stars across his body or how his traditional robe looked loose, but he looked more like a savage than a man.

"Wow… A real Devil." Sirius peered at the Devil with handsome yellow eyes. "And the last one of your kind, no less. Y'know, I met a few of your ancestors before, but they were nothing like you." Yellows stormed. "They were bent on destroying everything around them just because."

The Devil drawled, "Is this your roundabout way of asking my intentions, mutt? Are you worried about Gary Fullbuster?" He cradled Luna tighter. "Or for her?"

"The girl." Sirius felt no reason to be dishonest or standoffish. "My master has explained enough to me. I'm not interested in your body." Yellows dipped to the sleeping Luna. "But as for the girl…"

The Devil flashed his teeth. "And how do I know you will not harm her? You claim to have a master, but you smell unbroken." Icy-blues could freeze an ocean. "And the more I smell your otherkind stench, the more agitating you become."

Sirius' yellows darkened. Can he smell the truth? He said, "Just because I have a master doesn't mean I'm his actual dog. We have an agreement in place. My aid for his. And that's all you need to know."

"And I have an agreement in place as well." An edge knifed the Devil's words. "And that is all you need to know, mutt."

Sirius' scented cold aggression, but his hackles did not raise. 'An agreement', huh? So the witch-boy's theory might be true. He closed his eyes. If that's the case, then I have no reason to pursue those suspicions. However… Yellows flared looking at the white light. I think I'll keep some.

The Devil and Sirius carried on their walk in silence with minimal changes to their path except…

The Devil sniffed the air, skin prickling. We are climbing higher. The altitude has gotten thinner. He shot Luna a worrying look. Malã'ika can handle high altitudes, but oneaña may not. Her heartbeat and breaths are steady. But I do not want to risk her becoming ill in this place. He commanded, "Mutt—pull up her mask."

Sirius did so, ignoring the half-insult, but he, too, looked concerned. The witch-boy explained these masks have heavy Enchantments on them. But I'm not sure what they all are. It would be ideal to leave her on lower ground, but the Labyrinth is still rooted in these mountains. We can't know for certain we would find each other again. And… Yellows shifted back to the Devil. Until the witch-boy returns, I am his eyes and ears for this assessment.

It took a few moments of walking until both the Devil and Sirius had low growls in their throats with their noses stuffed with dread. Sirius melded into a starry monstrous wolf, fangs bared, and he prowled at the Devil's shoulder. The Devil saw through his world of wintry blues and silvers multiple demonic fumes and trails that all led to the same place. That pinchy, metallic tang pervaded the air as though making a statement with dread cotton-thick and ghastly.

And that was when they saw it.

A void in the tunnel that was darker than black.

It looked almost uncanny, this new shade of black, as though it was something that existed beyond the normal mortal concepts of shades. Luna's bright light disappeared without question as though frightened, and perhaps it was. Hints of quick whispers and giggles and rumbles came from this void shade of black—Curses. Their echoing chorus, tempting and melodious, would sway the weakest of hearts with a gamble where their prey won power, yet the house always won.

The Devil kept Luna tucked into him and passed a nod to the Dog Star.

And they passed the threshold together.

The sound of footfalls and paw steps was all that existed here. Not even Sirius' light could make a dent in such eerie black. But the Devil could see through his hues of blues and silvers. He could see multiple burning energies with the largest of them all lying in wait. Aggression did not gun for him or else he could have crafted a blizzard strong enough to slaughter everyone around him. But he still bristled and had to work to keep his winter inside his chest—

MERAMERA!

Blue flames came to life.

The torches burned with fires cackling hellspeak, a forbidden tongue that belonged only in the far reaches of the under realm. The floor beneath held a perfect sigil in its otherworldly stone. These glyphs—darktongue—had been methodically placed, each with their own meaning, each with their own sacrifice. More Dark Tongue crossed with the foulest languages—hellspeak, geisttongue, scarletmouth—were painstakingly imprinted into the stone all around them.

Legions stood outside such a grandeur main floor with their eyes calling for blood and their teeth and claws out. Four fountains surrounded the room—a fountain of oil, a fountain of blood, a fountain of water, and a fountain of wine—and their mess combination turned into a filthy red substance that should never be touched.

And beyond it all was a throne so grandiose and arrogant that you would think only a fool would build something so luxurious.

This was no center of a Labyrinth.

This was a throne room.

Steam puffed from nostrils. "It's about time you showed up."

The "fool"—the king—of this room had no illusions about looking human, oh no. These five stories tall creature looked like an anthropomorphic bull with a demonic crown of horns suited for a king and a nose ring that somehow shifted metals every time you blinked. A mockery of an Angel's wings sat on its back, dark like its heart. Its arm cuffs looked unfathomably beautiful with alien gemstones. In one hand, he held a golden chalice, but in the other, he knuckled a coin between his fingers that flipped from gold to silver to bronze to copper then back up the scale.

This—this was a King Demon.

The Demon finished its drink before turning the chalice into liquid gold that slipped between its fingers. "I was beginning to worry you had gotten lost. It's a good thing you showed up when you did. I was about to send someone to find you if you couldn't reach the front door." He took hold of his coin before tossing it in the air.

Four wayward golds pierced two hateful icy-blues.

The Demon said, "I think it's time we get well-acquainted…"—it caught the coin and flipped it on the back of its other hand to show a gold coin with a peculiar symbol on it—"…Morningstar."

Icy-blues shrunk.

---

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Fairy Adventure

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

---

The Demon thumbed its coin, but all four of its eyes looked at the Devil. "I'd heard the rumors a Natural was to be born. But people enjoy making rumors for the sake of rumors—and a Natural Devil being born was almost unthinkable. But here you are, the last of your kind. How inspiring."

The Devil growled, calculating. If it is saying this to me, it means it has no affiliation to the other cretin. It doesn't sound like it's mocking me, but to be sure… He sneered, "Are you here to gawk at me or should I expect another shoddy seduction tactic like I received from Orias?"

"'Orias'?" The Demon chuckled. "How amusing." He crossed an ankle over his knee. "The Great Marquis tried to seduce a mated Devil—why am I not surprised?" Wayward yellows flickered in thought. I hadn't heard news of Orias' death. Either they kept it quiet, or this Devil let Orias live as both a mockery and bait. He waved a hand. "Well, none of that matters now. I won't apologize for Orias' poor taste in recruitment. They've always been quiet…prideful."

"You creatures always lean towards one sin or the other," the Devil jeered.

The Demon hmphed, humored. "Perhaps." His stare drifted to the sleeping girl in the Devil's arms, and his eyes bemusedly narrowed. What is that little female? She feels peculiar. His regard slid to the snarling wolf fashion of light and stardust. And a summoned star. "You seem to have brought a pet with you." Yellows went back to Luna. "Perhaps two. Are you particularly attached to either one?"

The Devil pivoted to hide Luna's face from the Demon. "And if I am?"

"You're so mistrusting," the Demon laughed. He pushed off his throne to rise to his monstrous height. "Don't worry, baby Devil, I have no intentions of taking your pets away from you. In fact"—coins appeared between his knuckles—"if you'd like, I can make sure they are well-protected under me—if you join me, that is."

The Devil smirked as he lowered into a crouch. "That depends." He laid Luna beneath Sirius. "Why?"

"Well…" The Demon continued knuckling his coins. "I can't exactly answer that without insurances in place you don't betray me."

"Amusing." With one inhale and exhale, an accursed black stole the Devil's flesh with silver markings painted across his body. Black horns sprout from his hair and battish wings ripped fear from the mockery of a stealth suit clinging to him. His fangs ached and his claws flexed, needing to sink into something. The blue flames whispering hellspeak came under fire as ice froze the throne room and chilled the air.

The Devil exhaled frost as he placed a hand on the ground. "I could say the same to you."

HYU!

The Demon staggered when an uppercut to its jaw had it thrown off its feet and rammed back into its throne, but it wasted no time gathering its bearings to grab the Devil and throttled him into a wall. While the Devil struggled to break free from the wreckage, the Demon's toying coins became rapid-fire bullets that would have killed any man just from the incoming impact. The Devil brought about its wings with a shield of ice to defend itself—

Then he grinned.

The Demon snarled when speared missiles hit his shoulder and right pectoral, but the bottom portion of his body twisted into accursed shadows. It sneered. "You are choosing the wrong side, baby Devil," it spat.

"That's where you're wrong, Demon." The Devil held up a clawed hand and a volley of ice javelins was at his command. "I don't have a side." And he slashed his hand down.

The Demon snarled as accursed shadows consumed it. The javelins locked onto it, yes, but the Demon was not above letting its legions of monsters die for it. Some were lucky if being frozen to death was the means of their end, but others were frozen and shattered in one go, forever to be at unrest. The Demon reassembled itself, but it had shrunk down and looked made of armor with its curled horns metal and a flat armored face shielding even its eyes. It roared as it lifted its hands and controlled the four fountains to rise and consume the Devil.

DON-DON-DON!

The Devil could dodge and wheeze all he wanted, but it was only a matter of time. With his mighty breath, he froze liquid whips of blood and oil and froze a tentacle of wine trying to drag him under, shattering it with a clenched fist. Glowering, he roared before striking with his counterattack.

The Demon drew up a thick shield of blood to keep at bay the Devil's explosive barrage, but its focus drifted to the sleeping Luna. What is that creature? And this feeling I have of her… If I could get closer—

"Don't you dare look at her!"

The barrier shattered, and the Devil charged with an ice harpoon that battered the Demon's armor and pierced straight through its midsection.

The Devil's blues glowed. "Your fight is with me, creature." He growled as he dragged the Demon against the wall before using brute force to throw the Demon onto the ceiling and give chase—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

DON!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sirius snarled as he made sure Luna stayed beneath him. Monsters hungry for blood tore at each other for a chance to consume the human girl, yet none were successful. For every strike, a bluish silver shield lashed back with ice and snow punishing invaders. But that was not enough to quit the monstrous snarling and posturing. Some unloaded fearsome attacks, throttling giggling Curses, but none reeked of victory.

