Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's "Fairy Tail", but all original plots and characters are mine.
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.
Previously, on Fairy Adventure, MJ had this really weird dream, but with Igneel and her stuck in a tunnel together, I think things just got a little weirder. Gale tried to protect Luna from the dangers of being out in Margaret Town, but it seems like it wasn't enough when she was brought back into the past! Lucky for her, Gabriel Redfox and his partner Lost found her and Hugo, but it doesn't stop there! Luna got to meet her ancestor Meira Heartfilia and Alarick Redfox, Dragon Researcher! While Luna was having a blast in the past, the present doesn't look too good with more bloodshed and Gale getting his butt handed to him. Seriously! He has the worst luck when he finds himself in the presence of Mage murderer Bluenote Stinger!
"But, you are a dragon and dragons have wings, do they not? So, let us get started, shall we?"
I don't want to get this started! And, Luna, I definitely think Alarick just might be the definition of 'sexy'…
She was back again.
She was back at that wretched library that went on for miles and miles. Normally, she would love to see so many books, but now? Now, all she wanted to do was scream at where she was. She wanted to leave. She wanted to get out of there.
But, she was trapped.
Her body was dragged towards that accursed book again. She watched as it came to her, opened its page for her as though she told it too. She begged and cried for the story to not take her, but it sucked her in without her consent.
She was back again.
She was back on that wretched battlefield. She was back to cradling the cold body of a child whose mother was unrecognizable. She was back to watching the great city be devoured in hatred. She was back to looking up at a stormy sky and seeing a terrorizing suzaku with eyes of red and malice bursting off her.
"No," she cried. "No! How could this happen?"
She was shoved deep into an ocean that whispered of power and spirits and prophecies. She was shoved deep into an ocean where the water was breathable, and the fish were scarce, and life was good. She was shoved deep into the ocean that blackened around her. The water was unbreathable. She was thrashing. She was dying. Yet, all she could see was the silhouette of a man who stood by and did not help her as she screamed. She screamed and cried but none heard her plea for help.
A symbol seared into the blackened water. It was nothing like a circle she had seen, not a Magic Circle or Tamer Circle or Alchemy Circle. It was a circle with an inverted pentagram in it. It burned before dripping into blood that rained on her skin and burned her like acid. She was drowning in seething hot blood that choked her, that burned through her, that twisted her stoma—
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Luna sat up. Her face was sweaty, and tears streaked her cheeks and her face was flushed, but the dream was gone and that was good enough. Still, she could remember it. The symbol, the blood, Nayda, the ocean of spiritual essence blackening, the pain she felt—it was all too surreal. It felt too real to be a dream. She checked her skin, but there were not burn marks. She touched her face, but all that was there were tears. She put her hands down.
She sniffled.
A sob left her lips. It escaped her. She had tried to hold it in and covered her mouth, but it was too late. It was out there.
Then, came another.
And another.
Until she was wailing into her sweaty palms as her shoulders shook and the world seemed off.
She did not notice she was not downstairs. She was settled in a bed. She did not notice her door slammed open. It was Gabriel who entered, his red eyes on her crying figure and heavy with concern. She did not notice he came to her. Gabriel sat on the bed and brought her into his arms. She did not notice she curled into his hold. She merely nuzzled into him as though he could shield her from the exotic pain and erratic panic she felt.
And, there was only one reason she felt he could do it and it slipped out.
"Gale," she sobbed. She cried even harder and buried her face into Gabriel's—not Gale; Gabriel—shirt and clutched it like it was her lifeline.
And, Gabriel let her think she was in her timeline, in her present, where the Redfox she knew was Gale and not Gabriel or Alarick and her family was with her and the world was on its axis. He held her tighter and buried his nose in her hair and told her the one lie she needed to hear. "I'm here," he murmured to her. "Everything is going to be fine."
Though, his eyes spoke nothing more than envy.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
As I close my eyes
Nokosu ato naku kobosu oto naku iku ate mo naku
I know that this is what I want, this is what I need
Ima mo kurikaeshiteku zanzou
•
Kizutsuita kako no bokura wa
Ienai mama de
Sonna karamawari kawaranai hibi wa
Mou tozashite ikun da
•
So now
Kore wa boku ga nozonda
My Nevereverland
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
When Luna stopped her crying for the sake of her dream, she wanted to cry for a whole new reason. She sniffled and wiped her cheeks, pulling away from Gabriel. "I'm s-so"—she hiccupped—"sorry," she apologized.
"It is quite all right, Miss Luna," Gabriel shushed. He need not say a word about her slip-up. "Everyone is permitted a good cry, I assure you. You look no less radiant than you had when I first met you."
Luna let another tear escape. Tears were tricky things. They came when you least wanted them to and slipped away from you, making your cheeks salty and your eyes sting. She wiped her face even more. "I'm such an u-u-ugly crier," she sniffed. "I'm sorry"—she wheezed again—"for this. I had a nightmare a-a-and…and I—"
"Say no more, Miss Luna." Gabriel gently pried her hands from her face. He took out a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and rubbed at Luna's cheeks with delicate fingers. She sniffled but let him do his work without interruption. When he was finished, he gave her a smile. "There, now. No more tears," he told her. He handed her his handkerchief. "Keep this. I made it with dragon scales we found on our last csauta in Romula."
Luna took the dragon-scales-turned-handkerchief with a flighty smile. "Thanks," she appreciated. "I'm really sorry if I disturbed you." She frowned at herself. "I'm such a crybaby."
"You are nothing of the sort," Gabriel was quick to soothe. "You were having a troublesome nightmare. I understand. I have nightmares as well. Please, do not think I judge you."
Luna sighed, still guilt-ridden. "I don't, but I'm still sorry," she tried to apologize.
"I was not busy, if that is your main worry," Gabriel confided. "I just came back from introducing my father to Sir Icarus and Hugo. I was about to check-up on you, actually, Miss Luna."
Luna shot a confused look at her new room. It was not much. A bed, a desk and chair, a closet, and a dresser and mirror—it had the bare necessities and that was all she could ask for. "How'd I get here, anyways? I don't remember walking up here."
"That is because I carried you here," Gabriel informed.
Luna turned to Gabriel, appalled and ashamed. "Did I fall asleep to your papa's stories?"
Gabriel chuckle. "Aye, Miss Luna, you did, but not out of your own exhaustion. It is because of my father's dimwittedness you fell asleep so quickly." He rolled his eyes. "The tea he made… He put in that accursed dragon horn I warned him about."
"A 'dragon horn'?" Luna inquired.
Gabriel nodded quickly. "Yes. My great grandfather found out the horn of a dragon could be ground into an herb with special properties, depending on the dragon. The horn I had been grinding was from a Shadow Dragon."
"My uncle Rogue is a Shadow Dragon Slayer!" Luna slapped a hand over her mouth before pulling it down to give a guilty smile. "Ignore me. You were saying?"
"Well," Gabriel continued, "Shadow Dragons normally have the ability to give nightmares while Light Dragons have the abilities to give you the most wonderful of daydreams. It is their way to keep humans and others away from their hoard and their families. But, this Shadow Dragon I discovered was not just a Shadow Dragon. It was from a mating of a Shadow and a Light Dragon. The herb its horn makes simply gives you a deep slumber that could result in nightmares or good dreams." He grimaced. "I suppose you were given a realistic nightmare… My apologies, Miss Luna."
Luna was already shaking her head. "Don't sweat it. It's not your fault," she promised. She looked troubled, still. "I had that same nightmare last night, but…not that intense… I can remember how it feels."
"An effect to this type of Dragon Magic is how realistic the nightmares and dreams are," Gabriel piped up. "We theorize, should a Shadow Dragon give you a nightmare in which you die, you may die in real-life. Fantastic, yes?"
Luna tried to smile, though it came more as a grimace. "Yeah… I guess so…"
Gabriel decided to switch the subject. "Well, now that you are awake, how about I take you into town?"
Luna blinked rapidly at that. "What? Why?"
Gabriel raised a curious eyebrow. "I figured the lady would like to see this town for what it was in the past. Or, well, present-day," he explained, correcting his error. "I have a few errands to run into town. I figured you would like to accompany me horseback." He blushed as his eyes glanced away from hers. "Though, I dare not coerce you to join me, Miss Luna. Please, do not feel obligated to—"
Luna cut him off as she laughed. "You're so cute when you ramble," she teased.
Gabriel's eyebrow twitched at that. "You insult me, Miss Luna!" He looked visibly offended at such an innocent jest, yet the playful glint was still there. "I am not—!" He grew puzzled. "Wait… What does 'cute' mean, exactly?"
Luna blinked her surprise. "Oh, right, it probably wasn't a word invented yet," she remembered. "Um, hmmm… Let's see here… Oh!" She got it and grinned at him. "You're simply caronico," she purred, her Stellian coming out nicely.
Gabriel looked highly pleased. "You speak Stellian, Miss Luna?"
Luna pinched her pointer and thumb together. "Un pica," she replied with a guilty smile. "I'd like to learn more, but I get a bit sidetracked."
Gabriel grinned and got off the bed. He got down on one knee and took Luna's hands into his. "Then, Miss Luna"—Luna laughed, though tried to keep a straight face—"will you please do my the honor of accompanying into Town Centre, for a lesson in Stellian, and, perhaps, after dinner, join my father and I for a night of fun and drinking?"
Luna raised an eyebrow as she bit back a smile. "Well, Mister Gabriel, I have to warn you, I am not of age to drink," she told. "My parents are firm believers I should not drink until I am of age." She paused. "Well, my mama, anyways."
Gabriel gave her a wink. "Then, we shall commit a sin tonight. What say you?"
Luna hummed. "I say… Hmmm... I say…"
"Come now, Miss Luna, I am a very impatient man," Gabriel jested.
Luna stuck her tongue out at him. "Fine, jerk. Let's hit up Town Centre!" She pumped a fist. "I'm ready!"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure 025
Enter, the Runologist!
地下の発見！バイエルの神社理論は本当ですか？
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Luna waited outside of the barn, though she really wanted to poke her head inside. She could hear whinnying and snorts and clops of hooves and was itching to stroke the noses and gain the trust of such wonderful beasts.
"Okay," called Gabriel. "Are you ready to meet your trusty steed, Miss?"
Luna giggled. "Hurry up already! I'm a very impatient girl."
Gabriel's chuckles resounded in the barn as he walked forward and out of the barn with two sets of reigns and the steeds properly saddled. "Yes, Miss, l am bringing them to you right now!"
Luna's jaw dropped in wonder. "Holy cow!" she gasped. "They're so beautiful!"
Gabriel grinned. "Your flattery will certainly charm them," he agreed. He turned to the two he brought out. "Meet Himeros, our Longma, and Anteros, our Adranos."
Himeros was on Gabriel's left. He was an equine rare to his family. He was as though a dragon had been made into a horse. He had hooves like a horse and legs like a horse and a silky tail like a horse, but everything else about him made him bare resemblance to a dragon. Rather than fur, he had been given shined scales of silver. His noble head was gifted a mane of white that ran down his neck, but his head was fit to be a dragon with whiskers and fins on its chin and a crown of slicked back horns. Its eyes were slitted like a snake but were not as venomous as one. Himeros merely snorted smoke and stamped a hoof as he took a closer look at Luna.
Anteros was an Adranos or a Fire Horse. It was the sister of the Kelpie, the water horse. Like so, it was made completely out of fire. Rather than scorching orange flames, however, it had blue flames that morphed into a body with a mane and tail made of violet and eyes made of red. It did not look like it could burn someone. Instead, it looked friendly and waiting to be petted and loved.
Luna gave an eager wave. "Hi, Himeros! Anteros!" Something clicked to her. "Aren't they—?"
"Named after Encan gods?" Gabriel nodded. "Precisely. My father found them when he was in Enca with my mother. Himeros is the god of unrequited love and Anteros was the god of requited love. Polar opposites."
"Amazing," Luna commented. "So, which one do I ride?"
Gabriel thought about something. "Are you certain you know how to ride?"
Luna awkwardly laughed. "I, um… Well, I've never…actually…ridden a horse before," she admitted. "But, I'll learn!"
Gabriel shook his head in amusement. "For now, we will take Himeros. You may ride with me." He gave the reins to Luna to Himeros while he brought Anteros back into the stables. "Teaching you to ride horseback would be an impossible feat to accomplish in one sitting," he told her.
Luna pouted as her hand went to stroke Himeros' nose who welcomed it greatly. "This is what I get for being stuck at home," she muttered.
Gabriel returned shortly with a beam on his face. "I see Himeros likes you," he commented towards the horse's flicking ears and shaking tail. He patted Himeros' side and stroked his scales the way they flowed. "Good. It will be easier for us to ride if he likes you. Do you know how to at least mount a horse?" he teased.
As he walked to Himeros' saddle, Luna gaped at him. "I take offense to that," she claimed as she watched Gabriel mount on the Longma with ease. "I can mount a horse." She got herself position and was close to hauling herself up. "I just, you know—"
"Cannot do anything else?" Gabriel helped in wording with good-natured teasing in his tone.
Luna hauled herself onto the saddle without a hitch to hit Gabriel's shoulder. "Oh, shut up, you jerk," she growled playfully. "Is Lost not coming with us?"
"Not today," Gabriel answered. "He usually helps out with my father during the day. Now…" He held the reigns as though it was second mature. "You may want to hold on tight, Miss Luna."
Luna wrapped her arms around him and rolled her eyes. "Just ride."
Gabriel gave a fangy grin before giving two short growls. He moved forward slightly and let his legs give a soft squeeze.
Himeros snorted but broke into a walk.
The epic battle between Erion and Nayda was plastered on a Lacrima Screen on the Lamia Scale Guild's stage. Lamia Screens filled with Magic and misery circled around Ooba Babasama and two Mages—one male, one female—who continued to navigate their way around the screen and giving orders. A radar was projected as well and showed each battle, each fallen, each victory.
Ooba looked to see Nayda continue to attack Erion, shoving him closer to the campus of the high school.
The male—he looked to be in high school with neat black slacks, black shoes, a black jacket with white embedded in it and an armband of red—saw the attack coming. His dark eyes were outlined in ocean blue as he began to work a series of combinations on his virtual keyboard.
"Nearest Mages near Sector F-three-five would be Chika, Lota, Mikazuki, Justin, Genius, and Yuka," he spoked. "All Mages please respond and defend the area. Help is on the way."
⌜LAMIA SCALE
Name: Chrome
Age: N/A
Occupation: Mage, Intelligence
Magic: Download
Likes: Lacrima Games Dislikes: ballads
Special Note: Chrome was part of an experiment to digitalize human beings and merge them with technology alongside his twin sister Opera! ⌟
°•°•°•°
"Oh, hell yeah!" Mikazuki turned out to be a tan-skinned guy with a blue-tipped Mohawk and shades on his head. He sat comfortably on a roller coaster train that built its own track. There was no launch track or lift hill, just a series of thrill element. The track made a corkscrew and Mikazuki raised up his arms, whooping. "Woo-hoo!" he howled.
⌜LAMIA SCALE
Name: Mikazuki
Age: 31
Occupation: Mage
Magic: King of the Carnival Magic
Likes: MagiWorld Dislikes: ranch
Special Note: Mikazuki is the thrill-seeker of Lamia Scale and is the king of amusement parks! Ask him about his time at MagiWorld! It's the reason for his Magic! ⌟
Chika flew next to him, a chipper girl in a sailor uniform. She needed nothing more than her silver-mist Magic to surround her to fly. She laughed at Mikazuki's excitement. "Wow, Mika, nice fighting spirit," she complimented.
⌜LAMIA SCALE
Name: Chika Parabella
Age: 15
Occupation: Mage
Magic: Spatial Magic (Requip: The Astronomer)
Likes: Perench men Dislikes: storms
Special Note: Chika would someday like to touch the planets and see them with her own eyes! ⌟
Mikazuki grinned. "Hell yeah! I'm ready to do anything for our hometown!"
Justin and Lota appeared in one of Justin's Kinect bubbles. Lota was a dark woman with graying hair and mono-lens covering her eyes but seemed quite happy with her Photumiho who was full-grown. Yuka flew beside them with his own Magic jetting him forward from his palms.
"Sorry, we're late," Yuka grunted. "Whatever those creatures are, they mean business."
Lota hummed pleasantly. "Better late than never, Yuka," she reminded, her Southern drawl strong.
⌜LAMIA SCALE
Name: Charlotte "Lota" Raymond
Age: 59
Occupation: Mage
Magic: Eye Magic
Likes: Perench men Dislikes: storms
Special Note: Charlotte loves to cook her family recipes for her guild—especially beignets! ⌟
Justin winked at Yuka. "We're here to join in the fun!" He watched as Mikazuki entered a triple loop-the-loop. "Though, it looks like Mika has beat us in the fun department."
Mika threw up his arms and whooped. "Woo-hoo-hoo! Not my fault I'm the King of the Carnival!" he remarked. He flinched when he heard a deafening roar. All turned to see Nayda shoving back Erion.
Erion was not one to be pushed around. He wrapped around Nayda and dug his fangs into Nayda's neck. The great suzaku roared her distress and did what she could to get Erion away from her. But, it seemed her attempts were futile as Erion resisted her throttles.
Chika scowled darkly. "They're getting closer and closer to the school and to the ground."
"We'll make it," Lota promised. "Not because we want to, but because we have to." She looked down at her Photumiho. "You ready, Etheridge?"
The Photumiho shook out her fur and gave a bark, the lighting shining off her nine tails.
Yuka added an extra burst to his Magic, jetting him forward. "Chrome, Opera," he called. "Analysis?"
°•°•°•°
Opera was the one to answer. She looked to be a high schooler as well with dark brown hair and dark eyes as her brother. She wore a high school uniform, a sailor dress of black and white. She was in the middle of designing what appeared to be weapons and creatures. In her hands, she held a screen that was loading the data for a canon. Her dark eyes were outlined in an electric blue.
"Link to the city's defense mechanism is being established. Waiting for connection," Opera reported. "Counterattack to protect the Kunigawa High School Campus in Sector F-three-five is nearing completion."
