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, things got a bit crazy, didn't they? Gale found another imposter of his dad and decided to face him in battle—or, more like watch as the imposter tried to get by his diamonds. Luna found a prophet who spoke of Nayda and Erion's appearance! But, Gabriel isn't so convinced this man is a true oracle or a false prophet. Meanwhile, Bluenote showed up again to get Gale to fly! Seriously, dude, this is getting old! Gale tried to get away and even called Levy for help, but it was all too late! Lance joined Gray in the fight against Juvia but talk about marital problems! Luna got Meira's approval to sniff out this prophet and learn more about the future, but even with Meira's support, it looks like she's going in it alone. Gale turns to stone to face against Bluenote, but even that isn't enough to face the ex-member of a Dark Guild! Bluenote decides to pull out a little incentive to get Gale to conform to his wishes, but Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale save the day! With Gale's life on the line, Gajeel and Natsu are forced into doing something that'll help save him…for a price.
"I'm sorry, pipsqueak."
I'm sorry too, Gale. We can only hope you're safe and sound in this episode! And, just who was that person with the cat anyways?
Red bled into the sky and the stars poked their heads to look down on Earth Land. They liked Dawn. She was the product of Father Sun and Mother Moon and would let her starry siblings catch an early glimpse of life on the planet they watched over. Margaret Town was winding down as evening drew closer. Little ones were herded back into the homes for a warm meal and family chatter. Some soldiers were lucky enough that a few ladies took interest in them and would happily join them for a drink and perhaps innocent talk at their bedchambers.
Gabriel and Luna came out of a general store, Gabriel sulking and Luna smiling, with bags in their hands.
"Must you be so happy?" Gabriel grunted to her.
"Yup!" Luna chirped. "How can I not be when I was right?"
Gabriel led her back to the hitching post where Himeros tied and Icarus lounged next to the Longma. Hugo held bags in his hands and kept watch over the two magical creatures, but, when he felt Luna approach, he turned his attention to her.
"You were not 'right'," Gabriel growled, tone sour. "Master just indulged you in your folly. That is all."
Luna laughed at Gabriel's grumpiness. "Would it kill you to be happy for me and not be such a Grinch?"
As Gabriel stopped by their posse, he grumbled, "Physically, being happy for you could not kill me even if you wished. Mentally, yes. Yes, it would."
Luna scowled as Hugo reached for her bags and took them with ease. "Jerk," she insulted. She went to Icarus and stooped to rub his side. "Hey. We're back," she cooed.
A soothing rumble akin to a purr rumbled through Icarus' throat and his tail thumped. You took longer than expected. He dare sounded whiny more than accusing.
Luna laughed at him as she got up. "Yeah, sorry about that," she apologized sheepishly. "We got stopped a lot because I'm Auntie Meira's niece. I guess being a Heartfilia in this time period is like being a celebrity."
"Don't think yourself so special," Gabriel grunted. He finished tying the saddle bags to flick a glare at Luna. "You are nothing but an agitating female."
Luna narrowed her eyes at him. "I can't wait until I'm old enough to give people the middle finger."
Gabriel rolled his eyes, stroking Himeros' scales. "Ooo. You really got me on that," he mocked, tone dry. "Such a scathing retort."
Icarus rolled to his paws and shook the dirt out of his fur. Come now, pup, let the apprentice have his irritation. He masks his worry for you.
Gabriel went to untie Himeros when Luna huffed. Just because I'm new to this doesn't mean I'm completely clueless, she thought snippily.
Icarus gave her a pointed look. Actually, that is exactly what it means, he chided. You are not accustomed to this world and no one expects you to be, pup. You are learning and that is okay. None will judge you.
Luna sighed. I know, she mumbled. She stroked Icarus' jaw. Thanks, Icarus.
Icarus licked her cheek and gave a bit of a whine, tail wagging.
Gabriel was mounted on his steed and Himeros looked impatient to trot. Gabriel looked at Luna. "Shall we, Miss Lucy?"
Luna sighed, abandoning Icarus, and nodded at Gabriel. "Yeah. Let's…" Her words trailed off as she caught something a bit further down the street. "It's him," she whispered. Without thinking, she abandoned her group, hiking up her skirt, to dash down the street.
Hugo was lumbering after her in an instant.
Icarus growled and took off after her as well. Pup, come back here!
Something rumbled in Gabriel's throat as he turned Himeros down the street. "Come, Himeros! Hyah!" He flicked his reins and Himeros gave a smoky snort as he cantered down the street.
People strolling about glanced as they witnessed a girl of flaxen hair run to catch up with the cloaked figure. Most paid her no mind, but the women upturned their nose and snidely giggled, and a few young boys gave smirks as they watched Luna run away after her mystery man.
"Hey! Wait! Slow down!" Luna yelled.
The mysterious figure seemed to notice Luna's shouting, but, rather than slow, he sped up and continued to run.
Luna kept up her run when Icarus' powerful strides outpaced her. He let loose a burst of speed and sprinted towards the mystery man. The mystery man flinched when Icarus and him were shoulder-to-shoulder. He tried to pivot, but Icarus outsmarted him. He leapt in front of the man and bared his teeth. The man tried to go to the left and Icarus was on him. Go to the right and Icarus was there.
The man tried to turn tail, but he was met with an exhausted Luna who slowed into a walk. She stopped just before him to keel over, puffing her breaths. Hugo was right behind her and looked down at his ward. It was comical to see him try to help her by rubbing her back a little.
"Thanks"—pant—"Hugo." Luna let out a whoosh of air as she stood up, Hugo relinquishing her. Her cheeks were flushed and she still panted as she looked at her mystery man. "Hey," she breathed. "Sorry for…chasing you back there."
The mystery man stood up a bit straighter. "No, my child, it is quite all right," he rumbled. "You called for me?"
Himeros slowed from a canter to a trot to a walk and came to a complete stop next to Luna. The Longma knocked his muzzle against Luna's cheek and muttered in his tongue as though to tell her he wanted her to wait next time.
Gabriel dismounted Himeros with his reins in hand. He eyed Luna in mild irritation. "Miss Lucy, I'd appreciate it if you would wait for your escort rather than run away when the action suits you," he snapped.
Luna rolled her eyes and told the man, "Yeah. I wanted to know more about the stuff you were talking about?"
The man looked surprised at that. "Really?" It was hard to tell if he were excited or if he were deadpan.
Luna nodded fervently. "Uh-huh! What you were saying really…! U-Um… It really spoke to me?"
Gabriel's derisive snort was met with a sharp elbow to the stomach.
The man cocked his head and seemed to turn to Gabriel's direction. "I am happy it did, my child," he murmured. "I would be honored to explain in more detail, but, alas, I must find myself a warm meal and lodging. You see, my current funds are insufficient here."
"Oh, that's okay! I'll cover you," Luna blurted. "Oh, wait! I-I-I mean I can pay for your meal or whatever. Honest!"
This took the man by surprise. "You…would do that?"
Luna smiled. "Of course! It's the least I can do, after all! My ma—um, I mean, my auntie always taught me to help people in need, so, you know…" She gestured awkwardly. "You're in need and I'm, uh, helping you."
Icarus growled. Do not waste your funds on this human, pup. He is unworthy of our time and money.
"Miss Luna," Gabriel hissed in her ear, "I highly ask you to reconsider—"
"Thank you, my child," the man said, bowing. "But, I could not possibly—"
"You can and you will," Luna decided firmly. "Please, sir, I'd really love to hear you talk more over some good food. Join us, please. We'd all love it—!"
Gabriel gave a loud cough.
Luna gave him a sharp glare in return. "I would love it," she amended, turning back to the man with a small smile, "if you would accept."
The man opened his mouth.
"And, I'm not taking 'no' for an answer," Luna swiftly added.
"Although, I will," Gabriel muttered darkly.
He was met with another elbow to the gut.
A cracked smile of old age was seen from underneath the hood. "Well, with an offer like that, how am I to refuse?"
"I find it simple. Just say—Nnngh!" Gabriel doubled over and coughed. "Easy, woman, have you no sense of mercy?" he mourned while Himeros gave snorts of laughter.
Luna ignored Gabriel in favor of the man and clapped her hands excitedly. "Perfect! Let's go find us some chow, okay?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
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
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The tavern was fairly busy as the dinner hour was peaking. The patrons were nothing more than men and women here and there. As they would say, a tavern was no place for a lady. It was quaint, rustic, with an earthy smell tinged in that ale and grease stench that, if sitting in it too long, you would have to bathe for days just to relieve yourself of carrying such a smell. Most drank their mugs of rum and slurred their conversations towards one another. A soldier and his friends from the town were all mooning over a well-sought-after lady of Monroe Manor and the soldier bragged how she invited him to her courtyard for tea. One of the five females in the tavern giggled as her fiancé—he held that drunken blush on his cheeks—stroked her chin and said soliloquies about her eyes, relating them to the midsummer's day. There was only one bar tender working. He was a buff man with a dangerous look about him. He was sweaty from his work, but no one dare poke fun at him. After all, he was the only reason they could drink. There were others in the tavern who were not-so-drunk and ate the food instead. It was nothing too heavy or refined. The meat was cooked thoroughly and the soup and bread would fill you up. If you felt fancy, there was fish to order but for the hefty price of thousands of jewel.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
« This is the Rising Moon Tavern, a local tavern in Margaret Town. Many weary travelers come to this tavern for the good food, the booze, and a cheap place to stay, so long as they don't give the Magic Knights or military soldiers any trouble. »
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Gabriel seemed rather embarrassed as Luna scarfed down another helping of meat and potatoes without second though to how unladylike she was being. His eyes ricocheted to the local boys around their age. They looked like they came from old money, but they watched in honest fascination of Luna's raging appetite. A few seemed intrigued. One looked tempted to speak to her. Another table with two boys clearly from the sticks leered at Luna and murmured comments to each other as she tore into her salmon.
Gabriel growled angrily. "I don't understand why you would choose such a place to settle your ridiculous appetite, my Lady," he rumbled. "We could have gotten food elsewhere in a much more civil place for a noble female such as yourself."
Luna gulped down her fried shrimp and licked her lips free of any crumbs. "Yeah, but you said this place is where you and your dad go for really good food and this is where our guy was headed," she reminded. She raised her hand to the bar tender. "Hey! Can I get some more meat over here?" she hollered.
Gabriel blushed in his anger as the bar tender bellowed a laugh. "Of course, my Lady," he shouted. "Gabe! Ya got yerself a feisty fiancé right there!"
As Luna laughed, Gabriel snapped, "She is not my fiancé! She is merely the niece of my master! I would never drop to one knee for her!"
Luna continued eating her chicken leg as she eyed Gabriel. "You know, you were so much nicer and sweeter when I first met you and now you're just a big meanie," she muttered. "I'm starting to think you did that whole 'catfish' thing Mama warned me about."
"I assure you if I knew what you meant by that, I did not do that to you, Miss Luna, and I apologize if you feel such a way, however—" Gabriel turned his head to glower at the boys who perked to hear the beauty was single and flashed his fangs at them, scooting closer to Luna. "This does not make me feel comfortable and I wish for us to leave at once," he whispered furiously to her. "You bring yourself and your virtue in more danger the longer we stay."
Luna waved off Gabriel's concern and picked up her lobster, biting into the exposed part of it. "Oh, please," she snorted, mouthful. "I grew up in Fairy Tail, remember?"
Gabriel gave her a wilting look.
Luna swallowed her lobster and gave a sheepish grin. "Right. They weren't around yet," she supposed. "Well, Fairy Tail is a little worse than this." she leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, "My uncle Gray strips naked, like, every five minutes."
Gabriel looked horrified at that. "In front of women?"
Luna was about to burst into laughter, but she coughed it out and nodded somberly. "And," she added, "my aunt Cana likes to feel up my mama's boobs to get my papa jealous. And, I know that my sister's friend Dazzler strips in front of another guild mate when she's drunk. All the way down to her bra and panties."
Gabriel's eyes twitched. "What type of guild do you live in?" he squawked. "Surely my heirs take no part in such juvenile behavior when ladies are present?"
Luna merely smirked. "One of your descendants lost strip poker and had to walk around my hometown naked."
Gabriel exhaled shakily and swallowed. "Well now…" He wet his now dry lips. "Th-That's…very unsettling…"
Luna leaned back to wrest her cheek on one hand. She spooned some mashed potatoes and pointed at Gabriel. "No. It's normal in my time," she reminded him, though quietly. "So, grow up a little, okay? I'm fine here. You're here with me and won't let anything happen to me, right?"
Gabriel snorted. "None shall touch you, Miss Luna. Not while I breathe and stand next to you."
Luna rolled her eyes. "And, Icarus is right outside with Hugo and Himeros," she pointed out. "If anything happens, they'll rush in here." She popped in her spoon in her mouth and took in her mashed potatoes. "See? No need to worry."
"Because you say such things is the reason I worry," Gabriel grumbled. His eyes flicked to the bathroom and narrowed. "He's taking too long," he complained. An idea came to him and he grinned. "How about—?"
"We are not ditching a poor, defenseless old guy just because you 'find his scent odd and suspicious'," Luna quoted, feigning a Minstrish accent towards the end. "You were just making up that last part! Scents can smell 'suspicious'!"
Gabriel crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. "I do not sound like that, and he does smell suspicious!" he insisted. "Why do you have to be so insistent on his—?"
Luna glanced over to the bathroom and her eyes widened as the man hobbled out. "Shhh, shhh, shhh! He's coming, he's coming," she hissed at Gabriel. "Act natural."
Gabriel looked bewildered at that. "'Act natural'? What are you—?"
Luna harshly elbowed Gabriel in the stomach—he choked and groaned—then she gave a warm beam to the man as he sat across from them. "Hi! I ordered a lot, so dig in!" she urged.
The man's jaw dropped at the spread laid before him. It seemed like every dish from the tavern had been bought with three mugs of water split between the trio. "I-I—"
"Here ya go, little lady!"
Luna clapped in excitement as the bartender arrived with new and warm dishes of food. Somehow, he made it work to put the plates on the table.
"Oh! Thank you so much, sir!" Luna squealed. She inhaled the food and gave a pure moan of delight. "Oh, my God, this is so good!"
Gabriel shot the boys leering at their table a filthy glare. "Miss Lucy, control yourself," he growled sharply. "Refrain from such noise."
The bar tender gave a belly-laugh. He finished laying at the platefuls of food and puts his hands on his hips. "Come off it, Gabe. Let the lady appreciate such fine dining." He ruffled Gabriel's hair, making the boy wince. "Honestly, I like the girl. Brings in business."
Gabriel swatted at the bar tender who only laughed it off and lumbered away. "Tch. Dirty, old man," he muttered.
Luna picked up her fork and knife and was about to cut into her meat when she saw the man had not moved. She nodded to the food. "C'mon! You need to eat before it all gets cold," she insisted. She cut into her meat and took a forkful of it into her mouth.
The man closed his mouth and looked down. "Please, Miss, you truly are too kind," he mumbled. "How about I answer your questions?"
Luna swallowed her mouthful of food. "Well, let's introduce ourselves. My name is Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Anna Heartfilia."
The man tensed at that. "My apologies. Did you say…'Lucy Heartfilia'?"
"Yup!" Luna took a forkful of meat and potatoes. "That's me!" she confirmed as she chewed. She swallowed her food and frowned. "Why? Is there a problem with that?" Her eyes looked down at her food. "Is it because I'm a Heartfilia?"
The man waved his hands and shook his head. "No, no! Not at all, my child!" he insisted. "Granted I was a bit surprised to hear the Heartfilia name come from your lips. I had never heard of Anna Heartfilia having an heir."
Luna stopped eating to laugh nervously. "O-Oh, um, you see, I—!"
"My master graciously took Miss Lucy after her parents' death," Gabriel said, deadpan. "Her origins were unknown to society to keep her out of public scandal."
The man frowned at that. "Oh, I see. My apologies, my child. I did not mean to drudge up such bad memories."
"Oh, no, you're fine," Luna insisted. "I'm, like, over it and everything, I, uh, guess?" She pushed to a different question. "So, what's your name?"
The man smiled. "I go by many names, Lady Heartfilia. You may call me a simple wanderer as my name may only be spoken by my people."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Your people wouldn't happen to be T'zolkins, would they?"
Luna glared at Gabriel. "Hey," she snapped quietly, "no need to be—!"
"They are."
Luna looked surprised at the man's answer.
"I know my people have a…reputation, so to speak," the man acknowledged slowly, "however, I assure you I do not follow their path of destruction and lies. I follow the path of righteousness and only serve the call of the gods."
Luna's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward. "Wow," she breathed. "Amazing!"
Gabriel sank in his seat and huffed. "I believe the term you seek is 'revolting'."
The man smiled at Luna, completely disregarding Gabriel's comment. "It is not that amazing, Lady Heartfilia," he assured. "For I am not so much different than you and your famous clan."
Luna frowned at that, cocking her head. "Wait. What do you mean by that?" she questioned.
The man leaned forward. "As you know, Lady Heartfilia, your clan has a vivid connection to the Heavens who watch over us," he told. "Your clan has always prided themselves with their connections to spirits for spirits are the past, present, and future. And, while I may not be a Heartfilia, I, too, hold a connection, however, on a more divine level."
Luna's eyes slowly widened. "So, wait… You're saying—"
"Yes, I am, Lady Heartfilia." The man sat back and let them see his grin full of crooked teeth. "I have a connection to an actual god."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure 027
Do It for Her
そして、未来はどうですか？すべてを知っている彼はすべてを伝えます！
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"Bullshit."
Luna gasped. "Gabriel!"
The man chuckled. "Fear not, Lady Heartfilia, for this is not uncommon to hear that from those who do not believe."
Gabriel pointedly looked away and hmphed.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Sorry about him, still. He's not trained yet," she remarked, sending Gabriel a cool gaze. "Anyways, about this 'god' you're connected to… Who are they? What do they do? How do you, you know, do this?"
The man chuckled even more. "Many questions have many answers, my Lady, and answers you are not ready for," he noted. His smile widened at Luna's pout. "However, I will try to answer them."
Luna brightened while Gabriel rolled his eyes.
"Like your connection to the spirits give you power, my connection to my savior gives me power," the man explained. "Through Him may I be blessed with Magic and visions of the past, present, and future."
Luna nodded, thoughtful of those words. "So, did this 'god' tell you about the Guardian Duo appearing? Did he tell you why the River Guardian appears? Maybe how to stop it?"
The man frowned and shook his head. "It is all unclear to me," he admitted. "He told me this town disrespected the river and insulted the River God. Through answer, the River God would demand retribution from the people and lash out."
"And, then the Sky Guardian would appear to protect the people," Luna completed. She set down her fork to clasp her hands under her chin. "But, that doesn't make sense," she murmured. "I don't believe this town as a whole could anger her."
The man's frown deepened. "'Her'?"
Luna blanched at her mistake. "O-Oh, um, I mean the River Guardian," she amended.
Gabriel snorted. "Freudian slip much?" he jeered under his breath.
"Shut – up," Luna hissed at him, equally quiet.
"I ask of you to leave this town, Lady Heartfilia."
Luna looked back at the man with a frown of her own and curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "What, why? Because of the guardians fighting and destroying the town?"
The man nodded. "Mmm. It is no place for you to be, my Lady," he murmured. "I advise you to leave this town, this place, and salvage your freedom. For a fear, when the guardians awaken"—and the atmosphere darkened around him—"utter darkness and chaos will befall the innocent and blood will mix with water."
°•°•°•°
By the time the trio left the tavern, it was late, and darkness was shoving aside the light in the sky to settle in for the evening. Street lamps were shining with torches burning on the side of buildings and houses alike. If you were a child or a lady, you would be at home, the children in their bedchamber while the women finished their cleaning and took to quiet conversation. If you were a man, it was acceptable to continue drinking and being merry at this hour, but you had to be a bit more careful about it. The soldiers patrolling glared at drunkards and muttered their disgust (though, a few soldiers were quite drunk themselves).
Luna and the man waved at each other for a final time before the man hobbled over to the inn part of the tavern to meet with a man guarding it. Luna put her hand down and sighed. "Well, that was fun," she decided.
Gabriel rolled his eyes and walked to the hitching post. Himeros was wide-awake and eager to see his rider, swishing his tail. "Your definition of 'fun' should be edited and re-written," he muttered. He came up to his Longma and stroked his muzzle. "I found this meeting to be quite wearisome and unneeded. We learned nothing."
"We learned a lot," Luna defended. She came over to Icarus who perked at her arrival through half-lidded eyes. He lapped at her palm and butted against her hand. He must have been too tired if he were acting like a true dog. Luna obliged him and scratched behind his ears. "He gave me something to give back to Auntie. If what he's saying is true, we need to be ready for tomorrow," she said.
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "While I do believe what Master says of despair and tragedy befalling the town, I do not trust that man nor his word." He eyed the cloaked man who spoke quietly to the guard. "His scent—"
"Oh, here we go again," Luna muttered. She giggled when Icarus craned his neck to lick her nose.
Gabriel bristled. "Don't dismiss my words, Miss Luna. My nose has never failed me," he growled.
"Ugh! You people and your noses," Luna groaned. "Look, we did it and it's done, okay? So, stop whining about it and let's go home. I want to talk to your dad more about his findings."
Gabriel rolled his eyes and choice words were muttered, but he did as he was told and went to untie Himeros. His eyes went back to the man and they stayed there. They narrowed as they watched the old man rummage through his cloak.
What are you up to, Old Man?
The man pulled something silver out of his cloak.
Gabriel closed his eyes as his ears twitched to listen in on the conversation.
The guard was speaking in low tones. "—I, drugeyat?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"—and, the other?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Surprise and suspicion melded inside Gabriel as he opened his eyes.
Alakitasian?