I see now. Sirius snapped his teeth at a serpentine monster striking. He must have placed a barrier when he touched the ground. He turned when he saw monsters thinking it best to attack from the rear, but he showed them heavy teeth, barking and spitting. It looks like it will hold for now, but I can't imagine this barrier will hold on forever. He placed himself firmer over Luna before tipping up his nose—

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAON!

He poured power into his howl. Witch-boy—you had best hurry. He finished his howl to glance down at Luna and, more specifically, the sealstone bracelet. It won't be long until your cover is blown.

---

UGYAAAAAAA!

Gale rubbed his ear, his chest vibrating. The screaming is getting closer. He glanced at the siren, wither with rage frozen on her face. Its heart stopped beating a little while ago. But if we're encountering monsters, it'd be good to have something for them to chew on.

His ears pricked.

Lance and Nashi stopped when they heard Gale's growling. Nashi tensed, wanting to say something, but Lance put a finger to his lips with his lightning wrapping around him like snakes, and his eyes focused back on the tunnel's darkness.

Nashi looked too.

And now they waited.

And waited.

And wait—

FWOOSH!

PIKAPIKA!

Nashi's eyes were wide when Lance defended her with an abundance of lightning protecting them and electrocuting the monster that had tried to go for her throat. What the…?

Gale dropped his hold on the sled and deceased siren as he made an oversized sardonyx sledgehammer. His eyes quickly shifted before he wound up his arms and the moment he swung, he directly hit another monster leaping out of the shadows trying to tear for his chest. More monsters broke free, each uglier and more feral than the last as they salivated for human flesh, and none of them had the comprehension to work as a unit. They clawed at each other while racing for their pound of flesh.

Lance charged lightning between his hands before blasting the bolt down the tunnel. He could see and feel every monster he electrocuted and felt his senses expand as static collected information. As he forced another monster to eat a wily lightning bolt, he observed its odd features: it looked like an amalgamation of a panther, a bear, and a hawk. Oranges lit with cyan lightning flit around to scan the other monsters aiming for them. All these creatures are rogue Chimaera?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« Chimaera are magical hybrid creatures that can be of two or more species. However, because there are Chimaera with human intelligence and magical abilities, hunters may only attack "Rogues" or Chimaera with the intelligence of a common animal. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

With a sharp glance back, Lance caught Nashi frozen and commanded, "Nashi! Transform!"

"Oh!" Nashi blinked and she was back in the battle. "Right! Divine Soul!" Vibrant pink covered her before shattering off and leaving her armed with her Freedom Bow and her pink gemstone aglow. She pulled back the invisible string for an arrow of light to emerge. "Freedom—!"

"Don't!"

It stunned Nashi when Lance grabbed hold of her bow and armored gloves using his lightning. "What? Why?"

Lance grunted as he sent down a hurricane of lightning to counter against a rampaging Chimera made of part moose, part wolf, part lion. "Unless you can control the arrows, don't use any long-range attacks," he warned her. "Until I give the signal, we don't want to collapse the tunnel."

"Right." Nashi dismissed her bow. "Sword of Truth!" Her broadsword came to her aid.

And they had no time to linger.

The rogue Chimaera did not wait for their prey to catch their breath as they reached out with claws and teeth and tails. Those beaten through lightning and gemstone and sword would be replaced with fresh rogues ready to devastate and annihilated. Lance could lash all the lightning he wanted; Gale could bludgeon all he wanted; Nashi could slash and hack all she wanted—but they kept coming.

Nashi sliced her sword across the chest and threw the body aside, her breaths fast and a pinch metallic. They just keep coming. Is this a rogue nest? She stabbed a quicker rogue Chimera that aimed for her leg—

'Little One, on your left!'

Nashi had no time for her sword, but her hand came up with her gemstone glowing with rushed Magic just as some sort of jaguar-gorilla roared and went to crush her. She shouted as she unleashed the beam. It struck purchase, piercing the creature's chest—

Help me! Please, help me!

Hickories widened at the desperate cry. What—?

BAKI!

The Chimera fumbled to her feet, lifeless and eyes glazed over with Death.

Nashi took a step back. What was…? That voice…

Gale panted as he battered another Chimera away with his sledgehammer before using his Rose Quartz shield to keep a serpent-wolf Chimera from injecting him with venom. He called, "I need thirty seconds and I can give us some help!"

"Thirty?" Wrathful lightning wound around Lance. "Nashi, get behind me!"

"R-Right!"

Lance glanced at Gale. "You've got thirty. Use it wisely." Taking in a breath, his eyes became lightning themselves as he chanted: "Let's make some noise! Jupiter…"—a boiling ball of lightning fizzled between his hands, snappish and ready to strike—"Railgun!"

Nashi's hair stood on end.

PIKAPIKA!

A flash of blue meant nothing—

DON!

The tunnel lit up in a blinding and violent cyan that had the rogue Chimaera shrieking as they were electrocuted from the inside out—

Help me!

Kill us please!

Save my son! Where's my son?

They did this to us!

Nashi turned away from the carnage as she covered her ears, pleas and cries filling her ears, filling her soul. These voices… All this noise. Cael, Seraphim—please! What's going on? She let out a groan when sheer pain, fury, and despair overrode her own emotions and made her eyes sting. Ah, this noise! Seraphim!

'Hold on, Little One,' Seraphim soothed. 'Ishim—my resonance to her is still settling. I will help you calm her. Together!'

The pink gemstone on Nashi's breastplate glowed.

Gale threw down his weapons to rub his hands. "All right. Here we go." His eyes glowed with Magic as he threw out his hands and chanted: "Golem!"

Two sigils of his crest blossomed on the ground, but he locked his jaw as he gave himself into the spell. The earth cracked and rumbled, reluctant to concede, but when it did, it was all in a rush. The earth turned into towers of clay and, with the right image in mind, they sculped and twisted to create tall creatures, both with one circular hole as an eye too big and the other too small, but they settled into their forms with ease and looked at their master.

Gale inwardly grinned. Finally. He commanded, "I name you Hugo and Lag and bestow you my power!" He grabbed his sledgehammer and shield to show them. "Do you understand me?"

The golems did not blink as one scooped up earth to create a thick stick, but its ax was crafted from corundum and the other looked at its hands and created large and almost cartoonish boxing gloves of alexandrite with spikes on the knuckles. They looked at their master and nodded.

"All right then." Gale looked at the tunnel to see the fried remains of the Chimaera, but his ears picked up multiple heartbeats, frantic footsteps, and hushed pants. "Thanks for the thirty. How am I doing on this exam? Did I at least get some extra credit?"

"Honestly?" Static clacked off Lance as he looked down the tunnel. "I'll consider telling Misty you deserve a sticker." He glanced behind them with concern for the crouched Nashi. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Nashi gritted. The overwhelming sensations and noise tearing at her mind and soul faded into silence, and she could stand on two feet again. She whipped out her Sword of Truth again. "I can fight."

"Good." Static whispered in Lance's ears. "Because we have incoming."

Nashi knew she was supposed to charge ahead and face the battle head-on, but she hesitated as she looked at her sword. Her blade showed her disturbed and wide hickories. That noise… What was it? Seraphim?

'As you adjust to our resonance, you will slowly gain access to my abilities,' Seraphim told her. 'As my containers are of my own belonging, I am unfamiliar as to why you had a flare of my power. I shall investigate more. But you must focus on the battle. Ishim—keep her steady.'

The pink gemstone whirled.

Right. Nashi twirled her sword as she readied for the next wave. Shut out everything but the battle.

If she was supposed to do that, then why did those screams still echo in her ears?

---

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAON!

Mystogan pressed on with the red nebula around him and Canopus urgently ringing her bell-song like it was her lifeblood. Hee ignored all her warnings as he concentrated on the beacon and listened to Sirius' howl. The Devil engaged in combat with the Demon. And…Luna is still unconscious. However…

Dark oaks glinted with Magic. I understand the urgency. And I'm close. So protect her a little longer.

Mystogan snapped, "Canopus! When we get inside, you'll be in charge of guarding Luna while Sirius and I handle the legion, understand?"

Canopus rang her bell.

He let out a terse breath. "Enough with your incessant nagging. I understand the dangers clearly. I don't need your scolding. You will safeguard Luna in our stead. Do not attend to me by any means. That is an order."

How could Canopus fight that? She spoke in irked, clipped bell rings, but an agreement was there.

"Why do you all worry so much?" Mystogan muttered to himself. He saw his beacon to Sirius pierced through a void darker than black up ahead. I can feel considerable darkness, but I can't sense anyone else outside of Sirius. But he says he is under attack. He held out a hand and summoned, "Malachy, to me."

Malachy the seversword appeared in his hand, blade gleaming at the prospect of war.

If it's bloodshed this Demon wants—Mystogan's eyes glowed gold as he thrust a hand and eight sigils appeared in various sizes, each different color and each crest intermingled with his own and the shape of one of the eight planets in this solar system—then I shall give it to him in the name of research. He chanted: "I beseech the power of the eight realms!"

The first sigil was Jupiter dressed in its vivid violet so much so that it dowsed him in it. The second sigil, Uranus, was an iridescent indigo and he felt all its strange gravities once he plundered through the crest. He pierced through the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sigil—blue Saturn, green Jupiter, yellow Mars, and an orange Earth—with each saturating him in their colors and powers. He went through the seventh sigil of a pink Venus and could feel his Magic thrive and grow, wanting to be let out.

Gold consumed his eyes and his mouth as he chanted, heading for the red sigil of Mercury: "Now! Give me your strength so I may prevail!" He gripped Malachy as he and Canopus went for the sigil and into the unknown. "I cast Heaven's Master!"

He burst through the last sigil and eight voices, masculine and feminine, joined his own as they chorused: "We bestow you the power of the Heavens to you, Child. Protect Her."