⌜LAMIA SCALE
Name: Opera
Age: N/A
Occupation: Mage, Intelligence
Magic: Download
Likes: VR research Dislikes: soy milk
Special Note: Opera was once also part of an experiment to digitalize human beings and merge them with technology! ⌟
Opera let go of the screen to pick out another one. She watched the 97% upped into 100%, turning the screen green. "Counteractive measures complete. Standing by."
°•°•°•°
It was astounding to see weapons of mass destruction materialize without a second thought. Canons appeared without the need for ammunition. In fact, they were not just canons. They were something far greater, far sleeker. They settled in the air like they were meant to be there. Through their scanners, they tried to keep track of their target, but it was difficult. Erion and Nayda were linked in a battle of fangs and claws, raking and biting each other for dominance, bullying the other into submission.
The Mages found themselves in the same spot as the canons. They tensed as they watched the aerial battle that neared them.
"There's no clear shot," Yuka commented and angrily so. "We can't risk hitting them both. The pixiu is on our side. If we anger it, we don't have a chance of saving this city."
"But, it's a guardian," Chika pointed out. "It wouldn't hurt us, would it?"
"Is that a risk we're willing to take?" Mikazuki's roller coaster disappeared in a fit of green mist. He was left in the care of a rogue carousal stallion that bobbed to keep itself afloat. His jaw was taut as he watched the two great deities wrestle for control in the sky with no Magic to gain the upper claw. Nayda, however, got into more control and slammed the two of them closer to the city.
"Dammit," Mikazuki cursed. "We can't do a damn thing about this until they break it up. But, at this rate…"
"They'll fall into the city," Lota finished. "We need a clear shot of the suzaku to get it away from the pixiu."
A grin. Did someone say they needed a clear shot?
°•°•°•°
Mustang watched from his vantage point of a residential building, lying underneath a tarp. His motorcycle, Crimson, was waiting in the alleyway beside him. He only needed to work alone, but Dazzler had his back and made sure no one would touch either of them. He looked at the fight through his own spyglass telescope. He frowned as he saw the damage.
"Crimson Cowboy with Dazzler, reporting in," Mustang offered. "Will fire when in position."
°•°•°•°
Justin purred. "Ooo! Is my little D having fun with her southern soulmate?" He clapped his hands. "How quaint!"
Dazzler growled at him through the telepathic link. Shut up, Justin! Get serious!
Justin merely pouted. "I am serious," he mumbled.
"Are you sure you can get a clear shot?" Yuka wanted to be sure.
Positive, sir, Mustang confirmed. You got yourself the best damn shot in the country. Besides my auntie and her husband, 'course. I can get you your chance to fire. Once the shot is shot, you'll have a minute to get yourself ready.
°•°•°•°
Mustang watched as Erion roared his pain as Nayda sunk her teeth into his throat. He closed his spyglass telescope and tucked it into his pocket. "Miss Lafayette, how we lookin' with those water things?"
Dazzler could see watery menaces a few buildings away, but dead-set on attacking them. "I can take care of them," she promised. "I've got your back, cowboy."
Mustang allowed himself a grin. "No lady I trust more. I got your back too, Miss Lafayette. Don't you forget that now."
Dazzler nearly fainted at that. Why is he so smooth?
Mustang turned back to the matter at hand and hardened, putting on his headphones. "Requip!" he chanted. "Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle!"
His weapon of choice appeared before him, propped and ready to be fired. He was in his prone position, lying on his stomach with his legs spread out in a Y-formation. His forearm was under the stock and he let his finger rest on the trigger. He kept both eyes open as he peered into his scope. "Sync start," he commanded. His Magic flowed into his eyes as it pulsed around his sniper once. He was linked to his weapon mentally and magically. "Lock target."
From Mustang's eyes, he could see calculations and data flow like he was staring at a Portable Archive Lacrima. He watched as Erion and Nayda bit and hacked at the other for control. Red was all he saw as lines went up and down, left and right, trying to find Nayda, following the jolts of Mustang's eyes. Finally, he zeroed in on Nayda and everything turned green.
"Adjust wind speed. Ninety kilometers per hour. Adjust elevation. Adjust distant to target," Mustang commanded. He could see his weapon listen to his commands without any hesitation, calculations being readjusted and completed once more.
Dazzler witnessed the creatures prowling closer. She spun off her hat and dug a hand into it. "You guys are coming to close for comfort." She pulled out a toaster that seemed to be plugged in and threw it at them.
The watery creatures were electrocuted to their deaths the second the toaster came into contact with their bodies.
Dazzler's victory, however, was short-lived when she saw a new row of monsters stalking towards them, all hateful. "Um, Cowboy? Could you, um, maybe hurry it up a bit?" she requested as she turned over her hat to dump put hair dryers and toasters and other electrical appliances.
Mustang finished zeroing his sniper rifle. "Safety: off," he commanded.
The safety to his Magic Gun clicked.
Mustang took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Sniper's Shot! Sonic Boom!" he chanted as he pulled the trigger. A bullet of his compressed Magic tore out of the rifle and into the air.
°•°•°•°
Nayda was too busy defending herself from Erion that she did not notice a small bullet jet for her. Though, she certainly noticed it when it hit her. She shoved Erion away from her as shrieking sound-waves that rattled her body and pierced her mind.
Erion dashed away from Nayda to watch his counterpart shriek at her misfortune. He gave a wild roar at her.
°•°•°•°
"It's a hit!" Chika cheered.
Yuka tensed. "For now," he warned. "Chika, transform. Everyone, get ready. The second it comes out of its confusion, we strike!" He turned to Justin. "Set up a barrier the second we're done. We should expect heavy fire for provoking it."
Justin nodded. "Yes, sir!"
Chika beamed. "All right!" She allowed a warm light of silver to embrace her, shredding off her clothing. "I call upon the Cronian Planet of Harvest to protect me! Bestow upon me the armor of Saturn! Requip!"
The Astronomer was a rare bit of Magic. It was a Magic that summoned the power of the planets to the aid of a Mage worthy. It was not like Take-Over Magic wherein the Mage would receive the soul of the planet for that was unheard of. It was a Requip Magic that allowed the Mage to summon armor and weapons of the planet they sought.
Chika allowed her Magic Circle to bloom beneath her in her dimension full of silver-mist Magic. Her Magic Circle featured each planet in orbit around the sun as fate would have it. The planets stopped their orbit as Saturn glowed brilliantly and became the center of the Magic Circle. Chika could feel Saturn's power converge into armor with lavender and violet mixing together. Gauntlets appeared on her hands and arms with the symbol of Saturn engraved in gold. She was given armored thigh-high boots to battle in, violet with Ancient Language and jewels slithering across them. She was offered a silver armored skirt with the rings of Saturn dangling off her hips. A bejeweled breast plate and pauldrons completed her ensemble with a jewel of the planet placed on her collarbone. Her hair was shortened and dyed dark purple as well.
Chika merged from her Magic without flaw. She threw up her hand for a ring of Saturn to go up and flying. "I summon the steed of Saturn! Shani!" she chanted.
The multicolored ring of Saturn stretched itself wide as silver Magic bloomed at its core. Bursting from the newborn portal was a large raven with feathers a dark violet and the symbol of Saturn burned into its chest. It gave a caw as it swung around and towards Chika, returning to her as an old friend should. Chika had no problem dropping down to mount her raven and it gave a caw in greetings before swinging back to the Mages. It flapped to keep itself afloat.
Chika grinned and stroked the feathers of the raven. "Nice to see you too, Shani," she welcomed back.
Shani crowed at that.
°•°•°•°
"Fire when ready," Chrome spoke, typing on his keyboard. "Push the suzaku towards the river and into the air so the city may use its counteractive measures."
°•°•°•°
"Right," Yuka said. He watched as the sonic waves were dwindling, leaving the suzaku in a state of confusion and hurt. "On my mark, we fire!"
Mikazuki, Justin, Lota, and Chika nodded. "Right!"
Nayda shook her head, eyes shut as the pain from Mustang's shot pulsed through her body. She felt like she was a mess. Nothing was making any sense.
Yuka gritted his teeth. "Fire!" He put his hands in front of him. "Wave Burst!"
Chika pulled her hands back to form a violet bow and arrow. "Arrow of Saturnalia!"
Mikazuki clapped his hands before spreading them forth. "Nighttime Spectacular!"
Etheridge the Photumiho merely let out her own roar as a prism of light burst from her mouth.
Lota put a hand on her mono-lens sunglasses and turned the lever to reveal her glowing eyes. "Heat Wave!"
The canons floating in the air fired simultaneously, charger with laser beams and Magic rapid fire.
The wave of Yuka's Magic reached Nayda first and hitting her firmly on her stomach. She felt her body become paralyzed, but not by much. Just a join stiffness. The Arrow of Saturnalia turned out to be missiles of ringed Saturns that exploded on contact, knocking Nayda back. If that was not enough, fireworks, lasers of light, and pyro beams scorched her and blinded her, making her spiral out of control and reach higher into the air.
Yuka continue firing bursts of his Magic. "Justin, now!"
Justin nodded. "Kinetic Shield!" he chanted. His Magic made a dome around the Mages and their sector easily enough. Magic attacks could get out, but nothing could get in.
Chika continued firing arrows atop Shani and watched as clouds of smoke erupted around Nayda but did not muffle her caws of distress. "I think it's working!" she shouted over the thunderstorms and the rain.
"Don't get too confident!" Mikazuki warned. "We're facing a guardian! It isn't—!"
Nayda suddenly whirled out of her prison of smoke and fire and soared for her attackers. Magic pulsed around her as she conjured three orbs.
"Keep firing!" Yuka commanded. "Justin, will the shield hold?"
Justin nodded. "It absorbs Magic to strengthen it," he informed. "It's impervious to Magic attacks."
Nayda gave a roar as the three orbs shot streams of searing water at the translucent shield. The shield pulsed as it absorbed the blow, converting the antagonistic Magic into energy for itself. Nayda did not flinch as attacks shot at her and tried to get her to submit. She just continued her assault.
"It's working!" Lota shouted.
°•°•°•°
Spezi watched from his binoculars as Nayda continued her pointless assault. He sighed. "I didn't think I'd have to do this. It's a little early, but…" He swiped a hand in the air and his Tamer Circle for Nayda appeared. He swiped again for a list of options at his disposal and scrolled through them. He stopped on one option that appealed to him.
He grinned like the predator he was. "Well… I'm sure you won't mind…"
He pressed the button.
The option read:
FERAL MODE
°•°•°•°
Nayda suddenly reeled back as though she had been slammed in the head. She gave a distressed noise as red hacked and bit at her, dominating her, possessing her.
Chika noticed and stopped firing. "Wait. What's wrong with it?"
"Hold your fire!" Yuka called, the Mages following his orders in puzzlement. He watched Nayda twitched and jerked, shrieking her own pain as red smothered her.
Something isn't right. Before, I thought someone poisoned the river to make the suzaku made, but…
Nayda flapped her wings as though trying to fly away from the Magic that commanded her.
It seems like she isn't acting on her own accord. Is she being possessed? But, there isn't a Mage alive that could possess a deity…
His eyes widened.
Unless—
In the blink of an eye, Justin's shield broke.
No one had seen it coming.
Mikazuki was blown back and falling to the ground. Shani was violently forced back with Chika gripping on for dear life. Justin's bubble broke and he, Lota, and Etheridge were being thrown to the ground. Yuka lost his balance, too shocked to keep himself afloat and found himself falling.
His eyes were wide with fear when he saw the suzaku.
Her eyes were pitch black.
She opened her mouth for a bundle of stored Magic a dark blue color to charge itself.
Yuka found himself paralyzed with dread as he fell.
No…
The dark blue Magic hurled forward in a hydro-beam. There was no way it could miss. It was set to destroy the whole section and the puny humans that tried to stop the River Guardian.
Yuka found his eyes reflecting in the darkness that would destroy him.
No… We… We failed.
A hand shoved barbecue chips into a mouth. "Sorry I'm late."
And the entire sector exploded in a fit of Magic.
Yuka, however, and his team did not find themselves in the mess. He found himself opening his eyes. He found himself being saved a floating cloud. He looked around to see the others had fallen onto floating clouds. They were not just regular clouds. They had HP bars above them and were gifted eyes and mouths, happily mumbling incoherent noises. He looked down to see Genius waiting for them on campus ground, sitting in his chair with his VR headset on, his controller in hand, and a bag of chips in his mouth. An umbrella with an HP Bar above it kept Genius out the rain. He was not a bad looking guy, even if you could not see his eyes. His hair was shaggy, his body was a bit thin, he might have grown stubble he could have shaved, and he wore a sweatshirt with the symbol of his favorite character, but he looked like that type of geek charming. Still had some muscle and a nice face.
Yuka and the others landed on the ground with the clouds dispersing, their job complete. They converged to where Genius was, soaking wet, yet alive.
"You certainly made a hero's entrance," Justin said, shaking the rain out of his hair.
"Got held up by some crazy shark thing," Genius explained. He took another handful of chips. "Looks like I made it on time. Sorry for it being last second. My bad."
⌜FAIRY TAIL
Name: Genius
Age: 21
Occupation: Mage
Magic: Gamer
Likes: Legend of the Elves: Time's Breath Dislikes: Physical exercise
Special Note: Genius is a world-renown Lacrima Game player, ranking number one in Ishgar and number two internationally! ⌟
"How…? How are we…?" Chika could not get out the word. Alive was the question.
"Made you guys a pipe," Genius explained. "It's pretty much how one of my characters gets from one place to another. Made you guys one and had you fall above me. My clouds saved you. You're lucky I saved it was one of my favorites or else you guys would be end game with no more lives."
Yuka worked his mouth. "You have our thanks," he assured. His fists tensed when he heard the rabid caws of the suzaku and the roars of the pixiu.
But, we failed our mission. An entire section is wiped out and we could do nothing to stop it.
No, Yuka, do not think you failed.
Yuka's eyes widened. Master…
°•°•°•°
Ooba watched the many fights on the screens Chrome and Opera conjured. She could see some of her Mages and some of Erza's cry out from the blood they lost. She watched Thaddeus protect a platoon with his prayers. She watched.
None of you have ever been considered failures in my eyes, she assured. I have only expected you all to take care of each other and you have done that.
But… The sector, Master—
Can be rebuilt, Ooba soothed. All of our home can be rebuilt. But lives cannot be redone. We have to protect each other. And, with such an ancient deity on a rampage, I have a feeling not even S-Class Mages can defend us against it. But, we have to try.
She inhaled. Then, exhaled. "Opera, can you connect me to the citywide channel and patch me through to the convention center? Kazuri's Telepathy won't reach Shenzhen."
Opera let go of her Lacrima Screen to create a Portable Archive Lacrima Tablet. Her eyes lit up as she tapped on the screen, making connections. "Yes, Master. Bypassing the security protocol now." Her eyes streamed with data as six blank spaces opened up on her screen. The data continued streaming until numbers appeared on the blank.
123098
The screen changed and gave Opera a list of options. As she scrolled through, she called to her brother. "Chrome, I need—"
"I'm on it." Chrome backed from his screen. He closed his eyes and opened his palms. A Magic Circle bloomed forth with the same electric blue that would charge his eyes. The symbol of his Magic Circle seemed to be a large triangle with filled in circle as a point on each point. Rising from his Magic Circle was a microphone. He let his Magic Circle disperse and held the microphone in his hands. He offered it to Ooba. "Here, Master. Take this."
Ooba took the microphone.
Chrome let his hands out before him and his eyes flowed. Magic Circles sprung onto his palms. "Please, wait a moment as I set everything up," he requested. His eyes sharpened. "A Siren SoundAlert system should do the trick." His circles began to glow fiercely.
In correspondence with his Magic, public announcement siren speakers digitized on every street. They watched over bloody battles, watched Mages who did not know the meaning of "defeat", watched as Gray protected civilians from the wrath of Water Mages, watched as Erion crashed into a block with Nayda relentlessly attacking them, watched as the people in the evacuation tried not to worry over the loss of their home.
Chrome did not even blink. "System: activated. Standing by."
Opera let a wire fly out of the back of her head and her tablet. The wire coming from her head ended up connecting to the back of her brother's head while the wire flying out of the tablet connected to the microphone. The symbol of the triangle with dots at its points burned on both Chrome and Opera's foreheads. Their eyes lit with the same brightness, ready.
"Link established. You may use the microphone, Master," Chrome and Opera told.
Ooba's eyes sharpened. Her mouth opened. "I ask for the attention of all people who hear me!" she decreed for all to hear.
°•°•°•°
The civilians and Mages trapped under Gray's dome of ice shakily looked at the siren horn above them, trying to ignore the way Mages and creatures of the elements of water tried to kill them. Mages and Anti-Magic soldiers alike continued their battles, but their eyes flashed to the speakers that appeared above them. Those in the convention center blinked up at the four siren speakers that had banded together to blare Ooba's voice.
°•°•°•°
Ooba held the microphone firmly. "Don't give up hope. Don't fear for this town," she spoke. "This town can always be rebuilt, bigger and better than ever. But, should lives be taken… Those cannot be replaced."
°•°•°•°
Mystogan—his glasses were broken, his right arm was dislocated, and his middle was bleeding—stopped in an alleyway and sank to the ground, hiding from his enemies. He rested his head as the rain washed the blood away from his face. He looked down to press into his stomach wound to stop the bleeding.
°•°•°•°
Ooba's frown grew prominent and sad. "I know you want to protect this town. Believe me, I know. As Mages, it is your duty to protect and defend your home and the homes of others with the power you chose to master."
°•°•°•°
Elvin stood in the center of the Anti-Magic Unit soldiers he managed to make immobile. They were not dead for he could still see the rise and fall of their chests, even if just barely. Their uniforms were torn, and their weapons were broken, blood washing off their skin before it could dry. Elvin snorted mist, flood underneath his nails and in his teeth.
°•°•°•°
"But, it is a Mage's first duty to protect our own. It is our first duty to ensure we survive to fight the next battle."
