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!

54. Adventure 054

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

---

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

---

Previously, on Fairy Adventure, Luna and Gale both learned about the destruction in Bellum outside of their own homes, but neither one of them gained any insight on the other's feeling. Eloa's still not feeling at ease with Peter discovering his powers and wanting to go to school for them, but it looks like she has more on her plate with her flirtatious boss and his righthand man. Captain Sterling-Armstrong still has her anger towards Minister Aaron Marignano and Draculos' decision to keep the fire under wraps. A mysterious man seemed to catch her attention with his intention of ridding the world of Magic. Hisui is at odds with the Prime Minister of Bellum for rejecting international aid and Arcadios offers a solution: speaking with Bellum's Lady Magic-Speaker. Skade and Mammon meet for the first time and Mammon isn't just going to let Skade walk away. Bael calls for reinforcements of his three sons to track Lucy down when he can't find her by his own means. But Mirella won't take that lying down and chases after her half-brothers to stop them. Meanwhile, Lucy helps Igneel sort out his feelings and his plans for his own farewell to the one girl he takes up his mind. Luna comes home (and lies about where she's been, no less) only for her to determine she and Igneel are paying the hospital-bound Mary Jane a visit. Speaking of Mary Jane, her wake-up in the hospital leaves her fretting about Igneel and also about her conversation with Lieutenant Adrien Cotheran. Seriously, what is up with that guy and his dice? Aine is left to wait for Lance to wake up, but even the Zeus of Fairy Tail goes through his fair share of trauma about hurting his own guildmate. Kyler and Bael go head to head, snake versus snake, and man, oh man, do I hope Kyler wins this first round! Býleistr finally meets Talia and while he's less than happy to meet her acquaintance, her diagnosis on Nashi's mental state gives the idea for him to jump into Nashi's mind. Only he met her Etherious side and wasn't that a little freaky? But Nashi's wide awake and she's ready to kick some butt—hopefully? While a nurse took over watch of the King of Bellum, he found out something he shouldn't have only for ex-Avatar Mary to make the arrival. How's that for a blast from the past? Luna and Igneel head up to meet her (after Luna intervenes from Igneel revealing her relationship with Bleu) only for Igneel to get to Mary Jane first. Wasn't their reunion emotional? Oh, Igneel… I hope you can finally tell her!

'If anyone can hear me… Please… Let me show her…how much she means to me…before I make my Wendy cry.'

Can someone pass me the tissues please? I wonder what Bleu and Natsu's meeting will look like…

---

Lucy could not believe her ears and she brought Luna protectively to her side. An unknown Exceed was in her house telling her she was in danger? "What are you talking about?" she demanded to know. "What's coming?"

Muta sighed. "Your Majesty—"

"Just Lucy is fine."

"Misses Dragneel—"

"Please"—tone a bit beseeching—"call me 'Lucy', Muta."

Muta's ear twitched. "Miss Lucy, then," he decided, finding middle ground, "from the borderline your mate made, it protects all direct blood from malevolent beings. But a being with more power than your mate is coming this way."

Lucy's face hardened. "A Demon?" she guessed.

Muta nodded. "An old one too. Bael. He is one of the first Demons created throughout the cosmos—second hierarchy—and he's looking for you." Gray shifted to Luna. "And her."

Luna blinked her surprise. "Me?"

"Yes, little princess." Muta bowed his head towards her in respect. "You hold more power than you know. This power has made you a target since your conception and evil bastards want to sink their claws and fangs into it." He noted something horrid flickered in Lucy's eyes. "Not to bring up unpleasant memories for you, Miss Lucy."

Lucy took to rubbing Luna's shoulder to calm herself and her daughter. "No, it's fine. This isn't anything new." Tone blank. "Where is this Demon located now?"

"Bellum." Muta gestured towards the flat-screen LV. "You've most likely seen the news? That would be his doing and his legion of Darklings and familiars."

Lucy swallowed. "Right. How long do we have?"

"Less than a day. Maybe hours." Muta sniffed around. "The amount of purity combined with a Dragon's scent markings is a good mask. But he'll call in trackers with the best senses known to creature."

"But why?" Luna piped up, a little ignorant of everything around her. "I know my powers can be a lot. I've been told that face to face with a Demon. But they never really explained why they're after our family."

For a moment, Lucy ignored Luna as she turned to Luke. "Can you start gathering some of your things for the treehouse?" She looked over to Charla and Happy. "I want you both there too."

"Of course," Charla agreed. "Come, Happy. Take Charlotte. I've got Lucky."

As everyone seemed to move about, Lucy turned to her youngest to smoothen back her hair behind her ears. "Listen, Lu, I need you to be focused right now." No quiver. No fear. Just steeled resolve. "We told you that you and your siblings are part Etherious Demon because your papa is an Etherious Demon, remember? Because of your uncle Zeref? And that all of you and me and your grandmama Ana are part of the Heartfilia Clan?" Once Luna nodded, Lucy went on: "There are a lot of evil people in the world who are angry with your papa because he freed the Demons here to discover light in their lives. And a lot of evil people want me because of my keys and both your grandmama and I because of our Magic. You kids are in so much danger because of that, but you especially. That's why we had to hide you in Magnolia for so long."

Luna was trying to understand all of this. "All those times Igneel and Luke and Nashi and I had sleepovers in the treehouse," she murmured, "those were fake, weren't they? Those were times when bad people wanted to get to us."

Lucy nodded sadly and grabbed her daughter's hands. "I'm so sorry we lied to you."

"You had to," Luna reasoned in heavy reluctance. "I would've been too stubborn if I knew. You did it to protect me. But now that I have Magic, I can—"

"Magic you can't control," Lucy cut in with a reminder. "Baby, you're still too young and too underprepared. For now, Luke will keep you safe in the treehouse."

"But Mama, I—!"

Lucy was shaking her head. "No 'but's," she put, gentle. "This isn't up for debate. And I am begging you to not sneak out. Luna, I've been there. I didn't want my family risking their lives to protect me once upon a time. I wanted to protect them. I gave myself up and put on a tough act, but it was horrifying and painful. I don't need you going through that."

Hotness stung chocolate eyes. "But I can't let you be alone," Luna whispered. "What would Papa think?"

Lucy clicked her tongue in a coo and brushed Luna's cheek. "Your father would tell me he believes I can kick butt because he knows I'm a fierce mama bear who will protect her children." She sighed and took a good look at her daughter. "I know you want to help. But you'll help more being safe." She turned to address Icarus. "Please, Icarus, protect her at all costs."

Icarus padded over and gave her a steep bow. With my life, I will protect your cub as if she were my own.

Luna really did not want to cry and she hated when a tear slipped. "Mama, please—"

"I love you." Lucy kissed her forehead. "You'll be safe with Icarus and Luke. I'll have some of my Spirits on watch." Standing up, she turned back to Muta. "I need you to give me a rundown of whatever you can about the Demon," she commanded as she walked away. "I need to know everything that's happened. Come with me to my study."

"Yes, of course," Muta obliged as he met her halfway. Low murmurs passed between then.

Luna sniffled. "Mama, wait—"

Icarus nudged her away. Come now, my pup. Mother Star's orders are absolute. We need to get you safe.

Luna let Icarus guide her towards the kitchen hallway, but she could not help but glance back. Please… Someone, please, watch over my mama and my family. Nashi, wherever you are… Please be safe…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ah utsukushii sekai

Utsukushii mirai

Utsukushii kehai no suru sono saki wa

Subarashii sedai

Subarashii kitai

Subarashii sekai

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Laxus had seen darkness, but this was beyond darkness. He could not tell which way was up, down, left, or right. He could not even see his own feet in front of him let alone the Black Panther Devil who had transported them there.

TWITCH-TWITCH…

"Hey, Lafayette."

"Y-Y-Yeah?"

TWITCH-TWITCH…

"Do you mind…"—his jaw locked as he felt fingers nearly draw blood from his bicep—"not fucking ripping out my arm?"

Dazzler lightened her grip and glanced around the darkness nervously. "Right. Sorry. It's just…so dark in here."

"Well, that's the point of Shadow Travel," came a bored drawl.

Laxus' eye twitched when Dazzler's nails dug into his bicep and the pitch of her shriek hit his ear. "Remind me to get you a damn nightlight," he grunted. "Freaky cat, what are you trying to say here?"

Pazuzu's voice bounced around as he explained: "We're in the In-Between. I believe on your planet, you commonly call this the 'Shadow Realm'."

"Okay, well, I'm making light," Dazzler declared. "No sthgil!" A light hovered over her palm. However, rather than illuminate the atmosphere around it, the light kept its presence selfishly to itself. "What the…?" Dazzler huffed. "Okay, I get that I'm a little rusty with hand Magic, but this is ridiculous."

"Not your fault, mortal," Pazuzu assured, his voice coming from thin air. "In the Shadow Realm, light exists, but it can't shine. It's forbidden from shining. Just as in Light Realm, there is no darkness or shadows."

Laxus pried Dazzler's hand off his bicep. "So we're stuck in the dark and have no clue which way is up or down," he said flatly.

"Direction is relative just as time is relative," Pazuzu mentioned. He sounded like he was above them. "You mortals are weighted down by the terran term 'gravity'. In many realms, creatures exist on their personal gravity and direction. If you say where you are standing is the ground, then it becomes your ground."

"Oh…" Dazzler began to understand. "That makes sense. I mean I think it does."

"Thanks for the science lesson, cat," Laxus grunted, "but we need to get to Lance and Aine. Which way do we go for that?"

"Direction is relative," Pazuzu repeated. This time, he sounded like he was strolling beside them. "Pick a direction. If you say that direction is the way to your mortal family, then that's the way."

Laxus scratched his chin. "What's the catch?"

A low chuckle. "The Shadow Realm is known for playing tricks on those who aren't properly trained in shadow trade," Pazuzu admitted. "Shadows are a copy of you, but the negative aspect. They understand every dark and negative emotion and thought you ever have and follow you as a reminder." He sounded farther away now. "Don't trust your shadow and shadow travel will become easy. Listen to your shadow and you won't make it out of here alive. That's as far as my advice goes. Good luck."