And he burst into the unknown—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

DON!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The legions of demonic creatures screeched as blasts razed them down in numbers. A Ring of Saturn sliced a large beast into two with its solar wings to wipe out five more. Heliospheres of Venus incinerated another monster meant to attack the invisible barrier with gas it could ignite with the click of its teeth. Neptune's centaurs stampeded about, ruthless in all they rampaged on. The asteroids of Mars came down like angry meteors, crashing and killing everything in their path.

Had Sirius been a human, he would be smirking. Impressive…for a witch-boy.

Mystogan appeared with rings orbiting him. He was the brilliant sun in his glowing gold form with the planets revolving around him, their new master and center. To others, he looked like the ultimate being on the Heavens—a God. But to the legions of monsters, he was their enemy. They turned their snarls to this new opponent and shred the air with sound waves and heat blasts and whipped poisoned, yet with one swing from Malachy, the solar wings destroyed a quarter of the room and with it, those monsters.

Sirius flattened his ears when Canopus nagged him, her bell tones strong and sharp. There's no need to shout, Canopus. I'm aware of that spell. He kept Luna beneath his large form. And I can't fault him for it.

Mystogan floated into the barrier in his godly form and when he spoke, so did the voices of the eight realms. "Where's Gary?"

Siris growled and looked at the explosive hole in the ceiling. He and the Demon are fighting there. The Demon took interest in the girl, so the Devil is making sure the Demon loses that interest.

"I see." Mystogan looked up at the hole. He may have given us time, but with every second, he'll be in more danger. He touched his heart and could feel its thunderous thumping. I haven't trained enough with Misses Dragneel to control Heaven's Master for long. I must finish this quickly before the Devil runs out of time.

He called with the eight voices, "Siris, you're with me. Canopus, stay here with Luna. If she awakens or if we come under jeopardy, you are to immediately Leap with her."

Canopus had words to say about that and even Sirius looked disturbed. Witch-boy—

"My name is not 'witch-boy'," Mystogan and the eight realms snipped. "I can handle the strain of Canopus' Leap just fine. Do as I say." He turned away and threw over his shoulder, "Or I shall summon someone else who can." And he surged into the fray.

Sirius growled. Irritating witch-boy. This is why I never got along with ambitious Wizards. But what's worse is I know this is the best solution. He turned to nuzzle Luna's sleeping form before baring his teeth and his paws hitting the ground as he joined his master. Without preamble, he tore into the first monster he could sink his teeth into, ripping them apart like they were his dinner, and he was a ravenous beast. He caught Mystogan wielding the Heavens like it was his birthright. Witch-boy… You are not allowed to make such sacrifices.

He lunged for his next prey. Not until you have fulfilled your agreement with me.

°•°•°•°

DON-DON-DON!

The summit had been a calm place, but one explosion tarnished the peace. Bodies and trash had been hauled to the top, but with snow displaced and tumbling, nothing had a prayer's chance of surviving such a violent war. Curses and ice blasted, forming a thick mist at the summit. The coverage of the night could only endure so much, but if an avalanche started, not even the moon would be able to save them from being found out.

DON-DON-DON!

GOROGOROGORO!

The Devil spiraled out of the fog before unleashing another blast of raw winter.

Through the fog, a roar of laughing Curses came forward to battle winter. Back and forth they went until winter won the hand and decimated the summit. But it could never be so simple. The Demon barreled from the fog with its armor splotched in winter and one of its horns shattered off, but the Curses bubbled and whispered to themselves as they designed a new replacement horn for their body.

The Devil flapped his wings. "You want me to join the side clearly weaker than me," he taunted. "You Demons are quite funny." His fangs were out and prominent. "And here I believed Demons did not obey those weaker than them. Yet you expect me to be your willing slave, obedient to your command and you are far weaker?"

The Demon sniffed as its Curses completed its new horn. "Orias painted us in a very unfair light. Some of us like our slaves obedient and willing. But a Natural like you deserves to remain unbroken. You will be far more pleasant snapping your teeth even when you're begging for more."

The Devil spat. "And you both have filthy mouths."

"I'm surprised a Devil would complain about filthy mouths, considering your king is even fouler than mine." The Demon took pleasure in the Devil's snarling, but half its mind was devoted to another cause. It drew me out here into the open. Does it not care for human politics? No. It's that girl. Its focused slipped to the crumbling hole it was forcibly pushed out of. Why is it putting this much distance between the girl and me?

Carefully, the Demon asked, "That little female thing—is that your mate?"

The Devil could not hide his utter revolt. "No! She is a human child!"

"A 'human child'," the Demon echoed. "That's what you call it?" It stored that for later. It called the creature a 'human child' and there was no deceit. Does it really…?

The Devil bristled listening to the Demon's dark chortles. "You laugh because you think I should be a mate to a child?" He sneered. "Demons really are another breed of disgusting mongrels."

"You really don't know, do you, baby Devil?" the Demon mocked. "Oh, how naïve and how stupidly adorable. I can see why the others wanted you first. So powerful yet so dumb." Even with that faceless helmet, it felt like the Demon was grinning. "She smelled delicious and fertile. If you're not going to breed her, I'll gladly take her off your claws."

Unfathomable rage consumed the Devil and his roar summoned one hundred javelins. "Shut up!"

SHING!

The Demon could not fight its utter shock when the javelins burned it from the inside out. It was that icy-hot, that heat that came from the cold. Winter raced to clog the Demon's blood as ice crawled all over the Demon's armor like a curious parasite intrigued at its new host body. The Demon expelled a shocked breath of frost. This…is its actual power? But it's…so cold. How did it…?

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

The Devil flew above the Demon and sick triumph marked him when he saw the Demon crucified with javelins. "Hmph. Oh how the mighty have fallen," he derided. "I believe I now understand you Demons." He made a show of licking his bottom lip. "You all look better on your knees before me."

The Demon's hands tightened. "Insulting Zagan—King of Demons…"

Icy-blues sharpened. 'A king of Demons'?

"I've been quite merciful in our flirting." Zagan took a hand and ripped out a javelin as the Curses steamed from his suit of armor and swarmed him, singing. "But I think a baby Devil like you needs"—those four yellows eyes gleamed for its helmet as its voice went to the animalistic darktongue—"a rough hand."

His armor melted away as his body morphed into a creature in the worst circles of Hell. No longer did he have legs or the luxury of Curses surrounding his lower body, but instead, his entrails hung out to dry, oozing black blood and miscellaneous puss. A blade hacked between those dripping entrails with the upper half of his body resting upon the blade.

And the upper half was no better.

With sharp horns made to maim, Zagan looked like he had come from a psychotic nightmare with half his face that of a bull-like skeleton. His mouth was permanently unhinged to show rows and rows of crammed sharp teeth that looked almost hypnotic to gaze upon. A cloak made of maroon blood sat heavy on his shoulders. That sickened dread cloaked him, seductive and possessive and yearning to take hold of another.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is called True Form, a special ability only higher-level beings are capable of performing. If a creature of lower rank witnesses the being's True Form, it can result in something disastrous. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Zagan spoke in darktongue, "Baby Devil—you have no idea who you face against. I am not one to repeat myself, but your beauty compels me to court properly and act as a gentleman. Our flirtation has been sweet; however…" His voice steeled like flint. "You should reconsider the side you are on."

"And as I have told you, Demon." The Devil brandished a longsword forged from winter."I have no side."

Zagan and the Devil charged for each other—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

CLANG!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

My eyes drowsily blinked open.

It felt nice here, comfortable even, which was strange for me. There were very few places where I could deeply sleep, and it had taken until last year for my own bed to be considered one of those places. But here, under the spray of the unabashed summer and against this large tree, I felt like I could spend an eternity here.

The sounds of summer always helped me breathe easier. Funny, I know. People assumed blizzards were a paradise to me and, to a point, they were right. I never batted an eye during a snowstorm and often desired to sleep buried in the snow. But summer—my opposite, my enemy—had been an acquired taste. What had been brash and annoying in my youth became something so beautiful, it was almost impossible for me to remember why I ever hated summer.

And this place… This place was my summer.

Sleep tempted me again, a maternal mistress. I inhaled summer and exhaled winter. Perhaps a few more hours of sleep in this forest would do me some good. I could feel myself slipping await—

Wait.

A forest?

A forest in summer?

Sleep played its lullaby, but it sounded too hurried and childish for me to cling to it like before, like an impatient patient begging for its infant to go to sleep. My eyes took in the wild greens of the forest with sunlight playing peek-a-boo through the canopy. But as I kept looking and looking, this place did not feel like a dream. I touched the grass and plucked a few strands before letting them go.

A summer breeze softly stole them from me.

I stood up and all my purring happiness faded for prickled confusion. What was going on? I thought I was dreaming? For once, out of the thousands of nightmares, I had finally accomplished a rare dreamscape. But something in my winter told me this was not a dream. And if this was not a dream, then what was it?

My back hit the great tree, but something tickled my skin. I turned around to see a peculiar albeit clumsy carving. My fingers feathered the heart before going into the middle and looking at the ominous equation A + D. A +D? But what did that mean? It kept tickling and prodding my mind like the equation wanted me to remember, but sleep tried harder to pull me to her and, for a moment, it felt better to sleep than to do much else.

My eyes turned skyward—

HYU!

A flash of white feathers disappeared.

I smiled and opened my mouth…

…then I closed it.

The realization singed me. This was not a dream.

I looked back at the heart-encompassed, wood-engraved equation.

This was a memory.

I was trapped in a memory—

KRRRR!

The forest in summer glitched before me into a hellish summit. My winter blazed, strong and dark, as I fought against a Demon that looked like a child's monster in the closet. The monster did not take any of my attacks lying down, its counters just as vicious and spiteful. But it did not kill me even and I did not kill it. We needed each other alive rather than dead.

But… I wasn't doing this. I wasn't fighting the Demon. And if I wasn't—

I couldn't help it when my heart stomped and my lungs constricted. No. No, no, no, not again! How could he do this to me? How could he betray me like this? I knew this was what he wanted! I knew it!