°•°•°•°
Gajeel found himself blasted back from searing water. His scales were melded onto his body, turning him into the black steel he had been rightfully labeled. But, the water was boiling hot and burned at his scales. His eyes opened in shock when he realized his steel was being melted, his own scales. He did not have to suffer along as a current of electricity cut off the jet of searing water. Gajeel dropped to his knees to catch his breath, but his eyes caught Laxus in his own current of lightning bolting towards the creature of water.
°•°•°•°
"We cannot allow ourselves to die here," Ooba preached. "I will not allow any of you children to die here like a rat in the streets."
°•°•°•°
Doctor Noah Mothersbaugh and his daughter tended to patients with the help of volunteer nurses and doctors. Mages were found, bloodied and battered, and were brought to the safe haven of the guild to recuperate until they could fight once again.
°•°•°•°
"We will come out of this battle alive and there will be no exceptions to that rule. We will win this. We will restore peace to the guardians and rebuild our home better than it was before."
°•°•°•°
Anti-Magic soldiers ran away as Erion and Nayda closed in on their section. A few captains made sure their own were all out before running after themselves. It was Thaddeus who stayed behind, looking at the two guardians blankly. He watched as Nayda cruelly bit at Erion's horn and was able to snap one off. Erion, injured from such a thing, crashed into a block of commercial buildings. Nayda cawed in gloating her victory.
Thaddeus only raised the cross charm to his lips and kissed it once before murmuring his prayers.
°•°•°•°
"For those of you safe and sound at the convention center, fear little. When you return home, we will celebrate the return of our people. Surviving such a feat deserves a festival. But, don't be too worried or concerned. Keep your heads held high. We need your determination and faith to keep our own."
°•°•°•°
The people of the convention center shared concerned but determined looks. They were all touched by the guild master's heart. Mayor Sabozai smiled and continued passing out food and blankets with her guards helping her as well.
°•°•°•°
"For the Mages in Margaret Town, I plead for you to not engage in the guardians. Even for an S-Class Mage, they are deities with immense power far greater than our own. And, with the suzaku unstable and the pixiu on our side, we cannot risk provoking either of them and begin our own demise."
°•°•°•°
Nashi stumbled back but kept herself in check with her Swords of Justice. What she did not expect was a wolfish creature to pounce on her and pierce her pauldron, sinking into her shoulder. Nashi gave a ragged cry as she tried to throw the creature off her only for more to try and taste her flesh. Gary pivoted to see his beloved angel in peril and was quick to rescue her with his ice, freezing his opponents.
°•°•°•°
"Still, we will band together to not only save our Mages who are under the spell of the suzaku, but to save ourselves from these creatures that storm our city."
°•°•°•°
Lucy ran through the rain with Meredy lodged inside Horologium with a traumatized look on his face.
°•°•°•°
Ooba gripped the microphone. "We will save everyone from the horrors we face today…"
Blood splattered from Gale's lips.
His bangs covered his eyes, sweat mixed with his own blood dripping off his hair.
The classroom itself was in dire need of reconstruction. The desks that had been so neatly placed were blasted about, most broken and off their legs. A window had been broken as well, letting the rain and wind. The artwork on the wall had been either untouched or smashed as gaping holes in the wall were placed accordingly.
And, there lay Gale against a wall. He did not have much to offer with his clothing torn. Blood dribbled down his flesh and stained his pants and jacket, but he did not care. He had nothing he could do, but be a corpse waiting for death.
"…and we will unmask the one behind all of this." Ooba gripped the microphone even hardened as her eyes steeled with burning vow. "And, that..."
STEP. STEP. STEP.
Gale could not move. He could not even twitch.
"…is a promise."
STEP. STEP. STEP.
He was useless. His Magic was useless. His body was useless. His mind was useless.
STEP. STEP. STEP.
He could not even open his eyes to look his killer dead in the eye.
The footsteps stopped a little before him.
Bluenote looked down at the boy he single-handedly maimed. His eyes were as obnoxiously blank as ever, not giving a shit if the boy was healthy. Alive? Yes, he had to be alive, but that did not mean he could not be unscathed. Still, he frowned. He was not upset with his work or proud of it, necessarily. More like he was unimpressed. Disappointed was the better word for it. He looked down at the trodden Earth Dragon of Fairy Tail like he was a disappointed mentor with a pupil who failed his test.
"The fledging who had wings still could not fly," Bluenote remarked. "Upsetting. I find fighting a great way to warm up skills, but all I managed to do was beat a fledgling who did not want to use his wings."
Gale said nothing.
Bluenote lifted a mere finger. A finger was all it took to beat such a child. His eyes narrowed if just a tiny bit. "Pressure Bullet," he chanted.
A translucent bullet shot from Bluenote's finger to aim straight for Gale's bruised stomach. It was a tiny thing, but mighty as it pierced Gale. It looked like it cut through Gale's flesh, but it did not, only to press fiercely against Gale as though he had been shot. A dark bruise formed right on the spot, no questions asked, but it should be noted no blood was to be found. As a natural reaction to the bullet, Gale's body jolted. His eyelids flew open, but his eyes were glazed. His mouth opened for blood to leak from his mouth, but not a peep came from him.
How boring.
Bluenote hummed, lowering his hand. "Still alive. A fledging with a body of stone." It was a murmured fact. "Few can say they have lived after facing me. None of which are your age. Consider yourself 'fortunate'. I could have increased the gravity on your internal organs, forcing them out of your body. Or, I could have lightened gravity on your brain, killing you. But, they say they need you alive, fledging, so there's no time for that." He took a knee in front of Gale, a hand reaching out to grip his chin. Bruises made love to Gale's skin and blood bathed it. "You have lost a lot of blood. You must've passed out. Very good." He let go of Gale's face to back up.
"Taking you unconscious will be much easier than seeing you struggle for freedom," Bluenote remarked. He walked away from Gale to settle in the middle of the room. He pivoted to face Gale again, his eyes lightning up in his silvery-yellowish Magic. "Circle," he commanded.
The Magic Circle bloomed beneath him. The symbol of his circle looked like the center of a scope. A cross lay atop a dotted circle. It was the center of gravity. He sat down but did not allow himself on the ground. He allowed himself to bounce, to float, but never stray too far. He sat in the air crisscrossed. His eyes flicked over to Gale's immobile body. "When you rise, let us continue seeing if you can fly." With that, Bluenote lulled himself into mediation, closing his eyes and bobbing up and done.
And, the pinky finger on Gale's right hand twitched.
The past Margaret Town did not look like its present-day counterpart. Make no mistake; it still had plenty of its body built into the water with bridges connecting nearby streets and boats and gondolas floating down rivers. Besides using your own two feet, horses and wagons were the main sense of transportation, whether that horse be a magical creation or not. But, the architecture had drastically changed from present-day to the past. The Tudor style with a brick base seemed quite popular in this era. The smell was different in this version of Margaret Town, dirtier. The type of pungent you wrinkled your nose at the first time you smelled it, but it was a scent that would grow on you.
Luna looked around as Gabriel took them down a street. She watched as the citizens were in preparation for such an auspicious event. It did not look anything as extravagant as her version of Margaret Town made it to be. There were banners put out, yes, with the mascot of such festival, but there were no concession stands set up or anything. She frowned as she looked about.
"So, uh… This is your set-up for the festival?" Luna asked as though skeptical.
Gabriel nodded. "Indeed. Is it not beautiful?"
Luna grimaced as her eyes caught onto a horse making dirt. "It's, uh…something," was all she could get out without being rude. She caught glimpse of the soldiers marching about. In fact, she saw a few girls dressed in commoner's dresses flirting behind their fans with a young soldier who knew his smirk was affecting them. "Hey… So, um, what's with all the soldiers?"
Gabriel's eyes flicked around to see soldiers marching, coming out of stores, and flirting with women. Some even had the audacity to get drunk at such an early hour. His ruby eyes narrowed with disdain. "Ah, yes. Such brave and strong soldiers were stationed in our quaint town after the last Dragon Raid," he explained, hinting at sarcastic joke.
Luna blinked. "Really? Why?"
"The current king has been stationing the military in every town," Gabriel informed. He watched as two soldiers caught his eye. "Rumors have spread among Ishgar. The Alakitasian Dragons have been on the unrest."
"The Alakitasian Dragons," Luna echoed. She let her eyes drop. "Papa never told me about them."
"The rumors are between few and far. Mainly wifely rumors and bits of gossip from the local taverns." Gabriel found his frown slipping into a low growl. "Either way, our king is taking no chances to keep his people safe. His intentions are pure. His love for his people is true and fair. However…" His hands gripped the reins as he felt his temper rise, clawing at his throat to let a snarl out.
The Minister of Defense cannot be spoken for with his logic of State Mages, dogs to the military and slaves to the country. How dare he ask my father to even consider becoming such a thing. Handing over his own research like it was not his own and rolling over on command…
"Um… Gabriel?"
Gabriel snapped out of his anger to realize Luna was touching his shoulder. He coughed out any growls left. "Oh. My apologies, Miss Luna. Did you say something?"
Luna frowned, but ignored the force pleasant tone. "I did… I asked where we're going."
Gabriel relaxed into a smile. "My apologies for not explaining beforehand." He shifted his weight to the left and Himeros followed, turning left at an intersection. "I have to make a quick visit to the office of a friend of my father," he told. "It will not take me too long and I apologize for the stop."
"No, no, don't apologize," Luna insisted. "I just, uh…" She bit her lip. "I mean… Are you sure it's a good idea for me to even be here? I could be changing the future even more and—"
"I will be the first to admit I did not want you out here."
Luna paused to look up at Gabriel. His eyes were dead ahead.
"Time is a heartless mistress," Gabriel professed. "Those who practice Time Magic are fools. My belief is Time, while may be wild, is fragile. She cracks under the most delicate push. Even so, she will punish those who dare defy her. You, Miss Luna, have bumped into Time by going back here. And, in turn, she will harm you for doing so without her permission. The future you will return to will be no more. Perhaps Margaret Town will fall. Perhaps you will not be born. Who is to say?"
Luna felt downtrodden at such words.
He's right. Gale would say the same thing too. I'm risking myself too much for being here, but I…
Her hands tightened around Gabriel.
I didn't ask to come back. I just… I just wanted to—
"Please, do not take my foul words too much to heart, principessa."
Luna's eyes widened. They jumped up and she felt like it was Gale she held onto.
"If you were brought here by an ikenga, you have not much to worry about. I promise." Gale's figure melded back into Gabriel's and Luna was brought back to where she actually was—the past. "Ikengas are notorious for working the time stream without any compromise. They only heal what needs to be healed and ensure anything that did not need to be fixed is not changed." He glanced back at her to give her a sweet, fanged smile. "So, try not to worry. Please."
Luna blinked twice. Then, a smile curled on her lips as she felt her cheeks pinken. "R-Right," she agreed.
Gabriel turned forward and his eyes brightened. "Ah! We have made it!"
Luna peered past Gale to see their destination. The mysterious friend's office was nestled between a general store and a clothing story centered around women. Gabriel led them to the nearest hitching post. Himeros seemed to know the drill as he walked to the hitching post and stopped before it. Luna dismounted a bit roughly, stumbling back. She growled to herself as she looked at the dress she was supposed to wear along with the flats.
"I miss my old clothes. How do women wear this?" she complained.
Gabriel dismounted from Himeros and walked him a bit closer to the hitching post. "The dress your auntie"—he emphasized the word with an audience absently listening to their every word—"offered you is perfectly capable of riding horseback," he assured. He tied the reins to the post without a hitch, Luna wading over to him with her trying not to drag the dress.
"Doesn't mean it's comfortable. I can't believe I have to wear a corset. Mama told me I'm not old enough for one," Luna whined lowly. "I feel like I can't breathe. I'm sure this isn't healthy."
Gabriel's lips twitched in a smile. "I agree. I find the idea of corsets to help maintain a supple figure absurd, but…" His eyes scanned Luna up and down, once quick, then the second time deliberate. Teasing entered his stare. "You look enchanting in such an ensemble, my Lady."
Luna rolled her eyes, but could not fight her blush, eyes flicking this way and that. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," she grumbled. "So, this friend?"
Gabriel went to one of his saddlebags to retrieve his wallet and pocket watch and put them in his coat. "Yes, the friend. Just have to collect more research for my father and…"—he unhooked one of his own saddlebags to sling it around his shoulder—"a fair bit of trade to finish it up." He offered his arm. "May I escort you, Miss Lucy?"
Luna was puzzled for a quick moment. "But, I'm—" She plastered a smile on her face and gave a kind nod, linking arms with Gabriel. "Of course," she allowed.
Gabriel delicately escorted her to the door of the office. He allowed his eyes to wander, but murmured to Luna, "Remember, Miss Lucy, I am to escort you and be close to you at all times for the reason you have descended into town with a desperate need of a guide of the same age. Should courtship arise in conversation, you are to act coy and aloof, interested but subtly so. As you have not been exposed to men and have yet to have a coming-of-age cotillion, you may deny claims of courtship."
Luna found her eyebrows creasing as she nodded at the instructions. She looked up as Gabriel let her go to open the door for her. "And, you?" she wanted to know. "What'll you say?"
Gabriel grinned, something that was painfully familiar. "Worry not, moja princesa. I have learned improvisation from the best storytellers in this continent." He winked at her. "I shall merely weave a convincing lie. Now, go inside before soldiers catch onto your hair. Blondes as fair as you are rare in this town."
Luna smiled, rolling her eyes, and stepped into the offi—
"Just what happened in here?" Luna screamed.
Gabriel poked his head in. An awkward smile curved around his face as he found himself sweat-dropping. "Ah, yes… While you might think this to be abnormal, this is its…natural state."
Luna pointed wildly at the office. "You call this 'natural'?"
The state of the lobby was nothing short of messy. Books were messily put into piles and towers without rhyme or reason. The couches were full of old newspapers with countertops offered as a resting place for working research and translations and old theory books. A few empty dishes were scattered about, free of food. There were obvious paintings in the room, but some seemed to be covered and not wanting the world to see them. And, the stench…
Luna pinched at her nose as she tiptoed into the room. She eyed the messy lobby. "I just… How can anyone be this messy?" she asked, grimacing when she stepped on a floorboard and watched as a whiff of something came up. "I feel like this is a hazard to people," she muttered. She stepped in farther to survey everything. "Are you sure someone lives in this place?" she wanted to know.
A chill went down her spine when she heard a groan. She whipped around frantically. "What was that?" she squeaked. "Who was that? Is someone there?"
The groan came again. "Help…me," were muffled words.
Luna scanned the room. "What the—?" Her eyes widened when they landed on a hand twitching and outstretched while the body attached it was buried in books.
"Help," came another moan.
Luna was already pulling out books. "Oh, my God! Don't worry! I'm getting you out!" she assured, frantically scrapping books to see a face. When she finally uncovered the face, she was surprised to see the stubbled, young face of a man who had a relaxed smile and messy blue hair covered in dirt.
"Oh, thank you, Miss," he sighed. "I thought I would be in there forever." His eyes swiveled to Gabriel and they brightened. "I thought the prodigy walked into my humble abode."
Gabriel nodded back respectfully. "Good day, Sir Ludvig."
Luna blinked. "Wait." She blinked twice. "'Sir'?"
°•°•°•°
Luna found herself sitting at a cleared table in the kitchen. A cup of tea sat before her, but she did not take to it. Her eyes focused on the man before her. He was a young thing—he looked like he was in his mid-twenties—with hair messy and dirty and same to his cheeks. He looked like he had seen better days, been clean better days, but still looked perky and happy…
But, there was just one thing wrong with him.
Luna blinked. "So, um…"
Ludvig merely blinked at her.
TWITCH. TWITCH.
Luna could not help but watch. "You, uh…"
Ludvig leaned forward. "I what?"
TWITCH. TWITCH.
Luna blinked. "You…"
Ludvig continued to lean forward. "I…?" he prompted.
TWITCH. TWITCH.
Luna found herself sweat-dropping and pointed at the twitching cat tail that seemed to snake around in the air. "Uh… Is that tail you have…normal?"
Ludvig furrowed his eyebrows. "What did you say? A 'tail'?" He looked behind him to see he had a lion's tail attach to him.
TWITCH. TWITCH.
He blinked.
"Oh, gadzooks, I have a tail!" Ludvig shrieked. He looked at his appearance and began to panic. "And, I am a complete abomination and in the presence of a lady!" he blubbered. "Oh, my mother would maim me were she present! How could I not be decent in the presence of a lady!" He looked at Luna with comical tears in his eyes, looking like he could breakdown at any moment. "Forgive me, my Lady, for my incompetence!" he sobbed. "I have brought shame to the Krause bloodline! Utter shame!"
Luna waved off Ludvig's tears and blubbering as he continued his apologies. "No, you're okay," she calmed, though her eyebrow twitched. "Please, don't get worked up over this. I'm sorry I mentioned anything."
I really shouldn't have said anything if he was going to freak out like this.
Ludvig pushed away from the table to stand up. He raised a hand over himself. "Solid Script: Bath!" he chanted, writing out the word BATH in the air.
Luna watched, a bit stunned, as a Magic Circle appeared over Ludvig. It appeared to only show symbols—they were probably runes—that swirled in a circle. The Magic Circle disappeared with the word BATH in place that was made out of soapy water. The word quickly melded into soapy water that rained down on Ludvig and washed away all of his dirt and grime. In consequence of that, he was soaking wet. He began to write in mid-air again.
"Solid Script: Dry!" Ludvig chanted. The word DRY hovered over him. The words melded into a loud, hairdryer sound as it whirled around Ludvig, drying him rather quickly.
He's a Solid Script Mage, Luna noted, like Aunt Levy. That's so cool…
Ludvig shook out his mane of blue hair and slicked it back to get it out of his eyes. "My apologies, my Lady, for my homely appearance," he said in sorry. He gave her a timid smile. "I had known Gabriel was coming, but he had not told me he was bringing along a lady. I would have cleaned up had I known—!"
"Hey, don't worry about it," Luna calmed. "I shouldn't be judgy of other people's places. My room isn't that clean back home either."