Laxus growled. "Wait a second, cat!" Tensing, he muttered, "Bastard probably left. Great." He stopped walking and felt static clack off him at his agitation. "We need to stick together, Lafayette. Keep your head down and you can even rip my arm to stick close."

Silence.

Laxus squinted as he tried to sift through the darkness. "Lafayette?" No answer. "Dazzler?" No answer. He groaned. "Damn kid," he muttered. "Where the Hell did you go, Dazzler?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 054

Thus Saith the Lord

敵も来るぞ、 我々の中の敵も来るぞ! 戦いの緊張は、みんなを新たな高みに導きます!

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mary Jane laughed as Igneel wheeled her down the rehabilitation hall with her sitter next to them. She looked up at Igneel as she tried to cover her giggling lips. "I don't think that's how it went."

"Nah… That's definitely how it happened," Igneel insisted in a drawl and a lazy grin. "Ask anyone! Luke's just too embarrassed to admit it!" He turned them into Mary Jane's room where Mira and Peter had disappeared.

"I think I'll go directly to the source," Mary Jane decided. "Who knows what story you just told me?" When Igneel parked her in front of her bed, she made a move to stand.

Igneel was quick to wrap an arm around her waist and give her a steady hand to lean on. "I'm just sayin'. If you ask Luke, he's gonna blush and deny everything." He helped Mary Jane settle into bed and even adjusting her hospital bed setting so she could sit up.

Her cheeks tinged pink at his attention to detail. "You didn't have to do that."

Igneel frowned. "Well, yeah, I didn't have to. But I wanted to." Then, he climbed onto the bed.

Now Mary Jane was red. "H-H-Hey! What are you—?"

Igneel brought over his drawstring to present Mary Jane with a deck of cards. "I didn't know what you'd be up to when we came to visit," he admitted, "so I brought a deck of cards, Uno, my Wintengo DS, manga, comics, and some anime movies since we don't have time for any episodes because you'll just keep wanting to watch the next and we don't have the time for that."

Touched was Mary Jane as she fingered her acorn button charm. "You did all that for me?"

"'Course!" Igneel told her as he dug through his bag. "You're my best friend, MJ! I wasn't about to leave you all bored in here." He made a face at Luna's extravagant gift. "Lu brought some stuff too, but…"

"What you have is wonderful." Mary Jane shot him one of those saccharine smiles that made him blush and his heart go doki doki. "You're really sweet and cute, you know that?"

Steam blew out of his ears as his hair caught on pink fire. Panicked, he patted his hair before the fire alarms wailed and they would be drenched in hurried sprits of water. "Shit, crap, sorry, I-I-I didn't mean—! Dammit! Go out, dammit! Stupid hair!"

A giggle.

Igneel stopped fretting about his hair when he caught Mary Jane laughing. When she noticed he noticed, she lessened her giggles to a cough and rolled her lips. Though amusement danced in her eyes. Igneel's lips twitched into a grin. "Mary Jane Rita Dreyar…" he drawled. "Are you…laughing at me?"

"Oh, no…!" Mary Jane feigned a rough cough. "Just something stuck in my throat was all. I'm just a little thirsty." Innocence, even fake innocence, looked good on her. "I would never laugh at you."

"Is that right?" Igneel got on all fours and prowled towards her like a lion who sought his prey. "Because if you were, you know I'd have to punish you."

Mary Jane scooched back on her bed and tried so hard not to break. "Whatever for? I'm the innocent one in all this." She poked his nose when they were face to face. "But I have to warn you. If you try to punish me, my best friend is going to come and kick your butt."

Something glinted in Igneel's eyes. "Yeah? I think I could take him."

Mary Jane huffed an evil laugh. "Not a chance! He's a total baddie! In fact!" She looked around and whispered like she had the biggest secret in the world, "He's a hentaimaster."

Onyx widened as Mary Jane gave a peal of laughter. A teased growl. "Oh, you little…!" He grabbed her hands and yanked her away from the bed to put her on his shoulder.

Mary Jane was in the middle of panting and laughing in wheezes. "Igneel…!" she whined before laughing again. "Put me down…!"

Igneel spun her around as he got to the floor as he grinned. "Not today, Satan! You just dishonored me! Dishonor on your whole family! Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow!"

Mary Jane snorted and smacked his back. "Well, my apologies to the all-powerful, pleasurable, great and almighty Igneel," she teased back.

Igneel guffawed and bent over to put her on the ground. She wobbled a bit and fell straight into him. On instinct, his hands went to her waist to steady her. "Blondes are the clumsy ones," he jested.

"Hey, moron, you're a blonde too," Mary Jane sassed back.

Igneel gasped. "Crap, you're right, I am!" He winked at her. "At least I'm a cute blonde. Right, MJ?"

Mary Jane snorted again and playfully swatted at him. "Quiet, you. I take it back. You're hideous and vile and cruel."

"No. 'Cruel' is having me come over so we can watch Grand Line only for you to switch it up and we watched OA Host Club instead."

"Kiss, kiss, fall in love…!" Mary Jane sang. When Igneel made an exaggerated eye roll, she laughed. "What? It's my guilty pleasure! And don't try me. We watched that abridged isekai instead of watching what I wanted to watch which was Tea Time! which is amazing, by the way."

"And somehow we watched Maid-Sama!." Igneel groaned. "I can only watch that so many times…! Hear me out," he added when Mary Jane arched an eyebrow at him. "I get it. She's a maid, he's a rich bastard kid, she's a tsundere, he's a weird alien—I've seen it so many times, it's become a trope."

Mary Jane wrapped an arm around his neck and wagged a finger at him. "You're just jealous you'll never match my sweet alien!" She swooned. "He's so handsome and awesome! Where's my alien?"

"Right here." Cheeky.

Mary Jane booped his nose. "Moron."

Igneel pretended to bite at her finger, flashing fang. "Tsundere."

Mary Jane hummed a laugh and find herself starting into such dark eyes. Onyx. Onyx eyes. But when she squinted, she saw something mixed in. "You have a little green in your eyes." Her words came out in a mixture of a murmur and a whisper like she was entranced. "Did you know that?"

"Yeah." A full whisper. Warm hands fluttered down a lock of blonde hair. "I can see little things of purple in yours."

"You can?"

"Yeah."

Something tickled in the back of Mary Jane's mind. She did not know what it was. It was like there was a gate and she saw through the cracks, but it was not enough to get full context. She saw that gate staring into Igneel's eyes. A warmth spread with her being hypnotized. It felt so…relaxing. So trusting. Like she could depend on it for anything. Goodness, why did something like that feel vaguely familiar? Like she used to know this. "Igneel?" she breathed.

"Mmm?"

"You can let me go now."

"Right."

Neither let go.

It was like something was tingling under her skin. Not just her skin—the crook of her neck. It felt funny and odd like it had the potential to be wonderful.

Igneel swallowed. "MJ?"

"Yes?" A quick answer filled with unintentional anticipation.

"There's…" He was getting distracted by her parted lips and those eyes. Dammit. He could not get distracted. "I… There's something I have—"

SLIDE!

Peter slid open the door with his attention on the bags of snacks he had. "Sweets, I brought your favorite…!" He looked up and cocked his head at the scene. Mary Jane laid haphazardly in her bed, cheeks unable to hide their flush. Igneel sat on the edge of the bed with a bouncing leg. Both of them seemed to have slapped together a game of euchre. Gold eyes regarded Igneel in wariness before moving on for Peter to sunnily smile at Mary Jane. "Sweets, how was your physical therapy?"

"It was fine." Her voice was a little weak and she noticed. Clearing her throat, she asked him, "What's in the bag?"

Peter went to the chair beside her bed. "As many of your favorites as I could remember," he told her, eager to show them off. "Infusion go okay?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Chancing a glance at Igneel, she told Peter, "It was pretty boring, but Igneel and I watched a few anime subs together."

Gold cut to onyx.

"How nice of him," Peter praised and he tried to mean it. He gave Mary Jane his full attention. "I didn't realize you like anime."

Scarlet-cerulean brightened. "I didn't either until Igneel introduced me," she began to gush. "I'm still learning so much and going through some of the old school stuff and the stuff everyone in the community is supposed to know, but it's all so amazing!"

Peter's smile was real. "That's awesome! Ekho is really into anime. She does conventions with NJ and Nolan. Bane tags along. She got me into this anime called Castlevania—"

"Get out!" Mary Jane gasped. Squealing, she drummed her hands on the bed. "I love Castlevania! At first, the gore got to me, but then it became really cool!" A sheepish smile. "Trevor is just too delicious." Plowing along, she questioned, "It's not as mainstream, but have you watched WILDSTARS?"

Peter frowned. "Doesn't sound familiar."

"Oh." Her shoulders comically deflated. "You should watch it. Well, you should read it, then watch it. The anime is only the first arc and who knows until we get another season. Right"—her eyes widened in disappointment when she saw Igneel was trying to sneak out—"Igneel…?"

Igneel froze with his hand on the door handle. "Uh, yeah. It's great, man. Y-You should check it out."

"I think I will," Peter decided slowly. While Mary Jane seemed a little perplexed at Igneel's sudden need to jump ship, Peter understood. "Maybe we could watch it together, Sweets."

Mary Jane fingered her charm with her eyes ricocheting between Igneel and Peter. "Um… Well, actually—"

A forced laugh. "Yeah, that'll be cute. Couples who watch anime together, stay together." Igneel's joke lacked any true humor. "Just a fair warning, dude. MJ totally cries at anything remotely sad." He slid open the door. "You guys can even use my account. You should still have it saved in your PAL, MJ, right?"

Worry stemmed in scarlet-cerulean. "Igneel—"

"Anyways, I-I better go," Igneel quickly put. "Shit to do and all. Nice seeing you, MJ. Pete, take care of her." He waited for no one as he stepped out and closed the door. He could hear Mary Jane calling for him and her movements of struggling to get off the bed. That was when he powered down the hall. His ears caught Peter soothing Mary Jane over her frets she upset her best friend. It ate him up she was fighting to chase after him and apologize. Why are you trying to apologize to me? You did nothing wrong. You're perfect. And I just… I'm nothing.