My lips parted in a shrill shriek. "Give my body back to me!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

LUB-DUB!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Devil twinged and palmed his heart when its beats hardened almost painfully. No. It's happening again. He closed his eyes and focused on the storm inside him to see it all roped into chaos—

AAAAH!

The Devil could not sustain himself in the skies and plummeted into a snowcap, panting. A raging headache and piercing arrhythmia made him kill over with frost huffing from his mouth. A barrage of accursed coins meant to incapacitate him, but he weakly shielded himself with an ice dome before the next batter to his heart, mind, and body made him keel over and nearly vomit.

"N-No," he shakily breathed. "Not…yet…Gary Fullbuster." He grunted through the agony clawing through him. My time is running out. He flinched with coins gunned down the ice dome, but drills of Curses and blood tried to do the same. I must…sedate him again—

"No!"

The Devil's claws tore into its hair as panic took hold his its face. "Give it back to me!" The Devil caved to Gary's loud fear as their voices combined. "You stole my body again! Give me back my body!"

"Wait," the Devil breathed, Gary conceding his anguish. "I am not t-trying to steal—"

"Give it back!" Gary and the Devil yelled. Snow and ice swirled around them, agitated. "Give it back to me!"

BAKI…

The ice dome hissed with spiderweb cracks.

The Devil could not fight against the claws of Gary's desperation, but he tried his best. Gary Fullbuster… Do not fear me. He could feel this body slowly reject him even as he dug in his heels to stay at the forefront. You… I… It was no use. His time was up, and he would remain buried in this blizzard as a punishment. Be safe…Gary Fullbuster. I cannot help you, but I…

He drowned in the blizzard.

•

•

•

•

I wish to…

•

•

•

•

The warmth sunning my body made me feel like Mama and Papa were on either side of me, and I was a little kid again sleeping between them. I couldn't see very well, but I knew the grass was various shades of gold and there was a lot of it. The sun never set here. I was a freeze baby all thanks to Mama and her side of the family, but here, I felt so nice and all I wanted to do was sleep without dreams.

But when my eyes closed and clearly reopened, I was gone from that warm place. I think I was in a place I couldn't describe because I felt it more than anything. Colors I had never seen memorized me. I think someone was speaking, but I felt their words instead of hearing them. And their words weren't Minstrish. They sounded…like music. I was standing, but I was also floating in this strange place

This was a place further than the universe.

'I…'

A word. A Minstrish word.

'I wish to…'

But the words exchanged for a feeling.

It was that feeling of desperation tied with grief and apology and care and support. No one had to tell me what the feeling meant in words because those feelings were a language of their own. What a nice wish. And they sounded so upset.

I wanted to help them.

I wanted to grant their wish—

• — • — • — • — •

If a star could be anxious, that was Canopus as she flitted around the rousing Luna. It looked almost comical, like Wendy from Peter Pan awakening to a fretting Tinkerbell.

Luna groaned with her mouth dry and her head a bit in a stir. "Nnngh… What happened?" She rubbed her eyes—

HYU!

DON-DON-DON!

GOROGOROGORO!

The explosions shocked her awake, and she could see clearly now. Wide browns scoped her new situation as legions of monsters divided between swarming her and attacking their brutal enemies. Fear clung to her as she scooted back, only to be spooked as other monsters kept bashing an invisible barrier with the only inkling a barrier was present was every hit being blocked by a sudden flash of blue-silver.

"What…? What's going on?" Luna's heart leaped to her throat. "Wh-What's happening? I—?"

Canopus was in front of her, quickly speaking.

At first, Luna caught every third word, but then she strung together sentences. Wait… So Misty's here and he's fighting with Mister Sirius and… She gaped at the hole in the ceiling. Gary did that? And he's fighting the Demon? But where's Lance? And Nashi and—

Harsh rubies.

Luna thickly swallowed. "O-Okay. Okay, Miss Canopus, I think I get it now, but—!" So many things—so many sounds and sensations—were happening at once and she wished she could shut it all up to give her time to think. I need to stay calm. I'm… I'm supposed to do something, right? Something important. What was it?

Her eyes lifted to the ceiling again—

Canopus started sternly talking again.

"Wait, what?" That startled Luna. "Misty said you have to Leap me out of here?"

Canopus' bell ringing meant a firm yes and her light twinkled as she prepared to follow her master's command—

"Wait, wait, stop!" Luna pleaded. "Please, Miss Canopus, don't—!"

Canopus firmly explained the situation.

Luna shook her head. "No, I know that was a direct order, but please I—!" The words on the tip of her tongue froze. Wait… He just said I have to get out of here. She switched tactics. "Miss Canopus, I'll Leap with you." Browns hardened. "But only if you take me to a place I need to go."

---

HARAHARAHARA…

Gary's insides lurched as he kneeled in the snow with his ice dome cracking more and more by the second. His eyes darted to his arms and legs as he saw black on his skin with those silverish markings painted on his skin. His clawed hands shook and, in a fleeting feeling, he wanted to rip out his claws. "No, no, no," he breathed. "I'm… I'm a human…"

DON!

All it would take was one more blow for the ice dome to shatter.

Gary's claws dug into his hair an icy-blues raked with tears of dry ice. "I'm a human!"

DON!

The dome broke.

There was no time to breathe.

The Curses rushed in first as the infantry, laughing and thinking this was another cruel game. Gary tried to use his powers, but it was all for naught when those Curses grabbed him and giggled when they threw him into the summit. His wings shifted on instinct, but he could not regain his balance or hurriedly control the snow to pad his fall. Accursed coins rained down on him, teething into his flesh. Attempting to block it proved futile when Zagan cut through all the coins and kicked up a snowy mist to grab Gary with two of his hands and hold him by the tips of his wings and the third free hand to grab his body.

Zagan's unhinged jaw never moved as he spoke in Dark Tongue, "I grow weary of your cute tricks, baby Devil, and I have no time for them. And I would say I've courted you properly. You are coming with me."

"Let go of me!" Gary snarled. Wriggling did nothing more than bring him pain.

Zagan's snarl felt like nails on a chalkboard. "You mock me further and speak terran tongue? Such a mouth on you indeed. Paimon will fill it with something much more suited to your taste if you don't behave, baby Devil." He squeezed—

CRACK!

Zagan blinked when Gary howled his pain. Did I…break one of the Devil's bones? But I barely squeezed it. And considering its power, it should have felt my warning. If it breaks like this, Paimon will be disappointed. All four eyes inspected the Devil in his grasp. This is strange. It's not understanding darktongue. And even its voice… But that can't be right. He switched to the language of the mortals. "Devil—stop your squirming. It's arousing."

"Let me go!" Gary would not stop as he tried to bring about his Magic. "I'm not the Devil! I'm a human!"

If Zagan had eyebrows, they would be raised. "You're…a human?" It took a beat for his shoulders to shake. His laughter sounded like a song from Hell. "Oh, this is so cute! You're a human?" He bellowed his laugh again. I understand now. How could Orias think to seduce this one for submission? This is all too simple. He forcibly spread Gary's wings wider and reveled in the pained cry. A rush of pleasure ran through him. Though I have to admit… He looks much cuter like this.

"Oh, baby Devil." Zagan's wayward yellows gleamed. "What would you do if I told you—?"

KIRAKIRA…

Zagan went rigid. That presence…

"Let him go—now."

Zagan turned—

Four wayward yellows clashed with two dark browns.

Luna stood amongst the messy ice and snow, alone and as unafraid as she would ever be. How laughable. A girl no bigger than this Demon's pinky stood as his sole combatant. A thin breeze should have knocked her over. The cold should have killed her. But she stood tall and had the gall to glare at the Demon.

Yes… Zagan turned to face her. This creature… He called her a 'human child'. He tipped his chin down to her. "You, female—you stand before me like you think I won't kill you. In human terms, I believe the saying is, 'you've got guts'. And you'd be right—I won't kill you."

"Then let my friends go," Luna demanded.

Zagan rumbled with amusement at the audacious absurdity. "What a demand from such a little thing! But I suppose this works in my favor." He brought away the hand wrapped around Gary's body to extend it to her. "I will let your 'friends' leave. But I wish for you to come with me." I can't read her. But this creature… She feels…

Luna lifted her chin and hoped the Demon could not feel her nausea or her frantic heartbeat. "Fine." She conditioned, "But you need to leave these townspeople alone."

"I need to leave them alone?" Zagan chuckled again. She must have been quite the comedian in his eyes. "Fine, little female. I will gladly leave these terran insects alone." He lifted his hand, poised to snap. "Would you like me to break their contracts with me as well? The result will be quite deadly. Ah, slip of the tongue. I mean lovely."

Luna was taken aback. Wait… The townspeople… She shook it off. No. He's just trying to confuse me. Her gaze shifted to Gary who looked sick and faint, but he shook his head at her. I'm sorry, Gary. She looked at Zagan. "D-Don't do that, just… I'll… I'll come with you."

Zagan dropped Gary like he was nothing more than trash. "A wise choice for a foolish creature." He lowered one hand into the snow. "Come here, female."

Luna kept her swallow to herself and she walked across the snow.

DOTA… DOTA… DOTA…

LUBDUBLUBDUBLUBDUBLUBDUB!

Calm steps. Fast heart.

Luna's hand went to her arm as she crossed the snow.

MERAMERA!

GOROGORO!

Flames and earth of the past came as phantom visions of her present. She could see fire and earth construct world destroyers and would rather tear this realm apart for a chance of killing the other than adhere to the laws of nature.

"Is this what you want?"

Luna strode through the snow as her hand lowered to her wrist.

"No."

Her Fairy Tail stamp glowed against her glove.

"Then go."

White shone across Luna's eyes.

Zagan burned, yellows wide. Wait—

Luna's steps picked up into a sprint as white blossomed all around her. If that's your wish… Her mouth opened in a wordless cry as that white consumed everything in sight until there was nothing left.

•

•

•

•

May your wish be granted.

•

•

•

•

"Heliosphere!"