"Still, my most sincerest apologies," Ludvig said, straightening out his clothes the best he could.
Luna peered at the tail flicking behind Ludvig. "So, um… About the tail… Is it your normal tail?"
Ludvig laughed. "No, my dear, it is the result of an incantation gone wrong," he offered in explanation. "I had been reading off some runes aloud and forgot, should I not be careful, combinations of different runes without decrypting their algorithm can lead to bodily consequences. And, mine"—he squeezed his new tail—"resulted in this beauty."
Luna giggled a bit. "I get it. Runes, huh? Is that what you study?"
Ludvig visibly brightened when asked that question. "Yes, my Lady. I am one of the few runologists on this side of Ishgar. Sir Ludvig Krause the Third, son of Ludvig the Second, at your service!"
"Hi! It's nice to meet you!" Luna beamed. "My name is Lun—I mean, it's Lucy Heartfilia, niece of Meira. The pleasure's all mine!"
Ludvig gasped. "Hold on for a spare moment." He pointed at Luna shakily. "You mean to tell me you share the same blood as Meira Heartfilia? You are, in fact, part of the Heartfilia Clan?"
Luna was taken back at such a reaction. "Um… Yes…?"
"I see it," Ludvig whispered. "The signature golden hair… Those eyes that rival the chocolate from Sin…"
Luna subconsciously touched a strand of her hair. "U-Um…"
If she was taken back at Ludvig's sudden shock, she was even more-so taken back when Ludvig eagerly leaned forward to study Luna with awestruck eyes. "Gadzooks! You are a Heartfilia! My, oh my, I have been blessed with such a rare sight and beauty!" he exclaimed.
Luna found her eyebrow twitching as she pulled her head back. "Um—"
"I have never seen a young Heartfilia so close before!" Ludvig continued rambling. "Your clan is so elusive to the public eye! Even His Royal Highness has sought audience with the matriarch of the Heartfilia Clan! However, to see a living, breathing Heartfilia and one so young!" He grabbed Luna's hands to place ardent kisses on her knuckles. "Bless you, my Lady, and bless the stars who brought you into my very office!"
Luna laughed nervously. "Please, don't—"
Ludvig shot up, a deathly pale. "Gadzooks!" he cried. "For a Heartfilia to see my office in such a horrendous state!" He looked at Luna in fear. "I have offended thee," he decided. He bowed his head lowly, pressing his hands together in prayer. "Please, my Lady, think me not this foolish! Had I known such a lady of your caliber would arrive in my humble home, I would have had this place shining as the stars shine on you! Have mercy for my foolhardiness!" he blubbered.
Luna frantically waved her hands when she saw tears stream from Ludvig's face as he kept switching from begging for forgiveness to thanking God for such good fortune. "Wait, stop, please, don't cry!" she begged. "I mean I'm not a 'lady'! Don't bow to me! You don't have to—!"
As she kept trying to stop Ludvig, she thought, This is getting me nowhere. I need to keep calm and calm him down too.
Luna stopped her own rambling to close her eyes. Inhale. Exhale. She opened her eyes for them to be calm and clear and a smile to grace her lips. "Please, don't bow to me," she requested softly. "I'm only human."
Ludvig frantically shook his head. "You are more than meager human, my Lady," he insisted. "You are a Heartfilia!"
"So, what? I'm human first and foremost," Luna reminded him. "I'm nothing better than you. We're equals. And, if anything"—she bowed her head to him—"I should be bowing to you since you're my elder, Sir Krause. Thank you for letting me into your home."
"Please, my Lady, lift your head and simply call me 'Ludvig'," Ludvig insisted. "In the presence of one from such a powerful clan, my title is abolished, and none shall bow before me."
Luna lifted her head a little bit. "Then, call me 'Lucy', please. We're friends from now on and friends don't have to do all this titles stuff and bowing, okay?"
Ludvig worked his mouth. It seemed he was unable to handle what was being told to him. "You and I are fr-friend-friends?" He clumsily sat back in his seat with a hand to his forehead. "I am…a friend with a Heartfilia," he murmured to himself. "Am I dreaming?"
Luna laughed. "You're awake, Mister Ludvig, I promise," she assured. "I'm sorry, but I don't really get how big a deal the Heartfilia Clan is. I mean is it really that amazing to be a Heartfilia?"
Gabriel stepped into the kitchen, his bag gone and only a few books in his hands. He settled in the chair next to Luna. "Aye, Miss Lucy, it is," he confirmed. "The Heartfilia Clan may not be the wealthiest bloodline, but you are one of the most magical."
Luna watched as Gabriel took a book from his stack. "Why do you say that?"
Ludvig answered, though peered at Luna in perplexity. "Because of your connections to the Heavens and even to the spirits themselves. My L—Miss Lucy, do you not know of the power of your own blood?" he wondered.
When Luna froze up, Gabriel answered in her stead. "Mind you, Sir Ludvig, she is not the direct heir of Master. She is the daughter of my master's sister who rejected the Heartfilia name to take on her husband's name and rejected the ways of the stars."
Understanding donned on Ludvig with a bit of anger. "Ah, yes. That 'Anna'." He said such a name in distaste. "I recall the woman very clearly and her husband nothing more than an aristocrat with no respect for nature." He looked at Luna in what was assumed to be pity and guilt. "Forgive me, Miss Lucy. I do not mean to speak ill of your mother in such a manner. She was just…not a friend to the magical society," he explained. "We all heard of the infamous Heartfilia who turned her back on her birth right." His eyes narrowed on Luna. "However, there was naught about her heir…"
Luna tried not to sweat under Ludvig's scrutiny. "Ah, right, well, you see, my auntie didn't want there to be a public scandal," she lied. "She knew I'd be swarmed journalists who would want to know about my life, so she kept me out of the public eye. I've been living with her ever since my parents' death."
Ludvig nodded slowly, believing the story one word at a time. "I see…" He turned to Gabriel. "She must be busy as well with the amount of work she has you doing at the moment. It would make sense she passes off her niece to her apprentice."
"Master certainly did not do so without warning," Gabriel laughed. "She thinks I might be like my father and attempt to woo the lady. Amusing, yes? Like I would try to court her own blood and risk my life."
Luna tried to hide her tick mark.
He does realize I'm right next to him, right?
Ludvig allowed a soft chuckle of his own. "Amusing, indeed," he agreed. "No one would dare court a Heartfilia without the approval of the matriarch. Doing so without her permission would be suicide."
"Especially if I were to ask if the lady would take on my family name," Gabriel added. He looked disturbed at the thought and shivered. "Master would make me rearrange her books if I even tried asking such a thing. And, her bookshelves seemed to have a will of their own and enjoy flying away from me. Or even worse." He paled. "She would force me to sit and keep watch over that Hellhound of a spirit for entire month."
Luna found herself looking at Gabriel who had melded into an angry Gale.
"We finished at six and I had to get my ass to my old man or else I would've stuck reorganizing my mom's library and having babysitting duty for the next month!"
"So, what have you found on your latest excavation?"
Luna shook her head as Ludvig eagerly answered, "I have discovered a whole new tunnel of runes with my field team! One of the members suggested we use the Turing Cipher as the algorithm, but I still believe the we need to take into account that Ancient Language is filled with bluffing grammatical structure and Arnauld's logic rules."
Luna's head was spinning with question marks. "Wait. What's that mean?" she wanted to know.
Gabriel hummed, resting his head on folded hands. "From what I saw last time, have you considered looking at them from a different point of origin? We believed the runic alphabet came from the ancient Meson Civilization, but did you ever cross them with the Valchestrian Empire of Lapis?"
Luna found herself even further confused. "Wait. 'Lapis'?"
Ludvig seemed to consider this. Then, he slowly warmed up to the idea. "Their hieroglyphic alphabet crossed with the Meson runic alphabet… Perhaps I call the bluffs… Eradicate the impossible variables…" He nodded and began to grin. "Gadzooks, Gabriel, I believe you are on to something! Your father and master have taught you well! Better than that ole university I waded my way through."
Gabriel chuckled. "I prefer the eccentric teachings of my master and the research I work on with my father."
"Um… Excuse me?"
The two men looked to see Luna swaying at the information.
"Can you please explain all this in plain Fioren?" Luna pleaded. "What exactly is going on here?"
"Sir Ludvig here is a member of the Archaeological Society," Gabriel explained.
Luna gasped. "Woah! You are? That's so amazing!"
Ludvig blushed. "Thank you, Miss Lucy, but it is not as full of splendor as one may think," he tried to put down. "All we do is research and lots of digging. My job in the society is Executive Runologist."
Luna understood. "So, runes are what brought you to Margaret Town?"
Ludvig nodded and puffed his chest. "Actually, it was per the request of Lady Meira herself," he confided with pride. "She thinks highly of the Archaeological Society and my capabilities of a skilled runologist and requested our help to solve a case for her."
"You should have seen the look on your aunt's face," Gabriel murmured to Luna. "She was red-faced and agitated for having to ask for help. While she is well-versed in the way of the flow of Magic and the song of spirits, she cannot read runes to save her life or mine, for that matter."
Luna chuckled slightly. "So, what's the case?"
Ludvig frowned. "Lady Meira was worried of the case of two alleged 'guardians', so to speak," he confessed. "As of late, she had been listening to the magical creatures and spirits to hear the two guardian deities of this town would appear, one of forced hand and the other to protect and serve the people. She told me these deities protected sea and sky." He shook his head. "When a Heartfilia says such a thing, one may not take words lightly. Members of the society came here to try and learn more about these two deities only to find the answers below." He tapped the table twice. "There, we found tunnels full of ancient text that confirm the existence of two deities, one who is of the sea and the other who is of the sky."
Luna leaned closer. "Really? You found text about them?" she wanted to confirm.
Ludvig nodded.
Luna asked next, "Could you take me to these caves?"
Gabriel and Ludvig were taken back. "You want to see them?" Ludvig checked.
Luna nodded rapidly. "Yes, please, Mister Ludvig! I would really love to hear more about these deities and more about your work!"
Ludvig positively beamed at that and stood from his chair. "Of course, Miss Lucy, your desire of knowledge shall be met!" He scrambled about, bustling out of the kitchen. "Just let me gather a few books and scrolls and Magic Quills…"
As soon as Ludvig was out of the kitchen, Gabriel cast Luna a stern look. "Miss Luna, are you sure about this?" he questioned lowly. "These tunnels are not safe for you and I am not particularly fond of you being underground."
"You're my ancestor's apprentice, aren't you?"
Gabriel was taken back at Luna's smile.
"I have confident you'll do fine protecting me if anything happens to me," Luna told him in full faith. "Besides"—she winked—"you did promise her you'd tend to my every need, remember?"
Gabriel blushed. "I-I—! Well, you—… I mean—"
"Relax, Gabriel," Luna soothed, giggling. "It'll be fine." She added in a quieter tone, "Besides, I need to know more about the guardians. In my timeline, they're fighting each other, and I still don't know why. I was brought back to the past, so… Maybe this is a sign. Maybe I'm supposed to be here to find out why they're fighting."
Gabriel frowned deeply. "Are you really going to endanger yourself on a mere whim?" he pressed. "How are you to know if your assumptions are correct for the reason an ikenga brought you here?"
Luna offered him a glare. "I have to try," she argued. "These runes could be the answer. I'm going to see them with or without you."
Gabriel growled. "Stubborn woman," he tossed at her. "Must you be so infuriating?"
Loud footsteps came towards the kitchen. "I believe I have found all my materials, Miss Lucy!" he called excitedly.
Luna stood up. "I'm ready to leave when you are, Mister Ludvig," she called back to him. Chocolate narrowed at ruby. "Though, Gabriel might not come with us. I think he has more errands to run," she said icily. "We wouldn't want to trouble the apprentice, would we?"
Gabriel stood up as well. "No, I will accompany the two of you," he decided loudly. "Master would not want me to let her dear niece out of my sight." He kept his stare on Luna and added in a hiss, "And, believe me, you will not be leaving my sight. First sign of a collapse and you will leave with me to the surface. I will not lose you over this. You are on borrowed time as is. Getting hurt may be the last thing time allows you to do."
Luna snorted and crossed her arms, breaking eye contact. "Whatever," she bit. She walked past him, nudging him a bit with her shoulder. "Come on. Wouldn't want to waste my 'borrowed time'," she grumbled. She paused before she left the kitchen. "Just so you know, yeah, I am stubborn. Runs in the family. And, from what I've seen of your descendants, it runs in yours too. And, I'm sorry I'm being mean, but, please, just—" She clenched her fists before relaxing them. "Just have my back for right now, okay? Even if I'm on borrowed time, I could really use some help from a friend."
And Luna left, chirpily calling to Ludvig.
And Gabriel was left clenching his fists and softly swore. "Damn it."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Luna gasped. "Wow!" She looked at Ludvig. "So, this is where you work?"
Ludvig smiled. "Indeed. Is it not beautiful?"
Gabriel locked his jaw. "How is a hole 'beautiful'?"
The team of three were standing around a wide entrance to a tunnel underground. Parameters had been set up to save the sight with a wooden fence, but, beside that the sounds of murmuring and digging came from down below.
"Shall we go down?" Ludvig asked cheerfully.
Gabriel lumbered to the hole and looked down. He could see a steady ladder was embedded in the edge of the entrance, so workers could get into their workspace. He smiled—more like smirked—and shook out his hands. "Allow me," he said smoothly. He took a step into the hole.
Luna and Ludvig shot out to stop him from dropping. "Wait!" they shouted.
Gabriel ignored them as he created a spiral staircase with each step he took and lowered himself into the tunnel.
Luna huffed as she began to follow Gabriel with Ludvig right behind her. "Show off," she insulted.
The way down proved to be a long one, but easy to get down to with Gabriel leading the way and creating earth stairs. Gabriel was the first to make it to the bottom of the tunnel and took Luna's hand to guide her the rest of the way, as a gentleman should. Still, his eyes wandered curiously at the runic language he saw. "Well, now. I had no idea you had so much to work with, Sir Ludvig," he breathed.
Luna looked about with wide eyes. "Yeah. Same."
The tunnels were filled with rune sketches. They were in neat lines and rows and etched perfectly with torches for people to read them. However, none of it looked familiar to Luna in the slightest. All she saw were scratches that could be misinterpreted and hieroglyphs that could be mistaken as drawings of a three-year-old in her time.
Ludvig came up to the wall of the tunnel and smoothed his hand on it. He sighed dreamily. "Are they not extraordinary?" he asked rhetorically. "Each tells us a different story, a different meaning to the world we call our home. People of our past would come here to write their heroic tales and origin stories, so they not be forgotten when in the future swept. It is so intimate in its story-telling." He let his hands run over the wall of inscriptions. "It is like… With each rune I touch, I feel the ancients beside me, writing their present."
Luna's eyes sparkled as she listened to Ludvig. "The way you speak about this… It's so amazing and passionate," she complimented.
Ludvig blushed and fiddled with his satchel. "Please, Miss Lucy, you flatter me when there is no need," he told her. "I apologize for getting carried away. My intended finds it endearing, but I—"
"Wait. 'Intended'?" Luna echoed. "Like a fiancé?"
Ludvig beamed and nodded and held out his hand, his Magic Circle appearing. "Solid Script: Lantern!" he chanted, writing out the word LANTERN. The word ignited itself and soaked up the Magic Circle. Soon, the letters melded together to form a lantern lit with a candle. He held onto the lantern by its handle and began to walk, Luna and Gabriel following him. "To answer your inquiry, yes, Miss Lucy, exactly like a fiancé. You of all people should know in the aristocratic society—" He stopped and frowned. "Ah, but with your parents' death, you may not know," he figured.
"'May not know' what?" Luna asked.
Gabriel answered and unhappily did so. "Typically, aristocrats have arranged marriages for their children," he informed, making Luna look up at him. "It is similar to a business deal and happens before the children are old enough to even understand what defines 'marriage'. From that, the pair would either marry at fourteen or would wait until the maturity of twenty."
Luna frowned and peered at Ludvig. "So, you couldn't choose your fiancé? You're not marrying her for love, but because of your parents?"
Ludvig laughed. "Please, worry not, Miss Lucy! It is a social norm in high society," he assured. "I may not look it, but the Krause family is of noble blood. My parents were understanding enough to let me pursue the art of wizardry and join the Archaeological Society even when the use of Magic is looked down on by lords and ladies. They have been gracious enough to support me and take interest in my findings!" His smile dimmed to one half-hearted and tainted in sadness. "The least I could do is go along with the proposal. And, my fiancé… I can…learn to love her like she deserves."
Luna found herself irritated at the very thought. "But, Mister Ludvig, you don't 'learn' to love someone and you don't do it for your parents!" she argued fiercely. "If my ma—! I mean, if my auntie taught me anything, it's that you marry someone you fall in-love with completely! You don't have your parents set you up! You go on dates and get to know each other first before you even start thinking of marriage!"
Ludvig gave a weak chuckle. "I have heard the Heartfilia Clan is vehemently against arranged marriages, but never did I think I would be lectured on one about the wrongness of it all. But, please, Miss Lucy, it is not all bad. My intended… She is a childhood friend. I have always cared for her like I would a sister and she has allowed me to pursue my Magic and continue my role in the society. So, to marry such a close friend is an honor."
Luna shook her head. "But—!" A hand on her shoulder stopped her. Angry chocolate swiveled to connect with warning ruby.
Gabriel subtly shook his head.
Luna pointedly looked away, her anger still boiling in her throat.
How can anyone be happy with an arranged marriage? How can anyone be happy marrying someone they don't love?
Because, pup, that is the way of the present you find yourself in, came Icarus' soft rumble.
Luna's face softened into bewilderment. Icarus?
Yes, pup, it is I. I should nip you for abandoning me this morning, Icarus thought to her.
Luna sighed. I'm sorry, she apologized. I should've told you where I was going. I completely forgot.
That is quite all right. I found you regardless and will stand watch.
Luna's eyes widened as she looked up at the ceiling. Wait… Are you outside?
°•°•°•°
Icarus stretched his tongue as he yawned. He lay near the fenced off tunnel entrance, not minding the grass. His big head lay on his paws and he closed his eyes.