Igneel went to wait for the elevator with a few others. But his heart was racing and he needed to itch. Eyes found the staircase and he made a break for the doorway to slam it behind him. He flew down the steps to get to the ground floor and tore out of the center without looking back. But the moment he was outside, he skidded to a halt with pants off his lips and guilt slashing at him. I shouldn't have stayed, he lamented. Now I know why Pops didn't want to stick around. This is…torture.

BONG-BONG-BONG!

Igneel's ears twitched and he looked up. It was easy to make out Mary Jane's hair. She had raced to the room across the hall void of patients and was waving at him through the window. She stuck her Compact onto the window and pointed at it.

Igneel took out his own to see messages from her.

⌜MESSAGES

MJ (MY WENDY)

I'm so sorry if I upset you.⌟

⌜MESSAGES

MJ (MY WENDY)

I told Peter I'd prefer to watch some anime series with you.⌟

⌜MESSAGES

MJ (MY WENDY)

I'm sorry, Please don't be mad⌟

Igneel glanced up before typing his response.

« You didn't. Not mad. Just didn't want to become the awkward third wheel. Have fun watching anime with him. Bye. »

He winced when he saw the look on Mary Jane's face at his text message and hers came soon.

« Stop saying "bye". We'll see each other soon. »

« If you're really not that mad and don't wanna be a third wheel, do you think you could come back later tonight? Peter's waiting on Bleu to come get him to get his car, but he has to go home. We could hang and you could sneak in some ice cream and we could anime and chill »

Igneel snorted. MJ, I get the feeling you don't know what that means. He began to type, then he stopped. I shouldn't. It's already this hard. I can't make this harder. I promised Master. Everything's already been signed. I just… Maybe if I sound like a jerk, she'll leave it alone. A hard decision lay before him and he took a breath to type it out.

« No »

BONG-BONG-BONG.

Igneel ignored the thumping this time to pocket his Compact and forced himself to turn his back to the center. Just…walk away. You can do this. Don't look back, don't look back, don't look back… He stopped.

He looked back.

Sad scarlet-cerulean clashed with torn onyx.

When Mary Jane saw she had his attention back, she exaggerated a pout, clasping her hands and mouthing, Pleeeeeeeeease? For meeeeee?

Igneel grimaced and shook his head at her. He was about to turn away when Mary Jane stuck her acorn charm onto the window with a sad look. His lips twitched and he cursed then shouted up at her, "That's not fair and you know it!"

Mary Jane made a heart with her hands and broke it, then mimicked she was sobbing.

Igneel groaned and tossed his head in his hands. "I'm going to pay for this later," he muttered. "Fine." To Mary Jane, he cupped his mouth and shouted, "Fine! Text me when! Go lie down, ya weirdo tsundere!"

She gave him a bright smile and blew him a kiss and a wink before leaving the window to shut the curtain.

Igneel chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets. Shaking his head, he rolled his bottom lip between his teeth and risked a glance up at the closed window. "Dammit, MJ, tuggin' at my heartstrings like that. Sheesh. Why does she know she's got me wrapped around her damn finger?"

"Um. Sir?"

Igneel blew out a breath as he walked away with a dismissive wave to the security guards who had come out, alarmed at his shouting. "I'm goin', I'm goin'," he promised. "Sorry for the shouting. Won't happen again." He took out his Compact and he was mentally chewing himself out.

Well, there went me doing the 'right thing' bullshit, he thought sourly. What am I supposed to do? I can't let MJ down, not now. She'll be crushed and I… I already hate I'll be the one to make her cry. Igneel leafed through his contacts. Then, he saw someone he did not think of. Quickly, he called the number and pressed his Compact to his ear. When it connected, he cut in, "Hey, dude, listen, I'm sorry to bother you, but I need a favor." He glanced up at the closed curtain window. "A really big favor. And I'll make it good."

---

Nashi never thought there would come a day when she was riding a lion, but here she was, sitting on the back of Býleistr in his Lion Form, hands entangled in his mane. He guided them through the maze of debris and tried his best to shield her from bodies wound up in agony, some partially eaten, some that had been buried, but she still saw them and avoided her eyes to keep her nausea down. "I can't believe this is that same city," she murmured into his mane. "So many people…so many creatures… They've all died."

"Out of the labyrinth," Býleistr reminded in a huff. "The ones who died in the labyrinth or were absorbed will never recover their bodies here in your world."

"That's so sad," she whispered. "All those families out there… They'll file missing person reports that'll turn into cold cases. They'll never get the answers they deserve."

"They will."

Nashi looked over and tried not to look startled seeing Talia effortlessly keep up with Býleistr's sprints and maneuvers like she was a gazelle. Talia told, "Because this was Kyler's task, he will be the one to greet the families of the missing and the deceased. He's a powerful enough Enoch to siphon off their pain and prevent them from falling into great despair."

Nashi crouched more into Býleistr's mane as she said, "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but how are you keeping up with a freaking lion?"

"Demon Speed," Talia said simply, "and God Speed, now. Only those in touch with their powers on a personal level can achieve this. Because you possess Divine Souls and now have infused Angel Blood, you'll have above-average speed than a mortal, but nothing in comparison to my pace."

Nashi sweatdropped. How does she make me feel like a child? She winced at another thundering boom. Looking up, she could not see anything with buildings blocking her way, but she could hear gunshots and spells cast and monstrous roaring. I hope we're not too late, she worried.

We—Nashi screamed when a voice talked back to her—probably are, Princess.

She looked at Býleistr in horror. You can read my mind?

Býleistr's ear twitched in agitation. Yes, Princess, even without your screaming, he grunted. Celestial Spirits have a link with their owners; didn't you know that?

Well, yeah, Nashi spluttered, but I thought it was just those who took the vow and everything. I just got used to you talking!

Lesser Celestials, yeah, Býleistr agreed. They can't use Telepathy or really any of their powers without the vow. But stronger Celestials only need to be summoned or have a natural strong connection with someone and we get all mushy inside and decide to link with you. Talking isn't really ideal when I'm running my tail off.

This is so freaky, Nashi whispered.

If you're going to be freaked out over everything, this is going to be a very long night.

Nashi tugged at his mane for retaliation. Whatever. I'm just worried, okay? You would be too if your partner is God-knows-where and the man who went all vampire-I-will-turn-you on you in a biblical sense is fighting a Demon.

Býleistr grunted. Then fucking use your powers and figure out what's going on, he advised, clearly done. You got a power boost, so take advantage of it and use that Empathic Link you have with your boy toy.

How did you—?

Comes with the territory of linking with you, Býleistr cut in. I know all your abilities and weaknesses to better serve you. Isn't that cute?

Nashi bit her bottom lip. But last time, I was at least touching something from nature. I can't touch something while I'm on your back.

A growl. Moonbeams, Princess, do I have to spell everything out for you? Býleistr spat, emoting his ire through their link and sent Nashi's head pulsing. You're a damn Heartfilia. Don't you know anything about Celestials?

So I skipped a few history lessons; big deal, Nashi snapped. Stop being an asshole and just tell me what I need to know.

Býleistr huffed as he gunned it down another street when he smelt Darklings nearby and their intent to kill. A Celestial can enhance your own powers. Celestials might use our own energy, but we siphon some to all of our power from our contractors depending on the way we were summoned. How much power the owner has is how much power we have here unless we self-summon. To us, you're a walking sun in the middle of the Void. Your angelic purity goes on for rays. You have enough power to bypass your little 'I need to be one with Mother Earth' by having me as a guide. Won't be the same connection, but you should be able to reach him empathetically.

Okay, fine. She felt around his mane. So how is this supposed to work?

First off, stop yanking my mane—literally. I'm not neutered, Princess, and mane-pulling is a serious kink. Amusement flittered through their link. Wouldn't want Wolverine jealous you turned me on now, would you?

Nashi rolled her lips as she backed off. Okay… So, would you mind please telling me how this is supposed to work so we can avoid that from happening ever again?

A rough chuckle. Feel your way through it and I'll be your support. You and the Wolverine have a connection, right? Use it. Fuel it with your emotion. You might not be able to get a clear picture, but you'll get a general sense and feel his emotions. It's the same feeling you got when you named him.

Nashi swallowed and nodded. Got it. Her eyes closed. Feel my way… But what does he even feel like? She leaned forward to bury her head in Býleistr's fur. He feels like…like the middle of a winter storm. He's rough and aggressive on the outside, but on the inside, he's…kind and concerned. But calling him a 'softie' might earn me a spanking. Still, though, I could feel it when I touched his soul. Worse for the wear, but so determined and so scared…

A niggling feeling came to the back of her mind and moved to the forefront. She could feel her physical senses fading.

It's like he's fighting. He's fighting, but he doesn't know what. And it scares him that he doesn't know. He tries not to show it, but I could feel all his fears.

Darkness bore its hood onto her. The sounds of war and the smell of disaster were gone. Whispers of winters and ice breezed through, but they did not stick.

He's temperamental and rude towards Gary, but it's only because something makes him afraid. He might've teased me a lot, but I saw the real him in Margaret and now, in this labyrinth. I didn't see a monster. I didn't feel threatened or scared of him. I just saw and felt…him.

Winter's call blew across Nashi's mind and she was nearly consumed in its howls. She was blinded in the raging storm with nowhere to turn. But that mattered little. Jolts hit her of pain that would lead to bleeding. Motivation was there. It was the only grip left. Motivation for one purpose: her. Another bolt of pain made the howls turn to screams and those screams tried to take over her mind. Like she was hauling herself out of a pool from a deep dive, her eyes shot open, reality slapped her, and she panted like she ran a marathon.

"He's in danger," she choked out. "Something's beating the crap out of him." She coughed into her elbow. "But I didn't get a location."