A horde of creatures stood no chance against the attack and died as they lived—screaming.

Mystogan landed on the ground with his breaths fettered and Malachy acting as a crutch, but he had another power to chant with the fifth realm: "Jupiter's Gravity!" And he leaned against Malachy as the demonic creatures planning his demise were flattened so far down that some of them could not handle the jarring pressure. Organs and blood burst, but the orbiting rings and planets acted as a shield for the sprays of slaughter.

"Nnngh!" Mystogan felt his heart constricted. I can't maintain Heaven's Master. But… I need to give more time—

The dread was drowned in peace.

Mystogan watched as the monsters that once sought destruction and bloodshed shrieked and wailed as they were ripped away from this world in fumes of black smoke. Some clawed at the ground, so funnily desperate to be in his realm, but they could not put up a fight when their master called them away. Even this ostentatious throne room warped like this had been one bag dream. The flames that whispered hellspeak, the disturbing glyphs written in the earth, the fountains—they were untethered from this world. And left behind was a vast cave that once beheld a thriving mining market but was now barren of miners and workers. The gaping hole made from the Demon versus Devil fight remained and provided quite the romantic moonlight.

The eight realms spoke through him. "That is enough, Child. Close your beseech. She is safe."

Mystogan strained himself to speak, but all nine voices chorused: "My beseech has been answered! I return as Heaven's Mortal!" And in a whirlwind of power, the rings and his golden form drained from his body slow enough not to make him snap from the devastating power lost. He lost his grip on Malachy, but the seversword protectively stuck close as its master gathered its bearings.

"You're looking paler than normal, witch-boy."

Mystogan steadied his breathing as best he could. "Your witty comments are always a pleasure." He moved to get up, but his side throbbed and he cringed. It made him sniff, miffed, when Sirius touched him and helped him rise. "What did I say about your human form? It's unpleasant to be around."

Sirius snickered, though he sounded more like a wolf laughing than a man. "It's always a pleasure to annoy you, witch-boy."

"I won't comment on how disturbing that is. Now unhand me—" But Mystogan knocking away Sirius' support nearly had him tumble to the ground. He huffed when Sirius caught him and he muttered, "I don't require your help."

Sirius cocked his head. "All right." He let go—

GATA!

Mystogan crumbled to his knees, clasping his side with a pained grunt. He tightly seethed, "You could have the courtesy of not dropping me to the ground."

"And you could have the courtesy of saying 'thank you'." When Sirius helped Mystogan stand, his canine grin tugged at how stiff and transparently reluctant the Wizard looked to be assisted. What a stubborn human. Even in pain, he maintains that cold pride. He taunted, "I don't hear a 'thank you', witch-boy."

"You receive adequate compensation through our agreement," Mystogan reminded, rigid. "And I will give you additional 'gratitude' when you stop calling me that insufferable 'witch-boy' name."

Siris made a moue (if you squinted, you could see him as a wolf with his ears back and a whine in his mouth). Such a stingy witch.

Mystogan adjusted his glasses and looked around. The Labyrinth is gone. And that energy… He looked at the ceiling. Hmm… Dark oaks glinted. I suppose—something like a small, faint smile touched him—this exam is over. He turned away. "Be useful and help me find the others."

Sirius drawled, "I don't know. I'd be more inclined to help you if you could say that tiny word—"

"Sirius." Mystogan's glasses glinted as he radiated murder. "That is an order."

Sirius growled with no heat to it as he helped Mystogan hobble, Malachy protectively flanking its master. Stingy witch-boy. Why did he have to contract me? He sighed and glanced back at the skylight. Well… His own smile feathered his lips. He did keep his end of our agreement.

---

"Ha!"

PIKA!

GOROGORO!

The battle between Mages, Golem and rogue Chimaera went on without fail until—

UGYAAAAAAAA!

The blood-curdling screaming from the Chimaera had Gale on his knees with his hands clamped over his ears. Nashi flinched back and lost her sword to cover her ears while Lance's lightning hissed. But the rogues would not stop their incessant screaming. Some clutched their throats while others convulsed, foaming at the mouth like they were deep in a seizure. One creature with tusks started bashing its head into the wall, splattering through fur and skin to blood and bone.

What's going on? Nashi called to her souls. They're in pain—!

'Wait,' Seraphim told her. 'And watch with your Soul Sight.'

Nashi braved to watch such madness as her eyes glowed pink—

Pinks rounded. Wait…

Dozens of souls were down this tunnel, but madness and darkness perverted their clarity. That was why it looked almost whimsical to watch as all the darkness leeching off their souls steamed away. Yet not even the darkness being uplifted could take away the deeper despair and cracks smashed into such delicate souls. And before Nashi's eyes, she watched as those souls wavered and faded. I've… I've seen this before…

It surprised her when a fading soul approached her. It whispered into her mind, Thank Her for us. And it vanished from this realm.

Nashi's Soul Sight blinked away as the screams abruptly died for dead silence. She looked at the tunnel and saw the rogue Chimaera limp with Death claiming their eyes. A few had shed tears. She kneeled at the fallen rogue near her—a combination of a stag and a bear—and saw tears leak even after its body's demise. "They're dead." She touched its muzzle. And they… They look at peace.

"Thank fuck." Gale spat on the ground, lips curling at the sight of the graveyard of beasts. "I'll never get used to this smell. Death always reeks."

Nashi sharply glared at Gale. "Can't you have any decency? They just died here, y'know."

"Yeah, I know—I was there—but why would I?" Gale shot her a weird look. "They're just common game at this point. If they were regular Chimaera, that'd be different." He touched one rogue with his boot. "These are just prey we hunt down."

Lance rubbed his head with a sigh. "Yes, but I'm sure the Ministry of Magical Creatures will be asking for an explanation once we report in this nest. We might not have killed all of them, but there's still a considerable number of rogues who attacked us and now mysteriously died. That won't look good."

Gale hummed and eyed the dead rogues. Rogue Chimaera don't typically get along, though. Regular Chimaera live in communities, but rogues are too feral to live in anything outside of female colonies during breeding season. Why would these many rogues be together? And that stench on them, the one of blood… It's gone now. He called, "Hugo, Lag—pick up that rogue. We'll take it with us."

"How are you this callous?" Nashi snarled as she rose. "They died here and you—!"

Lance stopped her, gentle but firm. "Nashi—he's right. We need to tag this area for the Ministry and ward it from other people. And we need to extract one of the carcasses for study. These rogues somehow existed in this Labyrinth. We need to understand."

"But—!" Yet Nashi could not find any sane argument. Instead, she descended back into her stealth suit and muttered, "Fine." Her hands clenched. "I understand." But she could not watch as the two Golems selected a rogue for the taking. I know all of what they're saying is right. But why does this still feel wrong? What just happened? And why…did I hear those voices? Seraphim?

'I cannot say for certain the situation,' Seraphim said, 'but what I can say is that those deaths were not cruel. They were mercy.'

Nashi could not hide her anger. You think that was mercy?

'Yes. But you will not listen to my explanation with such rage in your heart.' His voice distanced. 'We will speak again.'

Wait, I—! Nashi held back her growl when she felt Seraphim shield himself from her. Angrily, she glared at the bodies. This was mercy? This was a massacre. She turned away from the site—

"Thank Her for us."

Nashi faltered as that relieved statement echoed. But how…? How could you feel so grateful when you died like this? And who are you grateful for? All we did was kill you. She nearly jumped when a hand rested on her shoulder, and she looked up at Lance's face. "Lance, I—" But she took it all back and her gaze sunk to the ground.

"From what I feel, the Labyrinth is gone, so we should be able to get ourselves out of the mountains, regroup, and find everyone else," Lance decided. "Gale, do you think you could find us a way out of here or tunnel us out of here?"

Gale nodded. "Yeah, that's no problem."

"All right." Lance sighed. Let's go home.

°•°•°•°

Gale did a bit of both. Scenting the air and feeling the earth guided him in an exit tunnel, but he bent the mountains to his will to widen the cap and expanded the almost indiscernible ledge to give them something to stand on and take in the area. Twilight galloped across the sky with its indecisive gradient of blackish-blue to polite violet to rising orange. Many stars still peeked through, hopeful to escape their lunar mother and watch the incoming sunrise.

Gale lifted his nose and tasted the crisp air. "I could get used to this."

Nashi slanted him a raised eyebrow and half a smirk. "Isn't it natural someone with dirt powers would want to live in the wilderness?"

Gale growled. "What'd you—?" But he paused when he saw nothing snide about her tease, just sincerity. He rubbed his neck. "Ha… Great. Another Dragneel shitting all over my powers. Just so you know, my 'dirt powers' can accidentally on purpose do something like that."

Nashi frowned when nothing happened. "What did you—?" Her eye twitched when something grossly grained attacked her feet, but she gaped when she saw a pool of quicksand happily plopped beneath her. "What? H-Hey!" She frantically yanked herself, but all it did was sink her quicker. "Th-This isn't funny! Gale! Lance, help!"

Lance softly laughed. "Now, now…"

Gale made a face. "Fine." He waved his hand.

Nashi might have been back on solid land, but she suspiciously tapped the ground with her toes to make sure this was not a trick.

Lance chuffed his mirth, oranges twinkling. Well, they deserve this. He turned and inspected the mountains. I'll have to confirm with Gary that the Labyrinth is gone and hasn't been adjusted. But I don't feel that same sensation as before. He squinted as he looked at the moon. Wait… A blink showed him it was not the moon he was looking at. "What is that?"

Gale and Nashi looked up, and both were quickly stupefied when they saw a blinding white light burning in the sky. Such an ethereal beauty could have easily been misconstrued as a secondary and closer moon.

Gale shielded his eyes. That light… It feels familiar, but…

The light brightened before coming undone piece by piece. Watching light unravel sounded impossible, but this light could and its flecks looked almost like glyphs themselves as they faded back into nothing. It came going and going until none of it was left.

And a body remained.

Rubies widened when the body fell, and he caught locks of blonde flailing. "No!"