Yes. I will keep guard from the outside to ensure no intruders follow you in. The golem you call 'Hugo' seems to have followed me.
Hugo stood next to Icarus. His blank eyes looked beyond to watch the Mûre River and Margaret Town and the building of the bridge near completion.
Icarus opened one eye to observe Hugo.
Either he followed me in hopes of finding you or knew where you were and needed to stay close to you. It would be wise to let us know both before you leave our sights. Meira and myself would not like anything to happen to you.
°•°•°•°
Luna gave a sheepishly smile. Sorry again. I didn't mean to worry you.
Icarus snorted. At least you apologized. When Meira was your age, she wandered off more times than I can count when her mother placed me as her guardian and, rather than apologize for worrying me, she proceeded to try and throw a stick and told me to 'fetch', saying she did not need a puppy looking after her. Can you believe that?
Luna chuckled within her mind. Actually, I can. She's like my mama. My mama told me Papa used to follow her on solo missions to 'protect' her, so she would try to keep running away from him and leaving food to keep him distracted.
Your parents certainly sound entertaining.
Luna's face dropped as her smile turned sad. Yeah, they are. I just…hope they're even married when I get back to my time… If my time even exists, that is…
Her thoughts were interrupted when Gabriel brushed against her. Her eyes snapped to him to see him looking quite apologetic. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I wanted to…apologize…for my brash behavior towards you," Gabriel confessed. "It was wrong of me to try and dictate your actions and I apologize for that."
Luna smiled. "I see where they get it from."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "My descendants, you mean?"
Luna nodded. "Mmm-hmm. Overprotectiveness must run in the bloodline," she observed in minor hilarity. She playfully jabbed Gabriel's shoulder. "That and being jerks," she teased.
Gabriel's lips pulled into a fanged grin. "Your time certainly has interesting vocabulary. Perhaps you could teach it to me before you return so I know when you insult me and how to properly insult you back," he joked.
Luna stuck out her tongue. "No way! This is the first time I've actually had an advantage and I'm keeping it!"
Gabriel's grin twisted into a smirk. "Ma printzesa, c'est a quelluncoup de que je dèsun descoprir à tè. J'envieja mon futuru inhèritier qui est à to latà," he spoke flawlessly.
Luna puffed her cheeks with playful agitation raging in her eyes. "I'm pretty sure you called me 'princess', but what's the rest of it mean? Were you insulting me?"
Gabriel chuckled. "Je suppose que ne parlebas pa le Pèrencesse?" he figured.
"If you're asking if I speak Perench then no, I don't, you jerk," Luna bit. She crossed her arms. "You were totally making fun of me, weren't you?"
Gabriel gave a careless shrug. "Qui est-hì dicir?"
"I hate you."
There was a flurry of chuckles that floated back to the pair. The two broke from their intimate conversation to look at Ludvig whose shoulders were shaking.
"Do not mind Gabriel, Miss Lucy. He was not insult you," Ludvig promised, making Gabriel blush. "He is merely teasing you in Perench." He glanced back at a panicked Gabriel with a sly smirk. "Shall I translate for the lady?"
"A-A-Ah! Um! That will not be necessary, Sir Ludvig, thank you," Gabriel stammered with Luna giggling.
Ludvig chuckled more and turned back to the front. "To save you from your embarrassment, you should both know we are nearly there."
The rest of the walk was not that exciting or full of talk. Gabriel was too embarrassed to look Luna in the eye while Luna's eyes roamed at the foreign text that held secrets she could only hope to dream. The tunnel came to an end where a cavern waited for the trio.
"Solid Script: Light!" Ludvig chanted. The word LIGHT melded into an ethereal ball of light and floated into the cavern, lighting the entire thing up.
Luna's eyes widened as she stopped at the entrance. "Holy moly," she whispered.
Gabriel stopped at her side to look at the cavern as well, enthralled. "If that means 'wow' in your time, I agree," he whispered.
The cavern was nothing short of extraordinary. Ancient text was etched into such carefully crafted earth that did not look like earth at all. It looked like marble and onyx were permanently cemented on the cavern walls and were polished to shine. Even the ground was covered in such gemstone with Ancient Language scribbled into it in rings. The centerpieces of the entire cavern were what really made people stare into it. Two orbs rotated about in endless orbit, never touching like they were never supposed to touch. They looked like the orbs in Meira's house, but on a bigger and brighter scale. Above the orbs as an open ceiling that was not covered in gemstone. This ceiling was open to the water. You could see aquatic life swim past it without ever looking down. It was like an aquarium in its own way and a magical one indeed.
Ludvig sighed appreciatively. "So, this is our latest find," he introduced.
"Beautiful," Luna complimented. "Amazing… Wonderful even…" She stepped further into the room. "People—actual people—made this. They created this all for the Guardian Duo. It's incredible what humans can do."
"The ceiling is the real mystery," Ludvig told. "We are actually underneath the Mûre River."
Luna's jaw dropped. "But—? Wha—? How?" she stammered. "We didn't even walk that far!"
"It is confirmed," Ludvig said simply. "We are right, indeed, below the Mûre River. Be it through Magic or some other means."
"Awesome," Luna breathed. "And these ruins…" She looked about the cavern filled with Ancient Language. "What do they all mean?"
"That is the question," Ludvig sighed. He took his lantern to the walls and traced the runes with a vague finger. "We have only just started to match the ancient text with our own. Perench, Encan, Joyzaarian, Idarian, languages of Valchestria, Podemelian, Romulan—many of their languages are mangled in this text. It boggles me as to the why and how the people of the past found such a place to write." He turned his head to the orbiting small planets. "And the mystery of those two baffle me. If only we could understand this text, we could catch a glimpse of their thought process."
Gabriel felt the walls and furrowed his brow. "This is not normal rock," he declared. "It feels…alive somehow. Magic must be deep-rooted into its inorganic structure. Fascinating."
Luna wandered to the center of the orbiting spheres. She watched as they went along in endless dance, rotating and never complaining. However, they looked a bit too close for comfort and that was unsettling.
I don't get it. Those two stand for Nayda and Erion, but why? Why are they here? Why is this place here?
She took another step forward but found herself tripping on her dress and fell to her hands and knees.
Ludvig panicked. "Miss Lucy—!"
"I'm okay," Luna grunted. "Don't worry about me." She pushed herself back to her knees and to her feet, dusting off her dress. "Stupid dress. Stupid society rules. How did women ever run in stuff like this?" she muttered.
Something glinted and caught her eye.
Luna blinked as she studied the floor. "Huh. What's that?" She hunched over to see she had made it to the center of the rings with a picture drawn rather than runes. She traced it only to realize something. "This is higher than the ground. I must've tripped over this and not my dress," she realized. She looked at the odd symbol curiously. "But…what does it mean?" she wondered. "And, where I have I seen this before?" Her eyes widened as she remembered.
The focus narrowed on a symbol uncovered by vines. It was an odd symbol with horns and a mane and a tail and legs, but nothing she had ever seen before.
"The wall when I got lost," Luna whispered.
It led me to the place where I met Syra. But…it didn't do it without—
Luna raised her palm to look at it.
It needed…blood…
Luna clenched her hand.
This is a long shot. I might just be kidding myself, but…
Luna let her hand stretch and lowered her palm to the symbol. She bit her lip.
Well… Here goes nothing…
Luna flattened her palm on the symbol. She waited in anticipation for something, anything, to happen. Yet, nothing happened, and disappointment twirled her lips into a frown.
Maybe I was—
"Ah!" Luna yelped and yanked back her head. She looked to see blood was drawn from her hand in the form of a cut across her palm. "If this is what donating blood is like, count me out," she complained to herself.
Gabriel and Ludvig were quick to be by her side. "Miss Lucy, are you okay?" Ludvig fretted. His eyes widened at the cut on Luna's hand. "Gadzooks! What happened to your palm?"
Luna smiled uneasily. "Oh, uh, nothing. Just me being clumsy," she laughed off.
Gabriel frowned and inspected the cut. "How so? There is nothing here on which for you to cut your hand," he said, suspicious.
Luna tried to hide her palm. "Yeah, well, I tripped and cut it, okay?" She did not mean to be short with him; she just did not want to answer questions. "Be—"
The entire floor rumbled, and the runes woke up in a white glow.
Gabriel was quick to shelter Luna when he saw the rings of runes on the floor begin to shift clockwise and counter-clockwise. "Sir Ludvig, stay close!" he shouted.
Ludvig crouched on the other side of Luna to protect her, all of them hovering of the mysterious symbol. "Solid Script: Bubble Shield!" he chanted. The words BUBBLE SHIELD appeared and melded into an actual bubble shield surrounding them.
The two men watched as the runes shifted and shifted like they were trying to find a new home. Stones began to break the surface, surrounding the trio. The stones went up and up and up with Ancient Language scrawled on their faces and tattooing their bodies. Luna gasped when she could feel the ground beneath them, shaking and vibrating as though upset it had to move.
Icarus' voice flooded through Luna's mind. Pup, do you need me? I sense your anxiety and fear.
I—… I-I-I don't know what's happening, Luna whimpered. I thought something would happen, but I—
The golem and I are entering the tunnels, Icarus growled. Stay put. Do not move.
Okay.
Luna flinched when she heard a large crack.
Everyone stopped.
Everything stilled.
Nothing—no one—moved.
"Gadzooks," Ludvig drawled out in a low gasp. "This changes everything…!"
"Is it over?" Luna murmured.
"Oh, Miss Lucy, it is far from 'over'!" Ludvig's voice perked with excitement he broke his shield to stand up. "Why, this is marvelous!"
When Luna wriggled, Gabriel uncurled around her to look at the change room. He let out a low breath as he stood up, holding a hand out for Luna. "My God…"
Luna made use of Gabriel's hand and allowed him to help her up. She fluffed out her dress. "What are you talking…"—she looked around and her eyes widened—"about…? Oh, wow…."
The location of the runes had completely changed from their original positions. Not one rune was in the same place as it had been. A circular stage had been made where Ludvig, Gabriel, and Luna stood with descending stairs, but five stones had popped up to surround the stage with inscriptions, each looking over the size of mere eight feet.
Ludvig went to one of the stones and allowed his fingers to grave of their ancient text. "Extraordinary," he whispered. "A new set of runes…"
Paw steps and lumbering feet skidded into the room of runes. Luna and Gabriel looked to see Hugo and Icarus looking for their ward and, when they found her, quickly came to her aid. Icarus allowed his nose to poke and prod Luna, sniffing her carefully.
Are you all right? I could feel the earth shake beneath my paws, he told her.
Luna rubbed Icarus' jaw. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you.
Icarus prodded her hand to see the cut mark. His eyes sharpened. You have been wounded, he growled.
Luna tried to hide the abrasion. I, um. Right. I was just testing something and, well, I—
Let me see it, Icarus commanded.
Luna sighed and opened her palm. Icarus sniffed the wound before puffing a breath over it. His tongue began to lap at it, making her flinch. Luna, instead, turned to Hugo who looked down at her. If the golem had a soul and emotion, he might have looked worried.
"I'm sorry, Hugo." Luna gave him a half-hearted smile. "I didn't mean to leave you behind. I know you have orders to protect me. I'm really sorry."
Hugo only blinked.
There. It is done, Icarus rumbled, pulling his head back.
Luna looked down her hand to see— "Hey, it's healed," she breathed in awe. She looked at Icarus. "You healed me?"
Icarus bobbed his head.
Luna leaned forward to place a kiss on Icarus' muzzle and nuzzle it. "Thank you," she murmured.
Icarus closed his eyes. Of course, pup, he told her. Now that I know you are safe and unharmed… He drew his head back and opened his eyes.
Angry wolfish eyes glared into nervous chocolate ones.
How could you go off on your own? You know I told you to tell me where you are going, Icarus scolded, his words growing progressive faster. You cannot simply ignore my rules. ThisisforyourownsafetyyoucannotjustrunoffandexpectmetoknowwhereyouareIamnotMagepupyouhave…
Luna sweat-dropped and gave a sheepish smile. Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you, she tried to apologize as Icarus kept rapidly chiding her. She stepped towards him to give him a great hug, cutting him off from his rant.
Just what do you think you are doing? Icarus asked irritably.
"Come on, Icarus, who's a good dog?" Luna baby-talked, rubbing his jaw. "That's right! You're my good boy! Yes, you are!"
Icarus tried to stop his tail from wagging, his eyebrow twitching. You cannot… You will not tempt me…
"Who wants a treat?" Luna cooed. "Who wants a treat? Do you want one, boy, huh? Who's my good boy?"
Icarus found his legs shaking. Must stay…in control…
Luna's hands began to creep behind Icarus' left ear. "And, if you're anything like Lelantos, Actaeon, and Plue, your weak spot should be right…here!" And, she furiously began scratching behind Icarus' left ear.
Icarus curled in his tail, but his whole body shook. I… he struggled to convey. I am…
He was suddenly on his back, tongue lolling and tail wagging, as Luna scratched his stomach and cooed baby words at him.
I am a good boy! Yes! Give me more belly scratches! I am a good boy! Icarus yipped happily.
Gabriel tried to hide his smirk behind a hand but found himself laughing. "The scary Canis Minor reduced to a simple house puppy. Master will love to hear this."
Icarus froze as though suddenly realizing his predicament. The next thing anyone knew, a depressed Icarus sat away from the group with his head bowed low and a shameful aura around him, Hugo consoling the Clifford with light pats.
I am not a good boy, he thought forlornly. Tricked by belly scratches. I do not deserve a treat.
Luna looked around the reestablished cavern. "So, what happened?" she wanted to know. "Everything is so different."
"Not certain," Gabriel remarked, his eyes raking across the cavern. "Sir Ludvig? Any guesses?"
"By the bucket load!" Ludvig said cheerfully. "Oh, these runes! I am beginning to make some sense of them!" He was quick to set down his back and dump the contents onto the ground. "Oh, where are they? Where are they?" he muttered to himself as Luna and Gabriel went to hover over him. He found his glasses and put them on shortly.
Luna recognized those glasses. "Hey, wait. Are those Gale-Force glasses?
"What? Oh, yes, Miss Lucy," Ludvig said vaguely. "Amazing for reading and processing texts faster than you naturally can." His eyes flickered from the Ancient Language scrawled on the stone. "Yes, yes, yes… I see…" He reached for the pile of quills he had brought with him but failed to bring ink. "Activate!" he chanted.
Luna was wide-eyed as she watched the quills jolt to life. She was amazed that the quills need no guidance into what their job was; they began to write in scrolls and books and a few began to write runes in mid-air. She saw some make a few mistakes and flip to their feathery side to rub it out before starting over again. All the while, Ludvig touched the stone and flipped through his books, writing his own notes with a quill at a fast pace seemingly inhuman.
"So, that would be the bluff," Ludvig muttered. "Now, if I interpret that in reverse and add on the Meson runic alphabet…"
"Quick-Notes Quills," Gabriel murmured in Luna's ear. "A few are Light Versions and can write mid-air. Something you have in your timeline?"
"Something similar," was all Luna gave. "I've seen my aunt work like this. I wish I was that smart."
"As do I," Gabriel agreed. "Runologists, linguists, anthropologists, archaeologists… In the Archaeological Society, they collect such magnificent people to uncover the beauties of this world."
"Is your dad part of the Archaeological Society?" Luna wanted to know.
Gabriel chuckled and shook his head. "No. He refuses to join the society until all dragons are long dead and gone. But, we all know such a thing will not happen."
Luna tried to smile in amusement but failed miserably. "Right," was all she coughed out.
Ludvig stilled, his body shaking. "Gadzooks…" he whispered. "This work… This work is incredible!"
"What have you found, sir?" Gabriel wanted to know.
Ludvig stood up and pulled his glasses to rest upon his face. His tail twitched as his eyes shuffled around. He looked at his book filled with chicken scratch of notes. "Where does it fit? Not there… Not there…" His eyes landed on the one empty gap between two stones that looked bigger than the others. "Ah, there!" He rushed over to it with Icarus, Hugo, Gabriel, and Luna watching him pace about. "Yes, yes, yes, I understand now! This all makes sense!" he exclaimed.
"Um, what does?" Luna pried. "Did you find something about the guardians?"
Ludvig's wild eyes turned to Luna as a big smile marked his face. "Did I find 'something'? My dear girl, I believe I found the answer!" he said gleefully. "You see, this very ground, what we are standing on, all of this"—he gestured before them, twirling about—"is the key to the River Guardian!"
Luna blinked, brow furrowing. "The key?"
Ludvig nodded enthusiastically and looked at his pages of notes he took. "Yes, Miss Lucy, the key!" he confirmed. He rushed to Gabriel and Luna to show him his notes. "You see, every spirit, every deity or goddess or god—they cannot step onto another realm without some sort of tether to bind them here," he explained. His eyes shot to another stone and he pointed at it. "Look! Look, look, look!" He grabbed Luna's hand and tugged her to the stone with Gabriel following. He let go of her hand to touch the stone with a childlike smile. "See here? This states the very same thing Mages have been theorizing for years!" he rapidly informed.
"Like a Star Key," Gabriel referenced. He began to understand Ludvig's crazed work. "You are talking about Bayer's Shrine Theory," he realized.
Luna wrinkled her nose. "What's that?"
Gabriel explained as Ludvig had begun jotting more with his quills writing in his scrolls and journals and mid-air. "Bayer's Shrine Theory postulates a greater being, such as the constellations, spirits, ghosts, souls, the Encan Titans and Gods and Goddesses, or even other gods and deities of other religions are not allowed to enter another world without some sort of medium to allow them. This theory was suggested to the reason of Star Gates and Star Keys and why the stars cannot come to Earth Land without a key and a key-bearer to open it."
Luna was starting to make sense of it, but it was still a bit confusing. "Okay, so… What does this have to do with the guardians?"
"Do you not see, my dear?" Ludvig breathed, still working. "These guardians of Margaret Town—they are bound to this town by earthly means! And, this"—he gestured around him—"is the shrine of the River Guardian! This is its earthly bound!"