Talia spoke, "But I can." She forced everyone to come to a halt next to a half-demolished cheap chapel. She tossed her hand up and let it ripple down as glitter appeared. It shifted to an icy blue tinged in red and black. Her head turned southeast. "He's at the casino," she decreed. "Nashi's right. He's badly injured. Death will come soon to him."

Nashi nodded. "Then, we go and bail him out."

I have to say, 'no' to this, Býleistr groused. We don't know what we're up against and if you start going in, guns blazing, we're going to risk you overusing your power and passing out. No.

Nashi glared at the Leo Minor. "Hey," she snapped, "I'm not that reckless. He's my partner. I'm not leaving him alone in this mess. We fight together. Ride or die."

Býleistr flicked his tail and rolled his eyes. You Heartfilia's are so damn dramatic, he hissed. Fine. We'll go after the Wolverine. But the first sign of things getting dicey and we're jumping. I will take you by the scruff if I have to.

Nashi grinned. Whatever you say, kitty. To Talia, she asked, "Can you take us there?"

"Yes." Talia turned. "Follow me and stick close. I might be a deterrent towards Darklings and familiars, but you are a beacon to them. More of them roam near the casino as a defense mechanism. We must avoid conflict at all costs." Her eyes glanced at Býleistr. "Jumping to the Devil's location isn't wise. Sprinting gives us the advantage of seeing the situation without putting ourselves in unnecessary risks." She took off in a fierce sprint.

Býleistr bunched his muscles. Tch. Know-it-all half-pint. A snarl in his throat, he bounded after Talia.

°•°•°•°

CRACK!

Skade spat blood when he landed on the edge. Below him were thirteen floors and a sea of Darklings and familiars waited to have a piece of him before their master took him for himself. Blood clouded Skade's vision. Red and yellow swarmed around his right eye and he could barely keep it open. Fur and skin had been shredded in unruly patches and he knew his ankle had been broken. But still… Skade tested his wings. Angel… Must…protect her…

"Oh, dear… I hope you are sincerely not thinking of running away."

Skade could not even widen his eyes when Mammon picked him up by his bat-like wing made of ice and Skade pressed his bloody lips together to keep from screaming. Mammon allowed the blade of his ax to lightly go down the wing with a feathered touch. "Running away simply will not do," Mammon told him. "The master has requested your presence. Will you now come with me?"

Skade cackled and did not care bile and blood fizzled out. "Never…"

Mammon sighed. "I see." He gripped his ax tighter. "Forgive me."

RIP!

Skade could not even feel the pain of his eyes widening, but he felt the pain of a blade tearing into his wing. Unwillingly, a shriek left his lips that ended up in a blood choke. His body flailed and twitched as the blade hacked at his wing and sawed cleanly into the bone.

Mammon dropped Skade to the ground and watched as Skade withered and yelped. He looked at his ax in dismay. "I'll have to thoroughly clean my weapons from all the blood and muscle, thanks to your stubbornness." He took out a clean handkerchief to start wiping the edge of his blade. "You cannot run from Lord Bael. I suppose you could hide, but I would discourage that. If Lord Bael commands it, I would hunt you down and repeat these methods."

Unsatisfied his blade was still stained in blood, he looked down at Skade who had calmed from the pain adrenaline and his breathing was becoming shallower. Mammon sighed and stooped down to grab Skade's broken ankle. "Come now." He dragged Skade away from the edge. "Your defiance to the request limits my ability to take you away. I will continue to try and persuade you."

Skade exhaled blood as blood crusted around his vision and mouth. Malãi'…ka…

°•°•°•°

Bael tried to keep his cool, but it was easy to tell the Demon was losing his patience when the black clouds snarled above him. He watched his Oriens suffer at the hands of the great snake Kyler had conjured up. I don't need to get worked up over playing with some Enoch, he spat to himself. Though, he's impressive. I'll give him that. If he wasn't so pure, I would've stolen him from Mirella myself. He hollered to Kyler, "This is cute, but how about we join in on the fun?"

Kyler lifted his chin. "Why? You want to change the game just because you're losing? How fitting for a Demon like you. Always a sore loser."

Bael gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep calm. "Just like Agents to avoid starting a fistfight," he jeered. "What? Afraid of getting your hands dirty?"

"With your blood?" Kyler slowly waved a hand and the great serpent slithered back into being his gifted staff. "That's what I look forward to the most."

Bael snapped a finger and Oriens disappeared. He air-skated circles around Kyler with a sneer. "Hate to admit that my favorite daughter has taste. You might not be a pure-blooded Agent, but you're strong and you have a murderer's eyes." He flew himself backwards a few meters. "Breaking you would be so much fun."

"Not even you, a third hierarchy Demon, can touch me," Kyler reminded unkindly. "You won't touch my daughter, Mirella, or my sister-in-wings and her friends ever again."

Bael guffawed. "'Sister-in-wings'? What is this, a sorority?" He crossed his arms. "What and who I touch isn't your damn business, Enoch. But here, I'll play my part right." He cleared his throat and mocked, "You think you'll stop me? You and what army?"

"I don't need an army to kill you."

Bael snickered. "You're right. An army couldn't dream of taking me down."

Father, Dagon grunted through his connection with Bael, I have a lock on the Heartfilia Witch.

Good. Get her and her youngest spawn and prep them from Eden. I'll join you shortly. Bael spread his hands and darkness colored darker than black flowed behind him. Soulless faces appeared from such murky energy as they bemoaned their death. A reaper's breath filtered the air and tainted it with intense thoughts of suicide, murder, rage, and despair. "You've got guts, kid," he praised. "I'll give you that. Not even my sons had the guts to fight for Mirella over me. They're strong, but their moms weakened their dom side." He clapped his hands and the darkness swarmed and took a dive towards Kyler. Bael watched as his Curse banded together to encircle the Enoch and imprison him. "But not even you are good enough to stand toe-to-toe with—"

Nothing could have prepared him for the blinding shot of turquoise. And nothing could have prepared him to see his imprisoning Curse shattered like it was nothing.

Kyler stood unbothered as energy wafted off him and a white glow alit his staff.

Bael snarled as ire filled him. "What the Hel?" He threw a hand and his Curse drilled towards Kyler.

Kyler held out his staff.

Gold widened when the Curse was shattered upon first contact. "No." Bael refused to believe this. Wave after wave, he threw more and more of his Curse at Kyler and each time Kyler shattered the attack, it fueled Bael with impenetrable hatred. So much so, the vein in his neck bulged and he was itching to shred himself out of his farce of a body. "You aren't this strong!" he hissed. "You lost to me!"

"I did." Kyler shattered the next attack. "I was young and stupid and heartbroken. But I'm not that little Enoch anymore. I am a messenger of the Presence. And They have given me the strength to let these people go and free them from you, Evil One."

Bael snarled as his muscles bulged and his skin threatened to tear. "All this showboating just so you can ride into the sunset with my daughter?" He cackled as his anger gained control and began to exchange skin for fur and scales. Black feasted on his body and face like mites as he grew into his next form. "How noble of you. But you're just one entity, Enoch. Not even you have the power to get rid of me! Agents don't have the power to kill! Your 'Presence' evades murder and death on the hands of Their loyal little Agents, isn't that right?"

Kyler closed his eyes as he felt the staff soothe over energy on his body. "I don't have to kill you to put you down," he started off in a low voice. "I don't need to commit murder to be your equal. And I don't need an army to defeat you. No more lives are going to be taken by your hands or your Curse, Bael. Not now. Not ever." He opened his eyes as they glowed turquoise and his staff rattled with energy.

Because before them was the one of the monsters Bael had hidden from the world. Before them was a shadow full of chaos and death with glowing gold eyes and a Cheshire smile that could unnerve the worst of them.

Bael cackled as the shadow pulsed. "You don't know what you're up against, Enoch."

"I do," Kyler assured with unyielding resolve. "So let's cut the conversation, so I can free these people of you." Eyes narrowed, body charged in energy, he soared towards Bael with his staff as his guide. "Thus saith the Lord."

---

TICK!

A tick mark pounded against Mirella's temple. Will someone tell me…?

PEW…!

Three fighter jet boats raced after her as they launched Ethernano-infused missiles.

…why I'm being targeted by a freaking air strike team?

Mirella flew on her back as she whirled her hands to slow down the missiles before they could touch her. With a grunt, she redirected the missiles and they soared directly to the dark streaks in the sky. Two exploded, but the third was kept as a consolation prize. Her jaw was taut when she saw Hammon's face in the shadowed streak as he clutched the missile. He winked at her and called, "Is that how you greet your brother, sis?"

Mirella flicked her wrist for her death scythe to emerge. "It is when you're about to murder someone!" Pulling up, she avoided the bullets shooting at her. "How could I forget how big of kiss asses you were to that Demon? Being his bitch, answering at his beck and call—!" She held out a hand and one of the fighter jet boats wobbled and forcibly turned their fire onto the three galloping streaks in the air. "Makes me sick!"

Hadad broke from his shadowed streak for his lightning spear to fire at the flight of jet boats. Mirella could not throw her power fast enough and watched as lightning over took each jet boat in the flight. One by one, they dropped from the sky and forced her to stop. She flew after them without hesitation with a hand out to slow their speed and force the jet boats to change their trajectory, but it cost her more and more of her power to slow them before they crashed into farmlands. Slowly pulling back her hand, she forced the jet boats to land peacefully on the rolling planes before whipping around to shoot after her half-brothers.

Dammit. They're going to use my moral code against me, Mirella spat. Should've known. Just like Bael. They'll use innocent life if it means they get a leg up. An idea came to her and she grimaced. To fight dirty against the dirty you have to fight dirty too. Flapping her wings, she forced herself to increase her speed to catch up. She shouted, "Hey! Assholes! Let's play a game!"

Of course, Hammon seemed the most interested in this. "Oh? What sort of game?"

"Ignore her!" Dagon huffed. "Father has instructed no distractions!"

Mirella smirked. "The game of if you beat me, I become your pet."