"Wha—?" Nashi grabbed onto Lance for support when Gale rushed away. The earth bent to his command as he surfed through the mountains like he was riding the waves. "Wh-What is he—?"

'She is falling.'

But who—? Nashi lifted her head as Cael forced her Soul Sight to activate. And she instantly recognized the soul plummeting to their death. No… She latched onto her power. "Seraphim—!" Her command to transform died when she caught a second soul sitting on the summit, worse for the wear and weak. Him. The choice was obvious, but she still could not help her hesitation. Who do I save first? What do I—?

"Nashi."

Hickories connected with oranges.

Lance nodded. "It's all right." He gestured with his head, and both could see Gale's speed cruising through the mountains. "They'll be fine."

Nashi could not fight against that. "All right." She chanted: "Seraph Soul!"

Lance managed to look away in time before that divine light could blind him, but when a gust of wind hit him, he looked to the skies to see a burning Angel fly up to the summit. Hm. This should be fine. The exam is over. He looked at the golems. "You'll follow your master?"

The golems nodded and left the ledge to cut through the mountains and trail after their maker.

Lance cracked his neck. I guess I should get going too. And with a clap of lightning, he disappeared.

---

If Gale had the power to move mountains, he could in a heartbeat. All he could do now was keep his eyes on Luna as he surfed through the mountainside and easily cleared a path. Fear took a nasty hold on his gut as Luna's fall from grace went faster, but he forced himself to catch up.

He was chasing a falling star.

No. Faster—I need to go faster! Gale slashed his hands down for a jet of powers to usher him forward. Reds locked on Luna. I have to catch her. Please. Just a little more!

A grating growl burrowed in his chest.

Faint green glinted in his eyes as Gale powered down the mountain and something clicked for him to abruptly shift, and he forced the earth to launch with him to build a bridge. He followed Luna with his arms ready, climbing closer and closer until the earth could no longer help him. He sprinted and launched himself, arms outstretched, and he speared for Luna. Almost…there…!

Catching someone in mid-air was not about snatching them from their trajectory and placing them in yours. It was about matching their speed to secure them before you did any drastic measures. That was why Gale did not panic when his launch curved, and he was falling underneath her. He watched with calculated focus as he brought her into his arms and cradled her.

Luna lay against him with her hands curled over her heart, sound asleep.

Gale could breathe. Blondie…

Hugo and Lag did their part of breaking their master's fall as they moved in sync to move the earth upwards like a ramp, but they crushed their hands to turn grass and dirt into soft sand. A topaz snowboard came beneath Gale's feet and his landing on the ramp was a bit off, but he quickly regained his balance and boarded down the stand until he could slow and curl himself into a stop.

Luna merely sighed.

Gale dismissed his gem snowboard and let his golems handle restoring nature to its proper order. He soaked up Luna's scent and her metronomic heartbeat made him relax. Blondie… He bent his head to nose her hair. I just… I really want to tell you that I… He sighed and murmured, "Just rest. Everything will be fine now."

He looked his way and that before scenting the air. We'll need to find the others. If I could just…

"Mmm…"

Gale's eyes widened when Luna stirred in his arms. "Blondie?"

It took a moment, but she shifted against him, squeezing her eyes. But she stirred again and her lashes parted, eyes unconfused. Another blink and she looked up to catch worried rubies looking down at her. "Gale?"

He swallowed. "Yeah, it's me."

"Good." Luna weakly smiled. "That makes me happy you're safe."

"Blondie—" But that hesitance came back as remorse rattled him and he rummaged for all the right words to say against all the wrong words he had said. "I'm sorry—for everything," he haltingly apologized. "I just—"

"Gale."

Gale stopped when light fingers grazed his cheek, and he could have sworn he saw the stars in her eyes.

"It's okay," Luna breathed, feathery and faint. "I'm just glad you're okay."

That wad of guilt lodged in his throat, but he cradled her close. "You're still tired, so go on and rest," he told her. "I'll get us to the others. And everyone else is fine. So just rest for now, okay?"

"I—Oh…"

Gale's brow furrowed when Luna unfurled her hand to show a polished zebra jasper condensed in a small sphere. "What's that? Ah…" He smiled when he saw Luna settling back into sleep. He pressed his forehead to her temple. Get some sleep, princess. He nuzzled her. You deserve it.

[]

[]

PIKAPIKA!

Mystogan's frown pursed in mild disapproval when Lance zapped before him, shaking off his lightning. It certainly did not help the air went abuzz with energy and all the old mining lights flickered on and off, excited. "Must you Lightning Walk to get to me?"

Sirius muttered, "At this point, I shouldn't be surprised you're complaining about your own ally finding you."

Mystogan's frown soured.

Lance chuckled and waved off the comment. "It's fine," he assured. "I don't like to Lightning Walk in close quarters, but with the Labyrinth gone, I figured I needed to find you." His kind smile dropped as he met Mystogan's eyes. "I think you're going to have much more than you bargained for to research. And…" Sunset oranges darkened. "It happened."

So—it's finally come to this. Mystogan twirled a lock of his bangs. "Then this assignment has been much more insightful than I could have hoped. I believe getting back to my laboratory is of utmost importance." He yearned to detangle himself from Sirius, but he scowled when the humanized Dog Star kept a firm grip. "Let me go—"

"No can do, witch-boy." Sirius flashed his teeth in a grin, yellows tainted with retribution. "Did you forget our agreement?"

Annoyance touted along Mystogan's face, but he reminded, cold, "I didn't forget. But you invading my laboratory is not listed in that agreement. You can wait—"

"Ah, don't be so stingy, witch-boy!"

The utter disgust on Mystogan's face when Sirius squeeze him made Lance snort. Sirius mockingly cooed, "Stop being so cold and distant. It's been years. And our agreement might not explicitly state I'm to be in your lab, but just bend the rules a little for me. Don't I deserve a little leeway after working so hard?" His grin broadened. "Say you'll let me come to the lab with you, witch boy!" And he smacked Mystogan's ass for good measure.

TICK!

Mystogan's entire aura could have frozen Hell as he towered over Sirius. "Don't you ever touch me again, you repulsive mongrel."

Lance tried to hold in his laughter as Mystogan trusted him as his new support (and Sirius looked moody his witch-boy master was awfully cold). "Don't be too hard on him."

"This is me being friendly."

Lance considered the alternatives (in one possibility, Sirius was to be used as a test subject). No, he's right about that.

"Lance." Mystogan shot his friend a dark, knowing look.

Lance bit back his sigh. "Yeah, I know. What are you going to do?"

"What I always intended to." Mystogan looked into the tunnel. "Continue."

---

Nashi soared over the summit, but she did not need to look too far when she saw his soul lying in the snow. There he is. Seraphim?

'Hold on, Little One.'

Nashi could feel Seraphim take over her wings and descended into the mess of snow, ice, and rock. She did not break for a second when she landed and recovered from her awkward stumble. Her Seraph Armor shattered off her as she marched upon the snow and swarmed Gary with trembling fingers. Seeing his chest rise and fall with his Fairy Tail stamp set aside some of her worry. He's breathing, but… She grimaced seeing the rest of her body. He's injured.

She chanted: "Healing Sand!" Her teapot appeared in her hands, and she tipped it with care as though she were pouring the queen herself a cup. That golden sand bathed over his body, and she whooshed an exhale seeing the extent of his injuries reduce and reset. He's going to be okay. She sniffed and angrily rubbed her cheek. Don't cry like an idiot. He's going to be fine.

But she damn near cried when Gary stirred awake. "Gary…" With his bruises gone, she dismissed her teapot and resisted the urge to touch him. "You're okay." Her voice cracked, relieved. When he tried sitting up, head swaying, to Hell with her hedging. She helped him with caring hands. "It's okay," she soothed. "I healed you. You're going to be fine—" Her words hitched when Gary's dizziness made him fall into her, but now was not the time for her face to heat. "It's okay."

Gary slurred, "Luna…"

Nashi chanced a glance over the summit with her Soul Sight activated. "She's fine," she reported in dulcet tones. "She's with Gale. We'll join them soon."

Gary hummed.

Nashi's fingers moved on their own accord to go to his hair, but she cringed back when she was too close. But perhaps this once… Her fingers tangled in his hair and combed his locks. "You idiot dog," she murmured. "You really know how to make me worry about you."

Faintly, Gary's lips curled upwards. "I'm sorry, Angel."

"Don't say you're sorry when I know you'll run off and do it again," Nashi grumbled, glaring at the snow. "Honestly. You make it hard for me to take my eyes off you." Red splashed her face. "I, um, I-I didn't mean it like—!" Her neck felt hot at Gary's soft laughter. "Shut up," she snapped. She upturned her nose and huffed, "I just meant it's annoying having to play babysitter to a dumb dog like you."

Gary chuckled. "Right. Of course, Angel."

A cold silence crackled between them.

"Is that…what Angel sees me as? Her dog?"

Nashi muttered, "I never said you were my dog."

"But Angel…sees me as human?"

Such an unprecedented and serious question. Nashi looked at Gary to catch his blues naked in his desperation. He asked her, hoarse, "What does Angel see me as? What does she see when she looks at me? A human?" Blues flicked downwards, pained. "A Devil?"

Her lips moved, twitching, but they bridged into a smile. "You really are an idiot."

He lifted his lashes—

Anxious blues connected with soft hickories.

Nashi brushed through his hair. "Dummy. You look like the Gary I've always known."

Blues widened.

A stray breeze wafted through, and Nashi tucked her side bangs behind an ear, but when she looked up, the sight of the yawning sun—the offer of a new day—felt right. She closed her eyes to take in the winds with a deep breath before looking back at the sunset. "Human or Devil—it's never mattered to me. In the end, you're just you." Her smile flashed down to him. "And that's…all you need to be with me."

Blues shimmered.

Nashi scrambled a bit when Gary was out of her support to sit up. She reached for him, fretting. "Y-You could still be hurt—!"

"No."

Nashi froze when Gary swept her into his arms and rested his chin atop her head.