"Vyora dalzhny pokažete drugaye ili bekak obsluzhignye," the guard said, crossing his arms. The language of Alakitasia was Cyrillic and boorish without much room for elegance.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"You must show the other or there is nothing here for you."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The old man showed no sign of tensing or anxiety. He put away the silver object into his cloak. He pulled back his cloak on his arm and showed it to the guard. Gabriel narrowed his eyes when he caught something on the arm, but the old man was quick cover his arm once again and the something was gone. The guard moved away from the door and allowed the old man in.
Gabriel curled his lips into a snarl.
What's this man playing at?
"Gabriel?"
Gabriel snapped out of his glaring stare to look at Luna. She worried her bottom lip as she gazed at him, a hand rubbing her arm. "Are you all right?" she asked. She hesitantly tacked on, "Are you that mad at me?"
Gabriel paused. Then, he shook his head. "No, Miss Luna, I'm ot," he soothed. Really, he was not. "I was lost in my own thoughts." He untied Himeros from the hitching post. "My apologies. Let me escort you back to my home."
Luna shuffled back so Gabriel could mount, but the worry did not fade from her eyes. "Gabriel… I…" She did not know what to say and looked down at her dress, rubbing her arm. What could she say?
"Please, printzesa, do not trouble yourself with the likes of me."
Fingers tipped Luna's head up.
Soft ruby clashed with worried chocolate.
Gabriel offered her a genuine smile. "Have no fear, printzesa. I am fine and not under the influence of anger." His voice smoothed Luna's worries over as his fingers let go of her chin. "Now, please, mount, so we may venture back to my home."
Luna wordlessly nodded and stepped up to Himeros. Icarus got to his paws and nudged Luna, helping her as she mounted Himeros. Himeros shuffled back and forth, adjusting himself to their weight. Gabriel snickered something and pulled Himeros down the opposite way, guiding the Longma into a steady trot. Icarus kept up with ease and Hugo took up the rear, lugging around bags.
Luna held onto Gabriel's midsection and laid her head on his back. "Thank you," she mumbled into his jacket. She yawned and closed her eyes. "Thanks for everything, Gabriel. Thanks for being my friend and letting me do this."
Gabriel's mouth opened to say something to this. But, his lips pressed together instead. "It is no trouble at all," he told her quietly, "Miss Luna, you may close your eyes but hold on tight. I will guide us home."
Luna nodded lazily against him and let out a sigh.
Gabriel's lips trembled as though he wanted to so badly say something, but he just could not get out the words.
And, his hands tightened around his reins.
In the violet bubble attached to lithe violet flames guiding them into an abyss, Igneel yawned. "I'm so bored," he complained.
Mary Jane's eyebrow twitched. "Deal with it, moron," she snapped. She sat on the ground in her meditative pose. "Shut up and be quiet."
Igneel furrowed his eyebrows. "But… Didn't you just—?" His words were cut off in a strangled hum when a spearhead was a merely centimeter away from his throat.
Mary Jane opened one eye, the modular spear originating from just the palm of her hand. "I will not hesitate to hurt you if you piss me off," she reminded him. "Remember that."
Igneel tried not to swallow as he sweated comically. "Yes, ma'am," he whimpered.
Mary Jane retracted her spear as her eye shut. "Glad we've reached an understanding."
Peter's eyes slid back and forth between the two, an eyebrow raised and confusion dancing in his gaze. "Are you two…always like this?" he wondered.
Igneel wiped the sweat off his forehead and nodded. "Pretty much," he supposed. "MJ isn't exactly the cute and cuddly type of girl. She might be a secret Kuudere Archetype with some Tsundere mixed in."
A tick mark pounded against Mary Jane's forehead. "No, she is not a 'kuu'-or 'tsun-tsun'-whatever, but she is a Murderous Archetype who will get pissed off very easily," she said harshly.
Igneel laughed. "Don't be so angry, MJ. It'll go straight to your ass," he teased.
"Your Idiot Hero Archetype is going to die very painfully," Mary Jane threatened. "Slowly until the last drop of blood drips out of you. Only then can I be happy."
Peter's eyes widened, but Igneel only cackled and plopped onto the ground. The entire bubble dropped a bit and Mary Jane gritted her teeth, but then it was back to smooth sailing.
"She's a spitfire," Igneel remarked. "One of a kind with a knack for bloodlust. That's my MJ."
"I'm not yours and that nickname is atrocious," Mary Jane said through a locked jaw. "If only I had my Sound Pod to drown out your pointless chatter that pisses me off."
Peter grinned at Mary Jane. "You're certainly a feisty one, huh, baby girl?" he teased.
Mary Jane ignored him.
Peter settled on the ground, albeit more gently than Igneel had done. He observed Mary Jane. "So—"
"Don't talk to me. In fact…" Mary Jane brought her hands up to her ears and her palms pulsed violet for a mere moment. When she brought her hands down, all could not see what she had done.
Peter switched his curious stare to Igneel who only secretly grinned.
"Don't mind her. She put up a Noise-Cancelling Charm on her ears," Igneel explained. "Whenever she didn't have her headphones and Sound Pod with her, this was the only thing she could do to ignore everyone, especially when she would get migraines."
Peter frowned. "So, does she get headaches a lot?"
Something passed through Igneel's face. Something that made Peter want to retract that question, made him want to regret it. Igneel lowered his head with a not-right smile on his face. "Uh, yeah. Sometimes," he murmured. "They come and go. Some are worse than others."
Peter's face darkened. "How 'worse'?" he demanded to know. "Are they worse than what I saw?"
Igneel winced. "They…can be," he admitted quietly. His onyx eyes ricocheted to Mary Jane's form and softened dearly. "She doesn't like to talk about them. They hurt her too much. She uses music to drive her migraines away and it normally works."
It donned on Peter. "So, the reason she has headphones in all the time—"
Igneel swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. She can hear you through her music, so it's not that she's really ignoring us. But, she…" He sighed and fiddled with the ring on his finger. "It's easier to not deal with people," he tried to justify.
Peter acknowledged the ring on Igneel's finger by nodding at it. "Nice ring," he complimented. "Family heirloom or a promise ring?"
Igneel bestowed a fanged grin. "Nah, nothin' like that," he dismissed. "More like a reward and a reminder from someone who helped us not-so long ago."
Peter raised an eyebrow, but he decided not to press Igneel for more than that. He switched the topic back to Mary Jane. "How long have you two been…?" He jerked his head. "You know…"
Igneel thought he knew. "Well, we've been guild mates since we were ten," he informed. "And, then—"
"No. Not guild mates," Peter said. "I mean together. How long have you guys been dating?"
Igneel's eyes widened. Then, he lurched forward in a genuine laugh. "Ha! Us? Dating?" He burst into more laughter.
Peter crossed his arms. "Well, I figured she might be lying about your relationship when I saw the two of you," he figured, grinning. "Looked like the girlfriend was trying to make her boyfriend jealous with the evil other man."
Igneel shook his head in his mirth. "It's not like that," he assured. "Nah, MJ and I go way back when it comes to us being friends, but that's it."
Peter hummed at this, nodding along to something he clearly did not understand. "And, uh… Does she know that?"
"'Know' what?"
"That you're both friends."
Igneel paused at then. Then, that not-right grin settled on his face again. "She'll come around," was what he offered as a response. "She doesn't know it yet, but she will. It's fate."
Peter gave a sarcastic laugh at that. "'Fate'? Really, man? Don't tell me you buy into the astrology bullshit."
Igneel's shoulder shook as he snickered. "Nah. Not exactly." His hand grabbed his scarf and pulled at the material. He looked at it, looked carefully at the stitching like he was seeing some secret message or remembering a precious memory. "Just know that it's 'fate' for her and I to be friends. I can't tell you how I know or anything, but it just is."
Peter snorted at that. He did not mean to sound rude, but he certainly was not buying into this. "Dude, I think you're just dreaming."
That one word caused Igneel's eyes to shimmer into something reminiscent and sad. "'Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it'," he quoted from mere memory, voice laced with a certain untouchable something.
That caught Peter's attention. "Where's that from?"
"The Boy Who Never Grew Up," Igneel answered. The name brought back such an ache. "Favorite book ever. I'm a sucker for Peter Pan."
Peter chuckled. "Ugh. Dude, don't get me started. My friends have all tried relentlessly to get me to dress up like the guy because of my name. Never been one for Neverland and pixie dust, to be honest."
Igneel chuckled as well. "It's not for everyone," he had to admit. "My pops is pretty much a big kid himself. He was the one who got me into Peter Pan. Neverland: Adventures of Peter and the Lost Boys were his favorite stories for my ma to read to him and he would read them to my siblings and I and we would act out scenes." Such childhood memories he could see so vividly like he was back to being nothing more than a scrawny six-year-old with a love for stories that would never die. "Pops would be Captain Hook, I'd be Peter, my twin would be Tootles, my baby sis would be Tink, and my older sis would be Tiger Lily. We would play for hours."
Peter found something out of place with that casting. "Wait… What about Wendy?"
Igneel tensed.
"Was your mom Wendy?" Peter asked.
Igneel gripped his scarf, then he let it go. "No," he spoke lowly, quietly, like he had not spoken at all.
Peter decided to let the topic drop and gazed about outside of the bubble.
Igneel decided to take off his pack and shifted through it. He got out his Compact and wiped the screen on his shirt. He woke it up just with his touch and he looked at the time. The screen read 8:46 PM with the dreaded words NO SERVICE in the corner.
Dammit. We were trapped in the cave for hours and we've been falling for who knows how long.
He spared a glance at Mary Jane.
I need to get her back to the surface, but I know she won't come with me willingly. Let's just hope wherever we end up down there, we can get back up.
°•°•°•°
In the depths of darkness, in the depths where no light could touch it, something rumbled. Something stirred. Something triggered it. Something woke it up. And, that made it curious it.
A bloodshot eye opened in the pits of darkness.
°•°•°•°
Igneel's eyes widened and he nearly dropped his Compact.
Mary Jane jolted forward and gave a pained groan.
Peter looked at the two of them in bafflement. "What's wrong? What happened?" he demanded to know.
The bubble waned as Mary Jane groaned again, her hands going to her head. "No," she lamented. "Not now… Please…"
Igneel threw the Compact back into his pack and shouldered it on. He stood up and his flames licked his arms, violet and clingy. He shot them out of his palms like they were spider thread. The Purple Flare burst from the bubble and hit the walls of the never-ending hole, anchoring into them.
Igneel and Peter bristled as the bubble jolted to a stop and Mary Jane keeled over onto her side, groaning.
"Peter, hold MJ," Igneel barked in order. "Whatever the Hell is down there triggered our Magic and she's going to react even worse."
Peter crawled to Mary Jane and brought her into his embrace. His eyes softened as Mary Jane whimpered her head trauma and pressed her hands into her hair. "Shhh, baby girl, I've got you," he cooed.
"No," Mary Jane bewailed. "Go away…"
Peter might not have physically recoiled at that, but something in his eyes did. "Baby girl…"
"Go away," Mary Jane repeated, though this time a bit rougher. "Get out… Get out. Get out! Get out!"
The bubble waned even more and threatened to pop.
Mary Jane thrashed in Peter's arms, but he held her down. "Mary Jane!" he shouted. "Calm down! It's just me!"
"Leave me the Hell alone!" Mary Jane roared, shaking her head furiously. Her hands went to her hair and yanked on them as though the pain as much better than the inner torment she felt. "Get out of my head! Go away! I'm in control!"
"Igneel!" Peter cried as Mary Jane accidentally punched his jaw in her furious wriggling. "What's happening to her? What's she doing?"
"MJ, breathe!" Igneel snapped at her. "Breathe!"
Mary Jane whimpers turned into snarls and she broke free from Peter's grasp. She curled her teeth in a feral snarl and her eyes opened.
Peter had never met such scarlet eyes in his life.
Mary Jane shut her eyes as she struggled with herself. "No!" she sobbed. Hot tears leaked from her eyes and flooded down her cheeks. "No, not now! No!" she howled.
"MJ!" Igneel yelled.
Mary Jane's eyes flew open and were engulfed in glowing scarlet. "No!" she screamed.
The bubble popped.
And, so, they fell.
Peter was not quite sure what was happening. He knew he was falling. Yes, he knew that. He knew his mouth was opening and perhaps he was screaming. It was a natural reaction when you were plummeting to your doom that you could not see. He thought he saw a glimpse of Mary Jane's hair whipping around as she bemoaned her misfortune and shouted for someone, anyone, to leave her the Hell alone.
And, then, Peter choked.
His body flung forward as he was being caught. His head was up, then throttled down and bounced back up and a wave of dizziness and nausea wracked his body. His neck hurt like heck and he coughed. He looked down at his mid-section to see flames wrapped around his body and violet ones. His eyes widened at the notion of being burned alive and he opened his mouth to shout.
"Peter, man, chill out!" came a shout.
Peter froze at the voice. He turned his head to look up. His eyesight was blurry for a moment, but everything slid into focus. He saw violet flames curled around Mary Jane as she hung like a deadweight. Igneel was attached to the wall like a spider with his Purple Flare around his mid-section and connecting him to Peter and Mary Jane. His hands were surrounded in the sticky flames as he clung to the wall.
"Bu… Wha…?" Peter tried wrapping his head around this, but he felt so dizzy.
Igneel took one hand off the wall to create fire in his palm. He held down the fire to get a clearer look of Peter's face. He cursed. "Ah, shit. I think I gave you whiplash." This was a setback.
Peter tried shaking his head of the fuzzy feeling in his head. His mouth felt incredible dry, but swallowing was out of the question. Too much pain to swallow. "Wha…?"
Igneel shook his head. "It should be just a moderate case," he diagnosed. "Nothing Aunt Wen can't handle." He snuffed out the flame in his palm to stick his hand back onto the wall with Purple Flare. "Dammit, though. Forgot you don't have a Mage body." It was like he was rock-climbing the way he was moving. He anchored Purple Flare to the rock and pushed off the edge. A thick line of fire was in his hands to keep him from falling as he lowered himself at his own pace. Peter and Mary Jane jostled as Igneel would swing gently back to the wall only to push off it and lower himself more-so.
Igneel looked down to see a swaying Peter and a passed-out Mary Jane.
If MJ's attack is gone right now, means she'll be awake soon. But, she won't last long without her Sound Pod. I need to get Peter up and running. Maybe help massage out any pain. It'll help with his whiplash.
Igneel kept climbing down.
What's worse: we don't even know where the Hell the bottom i—
Peter was the first to bump into the ground and did so with a groan.
Igneel, eyes wide, was careful as he slid down from his rope of flames. He made sure Peter met the ground softer than his abrasive bump. Mary Jane was next to hit the ground, though not-so-much hit as laid. Igneel made sure he was gentle with her body. He detached his Purple Flare from them and jumped down from his perch, landing in a low crouch on the ground.
With Peter getting on all-fours, Igneel tended to Mary Jane first. A flourish of his hand made him conjure his natural red flame in his palm. He got a good look at Mary Jane's crumpled form and deflated. He reached out to touch her.
MJ.
ZZZZT.
Igneel's eyes widened when his cyan static snapped at Mary Jane.
Nothing happened.
ZZT. ZZZZZT. ZZT.
Igneel's eyes widened further when Mary Jane's violet static bounced onto his hand and spread across his whole body. Communication via Lightning was definitely an experience. He did not care for the logistics of it all (he practically fell asleep when Laxus tried explaining to him all about manipulating electrical fields to create a network blah blah blah), but, just by feel, he could tell you it was a helluva lot different than normal Telepathy. There was not so much of talking as there were physical impressions that spoke for themselves. His dad compared it to his Mate Bond, just a lot less intense and a lot less…. Well, just a lot less.
Igneel concentrated as he worked up enough static that understood what he was trying to say and zapped Mary Jane.
ZZT. ZZT-Z-ZZT. ZZZZZT.
Mary Jane's own static responded instantly.
ZZZZZZT.
Peter got to his feet, but he swayed where he stood. He saw the static exchange between the Fairy Tail wizards and raised an eyebrow. "What, are you two going bug-zapper now?" he jested, almost falling.
"No. We're talking," Igneel muttered as he stood up.
Peter nearly fell again and grunted, shutting his eyes. "Nnngh. I didn't hear you guys say anything," he pointed out.
Mary Jane's crumpled form twitched to life and a rumble escaped her lips.
"We didn't need to say anything to talk," Igneel told Peter as though it answered everything.
It did not. It just made Peter even more muddled.
Mary Jane grunted as she shifted. "Crap," was the first word she said. "Shit… Nnngh…"
Igneel stooped down to help Mary Jane get back on her knees. "You gonna live, MJ?" he wondered. There was a teasing undertone that was outshone at the worry in his voice.
"Don't I alw'ys?" Mary Jane asked, sardonic. She cracked her back as she swayed to her knees. She was too out of her own head to realize Igneel's warm hand was guiding her back to her feet. "Wha'happ'ned?" she slurred. She groaned, and her legs buckled.
On instinct, Igneel caught her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Easy there, Goddess, I've got ya," he muttered. "I don't know what happened exactly, but there was a negative presence that made itself known to us. Must've triggered it when we got far down enough. Probably a defense mechanism or something."
Mary Jane shut her eyes as she slumped against Igneel. "Geroff," she slurred. She tried to wriggle away from him. "Off," she repeated.
"Shhh, MJ, take it easy," Igneel hushed. "You're drowsy and we both know it. This is what happens when you use Magic right after you have an attack. I've got some relief pills on me—"
Mary Jane gave a lethargic shake of her head. "No… No pills," she mumbled, though it sounded dangerously close to a childish whine. "Geroff… Tired…"
"I know," Igneel murmured to her. "But, if there is something down here, we need to get both you and Peter to safety." He glanced back at Peter who swayed where he stood. He frowned. "Peter, can you walk to me?"
Peter nodded and stumbled over to Igneel. He nearly fell onto Igneel's shoulder, but he righted himself at the last moment. He, too, looked a bit drowsy, though more so like he was on some sort of high.
"Don't worry, guys. We'll get you safe and sound," Igneel promised. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
I don't sense any heat signatures, but it doesn't take an idiot to feel the negative energy down here. And, whatever it is, it'll want to kill anyone who gets in its path.
Igneel readjusted Mary Jane and made sure his arm was wrapped tight around her waist. He helped her forward. "C'mon, guys," he urged. "Let's get walking. Only thing we can do right now."
And, so, Igneel led two on the verge of passing out into a new abyss of darkness.
In the Lacrima Scale Guild, Pantherlily, Gajeel, Natsu, and Levy watched in baited breath as Wendy worked within the Guild Master's office. An unconscious Gale lay on the ground atop of a clean blanket that was on top of a tarp. There had been much blood spilled onto Gale's skin and mixed with dirt, sweat, and rain. All had been cleaned off—the bloody rags on the far corner of the tarp showed that—and trauma shears were finally untouched when all of Gale's clothing (save for his underwear) had been removed or cut away from him. A tube was in his mouth and down his throat with a clear mask connecting it. Wendy finished dressing the last of Gale's wounds and allowed her sky-blue Magic to dust him.
When Wendy was finished, she sat back on her haunches and panted. "There," she breathed. "I did as much as I could. His wounds are clean now. His dressings will need to be changed every hour, though. The spell I have on him will make sure he has the fluids he needs and will keep him from feeling anymore pain than he is in now. I put him under general anesthesia, but he shouldn't have a problem breathing. I made sure of that."
"Did we do the right thing?" Gajeel could not help but ask.
Wendy sighed. "You did," she admitted. "Honestly, I hate cauterizing. It's a medieval method that can cause infection if you're not close to a doctor, but, with the state of his injury, he would have died if you had tried to move him even more. If he had gotten here any later, though, well…" She looked back down at her nephew and softened. "Well, let's be glad he's here now," she said instead. "He'll be okay. I can heal a lot of things, but when it comes to wounds like this, he needs to go to a hospital."
"He'll be okay, though, won't he?" Levy sniffled. "My baby will be okay?"
"He will," Wendy assured. "Don't worry, Levy. Gale's a fighter, just like you and Gajeel. I can't promise he'll love the recovery process and I can't promise he won't be scarred from this, but he'll live, walk, and talk again."
Levy shivered into Gajeel's hold and gave a sob of relief. "Oh, thank goodness," she blubbered.
Wendy got up and shakily so. She looked a bit light-headed but shook it off. "I'll come back to check on him in fifteen minutes," she promised. She walked to the door. "He'll be just fine, everyone." She opened the door and slipped out.
Levy left Gajeel to crawl to her son. She settled at his side with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips. "You're going to be okay, baby," she murmured to him. Her hands combed through his hair in intimate strokes. "You're going to be just fine."
Gajeel and Pantherlily curled next to Gale. Pantherlily did the most catlike action and moved against Gale's arm, curling near him like a cat trying to warm his master. Gajeel brought Levy close to him as his finger brushed against Gale's cheek.
"You're gonna have some sick battle scars," Gajeel croaked. "Don't you dare get ashamed of 'em either, got that, pipsqueak? They show you're a survivor and you're stronger than ever."
Lucy slipped into the room and looked appropriately apologetic for breaking into such an intimate setting. "Gajeel, Natsu," she addressed, "Master Ooba is right outside. She would like to speak to both of you."
Gajeel snarled at that. "Are you serious?"
Out of everyone, it was Natsu who snapped, "Gajeel." There was a growl in his voice and a look in his eye.
Gajeel defiantly growled back.
Levy looked up at her husband and touched his cheek. He looked down at her and angry ruby met calm hazel.
"Go," Levy said. "We'll be right here when you get back."