Luna's eyes widened. "No way," she whispered. "This is her connection to Earth Land? To the town? To the Mûre River?"
Ludvig paused. "Well, yes and no," he amended. "This is definitely a sacred place dedicated mostly to the River Guardian with mentions of the Sky Guardian, however…" He gave a groan of frustration. "We are missing its key."
"A 'key'?" Luna questioned.
"Yes. An item of some sort that would keep it bound to this place, this town, to its river," Ludvig explained. "We are missing its medium, how it draws power from its dimension and uses it in ours."
"Do you have any leads?" Gabriel hoped.
Ludvig sat back on the heels of his shoes, his tail twitching irritably. "Not yet," he huffed. "There are still some complications. There is talk of some form of crystal or something and six appears in the text often, but…" He shook his head. "I cannot make sense of it."
Luna bit her lip.
Still, this is amazing news. We're getting a step closer; I can feel it. Maybe somebody already messed with the medium and that's why we can't see anything now. But, maybe they haven't. Still, we're a step closer and that's better than nothing. We're a step closer to figuring out why I was brought back here. And, we're a step closer to figuring out Nayda's reasons for turning her back on the people she swore to protect.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And, now, we move back to the present!
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
KINGDOM: FIORE
CAPITAL: CROCUS
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Hisui rubbed her temples as she worked from her bedroom. It was an illustrious suite all on its own with its own open living room, a bar, bathroom, office, and miniature kitchen. If she wanted, she could forever stay in her room and never leave, but that was not the way she was raised. She was raised to always be there for her people, not looked away in her room like a damsel-in-distress. She worked in a robe woven from the finest silk in Joya and her green hair swept into low ponytail hanging off her right shoulder. She let her simple snack of a sandwich and tea sit barely touched beside her with work scattered about her. A Lacrima-Vision was on, playing the news on mute, while Madelia made herself useful in helping straighten papers and reviewing them.
"The day I stop reviewing papers is the day I'm dead," Hisui remarked morbidly. "And, I still have last minute touch-ups to finish for the Royal Thanksgiving Dinner. The head chef wants to go through another taste-testing."
Madelia chuckled. Her laugh was less polite and more relaxed and informal. "Please, mind the chef, Hisui. He wants everything as perfect as you do."
Hisui sighed. "I know, I know. He has every right to be. All lords and ladies are coming for this, including many from the parliament and even personal friends—" She frowned. "Remind me to check all invitations were sent out."
"We just checked this morning," Madelia said, slightly exasperated.
"One more time couldn't hurt," Hisui argued. "Let's check again about the Share and Care Charity Dinner tomorrow as well. I want to make sure the new duke is properly settled in."
Madelia paused to shoot Hisui a look.
Hisui paused in her work to look at Madelia defensively. "What?"
Madelia grinned. "You do realize the Duke of Veronica arrived in Crocus two days ago, right?"
Hisui groaned and settled onto her bed. "That's it. I'm taking a vacation."
"You have a country to rule, Hisui. No breaks," Madelia said, singsong.
"I would never give up serving my people," Hisui assured. "I just don't want to be stressed. Everything needs to be perfect."
There were two rapt knocks on the door. "Your Highness," came a boom, "I bring you a messenger. May they enter?"
Hisui waved a hand as she sat up, composing herself. "Yes, fine," she allowed absently.
The dual doors opened wide. Two knights opened them, making sure their eyes did not wander to the queen or her lady-in-waiting. A mere errand-boy came into the door, looking nervous yet confident in his abilities. He wore his formal soldier attire and stopped before the queen's bed to give a firm salute.
"Officer Phineas Yeager, Your Majesty, with a summons from the Ministry of Defense," Officer Yeager shouted.
Hisui smiled. "At ease, Officer Yeager," she allowed. "About this summons…?"
Officer Yeager brought to his hand but dared not look his queen in the eye. "Yes, Your Majesty. I am here to escort you and your lady-in-waiting to the Ministry of Defense Headquarters if you will allow me."
Hisui looked at Madelia who nodded and bustled to the closet. "Of course. Please, allow me a moment to get into something more appropriate."
Officer Yeager swallowed. "Yes, of course, Your Majesty. I shall wait outside." He saluted again and robotically marched out of the bedroom with the knights shutting the door behind him.
Hisui frowned. "A summons from the Ministry of Defense," she murmured. "And an escort as well. I suppose an escort is normal, but still… All of this makes me on edge."
"Hisui, I have your clothes ready for you," Madelia called. "Do you need any help dressing?"
Hisui began to walk to the bathroom. "No thank you, Maddie. Allow me to freshen up in the bathroom first."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Hisui stepped into the bathroom, ignoring its luxurious fixtures, and stared at herself in her mirror. She could see the stress of running a nation show on her face and in her eyes, but it was a good stress, a stress she would never release.
There is no need for the queen to be present for the Ministry of Defense to make their movement. They report only to the Minister of Defense unless the situation threatens war. So, what reason would it be for me to be there? What reason is this summons?
°•°•°•°
It was no later Hisui was being helped out of a carriage by her personal guard. She looked up at the sleek building before her made of impenetrable glass and dark stone. It looked like an official's building, but not as odd as the Fiore Branch of the Magic Council. She could see officers and non-ranked workers going about their business without rush or flaw.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
« This the Ministry of Defense, housing over nearly 60 thousand civilian staff alone. »
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
A team of officers were at the ready to meet the queen and her lady-in-waiting, all of them saluting in her presence. The leader turned out to be a no-nonsense woman of scarlet hair and intense gold eyes.
"Your Majesty, it is an honor for you to come to the Ministry of Defense Headquarters," she spoke blandly. "As much as we wish this was a friendly visit, we have pressing matters to discuss."
Hisui nodded as Madelia was helped off the carriage. "I understand," she said softly. "I assume you are here to escort me to the conference room?"
"Affirmative, Your Majesty," the woman spoke. "My name is Colonel Liza Redeye. My men and I will be your escorts." She put down her arm and gestured to the Ministry of Defense building. "If you and your lady-in-waiting would so kindly come this way, we have the other ministers and the defense staff waiting for your arrival."
The colonel did not waste her time or breath and led the queen, her lady-in-waiting, and the guards into the headquarters. Soldiers opened doors for their guests and made sure there were no threats while the guards did the same. Madelia was taken back at the headquarters when she stepped inside. The lobby was quite open to any and every able body. Worldwide news was programmed on Lacrima screens attached to a sphere, looking like the Super Archive that Council had hidden. Multiple clocks with named by country were attached to a wall as well as a Lacrima Board with meetings in-progress, demands to be met, future meetings and arrivals of foreign guests, and so forth.
The colonel led everyone to a set of elevators stationed by soldiers. The colonel slid her keycard and showed passable ID to the two guards. The elevator dinged open, big enough for three-fourths of the party to fit.
"Right this way, Your Majesty, My Lady," Colonel Redeye said, allowing them to go in first.
The front guards swept into the elevator first, making sure all was clear. Hisui and Madelia came after with the vanguard taking up the rear. Colonel Redeye stepped into the elevator with four of her men, but the first stayed back as though knowing their job was over. Colonel Redeye pressed a button and the elevator doors shut with no issue to take them up.
When the elevator reopened, the floor they had landed on had little options when it came to rooms. The floor was covered in open conference rooms, each with meetings already in motion. Colonel Redeye led Hisui and Madelia to the one conference room with dual doors and closed off to the rest of the floor. Two soldiers straightened and saluted when they saw the colonel.
Colonel Redeye took out her ID and showed it to the soldiers. When they nodded, Colonel Redeye spun around to face Hisui. "Your Majesty, this is as far as I may take you. The rest wait for your arrival inside," she informed.
Hisui nodded and smiled at the colonel. "I thank you for your service."
Colonel Redeye and her men saluted Hisui before marching off back to the elevators.
The two soldiers guarding the conference did not hesitate to open the doors for their queen, allowing her and her guards to flood into the room. The conference room was not the most conventional one. There were no Thought Projections or Lacrima Screens or anything. Instead, the men sat at a round table with a virtual map of Fiore laid out on the table. Soldiers were stationed at the four corners and the flags of Fiore, of the United Ishgar Union, of the Ministry of Defense and all its agencies hung from the ceiling. This was a conference room only for the ministers and their staff. No one else had clearance.
All eleven men and women rose when they realized their queen was present and saluted her. "Your Majesty!" they greeted.
Hisui strode into the room with practiced grace and elegance. "At ease," she soothed. She did not need to have someone bring her a seat. There was a thrown for her already in place with a regal chair set for the lady-in-waiting to Her Highness. Hisui settled in her chair easily and Madelia did as well. Hisui looked at the brave people she saw before her and inclined her head. Inquisitive, yet not condescending. "You have summoned me, and I have made my appearance. As you know, you do not report to me, but the Minister of Defense for any subject matter that does not pertain to a declaration of war," she spoke. "I assume this meeting is not for a declaration of war?"
The oldest gentleman in the room shook his head. He was dressed in his uniform perfectly neat and clean. He was rather short, but not a shocking short. "No, Your Majesty, we have discussed nothing of the sort," he promised in a gruff voice.
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Vladimir Velimir
Age: 66
Occupation: Chief of Defense Staff
Likes: spending time with his grandchildren Dislikes: N/A
Special Note: Chief Velimir may be rough around the edges, but he is a big softy when it comes to his grandchildren! And, when it comes to well-endowed women… ⌟
A woman spoke up, one of three present. She was fairly younger than the others and fairly unique. She had chocolate skin and a lioness' eyes that proved to any man she deserved her position and would beat anyone who dared defy her. Yet, she was calculating, always planning, always thinking ahead. "Your Majesty, have you perchance watched the news?" she wondered.
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Ave Cadenza
Age: 35
Occupation: Minister of State
Likes: hunting Dislikes: cleaning the bathroom
Special Note: Minister Cadenza always puts the best of her country first—but when she's at home, her cats always come first! ⌟
Hisui felt her lips pull into a tight frown. "I haven't," she admitted. "Is there any reason I should have?"
Minister Cadenza let her sleek eyes go to her assistant and gave a small nod. The assistant was quick to pull out a remote and press a button. A Lacrima Screen took the place of the virtual map and showed FNN and what they were broadcasting.
Hisui's eyes remained passive.
Madelia's eyes noticeably widened.
The screen showed the atrocity of Margaret Town. It showed two creatures performing an awful display of their Magic as they attacked each other. It seemed the lion-type creature was adamant in defense and protecting the town while the other creature blasted its attacks at its foe and at the town itself. A news reporter was the voice-over for the video feed.
"—ness two unknown creatures battling right on top of Margaret Town, the City of the Guardian Duo," the anchor reporter. "As of late, accusations point to these very two being the Guardian Duo sworn to protect the town from harm. The people of Margaret Town were safely evacuated into nearby Shenzhen Town, but the Mages of not just Margaret Town's own Lamia Scale but Magnolia Town's Fairy Tail are caught amidst a losing battle. These next scenes contain sensitive video live from the site and views have been warned of this content."
The feed showed three Anti-Magic Unit soldiers left for dead while the fourth of their team protected his dead brethren without fail from creatures made of tainted water. He gave a battle cry as he kept on fighting, not giving up until a creature shot out a tentacle and wrapped it around him. He screamed, biting curse words, as he was strangled. The feed switched to an image of a female Mage severely bleeding. She, however, smirked and raised her hand. The blood she had lost and splattered on the ground came to her aid and forged blood knives. Another feed showed well-known Fairy Tail Mage Mystogan as he ran down the street, clutching his limp arm and trying to outlast the watery creatures after him. He gave himself a little jump to kick in his Flight Magic, but something was not right. He gave a grunt as he fell to the ground.
Hisui watched as more livestream and commentary of anchors was given. "I see." She did see. She really did see. "I know the legend of the Guardian Duo, but never did I think they would appear. Never did I think they would destroy the town they were supposed to protect."
"At first, we didn't think much about these guardians." Another male spoke up. He was a lanky man with hollow cheek bones, yet his eyes spoke years of experience. It was his big nose and half-moon glasses that stood him apart from the rest and a beard that hid his mouth, only shifting with each word he said.
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Sir Andrus Thorncroft
Age: 58
Occupation: Minister of State for the Armed Forces
Likes: playing the trumpet Dislikes: reptiles
Special Note: Sir Andrus Thorncroft may not look like much, but you should see him play his trumpet!⌟
"The folklore surrounding Fiore makes all of us skeptical," Andrus further explained. "We didn't discount the possibility of the guardians, but we did not make it a point to follow-up on them. Now that they have emerged in the same way they rose in their legendary story centuries ago, we are trying to plan counteractive measures to subdue them."
"Bah!" A pompous man, more muscular than the rest. He looked like the smoker of the group and had a prosthetic metal hand he did not mind people seeing. "I say kill the damn cretins. They're nothing more than pains in our asses."
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Thyreos Bulldog
Age: 47
Occupation: Vice-Chief of the Defense Staff
Likes: body-building Dislikes: guilds
Special Note: Vice-Chief Thyreos is a tough man to crack…but he certainly cracks when it comes to his petite wife! ⌟
"Give me an M-L-R-S, a Panzer, and an Aram," Thyreos grunted. "Tanks and rocket artillery should put these bastards to sleep for good.
"We will not kill these creatures," came the barbed snap of the second female officer present. She was a bit older but aged gracefully. Her hair was a graying black and cut short and her eyes squinted, but she showed her youth with her glowing complexion. "We've discussed this, Vice-Chief Bulldog. After consulting with our Defense Magicology Agency, the risk killing creatures of their magnitude could be catastrophic. We don't know what sort of balance they offer in nature. Are you going to risk messing with nature?"
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Ariete Walker
Age: 59
Occupation: Chief of the General Staff, Head of Fioren Army
Likes: theatre music Dislikes: dogs
Special Note: Chief Walker was one of the first women to have such a high position in the Ministry of Defense! ⌟
Thyreos curled his lips into a snarl. "You know my views, Chief Walker. If it's risking the general population, I will risk everything to save helpless people." His eyes flashed to the news screen still playing on the table and his lips curbed into a heartless smirk as he watched Mages alike fall victim to creatures that could not hope to kill. "From that it looks like, these Mages aren't doing any help but making themselves look like fools. Their Magic isn't doing them any good. How ironic."
Hisui lifted her chin to give the vice-chief a cold look. "Vice-Chief Bulldog, I would be wary of your language. I, too, am a Mage or did you forget your queen was a Celestial Spirit Mage?"
Thyreos let his eyes flick up to Hisui's and met her eyes defiantly. He looked ready to talk back, ready to dare say something against Her Majesty. But, in the end, like a petulant child, he lowered his gaze and bowed his head in reluctant submission. "Apologies, Your Majesty," he bit like it physically hurt to say such words. "I don't mean to bring offense, but you cannot deny the Mages you see before you are putting themselves in needless danger along with those Council shits." As sorry as he supposedly was, he would not give up vulgar language. "What's that dear old Magic Council have to say for themselves now? Not like they bothered to contact us about this. They just barge in without a warning."
"Per the agreement not only we but Her Highness and the international leaders around the world, the Magic Council is under no responsibility to contact us when there is a magical scuffle," said the smallest man of the room with an eye-patch and a cane beside him.
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Sumter Chattanooga
Age: 73
Occupation: First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Head of the Royal Navy
Likes: sailing Dislikes: Sinnish tequila
Special Note: Chief Chattanooga is the oldest in the Ministry of Defense, but stays young with great-grandchildren and his sailing!⌟
"The agreement states that the council may only use the branch stationed in a nation. They may not send any international branches for additional help unless they contact the leader of said nation first," Sumter recited. "Lord Magic-Speaker and Chairman Hyberion has no obligation to let us know when an Anti-Magic Unit is sent into a magical battle."
"Bunch of bullshit," Thyreos snapped. "The man puts me on edge every time I see him. Practically appears out of nowhere and has no common curtsey to even give warning and remember we have levels of clearance he cannot cross."
"Is that really what you think of little, old me, Vice-Chief?"
Madelia and the vice-chief were the only ones who showed they were visibly disgruntled at Draculos' sudden appearance. He stood at Hisui's side like it was a casual thing, like he had always done it. His piercing eyes looked directly at the gritted-teeth vice-chief.
"And here I was hoping we could at least get along," Draculos said with little amusement.
Thyreos gave a low growl. "You son of a—!"
The doors burst open for Draculos' secretary Miss Monics to stumble in the room. She looked mighty disheveled and flustered as her eyes sought her boss. "Sir, please, don't disappear on me like that! I can't keep up with you when you—!" She stopped to pant and stumble closer to the chairman. "Oh, my… I'm really"—she heaved again—"out of shape…"
Draculos smiled at his secretary. "My apologies, Miss Monics. I didn't want to miss the Ministry of Defense's planning when it comes to magical affairs." His eyes slid to Hisui and he bowed his head. "My apologies to you, Your Majesty, if you are insulted I or the branch officer of Fiore did not contact you during this crisis. We don't intend to offend such a powerful queen."
"Tch. Kiss ass," Thyreos muttered under his breath.
Hisui smiled at Draculos. "You know you bring me no offense, Lord Hyberion. When it comes to magical affairs, the Fiore Branch of the Magic Council has always done right to protect the people. I have no reason to distrust you now."
Andrus lifted a hand. "Your Majesty, if I may?"
Hisui nodded at him.
Andrus' eyes turned to Draculos. He harbored no ill-will, but that did not mean he welcomed the chairman. "Lord Hyberion, we are all under the impression your men and women will protect the people and preserve the peace, but what are your plans about these two so-called 'guardians of Margaret Town'?"
Draculos turned to face the entire table of officers who looked interested in his words. "As you may have predicted or already known, these guardians hold a balance to Margaret Town," he confided. "The pixiu represents the sky and wind while the suzaku represents the sea and storm. Even while inactive, both keep these elements in-check for the townspeople." His eyes swept to the vice-chief. "Killing them would not only amount to the utter destruction of the town, but all creatures in that area linked to both sky and sea would weaken and could potentially die. Even Mages with Elemental Magic of water and air will be severely harmed in the lash back."