Both Hammon and Hadad had noticeably slowed, but Dagon rocketed away. Mirella held up her smirk, but one eye followed Dagon. Two out of three. That's fine. As long as I'm quick giving them a beating and putting them out of commission, I can easily catch up. Muta should've warned the Priestess-Queen already. And if Bael sent his lapdogs, it means those wards around the Etherious King's territory are too strong. She gripped her death scythe. "Come now, boys. Last time I checked, I won ninety percent of our matches. I wouldn't mind beating you again."

Hammon hooted as he suspended in mid-air. "You hear that, Hadad? Our dearest sister wants to be our pet!"

Hadad's lightning spear cracked at the implication. "A fair wager for a match," Hadad supposed. "Dagon can take care of the hunt. If we bring her back to Tate, I'm sure we'll see a bigger reward. Maybe he'll give us the honor of playing with her in his playroom."

Mirella winked. "Then, catch me. And try to keep up." Spinning around, she zoomed off into a different direction and knew without a doubt both were tailing her eagerly. This used to be my life. Bael pitting me against my half-siblings to keep me in line and make an example out of the others. He passed me around to them if they won, so it gave me more motivation to win my matches so I could sleep in my own bed. Their sin using me as their muse is their downfall and I'll show them that. I just need to get them away from people and beat their asses and then Dagon's. And then… A fantasy image conjured in her mind. An image of her and Talia and Kyler all smiling and laughing together. And then I go home to the love of my life and our daughter.

°•°•°•°

Luna ignored Luke's pleas and flinched away from Icarus's touch as she stormed into the treehouse. Luke was carrying packed belongings to keep her occupied from DVDs to slinging his gaming consoles to board games and his and her PALs. As he set down their belongings in the main room, he called, "Lu, please! Try to understand!"

Luna marched up the steps and added an extra loud stomp.

Luke groaned. "Lu…"

Luna feigned she could not hear her brother as she came to the bedroom and threw herself onto it. She felt Icarus pace the side of the bed, unsure whether to jump on, but the moment he came onto the bed to sniff it, she gave him her back. Icarus circled before plopping down at her side and whining. He nudged her back. Pup, please…

Save it. A vicious hiss. We're leaving Mama out there to defend us. We're being cowards.

We're being 'smart', Icarus corrected. Mother Star brings valid points.

Not when she's in danger too.

But she has had decades to perfect her craft. The same argument. You, Pup, are still a little wet behind the ears and I still pick you up by the scruff. Your power is great, but it is too unpredictable. She will have other Star Spirits as allies.

Luna curled up. It doesn't matter. I should be protecting myself and Mama and you and Luke. I can't keep running. I want to get strong enough to protect all of you.

And you will. Icarus made a half-moon around her and laid his head near hers. Your time will come, Pup, but today is not that day. Allow your littermate and I to care for you. Mother Star and her Star Spirits are only the second lines of defense if your sire's and her protection spells fall. And I have a high doubt that will happen.

Luna wriggled to face her Spirit and ran a hand through his fur. I just need to get stronger faster to protect the people I love, she whispered. Is it bad to want that?

No, little cub, it isn't. Icarus lapped her forehead. I, too, want to keep my family safe. And there was a time when I was young like you and could not. My leader taught me patience and timing were as essential as the moon and the sun.

Luna hummed. Your leader sounded smart. But still, that must have sucked.

Icarus' deep laugh resounded within their link. Oh, it did. I got teeth to my scruff and plenty of nips. But it taught me a valuable lesson.

Luna agreed and turned over to get off the bed. She looked at all the photos hung on the walls. Most were the ones she had taken when she was younger, but some came from her siblings and the silly times they had. "I just can't stop the feeling in my stomach, Icarus," she murmured. "Something's more than wrong. I just don't know what it is." She stopped at a particular photo and plucked it from the wall. A smile flitted over her face as she took in the photograph. It was a haphazard picture with her eyes peeking out from the bottom as she laid on a picnic blanket with younger versions of her siblings lying with her in a circle. Nashi had a butterfly on her shoulder, Igneel looked mortified with his hair a fiery pink, and Luke was laughing a full-bodied laugh.

"I remember this one," she whispered. "It was springtime, getting close to summer. We decided to have our picnic out here." She simpered to herself. "It was a lot of fun. Mama and Papa were away on business, so we had our auntie Aquarius and Uncle Scorpio babysitting that day. I think Luke was making fun of Igneel for getting freaked out when a butterfly landed on his nose." Her thumb stroked across a younger Nashi with little care in the world. If we're getting enemies at home, I just can't stop worrying about Nashi. Sending her Uncle Loke's brother worked, but… She traced the face frozen in time. What if she's not okay? What if she got help from Býleistr, but then that was it?

I'm sure Mother Star would tell you, Icarus thought, watching her carefully.

Luna sighed. Maybe, but… I don't know. I just… I'd feel better seeing it myself. Chocolate softened. She's strong, but she's my sister. I love her. I want to look out for her and protect her too. And I know that—

An explosion hit Luna's mind.

The picture fluttered to the ground.

As Luna began to fall, mouth open in silent scream, Icarus was rushing off the bed. He caught her on his side before she could fall as she shook and hyperventilated. Pup! Icarus urged her, whining. Luna! What's wrong? I feel a wall coming up to try and block our link!

Luna clutched her head as agony seared her bones and banged into her mind. "It hurts…!" she bemoaned as fresh tears from pain's kiss left her. "Icarus…! Help me!" Nausea flattened her and pain deafened her ears from Icarus' whines. She heard Luke's shout muffled, like her ears were waterlogged from her suffering. Eyes shut, she shook violently and her throat contracted as though trying to get her to heave. "Oh gosh…! It hurt—!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The focus flashed to a disaster zone bathed in blood and wreckage and the dead unable to be buried. A wild scream tore out with words. The focus caught a glimpse of a portal, golden, and the insignia of a lion waiting for it. A blur of a beast past with a roar seeking opponents. A lion rushed the opposite direction while the scent of tears and a heart's despair invaded her nose and her eyes caught billowing pink h—

An empty Sky Port was always a quiet one, but it was eerily quiet. Only the red-eye Sky Boats were here and there were little. A woman and her boyfriend were huddled together as they whispered their love. One of them would be saying good-bye. Another figure was hunched over and radiated the pain of confliction, of duty over heart. Tinges of deep blue ate at blonde hair that had been tried to be covered in a hoodie. Hands knotted together, clenched, and a jaw worked as though trying not to cr—

A forest as a background, two people were staring down with weapons never seen and fully platinum. Their eyes widened in unexpected horror as a shadow overtook their own. That shadow had been poised in a giant raven of four eyes and shrieked before diving d—

The interrogation room was sealed tight. Sealstone walls were evident and you could feel the power draining with each passing moment. Two people stood on opposite sides of the table. Nashi, dressed like a laywer's assistant, sat with clear eyes and lifted chin, but her bottom lip trembled. Across from her was the Ice Devil, cut up and bruised with no one to heal him, a straitjacket restraining him, and a muzzle for good measure. Coldness steeled his eyes, but you could see beneath the surface of such a guarded emotion, there was—

There was darkness. But a lilting voice called to her, breathing for her to wake up. The darkness brightened and brightened until a form gathered before the focus. Wings kissed by the Angels, a man had bent over to help her with eyes made of turquoise—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Luna?!"

Icarus moved for Luke to hold his little sister while Icarus paced, whining unashamedly. Luke stroked her hair as she panted and gasped. "Luna," he fretted, "do you need to throw up? Should I take you to the bathroom?"

"It hurts…!" Luna's eyes fluttered as another dose of hurt slammed within her. It felt like it was tearing her apart. "Help me…" Agonized chocolate clashed with helpless honeyed amber as Luna raked her nails down her cheeks. "Help me, please!"

Luke wrestled with her wrists to bring them away from her face and rocked her as she screamed and sobbed. "I've got you, Lu," he soothed. The hand on her back moved in a circle as gold heated from his palm. "Let it out. I've got you." As he murmured his calming spell, worry gnawed at him. It's happening again. And as much as I hate to say it… His eyes dropped to his Compact in his pocket. No. We can figure this out without him. He closed his eyes and poured more Magic into his spell. We're going to get through this, Lu. I promise you.

°•°•°•°

"Another round!"

Gale grunted as Tesla slapped down more jewel for her next series of shots. Jaxon gave the bartender a look who nodded and got a shot of tequila, but the rest of the shots were water. The bar and grill was packed at happy hour even for a Sunday. All the churchgoers were out from the scrutiny of God and were enjoying a hearty meal. Miles was still dressed in his Sunday best (his Catholic mamá would kill him if he missed mass), but he groaned, head on the counter, from the reaming his mother gave him for sneaking in during the wee hours of the morning. Kat mockingly baby-spoke to him as she sipped her hard lemonade. Julia sat on one side of Gale while Dash was on the other (he made sure it would be that way), though both were talking over him like he did not exist and he did not like that. Cane was too busy picking up a Sunday school teaching assistant and by the way she giggled, he was succeeding. The bar had multiple games from ISPN, but everyone seemed to follow the Sunday hockey game.

Gale twirled around his beer bottle before drinking the rest and letting out a sigh as he studied the bottle.

Drinking isn't becoming of you, Little Gem.

Gale snorted. Like you know what's 'becoming of' me.

Sycaña sighed. Trying to push your emotions off on my decision to inoculate you with more of my power rather than the true source isn't becoming of my heir.

A new beer bottle was given to Gale and he called, "Double Chattanooga with a splash of water." To Sycaña, he retorted, You can read my mind, right? Then, figure it out and leave me alone.

It is because I can read your mind that I cannot. Gentle concern feathered around her thoughts, not at all hesitant. I understand last night was a lot. Fighting your friend took much out of you physically. But you will heal from that far quicker than your emotional backlash.

Gale gripped his beer bottle. Stop it, Mama S, he gritted, jaw locking. You're treading on thin ice.

Sycaña did not care. You feel the pain of her walking away and envy it was not you she sought comfort from. You feel anger at yourself for letting it happen and shame for not saving yourself for her.

The grip tightened. Watch it.