"I'm fine," Gary murmured. "Because I have an Angel always watching over me."

Nashi stiffened before dropping her head into his chest, pink-cheeked. She mumbled, "Idiot dog. Saying such cheesy lines to me like this."

"Forgive me. I couldn't help it." Gary watched the sunrise as the cold cloaked him. A flock of birds rose into the sky for their early morning move to their next sit. Because…

A forest dressed in summer. A blinding smile that could make the most guarded heart weaken. Wings as white as now.

He relaxed as he held her. You've always been my Guardian Angel.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Keep smiling de jinsei wo saa (Fun Fun Fun Tap)

Tsumazuite naite ita tte dondon iya ni nan nai?

Mushiro sonna jibun aise nee "saa date!" tte no ga kyoukun

"Muri ja nai" batto uwamuite abiru! (Sun sansan Yeah!)

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

It became apparent to Mystogan that Sirius would not – leave.

The team had made it back down the mountain in their pairs, each with their story set straight about why they were leaving. But as the SUV came around from valet, Mystogan had a withering look about him when he saw the Dog Star pursued being human to charm his fair share of human women. It became an embarrassment when Sirius took pleasure in seducing the poor valet (and the others on the team were holding in their laughter badly).

Sirius was certainly more than happy to comply when Mystogan threatened him with a shock collar and a muzzle.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Nan no koreshiki tte gaman shite ippo mo hikenai tte manazashi de

Dash de (Go!) Dash de (Go!) kakenukete

Hohoemu koto wo wasurenaide!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sleeping on a train was fine as long as you had someone wake you up at your stop.

Lance had his arms crossed and head down as he dozed with music in his ears. The rumors of Mystogan being part Vampire and part insomniac were only partly true, but then again, being a Sorcerer-to-be was much more active work than people credited him for. And he studied the strange zebra jasper like it held the world's secrets.

Gary stayed up as he worked on his tablet and caught up with clients. He blinked when he realized Nashi had shifted and decided cuddling on his shoulder was a better alternative than sleeping sitting up. Though, given her lack of blush and grumbles, it must have been subconscious. Either way, it had him smile and subtly shift to make her more comfortable on his shoulder. He had meant to go back to work when one glance up had him soften.

Gale and Luna had fallen asleep on each other.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Mezasu mirai wa omae shidai da

Te wo kakagete Everybody MOMI DANCE

Hi ni natte Cool & Fresh daijoubu sore de Let's Go!

(LOVE ni nareru mono sagase M.O.M.I Yeah)

•

Yukeba ii no sa shinjita yume ga

Real naraba Everybody MOMI DANCE

Dare mo kare mo Let's get, are you ready?

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

An experienced Wizard knew they would be welcomed home at home.

That was why Luna choked when the moment she stepped off the train, she was on solid ground for all of two seconds before her Igneel strangled her into a bear hug and swept her around. Luke had come as well to welcome his sisters' home, but the fanfare included Ena and Silver. Igneel had not been willing to hand over Luna for Ena to greet her, but how could he say no to his cute sister's face? But Ena got shoved aside and had to restrain herself from skewering Silver when he attacked her with a hug.

Luke welcomed his teacher home, but Mystogan's eyebrow twitched when Sirius summoned himself as a golden retriever and now he was stuck with two beings giving him puppy eyes. Wonderful.

Ena squeezed in and monopolized Luna away from an annoyed Igneel and Gale until both boys realized what the other was annoyed over. Then they were in their own glaring contest with Silver as a nervous bystander. He glanced away from the brewing battle to catch Gary rubbing his neck as he spoke to Lance and pulled away from the group. Silver shuffled his feet, uncertain.

Yet Gary was stunned once again when someone landed on him—or rather accosted him with a hug. He looked down to see Silver squeezing him tight and caught his brother's mumbled words. For a moment, he had nothing to say. But he put a hand on Silver's head and rubbed it.

Silver peeked up, teary-eyed, and saw his brother's smile.

Gary's smile twitched.

I'm home.

And Silver could not help but beam back and hug him tighter.

Welcome home….big brother.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

KOTOKOTO!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The moment Igneel burst through the guild and crowed for a victory party, Fairy Tail rose to the occasion.

Booze and brawls broke out across the guildhall. Mystogan bowed out from such celebration, but even if he had been there, he for certain would have taken Aine and Lance's sweet welcome home kiss as purely platonic. Gary was used to his mother's death hugs, but he caught Julia trying to inch away. And of course, in an older brother fashion, he pounced on her and an angrily blushing Julia was crammed in Gary's affectionate embrace. Gale slapped Gajeel's hand away from messing with his hair, but he looked a bit humbled at his father's welcoming grin. Nashi was a red mess as her friends drilled her with loud whispers if she and Gary sparked a romantic connection—traitors.

Erza watched the party from the balcony of the second floor, hands clasped behind her. She murmured, "Anything?"

"No, Master." Number Five appeared from the shadows, kneeling, like the assassin she had been trained to be. She lifted her head to Erza. "All is quiet.

"And that's what worries me the most."

Number Five rose to her feet and glanced over the railing. "Are you sure they can endure this?"

"I am." Erza's lips tugged in a bittersweet smile. "They won't have the luxury of choosing otherwise." She turned away from the partying with her shoulder cape fluttering and went for the steps, Number Five quietly following behind. We have endured battles, ones so massive we have called them 'wars'. But I believe we have not even seen a true war. And if we wish for this era to live through, our future is in the hands of the next generation.

Her next step faltered when a window showed her the moon and the stars. With a sword at her hip, the moonlight blessed her, Master of Fairy Tail—the Titania of these reckless fairies. And now, every day… I find myself understanding you even more…Makarov.

°•°•°•°

It was not that the rooftop of Fairy Tail was some forbidden place; it was that no one ever used it since they all wanted to be where the action was. But a little door still lead to the bell tower that would ring when Freed's citywide ruins triggered it. And Gale and Luna had snuck out the door and onto the roof with food and drink between them as they look at Lake Sciliora and listened to all the silliness and swearing that made up one of the most reckless guilds in Fiore.

Gale had his legs out before him. "Y'know, those stealth suits are great and all, but it feels so much better being back in regular clothes."

"I can't believe I got to wear one of the suits," Luna said, enthused. "E never told me she was the one behind them. That's so cool!" She looked into her drink, abuzz with happiness. "I'm really part Fairy Tail now."

Gale knocked his knee with hers. "Hey. You've always been part of this guild," he corrected her. "Magic doesn't get you into Fairy Tail—your spirit does."

Luna thumbed her drink. "No, I know, but…" She looked out to the water. "I'm going to get stronger like my family. And I'm going to go on all sorts of adventures. Yeah, I know I've always been part of Fairy Tail, but it's like… Now, I can finally show the world my Fairy Tail spirit too. I don't have to think about what I can't do. Now?" She curled up her knees to her chest to lay her head and smile at him. "I can't help but think 'what else can I do', y'know?"

Gale felt a bit starstruck seeing Luna's beam as bits of red skimmed his cheeks. Realizing he was staring like an idiot, he pulled his gaze back to the sky. "Well… You can do whatever you want to do," he supposed. "Not even the sky can be your limit."

Luna hummed, the stars winking at her. "I could form an official team with E and Silver."

"Good luck getting them to get along," Gale snorted. "And good luck dealing with Igneel in Emo Mode."

Luna simpered, flexing her toes. "I could take a job that would take me to another country."

"Maybe even another continent," supplied Gale.

"And I could meet some really nice people."

"Probably weirdos."

"And I could eat a ton of new food!"

"Typical princess thinking about her stomach instead of—I don't know—the culture, the language—"

"I-I was!"

"Yeah, right."

Luna puffed her cheek at Gale's snickering, but she could not help breaking back into a quiet smile and letting this friendly hush simmer between them.

Gale glanced down at his drink. "And…maybe you could take pictures and show them to me."

Luna's smile faded at such a suggestion. Her chin dropped onto her knees as the wind wrangled with the wisps of her hair. "Mmm. Maybe." She passed a fleeting glance to Gale before looking away. "Or…you could be there and see it with me."

Gale froze.

Both of their cheeks heated.

Gale swallowed and set his drink on his thigh, rimming it. "You know your brother would fuck me up."

Luna lowered her gaze. "I know."

Gale's lips twitched. "And he'd have a fat temper tantrum and cry how you're replacing him with me—which you should."

That made Luna blink, but she tittered as she imagined Igneel acting like a little kid. "He would get pretty noisy," she agreed.

"'Pretty'? Try ugly and terrifying. You don't know how bad his Emo Mode hits him when you ignore him."

"It can't be that bad."

"You call him all depressed and emo showing complete strangers your photo and mourning you like you died not 'that bad'?"

"Er…" Luna looked at Gale, owl-eyed. "Does he really do that?"

Gale snickered. "Nah." Before Luna could sag with relief, he added with a Cheshire grin, "He shows them to people he knows too." He threw back his head and cackled when Luna set down her drink to groan into her hands. "Told ya it was bad."

"He's never going to let me be even when I start adventuring," Luna lamented. "He wouldn't stop talking about how my 'favorite big brother' will come with me on the next job and every job to make sure I'm safe. He doesn't do that to Luke or Nashi!"

"One." Gale raised a finger. "He never does that with your sis because of Gary. Two." He raised another hand. "He did try to cling to Luke, but Misty stepped in. So now, you get all his puppy love. And when you ignore him, I have to suffer or Janie. So how about some gratitude for all my pain, huh?" He raised his drink—

He damn near dropped it when a brief kiss touched his cheek. "Wh-What—?" His ears turned red over Luna's fit of giggles and he grumbled, "Oh, that's how it is, huh? You laugh at my suffering. Do you know how fucking annoying it is to deal with him? And he doesn't even bother asking if I'm free! He basically shows up and expects me to do something with him." His eyebrow twitched. "And he doesn't even care what time it is."

• — • — • — • — •

"Wake up."