Thyreos glared at Draculos. "So, what's it going to be, fearless chairman? Care to share your plans? Going to pit your Mages against these freaks of nature?"
"No. Of course not."
The last woman present looked surprised at Draculos' refusal. A freckled-face woman with fangs to boot and tan skin. "You're not going to use Magic to subdue them?"
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Boyacá Howitzer
Age: 56
Occupation: Chief of the Air Staff, Head of the Royal Air Force
Likes: Stellian pasta Dislikes: talent shows
Special Note: Chief Howitzer is a mean chef in the kitchen—just ask her staff! ⌟
"These guardians you see before you are not regular creatures," Draculos assured. "They are somewhat akin to deities or spirits."
"You want use to believe those things attacking each other are gods?" Thyreos asked skeptically.
"Believe what you want, Vice-Chief, I'm only telling what you should know as the truth," Draculos tossed to him. To the rest of the table, he continued, "More so spirits, I should say, and mighty powerful ones. Their power cannot be matched by the use of regular Magic or heavy artillery. It's more of a threat to try and take them on than to leave them alone."
"What be your recommendation on these creatures?" Hisui wanted to know. "We cannot simply allow them to try and slaughter each other."
"We won't," Draculos promised. "As of now, three more units have been dispatched to Margaret Town to turn the tide in this battle. Not only that, they will be on the perimeter of Margaret Town itself to ensure these water creatures and even Mages and creatures gone rogue will not leave the premises." He paused. "However," he added slowly, "I do have a small favor to ask." His eyes swept to the head of the entire ministry. "And, I ask this of you…Minister Marignano."
Everyone turned to the one who seldom spoke in all of this, preferring to watch his comrades verbally cross swords. He as a man with a sharp jawline and acute eyes. He carried a dauntless frown on his face at all times. In other words, he knew his rank, he knew his place, and he knew how to get the job done. That was the type of man he was.
⌜MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Name: Aaron Marignano
Occupation: Minister of Defense
Likes: N/A Dislikes: N/A
Special Note: Aaron is a complete mystery to the Ministry of Defense. He's quiet, calculating, and with a backstory no one knows—though, there are rumors he might be a pervert…⌟
Aaron did not lift an eyebrow; he merely lifted his chin. "Ask away, Chairman," he allowed, voice deep and formal, nothing short of the perfect minister.
Draculos nodded. "While I am always against a nation's army to interfere with the work of the council, I am willing to allow it on one condition."
Aaron frowned. "And, that would be?"
"Like the council, you have your own special forces," Draculos said. "And, I would like to make use of one particular strike force."
Thyreos understood where this was going and stood up. "No way in Hell would we ever cater to the mere whims of you!" he spat.
"Sit down, Vice-Chief," Ariete commanded. "Stop acting childish in times of a crisis."
"And, which strike force would you like?" Aaron asked as though already agreeing.
Draculos did not even flinch. "You know the one."
Aaron's eyes flicked from Draculos to Hisui and back to Draculos. "By all means, have them," he granted.
Thyreos look at the minister in seething rage. "How could accept this, Minister?" he snapped.
Aaron did not let his eyes fall onto the upset vice-chief. "Because, unlike you, Vice-Chief, I understand and accept Magic is an integral part of the world we live in and would be a fool to turn my back on it. But, if this is really that upsetting, let's take a vote on it instead of letting my word be law. All those in favor?" He raised his hand.
Thyreos looked around and spluttered when everyone else did as well. "Damn you all!" he shouted. "Damn you all for believing this bullshit!"
Vladimir sighed. "That is enough, Vice-Chief. Don't make us rethink your rank. As much as you love to be a part of this, remember"—his eyes glinted—"you are expendable."
Thyreos growled at his elder but sat down in his chair grumpily.
Aaron stood up and looked about the room. "I trust that none of you will send your men to defend Margaret Town. I have to agree with Lord Hyberion. Guns and other weapons will only hurt us more so than the enemy. We are to stay informed, stay alert, but not make a single move unless I give the command. Understood?"
Everyone but Madelia, Miss Monics, and Hisui rose to salute their minister. "Yes, Minister!"
Aaron nodded. "Dismissed."
The ministers and chiefs left the conference room with only Thyreos griping to himself and shooting deadly glares at Draculos. The minute the door swung shut, Madelia and Miss Monics let out relieved breaths.
"For a moment there, I thought the vice-chief was going to lose it," Miss Monics remarked.
Madelia agreed. "Me too." She looked at Hisui. "Has he always been this vocal against Magic?"
Aaron answered in her stead. "There was time he was a fan of guilds. But, times have changed and so do opinions." He looked at Draculos. I apologize for my vice-chief. I will have his rank looked over thoroughly."
Draculos shook his head. "No need, Minister. He is allowed to have his opinions on Magic. Not many are fond of Magic and less are found of guilds made of Mages. I understand his viewpoints and will respect them." He bowed to Aaron. "Thank you for allowing the use of your strike force. I have good faith they will fare well." He straightened to look at Hisui. "We'll speak soon, Your Majesty," he promised. With that, he walked away. "Come, Miss Monics. We have much to do." And, he disappeared.
Miss Monics went bug-eyed. "W-W-Wait! Sir, wait for me!" She was about to rush off when she remembered her manners blushingly. "Oh! U-Um!" She bowed quickly to Hisui and Madelia. "Your Majesty, My Lady!" She saluted to Aaron. "Minister!" And, she rushed off, shouting for Draculos.
Hisui chuckled. "She's an interesting one," she had to admit. "Draculos certainly picked a good-hearted woman."
"I agree. Miss Monics is becoming a great asset to him," Madelia had to put in. She stood up. "I will make sure the preparations for our departure are met, Your Majesty."
Hisui gave a nod of approval and Madelia left the conference without any dilly-dallying.
The doors shut.
That left the Queen of Fiore and her Minister of Defense.
"How is she?" Aaron spoke softly. His eyes softened a little as he studied his queen.
Hisui had a bright and loving smile on her face. "As curious as ever," she answered. "She has a knack for escaping."
Aaron allowed a hint of a smile. "I figured," he laughed quietly.
Silence enveloped them.
Hisui spoke up this time. "You didn't need me to be here," she remarked as fact.
Aaron had to nod to that. "No, I didn't." Another fact. "The Ministry of Defense doesn't need a royal unless of national crisis." He paused as though trying to arrange his words. "But, I understand you care much for your people," he had to compliment. "You love them and care for them. While magical affairs are not in the interest of the ministry, the Mages fighting today are in yours. I highly respect that."
"I appreciate the respect," Hisui assured. "At least from most of you. But, I'd rather you invite me when the nation is in a state of peril rather than one city." Her eyes went to the empty chairs. "Your ministers and chiefs were very welcoming of my presence, but I would see the underlying suspicion. I don't want to jeopardize your position nor make them think the crown will be the head of the ministry."
"The crown should be involved in all ministries," Aaron said in quiet argument. "You are the leader of this nation—"
"But not the minister of this nation," Hisui interjected. "I am nothing more than the figurehead who is stepping in for the Prime Minister until a new one is elected."
Aaron subconsciously locked his jaw. "Is it wrong to hope a new Prime Minister is never elected?"
Hisui laughed at that as she stood up. "Between your constant refusal to be present at the mere discussion of a new candidate alongside the other ministers and Arcadios and I not being impressed with every candidate presented, we just might not have a Prime Minister," she teased lightly. "Enough of that now. I must leave. Preparations for the Thanksgiving Banquet must be complete along with a visit to Margaret Town the second this ordeal is over." She paused to look at the minister. "Will I see you at the banquet, Minister Marignano?"
Aaron nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. All ministers and their families attend such a royal event."
Hisui smiled and hummed. "Yes, of course, Minister." And, she left Aaron to his lonesome.
Mary Jane continued her rather lonely walk down a tunnel about which she had no idea. She had taken to lighting her hand with her violet Magic. She looked about with an annoyed expression.
This is just great. I'm stuck here with two morons; my sound pod is gone; and we're trapped.
Her eyes dimmed as she looked elsewhere.
I bet my family is really worried. Not like I meant to have an attack in the middle of nowhere or anything. I just…
She frowned at herself.
I wish I had more control. It wouldn't worry them as much if I did. That's fine, I guess. They have Lance, the golden boy of the family.
A lick of anger flickered across her face.
Perfect son, perfect Mage… Just perfect. Everything I'm not.
DRIP.
Mary Jane's eyes perked.
DROP.
What's that? she wondered.
Mary Jane did not hesitate to quicken her pace yet keep cautious as she listened to the gathering dripdrops. Her gaze sharpened when she began to pick out multiple light sources. As she came closer, she realized those light sources were nothing more than crystals that looked off. She stopped as she saw a cluster of them attached to the wall. In the violet lighting, they looked tinged in darkness. They looked almost vile and poisonous, like one touch could harm you. She wrinkled her nose as she studied the phenomenon.
Never seen something like this before. It looks almost…watery, maybe? But, then… I feel this weird negative energy around… It's kind of like what those familiars felt like, but darker and worse.
She looked down the tunnel. There were more dark crystals lighting the way, but that was not just it.
And there's more energy like that down the tunnel, but why?
She steeled her face over in hard determination.
Only one way to find out.
She continued her wary walk, stepping closer and closer. She found her eyes shifting around the tunnel in distrust. She did not know what was there, if she were alone, or if something was watching her, but she knew better than to rush into thing impulsively. Her hand opened for Magic to gather in her palm and length. It formed her modular spear she had used during the Harvest Festival and was ready for a battle. She continued her slow stroll, but she swallowed when she felt something dark curling around her.
Funny. Never felt nervous before. A demon couldn't possibly be here. We would've felt it a while back if we had known, but… But, then again, they have the ability to mask their presence, right? If anything, it might just be a powerful familiar, but it doesn't feel quite like that.
°•°•°•°
STEP. STEP. STEP.
Feet trekked across the earthy floor without regard to who heard them and who did not.
°•°•°•°
If anything, that means I should be more on-guard, Mary Jane thought as static sparked off her. I'm not powerful enough in my Lightning Magic like Lance or Daddy to have that Radar Sense they use, but…
She stopped.
Maybe… If I can focus hard enough…
°•°•°•°
STEP. STEP. STEP.
They kept moving. They had to keep moving.
°•°•°•°
Mary Jane let her static spark from her body and closed her eyes. Deep inhale. Deep exhale.
Okay, Daddy said to just breathe and focus. Send out my static in waves and I should get at least a glimpse of what's around me. Just…concentrate.
Her static purred around her, getting excited at the thought of being used.
That's it. Gather my lightning… And, then…
Mary Jane's piercing eyes opened as lightning struck them.
Now!
Her static burst off her and went in all different directions. She could feel her lightning bouncing back to report to her, reaching out to make sure no part of the tunnel was left untouched. She did not necessarily see anything, but she felt impressions. She could feel what she could not see.
Okay, That's it. Just stay focused.
°•°•°•°
STEP. STEP. STEP.
ZZT.
The steps stopped.
Cyan static sparked back.
°•°•°•°
Mary Jane's eyes widened before narrowing.
I know that feeling, she groused. And I hate that feeling.
STEP. STEP. STEP.
Mary Jane slowly turned around. "So, you followed me?" she grunted.
The footsteps stopped.
Mary Jane looked into the guilty eyes of Igneel—he had conjured fire in his right palm for light—and Peter. "Sorry, MJ," Igneel apologized. He shouldered the make-shift pack he had on his back that presumably had all of their belongings. "We just got worried."
Mary Jane snorted. "I was just exploring." She twirled the modular spear between in her fingers like she was twirling a pencil. "Unlike you, moron, I'm not defenseless. I would've been fine."
Peter frowned. "But, what if you had another migraine?" he countered.
"Still wouldn't have required help," Mary Jane told him sharply. "Concern isn't necessary, hafū. I have one puppy. I don't need another one following me." Her eyes widened before she pivoted to face the rest of the tunnel. "So that's it," she whispered to herself.
"What's 'it'?" both Peter and Igneel asked.
Mary Jane stood before the tunnel and began to take steps into it.
I felt something. There's some sort of hole, I think. Looks like it goes pretty far down. Since my Radar Sense isn't that good, I don't know what's at the bottom. But, it's worth checking out. Whatever negative energy I felt, it's coming from there.
Igneel and Peter caught up to flanking Mary Jane's side and peering at her curiously.
"What gives, baby girl? Silent treatment?" Peter teased.
"Found something. Want to investigate," Mary Jane said curtly. "Not like it's either of your business."
Igneel grinned. "C'mon, MJ, you're my business. I'm not going to let you go into danger alone. What type of partner and friend would I be if I did?"
"I don't know since you're not my partner. And I must be in a never-ending Hell if you're even my friend."
Igneel felt like his heart was stabbed. "Such a cruel goddess!" he cried.
"Any particular thing you're investigating?" Peter questioned. "Care to share?"
"Nothing in particular." Mary Jane kept her tone clipped. "Nothing to share."
"We can't exactly help if we don't know what we're helping with, baby girl," Peter pointed out logically. "What did you find out?"
Mary Jane stopped to whirl on Peter with a rather huffy look. "You want to walk with me? Worry about me? That's your business. I couldn't care less. But, don't try and talk to me when I'm working." She jabbed a thumb at the curious Igneel. "Unless you're a qualified Mage like that moron who's delusional and has intelligence issues, try to stay out of my way," she snapped at him, ignoring Igneel's pouting mumbles.
Peter scowled. "I get that you're used to being a solo act, but right now, you're not working solo. You have two other people here to not just back you up but work alongside you," he growled back at her, taking a step closer. "Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but I'm staying right here."
Mary Jane curled her lips in a snarl. "Who the Hell do you think you are?"
"I think I'm just a dude who gives a shit about your life," Peter retorted, stepping closer. He was practically looming over Mary Jane with a fiery look in his eye. "So, try all you want, but we're staying right with you."
Mary Jane allowed a growl to rumble from her lips as though warning Peter to step down. Yet, Peter kept his challenging glare pinned on Mary Jane to defy her, to stand up to her.
Igneel blinked as he watched the two of them in awe
Woah. I don't think I've ever seen any stand up to MJ like that. Maybe Gale, but more like he got pissed off. Nothing like that…
Mary Jane ceased growling to take a step back. She gave Peter one last icy look that clearly meant Stay out of my way before stalking down the tunnel.
Igneel watched Mary Jane with wide eyes. "Woah," he breathed. "I've never seen her do that to anyone."
Peter drew out a breath and sagged his shoulders. A shaky smile graced his lips. "That scared the Hell out of me," he admitted. "I thought she was going to punch me."
Igneel chuckled. "That's MJ. She's my unpredictable goddess. Never know what she's going to do." And, he walked after her.
Peter allowed himself to sigh a relieved breath and began to follow after Igneel. "Got that right," he muttered.
Mary Jane continued walking with a growl threatening to burst from her lips.
Stupid hafū. Nothing but a non-magical nuisance. I hate to say this, but the moron is more useful to me right now than the hafū.
Her eyes widened when she saw something ahead and began to run for it.
Could it be…?
Igneel and Peter quickened their pace to catch up with Mary Jane.
"MJ!" Igneel cried. "Wait for us!"
Mary Jane continued her stride without fault but had to skid to a stop when she was approaching the edge. Her eyes looked down, narrowed and calculating. "I found you," she murmured.
Peter and Igneel slowed into a nice walk before stopping on either side of Mary Jane. Their eyes followed her own and were surprised of the discover.
"So, this is 'it'," Igneel realized in an "oh" moment.
"Yeah," Mary Jane murmured. "This is 'it'."
All three found themselves staring into an abyss that had no ending, only a beginning. There was no telling how far down it dropped or what was even at the end of it. There was no guarantee if one jumped, they would land alive or dead.
"I don't hear anything," Igneel commented quietly. "And either the heat signatures are too far down for me to sense anything, but I don't feel any heat."
Mary Jane closed her eyes to let her static purr around her. "No good. My Radar Sense isn't strong enough to sense anything." She glanced at Igneel. "Have you even tried to practice your own?"
Igneel was surprised by the question. "Oh! Uh… Well…" He turned sheepish as he fiddled with his scarf. "Your dad is kind of a menace when it comes to training. I'm not sure I really understand the whole concept of Radar Sense when I'm still trying to figure out how to not channel lightning through emotion alone."
Mary Jane snorted. "Figured as much, but it was worth a shot," she muttered. "Well, the best way to find out what's down there is to go down there."
Peter's eyebrows shot up. "You can't be serious."
"I'm not asking you to join us." Mary Jane lifted her head to give Peter a steady look. "In fact, I'm insisting you stay here. A Mage's body is shaped to withstand more than a regular mortal body. You would just get in our way."
"I'm not going to sit back and do nothing," Peter argued. "I won't be useless."
Mary Jane shrugged. "I gave you a warning. Can't order you to do shit since you're nothing but a regular mortal with weak muscles and weaker skin. Do what you want. Get hurt on your own terms. Don't come crying to me about it." She swung her gaze to Igneel. "You're good at Purple Flare. Think you could attach it to a bubble?"
Igneel nodded, understanding. "Shouldn't be a problem. It'll stretch as far as I want as long as I keep feeding it Magic."
Mary Jane nodded back. "Let's get to it." She let her modular spear dispersed as she clapped her hands together. "Dark Con Brio!" she chanted. A translucent bubble of violet appeared in the abyss, hovering without complaint. It could fit ten people, fifteen if it wanted, and looked comfortable enough.
Igneel used his other hand as he knelt to the ground. Violet flames bubbled from his hands and stuck onto the dirt in a large pile. He withdrew his hand, bringing a string of Purple Flare with him. He looked at Mary Jane who nodded at him. He did not think twice about jumping into the bubble with his Purple Flare stringing along in his palm. As he put his hand on the ceiling of the bubble to put the other end of his string of flames, Mary Jane jumped into the bubble as well.
Peter was the last to jump into the bubble, much to Mary Jane's chagrin.
"I'm not watching your back," Mary Jane told him right off the bat. "You're a typical bystander and the master would have my head if I let one of you die on me, but I'm not protecting you from every little thing."