And the guilt towards her dame… You feel such a guilt for inflicting—

CRASH!

"Yeah…!"

Over the roar of the bar and high risers crying in cheers when the New Azalea Rangers scored and pushed the game into overtime, no one but Julia and Dash heard or saw Gale's fist clam up onto his beer bottle and break it. The glass shattered and two chards sliced through Gale's glove and made him bleed. But he did not care. How could he care about feeling that when he was feeling so much more?

Julia hissed. "Jesus, Gale!" She grabbed a napkin to collect the shards when a bartender rushed over with the double Chattanooga and another beer and assured her he would take care of it. Julia and Dash both looked at Gale wide-eyed for Julia to lean in and whispered, "What the Hell, Gale? What's going on?"

"Nothing." Two syllables growled like a threat. "Leave it the fuck alone."

"Dude," Dash warned, "chill. Peaches is just trying to—"

His words were gutted when Gale grabbed his t-shirt and fisted it. Crimson clashed with dark coffee as Gale showed his fangs and snarled lowly, "I don't ever want to hear you give Lady J a nickname ever."

Julia jerked back Gale's shoulder and forced him to release Dash. Scowling, she punched Gale's arm and did not care he flinched. "Stop it!" She smiled in kind when a bar-goer noticed the aggressive interaction. "Stop making a damn scene," she hissed to Gale into his ear. "Who died and made you the king of assholes?"

Gale knocked back his Chattanooga before answering her. "I don't want him getting familiar with you," he decided to say like Dash was not next to him.

"He's my friend just like he's your friend," Julia snapped.

A sinister smirk crawled onto Gale's face. "And I'm your friend too, but you don't come to me when you're drunk and need a pity fuck."

Now Dash was up in arms. "That's uncalled for and low, Redfox, even for you," he sneered. "It wasn't a pity fuck—"

"Really?" Gale knocked his next Chattanooga and chased it with his beer. "Because I bet my right nut sack she was thinking about her little lover when she came."

Julia looked about ready to hit him, but she restrained herself. Under her breath, she murmured, "You're acting like more of a dick than before. I get you're heartbroken and you're drunk, but this is unacceptable. You're pissing me off. Dash doesn't deserve to be treated like this and neither do I." When Gale made to get another swig of beer, she ripped away the bottle. "You're cut off."

Gale glared at her. "Not your call, Fullbuster."

"I'm making it my call, dick." To one of the bartenders who gave her a glance, she called, "Put his tab on mine. He's done for the night. He asks for a drink? Give him water on the rocks."

Gale growled at her and pushed away from the bar. "I'm done with this shit," he seethed. "Why the fuck do you care about me anyways?"

"Because you're my best friend," Julia snapped at him like he had the audacity to ask such a sacrilegious thing. She pulled both shards from his hands gently. "You're a dick and an asshole, but you are like another brother to me and I love you. That's why I care and that's why you're done." She jammed a finger into his bandaged side and did not care he groaned at the pain and banged his fist on the counter at it, head doing down. "You're injured and hurting. You're being pitied right now. Once you're done being pitiful and pathetic, I'm punching the shit out of you for saying bullshit like that and embarrassing me and Dash. But right now isn't the time." Her eyes flickered to Dash who stared at her in wonder. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "He didn't mean—"

"I know, Peaches," Dash said dismissively. "Guy's my friend too, even if we act like dicks to each other. This isn't the first time he's had issues with me." Dark coffee narrowed in knowing. "But I didn't think he'd bring up us."

Julia blew out a breath and looked away. "There's no 'us', Dash," she reminded, timbre soft. "Just a night. And I didn't mean to tell him." She rubbed Gale's back as he muttered about something being wrong with gravity. "Look, it's long and it's complicated, okay? I don't have the clearance nor the time to tell you. I need to figure out a way to get him somewhere safe."

"Come back to my place."

Julia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Dash, what did I just say?"

"I'm offering you a couch to lay him on." Dash got up and signaled he was done for the night. "Listen, Peaches, I get it. Whatever you two have got going on is a lot. I'm not asking to be a part of it. I'm just offering a little bit of a safe haven since he can't go home like that or his mom will murder him and you can't bring him back to your place without your parents calling his." When Julia still hesitated, Dash put his hand atop hers on Gale's back. "Just an offer. Just a couch. Nothing more."

"I'm still here," Gale muttered, cheek smooshed onto the counter. "But, please, let my pain be ignored so you two can have disgusting sexual tension."

Both ignored him.

Julia opened her eyes to give Dash a long look. Her eyes flickered behind her to see Amber cozy with a hockey fan. "And Amber—"

"Not my girlfriend, Peaches, so she doesn't control visitation rights over my apartment," Dash interjected. A grin caught him. "Damn, where was all this thoughtfulness the last time? You were all-too-happy to get to my apartment the last time, remember?"

"Keyword is 'last time'," Gale grumbled. "As in 'never gonna happen again'."

He went ignored again.

Julia smiled a little. "I'm a lot more sober." She nodded down to Gale. "Fine. We'll take him back to yours."

Gale raised a finger. "I object to this moon ocean, good sir," he slurred, "and demand a retr'l."

He went ignored for a third time.

°•°•°•°

Gale was plopped onto the couch without any grace. He groaned from his sore wounds and laid an arm across his eyes. A drunken snicker escaped him. "Mmm… Car'ful ther', Blondie, with the goods." He turned to his side to face the couch's back. "Blondes 're so much fun."

Julia crossed her arms as she watched Gale. "Who gets drunk off their ass on a Sunday?" she muttered.

"Me."

Julia looked up to see Dash hanging from the kitchen flap. He held up a water bottle. "Want some?" He jerked a thumb towards the kitchen. "I have sweet tea too."

Julia smiled. "You hate that crap."

Dash's eyes sparked. "Yeah. And you like it." He disappeared back into the kitchen.

Julia sighed and decided to sit back on the couch armrest. The living room was actually spacious with a full entertainment center and simplistic interior design. Pictures were hung and records, all signed by the artists, but there were no pictures of family or friends up. A Belnich Shepherd-Pitbull mix laid in his dog bed, though his eyes watched Julia with curiosity and eagerness. When she gave him the time of day, he crawled out of his dog bed and placed a paw on her lap. His tongue came out when she scratched his cheeks.

The kitchen flap opened. "You're gonna spoil Wally that way."

Julia looked up and accepted the glass of sweet tea Dash offered her. "Thanks." She took a sip while she moved behind Wally's ears to scratch. "This good boy deserves to be spoiled. Right, Wally?"

Wally gave a gravelly noise at that as if he agreed with her.

Dash nudged Julia off the couch armrest and guided her to the loveseat to have on her own space. Wally jumped up to lie his head in her lap while Dash took the recliner and chugged a few gulps of water. He eyed Gale and snorted when the Earth Dragon of Fairy Tail twitched like he was chasing something and mumbled how he thought his "princess" was such a tease. "Cane and I go day drinking, but never thought Gale would and would get plastered. Not like him."

"His heart's been broken this weekend," Julia empathized. "Give him a break. I'm just happy we were with him this time."

Dash looked over at the darkness touching Julia's face. "I take it his time at the party Friday night wasn't one of his finest moments? Anything to do with that chick that kept asking if we had his number?"

Julia grimaced. "Gale told me Miles accidentally gave it to her," she noted. "Drunk Miles is way too friendly."

"He's a people person to begin with," Dash countered. "Good thing he has Kitty-Kat. She's logical and hardcore. All about balance."

"Yeah. 'Balance'." She studied Gale as she took another sip of sweet tea. "You think Gale and Luna balance each other out?"

Dash shrugged. "A little, yeah. Igneel and Gale make sure I barely speak to the girl, but from what Cane tells me and what I've seen and heard, she's pretty kind and sweet and patient when she wants to be, but even she has a temper on her." He gestured to Gale. "Dude's hard-headed and intense as fuck. If he's the storm, she's gotta be the calm." Julia hummed her agreement and Dash asked her, "Everything really went to shit with them, didn't it? For a guy like him, I would've thought he would've confessed or something."

"Let's go with 'or something'," Julia decided. When Wally whined and flopped over for belly scratches, she caved. "It's hard confessing, but, at the same time, it's not. People make assumptions where they stand and don't want to say anything. Other people are more nervous about rejection. Taking the leap means uncertainty and no one likes to go into the unknown without some form of certainty. Knowing him, he was probably scared of the rejection. He thinks the world of her and he thinks for some reason she would leave him for someone else and it makes him terrified and very jealous."

Dash agreed to that, but he was watching her. "Experience talking?"

Julia put on a bitter smile. "Not at all." She glanced over to him. "Eiji… About what Gale said… I wasn't thinking of anyone else that night." She looked away. "Maybe I was a little at the beginning, but it didn't end that way."

"At least you're honest," Dash supposed not unkindly. "It was my fault anyway. You weren't in a good place and I should've taken you home."

That sharpened pools of ocean. "What is it with men trying to decide what's best for me?" she rumbled. "I wanted it too, Eiji. It was consensual. It wasn't a mis—" She stopped.

"It wasn't a mistake…right?" Dash offered to finish. "That's what you were going to say?" Julia focused on Wally and Dash put his water on the coffee table to get up. When Wally spotted him, he twisted around to make room for him and then nuzzled Dash's stomach the moment he sat for scratches. "I'm not saying I regret it. I'm sorry if it came out that way," he apologized quietly. "I just thought you might regret it when you realized having sex with me wasn't the same as having sex with you the man who was stupid enough to turn you down."

Julia laughed a bitter laugh. "I'm sure he thought he was being smart. In his words, he was doing what was 'best' for me."

"Not up for him to decide." Dash chuckled at Julia's raised eyebrow. "Well, men shouldn't be telling a badass like you what to do as you nearly chewed my head off for the implication just now. I think you're capable enough to draw up your own conclusion. Any women is."

Julia smiled a little. "And you're capable enough to build an empire and"—she gestured to the apartment—"have all this." She shook her head. "I can see what Amber sees in you."