Gajeel looked like he wanted to object, but, in the end, he dipped down to kiss Levy's temple and sighed. "Fine," he grumbled. "I won't be long." He nuzzled her skin, then got to his feet. His eyes flitted over his son and there was a noticeable trace of self-loathing and pain in his gaze, but he looked away to follow Natsu out of the room.
Lucy approached Levy carefully. "So, what's the verdict?"
"He's going to survive," Levy told. "He'll recover with scars, but that's it."
Lucy settled beside her friend to gaze at Gale. "That's great news."
Levy smiled wanly. "It is, but…" She sniffled. "I never want to feel that kind of pain again," she disclosed. "I thought… I thought he died, Lu. I could feel it."
Lucy brought Levy into her arms. "I know what you felt because I felt it too with Luke once," she confessed. "Porlyusica's only take on it was we felt it because all of their Magic depleted so fast, we could feel a false death."
Levy shook her head. "I never want to feel that again," she whimpered. "I never want my kids to go through that."
Lucy could only hold Levy close. There was no need or time for words of consolation. For silence, sometimes, was the best type of solace.
°•°•°•°
Outside of the master's office stood Ooba, Natsu, Gajeel, a lumbering golem, and a shivering ikenga. There was noise down below in the hall, but the hallway on the second floor was quiet. Other rooms were used for more severe cases with people coming in and out with new dressings and pain killers.
Gajeel looked at the golem up and down. "What's this doing here?" His eyes went to the slumbering ikenga. "And, the Hell is that rat thing?"
"They showed up at our guild hall," Ooba answered. "I figured, given from Gale's reputation, this was his golem. The creature it is holding is called an 'ikenga', but that is of little importance." She looked at the golem and gestured to the door. "He's in there, golem, if you wish to be at your master's side."
The golem lumbered towards the door and had to duck down to get into the room.
Ooba sighed and looked at Natsu. "So, he really is here?"
Natsu nodded. "Yeah. And, he's not taking it easy. He slipped away in the chaos. We just barely got out of there before the suzaku destroyed the section."
Ooba hummed thoughtfully. "Meredy was right," she muttered. "I had originally thought Bluenote's intent was to kill her as he had done with past guild mates, but it seems like his main interest was in Gale for a reason I can't understand."
Gajeel growled. "I'm hunting down the bastard," he decided. "He's mine."
"Justice," Natsu said, "not vengeance."
Gajeel turned to Natsu and heightened his growl. "He hurt my pipsqueak," he justified.
Natsu nodded. "And he'll get his justice," he said firmly. "Not vengeance. That's something you taught your kids."
Gajeel looked away and his fists clenched.
Natsu turned back to Ooba. "Don't worry about sending anyone after him," he said. "Gajeel and I can handle him."
Ooba did not even doubt that and nodded along. "I figured you would say something like that and I agree. As I am your de facto Guild Master, I give you permission to pursue and subdue Bluenote Stinger. He'll be put on Magic Trial for the crimes he committed." She turned to Gajeel and her frown deepened. "I know your vendetta with him is now more personal than ever, but I trust you to know when to stop."
Gajeel gave a gruff nod.
Ooba nodded back. "Leave on your own terms. When I am able, I would like to come see Gale." She glanced at her office door. "I would like to give him my respect for surviving against a Mage of that caliber."
"My twins," Gajeel started, "they need to know about him."
Ooba nodded at that. "I'll have Kazari send them a message and explain the situation. It will be their choice alone if they would like to fight or get off the battlefield." Her old eyes softened at Gajeel. "You raised your kids well, Black Steel. Don't forget that." And, she spun off.
Natsu noticed Gajeel's harsh glare. "We'll handle Bluenote and avenge Gale," he vowed. "But, we're not going any further than that."
Gajeel gave a smirk that could send shivers down the spines of the weak-minded. "We ain't good Samaritans, Your Highness. We've had blood on our hands before," he reminded like it should have stung.
Natsu was not even fazed. "Yeah. You're right," he agreed. "Doesn't mean we have to bathe in it. Justice, Gajeel. Avenge, not revenge." He turned back to the door, but he gave Gajeel a glance sidewise. "That's something I got from you. You stood by it then. Make sure you stand by it now." He left for the master's office and slipped back inside, leaving Gajeel to stew over those words.
The golem stood off to the side, not really in the way, but it looked at Gale. If it had emotion, perhaps it would have looked concerned and angered it could not protect its master. But, it was soulless, so staring was all it could do.
Natsu gravitated towards Lucy and knelt beside her. "We're going after Bluenote," he told her and, inadvertently, Levy. "Just Gajeel and I."
Lucy peered up at him and nodded. "Okay. Just be safe and be careful, Natsu" she warned him.
Natsu kissed her forehead before nuzzling her's with his own. "I will," he promised.
Levy piped up, "And, please, Natsu… Make sure…" She tried to get out the right words. She wanted to say them, but she did not know how.
Natsu pulled back from Lucy to give Levy a nod. "I will."
Gajeel slipped into the room and his eyes bounced from Levy to his youngest son to Pantherlily.
Natsu tugged Lucy away from Levy and she let him. The duo was on their feet and leaving the office as Gajeel strode towards his family. He replaced Lucy as he drew Levy in for a warm embrace, kissing her temple.
Levy leaned into his hold and closed her eyes. "You have to stop him before he can do worse to someone else," she whispered to him.
Gajeel nodded as he rested his chin atop her head. "He ain't gonna hurt or kill anyone else," he rumbled to her. "Salamander and I won't let that happen."
A tear slipped from Levy's eyes. "I wish you didn't have to go," she admitted softly.
Gajeel's hold on her tightened. "I know," he said back. "Wish I didn't have to either. But, I can't rest easy with that bastard runnin' wild." His eyes shot to his son and darkened. "He started this when he messed with Fairy Tail all those years ago. Made himself a public criminal for the murder of his guild mates. And, he made an enemy of a dragon for trying to kill my kid. I won't take that lying down."
"Just be careful," Levy pleaded. "The twins are going to be devastated enough when they see Gale. I don't know what they'd do or I'd do if you didn't—"
Gajeel gave a faint smile as he dislodged himself from his mate. Glimmering hazy met loving ruby. "Don't go doubtin' on me now, Shorty," he scolded, lighthearted. "I'll be careful. I got rugrats who need their old man still and a short mate who I'd be lost without."
Levy sniffled her laugh. "I think you have that last part in reverse," she told him.
"I have it right," Gajeel assured. He kissed her forehead before tipping her chin up with a hand and pecking her lips. "I'll come back to you," he promised, "and back to our rugrats and our cat and our guild. I love you, Shorty."
Levy smiled at him. "I love you too," she confessed before leaning in to give him a sweet kiss.
Gajeel reluctantly pull away first and got to his feet. "Lily," he called as he walked away, "we've got a murderer to arrest."
Pantherlily got to his paws and let his wings sprout. He offered one last look to Levy and Gale before flying after his partner.
Gajeel and Pantherlily left the room where Natsu, Happy, and Lucy waited for them in the hall. Gajeel pierced Lucy with his red-eyed glare. "Watch over them," he requested.
Lucy nodded. "Of course. Watch over each other." She turned back to Natsu and kissed his cheek. "I love you. I'll see you later," she murmured to him.
Natsu nodded and offered her a faint grin. "Love you too, Lucy."
Lucy said no more as she went back into the office.
Natsu's eyes traveled to Gajeel and he lifted his chin, Happy on his shoulder. "Ready?" he wondered.
Gajeel offered a cruel smirk in return as Pantherlily landed on his shoulder. "Lead the way, Your Highness."
Walking in total darkness might not have been knew to Igneel, but that did not mean he liked it. He felt on edge with each step he took. Sometimes, the splash-back in superficial puddles dripped down his legs. Other times, clingy cobwebs would tickle his legs and not make a sound if he cut through them. But, there was always something unnatural about darkness. It taunted you, mocked you with its mystery, its silence. It teased you into thinking the worst. It played you with its unpredictable nature. All things Igneel detested.
Mary Jane relied on him less, but she was still pretty dreary. Her words were less slurred, at least, and her eyes were not glazed. "Ugh… Anythin'?" she asked.
Igneel shook his head. "Nope. Scents down here are all stale and old and I don't sense any heat signatures. Can't hear anything either," he reported.
"Useless," Mary Jane tched. "Lemme go."
Igneel shook his head. "Not until you're done being loopy," he decided. "You always get like this when you push yourself too hard after an attack. Just take the pill—"
"No," Mary Jane rejected. "They just make ev'rythin' worse, moron. They knock me out."
Igneel spared a grin. "Good. Then, I can just carry you instead of having to help you walk like a newborn deer," he teased.
"Piss off."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"
Peter tried to keep his head from swaying, but it was hard for him to not do so. He trailed behind Igneel and Mary Jane. He was not too far. In just one stride, he would be shoulder-to-shoulder with Igneel. But, he preferred to drift a bit from the two of them. His eyes, while unfocused, watched the pair of them interact.
I…don't get it… I feel funny…
He looked down to see his hands trembling. He blinked. There was something carved into his palms. Bleed seeped from the strange marking. It was a circle inside a square inside a triangle inside another circle. Never had he seen such strange markings in his life. When he blinked, the markings were gone, and his palms were free of blood.
LUB-DUB.
Something thrummed against the side of Peter's head and he faltered for a second. All his nausea threatened to heave up his throat and spew everywhere, but he swallowed it back down. Against his will, a groan left his lips.
Igneel halted to turn around. He swept his fire around to watch Peter stumble and stagger until he hit a wall. "Peter?" he called carefully. "What's wrong? Feeling sick?"
Peter groaned again and shut his eyes. "I don't know what's wrong with me," he rasped. "Feel…weird."
Igneel pressed his lips together.
This isn't good. His Whiplash might be more severe than I thought.
He turned to Mary Jane. "I'm going to sit you down, okay?" he warned her.
Mary Jane only grumbled as Igneel helped her sit down. He laid her against the wall and she let her head lope to the side, groaning. "I hate you, moron," she grumbled.
Igneel stood back up as he waved his fire around. "Those words are music to me, MJ," he said absently. He put his fire close to the wall for him to stumble upon a realization.
Are these…runes?
He placed a hand on the wall to feel the indents of carved runes. They were old and dusty, but they were most definitely runes from another culture. He could not read them and that was okay. He shivered as he ran his hands over the grooves of the runes.
So, then… We must be in some sort of tunnel of runes. People had to have made them, right? And, if people did, then…
Igneel continued to move his fire up as he hands followed the runes. He brightened when he saw what he was looking for. It was a torch clinging to the wall. A cloth was already wrapped around its head. He unhooked the torch to bring it to him and sniffed the cloth.
Awesome. Whale oil. Still functioning.
Igneel took his hand to the torch and watched in delight as his flames ate up the oil, creating wilder and brighter orange flames tinted in red. He was careful to hook the torch back to its handle and watched in wonder as the fire gave them light. He looked around to see his group was surrounded in old runes that told ancient stories to those who read them.
"Wow," Igneel breathed. "Awesome…"
Mary Jane's groans brought Igneel back from his awe.
Igneel snuffed out the flame in his palm to crouch down to this pack. He dug around in his pack to bring out a prescription bottle. He shook the bottle in Mary Jane's face. "C'mon, MJ, you need to take these."
"No," Mary Jane grunted (more like whined). "They don't help."
Igneel sighed as he set down the pill bottle to wrestle out water. "They do help. They just make you sleepy, but the pain goes away. You haven't recovered, and you know having two attacks will hurt you." He wrestled out a second and third pill bottle and put them on the ground.
Peter lolled his head and squinted at the bottles. "What're those?" he slurred.
"Mixture of O-T-C drugs and prescription," Igneel rattled off. "Nothing fancy. Most of them are a range of analgesics, antipyretics, tranquilizers, etcetera. Adderall. Methylphenidate. Keep 'em on me when I'm not in my hometown."
"You sound like a drug dealer," Peter said, blunt.
Igneel smiled as he found the bottle he needed. "I only use meds when I have to and definitely don't plan to deal." He crawled over to Peter. Peter closed his eyes when Igneel laid the back of his hand on Peter's forehead.
Igneel's eyes hardened. "You're getting a fever," he decided. "Thirty-seven-point-four." He grabbed a pill bottle and uncapped it.
Peter opened his eyes slightly to watch Igneel shake out two pills. "How'd'you…?"
"I'm a Fire Mage," Igneel said simply. "I mean it's not something a lot of us can do. Picked it from my pops. I can feel any heat signatures, know body temperatures—all that fun stuff that comes with being a pyromaniac." He grabbed Peter's hand and put in the pills. Setting down the pill bottle, he grabbed the water and uncapped it. "Here. Take this. It'll relieve the pain and reduce your fever," he instructed, handing Peter the water bottle. "Think you can do it?"
Peter hummed and nodded his head. As he popped in the first pill, Igneel worked his hands. Blue flames were born, shy and modest, in his palms. Peter drank his water, but he eyed Igneel as he worked the flames into some sort of fiery ball. Peter popped in the next pill and guzzled it with water before sighing. He wiped his mouth and had to ask, "What're you doing now?"
"Ice pack," Igneel grunted. "It'll be rough, but it'll help with the fever." He put the ball of blue flames in one palm before tracing it with his other hand. His Purple Flare wound around the ball in a thin net. When he was finished, he looked back at Peter. "Here. Don't worry about the fire. It's harmless," he promised.
Peter made a noise of protest as Igneel raised the ball of fire to his forehead. "Hey, wait a—!" His words stopped when he felt cold lick at his brow and cling to him. He looked up to see the ball of fire stuck to his forehead. The flames did not burn at his skin. The flames were gentle things, mouthing icy kisses and helping him calm down.
Igneel swiped back the water bottle. "Feel a bit better?"
Peter nodded slowly. "Yeah, but… How did you…?"
"Magic." Igneel flashed a fangy grin before turning back to his pack. "These blue flames are called Freeze Flame. They're colder and can be downright freezing if I want them to be." He picked up a pill bottle and unscrewed the cap. "I don't really use them unless I have to since I'm not used to them, but this is an emergency." He shook out two gel-like pills and showed them to Mary Jane. "MJ," he warned.
Mary Jane groaned. "No." This time it was not a harsh protest. It was a whimper. "Don't make me."
Igneel shook his head. "You need to take them," he insisted. "They'll help make you better. Trust me."
Mary Jane whined openly, ashamedly, and shook her head. "Please, no," she sniveled. "I don't want to sleep. I don't want to dream again."
Igneel's shoulders drooped. "I won't force you," he promised. He put back the pills and screwed the cap on. "But, at least take a bit of migraine relief, okay?" he pleaded. He grabbed the pill bottle and unscrewed it to shake out a pill. "It'll help dull it just a little bit."
Igneel offered the pill to Mary Jane. She grunted as she palmed his hand for the pill and sloppily popped it into her mouth.
Igneel handed her the water bottle before he scooped up the bottles and piled them back into his pack. "We can rest for a few, but we have to keep moving. I don't know what's down here, but I really don't want to find out." He paused for a second and shivered. "Ah, crap," he grunted.
"Booster…"
Igneel peered up at Mary Jane. She wiped her mouth with a hand and offered him back his bottle. For once, the hatred and anger in her cerulean eyes made room from one of her more rarer emotions: unease.
"Did you…?" Mary Jane shut her eyes and grunted, shaking her head.
Igneel took back the water and his hand brushed her bangs from her forehead. "Shhh, MJ," he hushed. "I did. I promise. Just feeling a little wired. I should be good for a couple more hours."
Mary Jane nodded at his words and let her head rest against the wall, taking a shaky inhale then exhale.
Igneel seemed satisfied at that and swung his gaze to Peter. Peter had his eyes closed and his breathing even. His nose gave absent twitches. It seemed like he was asleep. Igneel gave a sigh of relief at that as he moved to the other side of the tunnel and settled against the wall, knocking back his head.
We can't sit back for too much longer. I don't like being blind and helpless. Peter's a liability in all of this especially. Without a Mage build, I have to protect him more than MJ. He could die so easily. And, MJ…
He eyed the Dark Empress as she muttered incoherent words to herself.
I can't risk her going through another attack. Her mind is most vulnerable right now. Who knows how long we have?
He grabbed his scarf to frown at the material. Unobstructed longing sat in his eyes as he gazed at the scarf.
I wish I—
He closed his eyes. His grip on his scarf tightened.
Let my flames be as brilliant as yours, Grandpa Igneel. And, let your star, Granny Layla, be the one who guides me. In the name of my father, Natsu Dragneel, and my mother, Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel, I beseech you.
There was a unique burning sensation that warmed his chest. It felt familiar and comforting, something (if he were not careful) he could doze off to. He could hear that rumble reverberate in his mind. It sounded noble and firm like a volcano, but it was not overwhelming. It was consoling like his own father was surrounding him in his heat.
What am I supposed to do? Igneel asked. What can I do, Gramps? Something tells me the surface is shit. And, down here isn't going too hot either. Half of me thinks we're not gonna survive long down here.
The rumbling nose increased. If you listened closely, it sounded like stern scolding, like it did not agree with Igneel's words.
A smile touched Igneel's lips without any teeth.
I didn't say all of me thought that, but… I'm just… I wish my parents were here. They'd know what to do.
Igneel felt the warmth heat up for a moment and the rumbling seemed to be nudging him, urging him with something.
Tell me, please. What can I do? Igneel asked in prayer. Give me a sign, a vision—something. Tell me how I can protect them.
The rumbling sounded threatening, sounded like an angry volcano that was disturbed. It stirred in Igneel and around him. The air around him hummed with heat and something…more. He could feel his own flames growing, clawing at his stomach and his throat in desperation. They wanted out. They wanted to live. The rumble turned into a quiet snarl that could not keep quiet forever. It snarled louder and louder, making Igneel grit his teeth. It was hurting his ears how loud the snarl was. If he opened his eyes, he could see the loose pebbles and stones on the ground vibrating as if they, too, were affected by the snarl.
Igneel's breathing trembled into rapid pants. He was burning up. It was like his own flames were becoming too much for him to bear, but he would still take them on anyways. He was not backing down.
Please, ancestors, I beseech you, Igneel prayed. Show me anything!
Igneel's mouth opened as he gasped. His eyes shot open, but they did not hold those onyx irises with flecks of emerald. Green covered them completely, possessing him.
And a thundering roar deafened him.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
He stood in his hometown and he knew this just by scent alone. He watched as people walked and talked, none noticing him. Though, he did notice a few people that were different than back home. He noticed the woman he owned La Casa de Pastel looked years younger. In fact, her mother seemed to be in-charge of the shop still. A few of the merchants he had gotten to know over the years had less wrinkles and more time on their side. In fact, a few of the stands were ones he vaguely recalled as if from a dream of a dream.
He was startled when someone passed through him. He did not feel it, they did not feel it, but just seeing someone walk out of you was an eye-opening experience. He turned around in his mass confusion. Why was he back home in a time period that was not his own? Why was he here at all?
A jingling laughter played in his ears and he turned around in the merchant street.
He tried to mind people, but, after realizing they would not mind him, he phased through them like it was nothing, like he was nothing more than a ghost. He kept trotting through the crowd as he heard another laugh join. His venture stopped when he found his sources.
They were two young children who had obviously not hit the age of eight yet. They were opposites in gender, but their height was about the same. Both were blondes, but she was a bit fairer than him. Her hair was naturally bleached and utterly beautiful, already thick and tied back with a ribbon. His blonde hair ended in tinged orange, but it seemed he was growing out of it. They looked like they had been friends longer than their lifetimes could say. The boy scratched the back of his neck and he noticed there was no scar on his neck. He rubbed his neck with pink on his cheeks while the girl giggled that wrinkle-nose laugh.
Their mothers were eyeing vegetables they would use for dinner. They were not being ignorant of their children—no, for they had one eye on the food and one eye on their children—but in a busy place, even turning your back on a little one for one measly second could cause chaos. It did not mean the parent was horrible or their child should be taken in for child services. It meant the parents was human and that was that.
The boy turned his head for a second when his eyes caught something in the distance.
That was when it happened.
He does not know how it happened, exactly, but he watched both child and parent be completely ignorant as two men swept away the girl of bleach blonde hair. She looked confused. She struggled, but a little girl was no match for grown men. She shouted, but her little voice was drowned out over the bustling sounds of the marketplace.
But, he heard it.
And, the boy heard it.
The boy whipped around to notice his friend had gone missing. Blame his impulsive nature and how wired he was, but he wasted no time to merge with the crowd. His mouth opened as he called her name over and over again. He tried to sniff her, but there were too many scents. He kept up with the child with ease as he went into a panic as he looked for his friend. He could not lose her. He could never lose her.
They both caught sight of her being dragged into an alleyway.
The boy was on the move and pushed past people, rushing to get to her, and he followed, intrigued. What would the boy do next? The boy stumbled out of the stream of consumers and dashed into the alleyway with no regrets. He cantered after the boy. The alleyway was nothing special. A few shady characters called it their home with tents and hookahs and detrimental moonshine. They paid the boy little heed as they were sleeping, too high, or too drunk to really care.
The boy picked up on his friend's scent and her childish screams and pushed himself.
He followed the boy as the alleyway bent into a left. He rounded the corner to see the boy had stopped as though in shock. He studied the boy's face before looking at what he was seeing. It seemed the alley ended in an abandoned courtyard that needed obvious repair. A fountain barely spewed and was shoved in a corner. Benches broken and rotten were on the sides as tuffs of grass and wildflowers ducked out of the cracks in the stone.
A group of men surrounded the girl of bleach blonde hair. They muttered to themselves inappropriate jokes and spoke of the amount of jewel she was worth. She was grabbed wrongly and violently and she knew that so she kept screaming and screaming. One of the men who held her, fed up, backhanded her and hissed for her silence.
He noticed the boy spring into action.
He was going up against men decades older than him, taller than him, more powerful than him, but he did not see them as that. He saw them hurting his friend.
The men noticed the boy's arrival and chuckled, leering at him like he was not worth the trouble. The boy bared his teeth as he showed them he was worth it, conjuring red flames in his palms. He was a threat. He yelled at them to released his friend. They had no right to touch her like that.
The men merely laughed at this boy. He was nothing more than a little shit that would do no damage in their plans. The leader of the men nodded and three of his people advanced onto the boy. The boy snarled at them and tried hard to use his flames in defense of himself and to also inflict damage. He succeeded when his body caught fire, startling the men, and he managed to shoot flames from his right hand. The flames clung to one of the men's shoulders and he panicked, patting it to put it out.
Bad mistake.
The two men loomed over the boy. They were not afraid of his flames. The one man was a Water Mage. His Magic Circle appeared, and the boy yelled as water swept under him. It knocked him back and his angry eyes grew terrified as the water sloshed to cage him. He was trapped in a bubble of water and he tried to swim for a way out. The other man was a Shadow Mage. His own shadow extended and pierced the water bubble. It slithered up the boy's leg to keep him anchored. He was trapped. He could not swim. He was left to drown.
A wild scream earned both his and the boy's attention.
The two looked over to see a truly horrific sight. The girl was brought to her knees and her hair was flipped over as a hand was on the back of her neck. Burning flesh tainted the air along with her fear and they both understood what that meant. The man was burning the back of his neck, leaving his mark to remind her of this day.
He looked back at the boy to see as seething rage warred in his eyes. He could not take this lying down. His friend was in trouble and he would not just sit by and watch her suffer. Something changed as his eyes turned to slit and he bared his canines.
No one cared.
The boy wrestled his way out of his confines as something took over him. Something possessed him. Something burned onto his chest, a red symbol that branded a dragon's head. The boy's eyes lightened and lightened until an emerald glow covered them.
Now they noticed.
But, it was too late.
He saw an eruption of something golden and precious and warm and more—
He was thrown into a place he had never seen. He stood at the edge of a volcano's rim like it was his natural habitat. He looked about to see he was stranded on tropical island, or at least that was all he knew. The island was covered in mystical green and expanded for a good while until the sea ended it and surrounded it, holding it captive. The scent of the island was something so pure and raw, he felt like he could tear up from it. It smelled like…like the wonders of fire and smoke and power with hints of something that had yet to have a word invented.
He felt something ruffle behind him and he turned around.
Something rushed up to greet him and filled his entire vision.
Flames.
Brilliant golden flames that had no ending or beginning. They felt surreal and light and filled with something great and good.
Wings of fire spread.
He looked into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. They had the power to consume him. They had the power to use him.
One word shook his very soul, like it was a word from God and he had to drop down to his knees and cry to process it.
Rise.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Igneel gasped as something deliriously dreadful made him shiver and he got to his feet in a flash. He looked down the chamber of runes and into the darkness with eyes of normal onyx. His ears twitched as he listened carefully.
THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM…
Igneel gritted his teeth.
There you are.
Igneel rushed to his back and dump the water bottle in it. As he shouldered it on, Mary Jane stirred. He noticed this and knelt before him. "MJ, we have to go," he rushed out. "Can you stand up?"
MJ groaned and nodded. "Mmm… Yeah." Her voice sound scratchy. "I can…"
Igneel offered his hand and Mary Jane, for once, accepted it. He pulled her to her feet and steadied her when she nearly fell. When he knew she was okay standing, he nodded and turned his attention to Peter. He gave him a light slap. "Yo, man, wake up," he barked. "We have to haul some ass if we want to live."
Peter flinched from the fifth slap and went through the process of waking up. His eyes opened, a bit dazed, but alertness forced him to wake up quicker. "Wha…? What's going on?" he asked.
Igneel snatched the ball of fire off Peter's forehead and snuffed it out just by clenching it. "We need to leave, like, now," he instructed. He offered a hand. "Can you stand?"
Peter nodded and clasped Igneel's arm.
Igneel hauled Peter to his feet with little effort and made sure he was upright before moving. "Okay, we need to get away from here as fast as humanly possible." He went over to the torch and took it from its handle. His eyes darted to Peter. "Think you can run?" he asked.
Peter shook his head to clear up. "Uh, yeah, man, I'll be fine," he grunted. His eyes were focus and went to Igneel. "Definitely. I'll last as long as I can."
"Good enough for me." Igneel turned to Mary Jane who was silent instead of muttering things and took her wrist. "C'mon! Let's move!"
And, they pelted down the tunnel.
Igneel made sure his pace was quick enough that it was a stride faster than a jog, but slow enough that Mary Jane and Peter did not stress themselves and did not feel too dizzy to keep going. He shivered again as the negative energy hit him in a crashing wave. He shook it off and steeled himself.
If people made this, then they made themselves a way out, right? There has to be a way out and back to somewhere safe. But…if the storm got worse… Dammit. I don't know which call to make.
Igneel glanced over his shoulder to see Peter keeping up with him evenly, but he knew the telltale signs of exhaustion. Mary Jane staggered after him limply with her bangs hiding her eyes.
MJ can't fight. If I can get the two of them somewhere safe, I can fight whatever is down here and give them a chance to escape.
°•°•°•°
THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM…
°•°•°•°
Igneel continued to run and look ahead. The runes scrawled on walls that seemed endless. He could not hear a draft, hear the storm. He felt jittery underground. A Fire Mage had no place being underground. They needed vast amounts of oxygen and open space to feel relatively comfortable. It was the nature of the flame. They yearned to burn in bigger spaces.
But, Igneel could not complain.
His thoughts went back to his vision. It went back to the boy and the girl and their story.
That vision… What were they trying to tell me? And that island… That creature…
He remembered such scenery so vividly it was almost too good to be true.
What happened? What was—?
He shook his head.
No. I don't have time to think about that. I need to get these two to safety.
°•°•°•°
THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM…
°•°•°•°
Mary Jane peered up as she looked at Igneel's hand on her wrist. Her eyes drifted upwards to Igneel, watching his back as he ran.
Whispers hissed in the back of her mind.
Her stare drifted over to Peter. She watched as he heaved breath to keep up with Igneel. Fear made him tense, but the adrenaline had not kicked in just yet.
The whispers hissed louder in her mind.
One stuck out to her and slithered into her thoughts, testing the waters. All you have done is run, came notice. All you have done is delay their death.
Stay out of my head, Mary Jane snapped weakly. Leave me alone. I'm in control.
You are weak, came a cackle. You are weak and tired. You are not in control.
Mary Jane felt a tug against her soul, her very being. No, she fought back. She could feel herself getting weaker. She could feel her sight fail her. No, you… You can't do this. Leave me alone…
You will rot for all I care, came a sudden snarl. You will be prisoner. I am in control.
No, wait… Mary Jane tried to move her mouth as her vision became blurry. She could only watch as an onlooker as Igneel guided her to freedom. Moron, get away… Leave me…
Her vision blanked.
°•°•°•°
THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM… THUM-THUM…
°•°•°•°
Igneel continued his run when he was jerked to a halt. He choked on air as he was forced to stop, and Peter skidded to a halt with him. His hands went to his knee and he keeled over to catch his breath.
Igneel panted and looked behind him. There, Mary Jane stood with his hand around her wrist and her gaze shadowed.
"MJ, what are you doing?" Igneel demanded. "We have to go!" He tugged at her to keep moving.
Mary Jane refused to budge.
Igneel groaned as he let her go. "Peter, can you hold the torch?" he asked. "I'm getting out MJ's pills."
Peter straightened up, still wheezing, and nodded. "Yeah. I can—"
"That will not be necessary."
Igneel froze at that voice.
Peter paused, tilting his head in confusion.
Mary Jane's shoulder shook. A small giggle left her lips. Then, a bigger one. Then, she threw back her head as a carefree laugh shook her whole body.
Peter's eyes widened.
Igneel did nothing.
Mary Jane threw her head forward. "Oh, you humans… Your blood is the only thing I actually like." A grin too big for Mary Jane's face appeared. It was twisted and sharp and created for the wrong reasons. She giggled again. "Father says I make the most beautiful painting in blood."
Igneel swallowed. "MJ," he breathed. "You need to—"
Overwhelming fury seized Mary Jane's eyes and her hand shot out to Igneel. "Don't call me that!" she roared.
Igneel caught her wrist before her hand could descend upon his throat. He held her, but he dared not look at her. "MJ," he whispered fiercely.
"Shut up!" Mary Jane roared. "Just shut up!" She broke into wild laughter. "I can't wait for Father to see the mural I paint with your blood! He'll love it!"
"This isn't you, MJ," Igneel whimpered to her. "You have to fight this. I can't keep going without you."
Mary Jane giggled when more with her wide grin. "You're so funny! I can't wait to kill you," she tittered innocently. A snarl tore from her throat without any preamble. "I'm in control," she roared. "This body is mine!"
THUD.
Mary Jane's eyes snapped onto Peter. He had landed on the ground with his eyes giving away his blatant terror.
Her grin broadened, and her head robotically tilted. "Oh? Another piece of prey," she purred. She waved at Peter. "Hi! Am I supposed to kill you too?"
Peter's bottom lip trembled. He could feel his breaths grow heavier and heavier.
"That's enough," Igneel growled. He glared at Mary Jane with protective onyx eyes, but there was a mentionable pain underneath it all. "He's just a mortal, MJ. Don't drag him into this."
The way Mary Jane got out of Igneel's grasp was something Peter wanted to vomit at. Her arm bent at an odd angle before liquefying itself. Her flesh and bones poured out from Igneel's hands (much to his own shock) and reformed, bone first, then muscle, then the skin. Her eyes met Peter's and she giggled.
Peter felt his whole world converge when Mary Jane's face was right in front of his.
"Hi," Mary Jane whispered, grinning. "You want to scream. Why aren't you screaming?"
Igneel let loose a ragged cry and pivoted to get to her. "MJ—Nnngh!" Scarlet Magic wrapped around Igneel and bound him. He lost grip of the torch and it fell to the ground, still aflame. He could not move his hands or his feet and fell over from the struggle of it all. The Magic slithered over his mouth as he yelled and screamed, wriggling with all he could.
Peter could feel all his dizziness rush back to him. Nausea clawed at his belly with the veiled threat to hike up his throat. He could not stop staring into such wild cerulean that burned with so many emotions at once.
Mary Jane gave a pout. "Aw. Are you so scared you're quiet?" she cooed. Her hand raised and her nails danced against Peter's cheek, making him flinch. "That's okay. Father said it's okay when they're quiet. I can kill them quicker this way without anyone rushing to stop me." Her hand drifted from Peter's cheek to his forehead. "So stay quiet, okay?"
Peter could only stare into Mary Jane's eyes.
Igneel's roar was muffled through his scarlet gag.
Mary Jane flattened her hand and lowered it. "Time for you to die now!" she said cheerfully.
Peter could not even scream to defy her.
Mary Jane's hand landed on Peter's forehead.
LUB-DUB.
Igneel's muffled screaming and hollering came to a stop when he noticed Mary Jane stiffened.
Her hand was frozen on Peter's forehead.
Her eyes, once wild, were tamed with something she seldom possessed: humanity. They warmed and shimmered as emotions rattled her stare. Her bottom lip trembled. "No."
Peter's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body thudded to the ground.
Mary Jane's hand shook. Her body shook. Her eyes only gazed at Peter with emotions too quick to process. They shimmered.
DRIP.
A tear streaked her cheek.
DROP.
"Not you," Mary Jane whispered. "No, no…. No, not you… Not you… I-I didn't mean to…"
Igneel was shocked as his scarlet binds vanquished into mid-air. He could still feel the pain of their violent crushing, but he was happier to be free than feel the scarlet rope constrict him.
"No, I'm… I can't…"
Igneel watched as Mary Jane shakily got to her feet. Her head was shaking as a natural reaction.
"I can't," she croaked. "I can't, Father… I'm sorry…"
Igneel warily got to his feet, but he dared not approach her. "MJ," he called softly. "MJ, what's wrong?"
Mary Jane turned her head.
Never did Igneel think he would see tears rain down on her cheeks and clear grief strike her eyes.
"MJ…" Igneel said, tone soft.
Mary Jane's eyes shut as her head shook vigorously. "No!" she roared. "No, no, no, no, no! In control! This is my body!" A giggle escaped her lips before another snarl drowned it out. "Father said—!" She let out a cry of her pain and staggered. She fell onto her knees and lurched forward, her hands supporting her. Sniffles and sobs made her trembled and her tears plopped onto the stone.
Igneel lifted his chin and took slow steps to approach her. "MJ?" he called, cautious. "MJ, talk to me… What do you mean? What can't you do?"
Mary Jane only wept louder as more tears hit the ground.
Igneel sunk to her level. He kept a sizable distance, but he crouched for her. He lowered his head to gauge her face. "MJ?" he murmured. His hand tentatively reached for her shoulder.
Mary Jane's head snapped up.
Raging cerulean clashed with guarded onyx.
Mary Jane got to her feet and backed away from Igneel, from Peter, from everything. She eyed them both in utter repulsion before snarling. She whipped around and pelted down the opposite direction and into the darkness.
Igneel swiped the torch and made a move to chase after her. "MJ!" he yelled. "MJ, come back!" But, there was something that stopped him from chasing after her. He turned around to see an unconscious Peter sprawled on the ground. Choices battled in his eyes, but he knew the right one. He moved over to Peter and knelt beside him. He slapped Peter's cheek.
Peter did nothing.
Igneel exhaled terse breath. "Dammit," he cursed. "I should've forced those pills down her mouth."
Part of me wants to chase after her and bring her back. But, I know I can't with whatever that is on the loose. And, with Peter unconscious…
Igneel's mind was made up as he used one hand to scoop up Peter. He brought the boy up, sitting him up, and slung him over his shoulder. It was awkward to adjust him and make sure he did not fall from Igneel's shoulder, but Igneel made it work. He gritted his teeth as he got to his feet, nearly stumbling. Still, he persevered and began his light jog down the tunnel.
If I can get him somewhere safer than this, I can put a Borderline around him and look for MJ, he planned. My gut tells me when I find her, she'll try to kill me for real. I just really hope for once my gut isn't right.
From an aerial view, Margaret Town looked disgustingly terrible. Gaping holes of smoke and ash left blackheads on the town. Buildings were hacked off unceremoniously in the name of Magic; they were the casualties in this war. The thunderstorm brought loping puddles of muds and, no matter how hard it tried, it could not wash away the blood that would stain the streets and paint walls.
The suzaku had no remorse in creating so much chaos. She seemed unaware of everything besides her counterpart, the pixiu. She slammed him down and destroyed another cluster of innocent buildings. It was almost sadistically ironic. The pixiu trying so hard to defend his city was being used to destroy. The pixiu struggled to get back up, but the suzaku refused to let that happen. She bit into his neck and drove him back. He roared as he bowled over more buildings and people. He wrapped his tail around the suzaku and she shrieked when she felt herself being choked. Violently wriggling out of his grasp, the suzaku flew back into the sky. She wanted to leave this place and spread chaos elsewhere. But, her other half sprung to his feet and took to the tainted air. He sunk his teeth into the suzaku and she roared her anger at being touched.
Pantherlily and Happy carried their partners in the crying rain and ignored how chilling the droplets felt on their wings and their fur. Natsu scanned the streets for a sign of Bluenote, but he could not help seeing the needless destruction.
"If this doesn't stop soon," Natsu shouted over the thrill of the storm, "there won't be a Margaret Town to protect."
No response.
Natsu looked over to see Gajeel scanning the city with a locked jaw and eyes burning something inhumane. If Pantherlily noticed, he did not care. He continued to flap his wings and keep on the lookout not only for Bluenote but for any aerial interference.
Natsu tried to search for the right words. "Gajeel—"
"There," rumbled Gajeel. He angled himself a bit to the right with Pantherlily following his lead.
Natsu and Happy adjusted themselves accordingly and followed after the two.
Gajeel and Pantherlily drew them down to an obviously neglected area of Margaret Town. Boarded windows and broken glass were more common than not. Weeds thrived in such conditions with plant life no longer under human restrictions, growing out of old factories and houses. The destruction only tampered a bit with this side of town, but it held no interest in it otherwise. Blood had not dirtied the town and the hum of Magic was weak, almost dead. The entire area seemed despondent at the lack of life, enemy or friend alike.
The Exceeds landed in a barren street with their partners touching the ground. All looked around. Old bikes were abandoned and left for dead. Graffiti stuck to walls unless vines and moss crawled towards their edges and began to cover them. Food saturated in rain were left out in stands that were more out of convenience than quality. Doors were left wide open, inviting in the weather.
"I don't sense any other people around here," Natsu commented. "Looks like he led us out here where no one would be."
Happy shivered against him as he rested on Natsu's shoulder. "I have a bad feeling about this," he murmured. "Everything just feels wrong."
Pantherlily had to agree as he sat on Gajeel's shoulder. "He's close," he rumbled, tail flicking. "I can sense something unnatural close by."
The rain did them no favors and neither did the distant roars of the two deities feuding. The rain was brilliant at hiding anyone. It stole scents and stains without so much as a "How do you do?". It was a frustrating thing to those who would track scents. But, the rain could not take away presences.
The wind rocked against an ajar door, making it creak.
A crying drop of rain caressed the tire of a bike for dripping off it.
Gajeel's eyes sharpened and a warning growl came out of his throat.
Pantherlily's right ear twitched.
Happy curled more into Natsu.
Natsu stayed still.
The wind whistled as it rocked in an out of the broken window of a factory.
A rotten apple fell from its pile and down the ranks.
An old swing set creaked a bit as the storm swirled.
Natsu lifted his chin. "Didn't think I'd see you since that little stunt you pulled back in seven-ninety-two when I kicked your ass and got your arrested…"
A muddy puddle welcomed the shower of rain.
A Fioren Flag shivered in the wind.
A dropped mug lay deceased in the dirty grass.
Natsu's eyes shifted into that of a reptile, glinting more emerald than onyx, as he watched a shadow stand casually on the porch of a house.
"…Bluenote Stinger…"
Bluenote eyed only Natsu. "Natsu Dragneel, the king who could fly," he greeted like he was greeting royalty. He even bowed his head in respect before lifting it back up.
Natsu pinned Bluenote with something unreadable. "I didn't think you could sink any lower," he commented. "Trying to kill us on Tenrou Island, allying with a guild filled with weaklings, killing your guild mates, and trying to kill an innocent boy who did nothing to you."
Bluenote shrugged. "Forgive me, King Natsu, but my fight isn't with you. You have proven you can fly and proven you are worthy of your royal title."
Natsu's eyes darkened. "What the Hell does being 'Dragon King' have to do with you hurting my own nephew?" he snapped.
Bluenote's eyes steadily met Natsu's. "King Natsu, who said I was talking about dragons?"
Happy and Pantherlily bristled.
Gajeel let his hair dampen from the unrelenting rain, keeping his silence.
Natsu kept his cool. "Really? Didn't think you of all people would know about that side of me," he figured. "Don't tell me you got that from your guards?"
Bluenote shook his head. "Why would I? I wasn't there long enough to get guards. Higher ups are willing to let powerful people be free for the right conditions." He tipped his head. "Just like Lord Zeref let you live a normal life with the condition you kill him."
"Mentioning him won't change the fact that you attacked someone innocent," Natsu hissed. "It doesn't change the fact that you killed your own guild mates—!"
"Who were never innocent," Bluenote cut in. "They killed and tortured. They knew too much."
"Meredy—!"
"Was the only one I was not allowed to kill."
Natsu's eyes narrowed. "The Hell does that mean?"
Bluenote blinked. "I'm a soldier, King Natsu. I only follow orders. Just like my orders with the little fledgling. Speaking of which, how is he doing? I hope he's okay. I'm not done with him."
Natsu snarled and took a step forward. "Bastard!" he roared.
An arm stopped him.
Natsu looked over to see it was Gajeel who stopped him. "What…? Gajeel…"
"Tell me something," Gajeel muttered to Bluenote. "Why did you target my son?"
Bluenote looked at Gajeel like he was seeing him for the first time. "He has the potential to fly," he said simply. "It's my job to turn a fledgling into a well-trained bird."
"I see then," Gajeel breathed. "So, he was your little puppy you dished hard discipline to, right? He was just a toy to you."
"Gajeel," Natsu warned.
"You're his father, right?" Bluenote inquired. "I expect you to understand my motives. Your son has great potential. There isn't anything I won't do to bring it out in him."
Gajeel breathed a laugh. "There ain't anything you wouldn't do, huh? Anything?"
"Gajeel," Natsu growled louder.
"No, Your Highness, the guy is right."
Natsu, Pantherlily, Happy were taken back at the grin on Gajeel's face.
"I push my rugrats to be the best they can be," Gajeel continued. "You do the same. We get it. We don't go easy on them in training. We both know damn infuriated our rugrats are when we back 'em into a corner. They get angry and whip out something new on us and unexpected. Something we were bankin' on 'em to do. Ain't that right, Bluenote?"
Bluenote lifted his chin. "But, you don't approve of my methods, do you?"
"Can't say I do"—Gajeel's smirk broadened with his fangs glinting dangerously—"murder."
Pantherlily had to let go and flutter back when violet swirled around Gajeel, pulsing around his person.
"You don't fucking try and kill your kid when you want them to reach new heights," Gajeel snarled. "But, I guess whoever ordered you told you to force my pipsqueak's hand by whatever means necessary."
"And, what of it?" Bluenote stepped off the porch and onto the street. "Have you come to give me retribution? To avenge your son?"
Gajeel merely cackled as Natsu and the Exceed watched in sheer horror as black reptilian scales shredded through his skin and clung onto him like body armor. His hair kept short all these years began to grow back into its wild and thick mane, ruffling in the wind.
"You talk like I don't have the fucking right to avenge my pipsqueak," Gajeel laughed. He bared his teeth for all to see his sharper and longer fangs. "It's more than that. You took the lives of your own comrades." He flexed his clawed hands stained in scaly black. "But, I know criminals like you. You don't have comrades. You keep people around until they ain't useful. If they know too much, you kill them. If they try to cross you, you kill them."
"That's the way of nature," Bluenote remarked. "Those who can fly will survive. Those who cannot must die."
"For once, Bluenote, I agree with ya."
Silver met pure violet.
"Nature roots out the weak," Gajeel said. "Doesn't take an idiot to see those who can't follow nature rules will die. Those who fuck around without thinking of the consequences will die."
"Gajeel," Natsu snapped, "don't do this!"
"Don't worry, King Natsu," Bluenote soothed. "Let him come. He wants to avenge his son. He wants to fight. I say we let him."
Gajeel snarled at Bluenote as violet energy ruffled his long hair, twirling around him in rapid dance. "You arrogant son of a bitch! I can't wait to feel your skull in my hands!"
Natsu and Pantherlily tried to lunge for him. "Gajeel!" they shouted.
Gajeel blew them back when he made a mad dash for Bluenote with hatred burning his completely violet eyes. "I can see how much blood is on your hands!" he roared. "I can see how much you wouldn't care if you took another precious life!"
"Happy!" Natsu called.
Happy hooked onto Natsu's back and flapped his wings to soar after Gajeel with Pantherlily flying after them.
Bluenote stood his ground. He looked a bit disinterested in everything. "You've taken lives too," he pointed out. "I know you have blood on your hands."
Gajeel stopped right in front of Bluenote for his claws to grab hold of Bluenote's robe. "And, now," he whispered, "I'll have yours." He sucked in a deep breath. "Iron Dragon's…!"
"Gajeel, no!" Natsu howled. "Gajeel!"
"…Rooooooooooooooooooooooar!"
And, tornado mixed with violet and silver hit Bluenote point-blank.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Natsu, Happy, and Pantherlily slammed to a halt.
Happy's wyes were wide in sheer terror while fury swept through the eyes of Pantherlily.
And, Natsu, as he put his feet back on solid ground, had eyes that held one thousand things and showed none of them.
Happy let go of Natsu only for him to float onto the ground. His eyes did not leave Gajeel's back. The fury of his roar was gone, but that did not mean the evidence was gone as well. He had cleared out the street before him. Shards of metal ripped apart everything they had touched. It was mess.
They were a mess.
"No way," Happy whispered. "He wouldn't—"
Pantherlily was quick to change into his Battle Mode Shift and strode over to Gajeel in angered stomps. "You stupid Slayer!" he roared. "How could you—?"
His words stopped when he was at Gajeel's side.
His eyes that were rich in rage bled confusion and astonishment.
Gajeel held a robe and that was it. Blood and torn skin and the horrors of seeing splinted bone marrow—it was all reduced to black particles leaving from under the robe to disperse in mid-air.
DRIP.
Pantherlily glanced at his partner's eyes.
DROP.
Silent tears rained down Gajeel's scaly cheeks.
Happy's watery eyes watched as Natsu left him to walk over to Gajeel. He said nothing when he stood behind Gajeel and a little to the side foe there was nothing to say just yet. He just watched the Iron Dragon Slayer.
"It was a familiar," were Gajeel's first quiet words. "Nothing but a puppet."
Natsu said nothing.
"I killed a familiar," Gajeel murmured. "That's what he wanted. It was a test to see how I'd react. Guess I can say I gave him quite a performance." His claws let go of the cloak for it to flutter to the ground.
Pantherlily looked at the cloak being bombarded with more drops in his own quiet grief.
Happy sniffled a bit.
Natsu said nothing.
Gajeel let his head and hands drop. "Not gonna lecture me, Your Highness?" he teased lightly, though he had no heart in him for it to be genuine.
Natsu shook his head, closing his eyes. He breathed in deeply. "How am I supposed to lecture you," he questioned softly, his head tipping up to face the storm with his eyes open, "when I've done the real thing?"
CR-CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
Lightning streaked the sky and the winds gave a proud howl.
Violet steamed off Gajeel's body. His thick hair wavered and shrunk back into his short cut. His scales burst off his body to disinterested into thin air, letting his human skin breathe again. Nails and fingers replaced his dangerous claws. Ruby came first before his eyes bled white once again. He closed them as he let the tears fall.
Natsu tipped his head back down to give Gajeel one of those measured looks. "You're loyal to your family," he commented. "You live for them. You die for them. And, you kill for them." He took a step forward slowly. Then, another. And, another. "It's the nature of us. We don't just protect our families. We make sure the threat is completely gone. Laxus and me—we were where you were once. Only difference? We succeeded."
Gajeel felt a comforting heat touch his shoulder, but he could not look up. He just couldn't.
Natsu watched the rain pour down on them. "I don't want you or anyone else to do that," he admitted. "It's not worth the regret you'll feel in the end."
"He's my kid."
Natsu looked down to see Gajeel trembling.
"He's my son," Gajeel stressed.
"He's not just yours," Natsu reminded. "He's like a son to Lily too."
Gajeel's eyes widened to look at his partner. Pantherlily stood before him with a mourning smile and his orange eyes stinging with emotion. "Lily," Gajeel whispered.
Pantherlily just shook his head. He put his large paw on Gajeel's head and patted it. "I know," he soothed.
Gajeel lowered his head even more as a hot round of tears flowed freely down his face. He put a hand over his eyes as though trying to hide himself from the world.
Natsu felt a tug on his short and looked down to see a teary-eyed Happy. He offered his Exceed a soft nod and Happy clung to his leg, nuzzling into it. Natsu looked back up at the haunting storm, watching as lightning and thunder battled it out above them.
"We'll find him," Natsu promised. "We'll bring him in."
Gajeel said nothing as more tears stained his cheeks.
"Y'know," Natsu murmured, closing his eyes, "as shit as today has been, it's a good day for rain."
Whether it was a rain drop or something else, it caressed Natsu's chin before dropping to the ground.
"Ah, yes! Let the night of drinking begin!"
Gabriel and Luna watched Alarick as he danced around his bonfire with his mug of ale. Lost yipped as he wound around Alarick, dancing in his only little way. The four were out in the fields with a roaring fire fighting against the nipping cold of fall. Hugo was on standby and watched for any sign of trouble. Icarus snoozed next to Luna as she sat with Gabriel on a log. A drunken Alarick made a fool of himself as he howled and sung an ode with Lost howling with him.
Gabriel shook his head, but he could not hold back his grin of amusement. "Foolish old man. With his drinking, I'm surprised he has yet to go into arrest," he commented before taking another sip of his liquor.
Luna chuckled. "He's got an iron liver," she teased. She sipped from the mug in her hands and smacked her lips at the taste. "Honestly, I thought beer was worst tasting than this," she admitted. "My big sister told me beer tastes really gross. That's why she never drinks it."
Gabriel laughed along with her. "What you drink now shouldn't be mistaken for beer, Miss Luna."
Luna's eyes widened. "Wait. This isn't beer?"
Gabriel shook his head. "No. This drink has been handed down from generation to generation and will taste better than any type of beer," he informed. "It is comparable to moonshine."
Luna gasped. "Wait! Isn't moonshine, like, really strong in alcohol content or something?" she fretted.
"Peace, Miss Luna," Gabriel soothed. "Yes. Moonshine has a high content of alcohol, but what you are drinking does not have a high percentage as of late." He raised his own mug. "My father and myself have a higher percentage than you. As you are fairly new to drinking, neither of us desired to overwhelm you and face your aunt's wrath."
Luna snickered. "I can't believe you two are afraid of her."
"Master is incredibly powerful," Gabriel said in defense. "She does not even need to use Magic in order to slay my father or myself." He shivered and brought his mug to his lips. "I tremble at the thought of you in pure anger," he murmured before taking a few gulps.
Luna hummed her laughter and cupped her mug. "Well, my brothers like to tell me I'm a bit scary when I'm angry," she admitted. "E and Silver think I look cool when I'm angry. Cane thinks I look 'hot'. And, Gale thinks I—" She stopped. As her features soften, flames danced in her eyes.
Gabriel swallowed and brought his mug down with a frown. He opened his mouth. "You know, Miss Luna, I am most curious about your present," he said, scooting over some. "Would you humor me?"
Luna blinked up at Gabriel in her own bewilderment. "What, like, tell you about my time period?"
Gabriel nodded.
Luna hummed, uneasy. "I don't know. That doesn't sound like a good idea," she mused. "Messing with time and everything could screw up my own time period."
Gabriel snorted. "Too late for doubts now." At Luna's sharp glare, he sighed. "Indulge me. Please, Miss Luna. I wish to know more about your lifestyle in your present. Your origin story, if you will."
Luna heaved a sigh and her eyes drifted over to the fire. "Well… Okay, I guess," she supposed. "My life wasn't that special. I live in Magnolia Town. Do you know where that is?"
Gabriel nodded. "Yes. It is a merchant city, if I am not mistaken. Quite an ancient one at that."
Luna nodded. "Mmm. That's Magnolia. Home, sweet home, and all that," she murmured.
"What of your life there?" Gabriel prompted. "Friends? Family? You mentioned your two brothers and sister."
Luna smiled at the mention of her siblings. "Yeah! They're really cool," she gushed. "So, my big sister is Nashi. She's a Take-Over Mage and uses Divine Souls for it."
An odd look crossed Gabriel's face. "'Take-Over' Magic with the use of souls?" Something clicked, and he nodded. "Ah. A Soul Master," he compared.
"Well, sure, I guess," Luna laughed. "She's really amazing with her Magic. She's called the 'Angel Princess of Fairy Tail' because she's so great. Then, there are my twin, older brothers Igneel and Luke. They're both fifteen and will turn sixteen next May. Igneel's the older twin and he's a Fire Mage. It's so awesome! He uses different color fire for different effects and it just is all so cool!"
Gabriel nodded in agreement. "If 'cool' means wonderful, I agree. And, what of Luke?"
"Luke is pretty fantastic too," Luna continued. "He's a Zen Mage."
This surprised Gabriel. "Really?" he breathed. "Are you certain?"
Luna nodded and shot Gabriel a questioning look. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Gabriel frowned. "From what I have heard, Zen Mages live high in the mountains and dwell within monasteries, similar to monks," he explained. "And, Zen Mages are never ones so young. History tells us those who practice Zen Magic start at the age of seventeen."
Luna took this into account and looked off into the distance. "Well… Luke is a Zen Mage. I can promise you that," she assured. "From what everyone says, he's a powerful one too. But, from what everyone else also says, he showed a lot of potential in becoming a Celestial Spirit Mage."
Gabriel's eyebrows rose at that. "I have never heard of a male Heartfilia taking the mantle of a Star Maiden," he confessed. "Well, I suppose, in his case, a Star Master."
"Yeah… It might not be his main Magic, but Mama says he has a knack for it. Those with a great connection to the stars can use Star Coins and he uses them, so I guess he has a really does have an aptitude for it."
"So, then, why does he not just become a Star Master if he has such a talent for it?"
Luna shrugged. "I don't really know," she admitted. "He never said why he never went into it, but I know he doesn't regret it. Mama isn't mad at him at all, either. She and him like to meditate together and stargaze. She says as long as we're happy, then she'll be happy."
Gabriel smiled softly at that. "Your mother sounds charming," he complimented.
"She is," Luna agreed, a loving smile tugging at her lips. "Both my mama and papa are so supportive of my siblings and me."
"What is your father like?"
"Brave and strong," Luna listed. "He's really affectionate too and protective—like a dragon." She laughed a little at the memories. "He likes to tell Nashi and I he's the Dragon King who locked us away in towers and will fight any guy who tries to date us."
Gabriel chuckled. "I like the way your father thinks. A lady should never accept a man who will not fight for her."
"That's what Papa says," Luna commented. "He and Mama are really powerful and I'm so proud to call them my parents…" Her smile dipped into a frown and her gaze lowered to her drink.
Gabriel saw this and gave her a closer look. "However…?" he prompted.
Luna sighed. "It's just…. I know it's not their faults or anything, but I just feel like I missed out on so much."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
Luna set down her mug to stand up. She turned to Gabriel to give him a half-hearted smile. "How about we go for a walk?" she suggested. "I like walking and talking more than sitting. Makes everything a bit less depressing."
Gabriel got to his feet with his mug in hand. "Oh. I see no reason why we cannot." He offered his arm. "Let me escort you around the property, my Lady."
Luna wrapped her arm around his, and Gabriel delicately drew her away from the fire and his father howling to the stars in drunken song.
Icarus' ear twitched and his eyes opened just a bit to see Luna and Gabriel departing. Pup? he called to her.
Don't worry. I promise we won't go far, Luna vowed to him. Go back to sleep.
Icarus rumbled as his eyes closed and he let out a large yawn, pink tongue curling. Very well. Be careful.
Gabriel paid attention to the pacing and silence of the walk. He knew his property like the back of his hand and knew a dirt trail to lead her on. He regarded her expression. Luna looked forward with eyes guardedly emotional and thoughts on her mind. He felt like he was a disturbance to just be near her during her intimate session with her mind, but she spoke to him in soft voice.
"You know how, in all those stories, the princess is locked away in a tower or something like that because she has some sort of mystic power or something?" Luna asked him.
Gabriel nodded quietly.
Luna snorted a dry laugh. "I guess you could say my life was like that," she supposed. "I never really saw much outside of Magnolia. I mean, yeah, my parents took me to different cities when I was younger, but…" She gave a one-shoulder shrug. "I don't know. Besides the pictures in my adventure books, I don't remember anything."
Gabriel's brow furrowed. "Explain to me this concept of…an 'adventure book'," he implored.
Luna did so and perked up a bit. "An 'adventure book' is what we'd call all my photo albums," she defined. "They were filled with pictures and memories of fun stuff that would happen in my life." She giggled to herself. "My mama says it's that dragon blood in me that makes me want to hoard things."
Gabriel chuckled along with her as they entered the woodland section of the Redfox property. The moon and the stars were their only chaperones this late at night with the barren trees lining up against the trail to take a good look at the humans.
Luna's laugh ended in a drawn-out sigh. "Apparently, I used to take a lot of pictures," she said in narration. She sounded a bit sad just from one sentence. "But, then, I stopped."
"Any particular reason?" Gabriel dared ask.
Luna's shoulders drooped as she exhaled. "I got a little angry," she admitted.
Gabriel snorted. "You? With your charming personality and limitless patience would get angry?" he teased. "My God! I have been done in the shock of my life!"
Luna bumped in shoulder good-naturedly and smiled against her better judgement. "Oh, shut up, jerk. I know it's hard to believe, but practically perfect people like me do get angry," she jested, making him laugh. "But, yeah, I got a little angry a few years ago. Well, around three-four years ago, if I'm honest." Her playful air died into something more forlorn. "See, to join a guild, you have to at least be ten-years-old and, to go on jobs, you have to show some sort of Magic Prowess. And, so, I joined with my friends." Her smiled came back, wistful and longing and wrapped up in sorrow. "I remember it like it was yesterday. It's one of those days you can't forget. I celebrate my joining every year like it's a holiday."
"A Red-Letter Day, so to speak," Gabriel pitched in.
"Whatever that means," Luna laughed. "I was so happy to be part of a guild I had looked up to. My parents didn't force me to join or anything, even though they were a part of it. All of us get a choice in the guild we choose, and we get to meet other guilds. Some of the older kids went to other guilds. My parents wanted the choice to be my own and no one else's."
"How consider of them," Gabriel cut in. "Most parents expect their heirs to partake in a family tradition."
"I know, right?" Luna shook her head. "No, my parents gave me a choice. I chose Fairy Tail, in the end, because I wanted to join a guild who loved me and I loved back. I wanted to become a legend and make a name for myself. I was so ready for that first job!" Her eyes began to sparkle. "Gabriel, you have no idea how badly I wanted to see the world and go on missions and have fun adventures with my friends! I was going to team up with E and Silver and we'd become the ultimate team! We'd be so awesome and cool and help people and I would capture it all!"
Gabriel had to smile at that. "Oh, really? How did that fair?"
"Well, it didn't."
Gabriel's smile gradually dropped when he saw the look on Luna's face.
The look of someone who had succumbed to a fate of misfortune and could still smile about it.
"I, uh… Well, Master said I wasn't allowed to go on," Luna explained. "At first, I didn't understand why. I mean I knew I was a little behind the others in Magic Studies. And, when I think about it, I wasn't really taught a lot of anything magical. I lived a normal life. And, I thought that, maybe, I was just a late bloomer. My Magic would come someday, but… I learned from my parents that I was magically inept."
Gabriel's eyes widened. "What?!" he gasped. "Bu-But—! That—! That's mpossible!"
Luna ducked her head. "Yeah, well, hi, Gabriel, I'm 'Impossible', or, well, I was," she amended. "I'm not magically inept. I know that now. My Magic is really tricky, but it's mine and I love it… But, back then, when I was told I didn't even have the spirit of Magic inside me, I, um…" She tilted her head away from Gabriel. "I got…really upset," she confessed. "I was so angry that I couldn't practice Magic and be a real Mage like my friends. I couldn't… I couldn't go on adventures with anyone outside of Magnolia. It really hurts to think about it."
Gabriel swallowed. "I-I… I… I am certain your parents had a noble reason for keeping you—"
"Yeah, maybe, but, to me, there isn't one," Luna interrupted. "I mean, Gabriel, I was held back from so much for three years. Three. In that time, Igneel started taking my papa's name as 'Salamander'. E became the 'Scarlet Fairy' and Silver became the 'Prince of the Sea'. Penelope became an S-Class Mage. Luke was flying through his studies. And, I was nothing. I was the only Mage of Fairy Tail who couldn't practice Magic. Julia doesn't practice it out of choice. I didn't have a choice. You know how sucky that is?" She closed her eyes and exhaled loudly.
Gabriel decided to breach the subject. "So, then… What is the connection between your past disability and your adventure books?" he questioned.
"Well," Luna started, "when I realized I couldn't go on missions, I realized I couldn't go on adventures. I couldn't get souvenirs and take pictures of all the fun I had with new friends I'd meet. I was so angry, I broke my camera and promised I wouldn't ever go back to taking pictures. And, for a time, I didn't really talk to my parents. I stopped training and refused to be near them."
Gabriel's eyes widened. "I see…"
Luna groaned. "You think I acted like a brat, don't you?"
Gabriel shook his head. "Not at all." He said that honestly. "I understand your point of view. I very much do, printzesa, and I do not believe your anger was irrational. You were hurt and, thus, acted so. However, I do hope you understand your parents. Perhaps ask them their reasons."
Luna snorted. "You don't think I tried that?" She shook her head. "I always got the explanation that I'll understand when I'm older."
"I still think you should try again," Gabriel encouraged. "Perhaps you were not ready to understand, but… Perhaps you are ready to understand now." At Luna's unconvinced look, he added in question, "Well, now that you so-obviously are a Mage of Fairy Tail and can go on these quests, will you take up the art of painting portraits?"
Luna giggled. "It's called 'photography' and maybe," she answered. "We'll see. I don't know. Still a lot of bad blood there."
Gabriel hummed noncommittally. "Well, how about I purpose a new topic? Would you be willing to tell me a few of tales of your travels? I would love to hear more about you, your family, and this guild you speak so fondly of. And, perhaps, I would like to hear more about these inventions of the future."
"On one condition."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
Luna grinned up at him. "For every story I tell you, you have to tell one back," she reasoned. "That's how my siblings and I tell stories."
Gabriel laughed and nodded. "Very well. Ladies first," he prompted.
Luna's grin broadened. "Okay, let's see… Oh! I'll tell you all about River City and my favorite ship from it!"
Gabriel tipped his head. "A ship in 'River City'?"
Luna stopped in her tracks to gape at Gabriel who, subsequently, stopped with her. "Wait. Does shipping not exist yet?"
Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows as he thought about it. "I would not say it does not exist, per se, however, we call it 'importing' and 'exporting'—"
"No! That's not it at all!" Luna shook her head in frustration and tugged Gabriel back into a steady walk. "All right, we have a lot to discuss," she decided. "So, 'shipping' in my time means…"
And, so, the two strolled with moonlight bathing in them, the girl speaking of her future in the past and the boy gazing at her warmly in his present.
Running underground with an unconscious guy slung over your shoulder, a makeshift bag digging into your shoulder blades, and a torch in one hand was not something Igneel would wish upon anyone.
He tried as hard as he could to push into a sprint without jostling Peter too much, but it was difficult. He could not leave Peter behind. Not when Mary Jane was on the loose and an unknown creature ran rampant. But, it felt wrong to leave Mary Jane and he knew that.
The focus was on teary cerulean filled with remorse and confusion.
Igneel pushed himself harder.
"Not you."
The focus watched Mary Jane take wobbly steps away from the passed-out Peter. The focus watched her tremble.
"No, no…. No, not you… Not you… I-I didn't mean to…"
Sweat curved around Igneel's jaw and peeled away from him, falling to the ground.
So, he thought, she's remembering. This is bad. Without him, I don't know what to do about this.
His eyes bounced to Peter.
And, him… What does he have to do with this? Why was he the trigger?
His eyes moved forward.
Well, no time to think about it now. Just have to get us somewhere safe. Ancestors, I beseech you… Please, watch over MJ until I can get back to her.
Igneel continued his dash down the tunnel. The only sounds of comfort where his own footsteps, his own pants, and the jostling of this pack, and that was not comforting at all. It made his skin scrawl to be boxed in. He could feel himself get worked up just thinking of how far away from freedom, from fresh air he was. It made his flames hiss and fan-out when they were not in immediate sources of pure oxygen and carbon dioxide. In response to his own anxiety and upset attitude, flames danced on the tips of his hair and his legs.
Igneel growled and shook his head, putting out the flames.
Just shake it off, dude. Shake it off. I can't get upset right now. Gotta focus. Gotta stay calm.
Igneel's eyes widened when his nose caught something different than the foul must of stale earth.
Wait a second… But, how?
His eyes narrowed and scoured the darkness. He searched for only something he could find.
His eyes widened.
I feel…heat… There's heat…
His stare hardened as he worked himself into a sprint.
Where there's heat, there's life, right? Right! Don't worry, Peter, we're gonna be fine.
Getting closer to the heat source did not take long. When though he could feel it, seeing light at the end of the darkness made Igneel grin his triumph. Though, he lost his grin when he realized something peculiar about the up-and-coming source of heat. It made him slow down a bit, just enough for it to be noticeable, but he still ran for the light. He slowed himself down to a stable jog and then a walk before he crossed into the light.
This… This isn't the way out.
Igneel looked around to see he was more trapped than ever. He landed himself in a cavern tattooed in runes he deemed meaningless and nothing more. The heat he had dedicated was from the blue flames that lit up torches hung about the cavern, but that was it. He looked at the ceiling. Well, there was something odd. The roof of the cavern was not rock, but it was made out of water. He could see innocent fish swim past the watery ceiling. It seemed that they did not notice or perhaps did not care about the humans who stood below them. Two orbs orbited around the roof in endless dance. One looked of clouds and sky, but it looked severely damaged with a few chunks of it missing. The other looked like it was water itself, but tainted water. It had blackened in most areas with a pulse of red at its core. It looked slightly revolting to gaze at.
"What is this place?" Igneel wondered. "Where are we?" He sniffed the air and turned to one part of the cavern. It was then he noticed something. But, first thing was first.
He got down on his knees to set things right. He tugged Peter haphazardly off his shoulder as best he could with one hand. When Peter laid on the ground, Igneel took his free hand and covered the torch, effectively dousing the flame. He set down the torch and returned his attention to Peter. He still slept and showed no signs of waking up.
Igneel took off his pack and made Peter more comfortable on the floor. When he was finished, he sighed. "There you go, man," he murmured softly. "Rest up. Sorry about all the trouble we've caused you."
He rolled himself back to his feet and was in motion to investigate the other part of the cavern. He saw a blanket on the ground, tattered and wrinkled, but heavily saturated with a human's scent. There was bread that had been bitten (even if it looked a bit grayed and hard) and bottle of wine was corked. A pot to piss in was a bit farther away.
Igneel wrinkled his nose as he kept sniffing. He sneezed and shook his head. "Yeah. Definitely human," he assured himself. "But, who the Hell is living all the way down here?" He sniffed again and caught a waft of something out of place. His nose led him to the wine bottle. He snatched it and wrestled with the cork. Once he uncorked it, the smell hit him and he groaned, nearly dropping. The bottle at his distaste. "Aw, man, that's disgusting!" he complained. He sniffed the contents again before recoiling. "Damn. Whoever is drinking this has a strong stomach and no sense of smell," he muttered. He sniffed it again and he caught something. "Hold up…" He sniffed again before eyeing the bottle.
Wait a second… It must have been a drop or two, but this booze has been drugged.
He brought the bottle under his nose and took a deep sniff.
There's two different types in here. Smells like… What is that, Ambien? And, maybe… No, I know the other scent has to be Angel Dust.
Igneel looked down at the bottle in mild disgust and unguarded curiosity.
Why the Hell would someone want to drug themselves? Especially with a sleeping agent and a hallucinogenic?
He jammed the cork back in the bottle and got down into a crouch. He set the bottle down to look at the spread. He sniffed it.
Whoever was here, I definitely catch their scent now, but how could they mask their scent in the tunnels? I would've smelled them on the way here.
He shook his head and bounced back to his feet.
Whatever. I have to focus on finding MJ. Then, we need to get out of here and to somewhere safe.
He walked back to Peter and his pack. He rummaged through his pack to take out his Compact. He ignored the time in favor of unlocking his Compact.
I only have eight-percent left, so I have to make this count.
He went into his music app and tapped to view his songs. He scrolled through songs, going through the alphabet quickly.
C'mon, c'mon. I know I have it here.
His eyes widened, and his finger stopped scrolling.
It's here… I guess I'll have to use it.
A sad smile was placed on his face as he put his Compact back to sleep and pocketed it.
She's going to hate me even more now. Figures. The story never is a simple one.
Igneel craned his neck to look at Peter and his sad smile morphed into a thoughtful frown.
What part do you have to play in all this?
Igneel rocked back onto his feet. His eyes went to the entrance where only darkness greeted him and nothing else. He narrowed his eyes to read it as though searching for an answer.
I can't feel any heat. And, I can't hear anything besides Peter's heartbeat and breathing. But, it doesn't take an idiot to feel the bad vibe coming from there. It's negative and vile.
Igneel walked to the exit of the cavern. He stopped just before crossing over to the other side.
But, I have to get back MJ. She needs me right now.
He patted his pocket with his Compact.
As long as I've got this, it should be fine. We've been over this before. Last resort method. She'll hate me, but…
He smiled a little.
Heh. I'd much rather have her hate me than ignore me.
Igneel took his first steps outside the save haven and into the darkness. He pivoted, turning around, and faced the entryway. He closed his eyes as he brought two fingers close to his lips. His Magic Circle bloomed beneath him with particles of Ethernano floating around him, making him glow in red. "Let's go! Borderline!"
Flames danced on his two fingers as his eyes opened, more emerald in them than onyx. He dipped his hand down to draw a line on the entryway floor with his red flames acting as a border. When the line was complete, Igneel took his hand to point his two fingers at the center of the entryway.
"Borderline: Door of Fire!" Igneel chanted. He twisted his two fingers like he was locking a door. In response, his Magic Circle spread over the entryway and stared at him in its sanguineous glory. It pulsed in response and he could hear his flames purring at him, then the circle and the line of fire faded away. Igneel brought up his two fingers still ablaze and blew on them, putting them out.
There. That should protect him from any intruders.
Igneel pivoted back around and conjured fire in his left palm, lighting up his face. He stared into the never-ending darkness.
Now, the fun begins.
He took his first step back down the tunnel. Then, another. And, another. And, soon, he was walking back down the tunnel with mistrust in his eyes and determination in his heart. His shoes brushing against the dirt were the only sounds he picked up and that musty scent of earth filled up his nose, but he was not deterred. He knew something, or someone, was out there and so was Mary Jane. He had to keep his guard up at all times. There was no time for his hesitation, no time for jitters, or to be wired. Still, Igneel could not help it when his eyes flicked around. He swallowed hard.
I can't smell anything or hear anything or feel anything, but… Someone has eyes on me.
Igneel continued his walk.
And, unbeknownst to him, a bloodshot eye opened in the darkness.
Igneel whirled around to look behind him.
There was nothing.
Warily, Igneel turned back around and continued his walk. A bead of sweat kissed his temple and rolled down his skin. His breaths, once silent, were slight pants that were barely noticeable in a large crowd, but they sounded ten times louder when alone and in the dark. As he walked, he did not notice the trail of eyes opening in the darkness. They ranged from big to small, but all were bloodshot, exhausted, and swung their pupils to train on Igneel's figure. All he could do in his oblivion was shiver and swallow, eyes darting around like something would pop out and kill him.
It was a few more moment in that the paranoia caught up to him. Igneel stopped. "Who goes there?" he called out. "I know you're there! Stop hiding!"
The eyes simultaneously closed.
Igneel's bottom lip tremble, but the amount of valor in his eyes was admirable. "If you think you're scaring me, you're not!" he yelled. Such a lie. "Might as well come out and face me now that you've been found out!"
Nothing.
Nothing responded to him.
He was alone in utter darkness.
"I offer you my most sincerest compliments for sensing me," came deep whisper, humbled and dignified.
Igneel whirled around. His eyes hardened as they darted about, but he could not stop his hands from trembling. "Who the Hell are you?" he gnashed. "Come out and face me!"
"A novice like you could sense my presence."
A cool hand touched Igneel's shoulder and made him convulse in surprise.
"In Alakitasia, there is a holiday made for growing children like yourself blooming into adulthood," came offhanded comment. "I commend you, Igneel Dragneel. You will grow into a fine and decent man."
Igneel kept his teeth from chattering by locking his jaw. "Who are you?" he repeated, more forcefully this time. "Where's MJ?" He spun around as he heard a resonating sigh bounce off the walls in every direction.
"What an indecent lady," came sniff. "No respect for her elders. So, I sent her away to correct her mistakes and come back a proper lady."
That ignited something in Igneel. His stance changed at that. His shoulders squared, no longer shaky, and his eyes darkened protectively. "Where the Hell did you put her?" he roared. "Where is she?"
A deep huff. "I don't appreciate that tone, young man," came growl. "You are to talk to your elders in a respectful tone if you want answers and use proper language."
"Shut the Hell up!" Igneel snapped angrily. "Where's MJ? What did you do to her?"
Silence.
"Do you wish to see your indecent friend?" came curious purr.
"Give her back!" Igneel commanded with authority he did not have. "Your fight isn't with her! It's with me! Let her go!"
A snort came off the walls and bounced in every which way.
"Young man, if you continue to speak to me in such an ill manner…"
Igneel's eyes widened. His jaw began to drop.
A man stood before him with half his body hidden in the shadows and the other half illuminated from his flames. He had never seen this man in his life, not even his scariest nightmares. There the half-man stood in black blazer free of wrinkles, like it had just been pressed only minutes before. His turtle neck threatened to reach his chin, but it tamed itself and resolved to covering his neck. A trimmed beard of black was on his face and was touched by the silver of time, but he had no other hair to show, not even eyebrows, something that was truly odd. His cheeks, long and pronounced, spoke of malnourishment. The eye staring down at Igneel bleared its need for sleep as ugly red scattered across the white of the eye.
And, on his forehead, he bored the tattoo of a skull with a cross of horns overlapping it.
Igneel did not even have time to react as two gloved hands came close to his face.
"…then, you shall join her until you learn how to behave," came a decision. "Good bye, blood of Lord Zeref."
The two gloved hands clapped.
Igneel did not know what happened.
One second, he was facing a man he never met and heard the name of his estranged uncle.
The next, he was standing in a field.
Igneel looked around. Bloody grass fields had swallowed him indefinitely and spoke of no beginning or end. It stretched for leagues and leagues, and he had a funny feeling if he ran, he would never find the edge.
Where…am I?
Igneel looked up at the sky. It was a soulless black and had banished the moon, sun, and stars from its depths. It was gracious enough to bathe all below it in red, but the light source was a secret it would keep.
What happened to me? Where am I? I can't be on—
The focus blearily saw tearing cerulean eyes.
Igneel tensed. "MJ," he whispered. "I have to find her." He looked around.
That guy, whoever he was… He sent me here to join her, right?
Igneel nodded to himself and took off in a mad sprint.
Okay. That means she has to be here somewhere. But, where the Hell is 'here'?
There was no indicator Igneel was going the right way. He was only going the way he set out on and he would keep going that way. There was no sun or moon or North Star to gauge his cardinal directions or time. He had to rely on instinct alone. He looked left and right, but he sensed nothing but open field. He would stop every so often and lift his nose in the air. He would take deep sniffs, his nose twitching, and his ears would perk for the faintest of noises. He would pivot and begin running a new direction. He looked a bit like an animal that way, sprinting, stopping, scenting, then repeat.
The one instance he did stop and scent the air, he picked up on something familiar and wrapped up in that uncomfortable smell of sadness. "MJ," he breathed. He turned towards the scent trail and took off in its direction. The scent trail was fading as time nipped at it and stole its strength, but it was just enough for him to know where to go. He narrowed his eyes into the distance.
I think…I feel her heat signature, but I'm not sure. Wait!
Igneel brightened easily and a perky grin full of teeth spread on his lips. "I found you!" he whooped.
The faint sound sobbing touched his range of hearing.
His bright expression faltered, but his speed did not. If anything, he pushed himself faster as something dreadful stormed in his eyes. He could feel the familiarity of her heat before he completely saw her among the red grass. The salt of her sadness made his own eyes sting a bit and he saw a figure sitting in the grass and hunched over. Her faint cries grew louder and louder as he rapidly approached her form. He slowed down when he was close to her. His eyes drank in Mary Jane. Her ribbon that kept her hair in a high ponytail had been shed, so her bleach blonde hair draped around her like a curtain. She seemed uncaring of her shaking shoulders and loud weeping, both things that made Igneel's frown more prominent.
CRUNCH.
Igneel stopped and looked down. He pulled back his foot to see he had stepped on her discarded ribbon. He stooped down to swipe up the ribbon and clenched it in his fists.
Mary Jane's snivels grew louder.
Igneel stood back up to walk over to her, pocketing the ribbon. His steps treaded light through the grass as though afraid a loud stomp would startle her. Mary Jane made no gesture that she cared or did not care for his presence. Her clingy tears and cries selfishly took away her attention from her surroundings.
Igneel sat back on the ground so he was at her side, close enough for his shoulder to brush hers if he felt the inkling. Words slipped from him automatically. "I found your ribbon."
Mary Jane shook her head further into her hands.
Igneel watched her with a mouth that could not decide how much to frown. "How did you get here?" he questioned. "Was it that guy?"
Again, cries were the response.
Igneel's shoulders slumped down and he let out a sigh. "I hate it when you cry," he murmured. He showed no hesitation when his arms wrapped around her shoulders. He gently pushed her into his neck, resting his cheek against her head. "You look so much prettier when you're smiling, MJ, even if you hate to do it," he told her.
Again, cries were the only response.
Igneel closed his eyes as he nuzzled his nose into Mary Jane's hair. "I'm sorry." He apologized not out of awkward obligation or necessity, but because he wanted to say sorry for her sadness.
Mary Jane gave a shaky sob. "I'm sorry too," she whimpered.
Igneel's eyes opened halfway. "What do you—?" His words were choked out as his eyes flew open.
Mary Jane's cries grew into loud giggles.
Her hand had jammed inside Igneel's abdomen.
Igneel gave a squawk when Mary Jane violently shifted out of his hold, a hand slamming onto his neck. He gasped for breath with his back on the ground and Mary Jane on top of him. Wide onyx clashed with gleaming scarlet.
He opened his mouth. "M—!"
Mary Jane moved her hand from his throat to slap it down over his mouth. "Shhhh…!" she shushed. "I can't believe you fell for such an old trick. The wolf playing sheep." She gave a deep laugh. "She was right. You're a—what does she call you again? Oh, right—a moron."
Igneel narrowed his eyes and gave muffled growls at her.
Mary Jane tsked. "Oh. Poor little human must be upset with me," she mockingly cooed. Her hand drove deeper into Igneel's stomach.
Igneel shut his eyes and a yelp unwillingly left him.
Mary Jane beamed. "That's better! Good boy!"
Igneel snapped open her eyes to burn her with a glare. Red began to thrum from his skin.
Mary Jane was forced to take away her hands as she jumped from a suddenly on fire Igneel. She shook her hands from the residual heat sting she felt. "Woo! You really are a challenge to kill!" she laughed freely.
Igneel rolled to his hands and knees with his red flames covering his body. A gasp left his mouth and he cringed when he looked down at his wound. Blood dripped onto the ground and he covered it with a hand on instinct.
Dammit. I'll think about it later.
Igneel scrambled onto his feet, clutching his stomach, as Mary Jane inspected herself for any burn marks.
"I should've known," Mary Jane sighed. "You were always so soft on her. Don't have the heart to actually hurt her. Aw. How sweet."
Igneel staggered away and let his fire die. He turned around to glare at Mary Jane. "MJ," he panted, "I know you can hear me—"
Mary Jane laughed again. "Child, talk all you want," she said. "She can't hear you. Besides, don't you like me?" She winked at Igneel. "In my opinion, I make a much better Mary Jane."
"MJ will always be my MJ," Igneel snarled. He dipped into his pocket to get his Compact. "MJ, I'm sorry—"
Mary Jane brightened when she saw the Compact. "Ooo! What's that?" She reached out her hand.
Igneel was blown off his guard when a red portal opened up in front of him. The vortex was nothing impressive. Just big enough for a hand to peek out. He could not react when a hand snatched up his Compact and pulled it through the portal that promptly closed.
Mary Jane held the Compact in her hands and studied it curiously. "Huh… I think she has one of these," she murmured. "Interesting…"
Ideas and thoughts wound about Igneel's mind.
She can create portals in this state. If I can just get her to make one out of here and back to the tunnels… But, how? It's either she kills me or…well, there isn't anything else.
Then, he grinned.
Oh, she's going to hate me after this.
"MJ!" Igneel shouted. "Just stay with me on this okay! Please don't kill me later! I'm just trying to help!"
Mary Jane giggled like a schoolgirl seeing her crush. "I like it when you think you have a chance," she confessed. "I can't wait for you to call out to your precious 'MJ' when I'm tearing out your throat." Her giggles turned into snarls, dropping the Compact. "Oh, she'll be so upset when I kill you! Maybe she'll even stop doing that whole fighting thing if she's so depressed." Her eyes widened in excitement. "Maybe she'll get so depressed, she'll kill herself! Wouldn't that be great?"
"Then, kill me."
Mary Jane watched as Igneel stared her down with his mischievous smirk.
"Kill me, if that's what you want," Igneel offered. "You want her unhappy forever? Then, do it. Kill me." His smirk broadened. "Don't tell me you've gone too soft to kill me."
He nearly regretted those words when Mary Jane's forehead pressed against his and he was subjected to her wild scarlet eyes thirsting for blood and her Hellish grin.
"Father will love the mural I paint with your body," Mary Jane purred. Scarlet pulsed around her. "Call all you want for your precious 'MJ' to help you. Please. I love it when my prey calls out for help."
Igneel fought back his fear with a grin as a bit of static came off his body. "If you insist."
Mary Jane's entire body convulsed when cyan lightning shocked her person and brought fire to her veins. She fell to the ground as she let out a horrifying sound between a laugh, a cry, and a scream as she trembled and spasmed.
Igneel kept up his lightning with a clenched jaw. He flinched when a genuine screech tore from Mary Jane's mouth, but he still kept at it.
Just a little more… C'mon, MJ, listen to me for once. Stop being so stubborn.
Mary Jane's eyes rolled to the back of her head as her shrieks died down into just her mouth open and no sound coming out. Igneel let out a terse breath, but he tried not to let out any more. He needed to keep going. He needed to get through to her.
C'mon, MJ, talk to me.
ZZZT.
Igneel's eyes widened when violet static cracked off Mary Jane's body and hit him. It was just one lash.
Igneel grinned.
That's my goddess.
Another lash of violet lightning hit him. Then, another. Until the violet lightning covered Mary Jane and fought back against Igneel's own lightning. Her lashes met his bolt-for-bolt, unafraid. It was not just her defending himself. He could feel her words. He could feel her.
Igneel cut out his lightning just as Mary Jane did. He rushed to her side as sparks flicked off her with her coughing and gasping for air. He used one hand to help her sit up, rubbing her shoulder.
"Easy, MJ," he calmed. "Easy now."
Mary Jane spluttered and coughed, her body vibrating against his hand. "You"—she choked again—"absolutely moron…!" She coughed.
Igneel gave her a dopey smile. "Good to hear that again," he chuckled.
Mary Jane shivered and clutched her head. "She's so angry," she lamented. "It hurts…!" She flicked her eyes up, her cerulean eyes, to meet Igneel's own before flinching. "Do it now," she moaned.
Igneel hesitated. "MJ—"
"Do it! Nngh!" Mary Jane cried out as she doubled over. "Please—Gah! I can't…keep control!"
Igneel nodded quickly and abandoned her as he got up again. He tried to move as quick as he could, making his injury spill more blood onto the hand covering it. He scoured around for his Compact, movements quick and jerky, until he saw it lying in the grass. He got down his knees to get to it. A crack had appeared (he tried hard not to keep running his thumb over it) and he woke it up. He unlocked it to go to his Music App when a message stopped him.
LOW BATTERY
1% of battery remaining
⟪ DISMISS ⟫
"Shit," Igneel swore as he hit DISMISS. He went to his Music App and hit SONGS—
His Compact shut down.
Igneel's eyes widened. "No…" He shook his Compact. "No, no, no!" he cried. "Dammit, no!"
"You!" came a roar.
Igneel looked over his shoulder for fearful onyx to meet scarlet flirting with cerulean.
Mary Jane curled her lips at him as she stood up. "You—!" She doubled over, and her legs nearly gave out. She groaned. "Igneel," she wailed. "Do it!"
"It's dead!" Igneel shouted.
"Charge it, moron—Nngh!" Mary Jane cried as she yanked at her head like she was grounding herself. "You're a freaking Li-Ligh-Light …! Lightning Mage—Ah, crap!" She shut her eyes as she broke down to knees. "Do it," she pleaded.
Igneel swung his head back to his dead Compact as he played with his bottom lip with his teeth. "Okay, okay, I can do this," he tried to urge himself. He shut his eyes. Little glitches of static popped off him, but nothing big enough to reach his Compact. "C'mon! Stop being nervous and do this!" he berated himself.
Mary Jane slammed her head on the ground as a sob wracked her body. "Igneel!" she bewailed. "Do it!"
Igneel tried to get his body to stop fidgeting. "Stop being a dumbass and do it," he growled at himself. "C'mon! She needs you!"
A bit more than glitch snapped off him, but nothing impressive.
Mary Jane's eyes snapped open with a dominating scarlet. Her head shot up to Igneel. Her tongue slid across her lips. She got to her feet, but she staggered as violet lightning wrapped around her. She tried to take a step, but the lightning refused to let her go.
Glitches lashed out from Igneel's cheeks.
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!
Mary Jane grunted as she fought her way to another step. "St-Stay…away from him," she snarled at herself. "No!" she barked, resolute with another step. "I'm in control!"
The glitches turned into full out static. Static bolted off Igneel's hand to crowd around his Compact. His eyes opened as he watched as Compact restart itself with a white screen, the logo, and the bar filling up. He glanced over his shoulder to see Mary Jane fighting her way to get to him.
Hurry! Please!
Mary Jane roared. "Stay…out of this!" More lightning snapped at her and she hissed. "Never!" she screamed. "Leave me alone!" She pried her eyes, her cerulean eyes, open to look at Igneel. "Moron, we don't have the luxury to screw around! Just do it!"
"I know!" Igneel snapped back. "I'm trying!" The second his home screen loaded he tapped his Music App and hit SONGS. He scrolled down the alphabet as quick as he could.
Mary Jane's eyes shit tight as her body was only six footsteps away from him. "Hurry!"
Igneel's labored breathing sucked in when he found the song. He turned up his volume as his eyes softened.
I'm sorry, MJ.
He hit the song and whipped around.
Mary Jane was just about to strangle—
The song started.
Mary Jane stopped.
Igneel panted.
The singer—a beautiful alto rich in fast vibrato—began the first line of the first verse.
Mary Jane trembled. "No…" she whispered.
Igneel watched as she retracted her hands to plunge them into her hair.
"No," Mary Jane refused to accept. "No… I'm in control… Mother, I…" She shut her eyes.
Igneel's eyes widened when he saw tears touch her skin.
"No…" Mary Jane shook her head vigorously. "No!"
The world seemed to stand still as a rush of scarlet bubbled around Mary Jans. Igneel was nearly blown back at the rush of power. His hands trembled. The wound dripped blood. But, he refused to stop playing the song.
Mary Jane shook her head. "No! No! No!" she shrieked. Her eyes shot open as scarlet overtook them. "NO!"
Igneel's eyes squinted as scarlet light rushed at him—
—and overtook him.
°•°•°•°
Darkness was such a fickle man.
He was hard-to-get, in a way.
Light was always in pursuit of him. There were no others besides him. Only she could see him whenever she was around. She knew that. He knew that. He adored the attention Light would give him and crave it. But, he resisted her at every turn, playing it off he liked to be alone. He liked it when she was not there.
But, when she was gone, and he was left alone, he was…nothing.
Darkness was nothing without Light. He knew that. So, why did he resist her so? Why did he resist her when he knew only when she was around could he see his beautiful shadow? Why, why, why?
He would not have to wait long for her to return.
Scarlet light invaded him and his solitary. The runes on tunneled walls could be seen as the light expanded and expanded. The light briefly showed two silhouettes of opposite genders, but, the second the light was gone, there was nothing.
Until a flame was made.
Igneel's face illuminated in the darkness, screwed up in pain and exhaustion. "Damn, that hurt," he grunted. "MJ?" He used the wall as support as he got to his feet. He stumbled forward, waving his fire in front of him. He caught sight of Mary Jane's legs and moved closer. "MJ!"
Mary Jane groaned as she got to her hands and knees. She gave a dusty cough. "Shut up, moron," she snapped, coughing again. "I'm not dying."
Igneel grinned, relieved. "And, she's back."
Mary Jane launched herself to her feet and swayed a bit. "And she's pissed off," she grumbled. She turned around for grouchy cerulean to meet with earnest onyx.
"But, you're back to being my MJ," Igneel noted. "So, be mad all you want. You're back to normal."
Mary Jane derisively snorted. "Define 'normal'. How about 'threat to society'?" Her eyes dipped down to see Igneel covering a wound. It was the bloodstains that gave it away. Her eyes softened. "I did that…didn't I?" she murmured.
Igneel shook his head. "I don't blame you," he promised. Sincerity was so saturated in his voice, it hurt.
"You should," Mary Jane whispered. "You should've just left me."
Igneel frowned. "Why would I even think of doing that?" he demanded to know. Friends don't leave each other behi—"
"Oh, for the love of Satan, we are not – friends!" Mary Jane snapped. She wrinkled her nose as she rubbed her cheeks. "Jesus, look at yourself! Look at me!"
"What's wrong with us?" Igneel asked a bit defensively.
"You're flat-out delusional, that's what!" Mary Jane snapped. "You want to be friends with me, but for what? Enlighten me, moron, please, indulge me! I just literally tried to kill you!"
"You didn't—"
"Shut up!" Mary Jane barked. "God, don't even try to make excuses for me! I can't even make excuses for me!" Her bottom lip trembled, but she pushed forward. "Why the Hell can't you just give up already? I am a horrible person, Igneel! I am—Why the Hell are you smiling?!"
Igneel was, indeed, smiling down at her like a right-footed fool. "You called me by my name." He said those words like he was doped up on too much euphoria. "You called me 'Igneel'."
Mary Jane let out a frustrated growl. "Focus!" she roared, snapping in his face with a spark coming out of her hand. "Focus on the fact that I tried to kill you! You need to stop with this ridiculous notion that we're friends and partners and crap! Find someone else to piss off, just leave me alone!" She flinched away when Igneel's fingers brushed up against her cheek. "Just what are you doing now?!"
Igneel's hand quickly recoiled to cover his wound again. "You, uh, had a tear, so I thought I'd…" Pink fire began to dance on his hair. "Well, just…y'know…"
Mary Jane gawked at him. "You were trying…to wipe away my tear?" she whispered in disbelief. She shook her head at the notion. "What is wrong with you?! You're supposed to hate me for trying to kill you, not try and fail to wipe a tear with your literal bloody fingers!"
Igneel flushed a bit under the radiance of his flames and his pink flames danced higher. "W-Well, I saw Phoenix do this to Darkstar in a comic once and I…wanted to try it and…yeah," he mumbled.
Mary Jane blinked at him. "Oh, my God." She blinked again. "You really are stupid."
Igneel's pink flames died at that when he gave her a comically indignant look. "Hey!"
"Why are you so nice to me?"
Igneel lost his anger to blink down at Mary Jane. Her eyes had lowered onto the floor like looking at him was not an option.
"Moron, I'm not… I'm not a good person," Mary Jane tried to stress.
Igneel thought on this. "Well," he drawled, "you could be a bit nicer and not kick me out of your room. And, maybe cook me dinner from time to time."
Mary Jane closed her eyes and a longwinded exhale drew out from her mouth. "Forget it," she decided. "Just forget it." She walked and brushed past him.
Igneel grinned. "No, c'mon, MJ!" he laughed. "Tell me how much of a 'not good person' you are."
"I hate you," Mary Jane seethed, whirling around. She lifted her hand to flick her ponytail. "You are—!" She noticed there was no ponytail when her hand touched her blonde tresses. "Wait…" She grabbed a chunk of hair and brought it over her shoulder to inspect it. "Where's my ribbon?"
Igneel paused as he remembered. "Oh. Right." He took his hand off his wound. "I have it. Let me get it out for you."
Mary Jane grimaced when she saw his wound. "No. Don't touch it," she sniffed. "Not when you're all bloody and sweaty and gross."
Igneel stopped his hand to bring it back over his wound. "Yes, Goddess. Whatever you say, Goddess," he teased.
Mary Jane rolled her eyes. "Whatever I did in my past life to deserve this type of treatment must have been pretty shitty if I'm stuck here with the likes of a moron," she said scathingly as she began to walk away.
Igneel followed after her as he chuckled. "Always a spitfire."
°•°•°•°
THUM-THUM…
°•°•°•°
Igneel stopped.
Mary Jane noticed this and glanced back at him, a bit irritated. "What no—?"
"Shhh."
Sober onyx clashed with annoyed cerulean.
°•°•°•°
THUM-THUM…
°•°•°•°
"You sense that?"
Mary Jane shook her head.
Igneel scowled. "I know you're here, bastard," he shouted.
Silence.
Mary Jane looked around, but, when nothing happened, she sighed. "Moron," she started.
"So," came calm hiss that rattled Mary Jane and made Igneel tense, "you escaped from your punishment. How commendable."
Igneel growled as he strode to Mary Jane and pushed her against the wall.
Mary Jane squawked. "What the—?"
Igneel planted himself in front of her as he bared his teeth. "Why don't you face us?" he jeered. "What do you want from us?"
A sigh.
Mary Jane peered over Igneel's shoulder and froze.
She understood why Igneel was in front of her.
A bloodshot eye stared Igneel unflinchingly in the face.
"You will address me as 'sir', young man," came stern instruction. "Don't flatter yourself to think I would be after filthy brats. These ancient ruins and our guest are mine to safeguard."
"A 'guest'?" Mary Jane echoed.
Igneel understood. "So, that's who is living in that cave," he presumed. "If they're your 'guest', why are you keeping them drugged, huh? Don't tell me." He smirked. "They're actually your prisoner."
A hum as the eye roamed around Igneel's face. "Perceptive," came a rumble. "Just like your mother." The eye darted to Mary Jane and narrowed. "You, young lady—have you gained a sense of respect for your elders?"
Mary Jane growled. "Who—?"
Igneel covered her. "You fight me, got it?" he snapped. "Keep your eye on me."
Mary Jane growled lowly at him, "Moron, what are you doing?"
"He started this when he took you from me," Igneel told her quietly. "Besides, a strong guy like this one?" He turned his head to give her a fangy grin. "It just gets my fire going."
Mary Jane rolled her eyes. "You piss me off."
Igneel chuckled softly and turned back to the eye. His smile dropped into a scowl. "I'd like to know the name of the guy I'm gonna turn to ashes for messing with my friends and with me," he growled. "You know mine. It seems only the honorable thing to do."
A hum as the eye widened. "Very well, then," came acceptance. "You may call me 'Sir Lessio'."
Igneel's eyes widened. "'Lessio'?"
Mary Jane rolled her eyes Heavenward. "You know him?"
Igneel tensed. "Yeah, kinda," he half-answered. "My ma and pops faced him, I think, like years ago. Said he was kinda weird and he—"
Mary Jane heard Igneel cut off his words and dropped her eyes. "'He' what?" She narrowed her eyes when Igneel turned around with a shy grin. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded to know.
"I know his weakness," Igneel told her. "My pops told me it when he told me his battle with Lessio. We can beat him."
"Okay?" Mary Jane straightened. "What's the plan? I'm all ears."
Pink began to dance on Igneel's hair. "Do you trust me?" Igneel asked.
"No."
"MJ!"
"Your hair is on fire, so, no, I don't," Mary Jane said flatly. "Whatever you're planning is a 'no' if it means you are on fire thinking about it."
Igneel's pink flames danced a bit more. "Well, I mean we really don't have a choice in this," he told her. His cheeks pinkened. "Don't worry. It'll be over soon," he promised in a soothe.
Mary Jane looked alarmed at that. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Hey!" Igneel called. "Sir Lessio!"
"Don't ignore me!"
The eye watched as Igneel turned his head to give it a Cheshire grin.
"Big mistake messing with Fairy Tail." Igneel slipped his hand around Mary Jane and pulled her forward as he backed up.
Mary Jane bristled. "The Hell are—?" Her words cut out in an undignified gasp when she felt a hand squeeze her butt.
Igneel's hand.
"Oh, MJ, your ass is so soft!" he feigned moaning.
Something dark and thunderous passed over Mary Jane's eyes. "Oh. So, you really do want to piss me off?" she supposed, voice rumbling like an incoming thunderstorm.
Igneel dismissed her with a laugh as he squeezed her butt again. "It's so soft and squishy!" he shouted.
Static flecked off Mary Jane. "Not even God will be enough for you to escape me," she hissed venomously.
Igneel chuckled as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Listen."
Mary Jane was about to snap at him when she heard muttered whimpers. She perked to catch a tidbit of them.
"—embarrassing! To be touched in such a manner…! Oh, how inappropriate! Dirty brats these days…"
Igneel pulled back his head and offered her a sheepish grin. "See?"
Mary Jane was still not impressed. "I'm going to electrocute you after this."
Igneel gulped. "Right."
Mary Jane sighed and closed her eyes, giving a tiny nod of reluctant approval.
Igneel moved his hand from Mary Jane's butt to travel to her stomach. His hand fingered her shirt and he gave a fake growl. "I wonder what type of bra you're wearing," he said loudly, pleased by the splutters he heard.
Mary Jane's eyes snapped open. "Wait, don't—!"
Igneel did not listen when his flames covered her shirt. The material turned into charred ashes that brushed off Mary Jane's porcelain skin. Porcelain skin free of any straps or any other material.
Naked porcelain skin.
Igneel's eyes slowly widened at the horror he felt.
Pink fire burst from his body.
Igneel shut his eyes as he whipped around. "Why aren't you wearing a bra?!"
Mary Jane only sighed, crossing her arms. "I didn't want to," she said simply, shrugging. "Girls don't always have to wear bras. Sometimes, we like to go free. And, besides"—she narrowed her eyes at the back of his head—"I didn't expect my own freaking shirt to be burned off!"
Igneel did not even waste time taking off his shirt. It was a challenge to do it one-handed and even more so when fire was in his palm, but he did it anyways. He did not look back at her as he offered his shirt. "H-H-Here," he blurted. "Take this!"
Mary Jane wrinkled her nose. "But, it has your blood on it," she pointed out.
"MJ, you can't run without a shirt on!" Igneel told her in a near hiss.
Mary Jane rolled her eyes as she took the shirt. "It's all sweaty and smelly," she complained as she put it on. When she finished, she looked down at the bloodstain on it and wilted a little. "All right, it's on. Lead the way."
Igneel risked looking back at her. The flames on his body simmered out as he took her wrist and ran off. "Let's go!"
Mary Jane staggered at Igneel, but she did not protest him leading her down the tunnel. She only wrinkled her nose when she realized his bloody hand was wrapped around her wrist. "I hope you know none of this is sanitary," she shouted at him.
"We're Fairy Tail, MJ!" Igneel hollered back. "We're known for getting a little dirty!"
"You're taking that literally, moron!" Mary Jane snapped as Igneel's ears perked. "They meant we're inde—!"
"Look out!"
Igneel shifted both of them jerkily to the right, making Mary Jane stumble.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Mary Jane's eyes widened. "What was that?!" she shouted.
Igneel looked grim. "Gunshots," he shouted back. "You're lucky Pops beat his sensitivity lessons into me or else you would've been shot in the back." He risked a grin back at her. "I'm not lookin' like a bad partner after all, huh?" he boasted.
Mary Jane sneered at him. "Oh, how I long for the day you realize I'm not worth it and torment someone else," she hissed.
Igneel laughed and moved them to the left, feeling three sharp objects whizz passed them. "You'd miss having such a good friend like me around," he reasoned. "I keep your life fun and excite—Duck!"
The duo ducked as something slapped the ceiling. Loose rocks and dust showered on them, making them flinch, but they kept running.
"No. You keep pissing me off," Mary Jane argued. "How the Hell is he doing this? I can't sense the guy anywhere!"
Igneel jerked them to the right as gunshots pounded onto the wall. "He has a Magic called Stealth," he responded, making them to them veer left. "At least, that's what my pops said!"
"He's an assassin?" Mary Jane ducked when Igneel pulled her to do so.
Igneel shrugged. "Probably—Woah!"
It was too late.
He slammed into a wall.
Mary Jane slammed into his back, but she ricocheted and ended up stumbling backwards. She held her nose as she hissed. "Ow! Little bit of warning goes a long way," she grunted.
Igneel pulled himself from the wall with his fire intact. "Trust me. I didn't think there was a wall here," he grumbled. He rubbed his hands on his shorts before massaging his face. "Ugh. We must've reached the end of the tunnel," he presumed. He turned around. "We'll have to double-back and—"
WUH-PSSH!
Igneel did not register the blank look in Mary Jane's eyes as she fell to the ground.
WUH-PSSH! WUH-PSSH! WUH-PSSH!
Igneel's eyes widened as he focused on Mary Jane's crumpled figure.
Red seeped through the back of his shirt.
"What?" he whispered. "MJ?" He staggered towards her. "MJ, you…" He knelt at her side to see the blood stain his shirt. Her blood.
The true horror finally set in.
"MJ!" Igneel shouted. "Shit, no!"
Mary Jane trembled on the ground, but she tried to laugh it off. "Shut up, moron," she panted. Her voice cracked. "I'm okay… This was nothing…"
Igneel shook his head. "Please, don't say that," he whimpered to her. "Don't. Your body isn't 'nothing'."
"This is Karma being the bitch she is," Mary Jane jested. She ignored the stinging in her eyes and the way her voice wanted to break so badly. "I hurt you. This is what I deserve."
Igneel began to shake his head. "MJ—"
"The lady is right, young man."
A bloodshot eye opened up in the darkness.
"Your dirt brats must be punished for your disobedience," came order. The eye narrowed its own repulsion. "It disgusts me to see how this generation is so damn disrespectful to their elders. We give you the future and all you dirty brats do is show us your indecency and vulgarity!"
Igneel turned his head to glare at the eye. He shifted over Mary Jane, covering her with his body. "I don't give a damn about you, bastard," he snarled. "I don't give a damn about anyone who hurts my friends or my family!"
"And you shall be dealt with soon enough," came lethal assurance. The eye trained on Mary Jane's figure. "Remove yourself from that young lady. At this moment, I'll take the pleasure in whipping her until I can see her spine."
Igneel bristled. "Punish me all you want, but I swear to you, you won't touch her," he hissed. "I won't let you touch MJ!"
The eye settled back. "Very well," came smooth acceptance. "I will start with you."
"Moron," Mary Jane mumbled from underneath him. "Run… Fight back."
"We leave together," Igneel vowed to her in soft murmur. "No one gets left behind in Fairy Tail. Especially not my future partner."
WUH-PSSH!
Igneel let out a loud cry as his eyes slammed shut. He reined in his cry by grinding his teeth, but that did not mean his back did not hurt. It felt like a billion bees stung his body and the force of the sun had concentrated in a long line on his back.
WUH-PSSH!
His hand shook a little, but he kept himself atop Mary Jane.
WUH-PSSH!
This time, the fire in Igneel's palm wavered, nearly giving into death.
The eye narrowed. "Let's see how much longer that little flame lasts once the disobedience is beaten out of you," came sneer.
WUH-PSSH!
WUH-PSSH!
WUH-PSSH!
"Run," Mary Jane pleaded to him. "Fight…back…"
WUH-PSSH!
Igneel might have shed a tear, but he desperately tried to keep in others. "I w-won't…leave you," he ground out.
WUH-PSSH!
Another tear slipped out and his fire dimmed. "I pr-prom-promised I'd protect you," Igneel told her, "n-no matter what."
WUH-PSSH!
A ragged breath left Igneel's lips and more tears were shed, but he dared not break down in front of the enemy. "I will…always protect you," he choked out.
WUH-PSSH!
Mary Jane shut her eyes when they watered. "I'm sorry," she whimpered to him.
WUH-PSSH!
A cry left Igneel and he could not take it back. His flame was near death. Still, he tried to smile for Mary Jane. "Don't cry, MJ," he whispered. "You're so much prettier when you're—"
WUH-PSSH!
Igneel faltered. "…smiling," he gasped out.
His flame was gone.
The eye was gone.
The light was gone.
Mary Jane felt weighted heat drop on her and knew it was Igneel. She sniffled and shook her head. "I don't smile," she whispered. "I never smile."
Igneel weakly teased back with his face buried in her hair, "Guess I just have to work even harder to see it, won't we?"
"Shhhh," Mary Jane shushed him. "No more ta-talking, okay, Igneel?"
She felt Igneel try to smile against her. "Yo-You…did it…again," he mumbled.
"Don't fall asleep," Mary Jane pleaded. "Stay with me, o-okay? Igneel? Ca-Can you hear me?"
Igneel could barely hear Mary Jane call out his name. There were times when the world was too much and the pain got to your head and everything would just make more sense if you gave in. He could feel a different darkness wash over him like it had all the answers and all he needed to do was follow it.
Something muttered near him. "They were right. You are nothing like Lord Zeref or your father."
"Igneel," came a soft call. "Igneel…!"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"Igneel?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
His eyes shot open like he came out of a bad dream. He was not so much focused on where he was, but he was more-so focused on how he was alive.
"Igneel?" came a yawn. "You okay?"
He was calm enough to realize this was not his room. His room was never this clinical or smelled so sour and fresh that he just wanted to wrinkle his nose.
BEEP… BEEP… BEEP…
His ears twitched. He could hear it now. He heard the beeps and the hums of machinery. He could see the pristine walls of white. He looked around to see himself surrounded in medical technology he never bothered to learn about. It was then he realized this was not his bed for his bed was not so cold and thin.
"Igneel?"
His eyes searched for the source of his voice to see her. She looked at him with sleep-drunk eyes and a bit of drool on her face, trying to wake herself up.
"Where am I?" he questioned without meaning to. "Why are we in a hospital?"
She yawned again as she sat up. It was a hassle with an IV in her arms and wires connected to her, but she did it for him and looked a bit sad doing so. "I had another accident," she told him as though it were all so simple and so understandable. "Mom and Daddy took me to the hospital. Mom was…really sad too."
He noticed how her eyes shimmered and felt something wrong stir inside him. "Don't be sad, MJ," he murmured. "I'm here, remember? And, I'll always make you smile since you're my best friend!"
She graced him with a silly grin. "You're my best friend too," she told him. She settled back on the hospital bed. "Can you tell me one of your training stories?"
He gave a playful groan to that. "Again?"
She pouted. "Please?"
He dramatically sighed as he crawled up the hospital bed, gently moving over her wires, to lay his head on the other pillow. "I guess," he decided, histrionic. "Which one?"
"Tell me about the time Uncle Natsu helped you control your Magic!"
"But, that's all the time!" he complained.
She prodded him. "You know what I mean," she reminded.
He grinned. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," he drawled. "Okay. So, my pops took me out to the training field, right? I was really mad at stupid Nashi because she told on Luke and me when we were trying to get more juice, so I couldn't really focus. I guess Pops knew I wasn't listening since he knocked me off my feet." He laughed jovially. "I was so mad! I really wanted to fight anyone, so I tried fighting him. But, he wasn't having it. Nuh-uh! He just sat down and sat me down too."
She giggled softly. "I know how much you hate that."
He nudged her. "Shut up," he said, jesting. "He helped me get out all my anger until I realized I was just mad Nash was so much better at Magic than I was. I could barely make embers when I really wanted to and she was off doing cool stuff with your mom. It so wasn't fair!" His eyes softened. "But, then, Pops told me if I really wanted to get the hang of my Magic, I had to tell it what to do."
"I love this part," she inserted in a whisper.
He smiled. "I do too," he admitted. "He said to me that even though everyone has Magic, not many people can use it. And, even if we do, not everyone uses it in the right way. He told me if I wanted my Magic to work with me, I had to tell it what I wanted to become and it would do it."
"And, then, what did you do?" she asked sleepily.
"MJ," he whined, his cheeks reddening in his embarrassment, "you already know what happened!"
"But, I like it when you tell it," she insisted.
His cheeks darkened even more. "Whatever," he mumbled. "I had to think really hard about what I wanted to become. Pops said I couldn't be selfish when it came to my Magic or else bad stuff would happen. So, I thought really, really hard, and…" He let his voice trail off for dramatic effect.
She giggled. "Igneel!"
He laughed. "Okay, okay, quit nagging! I told my Magic I wanted to become strong enough to make my best friend better," he revealed.
"And, now, you're super strong!" she cheered.
He turned his head to grin at her. "And, you're still super weird," he teased.
"Hey!" She pouted at him. "You promised you wouldn't call me that anymore!"
He snickered. "Yeah, yeah," he dismissed. "How about another story?"
She nodded. "Yes, please! Can you tell me the one about the pirates and Luna was Tinkerbell?"
"Yeah, sure!"
He watched as the boy told the girl laden with sickness the wild adventures of his family filled with playful pirate fights and witty banter. He watched as his eyes lit up as he swashed his hand in the air like he was recreating sword movement. He watched as she gazed at him in curiosity, but there was always that undertone of sadness and longing meshed in there. He watched as two children lay in their own little bubble of happiness.
He watched.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Mary Jane stirred beneath Igneel with panic grasping at her heart. "Igneel," she whisper-shouted. "Moron, you can't fall asleep now!"
A harrumph came from in front of her. She could hear elegant footsteps creep in front of her. "So, the young lady persists for her next round of punishment," came note.
She did her best to growl, but even she could feel the drain. She felt like her body was giving up on fighting to stay awake and alive. She felt the pull and safety of sleep. But, she ignored it. "If you have to kill anyone, then kill me," she decided. "He hasn't done anything wrong but try and look after my sorry existence. Even you have to admit he shouldn't be killed for being admirable."
A sigh. "I can't kill him even if I wanted to," came suppose. "He's the blood of Lord Zeref and King Natsu. He's not needed, but, with him, cooperation comes smoother."
"Just who the Hell do you work for?" Mary Jane snapped. She could hear her words slur and knock together. "Stay away from him!"
"When you crossed into my domain, you lost the right to order someone of my caliber."
She felt aged hands cup her chin and lift it like she was a diamond to be examined. She could not see his face and did not know if it was even there, but she glared into the darkness.
"You see, you undignified young lady, none of you realize how much worth you have," came fact. "With a little time and obedience, you'll come to realize this was all worth it."
Mary Jane tried to jerk her head, but, between Igneel laying on top of her, her wounds dragging her down, and his firm grip, it was hard to free herself. "Unlike what you think, asshole, I'm not afraid of dying," she spat at him. "I have a very low opinion about myself and I'm not afraid to use it. You think we'll actually thank you for trying to kill us?" She barked a fake laugh. "Honey, if anything, we'll try even harder to kill you."
SMACK.
Mary Jane shut her eyes when her chin smacked onto the pavement, her right cheek burning.
"Insolent child," came displeased hiss. "You think you could ever kill me? How dare you! You dirty, rotten brats—!"
"You know, it's funny how worked up you get," Mary Jane sneered. "Slapping the pawn you so desperately want in your grasp, let alone a lady? Have you no sense of honor or respect?"
"How dare you!" came a roar. "You rotten, little girl! You will show me some damn respect!"
Mary Jane shut her eyes and braced herself for a slap, a kick, a something.
But, when she did not feel it, her eyes opened.
Then, they widened.
Red fire blazed around a hand as it grasped something that was near Mary Jane's face.
Mary Jane felt the weight of the heat lift off her, though a bit unsteady. "Igneel…"
Igneel supported himself with one hand like it was nothing, like he had not been whipped on the back. "Don't – touch – my – MJ," he seethed firmly.
There came a yelp and whatever was in Igneel's hand retracted as a giant, bloodshot eye loomed over the pair of them in its anger. "How dare you burn me!" came snarl. "Impudent brat! If you weren't King Natsu's son—!"
"I don't give a damn about that," Igneel snarled. "Blood has nothing to do with this. You touched her. No one touches her."
Mary Jane felt heat rise from above her and turned her head lugubriously. Her eyes focused on the burning symbol on Igneel's chest that gave off such a welcoming heat, she could fall asleep to it. It was like she had seen it in a dream with the way it looked. It bore the head of a horned dragon, but there was more to it.
The bloodshot eye narrowed on Igneel. "You aren't in a position to give orders, brat," came retort.
"The Hell I am!" Igneel snapped. "Say whatever the Hell you want, you bastard! I don't give a shit! She's part of Fairy Tail! We protect our own from psychopaths like you!"
He could hear the rumbling of a volcano in the distant recesses of his mind. It was like an encouragement. Like it wanted him to go on.
"I am nothing like my uncle or like my pops," Igneel hissed, "because I didn't sign up to be a friggen copy of them when I bonded with my Magic. That's not what I answered what I wanted to become."
The rumbling in the back of his mind amplified into more than rumbling. They were stirring snarls and growls, ready and waiting.
"You will become what your blood has dictated," came snarl. The eye strained itself as it became even more bloodshot. "You were born to be a demon, little prince! You were born for this! And, you dare deny your birth right!"
"To Hell with my fucking birth right!" Igneel bellowed. "I might've been born part demon, but who the fuck cares?! That's not what I'll become!"
The quite snarls and growls waiting for a fight grew louder to make the beginning of a beautiful battle roar.
The symbol on his chest burned wildly on his chest.
"I will become," Igneel roared as emerald light covered his eyes and made them burn bright, "the one who makes MJ smile!"
The dragon head on Igneel's chest moved as it let out a roar of its own.
Neither Mary Jane nor the bloodshot eye expected flames of golden brilliance to burst off Igneel.
To Mary Jane, the fire felt…different. A good different. It felt obviously warm, but there was more to that warmth she tried to identify. It was not blinding or anything like that. It was bright, yes, but not the type of bright like looking into the noon-sun and getting that God-awful glare in your eyes. It was bright like you were looking at the orange sun as it set from a long day or the brightest star in the sky. It felt clear and consoling.
She vaguely could hear a scream that ripped in the air. She was too focused on what was happening above her that everything else seemed insignificant. Her eyes reflected the golden flames and all her aw.
I've never…felt this before… What type of fire is this?
The golden flames soon died away, but that did not mean the light was gone. Torches that had been dipped in whale oil long ago had been singed by the flames and burned proudly, happy to be in service once again. The old runes were given light to be read once again. The tunnels were alive once again.
Mary Jane felt Igneel shift off her and tried to move herself. He dropped onto his side beside her, breathing heavy with his eyes closed and the symbol on his chest gone. She turned his head to watch him pant with something unreadable in her eyes.
"Why?" dropped from her mouth before she could stop it. "Just…why?"
An exhaust-drunken smile touched the corners of his lips and his eyes were half-lidded onyx. "You're my friend, MJ," he breathed. His hand dove into his pocket and shakily extracted something.
Mary Jane did not even know how to react when she saw her ribbon in his hand.
Igneel took her own hand and guided it back to his. He placed the ribbon in her palm and curled her fingers around it. "I'd d-do anything"—his eyes closed as his body began falling limp—"for…you…" He released a long sigh as his hands dropped from her own and his smile fell into something that was not a frown, yet not a smile.
Mary Jane opened her mouth to say something, but she thought against it. She gritted her teeth to haul herself onto her side. Her back certainly did not appreciate that and stung her in its anger, making blood drip onto her borrowed shirt. She did not care. She nudged herself closer to him and her eyes watched over Igneel's sleeping frame.
"You moron," she said softly. Her hand was about to touch his cheek, but her fingers curled back in and she let her hand fall limply on the ground. "Believe me when I say you deserve so much more."
And, the Dark Empress would watch over the boy who did it for her with her ribbon clutched in her hand and that unmistakable glimmer of unshed tears in her eyes.
This time, Natsu and Happy led the hunt with Gajeel and Pantherlily lagging behind. They were on foot this time. Staying in the air for too long when a thunderstorm was at its worst was not smart for anyone. They searched the dank part of town without the help of their noses to scent their prey. It was all by feel alone.
They were currently investigating a marketplace that cried for attention and updates. Food and meat had been abandoned and left to rot in the storm. There was not even a sign of a stray in sight. How ironic that a marketplace always filled with people had been so heavily deserted, not even the homeless wanted to stay behind to salvage the spoils of evacuation.
Natsu came back from checking out his end with Happy on his shoulder to meet up with Gajeel and Pantherlily. "Anything?" he checked, though he knew the answer.
Gajeel shook his head, and Pantherlily folded his arms over his chest, grumbling, "He's toying with us in a game I don't want to play."
"Yeah, I can agree with that," Natsu commented. "We're dealing with a guy who escaped prison without anyone catching him. He's not going to be easy to find."
"Ya think the familiar was telling the truth?" Happy wondered. "That Bluenote was bailed out before he could even be in jail?"
Natsu shrugged. "I don't know, little buddy. It sounds plausible enough," he had to admit. "There would've been reports if Bluenote had escaped. He wasn't just any convict. When the first murder came out that was linked to Bluenote, that's when all the speculations began."
"But, then, what would he have been doing all this time?" Pantherlily had to ask. "Why wait now to strike?"
Natsu's lips twitched. "Bad guys always have some sort of reason for everything. We can ask him when we see him." He nodded towards the indoor factory-turned-market. "Let's check in there and then we can head out elsewhere."
Everyone nodded and drifted towards the market.
The market was a mixture of homes for the homeless and stands to still fishy products. Nothing felt right about it and the scents mangled up in the place were the disgusting scent of fear, the flinching scent of too many people failing to use good hygiene, and molding food. There was a mutual agreement of who went where. Happy kept close to Natsu while Gajeel and Pantherlily split from each other. Natsu stepped over fallen goods and paid them little heed as he looked around.
Happy spoke up. "Do you think Gale will be all right?"
"Of course he will." Natsu did not even need to hesitate. "I'm not worried that he won't heal."
Happy picked up on Natsu's meaning and his tail drooped. "The scars…"
Natsu gave a firm hum as he skirted around a pile of fish that were rotting from the inside out. "Anyone can handle physical scars," he said softly, "but emotional ones take a lot more time. We don't know what Bluenote said or did to him and it'll be his choice to tell us. He's going to need all the support he can get if he wants to heal."
Happy silently agreed.
It did not take them along to scour the place and meet back up. Negatives were all around when it came to catching wind of the elusive Mage Killer.
"Maybe we're looking in the wrong place?" Happy offered, though unsure.
"He's here," Pantherlily huffed, tail twitching. "He's a coward and watches us from the shadows."
"Now, that's just insulting," came a purr.
Everyone was on their guard and formed a line to see Bluenote standing at the end of their aisle. He looked so nonchalant, it bordered apathetic. And, maybe he was. His silver eyes only focused on Natsu. No one else mattered to him.
"Are you the real thing or another carbon copy?" Natsu demanded.
"I'm real," Bluenote assured. "Would you like proof?" He took his hand to his mouth and bit down hard. He pulled back his hand to show it to them.
Red stained his skin.
Bluenote put down his hand. "So, I believe retribution is in order from you," he supposed. "I've been waiting to fight the Etherious King who could fly."
"Last time I checked, I beat your ass with my roar," Natsu remembered. He let his flames burst around his fists. "And, looks like I'll have to do it again."
Bluenote shuffled in his robe. "I don't think you'll find I'm so easy to beat, King Natsu." He took out something silver and drew back his robe to reveal his arm. "For you see…"
Happy's eyes widened.
Natsu, Pantherlily, and Gajeel tensed.
Bluenote dangled the pocket watch before them and showed them its symbol: an infinity star trapped inside an ouroboros. The mark on his arm was different than that. It looked like it could be a sick version of a Magic Seal branded onto a human being. It held four horns crossed together, trapped inside a bigger horn. Seven odd letters surrounded the big horn before they were sealed off in a circle.
"…I am just like you, King Natsu." A smile warped Bluenote's face, too big and too giddy for anyone to feel any sense of comfort. "I'm a Warlock."
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…
Oh, Mary Jane… I hope you know how well you have it to have Igneel as a friend! What's the deal with Bluenote? What's the deal with being a 'warlock'? Find out on the next Fairy Adventure!
You walk through Magnolia. It's a quaint and prosperous city and you like it. It gives you that Italian feel with a hint of British influence if you were back on Earth. But, you're not and that's okay. Magnolia is nice today and you are enjoying it. You look around to see the neighborly people and merchants alike. You're jostled when a few school children run by you. You narrow your eyes, disgruntled, but you quickly get over it when something attracts your ears. You hear faint chanting. A fight, maybe?
You race towards the noise because, let's face it, everyone loves a good fight. You see a crowd of civilians have already gathered. You see dollar bills—wait, excuse you, that's jewel—being slipped around with murmured bets floating everywhere. You shoulder your way through the crowd to lay witness to the fight and you're in complete shock.
There is the Iron Man of Fairy Tail taking a punch from the Ice Devil of Fairy Tail.
They looked pretty beat up, but not in that bullying, let's fucking fight sense, since they're grinning like maniacs. Are they fighting for fun maybe? You're not sure. Probably. They are Fairy Tail Wizards after all.
You hear the click of the tongue and look beside you. There is Dazzler of Fairy Tail in her civilian wear and a displeased look about her. She's next to T'oree, Mustang, Olivia, and Orochi, all of them watching the fight with different expression. T'oree seems eager and on cloud nine; Mustang is grinning and playful; Orochi is amused thoroughly; Olivia is bored; Dazzler is impatient.
"Ugh. This is so stupid," Dazzler mutters. "Can't they just flip a coin or something?"
"'Flip a coin'?" Orochi speaks this time. "Dazzy, you're insulting. The Fairy Tail name if you think life is that easy."
"I find fighting to be the most magnificent way to settle a dispute," T'oree puts in. Her voice is curiously emotional and just the right pitch. "On Vanhalla, often friendly disputes were settled through combat."
Dazzler shakes her head. "Well, they can fight about who gets the last freaking cake slice all they want. I'm going back inside." Her eyes turn lovingly at Mustang. She has the eyes of a fangirl, but the posture of a girlfriend. Strange. "Want to come with me, cowboy?" she purrs.
Mustang's shoulder go up and then down. "It'd be my pleasure to escort you, Miss Lafayette." You can hear the southern accent dripping from his voice and it's nice. It's soothing and matches the tenor pitch.
Dazzler is positively giddy as Mustang clears a path for them.
"This is getting old," Olivia complains. "I am not drunk enough to want to watch this."
Orochi chuckles. "Right. Because, if you were, you'd be making out with someone."
Olivia shoves him all in good fun. "Don't remind me of my shitty, drunken persona," she whines. "I'm heading back to at least get a mimosa."
"I'll buy," Orochi offers, already leading her away. "I'll take one too. I have to start training to keep up with your liver."
Olivia only laughs and the two disappear into the crowd.
T'oree seems to notice you and brightens. "Oh, joyous! You have arrived for your Fairy Lesson!" she squeal. She comes closer to you and briefly touches your cheek. Her hand is warm. It's nice. She looks back to the fight with her eyes sparkling. Galileo kicked Gary's chest and was smirking about it. "Does it not excite you? The thrill of the fight?" she asks you.
You tip your head.
"Such behavior reminds me of my home world," T'oree murmurs. Her eyes sparkle less with excitement and more with wistfulness. "As you know, I come from Vanhalla. It is a beautiful planet with three suns, each named after our gods who bring us harvest and light to work, and two moons, each named after the goddess who guide our stars. My people are people of war. We love the thrill of battle, but. we do not battle in order to conquer unless necessary."
You nod at this, agreeing with her on something you can't put your finger on.
"It was only because of war that I came to this planet," T'oree confides in you. Her radiant smile dips more into a frown and you don't like it. "I am the second princess of Vanhalla. As such, my place is to my father's left when on the battlefield. We were facing a constant rival of our people from a planet who shared our system. In the heat of battle, I met with an enemy Enchantress."
T'oree looks over at you and smiles again. "On Vanhalla, Magic does not exist," she tells you. "Only those of royal blood have power gifted from our gods. I was sun-kissed while my sister was moon-kissed. It is our way." She turns back to the fight. "The Enchantress spoke to me. She told me there was another war where I was needed even more. She insisted I listen to her, to leave my father, my sister, my people, and to join a war I had no blood with." She laughs like the memory sitting in her mind is funny. "I refused her. I would never abandon my people. I owed my people my life and would serve them until the three suns snuffed my power and deemed me unworthy.
"The Enchantress knew this. She smiled at me. I remember the smile quite well too," T'oree tacks on. "She told me she was certain she had chosen well. I remember her Magic surrounding and then, the next thing I knew, my war was finished and I was here. They tell me I had landed on the eve of a star shower and landed not too far from a nearby village."
You nod again when she looks at you as if to tell her you are still listening.
"I was…scared and confused," T'oree admits, though she is still smiling. "I did not know this world. I only knew the language of Vanhalla and the ways of my people. I fled when Fioren farmers tried to dress me and flew for many weeks. It was by destiny that I had flown near a campsite filled with Enchanters. I had little trust in Magic and no trust in those who practiced it. They were untrustworthy on my home world." Something soft flitters over her sun-kissed face. Something delicate. "I had landed in a campsite where I met Lord Cadorius, Lady Dazzler, Lord Mustang, and Lord Gary."
You look surprised at that information.
"I tried to kill them."
Now, you're really surprised.
T'oree giggles at your expression. "Yes, I am well aware how odd that may seems, but I was scared and was desperate to tend to my people," she explains. "Lord Gary tried to restrain me, but he was surprised that his ice melted when touched by my skin. As a sun-kissed royal, ice has little effect on me. That was when I met Lord Devil. His ice restrained me. It angered me that an Enchanter would dare lay a hand on me. I tried my best to escape them. I even bit Lady Dazzler when she tried to clothe me." She giggles again. "She never lets me forget such a memory."
T'oree sighs. "Lord Cadorius was the first to patrol their campsite and keep watch over me. He tried to feed me and give me water and I allowed him. He was interesting to watch and would try to talk to me, even if I did not understand Fioren at the time. However, the oddest thing happened… He spoke my language."
You blink your astonishment.
"It was…rough," T'oree confesses. "He told me my language was similar to a language back on his home world, but he spoke it enough for me to understand him. He told me I had nothing to fear. That he and his friends were not my enemy, but they wanted to be my friends." Her eyes glimmer just from that one word. "He told me he, too, was not from this world. He was from a place where a power called 'science' existed. There was no room for Magic in his world and he was summoned to Earth Land. Like me, he was frightened and confused and did not understand a world where Magic existed, but it was Guild Master Erza who found him and gave him a home."
T'oree nods as the battle finishes. Galileo is on the ground and Gary is still standing and everyone is cheering for the victor.
"I owe Lord Cadorius infinite gratitude for his thoughtfulness," T'oree admits. "He has been such a great companion. I. hope, one day, I may travel to his world and learn more of this 'major' he was once apart of before his time here. Perhaps he would see Vanhalla. My sister would adore him." A beam comes across her face. "Perhaps even take him as her groom! What a delightful thought!"
"Tor! Hey, Tor!"
You and T'oree look to see Cade shouldering through the crowd to get to the pair of you with his backwards cap and his skateboard under an arm. He smiles at T'oree. "Want to head back inside? I paid for our food, but if you want anything else…"
T'oree frowns. "You did not have to pay for my meal, Lord Cadorius. I have a sufficient amount of funds to do so myself." She looks a bit offended. "You think me poor?"
Cade panics. "What? No! N-No, of course not!" he assures. "It's just a thing people do for their friends sometimes when we want to be nice."
T'oree tries to understand. "So, then… I shall pay for everyone's meal the next time we venture to a restaurant," she decides.
"What? No, that's not what I—!" Cade sighs. This was clearly easier to explain in his head. "Never mind," he exhales. His eyes go to you. "Oh. You're here." Wow. What a welcome. "Are you coming in with us?"
You shake your head.
Cade shrugs. "Suit yourself." He smiles at T'oree. "C'mon, Tor! I want to see Nashi get pissed at Gary!" He tugs T'oree's hand.
T'oree nods, but she looks back at you. "I hope we may meet again soon, my friend! Next time, on Fairy Adventure: THE WARLOCK AND THE TRAVELER!" She lets Cade tug her away and begins to pester him about monetary customs that she must follow.
And you cannot help but notice the fond smile that curls on both their faces.