"I never asked you too," Peter reminded. "I can take care of myself."
Mary Jane seemed unconvinced but turned to Igneel instead. "You ready, moron?"
Igneel checked his Purple Flare. One end was attached to the earth around the abyss while the other was attached to the ceiling of the bubble. "Good to go," he assured.
"All right then." Mary Jane's eyes began to glow violet. "Going down."
And, the bubble lowered itself into the abyss with the string of Purple Flare the only thing keeping it grounded.
He was deep in a memory, you see, and one he wished to have forgotten.
He watched with such young eyes as he fell again and again. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stand. He did not understand it whatsoever and found his eyesight blurring with unshed tears.
Gajeel crouched before him. "Don't tell me yer cryin', pipsqueak," he teased lightly, though there was still concern in his voice.
There was a sniffle. "No,"came a shaky snap. "I'm not crying!"
Gajeel chuckled and reached a hand to ruffle messy hair. "It's okay, pipsqueak," he murmured. "Ain't like I'm gonna judge ya. Gettin' beat by my old man might've brought me to tears too!"
As Gajeel broke into hoarse laughter, a hand swatted at him. "Shut up, Old Man!" came a growl. "I'll beat you one day! You just watch!"
Gajeel managed a smirk. "Sure you will, pipsqueak. I'm countin' on it," he said with a wink. "We just gotta work on you not flyin' all over the place." He stood up and the eyes followed him as he contemplated. "Ya gotta be immovable somehow," he explained. "Look at Livy and Leo. Those two use osmium to weigh themselves down when they're thrown around. But, you're no Metal Mage."
The focus looked down at the grass. "Thanks for the reminder," came a sorrowful mumble.
"Just means we have to find the right thing for you, pipsqueak."
The focus looked up to see Gajeel grinning down at him.
"You have to find the right technique for you," Gajeel further explained. "That freak Laxus uses his Lightning to keep him grounded in a fight. Controls gravity with his little sparks. Salamander uses his flames. I use my iron to weigh me down. You're an Earth Mage, pipsqueak. Use that to your advantage. What's something only an Earth Mage could do?"
And that question resonated with him.
What's something only an Earth Mage could do?
What could only an Earth Mage do?
Earth Mage…
Earth…
°•°•°•°
Gale found his eyes trying to open. He felt weak and sluggish like he had been bedridden for weeks in a hospital. He could feel such a pain that was too horrifying for him to scream. It was a miracle he could even see as his eyes squinted open and he tried to regain his thoughts, his memories.
Wh…? Where...am I?
His eyes tried to open more, but they could only be half-lidded. It was too excruciating to even try and open them all the way. They swept left and right, but nothing was clicking for him. He might have seen desks and toppled chairs and walls filled with lesson plans and vocabulary and artwork, but it was hard associating words with pictures. He was mentally-blanking.
My name… What's my name?
His eyes zoned in on the only other human in the room. The man looked at peace as he mediated above his Magic Circle without a care in the world. He looked unscratched, uncaring, and unreal.
Who…? Who is that? And, why…? Why can't I move?
His eyes flickered down to his atrophic body. He looked to see his torn clothes with bruises fresh on his skin. He watched them as though the world was spinning and his mind was dizzy. He could not understand what was done to him, who had done this to him.
What…are these? I think they're called 'bruises', but why…?
He tried to move his hand, but that proved to be a fatal mistake. Agony shot up his spine and made him shut his eyes. He gave a small hiss but even that hurt. He could not move his jaw to even explain his pain through grunts.
What happened to me? Why do I feel like this?
He could feel a brush of memories creep before him. He could remember someone with blonde hair caught up in the middle of a whirlwind of Magic. He could remember her desperate eyes. He could remember her lips moving to one syllable as she tried to reach out to him.
"Gale!"
Memories were a bitch to remember and he could feel the weight of them as they rolled back into his mind, almost as though punishing him for forgetting them.
My name is…Gale. Gale…Redfox of Fairy Tail.
He remembered his eyes clashing with the cold eyes of a man dressed as a warrior.
"Because, fledgling, I wanted to know if you could fly."
His eyes cracked open to look at the man mediating before him.
And, that man… He's…a…murderer… Bluenote Stinger…
His stare flitted to his injuries.
He…attacked me. I remember now. He attacked me. He did this to me.
His pinky finger twitched, but he had to fight the urge to scream as his eyes watered.
Shit. I can't…go out like this… I can't…be over…
DRIP.
A tear streaked down Gale's face.
DROP.
This…can't be over. I just…
DRIP.
More tears streamed down Gale's cheeks.
DROP.
I just have to think. I…have to be smart. I just need a strategy, right?
"You're an Earth Mage, pipsqueak. Use that to your advantage. What's something only an Earth Mage could do?"
Gale could remember his father's voice giving him the question he had no answer to at the time. He remembered it well.
Dammit, Old Man. As much as I hate giving you credit, that question was the only reason I started experimenting more with Earth Magic. Just gotta think. C'mon, dammit, think harder.
"That freak Laxus uses his Lightning to keep him grounded in a fight," Gale remembered Gajeel lecturing. "Controls gravity with his little sparks. Salamander uses his flames. I use my iron to weigh me down. You're an Earth Mage, pipsqueak. Use that to your advantage."
Gale let his eyes close.
Who the Hell am I kidding? Earth is weak against a lot of crap. But, then again, isn't gravity one of the weakest forces of nature?
An idea began to bubble at the back of Gale's mind.
Wait, yeah… I… I remember reading about that. Gravity… It's weaker than people give it credit for. If it really was strong, it would've crushed Earth Land into a black hole, but it didn't. It just keeps things from floating away. Yeah, if the mass is denser, it'll fall back to earth quicker than less dense mass, but—
The idea surged forward.
Hold up. Denser matter… Shit! Gale exclaimed. Galileo and my old man... They use metal flowing in their body and harden it to the surface so they're almost immovable. The old man's scales are stronger, but still! They use it to stop attacks because their weight became denser and harder to move and push back. If I could get that dense, then—
His eyes shut even tighter.
But, I'm not a Metal Mage or an Iron Dragon Slayer. The Hell am I supposed to do?
"What's something only an Earth Mage could do?"
Nothing, Gale gnashed. Stupid Magic. There's shit I could do in this situation. If I could just turn my whole body into metal or take it a step farther and go into osmium, the densest element, I might have just a small chance to get past his Gravity Magic. Or, at least, it'll take a lot more Magic to get me to rise and fall. But, I'm a stupid Earth Mage with nothing to show for it but bruises.
He heard a sniffle. "Nothing," he heard in a snap. "We can't do anything!"
Gale's eyes opened to see he was back in that memory. He was back reliving that day. He was back to the little, helpless son of Gajeel and glaring at his father.
Gajeel was shaking his head at his son. "That ain't true, pipsqueak, and you know it," he had told his son. "Earth Mages are more capable than just playing with dirt, you know. And, especially you. You have one thing no Earth Mage has."
"Oh, yeah?" Gale remembered himself saying quite rudely. "What's that?"
"Your gemstones," Gajeel had said simply. "You have the power to create actual jewels, pipsqueak." He bent over to poke his son in the forehead. "So, get that vile look out of your eyes and start realizing your potential. You have a lot more to work with than you think."
Gale fizzled out of the memory as he felt a flurry of thoughts hit him.
My gemstones… My gemstones… Diamonds aren't going to cut it this time. Hardest gemstone I can make, but not the densest. C'mon, you dumbass, just stop having an anxiety attack and think for a second. Densest gem… It's not garnet, right? No. Not rainbow pyrite… Wait, I got it, I got it! Cassiterite, right? Yeah, I think that's the densest, but it won't be enough. Basalt is the densest rock I can make, but that's risky. If I could combine the two together, but… I've only ever made armor. I've never turned myself into earth or gemstone and, when I tried, I was stuck like that for a few days. And, if I convert my whole body, I might…
He opened his eyes to eye Bluenote bobbing in mid-air.
But, I guess I can risk it. Anything is better than nothing. I don't know if I even have any Magic left anyways. My body is trashed. I can't talk. I'm practically a vegetable. But, if I bide my time and if I take some of the material from the earth underneath me and gather enough of it… I just might have a fighting chance until someone finds me. Hopefully…
He closed his eyes.
Just gotta focus. Think of something to ground me.
He could see her nestled in his arms in her messy state of sleep. He could see her scolding him with her cheeks puffed. He could see her flustered and nervous.
I'm fighting to live. Can't assume anyone's coming to rescue me. My odds against a Mage of his caliber is practically zero, but…
He could see his guild. He could see Justin rub up against an awkward Lance. He could see Silver and Ena butting heads. He could see his aunt Erza sharing a drink with his aunt Juvia and aunt Lucy. He could see T'oree embarrassing Cade with his questions while Dazzler and Mustang laughed. He could see Mary Jane electrocuting an inquisitive and invasive Igneel. He could see Number Five caring for Bruno and giving him belly scratches. He could see Constantine working with Freed on a new defense mechanism. He could see Luke laughing at Nashi's expense as Gary did another over-the-top declaration of his love for her.
He could see his family. He could see Galileo teasing Olivia over his growth support and her lack of one. He could see Panther Lily snuggled in Olivia's arms like a tamed housecat and enjoying her warmth. He could see his father embarrassing his mother with whispered words in her ear that made her cheeks tickled pink.
He could see his partner. He could see Luna defying his every action to prove a point and unconsciously irritating him. He could see her getting embarrassed when he watched her eat and blushingly trying to get him to look away. He could see her eyes light up when the fireworks spectacular started. He could see her cuddled beside him as she gave commentary on her favorite LV show.
And, he could see the girl he kept in his wallet. He could see her first real and genuine smile. He could see the scar she carried on her right cheek that she did not want healed properly as she wanted to remember the day she earned it. He could see her and all her glory, a glory he admired.
This isn't a game. This isn't a story where the Power of Friendship and Family and Love swoops in to save me and unlocks some hidden power. I'm fighting to live right now because Ihave to live.
His pointer finger twitched.
This…is the power of me.
Love you Love you Love you
himitsu no I love you
naisho no kisu wa imitation?
toke nai mahō mitai ni torawarete so crazy for you
•
kimi wa marude illusion
shibireru love session
aimai na sono motion
sō sa konya wa fiction
kimi wa marude illusion
tame rau love session
gōin na sono motion
Unbreakable magic
TO BE CONTINUED…
Woah! Heavy! I might not have understood all that rune language, but it seems Luna, Gabriel, and Ludvig unlocked a secret to the mystery of the guardians! With Mary Jane, Igneel, and Peter getting deeper into their own and Gale fighting to live—! Gosh, it makes my heart nervous just thinking what's next for these guys! To find out, read the next Fairy Adventure!
The garage was closed, but full of thrumming engine noises. The place was dark. Too dark. Like you were not supposed to see anything. It was disconcerting, but not for the people who enjoyed it so much.
A Lacrima Screen was gifted above them with Aaron plastered on it, his face somber and serious. "I expect you to conduct nothing more than instructed. This is Operation: Phantom Fury. You are not to be seen and not to kill, only subdue any and all rogues. Like the bodies to the Mages. Any bloodshed will illicit prosecution without fail. Eyes will be watching you including mine and Her Majesty. Achieve success and, like always, the reward will be handsome and your records remain clean." He gave a nod. "I expect nothing better than greatness from you, Task Force 93."
The Lacrima Screen faded.
The garage door began to open, began to let the light in.
A joint was lifted into brown lips. A slow drag. A puff of smoke. "All right, my fellow runners, you heard the minister. I, too, expect nothing less than success. Failure not only to the minister but to me will mean sudden death."
The cigarette was dropped and stomped on by an iron-studded boot.
Gloved hands turned the ignition and started the motorcycle. It purred to life, grateful for the awakening. A Lacrima Screen appeared on the motorcycle. A gloved hand began to toy with the navigation system with ease.
"Welcome back, Captain," came a feminine greeting from the screen. "Where would you like to go today?"
The gloved fingers zoomed in on their coordinates before letting the coordinates lock in. "We're headed for a little town called Margaret. Seems like there's some business to attend to," came a relay.
"Oh," the system replied. "An unprecedented thunderstorm is directly over those coordinates with high-levels of unstable Magic. Would you still like to go there, Captain?"
A smirk. Gloved hands tightened on the handle bars and revved the engine.
"Trust me."
The garage door was open for all to see the path that awaited them.
"That's exactly where I want to be," came assurance. He kicked himself off for the motorcycle to shoot forward out of the garage and onto the dirt path that blended in with the forest scenery. Two more motorcycles and a large Lacrima Car followed in suit and easily kept up with the pace.
The leader was not your average black man. His skin was rich in chocolate and his muscles bulged from underneath his jacket. But, what made his appearance all the more fascination was the tattoo on the back of his head. It was a skull with two guns that crossed behind it.
His amber eyes glinted as he licked his lips. "Let's get us some Magic roadkill."
⌜TASK FORCE 93
Name: Maxim
Occupation: Magic Hunter
Likes: N/A Dislikes: N/A
Special Note: Not much is known about this man… He and his team are complete unknowns in Fiore…⌟
And the Magic Hunters would push their vehicles to go even faster to their destination.
Chibi-Nashi waves at you all she appears before everyone in a teacher costume. Her hair is in a bun and glasses are on the bridge of her nose, but she smiles brightly in front of her chalkboard. "Good morning, class! I'm substituting for my sister for the moment while she's stuck elsewhere!"
"Good morning, Miss Dragneel!" the class greets enthusiastically. "What are we learning today?"
Chibi-Nashi smiles. "Today, we're learning about some of the rules that pertains to not just the kingdom of Fiore but to Magic Guilds themselves!"
"Hooray!" the students cheer.
Chibi-Nashi begins to write on the board. "Now, class, can any of you tell me the legal age you have to be to join a guild?" she questions as she finishes writing the question on the board.
"Ten-years-old!" the class shouts in response.
Chibi-Nashi nods happily. "Yeah! A Mage has to. Be at least ten-years-old if they want to join a guild anywhere in the world! Though, sometimes countries raise the age to eleven. Got that?"
"Yes, Miss Dragneel!" the class choruses.
Chibi-Nashi writes the next question on the board. "Okay! Can anyone tell me how old you have to be to drink in Fiore?"
"Sixteen!" everyone answers.
"That's right, class!" Chibi-Nashi cheers. "To buy an alcoholic drink for yourself, you have to be of sixteen years of age! But, if you're fifteen, you can still drink under adult supervision, okay?"
"Okay! Miss Dragneel! What's the next question?"
Chibi-Nashi continues writing her next question. "All right! What's the age to be an adult in Fiore?"
"Seventeen!" the class chirps.
"Yup! Once you're seventeen in Fiore, you're considered an adult!" Chibi-Nashi verifies. "But, if you want to become a politician of any kind, you have to at least be thirty-five, all right?"
Chibi-Nashi giggles. "Okay!" She begins to write. "Next question!"
A voice of the back of the class shouts, "How old do I have to be to marry you, teacher?"
The rest of the class snickers as Chibi-Nashi whirls around in confusion. "Who said that?" she demanded to know.
"I did."
Chibi-Nashi is startled when she sees a sly Chibi-Gary approaching her. "Wha—? But—! You're too old to be a student!" she struggles to stay. "Get out of my class!"
Chibi-Gary merely beams. "I enrolled in this class, so I could be closer to Angel!"
Chibi-Nashi gapes at him, her cheeks flushing into a delicate pink. "I told you I was busy!" she hisses at him. "Go home!"
"Come home with me," Chibi-Gary negotiated.
"Not happening," Chibi-Nashi refuses. "I have a class to teach!"
Chibi-Gary grips his student uniform and tears it off, revealing a professional suit he had been hiding all along. "Class is dismissed early, students. You may go home now," he instructs.
"Thank you, Mister Fullbuster!" the classes cheers, whooping and hollering as they all heard themselves out the door.
Chibi-Nashi is still in shock, trying to work her mouth. "Hey, wait! I'm the teacher here, not him!" she tries to remind her long-gone students. "Come back here!"
Chibi-Gary smirks at Chibi-Nashi. "Now that school has ended, will Angel come on a date with me?"
Chibi-Nashi backs away from him. "Let's not get too hasty," she tries to snap, though she sounds nervous. "I never agreed to anything, remember?"
Chibi-Gary pouts as he advances upon her. "But, Angel, I just want to love you and tell you how much I'm in-love with you," he whines.
Chibi-Nashi can feel her face turn scarlet as she skitters away. "G-Get away from me, you perverted dog!" she shouts. She pauses in her running and looks towards you. "Before this dog gets me, next time, on Fairy Adventure, GALE VS BLUENOTE! I WONDER IF I CAN FLY?" She runs away. "See you next time!"
Chibi-Gary sprints after her. "Angel, don't leave me!" he howls, holding out his arms. "Leap into my arms!"
"Help! Someone, help me!" Chibi-Nashi screams as she runs down the hall, passing by amused students. "There's a lunatic trying to kidnap me!"
Chibi-Gary is hot on her tail. "Angel, let me love you…!"
"NO WAY IN HELL!"
Voices of New Characters in Order of Appearance
Ricco Fajardo as Chrome
Brain Beacock as Mikazuki
Tifanie Christun as Chika Parabella
Charlotte "Lota" Raymond
Michelle Rojas as Opera
Derick Snow as Genius
Michael Lindsay as Sir Ludvig Krause III
Joshua Seth as Officer Phineas Yeager
Samantha Moon as Colonel Liza Redeye
Michael Gambon as Vladimir Velimir
Marvi Devon as Ave Cadenza
Daniel Penz as Sir Andrus Thorncroft
Phil Parsons as Thyreos Bulldog
Linda Leonard as Ariete Walker
Mike Reynolds as Sumter Chattanooga
Rachel Robinson as Boyacá Howitzer
Kevin M. Connolly as Aaron Marignano
Major Attaway as Maxim
Author's Note
If anyone of you have voice-casting recommendations, whether they be seiyuu or voice actors, please, let me know!