Some nights, Gale slept naked, but thank gods he chose to at least wear boxer briefs considering Igneel was crouched over him in the dead of the night with one palm full of flames. Gale did not know what was more threatening: that Igneel was in his room with no sign of a break-in, or that Igneel was in his room and on fire.

"Lu is sleeping over at Silver's house and Luke and MJ are on overnight jobs. I'm bored." Hell reflected in Igneel's eyes as he expanded his flames with even his hair turning into a blazing gold. "So entertain me."

• — • — • — • — •

Luna giggled even more. "He does that to me too."

Gale looked unconvinced. "Really?"

"Yes! He'll come bother me at the worst times." Luna puffed a cheek. "And it's so annoying he has no sense of privacy either. He doesn't even knock or anything."

• — • — • — • — •

Luna carefully painted her last toenail on her bedroom floor—

DON!

Igneel burst in with a large beam. "There's my cute little Luna!" He instantly attached himself to her, nuzzling her. "Big brother is here to keep you company, 'kay?"

Luna gaped when she saw her nailbrush had gotten across her foot in a fit of panic. 'My nails!' Huffy, she scolded her brother, "Igneel, you can't just burst into my room! Knock first!" She pouted at her nails. "Look at my nail polish. It's ruined now."

"Don't worry."

Luna gawked and dropped her brush when she saw Igneel with an armful of nail care and polish. "I can fix it for you, my cute little sister!"

'Did you just steal all of that!'

• — • — • — • — •

For all of Luna's previous annoyance, she quickly mellowed out when she remembered Igneel pampering her with a full mani-pedi treatment. "But he makes up for it in the end. So I totally get how you feel."

Gale gaped. You don't get it at all! He sighed, reds glinting. But… That's to be expected. He murmured, "You know he does all that because he loves you, right? Maybe a little too much, but he cares about you a lot."

"I know." Browns softened. "I know he cares. I know they all do."

"And y'know…" Gale hemmed and hawed before getting out, "Big Red and my cousin, y'know…care about you too."

Luna slowly smiled. "I know."

"And…" Gale rubbed his neck. "I…y'know… I mean—"He cleared his throat. "I—"

"Gale."

He stopped when a hand cupped his cheek and reds met browns.

Luna's smile looked even more beautiful under the moonlight. "I know."

"Ah—cool." Gale glanced away. "Cool, cool, cool. And, uh…" He cleared his throat again. "Do you…y'know?"

Luna cocked her head. "Hmm… I'll have to think about it."

"Wha—?" Gale mocked a growl at Luna's poorly hidden mirth. "You, little…" He set down his drink to lazily attack her with another growl that had her shaking with laughter, and she could not get out of his arms if she tried. "So the princess likes playin' games, huh?" He grinned when he nuzzled her neck and made her giggle again. "Maybe your Magia movies got it wrong about all those princesses. Manipulative little things, aint'cha?"

Luna gave into peals of laughter. "Dummy," she warmly said. Her heart leaped a little faster when Gale did not release her and she felt too comfortable and shy to want to move away.

"You see all that?"

Luna squinted when Gale pointed to the horizon.

"Over there is a whole new world for you to live in," Gale murmured. "With a whole new way to see it. And you're gonna see it all." He smiled against her skin. "And you're gonna eat all you want." He chuckled with her simper. "And you're gonna live through it all. And when you're not too busy dealing with Red's Type A persona or my cousin crying a river and if I'm still alive after dealing with Igneel…"

Luna jumped a bit, but she saw Gale's hand cover her own.

"I could be there with you," he murmured in her ear.

Luna swallowed. Slowly, she turned and opened her hand to watch as her and Gale's fingers threaded together.

LUBDUBLUBDUBLUBDUB!

The small flush on Gale's cheeks could not compare to how beautiful the blush on Luna's own looks. Her heart's beating as fast as mine.

"In a few days," Luna started, hushed, "it'll be your birthday, right?"

Gale's warm feelings took a backseat as his body steeled, and his jaw twitched. "Yeah."

Luna could not mistake the flint in his voice even if she tried, but she took no offense. "You and Igneel normally go camping together on your birthday."

"Yeah." Gale did not know where this was going, but his hold on her hand loosened. "We do."

"I see." Luna closed her eyes. The fall breeze brought hints of change to it. "I'm glad."

Now Gale truly had no clue where this conversation was headed. "You're glad?"

"I am." Blonde lashes parted with browns light and bright. "I know not everyone celebrates their birthday. Luke and Igneel don't like doing a lot for it. My papa never cared about his birthday. But still, I'm happy you're not alone for your birthday. You're at least with a friend."

"He's not my friend," Gale instantly denied, flushing further. "If anyone tells you that, they're wrong."

Luna softly tittered. "Of course." She looked down at their handhold. "I can't remember when I got to celebrate your birthday with you. Aunt Levy would go crazy for your birthday when we were little, but I never got to say happy birthday to you. You were always trying to beat Igneel to say happy birthday to me, but I never got to return the favor."

A bit of guilt nipped Gale's heart as he recalled all his mother's magnanimous efforts to make his birthday a red-letter day. And regret bothered him he and Luna would never have that sort of memory. "Yeah…" He looked away from her and could not shore up anything, not an apology or assurance. It did not feel right to do so.

"So I guess…I have a chance this year."

Gale felt those lips on his cheek again, but it was not that chaste, barely-there feeling. He could that soft warm press on his skin and electrify him to the tips of his toes. When she pulled away, all he could do was stare down at her and that dazzling smile. Blondie…

"Happy birthday, Gale," Luna wished.

She… Gale softened. "You really know how to make a birthday boy feel special, Blondie-girl." And he rested his forehead on hers, their noses brushing. "Thank you."

---

— • — • — • —

Mezasu mirai wa omae shidai da

Te wo kakagete Everybody MOMI DANCE

Hi ni natte Cool & Fresh daijoubu sore de Let's Go!

(LOVE ni nareru mono sagase M.O.M.I Yeah)

•

Yukeba ii no sa shinjita yume ga

Real naraba Everybody MOMI DANCE

Dare mo kare mo Let's get, are you ready?

•

MOMI MOMI (C'mon)

MOMI MOMI (C'mon)

MOMI MOMI

Yeah MOMI MOMI (C'mon)

MOMI MOMI (C'mon)

MOMI MOMI (C'mon)

Yeah MOMI MOMI (C'mon)

— • — • — • —

---

Faith was not useless.

Faith at its core provided comfort and stability in the toughest times. Whether religion and faith could be interchangeable terms were up for debate, but faith was hard to kill. Even at a person's darkest hour, some form of faith stayed with them.

How terribly whimsical.

And this place of faith—this sanctuary, this haven, this church—felt like it could hold you steady even when you knocked on death's door. Here, there was no such thing as despair or grief. Here, sin and sinners could not exist. Here, a person could feel that faith, to take comfort in and provide them hope for a better tomorrow. The fountains made not a peep as they streamed water into descending pools that spilled into manmade water paths. While the waterways looked artistic, this water spread life to all who walked within this garden.

The flowers did not boast their colors, but they blushed them, shy and relaxed. Butterflies with the most beautiful glowing wings had their fill of nectars, gliding from flower to flower to take in their fill or take a nice rest. But while the flowers could make a grown person weep, it was the trees that were the genuine pride and joy.

Especially the fruit they bore.

The stone doors to the garden cracked open to show a sister with her cloth veil shielding her eyes from such a pure haven. And she chirped pleasantly, "Padre, è quasi l'ora del nostro rituale di metà mattina. Devo dire agli altri che ha bisogno di più tempo in giardino?"

A smile. "No, sorella. Verrò a breve per il rituale. Apprezzo che mi abbia avvisato."

She smiled, bowed her head, and went away with the door closed behind her.

Footsteps perused this luscious garden before stopping before an apple tree. Most of the trees beheld mere blossoms, but with time and patience and care, bountiful apples would grow and ripen for plucking and eating. But this apple tree had the honor of blossoming first to show childish apples that still needed time to mature into their red, juicy fruits.

Fingers touched one of the blossoming apples. So—one of my kings is now imprisoned. With a twirl of those fingers, the apple matured and grew into a succulent, ripe, red masterpiece. But your sacrifice will not be in vain, dear Zagan. You have shown me what I need to know. You have given me hope. And I shall reward you once all is said and done.

CRACK!

They pulled the apple clean from the branch and settled into the palm of a hand. Rings adorned those fingers with lavish gemstones, each a different cut, polish, and color. A thumb washed over the apple. Those pretty lips parted. "I've waited so long for you, my dear."

SPRT!

A baby snake spun from darkness burst from the apple, its fangs out.

Those pretty lips smiled wider. And I will find you—the apple and the hissing snake were lifted to those lips—my salvation. Those pretty lips widened to show sharkish teeth and a forked tongue—

CRUNCH!

---

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

— • — • — • —

Silver Fullbuster – Yuri Lowenthal

Gary Fullbuster – Griffin Burns

Mystogan Fernandes – J. Michael Tatum

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Nashi Dragneel – Laura Ladna

Lance Dreyar – Johnny Young Bosch

Gray Fullbuster – Newton Pittman

Julia Fullbuster – Michelle Ruff

Juvia Fullbuster – Brina Palencia

The Devil – Sean Schemmel

Sirius – Travis Willingham

Zagan – Mathew Mercer

Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill

Erza Fernandes – Colleen Clinkenbeard

Number Five – Melisha Fahn

— • — • — • —

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

⌜OPENING THEME

⟪ Ao To Natsu! ⟫

Mrs. Green Apple

Lyrics by & Composed by

Motoki Ohmori⌟

•

⌜ENDING THEME

⟪ MOMI MOMI Fantastic Feat. Ai Haruna ⟫

ASIA ENGINEER

Lyrics by & Composed by

Takashi Yanase, Asia Engineer⌟

---

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— • — • — • —

Next time, on Fairy Adventure

•

Episode 009

•

THE BLACK WIZARD, THE HISTORY OF

— • — • — • —

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU