Fairy x Adventure

by Magnafeana

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

47. Adventure 047

Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail nor any work professional associated with it. All original plots and characters are mine.

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

---

Last time, on Fairy Adventure, Nashi and Muta snuck into the casino to find Lance and Aine and bust them out…but Nashi didn't think flirting would be a part of it and with her best friend's boyfriend! Neither did Lance think he'd have to woo his own girlfriend back even though he has a…girlfriend? Enter Lace, a mysterious stripper with intel. Looks like Lance is going to a strip show even though he has a…girlfriend? Luna's time with Bleu and Carlisle nearly come to a close when Gale returns from his sidetracked fun. But Luna's not ready to forgive him so easily. That doesn't sit right with Gale and he decides it's either all of them or none of them. Luna's choice leave Bleu and Gale rivals, but…what exactly did Gale see? Anyways, Ena and Silver are actually having a civil conversation! Who knew right? Speaking of surprises, Peter turned out to be an Alchemist and an Alkahest! Can you believe it? Justin and Ace interrupt Peter and Mary Jane's talk about the future and possible feelings, but for a noble cause. After all, someone has to look out for Mary Jane. Back in the paradox, Lance meets with Lace (did we mention he has a girlfriend?) for more information and Nashi and Muta run into Black Panther Devil Pazuzu who gives Nashi an offer she can't refuse. Lace's intel and offer to Lance proves to be too good to pass up. But you can't help but wonder why a Demon would want her to be part of his plans? Pazuzu's Brand sparks some negative emotions in Nashi. Meanwhile, Aine found herself in the clutches of a woman with the power to manipulate her. But things are looking up as she remembers green eyes. Luke is home when the other Dragneels return from their time in confinement with a hope his brother stays put before he gets himself into more trouble. Nashi's panic attack drives everyone to rush to get her back in Ketchum City and in fresh air, leading to Kyler and Lace meeting…again? Just what sort of past do they have with each other? Two Devils meet and tensions rise as both want claim over Nashi for different reasons. Back on earth, Luna gets fed up with Bleu and Gale's feud and just Gale in general, leaving him to storm out with Carlisle to a party, but…that doesn't seem like the smartest move, Gale. Mary Jane and Peter finally do their confessions and it takes a little encouragement from Peter for Mary Jane to realize a relationship could potentially work with trust and communication. Though Laxus is fully against it and it shows. In the paradox, the strategy meeting starts off tense with Kyler and Lace (or is her name Mirella?) still locked in verbal combat. Lance and Nashi take their own breather as they think of home. But Nashi has someone else specifically on her mind…

"By doing what?"

"By giving our Devil a name."

I agree with the Devil—a name does sound nice. And, um, Gale… Please don't do anything stupid…

---

"Mommy, Mommy! Look what I found!"

The field was beautiful to begin with. The park had been nothing but full of Middlemist Reds in their full bloom and their earthy scent enticing. The focus looked up at the sky and observed the shifting clouds. Then, the focus looked left and right. Forest was just beyond the meadow.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

The focus looked in front. Everything became blurry as little hands cupped to show the actual stemless flower. This Middlemist Red was even rarer for it did not even have pink petals—it had white petals.

A giggle.

"Look, Mommy!"

The focus tried to look up only to see the meadow had burned down with smoke and ashes taking to the once clear blue skies. A monster stood in such destruction with fur matted and claws stained in blood. In it arms, it carried something little and pale and winged.

The monster sprouted ugly bat wings, but before it could go, it paused.

It turned its head…

…to reveal soulless orange eyes.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mirella opened her eyes with a sharp inhale. For a few moments, nothing but blatant emotions crossed her face. Anguish and terror were prominent. But those moments faded and emotions blurred into apathy. She was safe. She was not in a meadow. She was resting in her old bed.

Mirella sat up to rub her head. "Damn, not again," she muttered. "Thought I took my pills." She looked around the bedroom. That gaudy dark-wooded dresser was shined to a tee with her jewelry still polished and hung with care. Her full-length mirror might have lost its edges to age, but it was bright, nevertheless.

Mirella caught sight of the original canvas hung up, each brushstroke still as clear as she remembered. "He really didn't take anything down," she murmured to herself. She stretched and yawned only to blindly grope the nightstand.

CHING.

Mirella paused. She looked down at the nightstand. Curiosity got the best of her as she opened the drawer.

Gold widened.

A ring was pulled out, a gold band with blue diamonds embedded into it. The craftsmanship was simply marvelous with thoughtfulness towards each diamond.

Mirella's bottom lip trembled. "Kyler…" One name, so much pain with it. Gold glistened as memories surfaced and it was like second nature to begin to put back on the ring.

A child's laughter invaded her head.

Mirella stopped.

Her hands shook.

"I know… I know I can't, but…" Mirella fought against the laugh in her head as she slipped on the ring. "But just for a second, I…"

A tear slid.

Mirella held her hand as she curled back onto her bed. Gold may have been teary, but it was firm on the ring. Kyler… I'm so sorry we even met…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ah utsukushii sekai

Utsukushii mirai

Utsukushii kehai no suru sono saki wa

Subarashii sedai

Subarashii kitai

Subarashii sekai

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Devil knew he was in danger when he felt such a dark presence enter his lowly cage. It was instinct that made him recognize the bigger predator between the two. But he was stubborn, the embodiment of harsh winters. He would not back down in the face of this new predator. His eyes cast this way and that into the shadows. "I smell you, Demon," he growled. "Show your face. Or are you a coward like your spawn?"

A booming laugh. "When Orias told me you were bold, I never thought this. You're pretty young and cocky to call me a 'coward', Darkling, and dare say it in my sister language."

"'Like daughter, like father'. Is that not the human saying?" the Devil mocked. "Your stupid spawn shows her cowardice as she tries to dangle my Female like meat in front of a wolf, yet she does not want to risk getting bitten herself. So I assumed she got her softness from her sire." He cocked his head. "Or am I mistaken, Demon?"

The shadows clung together to take the form of a man. This man stepped into the light. He was…beautiful. Sinfully beautiful. Eyes as gold as riches and build sculpted to perfection, he stood out amongst the shadows in a tailored made suit he could not care less for. He fixed his cuffs, but his eyes blazed onto the Devil. Sparks filled gold. Sparks of desire. Sparks of agitation. Sparks of darkness. "You will address me as 'Bael' for now, Winter Devil," Bael said offhandedly. "Normally, I let my toys call me 'Master'. Some humans calling me 'Daddy' doesn't bother me. But, you…" He inclined his chin, grinning. "I think I'll like it when you call my name."

The Ice Devil dared to roll his eyes. "Save your breath, Demon. I am not into males. My human's affinity is strictly towards women."

Bael strode forth. "Shame. I haven't fucked a male in a while. At least, not one like you. They normally can't take it rough." He stopped before the Ice Devil. Eyes went deliberately down then up, sizing him up. "But, you… You'd take me like a pro," he murmured. He met the Ice Devil's eyes. "While Lynn isn't the most desirable offspring I have, she's attractive enough for me to want to fuck her. Are you really that determined to fuck the little Angel? She's beautiful, but she's young. She's not the submissive you need."

"She will learn how to please me," the Devil snapped. "Only me."

Bael's chuckle was just a puff of air. "I can respect that. If only any of my male spawns were like you. Powerful, dominant, had good taste… When most of them didn't have any potential, I devoured the souls and tried again, but all of them ended in failures. The female spawns are even worse. Some of them became uncontrolled psychopaths and I let them do their killing sprees, but most became too soft for my taste. Lynn is one of my youngest. Forgive her for being a bit of a coward. She is part human after all."

"It's obvious her Curse isn't powerful," the Devil noted. "Why keep her alive?"

Bael crossed his arms. "I want to see how far she'll go to reach her goal. She thinks she can gain my favor if you knock her up with a powerful heir." He shrugged. "Which is pointless anyway. I know exactly what she's doing and she'll never reach her goal. But the game she's playing is interesting. You see…"—a rouge hand wandered up the Winter Devil's chest—"I like playing games…"

The Devil sneered. "And what piece am I in your game? A pawn?"

Bael thumbed the Winter Devil's bottom lip. "No, baby boy. You're more important than a simple pawn and you don't even realize it." The Winter Devil tried to bite his finger, but Bael was quicker than that, snickering. "You know, it's interesting… A Devil as strong as you…and no one's given you a name."

At this, the Devil gave a dirty smirk. "I am a parasite in the eyes of humans, an unwanted terror forced upon my brother. You think they would want to name something they think is a disease?"

"You and I both know that's not true," Bael whispered salaciously, gold darkening in want. He licked his bottom lip as his hand trailed the jaw of the Devil. "No one's named you because they don't have the power to do so. Names are for power. Children can be named by their parent because they are weak and spineless. Pets are named because they only understand they are at the mercy of their master. But things like you…"

CLANG.

Bael fisted the Devil's hair and forced his head up. The Winter Devil panted, chest rumbling, while Bael enjoyed the show put on for him. "You're extremely powerful and only someone with more power over you could name you. Lynn tried and you didn't even flinch. Of course she didn't succeed. She's weak. She could never name a creature like you. But for me…"

The Devil finally showed an emotion he rarely displayed—fear. "No! No!"

"I name you…"

The Winter Devil gave a snarl so deep, it rattled his chain and the air around him. "NO!"

Bael's grin broadened. "…Ymir the Winter Devil…"

The Devil stilled. Then he dropped his head as the limbs in his body fell limp.

Bael took a step back and released the Devil's hair. He watched the Devil breathe with smugness coming off him in waves. "There," he breathed. "That should make you more compliant, my Ymir." He opened his arms. "Come here, my newest pet, and worship your new Maker."

The Devil heaved. "You…"—a shudder flowed through his entire body—"thought you had power over me…?" He ended his question with a gurgled snarl.

Bael tipped up his chin. "Intriguing. You're fighting me. That's new." He bent forward and let a hand wander the Devil's naked chest. "Come now, my Ymir"—the Winter Devil snarled and silver threatened to overtake them—"don't fight me. Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to get rid of that leather bag the human traps you in?"

X - X - X - X - X

A warm puff of air blew into the Devil's ear as another hand traveled south. "You've never wondered what life could be like if you had…"—a deep moan—"the opportunity to kill whatever you wanted and fuck as you pleased?"

Silver covered the Devil's eyes as a hand wrapped around him. His winter flamed as fingers teased him, electrified him. "N-No!" He desperately shook his head as his teeth drew blood from biting his lip. "No! Human…is…brothe—uuuuuhhh…!" His head slammed into Bael's shoulder when he was met with an aggressive hand.

Bael smirked as the Devil involuntarily tried to get closer to him. "Ymir," he cooed, "take this as a little welcome gift. I'm giving you a gift only one other pet received. I'm pleasing you." He brought back up his hand to spit into his palm before letting it roam against the Devil. He felt his own lust fill his veins as the bulge in his pants was obvious. "You'll never receive a gift as great as this, baby boy," he purred into the Devil's ear before softly biting the earlobe. The Devil shuddered as his hand jerked even faster before a thumb played with the tip. "Getting so excited," Bael teased as he felt a leakage of pre-cum. "See, Ymir?"

The Winter Devil snarled and thrust into Bael's hand.

"See how I can excite you," Bael whispered. "See how I can please you, make you come undone just by saying your name… Do you feel how free you can be right now? And you want to throw away freedom for pussy?" His hand worked even faster, taking the pre-cum as a lubricant.

The Winter Devil growled and bucked against him as the temperature dropped between both, his body becoming sleek with sweat. It was incredible how lust could heat even the coldest of creatures. Faster. Rougher. The hand refused to stop, going from the base and rounding all the way to the tip. Bael's other hand slipped to grab a handful of the Devil's ass, digging his nails into it. "That's it," he urged. "Come for me, Ymir. Come for your new master!"

The Devil hid his face when the raging pleasure became too much and he released. His cum came in ropes, staining the pants of the Demon, staining the floor, staining the hand that led him there. There was no panting, no soulful shaking, no trembling. The Devil stood still as Bael held him in place like he had all the time in the world. His smile was definitely of one where the cat got his cream.

X - X - X - X - X

"There's no resisting a king, Ymir," Bael murmured into the Devil's ear. "I wish you put up more of a fight, but what's done is done."

"You're right." The Winter Devil's voice was quiet. "What is done is done." His mouth opened.

Fang glinted.

CHOMP.

Bael backed away, but not out of the pain and the blood gushing from his neck. He did not even try to put a hand on the wound. Astonishment wrapped around his face at the Winter Devil who had blood on his teeth and his head hanging down. "I can't believe this," he muttered.

"Believe it, Demon." The Devil picked up his face and blue still resided in those icy-silver depths. "No matter what you name me, I will never belong to you and be your bitch."

Bael shook his head like he was listening to a child argue. "So you say," he supposed, "but I'm also not the one who came on command."

The Winter Devil let a thunderous snarl out. "You are powerful," he begrudgingly admitted, "much more than Orias. And, yet, I fought back against your claiming of me. You tried to turn me into a fuck toy who will let you take them ass-up at any hour of the day or not. But I will never succumb to that sort of nightmare. I will never be at anyone's mercy. Only for my Malã'ika will I beg for mercy and she will beg for mine. Over and over and over again… But, still, I have my manners."

He grinned with his bloodstained fangs. "Thanks for the release. After fantasizing about hammering into Malã'ika and filling her with every last drop of cum I can give her… I needed that."

"You're obsessed with her," Bael acknowledged. He snapped his fingers and the wound finally closed, black blood disappearing into thin air. "I can respect that. Greed is a sin we were born with. It's one of the eight codes we live by." He took a step towards the Devil with a lopsided smirk. "Well, then… If she's the only thing you want, I'll make sure she becomes the thing you will never have. I'll steal her from you. We'll play a game of chase that you'll never win and I'll never lose."

"Have you not heard?" The Winter Devil's snarling grin was point-blank lascivious and the lick of his lips was as slow as it was sensual, drawing Bael's eyes to his mouth. "I love the chase… I care little for how long this game continues as long as I am the only one who catches my Female and believe me, Demon, when I catch her…"—a guttural growl tore from his lips as his hips wriggled; the bulge he displayed was enough for all to see how he felt—"I will make sure she will never want to run again."

Bael kept himself calm with his refined, yet sensuous look. "You've got guts," he decided to settle on. "You're smarter than Orias credited you for. She took you as a mindless Darkling only interested in blood and sex. She didn't mention your obsession." He straightened out his collar. "I've got a party to attend and mortals to fuck, so I'll have to wrap this up, Ymir"—the Devil growled—"but it was fun." He wiped some of the cum on his pants onto a finger and stuck it into his mouth. "Mmmm… Tastes delicious…"

Agitation swept through the Winter Devil. "You will never have me!" he spat.

X - X - X - X - X

"No?" Bael arched an eyebrow. "Didn't I just have you though? I'm always going to remember how your cock twitches right before you cum. And who knows? You might change your mind if I get to your little Angel first." His smirk widened at the Winter Devil's murderous look. "Struck a nerve? Come now, Ymir, don't be so angry. You of all things should've known if you don't cooperate, I'd just rape her and that mother of hers." He hissed in delight. "It would be something for that Etherious King to watch while I impregnated his little mate. Think that'll kill him?" He tapped his chin. "I'd personally like to get my hands on the youngest and start her young—"

ROOOOOOOOOOOOAR!

Bael turned to see the Devil frothing with frosted snow and dry ice fogging out of his mouth like a deranged animal. "Do – not – touch – them."

"Too late." Bael shoved his hands into his pockets. "Made a deal with my weak darling daughter. She promised me the Heartfilia Witch in exchange, but I'm certain she'll throw in your Angel as a…convenience fee of sorts. You understand, don't you?"

He turned his back on the Devil as dry ice misted the floor and frosted snow foamed out from his mouth like a raging beast. "Lynn will be in later. Since I don't like sharing with her and honestly want to see her fail so I can kill her, keep up the good work and be flaccid for her." He stopped before the wall with a mockingly cheery grin. "I'll be back, Ymir. When we meet next, you'll watch me as I fuck your Angel in her mouth, her ass, and pussy…and you'll like it. They always do."

X - X - X - X - X

Bael winked. "Until then." He disappeared from the prison.

Wide icy-blue-silver stared into the abyss of a prison cell. Then, they narrowed. 'Until then', huh? He clenched his fists. You have it wrong, Bael. The next time we meet…you'll be dead by my claws.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 047

Opportunity

機会はどこにでもあります！しかし、どちらの選択が正しいのか、どちらが間違っているのか？

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

DING.

The elevator emptied out only for more to come in. A brunette lady was on the arm of a black-haired mogul, both dressed appropriately for a VIP event. Mirella looked comfortable in a black dress that left little to the imagination and Kyler was in a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up a little and a vest.

The elevator was closed for two seconds when the brunette spoke up, "Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be here, Kyler?"

Kyler nodded. "Keeping myself hidden won't do us any good now. The Demon has at least sensed something off. I can confront him now that I have you, Nashi."

The black-haired man piped up, "Just remember—"

"Lance, she'll be fine," Mirella soothed. "While this Demon has his tricks, Kyler and I have our own. We'll protect you, Aine, and Nashi if anything goes wrong. Extracting her and distracting him have to equally go well, so stay alert." She rested herself against the elevator wall to watch them pass the fifth floor. "This VIP party will be filled with cretins. I taught you what I could, but if you disrespect them, nothing can save you."

"Don't make eye contact and don't speak unless spoken to," Nashi recited. "I feel like a damn kid hearing that."

Mirella muttered, "You are a kid."

"I'm seventeen," Nashi retorted.

Kyler shot her a meaningful look. "And these people will have hundreds to thousands of years on you. These instructions will make the difference between life and death."

Nashi hmphed. "Whatever, Dad."

DING.

"Seventh floor."

The door opened to a club-esque lounge. You could hear the music from behind the curtained entryway to the main event, but the lounge was where VIP entry tickets were checked. Some had even stumbled away from the party to privately make-out like they were horny adolescents again. The four of them took their places in line with Nashi and Lance quiet and observing the creatures they saw in line. None of them looked human and if they did, they had animalistic qualities like gills and tails and freakish ears and noses.

Kyler noticed Mirella's glazed look and nudged her. When she raised an eyebrow at him, refocused, he murmured, "You don't have to do this, you know."

"It's my daughter at stake," Mirella whispered back harshly. "I do have to do this for her, thanks."

"I understand that, but seeing him, it's—!" Kyler sighed and tightened his hold on Mirella as they moved up the line. "I'm worried about you, Mirella," he persisted, hushed.

"There's no need for that," Mirella said quite dryly. "I haven't worried about you in centuries. Maybe I was weaker back then, but I can handle myself. I don't need a big, strong man to show up and solve my problems. I'm not a Magi Princess; I am not a damsel-in-distress; I – am not – yours."

Kyler's eyes turned hard. "You've always been so strong," he pointed out, "but I don't want you to feel like you have to be like this to prove you're invincible."

"'This'," Mirella hissed, "is who I am."

Kyler shook his head sadly. "No, Mirella. This is who you didn't want to be."

Mirella wanted to say something back, but she was stopped when she saw they had moved to the front. The bouncers took one look at her and knelt before her, baring a fist over their hearts. As they tried to utter a sound, Mirella's eyes lit up in gold. "Enough," she commanded with quiet authority. "Say not a word and let my allies through."

The bouncers got to their feet and opened the curtains within an instant.

Mirella's eyes fell back to being normal as she guided Kyler and the others inside. Nashi took one look around on Lance's arm and her eyes grew wide. "Holy crap," whispered out of her mouth.

The event was nothing short of a party for the rich and adult. The entire space looked unreal with aerial dancers in their scarves and gold lighting keeping the atmosphere warm. Everyone was dressed in cocktail and evening dresses or button-down and nice slacks, pressed against each other for dancing and good conversation. The music seemed to be coming from an aerial DJ given a wide variety of music to select, but who knew if this DJ was on the side of the Demon or a human tied in this paradox?

When the group got a substantial way in, Kyler and Mirella turned around to speak to Lance and Nashi. Kyler said first, "Stay alert at all times and keep your Magic low and unreadable. Even the tiniest hint of it flaring won't do you any good. The glamour is good at hiding its Magic, but you can easily be spotted."

"You both know the rules: no drinking, no eating, no touching," Mirella began to layout.

"Sheesh," Nashi cut in, "we've been to a party before, okay? I think we know how to handle ourselves and not drink the juice and we passed our street smarts and stranger danger safety lessons, thanks."

Mirella snapped at her. "Attitude like that will get you killed," she remarked. "And we very much need you alive. So please stay that way and don't 'drink the juice' or whatever you young humans say."

Nashi was about to come at her with a snippy retort when Lance smoothly cut in, "Best of luck to all of us. When this is finished, we'll have Aine."

"And I'll have my daughter," Mirella agreed as she ignored the way Kyler looked at her. "Best of luck." She released Kyler to slip into the crowd and blend with ease. She had no trouble finding a flute of Champagne and scouting out the area. She stayed close to a group of mortals as her eyes sought the specters who soulless guarded their territory.

"You're"—Mirella stilled at Kyler's voice—"so eager to isolate yourself."

Mirella lifted her chin. "It's called doing surveillance and I best work alone. I've been doing it for centuries."

Kyler moved in front of Mirella, softness in his expression. "You've been on your own for all this time. It's natural you don't want help, especially mine. But when so many lives are at stake, you'll have to at least have one person on your side."

Mirella tried to sneer at him. "And you think you could be it? We're polar opposites. Hell, I think you have a better chance with the princess' pet Devil—"

Kyler flashed her a smile. "Great!" He ignored her words, apparently. "Then, we have all our bases covered." Smooth could not define how he wrapped Mirella's hand onto his arm and postured himself like her slightly possessive date. "Let's go mingle but keep a clean parameter. I'm bound to set off the Specters and you're bound to draw their attention."

Mirella looked torn for a moment, but she ultimately nodded as Kyler led her away. "Let's just agree when you get your home back, we go our separate ways, hmm?"

Kyler let himself glance at her with a glint in his eyes. "We'll see."

°•°•°•°

Lance looked more comfortable than Nashi did and it showed. He led them through the people with a flute of Champagne in one hand and an easy smile adorning his face. Before Nashi knew it, Lance engaged in some creatures with a relaxed conversation about their choice of game. Nashi stood at his side, forced a laugh when she felt she should, and felt like an idiot.

Why can't I help out? This is stupid. I've been trained in covert ops too and I've been to parties! So why am I acting like it's the first day of school and I'm shy? Aine and Gary and the Devil's lives are all on the line here!

Nashi surveyed the party. Galas and events like this were more common when your little sister's godmother was the queen of Fiore. She eyed the stage. She could tell someone of importance would make their entrance there. I need to get to that stage. If Aine's going to show up, it'll be on that stage.

Nashi detangled herself from Lance with her eyes firmly on the stage. "I'm going to find a waiter for some drinks," she told Lance pleasantly. Ignoring Lance's subtle hiss for her to stay, Nashi charged through the throe of guests to get closer to the stage. She had to admit her apologies and excuses came out stammered for the more exotic types and she could not help it when her eyes locked onto a creature that looked so out-of-this-world, there was no way it was real.

I can do this. I can find Aine, she thought. I'll make it up to Lance. It's my fault we didn't get her the first time.

"Did you know your thoughts are really loud?"

Nashi jumped as Pazuzu casually went next to her with a drink in his hand and a grin on his lips. As she gathered her bearings, she maintained a strained smile. "What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing," Pazuzu dismissed. "It's perfectly normal for me to want to see my Branded, isn't it?"

Nashi's smile dropped to a scowl. "I didn't consent," she growled, hackles raised. "You forced your stupid Mark—Brand—whatever—onto me, you asshole."

"And it worked like a charm in your favor, Mal—"

"Don't," Nashi snapped, "call me that."

Pazuzu hummed his amusement and drew her under his arm. Mouth close to her ear, he murmured, "Do you see them?"

"See what?"

Pazuzu pointed. "Them."

With a roll of her eyes, Nashi followed his finger. She sifted through the crowd, but all she saw were non-huma—

Ah, there they were.

They were enrichingly seductive in their prowl and in their smiles. An aura came off them of strange power, one that would make you cross your legs in a heartbeat and want to touch yourself. What was strange was they had nothing unique about their appearance per-say. You just could not take your eyes off them when you saw them.

"What are they?" Nashi whispered.

Pazuzu leaned closer. "Lower-class Demons, princess. Lilith. Sex Demons. But I believe humans call them 'Incubi' or 'Succubi'."

"Those are real?" Nashi gasped. She looked up to Pazuzu in fright. "I thought those things were fake just to excuse Sex Magic?"

"On Earth Land, there are no full-blooded ones alive," Pazuzu educated. "But Magic bloodlines are hard to die out. No, princess, these are Bael's own Lilith, the incarnation of Sex Curses. You being half-Etherious helps you not be completely helpless to them, but…"

Nashi swallowed when a female Lilith locked eyes onto her. With no hair and a pierced nose, she resembled something more alien. The low lighting made it hard to see her skin color, but it was clear as night where her interest lay. The Lilith female took in Nashi with a lick of her lips.

Nashi found her thighs rubbing against each other.

"…the light you have inside you make you a candid target," Pazuzu finished, his hands on the small of her back. "They'll try to tempt you. They can't touch you, but you can touch them. My Brand offers protection against their advances. They'll give you stares and maybe try to talk to you, but they won't do much else unless I ask them for a playdate." His glazed eyes looked over at the center where the Specters lay dormant with their keepers. "I can get one of you to your friend and one of you to the Devil. It won't be easy, but whoever gave you that glamour did a better job embedding a darker scent into it to hide suspicion." He looked down at Nashi. "Princess…"

Hickory glanced up at him as lips licked and thighs squirmed.

Pazuzu sighed. "Didn't the Etherious King ever train you to use your Demon side to block out other Demons?"

Nashi swallowed. Why did she feel so thirsty? "No. Finding out we were Demons was a recent development a couple of months ago and it's pretty much the elephant in the room and…" She could not help it. Her hand reached up to cup his cheek. "And…"

Pazuzu let out a warning growl and took her hand. "Careful, princess," he forewarned. "You're being too easy to control. This is all Bael's plot, turning his guests into a horny frenzy and even getting some of the females pregnant. He wants to drain everyone here of their Magic and their souls. You need to be stronger than that."

Nashi hummed as her other hand slid up his chest. "Uh-huh…"

Pazuzu gave a noise of frustration. "You giving me a hard-on isn't going to make me in the mood to play," he growled. He held her hand, but that was all he would do. "Let's find that Zeus demigod before you start humping legs." He held a finger to her face. "You are silent. Do not speak unless spoken to and try not to embarrass me. Some of these assholes have some actual power. and weight to throw around."

Nashi watched his finger with her lips parted. She licked her lips.

Pazuzu let a rumble fill his chest and brought her close to him. "If you're not in a sex buzz after this, then we'll play later," he murmured to her. This was not a threat. This was a promise. "And you'll be punished for being this idiotic."

Nashi let out a lofty, yet giddy giggle as she followed after Pazuzu. He made sure to navigate them through the throng and avoid the Lilith who smelled the potent scent of aroused light. At one point, a male and female held him up. The male looked wolfish with his fangs and fur and tail and ears while the woman had tentacles coming out of her hair and fins on her neck and arms. They did respectfully bow to Pazuzu, but their hungered gazes went to Nashi who bit her lip.

Pazuzu snarled at them and pushed Nashi behind him. "What the Hell do you want, cock-suckers?"

"Just a little taste." The wolfish male sounded smoother than honey. He could not help it when he sniffed her, but his ears flattened when Pazuzu's warning growl hit his chest. He dared not get closer to Nashi, but he watched as she pressed her thighs together. He licked his chops with no shame. "She smells so good and so young…" His human comment turned into a wolfish growl. "I can just tell she'll be tight—"

"That's my pet you're talking about, pup," Pazuzu grated. "You don't touch her." He felt Nashi trying to take a peek and snapped, "Stay right there, pet. You're embarrassing me enough in front of guests."

"Oh, no, she could never!" the female was quick to assure. Her eyes found Nashi's and she smiled all shark-like and tempting. "Come on out," she encouraged. "We'd both like to...meet you."

Nashi glanced up at Pazuzu and the glare she received, but she defied him when she stepped a little to his side. She swallowed under the intense gaze she received. "Hi," she meekly offered.

"She's adorable," the female Lilith cooed.

Pazuzu possessively wrapped his arm around Nashi and pulled her into his side. "She's Branded." The reminder was full of menace.

"But we could share her," the female tried to persuade. "C'mon, Black Panther, I thought you shared your sluts with some playdates? Why's this one any different?" Boldly, she stepped towards Nashi with her nostrils flaring. She heard the growl of warning, but she ignored it for a closer smell of that addicting aroma. "I mean the scent she gives off makes me want to come right now." She glanced at Pazuzu, but her main focus was on Nashi and the impression her hard nipples made against her dress. "What is she? Mortal?" Her gills buzzed. "I like mortals…"

"Human mortal, yes," Pazuzu answered tightly. He could feel Nashi press against his side as though vying for his attention. "And clingy." He stared down at her. "Undoubtedly clingy."

"All the more reason we could take her off your hands for a while," the wolfish man suggested. "We handle well with the clingy types."

"Not interested." Pazuzu kept his gaze on Nashi and her flushed face. "She's just learning about submission, so she wouldn't make such a good playmate. If you'd actually excuse us, she has some spankings to count out for embarrassing me." He dragged Nashi forward. "Come, pet."

Nashi stumbled, but she was able to keep up with him. She glanced back to see the two Lilith were watching her with intent and hope she would come running towards them. "They seemed weird," she giggled. "I think they liked me, Zuzu…!"

"At least you gathered that much in your buzz," Pazuzu grumbled. He paused when he saw the other human he was supposed to find and heaved a large sigh. "Dammit. Why are all mortals this easy to manipulate?"

Nashi understood what Pazuzu meant when she saw Lance—at least the glamour covering Lance. His character was on the hook of an incubus who toyed with Lance's tie like it was natural and seemed to speak in slow words to hypnotize him. "I didn't know Lance was gay," she mumbled to herself.

"He's not," Pazuzu assured as he rushed them forward. The second he was within the vicinity, the incubus scowled and slipped away. Lance was about to fall after him when Pazuzu interfered with his eyes glowing. "Emaya."

Lance blinked out of the tizzy the Lilith set him in. "What happened?" He rubbed his temple. "I feel like I was about to fall asleep or something."

"What exactly does Earth Land teach its Mages?" Pazuzu wanted to know. "You both just prove humans don't have what it takes to be equal to any Darkling."

Lance grew agitated at that and finally realized Nashi was in Pazuzu's care. "Who the Hell are you?" he demanded to know. "What did you do to me?"

Pazuzu pointed at Nashi. "I'm the one who Branded her and if you want to see your mortal girlfriend, you better act as though you trust me."

Lance tried hard not to bristle. "Fine," he gritted out. "Let's just say I do trust you. How are you helping us?"

"By keeping everything that wants to fuck you or kill you away from you," Pazuzu briefed. "The princess here has a unique scent that's going to drive every Darkling and Demon in the vicinity to want to rape her. And if you want to get to Aine, you going it alone would get you killed. I'm the only thing standing between death and rape or survival." He turned to the center of the floor, to the elevator. "I can get the pair of you to the floor where Aine is being kept. They're betting on the princess falling into the trap. But, with me there, I can make sure that doesn't happen."

Lance looked over at Nashi who snuggled into Pazuzu's arm. "What did you do?"

"While whatever antibodies she took were good, Bael is better and you should realize it," Pazuzu sneered. "Maybe if it wasn't a hybrid, she would've been actually protected." He jerked his head to the elevators. "Now, move it, human. We have a crowd of Lilith to skate by and the princess here might get handsy if she's around them too long."

Lance sneered back, but he let Pazuzu guide them forward. It was better having the Black Panther Devil guide them. Dark Creatures gave him a wide berth, with only the bolder ones peering at Nashi's glamour in interest. Lance kept close to Nashi with cool eyes flitting about. Ultimately, his glances fell back to Pazuzu.

There's no way a Devil is helping us on his own merit. What's he after? Lance thought. It doesn't seem to me he follows the master here. If he Branded Nashi, then maybe he's after Gary's Devil and is trying to provoke him for his own agenda. But why?

Pazuzu finally got them to the entry steps. All three of them passed the bouncers like nothing. But it was the Specters that were tricky. They were ugly, ghostish fiends with tunics and jaws permanently unhinged. They stood guard over the elevator and looked peaceful without any interference.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« These are Specters, a Dark Creature also known as a "ghost" yet vastly different. Specters are tamable creatures incapable of possession, yet capable of extreme loyalty. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

One Specter made a wheezing noise at it looked closer at the glamour-Nashi. It flew from its post to inspect her closer. It glanced at Pazuzu with a wheeze.

Pazuzu growled. "Iye je moj a mascota. Tsola."

The Specter stopped sniffing around Nashi to look at Pazuzu. Its eyes glinted and it wheezed again before floating away.

Lance let out a breath as Pazuzu led them further. "What was that?"

"It wanted to know if the princess was for its master," Pazuzu translated. He stopped them as the elevator opened for a pair of giggling cheetah women to stumble out and into the party. "I said she was my pet."

As everyone slipped into the elevator, Lance asked, "Why is Nashi so important to all of you? Why not the entire family?"

"The entire family is important," Pazuzu corrected. "Especially that Heartfilia Witch. But everyone knows she's too safeguarded. Believe me. More will come to take what they can from the Etherious King. He pissed off a lot of Demons and Dark Ones." He pressed a button.

"So, then, why Nashi now?" Lance pressed.

Pazuzu grinned down at the panting Nashi. A rumble settled in his throat. "Isn't it obvious?" He stroked her cheek like she was precious. "Who could resist the princess when she's at the beginning age to mate?"

---

Gale and Carlisle let their Ryde leave them behind to drive up the street. Carlisle looked tentative while Gale was brooding all the while. "So, um…" Carlisle started. "This is the place."

Gale took out his Compact to check the location. "Yep. Here she is."

Here she is indeed. The neighborhood was not as rich as the gated community on the other side of the town, but that did not mean the acreage was less. The house they stood in front of was given a wide berth from its neighbors. It looked homey enough—if you excluded the visitors hanging off the porch. Vapes and hits were shared as easily as a conversation. Already a condom had found its new home buried in the grass. Two best friends took up the tire swing as they shared a bong. Cars and bikes and broomsticks and even Magic Carpets had all weaseled their way into the lengthy driveway and street. Seeing people leave was more of a rarity. There were two contradicting beats going on. The inside of the two-story was listening to Minstrish rock while the backyard openly listened to rap with a banging bass drop.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Shirotsume Town. It's a small, feudalistic town made relatively of the upper-middle class. After Team Natsu defeated Everlue, the former King Toma assigned a new Lord to govern it. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gale started for the house with Carlisle keeping close to him, wary. Gale, on the other hand, dug his hands in his jacket pockets as he made his way up the steps and opened the door without further ado. It was disturbing how the smell of sex and cheap beer and something shitty actually blinded the noses of the wayward and drunk. The house's main lights had been turned off in favor of Christmas lights and glowing decorations. Red and white and green was the common theme for the invited as they drank from beer cans and red solo cups. One girl had jingle bells on her hips and with each wriggle of her ass against her dance partner, you could hear her jingle.

Gale, indifferent, stepped into the house and made it straight for the kitchen with Carlisle at his heels. The kitchen had its main light on with mistletoe and tinsel hung. Any family pictures or valuables had been taken down and even the drawers and cabinets had been locked. Gale's eyes lit up when he saw his friends doing shots while Carlisle hung back.

A boy with a box-cut and dimples noticed Gale first and raised his beer bottle to him with a girl of raven hair and streaks of pink beside him. "Oye…! ¿Ideay, maje? I didn't think you were coming!"

⌜NEW AZALEA CITY

Name: Miles Miranda

Age: 17

Occupation: 2nd year at Stag Island School of Arts

Likes: tagging Dislikes: girlfriend's best friend

Special Note: Miles is a hip-hop dancer at the SSA and met his engineer girlfriend while trying to perfect new moves!⌟

Gale chuckled and greeted Miles with their handshake. "Nah, man, I'll always stop by if everyone's here." He turned to the girl tucked into Miles' side with a nod and made a butterfly with his hands. "Hi, Kitty Kat."

The girl's dark eyes turned even icier. "Redfox."

⌜NEW AZALEA CITY

Name: Katherine "Katie" Knight

Age: 16

Occupation: 2nd year at Stag Island School of Arts

Likes: listening to remixes Dislikes: jokes

Special Note: Katie may be an engineer, but she also DJs and ice skates on the side—a fact Miles likes to tease her about!⌟

Dash came up for air from his make-out session (he did not even notice how sour Amber looked) to give Gale that smile with that look in his eyes. "So the man with a blonde fetish finally shows up," he teased. "What's good, buddy? Thought you had a date tonight?"

Julia was the one to get Gale his own beer bottle. He opened it and took two chugs. "Nah. Blondie wanted to cut it early, so here I am." His eyes drifted over to a couple he had not seen in a little while. "There they are, the power couple. 'Sup, Jax? Mami Tesla?"

Jax might have been pale, but his hair was jet black and his eyes were an accented dark. He was tall, yet he had firm muscles his girlfriend was appreciating as he nodded at Gale. "If you had come by last weekend, you'd know," he remarked with a ghost of a grin on his face, voice deep.

⌜FAIRY TAIL

Name: Jaxton "Jax" Yang

Age: 18

Occupation: Mage, Freshman

Magic: Smoke & Mirror

Likes: Chemistry Dislikes: his mother's hatred towards Tesla

Special Note: Jax is relatively new to the Fairy Tail Guild! While he is a Mage, he continues his studies at Saint Tupelo's Institute of Arts to become a video game level designer!⌟

Tesla agreed with her boyfriend. She was a spunky thing with her dark hair pulled up and glasses on her face. She had no issue flaunting what she had for this party, but Jax made it clear she would wear his jacket to cover some of her chocolatey skin. "Seriously, hun. I was worried about you after what we saw on the news," she said in motherly sternness. "If it wasn't for Cane, we wouldn't have known jack!"

⌜POKE TOWNSHIP

Name: Tesla Greer

Age: 17

Occupation: 3rd year Student, part-time sous chef

Likes: Huskies Dislikes: romcom movies

Special Note: Tesla studies at Theobald Boehm School of Arts as a flutist and a composer! When she's not studying or at work, you should see her cook!⌟

Gale snorted and came over to Tesla's side to kiss her cheek. "Sorry, Mami," he teased her. He saw Carlisle hanging back and tipped his bottle to him. "C'mon, man. Don't be shy. You wanted this, right?"

Another boy stepped up to eye Carlisle in interest. He was thicker than the rest, but only by choice to improve his muscles. He clearly needed to shave (his beard was firm yet patchy), but the short hair and his growing facial hair suited him. Somehow, it made him look older than he was. He nodded at Carlisle with a gleam in his eye. "Who's this?"

⌜POKE TOWNSHIP

Name: Dante "Prince" O'Neill-Princeton

Age: 17

Occupation: Auto-shop repairman, part-time chef

Likes: old-school cartoons Dislikes: country music

Special Note: Prince was given his nickname not just because of his last name, but his princely nature—when he's not gaming!⌟

Carlisle was like a deer in headlights as he met Prince's rather intense stare. "Hi. I'm Carlisle, an acquaintance of his"—he pointed at an apathetic Gale—"and friend to Luna."

Katherine narrowed her eyes at the mention. "Speaking of her, why aren't you with her?" The question was aimed at Gale. "I thought you were planning to ask her to your cotillion?"

Gale took another chug.

Miles understood and painfully so. "Ay, amigo… Catirita rejected you, eh? She with that gringo?"

Carlisle took a stand at that. "If you're talking about my cousin"—he hissed that—"then, yeah, she is. Gale decided to ditch her—"

"I didn't do shit!" Gale snapped. "She blew up at me for no goddamn reason!"

Tesla pierced Gale with her look. "From what we know about your hidden girlfriend, she has a temper but not as bad as you." She leaned onto the counter and snapped a finger. "Ya dinos"

Gale set down his drink with an irate grunt. "Look. I had to take Dash's stupid fucking call outside and ran into India and her cr—" Groans came from all ground him and he furiously took another swig. "The Hell is all that for?"

"I knew this would happen!" Julia accused matter-of-factly with Telsa nodding along with her mmm-hmm's. "So, what, you ditched Luna for India?"

"No!" Gale growled. "She assumes I did—!"

"Because ya probs did in her eyes," Amber admitted with a bored yawn. "I mean am I right, ladies? If you and your man were supposed to be together and you see him with some other hoe, what would you do?"

Tesla snorted. "Like I'd get jealous and jump to conclusions based on one perspective. I'm above that, ladies, thank you."

The darkness of Jax's eyes glinted as a sly grin overtook his face. He slid forward to cage his girlfriend between his arms and onto the island. "I see. So you didn't get jealous when you heard one of your friends was—?"

"Aiyah! Bì zuǐ," Tesla bit at him. If she could blush, she would, but the look in her eye was all they needed to see.

Jax lovingly kissed her cheek before kissing her lips as his little apology for his teasing. "Ēn, ēn, tián xīn."

Katie tipped up her cup to her lips, but her eyes settled on Gale over the rim. "Honestly, Gale, I get it. You didn't ditch her. We've seen the way India is with you at parties. She makes it so you can't leave. But did you try explaining this to Luna or did you get angry when she didn't listen? Did she even know India existed before all this?"

Gale sneered at Katie. "I didn't come here to be psychoanalyzed, Kitty Kat. I'm here for a fucking drink." Ruby snapped onto Cane. "You told me if I wanted to cut loose, you'd hook me up. You still willing?"

Cane blinked away his arousal as his date playfully bit her lip and had no issue touching him below the belt, above the clothes. "Um, yeah, dude, sure, I got some prospects. Blonde, brown-eyed—just how you like 'em." He snatched the girl's wrist to give her a heated look. "I'll hook you up in fifteen." He herded his date out of the kitchen with dirty words falling off his breath.

As the group dissolved into shatter, Carlisle danced around Dante (he still eyed Carlisle) to get to Gale. He said urgently, "I think this is a mistake—"

"The only 'mistake' I made was letting her get played by the asshole," Gale snarled. "No. Scratch that. My mistake was not doing what I should've done a long time ago." He finished his beer and went for another one. "Dash," he snapped as he shouldered his way out of the kitchen, "stop sucking face and find me someone."

Carlisle was set to follow Gale, protesting, when Julia stopped him with a sad shake of her head. "Let him go."

"We can't let him do this to himself," Carlisle snapped, exasperated. "I get Lu is pretty, but she's just a girl. He's acting like she cheated on him!"

Julia's eyes flicked down. "In a way, she did, but not knowingly…"

Carlisle frowned. "What do you mean?" His eyes gradually widened. "Oh, my God, are they together and she's—?"

"No!" Julia whisper-shouted. She shot a tentative look at her group. Dash was heading out with his lady of the night with a jealous Amber roping in Dante to dance with her. Jax was kissing Tesla's neck as she smiled shyly and tried to resist him. Katie and Miles decided to head out into the living room with him trying to woo her in Sinnish.

Julia stepped closer to Carlisle. "Look. You're an outside third party. Maybe this will help you gain some insight."

Now Carlisle looked eager. "Ooo...! Gossip! Tell me the backstory, honey, what happened? Who happened? Why happened?"

Julia swallowed. She looked like she was about to reveal a secret to unravel the universe with the way she fidgeted and glanced around. "Okay. This will sound crazy, but if I say it, then I'll explain it later." She went to Carlisle's ear and began to whisper.

Carlisle's eyes widened and his jaw dropped and the world made sense.

°•°•°•°

Luna and Bleu were venturing out of a sporting goods store with shared smiles as Bleu held a majority of the bags while Luna fed him their dot ice cream as compensation. "I'm going to be so broke after this," Luna whined. "And, no, I'm not letting you pay for my stuff," she quickly put out there when Bleu tried to protest. "I have my own money. I like using it."

"It's not a bad thing to let someone else pay once and a while," Bleu tried to object.

Luna frowned. "Maybe on my food, but not on anything else. Maybe I'm just overreacting, but since this is the first year I can actually go on jobs, I really like spending the money I earned, y'know?"

"I hear you on that," Bleu was inclined to say. "Having your own money is awesome. Your parents can't tell you what you can and can't buy. You can do what you want."

"Maybe you can," Luna muttered. "I told my parents I want to save up money so I can go to MagiWorld with my friends, but my papa told me I can't go unless I bring a literal chaperone. I can't go really anywhere without one. He still thinks I'm fragile."

That got Bleu curious. "Was Gale your chaperone?"

Luna blew out an annoyed breath. "Pretty much. He's my friend, but I'm pretty sure Papa and him have some secret alliance that's him just babysitting me." She could envision their stupid little conniving grins as they shook hands, thick as thieves. Stupid men… I can take care of myself.

"Is your dad mad you're with me and not him then? Should I take you home?"

Luna's smile was sheepish. "Actually… I haven't exactly told him I wasn't with Gale."

Bleu's eyes widened at the news. "What?"

Luna averted her eyes. "I kinda figured…well…" She spooned herself some ice cream. "My papa… He's not too happy with me right now and I'm not happy with him."

"Why? Did you two fight?" Bleu asked.

Luna paused. "Yes. No? Not exactly, ugh, it's just…" She rolled her eyes with a huff. "Papa thinks boys are a 'distraction' from my training. Basically, he's not happy I've been talking to you a lot and being a normal teenage girl since he's knows so much and knows what's best for me." She shoved another spoonful in the midst of her agitation.

Bleu's brow furrowed. "I can cut back on texting—"

"Mmm!" Luna rapidly shook her head and swallowed her cold treat. "No! No, no, no, you're okay, really! My mama told me he's just all pouty because Nashi and I are growing up." She laughed to herself. "You should've seen his face when Nashi brought up living on her own. He was panicking he pissed her off and then kept listing how dangerous it would be for her to be on her own. But if Luke and Igneel mention something like that? They get high fives."

"Daughters are different than sons," Bleu admitted. "Dads always have a soft spot for their daughters. You're his little girl. He's going to be more protective over you, especially when it comes to boys. I know what guys are like and I'd protect Carlisle from them in a heartbeat."

Luna flashed him a coy smile. "Does that mean your intentions with me aren't pure then? Are you a horrible boy trying to steal me from my family and distract me like my Papa said?"

Bleu chuckled. "I think you're distracting me more than I am distracting you." Down when the amusement and in came the sobriety. "Look, I'm not saying double standards are cool…"

"Why do I sense a 'but'?" Luna wondered with narrowed eyes.

Bleu rolled his lips. "Well, I can see where your dad is coming from since you're his daughter," he had to mention. He added in a hurry when Luna began to get offended, "Just make him see you can balance training and regular life. Prove it to him."

"I shouldn't have to 'prove' anything," Luna retorted in grumble. She steered them over to a circular bench and had the two of them sit. "Anyways, enough about me. What about you? Your family?"

Bleu hummed. "My family… Well, I'm an only child which is pretty shocking considering my Stellian side believes in five kids or more. But my mom couldn't have any more kids." He frowned. "It really tore her up, apparently. She divorced my dad because of it, blaming him and me for it, and ran off with a small portion of my dad's money."

"Ouch," Luna said, wincing.

Bleu snorted. "Yeah, I don't exactly want to see my birth giver again after that. She's tried getting in my good graces with gifts and letters, but I remember hearing her blame me for never having another kid and saying I was a 'Demon child'." He shook his head in plain disgust.

"I see why you wouldn't want to speak to her," Luna understood.

Bleu blinked his surprise. "That's it?"

Luna looked around. "Um… Yeah? Was I supposed to say more?"

"Well…yeah," Bleu answered. "Normally, anyone who hears that tells me I should reconnect with my mom and all that crap. Give her another chance."

Luna just shrugged. "I mean it's your life, right? She's your mom. I can't tell you what to do when it comes to that."

Bleu looked at her like she ordered for him his favorite meal. "Why aren't there more people like you with that ideology?"

Luna giggled. "I can't take the credit. Mary Jane taught me that." She remembered… "Speaking of her… Did she and Peter go out today?"

"Yeah." Bleu stole the spoon to help himself to ice cream. "He told me he might've interrupted some time between her and your brother though…" He cast Luna a meaningful look. "Anything going on there?"

Luna burst into laughter. "Oh, geez, no!" she denied. "It's nothing like that! No, Mary Jane definitely likes Peter and Igneel, well—" She blinked when her Compact brightened due to a text message. "Huh? What's this?" She saw who texted her. "It's Mary Jane?"

Bleu sat up as Luna checked the message. "What's she saying?"

Luna summarized the message with a great beam. "She says Peter asked her out and she said, 'yes'!" She openly squealed. "Oh my Dawson, I'm so happy for her!"

Bleu grinned as he kicked back. "Finally. My dude finally got the girl. Good for him."

Luna frowned as she read the next message. "Yeah, but it looks like Mary Jane's papa isn't too happy about it," she said aloud. "Did you know about Peter going away to an Alchemy Academy?"

Bleu's shoulders sagged. "Yeah, we kinda talked about it," he mentioned. "I was the first one he told about his results and he told me he's most likely transferring schools."

Luna winced. "Oh. Now I see why Uncle Laxus isn't too happy with Peter and Mary Jane." At Bleu's tilted head, Luna further elaborated, "Have I ever mentioned Veronika?"

Bleu slowly shook his head.

Luna sighed. "Well, that's Lance's and Mary Jane's older sister. Actually, there's her and their other brother, but both of them aren't in Fairy Tail. From what I know about Veronika, she got badly burned from when she and this military guard were supposed to get married. They hadn't known each other long before his deployment or anything." She shrugged. "The whole situation was messy, but that's all I know. Uncle Laxus probably thinks it's the same thing."

"Dang," Bleu swore. "That's some crappy stuff. But I see where he's coming from." He frowned as he side-eyed Luna. "But then…would your parents be worried too since I'm not even a Mage?"

Luna frowned too. "Well… It's…hard for Mages and Spiritless to form relationships," she slowly explained. "A lot of times, Spiritless are used as a weakness against a Mage or maybe don't understand how dangerous being a Mage is. I mean take a look at Amber and Dash's parents. Their parents divorced because the Spiritless parent couldn't handle what Uncle Jet and Aunt Laki had to do as Mages."

Bleu saw the look on Luna's face, so hopeless and vulnerable. His hand grabbed her Compact and set it down, much to her perplexity, and he covered her hand with his own. "I can't really say I get what Mages go through. I've watched some YouView vids of freakish Magic battles and I've been to the GMGs before. It's…sort of terrifying to see you guys do that."

"Mama taught me Mage bodies are structured differently from a normal body," Luna informed him. "We can take a lot more since we have Magic. But I get it if it makes you uncomfortable—"

"Luna," Bleu interrupted, "I'm not uncomfortable with you being a Mage. Yeah, it'll scare me a whole bunch if you go up against bad guys like that, but I'm not going to stop you. Magic is your thing. It's your life." Their fingers interlaced. "I might be a Spiritless, but I'll try my best to understand your world. Your training, your jobs—everything."

"You really mean that?" Luna asked, eyes shining in hope.

Bleu shot her his grin. "Well, yeah." He booped her nose. "Now, c'mon. Now that our friends had their afternoon of fun, I say we have our own fun and go see a movie." He got up and let her go to gather the bags.

Luna finished off the ice cream. "Sure!" She checked the time and winced. "Oh, but we can't see anything too late. I promised my parents I'd at least be back before eleven."

"Then we've got no time to waste!" Bleu tugged at her to get to her feet. "C'mon! You haven't seen Wondrous Beasts Two, right?"

"No—"

"Then, move it, woman!"

Luna laughed as Bleu helped her to her feet and guided her down the walk. "There's not a moment to lose!" Bleu chivalrously declared. "We might miss the trailers, but we can make the showing!"

And Luna listened to Bleu continue his self-righteous declarations with a gleam in her eyes and something in her heart.

LUB-DUB. LUB-DUB.

---

Luke broke free from his room with a scratch of his balls and a yawn. Glasses off, he schlepped over to Igneel's door with his knocking going four beats a minute. "Dude," he groaned. "Hey, Igneel. It's getting late. You wanna get some food?"

No answer.

Luke arched his back and a good crack caused him to sigh his relief. "Nnngh… Dude, come on…" he called. "We have, like, the same food schedule. Let's get food…"

No answer.

Luke grumbled to himself before cracking his neck. More sighs poured out of his mouth as he walked away. "Whatever." The trot down to the kitchen was not much, but what did surprise him the Lacrima-Vision in the living room was on. One hand riding up his shirt to scratch an itch, he slunk down the hall and into the living room to see what was going on. The light of the LV bothered him. "Mmm… Mom? You guys home?"

The silhouette, however, was not Lucy. Loke was the one on the couch with his sunglasses off and not in a suit. He looked like a regular guy in his basketball shorts and t-shirt. He glanced at Luke. "Nah. Your parents are probably coming back at three in the morning or maybe tomorrow afternoon. I'm just here until then."

Luke nodded like he understood and glanced around. "All right, sure." He pointed upstairs and yawned again. "You here because of Igneel?"

Loke nodded and his lion ears twitched. "Yeah. Lucy and Natsu wanted to make sure Igneel wouldn't make a run for it. He's at the treehouse, but that's as far as I can let him go."

"No wonder he didn't answer me," Luke realized. "I thought he was just being quiet or something." When Loke hummed and turned back to the show, Luke studied his uncle. In his memories, he saw the brave, battle-scarred lion letting the Guardians play with his flicking tail.

"I'm surprised you haven't confronted me yet."

Luke blinked, but Loke was still watching the show. "Confronted you on what?" Luke asked carefully.

"You saw the memories Nayda gave you. You saw Faven and Luna even saw Meira," Loke reminded. "Between you and Luna, I guessed either one of you would confront me first. Luna beat you to it."

Luke decided to sit on the grandfather's chair. "She did? When?"

"I'd say a day or two when we got home," Loke admitted. "She had questions for me. She introduced me to Icarus, but we'd known each other already. She asked a lot about my time with Meira and her sister and Orah and Faven and Sana. She had briefly been in the Spirit World and asked me all sorts of things." He now looked at Luke. "So. Do you have any questions for me?"

Luke shrugged and looked at the LV. "I mean… I mean of course I do," he admitted. "A lot happened that I'm still trying to process."

"So tell me about it," Loke encouraged. "What's on your mind?"

Luke was silent for a couple of beats. "Let's start with Faven." He looked at his spirit uncle. "We only saw Nayda's memories with her. What was she like…?"

"Before?" Loke filled in. A smile lifted his face. "Oh, every bit as stubborn as can be. She was a headstrong woman with a lot to prove. She was like my cub. She liked to play pranks. She hated staying still and often liked to wander. Sana tried hard to get her to focus on her spiritual studies, but Faven wanted more. That's how she met that von Hohenheim."

Luke noticed the way Loke said his name. "I don't know too much about that name."

Loke shifted. "You wouldn't since you're not an Alchemist. As you know, in the world of Magic, Magic Bloodlines exist with deep connections to specific Magic. While the Heartfilia bloodline was rooted in the spirits and starcraft, the von Hohenheim bloodline was rooted in Alchemy." His smile was tampered. "At the time, Ferrara von Hohenheim was a cunning Alchemist who used Faven's insecurities against her and tricked her time and time again. But, if it wasn't for him, Faven and Lisandrus wouldn't have met."

"I didn't know that. About the von Hohenheim's, I mean," Luke corrected. "But about Lisandrus and Faven…"

Loke's grin came back full force. "They were a match made in the stars. While Lisandrus was an Elf—the prince of Elves—he had a reputation for headbutting with the queen and getting himself into plenty of trouble. Those friends you saw before the war—they were friends he met during his little rebellious phases. So him meeting an equally stubborn woman caused some problems." He laughed a little to himself. "You wouldn't believe how many times Faven would go off about how cocky she thought he was to her parents and how she refused to be called 'princess' since he called her that. The only reason she tolerated him was that Demy and Selene were mates and she wanted Demy happy."

"So what happened?" Luke had to know. "How did Faven and Lisandrus go from her hating him to them…you know…?"

Loke shrugged. "Honestly? I don't know all the details. Demy was Faven's confidant while I was Sana's. The only thing I knew from Demy and Selene was that Lisandrus' jealousy was a starter to their relationship."

Luke nodded slowly. "So then… What happened after the war?" he asked. "All we saw was Nayda being sealed away. What happened to Lisandrus and Faven?"

Loke's grin died. "That single battle at Mûre was the start of the Demon War. And it was the war that killed many fae. It was the reason you haven't seen any today." He scratched his cheek. "The war did a number to not only Sana but the Elf Queen. Both of them used an inconceivable amount of Magic that causes the pair of them to get MDD and tumors. Lisandrus and Faven were basically pulled apart to become the leaders neither of them was ready to be. Feeling Sana's contract break was painful." He clenched his jaw. "I think back to that time if only I had been stronger for her, if only I had rallied more Celestial Spirits… I'm the leader of this planet's stars. And Sana's death hit me hard."

Loke sighed. "Faven and Lisandrus didn't have too much time to say goodbye after the war. They both knew they'd never see each other again. The only thing I recall was when Sana's funeral was held, Lisandrus and his interspecies generals from the war came to pay their respects and Selene was there. Lisandrus and Faven had a private meeting after the will was read. After that?" He leaned back. "I haven't seen any of them since."

Luke took in this story with as much understanding as he could. "It's weird to think you and all of the Spirits have been alive for so long, you were there when the fae existed. But I guess to you it feels like only years have gone by."

"Sometimes," Loke admitted. "Sometimes I can feel the Earth Land centuries catch up with me. Other times, I feel like maybe a month or three have gone by. I've served the Heartfilia Clan since before Magic was activated on this planet. I've watched generation after generation…"

"So then… How did you end up with Karen?"

The very name struck deep with Loke, but it was not as bad as it was when Lucy was younger and he thought Celestial Spirit Mages were a bad omen to him. "Karen…" Loke was fidgeting at this point. "Karen wasn't supposed to be my 'owner'. The Golden Zodiacs were to be kept in the Heartfilia Clan as we had promised."

"But most of you got scattered before Mom could make contracts with you."

"We did." Loke looked reluctant to admit that, guilty almost. "Your grandmother Layla had made a choice. To be honest, she didn't want Lucy to even become a Celestial Spirit Mage."

Now that was news to Luke. "Are you serious? Why?"

"Layla had her own issues with the Heartfilia Clan," Loke confessed, "and didn't want Lucy pulled into it. You know she died from health problems, but on her bed, instead of passing down her keys, she wanted Lucy to have that choice. We were only to be presented to her if she wanted to become a Heartfilia Witch. Unfortunately, many of us were scattered before we could ever see her make that choice."

Loke's eyes glittered from the LV. "Thank the King I managed to stay by Aries' side. Who knows what would have happened if we had been sold separately? It still does a number on Aries to remember the abuse she had under both Karen and Sorano. It was a dark time."

Luke nodded mutely for this he could not understand.

Loke cleared his throat. "Anyways… Dumplings were made for you and Igneel to share. Why don't you go out and give it to him?"

Luke shrugged. "I mean, I guess… I don't really think he'll want to talk though. I'm guessing he's still in his silent treatment since some shit happened with him and Mary Jane." His eyes dimmed. "Honestly? I think leaving him alone would be better."

Loke hummed. "Sometimes, it's good to let a person lie in their own bed. But not for too long. You don't need to talk to him about his feelings. Just sharing a meal can offer a lot that you didn't realize." He looked at the ceiling with a bitter smile attached to himself. "Sometimes…I wish I had done that…"

Luke tipped his head. "What do you mean?"

Loke shook his head. "Nothing." He jerked his head to the hall. "Go on. Go take the food out to your brother. It's the best thing you can do for him."

Luke muttered, but he still got up and swept himself off into the kitchen. Loke looked back at the show he no longer held interest in. Do what I couldn't do…

°•°•°•°

Luke lifted his ball of light before the clearing. He had dressed differently for this type of weather in his thicker coat and his beanie with bamboo steamers floating next to him. He could see the treehouse had been lit up in warm lights within. The wind blew and Luke flinched, but he kept his gaze on the treehouse.

Igneel, he thought. I'm coming…

Within the treehouse, Igneel had holed himself with only candles as his light. A Turntable Lacrima served him well with swing music in the background of it all. Igneel himself had taken to the floor of the "living room" of the treehouse with pictures scattered around him and him in the center like a madman. Luke walked in to see the back of his brother and observed the candles in low surprise.

"Hey," Luke greeted as he shut the door. "Brought some dinner."

"Don't want any," Igneel muttered.

Luke rolled his eyes to put the bamboo steamer on the counter. "Yeah, don't bullshit me, dumb ass," he grumbled. "You're always hungry. I even brought duck sauce and yum-yum sauce. You can thank me—"

"I said I'm not hungry."

Luke stilled at the tension in Igneel's tone, but he pushed past it. His coat left him to hang up on its own as he grabbed bowls for the sauces. With a flick of his finger, he led the bamboo steamers over to the living room. "Ah…" he sighed as he plopped onto the couch. He made a show of pouring at the sauce. "Mmm… Meat dumplings," he gushed. With a grab of his chopsticks, he opened the first steamer to reveal fresh dumplings made to order. He took a waft and found himself salivating. "Frick yes…"

Luke wasted no time getting a dumpling and dipping it in soy sauce before taking it whole. As he chewed, he looked at the photographs. "So." He swallowed. "What's all this?"

Igneel tensed. "Nothing."

Luke ignored Igneel's dismissal to see for himself. And when he did, he got confused. The pictures looked confusing to look at. Igneel was in a majority of them, but when it looked like another was supposed to be in the picture with him, no one was there. Even in one, young Igneel had his arm wrapped around air while at an amusement park, yet no one was there to join him.

Luke eventually swallowed his second mouthful of dumpling to take a picture. This one seemed a little too odd. It was moon-high when the picture was taken in a field where there was clearly an impression of someone little in the grass, yet no one was there. "Huh? What's thi—?"

The photo was ripped out of his hands.

Fangs flashed in defense of their treasure.

"Don't touch that!"

Honeyed amber was up against feral emerald.

Luke held up his hands as a sign of his peace. "I'm sorry," he said slowly. "I didn't mean to overstep." He lowered his eyes. "I really am."

Igneel cut the growl growing his throat to sit back down and covet the picture. "You brought the food, so you can leave," he leered.

Luke's jaw ticked. "I didn't come here to pick a fight."

"Good." Igneel pointed at the door. "Then get out."

Luke had half a mind to follow Igneel's instruction, but he caught himself. He forced himself to breathe. "Momentai," he said softly. With a sense of purpose, he locked onto Igneel. "I just wanted to share food with my brother," he admitted. "I haven't really seen you ever since we came back from Margaret Town. I just wanted to share a meal with you. Is that too much to ask?"

Igneel found his shoulders dropping at that.

Luke took that as his signal to proceed. He moved everything to the floor, careful not to touch Igneel's pictures. Their meal was distributed in silence, each with two bamboo steamers of their own. Luke was fine with just soy sauce, but Igneel was a lover of duck sauce. Both brothers still went for the yum-yum sauce while Igneel had gotten up for them to share pop together. The swing music transcended to a smooth lyrical song of middle register.

Luke could not stop his thoughts as he ate. Maybe this was a mistake. Now it's all awkward. I should've just stayed in my room.

"Did Ma and Pops tell you about my therapy?"

Luke shook his head. "Nope."

Igneel swallowed his mouthful and ducked his head. "I signed a contract. I have to return to see a psychologist. After sitting in my room for a while, I re-read the contract. They have some psychiatrist already listed for me, but if we don't click, I have options."

"Oh yeah?"

Igneel nodded. "Mmm."

Luke swallowed. "You okay with that?"

A shrug was all Igneel could give at the moment. "What's it matter? No one really cares what the Hell I feel anyways. I had to sign or else I get kicked out of the freaking guild."

Luke stayed silent. It was not his time to talk. This was Igneel's time to talk.

"I did everything they told me to do," Igneel vented. "I transferred to another guild for eight months. I went to therapy. I kept away. I kept myself under control. I—!" His eyes shut and he let his anger coil within himself but never erupt. "I just…wanted her back. But I can't even want that without feeling like I'm a monster for it."

Luke took in another dumpling.

Igneel looked over at his brother. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Luke shook his head and finished his dumpling. "Nope," he said, short and simple, before getting another dumpling.

"Why?" Igneel pressed. "Everyone seems to have their own fucking opinion on this."

"So?"

Igneel blinked, started. "'So'? Wha—?" He shook his head. "Don't fuck with me," he snarled. "I'm not in the mood for this."

"Yeah?" Luke took in another dumpling. "And I'm not in the mood for another temper tantrum and more bullshit, so why bother saying anything? It's obvious you have a lot to say and no one's giving you a platform, so say whatever shit you need to say."

The growl thundered across the treehouse and the flames rippled in response to the prince's inner struggle. "What the Hell crawled up your ass?" Igneel snapped. "You think I'm throwing a temper tantrum for the Hell of it? You think this is all just a choice for me? I have no fucking choice. I have to live every day like this because I'm not allowed to feel what I want to feel and you call this a 'temper tantrum'?" He stood up. "You know what? Fuck you. Fuck all of you for thinking it's fantastic to shit all over any time I feel anything relatively close to pain!"

The candle flames roared to life for seconds as though agreeing with their master on the injustice displayed.

Igneel's breathing grew haggard as he watched for Luke's reaction. Something. Anything. Anything for Igneel to combat with. But Luke did nothing. He kept eating his dumplings like nothing had happened.

"You're angry," Luke started, "and I hear you."

Igneel paused.

Luke stopped eating to look up to his brother. "You're upset and I hear you," he went on. "You're in pain and I hear you. You want a fight and I hear you. And that's it, isn't it? No one hears us in the way we want to be heard?"

Igneel's confusion doused the flames of his anger.

"I don't get you," Luke disclosed, "just like you don't get me. But there's something I never told you."

Igneel waited.

Luke let out a breath. "I saw you…that night."

The onyx in Igneel's eyes drained into emerald. His fists clenched.

"I didn't mean to," Luke promptly said afterward as though feeling Igneel's rising bloodlust. "It was an accident. But what I saw…" Honeyed-amber softened. "I wish I could unsee it. I wish I wasn't in the woods that night. Because what I saw was so…intimate and loving and beautiful and…" He bowed his head. "And I'm sorry I ever saw it because it was sacred to you."

Igneel was trying hard to not be consumed in the murderous intent he held for his kin. "So why tell me this?" he whispered in that dangerous tone. "Why tell me you saw anything when you know how much that meant to me?"

"Because I want you to know what I saw was intimate and loving and beautiful," Luke told him. "I want you to know…it's okay…what you did."

Emerald widened. Then, emerald timbered down into onyx.

Luke continued: "It's okay that you did that. It's okay to have the feelings you have. It's okay to have the feelings you had back then. And I know your psych will do a better job to help you realize that. But I want you to know this time around, you have someone who is saying it's okay."

Igneel's bottom lip trembled, but he sucked it up. He would not allow this to be sullied with his tears. Because he had something much better. "Come with me." He gave Luke not a moment to lose as he abandoned his food to exit the treehouse.

Luke followed his brother out of the treehouse and onto solid ground, but he went no further than that. Igneel took off his shirt and threw it to the side. He was only a couple yards from Luke and in the center of the clearing, but it felt like it was leagues. The forest had only white noise to it in December. Nothing but harmless silence to the point where it felt like the moon was watching them directly.

Luke watched the back of his brother in curiosity. What's he…?

Igneel tipped his head back with his eyes closed and drew in a deep inhale. He took a step back and got into a stance.

The whole forest vibrated.

Luke felt a weight on his chest. No… He can't be…

Igneel could feel the symbol burning onto his chest like he was born with it. With a whoosh of his hands, smoke streamed out of his mouth. He whirled it around him with such grace. The smoke fled from him to make a circle. Igneel kept feeding a stream of smoke until the circle grew out to nearly fill the entire clearing.

He stopped feeding the barrier for him to draw himself into another form. He normalized his breathing as he took the form of a Dragon.

Eyes snapped open into emerald and a growl filled with power thundered.

Luke's eyes widened and felt himself drop to one knee.

Igneel powered himself into a butterfly kick. The second he landed, a fist slammed into the ground—

—and ignited the circle of smoke into flames.

Luke's glasses reflected the colors he saw of reds and blues and greens in their tint to shade order. He felt the magnitude of the flames condemn him into a stupor. He watched as Igneel lifted himself off the ground with flames coming off his arms and legs and even golden flames on the tips of his hair. He watched as Igneel threw himself into moves refined in such agility, even if the point of this style was power and aggression. Flames spurted off his knuckles with each thrust of his feet, off the soles of his feet with each kick.

He couldn't be… Luke whispered, engrossed. No way… How could he…?

The focus shifted to a young gaze peeking behind a tree and watching a boy who befriended fire make his mark.

Luke found the memory blurring with reality as Igneel's movements slowed with one last form. Pants came off his body with sweat beading on his skin, not from flames, but the strain of his dance. With one deep breath, the power in the clearing was sapped back into his chest and the rainbow flames were dismissed and snuffed into non-toxic smoke.

Luke found within himself that ability to stand, but he could not walk. He could barely speak. After all this time? he thought. But…why?

Igneel lowered his head. "You think this is okay?" Words low, but they held through the clearing. "This is who I am, Luke. I can't stop. I'll never stop." He flashed his fangs. "I'll never be able to stop until she's back."

Luke shook his head. "Igneel, you know the risks—"

"Of course I do," Igneel cut him off. "I've always known the risks. But I'm starting to give less of a shit if it means everything's back to the way it was."

Luke noticed something in Igneel as he looked at his brother's vīrya. The energy wafting off him was a molten red that was far darker and angrier than normal. Igneel stood there with the Wild in his eyes and his body postured for battle, for anyone who challenged his stance.

"Calm down, Igneel," Luke tried to soothe. "You're getting too worked up—"

"You said it's okay," Igneel outright challenged. "You said it's okay to have the feelings I have. You said—!"

"Yeah, dude, it's okay to be upset that shit happened!" Luke snapped. "Not this! Igneel, you—!" He rubbed his face. "You can't keep doing this, okay? You're only hurting yourself with a future you can't have!"

Igneel curled his lip at his brother and turned around to fully face Luke, a prince versus a prince. Red flames clung to his hands and arms as he gave his brother a look of resentment. "Fuck you."

Luke began to panic as he watched Igneel wind up. "Igneel, no—!"

Flames hurled all around the clearing, burning down nature in patches. While most of the grass was too wet and cold, some were scorched without question. Even the outlining trees were at stake. Luke caught Igneel disappearing deep in the woods, but he had no time to chase him. He brought out a Star Coin. "With this coin, I summon the urn of the Water-Bearer, Aquarius!"

This urn was smaller than Aquarius', but it would get the job done. He raised it to the sky. "Sadamelik Rain Dance!" he chanted.

The urn hurled water into the sky that summoned cumulonimbus clouds in a heartbeat. The clouds only warned once with their thunder before pouring down rain over the clearing like it was supposed to be. Luke lowered the urn and let it return to a Star Coin as the rain pelted him. He cared little now as this Magic rain negated the flames or the scorch marks in nature. He looked at the place Igneel disappeared to with only one word coming out of his lips:

"Dammit."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mirella grimaced as she witnessed yet another threesome of creatures kissing and their touching becoming more and more sensual. She knocked back her drink in one swallow. "Demons really know how to put the sex in ecstasy," she muttered.

Kyler raised an eyebrow when Mirella swiped another drink from a server. "I like how you told the mortals not to drink and yet—"

"Oh, don't patronize me," Mirella snapped at him. "Mortals can't handle shit." She took a sip of her drink. "Besides, I need a good buzz if I'm stuck with you."

"It's not all bad," Kyler soothed with a smile. "You're acting like I'm the worst thing in the world."

"You are."

"Mirella…" Kyler sounded out. He slipped past her defenses as he closed in on her side, yet he never dared to touch her. "No need to treat me like the enemy. We're both on the same side. We both want your daughter back. We both want the Demon killed…"

"And we both know you're getting drunk off the Demon's enchantment," Mirella blazed, unimpressed. "Seriously, you stupid cupid, I don't have the time or energy to play foreplay games with you as Father Demon intended." She feigned a smile and let her eyes glance over to a hovering Succubus. "Why not try the cute little Lilith over there? I'm sure she'd like a big bite out of you, Cupid."

"She would," Kyler conceded, even if he did not glance over his shoulder to the Lilith. "But then…"—he slipped to face her with turquoise and gold meeting—"I wouldn't get a second chance with my Arezodi…"

Mirella took in a large sniff to calm herself. "I told you to never call me that. I told you I don't want you—!"

"And, yet, you're hoarding my ring."

Mirella remained still. "So what? It's in my nature to steal shiny things, isn't it?"

"Not things like that," Kyler whispered, leaning to her level. "We both know you left your ring for a reason. I'm just wondering why a woman who hates me with a passion would steal something so intimate?"

"And I'm wondering why the fuck you're getting so close to me?" Mirella's hiss came out in a breathless whisper. "I didn't think you goody-two-shoes types believed in sexual harassment."

"We don't," Kyler agreed. "Believe me, Mirella, I'm not going to cross any lines here. You know where I stand." He leaned back and let his eyes slide around. "Until I know where you stand, you'll know where to find me." His eyes locked with an interested creature that looked made of flames.

Mirella let Kyler pass her without sparing him a glance…at first. She watched him as she took a deep sip of her drink. The female flame took initiative the second Kyler met her with saucy words and a hand on his shoulder. "Ugh. I hope to Satan he gets an MSTD," she muttered.

"How could you say that about him?" came deep rumble.

The only thing that gave away Mirella's surprise was her shoulders tensing up. Behind her was a mummy of a man dressed for the occasion. His one eye looked at Kyler and the fire lady. "They look cute."

"Don't they?" Mirella mocked. "I'm happy if the cupid gets some. Gets him off my back."

"But you need him," the mummy reminded. He lowered his face to her ear. "Daddy isn't going to let you play your games much longer."

"I gave that bastard what he wanted," Mirella growled under her breath, her hands clutching her glass even tighter when Kyler took to the fire lady's advances. "I'm doing my best. Can't he see that?"

"Mmmm… He can," the mummy supposed. "But we both know you're not trying enough. If you wanted the hybrid dead, you could've easily killed him centuries ago. Now, Mirella, you have your chance and you won't even take it." Mirella shivered as he mummy switched to the other side of her. "It's almost like…you don't want your daughter back."

"I could rip off your bandages for saying such bullshit," Mirella spat.

"Well, if you wanted her back so much, you would've done your part and killed him," the mummy put out there. "Tick-tock. The clock is ticking. Daddy won't wait much longer and neither will your little girl." He righted himself. "Choose. What will it be, little girl? Your daughter or him?"Without a farewell, the mummy wavered from this world and left the room without a trace.

Mirella forced herself to swallow the rest of her drink and like it was cued, a server appeared to take her drink. She cracked her neck. "Fine. Dad wants a show. I'll give him a goddamn show." Her eyes shimmered gold.

The aerial DJ felt something impose on him and his body went rigid. He mechanically switched out the record for a new one. A popped tango came over the speakers and inspired many to start grinding. Mirella calmed her eyes as a server came to her. She took the champagne flute with ease and went to approach Kyler. She tapped the shoulder of the woman who looked annoyed to be interrupted.

Mirella's smile was as kind as a shark. "'Scuse me, but you wouldn't happen to want Chimerydia, would you?"

The fire lady glared at Kyler and said some indistinguishable curse words before flaring away.

"Chimerydia?" Kyler laughed. "If you're going to give me an MSTI, at least give me something a little more interesting. Like Ogrenorrhrea?"

Mirella made it easy for herself to touch Kyler and wrap her arms around his neck. "Please, Cupid. Like you would get that lucky with an Ogre. I'm still betting Lycanthrope." Kyler merely chuckled, but Mirella noticed his hands stayed at his sides. "What's the matter, Cupid? This is your chance."

"Not until I get your consent," Kyler told her, smile promising a challenge.

Mirella allowed her leg to wrap around Kyler's and drag up. She tilted his chin down and watched his eyes and lips. "Then you have it, Malã'iko."

Kyler visibly lit up at the moniker and his hands pulled Mirella closer to him. "I'm not playing games, Arezodi," he warned her. "I don't do one-night stands and mind games."

Mirella's chortle was a rumbling hum. A snort really. "Then convince me not to," she challenged him, fingers threading over his neck. "Convince me I made a mistake."

Kyler cupped the back of Mirella's head and searched her eyes. He brought her forward into a hug she did not anticipate. "I've known you too well. I'll play along with whatever plan you have going on. But don't call me that name unless you mean it."

Mirella's grip tightened. "Kyler—"

Kyler pulled away and surprised Mirella by taking the drink from her hand. "Don't worry, Arezodi," he soothed. "I don't hold anything against you." He hesitated before allowing a hand to cup her cheek. "Do what you have to do."

Mirella found herself trying to take the flute from Kyler. "Wait, don't—!"

Kyler downed the drink in only a few gulps.

Mirella looked at him with her jaw unhinged. "Why would you do that?" she whispered. "You knew what was in that. You knew what I'm trying to do. So why would you risk yourself?"

Kyler licked his lips before he let a hand wander down Mirella's face. He softened when she accidentally leaned into his touch. "You'll take care of Nashi and the Ice Devil. I know you will."

"That doesn't answer why you risked your life," Mirella hissed at him ardently. "You stupid cupid. What's the matter with you?"

Kyler found himself leaning more and more onto Mirella until his chin dropped onto her shoulder. "You need your daughter back. I'll do anything to help you get her back."

"She's not even yours and neither am I." Mirella let her hands wrap around Kyler. She convinced herself she was trying to push him off, but maybe she was lying. "You're making a mistake, cupid. You shouldn't trust me."

Kyler pulled back a little with his lips brushing against her skin. "I shouldn't," he agreed, "but it's too late for doubts now." He placed the flute on the tray of the server passing by before letting on hand drape on hip and the other taking up her hand. "Dance with me, Arezodi. That was your intention, wasn't it? Seduce me, have me drink your concoction, and cause me narcosis?"

Mirella tried her best to scowl. "You're insane for trusting me, cupid," she spat at him.

"And you're insane for thinking I wouldn't want to spend this next fifteen minutes with the one made for me." Kyler moved them into a sway rather than the way most were dancing. "Let me have this. Please, Mirella." He brought his hand up to gently push her head into his shoulder.

Mirella's hand went up to clutch onto the jacket of his suit. I'm sorry, Kyler. Her eyes closed. But I have to do this.

°•°•°•°

DING.

The elevator opened.

Pazuzu came out first with Nashi and Lance following in their glamour. This floor looked quite classy and refined, unlike the event down below. The lighting was low with high tables and centerpieces and even an open bar. At this point, none of the guests were human, but they looked exquisite in their tailor-made gowns and tuxedos. Not to say there were not any exotics around. Men and women alike strutted around with their collars and masks with promises of good services.

Lance stood by Pazuzu and a coming-to Nashi. "Ugh," Nashi rumbled. "I feel like I have a hangover."

"You got a sex buzz from the event," Pazuzu informed it. "This floor has a lot less of his influence on it since the creatures here are a part of his side plot."

"What do you mean?" Lance asked.

"Bael's connections here are only aware he's collecting the Magic and souls of those in this labyrinth and helped fund his little thing, thinking they'll get a reward," Pazuzu told the pair discretely. "What they don't know is the only ones coming out of this alive are him, Lynn, his servants, and myself. Oh, and you, of course, princess."

Nashi gave a mockery of a pleasant smile. "Okay. I'm not on the Demon's hit-list. Werk."

"Where does that put us with Aine?" Lance pressed, impatient. "Is she here? Isn't she?"

Pazuzu rolled his eyes as he moved them onto the floor. "Simmer down, child of Zeus," he droned. "Your mortal Magic might get finicky and everyone here will sense it and kill you on the spot." He refused an offer of a drink from a male server in a bow tie and thong and collar. "She'll be here. Bael's going to make an announcement of his plans with her at his side."

"So when do we"—Nashi found herself blatantly staring at another male server who looked like a sexy cowboy—"rescue her?"

"Before the announcement is the best time to do so," Pazuzu said offhandedly. "You're lucky you have me on your side. I can get you in and out with no fuss." His grin down to Nashi was akin to a Cheshire. "Come on, princess. Aren't you happy I Branded you now?"

"If you keep your word to me finding Gary and the Devil, then sure," Nashi deadpanned. "I'll be over the moon."

"That's my girl." He ignored the way Nashi bristled to shift them over to a roped-off area. The guards who had the heads of horned beast skeletons did not hesitate to let Pazuzu and his entourage through.

Though no one noticed the eyes tracking their movements.

Pazuzu led them to a back room that felt essentially like a maze. This was where the illusion of the Magic of the hotel fell short. It was a bland type of lobby space, but it was obvious what some of the affairs in other rooms were considering the giggling and the moaning. Pazuzu pointed at the dual doors for Lance. "Your girlfriend is in there. She's getting the royal treatment as she's set up with his team so she looks presentable for the announcement which would've been the lure for the princess here to rescue her."

Lance looked at Nashi. "See, Nashi? Everything's fine. We still found Aine."

Nashi crossed her arms. "I know, but…" She huffed. "Forget it." She softened and nodded at the door. "Let's go get her, okay?"

Pazuzu led them to the doors and opened one of them for them. It was just as he said. The entire room looked like a lavish dressing room with outfits galore and a make-up team dead-set on making a flustered Aine look her best.

Lance's eyes gleamed as he watched her girlfriend laugh with her make-up artist. Aine… I've found you…

"Are you ready?" Nashi asked him.

Lance nodded, still staring at Aine. "Ready."

"Actually," Pazuzu spoke up as he held back Nashi, "the princess stays with me. Nothing personal," he tacked on at the suspicion in Lance's eyes, "but we can't risk both of your glamours being ruined. The second you walk into the door, your glamour will be at stake. If the demigod here has his glamour forcibly removed, it won't really hurt him. The princess, on the other hand…"

"You're shitting me." Nashi looked at Lance who did not seem as offended as her. "Lance! A little back up would be nice!"

Lance looked at Pazuzu who only stared him down. "I think the Devil's right," he decided, slow. His eyes shifted to Nashi with assurance to her panic. "Don't worry. I'll be back out soon. Stay here, okay?"

Nashi shook her head. "Lance, I really think I should—"

"Splendid!" Pazuzu steered Nashi away from the doors and back down the hall. "We'll be down here once you're finished!"

Nashi tried to fight Pazuzu off to get to Lance. "Lan—!"

"Scream here and you make a scene, potentially killing your friend," Pazuzu whispered.

Nashi shut her mouth, but she risked a glance over at Lance who still watched them leave. He gave her one final nod before he stepped into the room and let the door close. A growl escaped Nashi as she wrestled Pazuzu. "Let me go!" She could not help how loud she was. "Let me go—Ah!"

Nashi found herself pushed up against a wall with the Black Panther Devil towering over her with his grinning fangs. "Finally," he rumbled. "Alone…"

Nashi's eyes widened in realization as she observed him. "You wanted to separate us," she whispered. "Why?"

Pazuzu looked over his shoulder when he heard noises.

"Don't ignore me!" Nashi gnashed as she tried to wriggle away. "Let me go! Let me—!"

"Shhh!" Pazuzu slapped a hand over her face as his glazed eyes were on the lookout. Nashi continued to fight him off until she heard it too.

Footsteps.

Pazuzu nestled himself further into a wide-eyed Nashi, but he could not hide her from who she saw and what she saw.

Because she saw Mirella dragging a comatose Kyler.

Nashi tried to say something, but Pazuzu warned her with a stern look. What's happening? Nashi thought, frantic. Why's Mirella doing this?

The pair watched in the darkness as Mirella continued to drag Kyler until she was met with someone so odd: a little, black-haired girl with silver streaks. The girl could not be more than nine-years-old in her wintry kimono that went past her hands, but she stood in front of Mirella with her cruel eyes.

"So… You still couldn't even kill the bird, could you?" the girl mocked.

Mirella spat at her and dropped Kyler at the girl's feet. "I got technical. All I was told was I had to deliver him and his wings. I was never told I had to kill him."

The girl shrugged. "Whatever. He's busy at the moment, so you'll have to wait. You do know where you're waiting, right? Or have you been screwing mortals to long to remember how it works here?"

"Are you here to take me there or did you come here to talk shit?" Mirella challenged.

The little girl smirked. "Hmph." And just like that, the three of them flickered away.

Once a minute had passed, Pazuzu let go of Nashi who could barely process anything that was happening. "Mirella knocked Kyler out, but why?" she had to know. "What's going on? Wh-Who was that little girl—?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." Pazuzu stood up straight to look at his watch.

"Nothing I need to… No…" Nashi looked at Pazuzu like he was nothing but a con artist. "No, Kyler's my friend! I can't leave him like that!"

"And this is why you are such an easy target," Pazuzu sighed. "You want to save everyone and you'll run headfirst to do so. You need to learn to think strategically."

"Screw you and your advice!" Nashi snarled. "My friends will always come first and I'll do whatever I can to save them!"

Pazuzu snorted. "That's cute."

A wild scream tore through the air.

Nashi knew that scream. "Aine." She tried to rush to the doors, but Pazuzu held her in place without even touching her. "What is this?" she gnashed. "Let me go!"

"Oh, princess, it's so adorable to see you get worked up like this," Pazuzu cooed.

"You said you'd help me," Nashi spat, "so why are you doing this?"

"Do you always trust the person who says they'll help you?" Pazuzu tsked. "That'll get you in some major trouble like, I don't know… Right about now." He leaned forward and allowed his nose to travel along her neck and face. "As you are my Branded and as the Ice Devil and you are far too needed, I'm keeping my word on helping you both…but I never said anything on helping those other two humans or your pet Enoch."

Nashi's bottom lip trembled as Pazuzu pulled away, frightened hickory forced to stare at blank glazed. "Why are you doing this?" she whispered. She flinched when Pazuzu's nails skimmed her jaw.

"Because, whether you like it or not, you are an Etherious, a rare Demon-type with abilities you can't even fathom," Pazuzu told her. "And whether you understand it or not, I am helping you and your Devil."

"Bullshit." Nashi could feel her eyes flood with frustrated tears. Helpless tears. "You're only doing this for your master. Who is it, Orias? Did she put you up to this? She wants me dead—!"

"Contradictory, princess, my master wants you and the Ice Devil alive." Pazuzu let his lips brush against her forehead. "Know this… There are worse forces than myself and my master working to enslave your Devil and your family. It's a race—a game. And whoever controls your family wins."

A hot tear dribbled off Nashi and onto Pazuzu's jacket.

"Wh-Why?" Nashi gasped out.

Pazuzu's lips traveled to her own. He did not touch them, but he made it clear he could. "Long live the king."

Nashi could not say a word when her body got the best of her and she was falling into pure darkness. She screamed and thrashed as the unknown surrounded her and prodded her for all she had. But all that came to a crashing halt when she fell into the water. The drop into the water was like a whip to her back and knocked most of the wind out of her. She could not see anything except she knew there was a distant light somewhere. The world churned as the water did around her and she could feel her dress weighing her down.

Nashi found herself viciously trying to swim, but nothing helped. She could see the light was shining above her and did all she could to swim to it. But with no air, there came lesser of a will and lesser of a way. The light got away from her and sinking took the place of swimming.

DUNK.

Nashi tried to keep her eyes open when she felt something crash into the water. She could feel hands guide her upwards, but all she made out was this person had chains on their body and nothing more.

Wha…? What's happening…?

The surface hit Nashi and the light was too bright, but she coughed and her nostrils burned in gratitude for the fresh air. She clung to her savior as best as she could as the surface crept upon them. It did not help she was deadweight and her dress felt three times its size. The second land was beneath her, she was unceremoniously dropped onto the shore.

And her savior was moving on.

Nashi coughed as she turned to her head to the side. She could barely make out the torches and the stone surrounding her, but she heard a rattle of chains. "Wai…" She coughed again. "Wait…" She did her best to get to her hands and knees, but she flopped back onto her back like a fish. "Help…me…"

Nothing but the darkness approaching her could help her. Even as her vision was gone, her hearing picked up the rattle of chains coming closer. She felt her savior loom over her.

"He's waiting for you… Don't keep him waiting much longer."

And then, she felt the glamour ring slip off her finger.

°•°•°•°

Lynn stopped her ministrations on the Ice Devil's balls while the Ice Devil stiffened. He had felt her, even if it was for just a fleeting second. That flare of power that died after a split second almost like her saying she was there. Malã'ika…

"So." Lynn stood up with only panties on. "She showed up after all. Must be my lucky day."

The Ice Devil growled as he rattled his chains. "Stay away from her! She is mine!"

Lynn rolled her eyes as she put her bra back on. "Oh, shut up. This is getting old now," she droned. "Hearing about you claiming some younger girl kills my buzz."

The Ice Devil snarled and continued to work against his chains. All reasoning had been lost with Nashi in close by. He was back to being as feral as could be with his goal to get to his female.

Lynn zipped her pants back up and threw on her shirt. "Don't go anywhere, okay, baby? We'll continue this later." Her smile was full of teeth. "Just let me take care of your Angel. Oh and don't worry. I'll let her know you've moved on."

The Ice Devil roared as Lynn walked away from him. Gurgles and hisses and cackles raged in his mind at the sheer thought of Nashi being hurt. Silver invaded his eyes as Lynn disappeared from his prison. Frost panted off his body and mouth as bloodlust-induced saliva dripped down his chin.

"Malã'ika…" the Ice Devil breathed. "Save Malã'ika… Save Light…"

Just like that, his collar began to freeze.

---

The metropolitan area was healthily populated with all kinds of life. At this time of night, the downtown area was filled with college students and young adults alike hopping from bar to pup to the mature arcades. Christmas lights were strung everywhere with the accompaniment of classic decorations. The high rises were even decorated via balconies with fancy lighting.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« Welcome to Leekwood, a part of the Greater Bank Cress Metropolitan Area. This city is known for having one of the largest cultural arts centers as well as home to many bars and pubs and attractions university students call "The Edge". »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Peter walked up a narrow drive. The neighborhood might have looked intimidating during the day, but nighttime was a different monster. These Victorian households and multi-family houses had decorations that put many to shame. It was like a competition of some sort to see who could have the better display. Antiques were what such old houses were. They had that elegant charm of an older woman behind them with structures carefully crafted and maintained throughout the past centuries. Most had added editions like a veranda or a garage to keep up with the modern times, but people in Victoria Village took special pride in their old homes and made sure to keep what they could.

Peter opened the garage and went inside that way. He could already hear the Lacrima-Vision as he went into the mudroom and took off his shoes. "I'm home," he hollered.

A charming sigh. "Oh, Peter, I was beginning to worry!"

Peter smiled a little as he came into the hall. "No need to worry, Mom. I told you I'd be a little late anyway."

As he walked down the hall, he could hear his mother pout and sternly tell him, "And I told you I'd be more comfortable if you took your car. You went to Magnolia and you decided to just take a train? You know how I feel about trains."

Peter swung into the open kitchen to see his mother and father in the living room with the cats lounging about and the two dogs curled up. His mother was on her laptop as she drew up some emails while his father was content just holding onto her as he watched the movie.

"Mrrow…"

Peter looked down to see a black kitten with white feet and a white heart nose pawing at his pant leg for attention. He chuckled as he picked up the kitten and placed her on his shoulder like she wanted. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya, Meela," he said affectionately, scratching under her chin as she purred. He went over to the living room to tower over the back of the couch and glance at the movie. "Really? Dad, I thought you were better than this," he mocked good-humoredly. "Go Player One?"

"It's a good movie," his father said in defense. His father was a wildcard and looked nothing like Peter with his red hair—a testament to his Suertland ancestry—and eyes that could shift from blue-gray to green.

⌜LEEKWOOD

Name: Bowie Thompson

Age: 52

Occupation: Music Contractor

Likes: musicals Dislikes: smokers

Special Note: Bowie used to be skinny as a twig, but his wife made sure to bulk him up into the man he is today!⌟

His mother slapped Bowie's arm as she grinned at him. "Oh, please, you'll fall asleep and I'll be the one who knows the ending," she teased him. Peter's mother was born of a rare union: Andüsan and Cattleyan. Caramel coated her skin and her hair would forever be between thick and medium with permanent waves to them, even if the relaxer she had now flattened them out into waves. She clamped her hair for the evening with her glasses reflecting her emails.

⌜LEEKWOOD

Name: Eloa Shuusei-Thompson

Age: 50

Occupation: Translator

Likes: horror movies Dislikes: reggae

Special Note: Eloa may be of Andüsan and Cattleyan descent, but her last name is Cipangese, a testament of her father and mother's immigration to Cipangu! ⌟

Eloa looked up at her son and grabbed his chin. "You will take your car next time," she warned him. As Peter groaned and got out of her hold, she glared at him. "I don't like you walking around at night. A car is safer than a train or walking."

"Mom, you know my school doesn't allow cars on campus," Peter reminded as he went straight back into the kitchen for chips.

"You could've come home," Eloa argued. "Look at your uniform! It's all wrinkled! Oh, I'll have to iron it now. You wore your school uniform when you went out?"

Bowie rolled his eyes. "Sweetheart, let the boy breathe," he laughed. "He was probably all excited to go see Mary Jane and—" His eyes widened when he realized his mistake the second his wife began squealing and he met his son's betrayed glare with a sheepish smile.

"There's a girl?" Eloa set aside her laptop to comically climb over the couch and rush up to her son to hug him. "Oh, there's a girl! Oh, my god, oh, my God, oh, my God—!"

"This is why I didn't want to tell you!" Peter bemoaned as Meela mewed and leaped onto the counter for safety. He wriggled away from his overzealous mother to give her a firm yet pleading look. "Okay, Mom, yes, there's a girl, but please don't get too excited. You always react like this when I mention a girl even when she's a friend."

"But is this girl just a friend?" Eloa wiggled her eyebrows, nudging her son. "C'mon, Peter, tell me the truth. Who is this girl? She's named 'Mary Jane'?"

Peter sighed, combing out his hair. "Yes," he finally gave. "You probably know her parents. Laxus and Mirajane Dreyar?"

Eloa's face dropped. "The Thunder God and the Demoness of Fairy Tail?" She stepped back to hold onto the island. "Mary Jane Dreyar… The Dark Empress… She's a Mage."

Peter went to the fridge. "Yeah, Mom, she's a Mage. She's strong too. She's not how everyone thinks she is, though. She's really chill and we clicked." He grinned as he took out a Bepsi. "She was actually the one to save me at the festival in Margaret. She's…amazing."

"And she's a Mage."

Peter looked back to see his mother and father standing before him, Eloa with his arms crossed and Bowie with a wary expression on his face. "What?" Peter asked. "What's wrong? I promise we're not in a relationship or having sex. I asked her out on an actual da—"

"Peter…" Eloa started. "What did we say about Magic and Mages? It's dangerous to get involved with, Peter. Dating a Mage… Do you know how many enemies you'll have?"

Peter frowned. "Mom, it's not like that. Fairy Tail is filled with the good guys, remember?" He shut the fridge. "Mary Jane and I talked a little bit already about me being me and her being a Mage. I'm okay with it."

"But do you know what you're getting into?" Bowie asked.

"Dad, you were the one happy for me about her," Peter pointed out.

"But you didn't tell me she was a Mage—"

"Because I knew you'd react like this," Peter retorted. "What's the big deal? So what that she's a Mage? So what about Magic?" He slammed the bottle onto the counter. "We never talk about it, but both of you pretty much keep me from Magic in general. I had to fight you on even letting me watch MagiCross. Why? What's the problem?"

"Magic is dangerous, Peter," Eloa warned. "It gives you great power that can easily corrupt you. You can become a target just from being a Mage or a Mage's partner. We've seen it happen. Look what happened to your cousin Jin."

Peter rolled his eyes. "That was her fault," he gnashed. "She dated a Mage who was literally a Dark Mage and a drug dealer. Even if he didn't have Magic, he would've been a bad person with all the crap he was doing. She still would have gotten hurt." He opened the bottle cap. "And that's one example."

"What your mother," Bowie stepped in, "is trying to say is you might not be thinking it through all the way about dating a Mage. Her parents are extremely powerful, but they have extremely powerful enemies. Her father once tried to take over Fairy Tail by force."

"So we're going to let Mister Dreyar's actions from decades ago define him?" Peter shook his head. "That's not what you two taught me. You taught me to see the person for who they are now unless their past was extremely incriminating. Mister Dreyar's changed."

"Just like you have," Eloa retorted. "You never did fully tell us how you got gold eyes all of a sudden. You were in Margaret when that happened, right? Did that Mage girl have anything to do with it?"

"What? No!" Peter exclaimed. "She had nothing to do with it! All of what happened to me is my fault!" He touched his face. "And what's wrong with my eyes anyway?"

"Nothing," Bowie assured. "It's just…" He shared a look with Eloa. "We're worried about you, Peter. Ever since you came home from the festival, you've been coming home later, staying in your room…"

"We know you've been talking to someone in your room," Eloa mentioned. "We heard voices." As Peter looked away, Eloa swept forward to hold his face. "What's going on, Peter?" she murmured. "What are you going through that's so bad you didn't want us to know?"

Peter closed his eyes and let out a loud exhale. "Listen… I just need you two to not freak, okay?" As Eloa and Bowie confusedly nodded, Peter set down his drink to take off his gloves. "While I was at the festival during that battle, a lot happened… My eyes were one of those things and…"

Eloa and Bowie's eyes widened when they saw the palms of their son.

"My hands were another," Peter finished.

"Peter," whooshed out of Eloa as she grabbed his hands and studied the markings in horror. "Who did this to you?"

"No one, Mom," Peter assured. "This was all me." He decided it was worth the risk to explain. "There was this woman. She was dying, Mom. There was no way for her to live with the amount of blood coming out of her. I don't really know what came over me when I saved her. I passed out and when I woke up, I had these symbols and these eyes." Gold glanced up to see his parents looking at him in a way he did not expect: sadness. "What? What's wrong?"

Eloa shook her head. "Nothing, it's just… We never wanted this for you."

Peter slowly withdrew his hands as suspicion arose. "What do you mean?" Something nudged in his mind. "Did you know about my powers?"

"Not to the extent that you know, no," Bowie quickly answered.

"But…you did know I wasn't Spiritless." Spiraling betrayal snuck up on Peter. "How could you hide this from me? You let me grow up to believe I was a Spiritless!"

"Because that's what you were supposed to be," Bowie told him. "We understood your powers might never manifest if…"

Peter understood what his father was saying and his expression darkened. "If you kept me away from Magic," he finished. "That's why I wasn't allowed to even think about Magic? That's why I was grounded for watching Magimon? Because you were afraid of me having these powers? Are you serious right now?"

"We do have your best interests in mind," Eloa promised pleadingly. "We understand you're angry, but you have to believe us when we tell you that."

"How is forcing me to believe I'm one thing having my best interests at heart?" Peter challenged. "Do you know how much easier this would have all been if I knew this growing up? I feel like an idiot questioning everything whenever I speak to the Triple A!"

"That Alchemists and Alkahests association?" Bowie pried. "You're talking to them?"

"Peter, you shouldn't have done that," Eloa tried to scold.

"Why?" Peter seethed. "They're the ones who are giving me real answers! They were there for me when I needed someone to explain what was wrong with me and why I have these symbols and now I know! I'm an Alchemist and an Alkahest!" At his parents' expressions of disbelief, he grinned menacingly. "Yeah! I'm both which is impossible, but somehow, I am! I was even offered scholarships to go to a bunch of Alchemy Academies!"

"Absolutely not," Eloa said, putting her foot down. "You are not going to one of those academies!"

"And why not?" Peter challenged again. "Why can't you tell me why you're really so adverse to me even knowing a fraction about myself? When those examiners asked me about my parentage and if there's a history of Magic in my family, I sat there like an idiot not knowing how to answer! So, can you two tell me since you apparently knew my parents? Were they Alchemists? Alkahests? Who am I really?"

Eloa's eyes shined with unshed tears. "You're our son," she whispered.

Peter swiftly picked up Meela and could not even look at his parents. "Yeah, well, I'm the son of two dead people I know nothing about. If you two aren't going to give me answers, I'll find out who I am for myself." Ignoring the deafening silence at his words, he stormed away and to the second floor. His bedroom housed another cat—an Angora with one orange ear and white fur—and was decent and large for one person.

After shutting the door, he let Meela down on the bed and went to pet the other cat, muttering, "Hey, Naja." As Naja meowed, Peter flopped onto his bed with an aggravated sigh. "This is so stupid," he groaned. He turned onto his back and the cats easily curled up next to him. "So what that I have powers. Why'd they have to keep it a secret? Why are they keeping my parents a secret?"

Peter turned to the cats. Naja boldly went onto his chest for attention and he caved at her demands. "Do you think it's weird, Naja?"

Naja meowed at him and purred against his touch.

Peter smiled. "At least you support me." He turned to Meela—the little thing curled up against his neck—and stroked her back. "You too, Meela. Thanks." As Naja settled on his stomach, kneading at his uniform, he pulled out his Compact. He saw he had a couple of messages from his schoolmates about their shared project, the friend group was blowing up as Nolan gushed over how his favorite drag queen added him back on Snap and Insta, and Bleu sent him a message and picture. He opened it to see a picture of Luna walking ahead into a movie theater.

« U got ur girl, I got mine. Aint she cute? »

Peter smiled and typed back:

« Guess u dont need a wingman noice »

He went back into his thread and noticed Mary Jane's incoming messages. He was quick to open them, but when he read them, they left him worried.

« I had a really great time with you today, Peter. I just wish my dad didn't ruin my day »

« He's upset with the whole thing of you going away to school and thinks I'm being just like my sister »

« I'm sorry for ranting and disturbing you. Really, thank you for such a fun time out. I had a lot of fun. Have a good night. »

He was quick to start typing his responses:

« I had a great time with you too sweets »

« About your dad, he IS your dad. Hes going to worry a lot more about you. Don't be too mad at him. »

Mary Jane's text bubble popped up a couple of moments later.

« I know Daddy's trying to protect me, but I hate it when he compares me to Veronika. Lance never got this with Nik, so it's just really unfair to me. »

« I'm complaining again. I'm sorry, I'll stop now. Did you get home okay? What happened with your parents? »

Peter frowned and messaged back:

« Sweets, don't say sorry okay? You're venting and that's completely okay. I'm always here for you to vent or complain if you need it »

« I got home fine. Mom was pissed I didn't take the car but she even got more pissed when| »

Peter stopped typing at that point and tried to find a better wording for what he wanted to say.

« I got home fine. Mom was pissed I didn't take the car but she even got more pissed when she learned about my powers. »

« Oh, no… What are you going to do? Are you still going to keep in touch with the Triple A and find a good school? »

« Definitely »

« I love my parents but they dont tell me crap about my blood family. I know a Mage can sometimes be from Spiritless family but it just doesn't feel right »

« I think one of my parents had to have been an Alchemist. I'm going to go to school and hopefully find something about them »

Mary Jane did not take long to respond.

« Good for you! I'm sorry your parents aren't more supportive and helpful, though. I support you, Peter. Whatever you decide and wherever you go, I support you »

Peter smiled all goofy like at that.

« Thanks sweets. I support you too with relearning Magic. Just keep me updated okay? You could always practice some spells on me if you're down »

Mary Jane laughed at his message.

« I'll keep that in mind. I gotta go. My mom's knocking on the door. Good night »

« Good night. Sweet dreams Sweets »

Peter locked his Compact and let out a sigh made for the theater as he dropped his Compact to pet his cats. "An Alchemist and an Alkahest… Who would have thought?"

°•°•°•°

Mary Jane set down her Compact to flop back onto her bed and turn away. "Come in," she allowed boredly.

Mira poked her head into the room to see her daughter's back to her. Seeing Mira with her hair fully down and in her pajamas was so peculiar. "Mary Jane?" She slid inside and shut the door behind her. "Mary Jane…"

"If this is about Daddy, I'm sorry, but I—"

"No, Mary Jane. I just wanted to ask how it went with Peter."

Mary Jane rolled to her other side for her mismatching eyes to meet the soft ones of her mother's. "You…did?" she sounded out, perplexed.

Mira nodded brightly and settled herself on the side of Mary Jane's bed. "Of course I did, sweetie. How did it go with you and Peter today?" She did a little squeal as she tapped her daughter's hand. "Are you two going on an official date yet?"

Mary Jane could not help herself as it all came out. "He was really sweet and he's a great listener, Mom. We know we won't have a lot of time with us being a little busy and him off to school in January, but he asked me out and I said, 'yes'!" She sat up and adjusted herself on the bed. "It was so adorable, Mom! I can't believe he likes me!"

"That's wonderful, sweetie!" Mira cheered. "I'm so happy for the two of you! Has he decided on any Alchemy schools yet?"

Mary Jane shook her head. "Mmm-mmm. Not yet, anyway. He'll tell me when he does choose one." Her smile was so giddy—it was too cute. "He's really amazing, Mom. He's supporting me—Oh! I almost forgot to tell you." She wriggled on the bed as she brushed back her hair behind her ears. "Igneel's agreed to help reteach me some of the basics in Magic! Isn't that great?"

Mira was practically bursting with pride as she hugged Mary Jane. "That's more than great! We were all so worried you'd try to leave Fairy Tail like I tried to do!"

Mary Jane pulled away with a remorseful smile. "I was considering it," she confessed. "And I did speak to Master about leaving, but then Igneel showed me I still belonged in Fairy Tail regardless of my past and regardless of my Magic. I will want to be a barmaid and make some money. Maybe even go on jobs that only require martial arts."

"And I'll train you on being a barkeep and we'll make sure to get you ready to be a junior black belt," Mira promised. "Oh, Mary Jane, this is all so exciting! Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Well, it all happened tonight," Mary Jane reasoned. "And besides"—her expression soured—"I don't think Daddy would've cared anyway. Not when he's too busy comparing me to Veronika."

Mira sighed and laid down on the bed, rubbing up and down Mary Jane's shoulder. "Mind your father, Mary Jane," she implored. "He's worried about his youngest child and youngest daughter. I know he takes his worrying a step too far, but he does have your best intentions at heart."

The snort Mary Jane made was unladylike. "And Veronika still left."

"Veronika had much more going on than just your father," Mira said sternly. "While Laxus thought she was running away, I solely believe Veronika needed to leave to be where she is today. Same with Nikolai. Both of them needed to leave to become successful. I just wish they left on better terms." She scratched Mary Jane's cheek. "Sweetheart, I want you to know I support you if you like Peter. I'd like to meet him whenever you're ready. Just keep in mind the time limit, okay? While I want you happy, I don't want you heartbroken."

Mary Jane rolled her eyes in subtle annoyance, but she did understand her mother's intention. "I know, Mom," she affirmed, voice soft. "I'll keep it in mind."

"And," Mira let out in a big breath, "I also want you to start thinking about birth control."

The redness of Mary Jane's face was flaming. "What? Mom—!"

"No, don't 'Mom' me," Mira hushed with a scold. "Your end-of-the-year physical is coming up next week and I think it would be best if we looked into options."

Mary Jane shot her mother a look (one mixed with horror, embarrassment, and…relief?) and whispered fiercely, "Does Daddy even know about this?"

"I wanted to speak to you about it first," Mira told, surprising Mary Jane even further. "At the end of the day, it's your body, Mary Jane. Laxus had a fit when Veronika wanted to be on birth control. By the time he was remotely okay with it, it was too late. I'm not comparing you two," she tacked on when Mary Jane's expression flittered with annoyance, "but you're going to be sixteen next year and, potentially, with a boy. I want you to be safe. And, even if nothing happens, I at least want you protected, okay?"

Mary Jane breathed out from her nose. "Okay, Mom." She rubbed her eyes. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Thank you," Mira appreciated as she got up. "Do you want to come downstairs to eat?"

"Is he down there?" Mary Jane asked darkly. "If he is, no thanks. I'll eat when he's gone to sleep."

Mira sighed and bent over to plant a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "He really does love you, sweetheart," she whispered into her skin. She drew away at Mary Jane's huff to leave the room with a good night farewell and closed the door behind her.

Mary Jane fell flat onto her bed and stared at the ceiling for a good minute. Veronika had a lot more going on, huh? Her hand automatically went to her Compact and brought it up. Opening up the home screen, she went to her « Favorite Contacts » and pressed on the name. She put the Compact in her ear and waited.

°•°•°•°

The apartment was in one of those old-factory-turned-high-rise apartment buildings. While most of the rustic charm of the building had been kept, the bricks were clearly power-washed and the warehouse windows were given more friendly structuring. One apartment, in particular, held a pink Christmas tree out of all things with white and gold tinsel and ornaments galore. A soft rendition of Deck the Halls was playing through the kitchen stereo. While the appliances were modern, you saw many touches of the factory and of industrial decorating as the style. The Polar Express went not only around the tree but it had free reign as it built its tracks freely—a runaway train, if you will.

The last of the toys were put away from a Schnauzer with a little plaid sweater. Once finished, he eagerly went back to his mistress and pawed at her leg for a treat, even giving a little ruff.

The woman's smile was delicate as she stooped to give the Schnauzer a couple of blueberries he lapped up with haste. As she sat back up, the Balinese on the counter mewed and knew the routine, instantly going into the lap of her mistress and curling up. The woman hummed as she continued her quiet meal with her PAL opened before her with a report.

Vibration ruined her meal.

The woman frowned and set down her fork to reach for her personal Compact. When she saw the number, she did not hesitate to answer, running her free hand through the fur of her cat. "It was about time you called," came first scold, brutal with familial fret and agitation. "Do you know how worried I was? How many voicemails I left?"

"I'm sorry," came instant apology. "I know that's not good enough, but I really am sorry. A lot happened and I need a little time to process it."

A well-earned sigh. "You sound emotional," she bluntly pointed out. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Two beats. Then… "I just wanted to know…how you dealt with Daddy when you were my age is all. And what really happened."

The woman froze. The Balinese picked it up immediately and purred like a soothing mother, licking her mistress' cheek and rubbing her face along her skin. The Schnauzer got on its hind legs to balance itself against the stool to whine as though pleading for his mistress to keep her calm. The woman caught her breath again to return to the conversation. "I don't—"

"Please," came imploring. "You don't have to tell me everything. I know it's been some time since we really talked, but… I need someone other than Mom and Daddy and we both know I can't talk to Lance or Nik."

The woman cleared her throat as a way to distract the quickness of her heart. "F-Fine." A hand went to her throat as though to get rid of her stutter. "I'll look at Sky Boat tickets tonight and see what we can do f-f-for a visit."

A breath of relief. "Thank you. I really mean it. Thank you."

The woman's smile was feeble, but it was there. "Don't thank me. It is what family is for. I'll email you some flight times tomorrow, all right? I love you. Talk to you later." She ended the call without further notice and set down the Compact like it burned her. Her breaths were a bit shallow, but they deepened the more she pet her cat. "I can do this," she whispered to herself, to her cat, to her dog. "I c-can make it work. It's just her. It's just her." She closed her as her Balinese craned her neck to treat her mistress like her own kit. "Did you hear her speak?" she asked aloud. "Wow. She doesn't sound pissed off at the world anymore. She sounds…relaxed. Maybe even a bit happier."

She opened her eyes to finally bring the Compact back to her. She got off the stool to waltz into the living room while the Polar Express passed on by. She settled on the couch with her Balinese in one hand while her Schnauzer laid his head in her lap and pressed his nose into her stomach. She ignored them both in favor of searching through her photos. When she found the photo amongst her favorites, she tapped on it and took in the whole image. The whole image of a family that seemed to be happy, of a mother holding her newest born, of a father controlling his eldest child and son, of a little brother shyly hiding behind his mother's leg, and of an older sister angrily looking away from the camera. She let the Compact fall into her lap as a finger traced the shape of the baby all dressed in a dress with a little hat to cover her head.

The woman could only breathe out one name. "Janie…"

---

"See, Nashi? Everything's fine. We still found Aine."

The focus observed Nashi in her glamour. The Angel Princess of Fairy Tail had her arms crossed and eyes to the side. "I know, but…" She huffed away her frustrations. "Forget it." Hickory softened towards the focus and jerked her head towards the doors. "Let's go get her, okay?"

With a nod, the focus followed Nashi and Pazuzu to the door. He was the one to open the door for them, but the focus was the one to really see what was inside the room. He saw Aine just as Pazuzu describe as she got primped and ready for her debut as the new lover of the Demon. 'Aine, I've found you…'

Nashi's murmured words floated past him.

The focus narrowed. 'But something's not right.' It widened when it saw the hear wave in the air before narrowing again. 'So that's it. An Illusion Spell. Aine's here all right. But this isn't what she looks like…'

He realized he was supposed to answer and nodded. "Ready."

"Actually…"—the focus flitted over to Pazuzu in suspicion—"the princess stays with me. Nothing personal," the Devil quickly added, "but we can't risk your glamours being ruined. The second you walk through that door, your glamour will be at stake. If the demigod here has his glamour forcibly removed, it won't really hurt him. The princess, on the other hand…"

'So that's it," he figured out. 'He knows this is a trap, but he doesn't want Nashi to get caught. He is after all here for her sake and Gary's. But the question is why does he care so much? Just what state is Aine in?'

"Lance! A little back up would be nice!"

The focus stared down Pazuzu who was not fearful of the challenge. "I think the Devil's right," he decided, words slow. The focus shifted to Nashi. "Don't worry. I'll be back out soon. Stay here, okay?"

Nashi shook her head and tried to step towards him. "Lance, I really think I should—"

"Splendid!" The focus watched as Pazuzu led Nashi away. He would not let Nashi out of his sights until he knew she would not return. Nashi made a valiant attempt to escape Pazuzu, but the Devil would not give in. The focus offered her a nod before looking back into the room. With a deep breath, he took his first steps into the room.

The door slammed closed.

Darkness.

Then came a scream.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Lance woke up with his back hurting, his jaw uncomfortably locked, and his mouth filled with cotton. He cracked his neck as his first order of business before looking around. The forest he had gotten lost in was unbelievably and hauntingly beautiful. Vein-like trees took up most of the space with their branches vining together to make an impenetrable canopy. An iridescent glow came from somewhere, anywhere, and nowhere. It was just there. The only thing that was clear was that orb-like auras were in the air with no destination.

Lance stood up, free from his glamour. "What is this?" he wondered aloud. His eyes looked around him. "More importantly… Where's Aine?" He started his walk through this peculiar forest. "Aine!" he shouted. "Aine, where are you? Aine!" His walk drove him for what felt like hours as he shouted Aine's name and hoped for the best. Frustration wound through him so much that made his lightning spark.

Simmer down. I don't know what happens if I use Magic here. I can't take that risk until I find her.

"Is there anyone there?"

Lance froze. That voice… He made a break for where he thought the voice was and was glad he did. He saw Aine before she saw him, but she had converted into (what was now a torn) cocktail dress and her hairstyle was falling flat. Frightened and eyes red-rimmed, Aine stood against the trees and looked for any signs of life.

Lance secretly smiled as Aine kept calling out to whatever she heard and urged in gentle tones for it to come out. Even if you forgot yourself, you're still one of the kindest people I know.

"It's okay if you're scared," Aine called. "I'm scared too. But I promise I won't hurt you. Just please...don't hide." She started when she heard a crackle nearby and her eyes darted to the source. The cracks turned into footsteps and Lance stepped out from his hiding place.

"Hey, stranger," Lance greeted.

Aine smiled, relieved. "Oh. It's you! The one with the girlfriend!"

Lance chuckled as he let her come to him. "Yeah. And it's you, the one who ditched me for her friend."

Aine frowned like she had a bad taste in her mouth. "She lied to me about the party," she whispered. "She lied. She let them take me. She was never my friend; she was—!" She shook her head and closed in on herself, sniffling.

Lance was quick to step in with a hug and did not mind the tears on his suit. "What happened, beautiful?" he wanted to know.

"Everything was a lie," Aine got out. "The party, our friendship—everything!" She emerged from the hug to wipe her eyes. "I think I was drugged or something," she admitted. "I felt funny and kept hearing voices. Maybe I was narcoleptic or something since weird dreams kept popping up."

"What type of dreams?"

Aine sniffed. "They were about Magic…and I think fairies?" she mentioned. "I don't know. It didn't make sense."

Lance nodded and let his knuckles wipe her chin. "What happened next?"

Aine accidentally relied on his touch. "Well, I found out she wasn't who she said she was. She turned out to be some little girl who said I served my purpose or something. The next thing I knew I was down here in the meadow."

"A meadow?" Lance echoed. "But we're in a forest."

Aine shook her head and pointed presumably east. "There's a huge meadow that way. I ran away from the things I saw in it." Her big eyes looked up at him, pleading. "Please don't go there. We can stay here and find a way out, right?"

Lance sighed. "It'd be for the best we get out somewhere open." He looked at the trees. "I'd say I'd need to climb a tree to survey the land, but the canopy is too thick and I don't want to disturb it with my Magic."

"You're a Mage?"

Lance nodded at the fact. "Uh-huh. I'm a Lightning Mage. Nothing special."

Aine blinked as though something befell her. "The demigod," she whispered.

Lance frowned. "I promise you I'm not a god, much less a demigod. I'm called Zeus of my guild, but not because of that."

"No, no," Aine cut in, "the little girl who kidnapped me… I barely heard her, but when she was talking to something, she said she had captured the thief and the demigod and put them in Asphodel. I think you're the demigod."

"'Asphodel'?" Lance frowned. "Why does that sound so familiar?" His eyes closed as he thought about it. Asphodel… Asphodel… Think. What about that sounds familiar…?

"…essences in Asphodel."

The focus shifted to look at Mirella. She was tapping the map with a pencil as she spoke. "The name of the game to keep spineless mortals happy in this fake world is to steal their Shades, the thing that helps mortals do the whole love and friendship and connection thing."

"Wait." The focus went to Nashi who looked at Kyler. "I thought that was an essence?"

"They're interchangeable, but they shouldn't be," Kyler explained. "An essence is the most complex part of the soul and it does process emotions and connections to things. A Shade can be interpreted as a Dark Spirit."

"Don't bullshit it this time, cupid," Mirella sniffed. "Shades basically keep you grounded. They're like the darkest parts of you or the negative aspects of it, but also what keeps your memories alive. Everything down to your name. The essence makes you understand and feel, but the Shade part of the essence makes you badass you. But, yeah. I like to use Shades. Less 'es's. Now." The focus watched Mirella conjure a cigarette. "When the Demon traps a mortal, he steals their Shades and reconstructs their entire being."

"And the Shades go to this Asphodel place?" he questioned. "Why there?"

Mirella shrugged. "I don't know. Word on the street is the asshole is obsessed with that underworld RPG and likes to think himself the 'Duke of Hell'." A roll of her eyes as she lit up her cigarette. "Couldn't tell ya why. You want to free these people? You'll have to get there and free their cute, little Shades."

"How do we do that?" Nashi wanted to know. "Can't the essence return to their soul?"

"Does this kit even read?" Muta complained as the focus watched him lounge as a white lion. "You ever pick up anything on mythology? In Encan mythology, there're the Asphodel meadows, right? It's the place the dead go to get judged which means—"

"Which means there's someone there acting as the guard and grand jury and judge at the same time in those meadows," Kyler picked up. "My guess is you'll have to take control of the meadows by force if you want these people to return to normal."

Nashi huffed. "A bit dramatic, don't you think?"

Mirella took a drag and puffed the air into Nashi's face. "Sweetheart, Demons put the d in 'dramatic' for a reason."

Lance reopened his eyes with his jaw taut and the words fresh in his mind. "Aine, we have to go to the meadow."

"No!" Aine backed away from him. "You didn't see what I saw! There're monsters and spirits—!"

"And our way home," Lance provided. "Aine, the only way to get out of here is to go to the center of the meadows and find the one in control of it. We have to do this if we want to get you and everyone else back to normal." He started walking due east.

"What do you mean…me?"

Lance stopped.

Aine stared at him. "What…happened to me that you're not telling me?"

Lance sighed, shoulders dropping. "In those dreams…how did you feel?"

"The dreams?" Aine recalled them all. "I felt…free, I guess? Happy, definitely." Her smile was light. "It was like this story I made about Magic and these people were almost real like I was there and…"

"And…?" Lance pressed.

Aine snapped out of her daze. "And what does that have to do with anything?"

Lance turned so emerald could face chocolate dead on. "This sounds hard to believe, but this entire place isn't what you think it is. You aren't who you think you are. All of us have been trapped in a place that stripped us of our memories. I'm trying hard to fix this with my friends so everyone can get their memories back and go home." He took a step towards her. "So you can get your memory back and go home, Aine."

Chocolate shimmered in indecision. "I don't know whether to call you 'crazy' and leave or to cry and pray you're wrong, but I do know one thing." One step towards him. "You're the most genuine crazy person I've met."

Lance puffed a chortle. "Does that mean you believe me?"

"Not really," Aine admitted, "but I'm willing to follow you for now."

Another step. Lance had to know. "Why? I thought you didn't want to go into the meadow?"

Another step. "I don't," Aine agreed, "but…for some reason, I trust you." She laughed a little. "Even I don't get it, but my gut says I can trust you. But maybe I'm crazy."

"You're not crazy," Lance assured her. With the gentility of a geranium, he took her hand and interlaced their fingers and led them eastward.

Aine looked at their combined fingers. "What I'm feeling… Does this have to deal with my lost memories?" She looked up at him. "Did I know you? Before all this?"

Lance did not answer.

Aine took a different route. "Tell me about you. Who are you really, Lance?"

Lance smiled a wee bit. "Well, if we're introducing me, then I'll start with my name. I'm Lance Dreyar, son of Laxus and Mira, Zeus of the Fairy Tail Guild, and a devoted boyfriend to my first and only love."

---

The party was getting irksome and Gale knew it. He watched from his sideline view of the dance floor, acting like he was the designated driver more so than Tesla, Jax, and Katherine. Dash had taken his new girl to the back of the room for a heavy make-out session against the wall and whispered promises of their one night. A different girl had attached herself to Cane as she ground on his front while he guided her hips. Tesla and Jax had their little moment going on with their bodies close and Guānhandarin spoken between them. Katherine had her hands full with a lovesick Miles who kept saying a deep hey and complimenting various aspects of his girlfriend in comparison to science.

Contradictory to how cold Katherine looked, seeing how she softened at Miles' dopey-ness was heartening.

And that made Gale sick.

He finished his jungle juice and let the solo cup fall where it may. "Ugh. This party is shit," he lamented to Julia who stayed at his side.

Julia comfortably took sips from her water bottle. "Well, don't complain when you knew this would happen," she pointed out. "You're never here for the action. You're always here for the drinks and to socialize—if you ever come to any." She nudged Gale's shoulder a bit too harshly. "Normally, you're at home with—"

"So I changed it up a little. Big fucking deal, Lady J." Gale seared Julia with a red-eyed glare. "She gets her fun, I get mine."

Julia shrugged. "Fine," she agreed lazily. "Go have fun."

Gale offered back a fierce grunt, but when he tried to step onto the dance floor, hesitation hit him like a ton of bricks. It was not like there were not potentials out there and he knew some of the girls had been eying him and his crew. But… "You mean right now? Like…right now, right now?"

"Mmm-hmm." Julia nudged him forward. "Go on. Have your 'fun'. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Gale swallowed, then pitched his laugh brittle with nerves as he went back to the wall. "Not this song," he decided. He slicked back his hair as though calming himself. "Maybe the next one. This one doesn't have a good vibe to it."

"Uh-huh. Don't shit me, Redfox," Julia deadpanned, eyes surveying the party. "We both know you're not getting on that dance floor because even if you're pissed as Hell, you feel like you're cheating."

Ruby blazed. "The Hell do you know—! Uh…" Gale realized his mistake when Julia sent him a glance. He coughed into a fist to clear his error. "I mean… I don't know. Doesn't feel right trying to get some now, y'know? I'm so used to us being in my basement or her place and we're watching her stupid little movies or a horror flick or…" He tried to shake the good memories and harden himself at the burning memory of her and Bleu. "But she's with him now."

"No, she's not—"

"You didn't see her, Lady J," Gale butted in. "She was all over him." He paused. "And something wasn't right about the douche either. I could just tell. That guy's carrying a world's worth of secrets and she has the naivety to fall all over him?"

Julia rolled her eyes. "And did it maybe occur to you she might've been doing that to get back at you for India?" she examined. "I mean, not to sound bitchy, but if I saw the guy I kinda had a thing for hitting on another girl, I'd be petty as shit."

Gale groaned. "For the last time, I was not hitting on India!" he defended. "Carlisle, dude, back me up here!" He hit Carlisle's shoulder for assistance only to see Carlisle was busy on his Compact. A bit curious, Gale let himself look over Carlisle's shoulder. It looked like he was going through snap stories and had come upon Luna's. It was posted not that long ago of her in a movie theater snuggled into the arms of Bleu with the caption: Hi King Kong 2 how are ya?. The next snap was Luna sitting pretty in Bleu's jacket as he surprised her with a kiss on the cheek.

Carlisle belatedly realized someone was watching him and locked his Compact when he saw Gale's deathly stoic face. "Oh, hey! Sorry about that!" His laugh was high-pitched. "Just some stupid snap stories. What are we talking about?"

Gale looked back at the dance floor. "About how I'm getting fucked up."

Sycaña tried to reach him this time when she felt the weight of his emotions intensify. Little Gem, don't do this.

Gale sneered at her. I'll do whatever the fuck I want. He ignored Julia and Carlisle's protests as he went to the counter to make a full glass of jungle juice. He drank it all in one sitting and threw down his cup.

Julia ran to him before he could get on the dance floor. "Gale, please!" she hissed in plea. "Think about this, okay?"

"I am." Ruby locked onto his target, a carefree ash-blonde who eyed him and bit her lip in invitation. Gale glanced down at Julia with a smirk. "I'm thinking I should have fun."

Before Julia could say much else, Gale slipped away from her and onto the dance floor. It took him some time to get used to the grinding and dancing until he bumped into a stoner he briefly knew. A joint was thrust into his hands and he took a hit without even thinking about it. A smile lit his face as he gave his appreciation to the guy before a girl shimmied up to him. Hesitation baffled him at this opportunity. The girl was relentless as she laughed and ground against him. Tingles lit his body, but it felt wrong. This girl felt…wrong.

Her laugh because of his jokes.

Her smile because of his words.

Slowly, hands went down the back of this new opportunity. He could feel his body responding to hers, rolling with hers, meeting her hips. Heated desire coursed down to him through his veins, but it was heavily restrained. He could not help it. His desire would be restricted as he had simple stand-ins, replacements. He gave way to this new heat as he and the replacement's fronts met and he drew himself forward with an aggressive kiss. Hands gnarled into his hair as she tried to mold her body into his to bring him closer, bring them closer.

But a replacement would never fit where the Truth would.

Bitter disappointment filled him and he had to pull back as he nearly gagged. It was not him; it was Sycaña. Her words had left her in her warring fury for his actions, so this was all she could do to show him a mother's love. Snapping back, he shoved her emotion away. The next kiss was messy, but he did not care. He let this new opportunity consume him…

…since his Truth never would.

---

Kotoba ja umaku ienai omoi wo

Kimi ni uchiakeru to shitara nante

Tsutaeyou?

Saisho de saigo

•

Itsuka issho ni kaetta michi wa

Watashi ni totte tokubetsu na omoide

Wasurenai yo

Sayonara memoriizu

•

Haru ga kitara sorezore no michi wo

---

TO BE CONTINUED…

Uh-oh… Oh, no. Gale's really doing it this time. What's going to happen between him and Luna now? What's going to happen to Kyler now? To find out, tune in to the next Fairy Adventure…before it's too late!

---

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Somewhere in Desierto…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The stars were clearer in the desert lands with little pollution to shut them out. Buildings of mud, wood, and stone had been erected, but this was no ordinary city. Apartments with palm wood toured with skyscrapers and grass for those who could afford it. A water show was beginning in front of one of the tallest structures of this city with many foreigners and natives alike gathering to watch the spectacular. Some wore leather sandals, but popular brands had spiked in this city. Abayas were worn by many of the women along with thwabs everywhere. But it was not uncommon to see jeans and t-shirts either. Men wore their keffiyeh and their agal as they went in flocks. A foreigner used a translating app to ask three women where she could find her hotel room for her and her husband. A little boy was knocked over on accident as his brother tried to avoid him getting hit by a motorcycle. Dark hair, dark eyes, caramel skin—it was not unfounded to see those with paler skin and lighter hair and eyes into the mix, but the majority were not that. The military was ever-present with their guns on them at all times, belting laughs like the war-buddies they were.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Hajr and the center of the Hajr Region of Desierto and its capital. Toujan el-Faisal is its governess and the first female to rule a region!»

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

A shadow slipped between shadows as it zipped down the street. It went into an alleyway, bypassing a couple of foreigners trying to hide from the military as they committed a drug deal. It bounced between alleyways until it found what it wanted: a speakeasy. It slithered down the steps and into it without any problems. The speakeasy had a singer on stage with low-lighting and low voices. A liquor was fine, imported, and many paid what they had to in order to get a taste. Mostly foreigners took up space, but a few rogue natives had gotten in with their own private booths to save face.

The shadow dipped in between shadows before slinking into the back.

A wealthy native moved out of the booth with the demands for another drink falling off his lips…

…and did not realize his shadow left him.

The back was an inventory of liquor shipments and extra supplies, even tables and chairs. The second shadow wafted into the back stock room before peeling itself off the floor. A man appeared with his green cloak around him. Cat's eyes looked through his white mask and stared at a corner of the room. "Come out," he commanded from behind his mask.

A shadow misted into its form. It looked nothing like a regular phantom with dark armor as its body and blade-like horns on its faceless head. It looked like a too-skinny ballerina that would forever be on pointe. It stepped forward the mysterious man without fear before stopping. Raising a hand, another shadow took form, this time a female with burnt umber eyes and darkness for a body. Her smile did show her white teeth. "Chase," she hissed softly, "good to see you again. Here's the thing… Remember when you were in Veronica how you confronted Fairy Tail with that pathetic guild of yours? I need one of them to be delivered to me pronto."

The female shadow swirled and swiveled until a different female stood in her place. This female was gifted color, albeit not very bright colors. Blonde hair tied up into a bun and her brown eyes still gleaming, she beamed at Chase.

Chase narrowed his eyes as he took her in, remembered the body of his prey.

The shadowed Lucy fell back into the shadowed female. "Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel is your target. Find her and bring her to me at the drop stop and you'll be rewarded with double your fee." The female shadowed bared her teeth. "Don't disappoint me."

The phantom dissipated the female shadow before disappearing into one itself. Before it left, it hovered near Chase. Chase reached out a hand and a picture dropped from the mists. The phantom galloped away in its shadow and left Chase to his lonesome. He studied the picture. There Lucy was as she smiled in a restaurant, not even knowing she was being watched. Chase pocketed the picture. "Become one with Shadow," he chanted. "Become one with the shadow of my prey. Become one with the shadow of my hunt."

Darkness consumed him as he disappeared back into the shadows and bounded away…

…and the picture of Lucy fluttered to the ground.

---

Chibi-Luna raises her hand in greeting. "Good day, class! Ready for your next Fairy Lesson?"

The class hoots back, "Aye, sir!"

Chibi-Luna giggles. "All righty then!" She pulls out her handy chalk. "You all know the four seasons, but did you know there's Magic Season?" Noises of confusion go off as Chibi-Luna jots down the two words. "That's right! Magic Season! You see, when magical creatures were still around, Shifters would go crazy during the months of March to May and August to October. Anyone know why?"

"Is it because of Mating Season, teacher?"

While the whole class vocalizes their disgust, Chibi-Luna laughs. "Actually, yes!" She writes the words beneath MAGIC SEASON. "During August to October, many Shifters begin to try for babies like deer and wolves so that way the mothers can give birth during the spring when Nature is restoring itself and prey is a lot more abundant. Some Shifters might mate during spring, but it's very few. But the reason for mating during the fall was mainly because of the spike in Magic during those times."

Chibi-Luna begins to draw a chart. "Magic flows through all of Earth Land like an ocean. Like the ocean, Magic can have high tide and low tie depending on planetary alignment. For example, solar eclipses often weaken Mages who have Fire, Lightning, and Sun Magic while lunar eclipses weaken those Water, Ice, and Moon Magic while the solstices strengthen them. During fall, Magic begins to intensify due to the planet shifting away from the Sun and the same in spring when the planet shifts away from the moon. These acts of transition cause Magic to be all wonky, but in the fall especially due to the influence of the moon.

"Many believe that the Moon Goddess is also a goddess of Shifters and mother to many Magic Gods and her way of welcoming her creations is to seep the earth with more ether," Chibi-Luna narrates. "Scientists are still trying to understand why Earth Land shows a denser ether atmosphere in fall and in spring, but insofar, it's mainly theories. Why fall has a bigger impact remains a mystery, but some theorize it has to do with hibernation."

"Teacher," comes a snicker, "we don't hibernate!"

"Of course not," Chibi-Luna agrees, "but during the fall season, we tend to eat a lot of heavier meals and feel more tired. Even though humans themselves don't go into hibernation in the winter, the human body still reacts to the change of weather by trying to converse energy and sleep more to make up for it." She goes on: "Due to this, Mages are affected heavily and those more so with Transformation Magic such as Take-Over and any sort of Slayer and Elemental Magic too. The effects aren't always bad. Sometimes, the season makes you crave a certain food. Other times, it drives you to do some ridiculous hobby. I've heard cases of Mages contracting OCD and are unable to leave the house without locking the door seventeen times or showering until they've turned the knob fifteen times."

The class murmurs their fear and displeasure. "That sounds like Hell on Earth Land," comes a complaint.

"It can be, but not always," Chibi-Luna soothes. "Some of the effects of Magic Season might be hyperactivity or productivity. Maybe you even gain a new skill or create a new spell in the mix. Many Shifters have trouble with their transformations at this time and some go back and forth without even trying." She chuckles to herself. "One season, my mama hid at my grandmama's house since my papa became so clingy during those months that she couldn't stand it. I know Igneel's handle on his heat spirals out of control and sometimes, Luke would be levitating for no reason. Every season, he wears weighted clothes and brings out his weighted blanket to keep himself from floating away." She looks around. "Any questions?"

A hand goes up. "Yeah, teach. What happens to you during Magic Season?"

"Nothing so far," Chibi-Luna answers. "I just hope I get a mega-addiction to milkshakes!" While the class laughs at her, she announces, "Next time, on Fairy Adventure: AWAKEN THE FEELING INSIDE!"

---

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

Unknown Girl - Serena Varghese

Mirella - Edie Mirman

The Ice Devil - Griffen Burns

Bael - Paul St. Peter

Nashi Dragneel - Laura Landa

Kyler - Ray Chase

Lance Dreyar - Johnny Young Bosch

Pazuzu - Patrick Seitz

Male Lilith - Alex Organ

Female Lilith - Heather Walker

Carlisle Justino - Eric Scott Kimerer

Gale Redfox - Greg Cipes

Miles Miranda - Chris Guerrero

Katherine Knight - Abby Trott

Jaxton Yang - Eddy Lee

Tesla Greer - Mallorie Rodak

Dante O'Neill-Princeton - Adrian Petriw

Julia Fullbuster - Michelle Ruff

Luna Dragneel - Bryn Apprill

Bleu - Xander Mobus

Luke Dragneel - Alan Lee

Igneel Dragneel - Bryce Papenbrook

Lynn - Grey DeLisle

Peter Shuusei-Thompson - Joe Zieja

Eloa Shuusei-Thompson - Taylor Anne Ramsey

Bowie Thompson - Nicholas Guest

Mary Jane Dreyar - Erica Lindbeck

Unknown Woman - Laura Post

Aine Fernandes - Carrie Keranen

Muta the Exceed - Jason Douglas

Chase - Jason Liebrecht