Dash rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't sell to Amber," he confided. "I don't mix business with pleasure. What?" he added in a laugh when Julia shot a disbelieving frown. "I don't! So we casually fuck. But she doesn't get anything else from me, honest. Doesn't mean she hasn't tried, but she knows the rules."

Julia reached over for her sweet tea. "She might be one of my friends, but just know I don't support whatever you guys have going on."

"So you've mentioned." Dash waved it away, though he looked noticeably uncomfortable. "I've talked to her about it, but she keeps insisting nothing's wrong. I've tried flaunting around girls, but she just gets crazy jealous which is a big no for me."

"And have you slept with her since—?"

"Fuck no." Dash surprised Julia with how quick he was. "Peaches, no one came after you. Believe me, Amber's been pissed off I've been ignoring her and any girl I'm with knows we're only making out. I thought the party would've been the nail in the coffin, but"—he shrugged—"I don't know. She doesn't get it."

"Because she has feelings for you, dipshit," Julia laid out. "Of course she's going to be desperate to stick around and try to make you jealous."

"Which is why I'm trying to break it off," Dash inputted. "Jealousy equals feelings that I don't need."

"And that little kiss in the rain?" WhenDash arched an eyebrow, Julia elaborate, "Cane told me. He was speculating you two might hook up again."

Dash clicked his tongue. "More like I was relieved we weren't in the end times. The kiss was a mistake. I realized that and told her. She got pissed and found the next body to latch onto."

"I see." Julia sipped her sweet tea.

Dash took a swig of water and lackadaisically gestured to his apartment. "I don't need anyone to get mixed up in this with me. It's legal and everything and I don't sell to minors or over the borders or anything like that, but it's still a little illegal. Other dealers don't fuck with me, but it doesn't mean they won't fuck my girlfriend."

Julia arched an eyebrow. "Experience talking?" she parroted.

Dash smirked. "Not at all."

Julia hummed her laughter before standing up. "I better get going," she decided. "My family might not go to church, but I have to cover for this idiot since we do Sunday lunches with the Redfoxes."

Dash patted Wally's side and the mixed dog got up and trotted over to inspect Gale. "I'll walk you out." He did so, trailing her, and watched her slip back on her boots. She opened his door and he crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway the moment she stepped out. Before she could say her farewell, he murmured, "I'll make sure he sobers up. Tell your folks I got high or something and he's babysitting."

Julia cocked her head. "Really?"

"People already think I'm high, like, ninety percent of the time," Dash reasoned. "Not like Jet can do jackshit about it anyways ever since I moved out."

Julia frowned at him. "I know you don't like him, but he does worry about you," she told. "He asks about you to Cane, Gale, and I all the time."

Dash rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I'm sure he's worried about myself and his other children from their separate baby mamas," he agreed, sarcastic. "Peaches," he added in warning when Julia looked ready to argue, "don't start. Only interaction with Jet I have is when I get to see my little sister on his weekends. I'm keeping it that way. End of discussion." When Julia rolled her eyes at him, he touched her chin. "Text me when you get back to your place."

A saccharine smile. "Worried about little ole me, Eiji? You do realize there're ten different ways I could disable you right now without my Hunter's knife, right?"

Dash barked a guffaw. "It's sexy when you go all assassin on me," he teased her. "I just want to make sure you're still alive so I have a chance of a repeat night."

Julia could not shove back her grin nor her snorted snigger. "You did have a repeat. Multiple repeats in a night. Aren't you satisfied?"

"Do I strike you as a man who will ever be satisfied?"

Julia played along. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean. You forget yourself."

"You're like me"—Dash thumbed her bottom lip—"I'm never satisfied."

Julia's lips parted just a little. "Is that right?"

Dash leaned closer until their lips were only breaths apart. "I have never been satisfied." He broke the distance and pressed his lips into hers. For just a few moments, their lips moved together as their eyes fluttered shut. Both pulled back with hairs apart as though relishing the kiss. Dash's eyes flickered open down to her lips and gave her bottom lip another kiss before forcing himself to move away.

Julia opened her eyes to shoot him a sour look. "What happened to not mixing business with pleasure or was that bullshit?"

Dash smirked. "My 'business' with you is all pleasure, Peaches."

A huff. "Try telling that to one of your drug bunnies, Eiji. Not in the mood." She waved a hand as she moved down the hall. "See ya."

"Hey, Peaches!"

Julia turned around to cock her hip and lift her chin. "What now?"

"You owe me and I always collect," Dash reminded her before shooing. "Now get out because I kiss you again! Once I do, I won't stop this time! And you'll like it!"

Julia stuck her middle finger up at him as she walked away.

°•°•°•°

Igneel slouched as he approached the house, stomach growling. "Man, I need something to eat," he whined. "Ugh, and now I really need to make sure I pack up everything so I can get back to MJ." He opened the screen door and swung open the main door. "Ma!" he called. "I'm home!" He toed off his shoes before stretching and going towards the staircase. "I'm gonna finish packing!" It did not bother him no one answered him as he climbed the steps.

His bedroom would be barely touched. He had made sure to deep clean it in his fit of hyper-focus, unable to tear himself away from doing anything else. Instead, he drudged out the pack he had been using for his belongings. It looked like a normal hiking backpack from the exterior, but as Igneel went through his drawers and shelves and placed them within the pack, it was obvious something was wrong.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

«This is a Pocket Pack or a PDP which stands for Pocket Dimension Pack. Pocket Packs were made popular with an array of different designs. Each Pocket Pack is connected to a pocket dimension that allows the owner to carry a nearly unlimited number of items and even store living beings! The only drawback to a Pocket Pack is, should the clasp or zipper be destroyed, it will cut off contact with the pocket dimension it is attached to. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Igneel swiped a photo album to put into the pack when a photo fell out. He bent down to smile when he recognized the photograph. Wow. An old Hallow's Eve photo. Luna had dressed as Rapunzel while Nashi had decided on being a cat. She and himself (who had dressed up as a cowboy) butted heads while Luke (he had dressed as Elf) was trying to break them up. He looked at the date. This is really old.

Taking the album with him, Igneel sat back on his bed to leaf through. He chuckled as memories came back. Wow, we look so young. He thumbed at an earlier picture his parents had let him keep the week Luna had been born. Luke and he were curious about this new pinkish creature, but they fell in love with her on the spot. I don't remember much from when Lu was born, but Ma tells me all the time Luke and I were really protective of her, even from Pops!

Igneel kept going through to pause at a particular picture. A little hand that had just been bruised held complimenting charms of the acorn button and the thimble and both looked freshly polished. He saw the date and traced over it with a finger. "This was the day I got our necklaces," he murmured to no one. "It was the day before her birthday." He fished out his thimble to hold it in the palm of his hand. "She said…she wanted a kiss. She had given me a thimble, but she..." Grief stoked the embers in his soul. The picture diagonal to it showed a young Igneel with healing bruises and old bandages grinning as he showed off his new scarf much shorter than the one he wore. The day I got my scarf. I was…so happy. She was always worrying about me in the wintertime, but I told her I already had gloves and my fire kept me warm. And still…she made me a scarf to keep warm.

Igneel sniffed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his arm. Closing the album, he turned to his pack. Then, he hesitated. After moments of deliberation, he placed the album in his Pocket Pack. Swallowing away his sadness, he looked around his room. While he had packed a lot, a majority of his room still intact. His manga and comic book collection were shelved and organized. Notes and books were left neatly on his desk.

"Looks like I'm done," he murmured. A glance over to his desk showed an envelope with his seal. He went over to sweep it up and treated it like a feather. She deserves more than just some stupid letter. His hand landed on his scarf when his ear twitched and he heard the back door slide open and shut. He trotted out of his room to shout, "Ma! Is that you?"

"Igneel?" Lucy shouted up. "You're home?"

Igneel went down the other staircase to see his mother in the kitchen. Her eyes fleeted frantically, but she masked herself into a calm seeing her son. Igneel raised an eyebrow. "Um… Everything okay there, Mom?"

Lucy smiled all tense-like. "Everything's fine, Igneel. Just looking for something is all."

Igneel shrugged and that was when he noticed it. A small scent hit his nose masked in others, but it was there and it was unfamiliar. He sniffed again and tasted the air. "Have company over?"

"Oh… You could say that. He's an Exceed," Lucy explained for benefit of Igneel's curiosity. "He came to speak with Charla and Happy as a…messenger."

"Huh. Oh." Igneel swung down the rest of the stairs to get himself a snack. "Cool, I guess."

"Yes, so, um…" Lucy brushed back her hair and crossed her arms. "How, uh, did the whole thing with Mary Jane go? Did you tell her anything?"

Igneel froze from getting out his cereal. "I, um…" He buried his nose into his scarf. "I agreed to see her again later tonight."

Lucy's eyebrows rose and all her tension was gone. "You're still going to see her? Are you going to tell her?"

Igneel swallowed and shuffled his feet as his answer.

Lucy softened and went over to lean on the counter to look at her son. She questioned very delicately, "Did you write her a letter?"

Igneel set down his cereal to look at the countertop. "She doesn't deserve this," he croaked. "I'm a coward."

"In some ways, maybe," Lucy conceded in a loud exhale, "in other ways, not so much. Igneel, this isn't an easy choice to make. Ask your father. You're leaving everything and everyone you've known and loved. Not too many people could do that at your age. At least, willingly." When Igneel hunched away from her, Lucy tipped her head in concern. "Maybe seeing her will be a good thing." She held up a hand when Igneel opened his mouth. "Use this time you have with her to give her memories she can look back on when she misses you. You don't have to say the words, 'good-bye' to make your last night a good-bye."

"She thinks something's up," Igneel confessed. "I held her, Ma. She was crying. She said she felt something bad and she was…so happy I was with her. She got angry when I said 'good-bye' and hinted at it. I was supposed to walk out of the hospital without looking back, but I looked back and I saw her and kept thinking I'm a piece of shit for wanting to be there instead of making her hate me and—"

"Why make her hate you?"

"Because hating me means she won't cry when I'm gone," Igneel explained with a crack in his voice. "It'll hurt a lot feeling her hatred, but it's better than feeling her being depressed and hurt. I don't want her to cry over me, Ma. I want her happy." His eyes shut tight. "And she has…him now. Maybe he'll be good enough to make her forget me a-a-and…"

Lucy brought Igneel in for a hug. "Oh, my little Dragon," she whispered when Igneel instantly clung to her.

"She called me her 'best fr-fr-fr-friend'," Igneel choked into her shoulder. "She told me our friendship is going to be her f-f-f-favorite adventure. How she's so excited that we—!" He hacked down a cry and repressed his tears when the tips of his hair began to saturate in blue flames. "Why am I such a terrible person?"

"You are not a terrible person, Igneel," Lucy calmed. "You have strong feelings and that's okay to have." She held on tighter when Igneel tightened his grip on her. "The right thing to do isn't always the easiest. You think it's easy for me knowing I'm losing one of my kids? It's not. I'm going to miss you like crazy and worry if you're eating okay or if you remembered to bandage yourself after a fight or if you've forgotten Luna's birthday—"

Igneel snickered and pulled away. Onyx was watery, but he toyed with an amused smile. "Lu would never let me forget her birthday." He pulled out his Compact and hesitated. "If she could reach me…"

Lucy saw emotion the second more dark blue flames appeared in Igneel's hair and swiftly stepped in. "You know, writing letters isn't always for a good-bye," she told him. "Writing could be to check up on someone or tell them about your trip or maybe even having a pen-pal."

It was then something dangerous resonated with Igneel. "A pen-pal?"

Lucy nodded, but now she was wary and could see the thoughts rolling in his head. "Igneel…" she forewarned. "That doesn't mean—"

Igneel kissed his mother's cheek. "Thanks, Ma! And"—he softened a little—"I'll be back home late, okay? Want me to wake you up before I go?"

"W-W-Well, yes, but—!"

Igneel rushed off. "Awesome! See ya later tonight!"

"Don't run in the house!" Lucy shouted after him before dropping against the counter. "Why do I have the feeling I just gave him a bad idea?"

I think it's romantic, Loke chimed to her. Did you tell him?

He needs more time with Mary Jane, Lucy reasoned. They're not interested in him.

They could use him as a weapon against you.

Which is why Taurus will be following after him, Lucy soothed.

Taurus howled his moo. On it, my Juicy Lucy!

Lucy sweatdropped. "He's got to stop calling me that," she muttered. She looked over and out the window to the backyard. We should be protected as long as we don't leave the forest. I'll protect my family with everything I have.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Laxus walked through the shadows with his arms crossed and a tick mark twitching on his temple. "Damn kid," he muttered. "She's gone for two seconds and she disappears. I thought she was in her twenties, not two-years-old." He pushed his hair out from his face. "Well, either way, I can't go and find Lance and Aine without her." He stopped to look around, but it was no use. Tch. This is unnatural darkness. Even darker than the stuff Cheney uses. What did that freaky cat say? Whatever direction I want, it leads me down the road I want or something.

He picked up his feet, pivoted, and started walking. Fine. Then this is the direction of Lafayette.

The walk was a long and drawn out one. His steps made no sound in the darkness and there was no presence around him to assure he was going in the right direction. He kept himself on the straight and narrow and practiced the meditation Mira had taught him over the years. But even he could not pretend like his worries were not there. Dammit, Dazzler. Out of all the times for you to be alone right now…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

For a funeral, the sky was clear of clouds and the sun was shining. Spring had sprung and the birds were home. The wake was full of people and blurred faces. Some were Sorcerers, others Potioneers. Mages and Magicians far and wide had come to the wake with their crests, their Magical Instruments, and some still cherished the idea of a familiar.

Erza was busy speaking with one of the relatives and consoling them, but the focus was not interested in that. The focus looked at a girl barely into her womanhood with her father's hat in her hands and silver eyes dulled behind a veil of black.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

I remember how you were at the funeral, Laxus thought. You looked dead to the world. Your old man was one of the most intelligent and bravest Magicians I've ever worked with. And I know to this day it haunts you not knowing how he could have died. And the face you had when you learned you inherited his Enchanted Estate… I'll never forget those eyes. Those eyes were filled with something different than sadness. Those eyes…were filled with hatred.

"And we both know what's like to hate our father."

Laxus paused when he heard his own voice echo. "Oh. I see. So I take it you're my shadow."

"You'd be right. You're not that impressed."

"Not exactly," Laxus drawled. "I've had a lot of time to face my own personal demons."

"Even the demons about Ivan?"

Laxus stilled.

A chuckle. "Oh. Maybe not then." The voice circled around him like a predator. "It's kind of ironic how you want to be such a perfect dad. But didn't you drive two of your kids away from you? We understand Nikolas. He was a bit of a terrorist. Military school was a good fit for him, so he wouldn't become the power-hungry bastard you tried to be. But Veronika… You had no reason to push her that far."

Teeth clenched.

"I struck a nerve," came sinister coo. "Poor Laxus only trying to be the father Ivan couldn't only to push his oldest daughter into running away from home. How many years as it been since we've spoken to her now? Ten? But she'll speak to Mira if she's hard-pressed. And you say you didn't grow up to be like Ivan."

"And I didn't," Laxus flatly stated. "I didn't turn into the monster of a human being. The only father figure I had in my life was my old man. He raised me right, even if I was a little shit."

"And what happened when you learned the truth from the old man of the real reason Ivan was banished? Was he still that perfect father figure you always needed?"

Laxus' hands curled into his arms.

"Even now, it's hard for us to even imagine Ivan could do such a thing," the shadow whispered. "He's a murderer, yes, and an offender and steeped in jealousy and greed—enough greed to try and kill you… But our mother… How could he be so evil as to kill her with his own two hands?"

Laxus took a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes.

The shadow went on: "No one could believe it, not even you. Her death was marked as a suicide, but you always knew the truth, even if you didn't want to believe it. Ivan killed your mother. He treated her like an experiment. His marriage to her was nothing more than a façade. You were only born as an experiment. And someday, Ivan will come to collect the results. It's funny. You always used to idolize Ivan. He treated you as an experiment, but you just kept looking up to him. Your perfect father figure of a grandfather was nothing more than a stepping stone to get Ivan back in your life. You call him a monster of a human being? If you worshipped the ground he walked on, what does that say about you?"

A smirk. "You're right." Grayed jade filled with lightning. "It says a lot about the old me. I was an ignorant, stubborn ass brat. The old man did right to excommunicate me from Fairy Tail when I was turning just like that evil bastard. And you're right. I am just an experiment. Ivan doesn't even deserve the name he has. He's a conniving monster who deserves a life sentence. The only reason he's not on death row is because he's always been good at slipping through the cracks to gather more experiments. I can't deny knowing he killed my mother isn't painful. It will always be painful and be in my nightmares remembering her corpse. But I have a badass wife at home willing to help me through those times."

He kept walking. "I never said I was the perfect father, but the old man gave me the gist of how a father should be. I made mistakes. Nik needed me to be harsh with him or he would've never learned. He's still stubborn to this day. But Veronika didn't deserve that. I'll continue to love her even if she hates me and it's a struggle to come to terms that she'll never forgive me, but I welcome that challenge because I brought it on myself. And I will do everything in my power from repeating those mistakes onto Lance and Mary Jane."

Lightning clacked off him. "So you can forget about messing with my head. You're telling me things I'm already working on. So either help me find that afraid-of-the-dark Magician or get out of my way," Laxus threatened. "Because I don't have the time for this bullshit."

Silence.

And then Laxus fell.

°•°•°•°

Dazzler had her hands wrapped around her in a self-embrace as she shivered and looked around in the darkness. "Mister Dreyar?" she called hoarsely, shrinking when her voice echoed. "Uncle Laxus? Is-Is anyone there?"

No answer.

"Dammit," Dazzler cursed. "This right here—this is why I don't do haunted houses. This is giving me a serious case of the creeps."

"I know, right? Why couldn't we have traveled to the Nightlight Realm or something?"

"Right?" Dazzler agreed. "Darkness is so overrated and way too overused, don't you think?"

"Totally."

Dazzler stopped. Silver widened. "I'm either going crazy," she whispered, "or something that has the same voice as me just spoke to me. Tell me I'm crazy."

"Well..."

"Gah!" Dazzler jumped and made a cross simple with her hands. "Stay away from me! I was baptized in a Romulan Catholic church and that shit follows you forever!" I think! Is that right?! Shouldn't I pray or something? Does praying even work on shadows?

A giggle. "Calm down, hoe. It's just you. I'm you. Just your shadow you."

Dazzler lowered her hands as wariness covered her face. "So, you're like…and extension of me or whatever."

"Pretty much."

Shoulders relaxed, Dazzler let out a big sigh. "Oh, good. I'm not all for the forces of darkness or whatever coming out to scare me." She began to walk again. "So what do you do, Shadow Dazzler? Are you as cool as me and everything since we're the same person?"

"I don't really do much," came admittance. "I'm your shadow. I follow every step you take and every memory and feeling you have is one I store. For example, I have the memories of when Mustang didn't fall for your bikini last summer and offered his shirt as a cover-up."

Dazzler hunched over as her eyebrow twitched. "Y-Yeah… Not my finest moment."

"Or even…the memories of our father."

Now she froze.

"He was a great man," came praise that swished around her. "Everyone admired me. They wanted to be him or be his apprentice. He had powers far beyond the stuff they teach at academies and universities. And you, his only daughter… Naturally, everyone expected the same of you."

Dazzler felt the rim of her hat. That's right. Everyone did make me out to be my father's daughter. The special treatment I got in school… The way the teachers would give me more complex homework… I even got my own apartment in the academy.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"And this is all mine?"

It was all too surreal. A two-floor apartment enchanted to meet the user's desire and whim. A giggle left her as an enchanted train circled her on its railless journey. Books cases filled with relics and modern theories were reshelving themselves. An inside garden had watering canes sprinkling about and enchanted gloves were checking the soil and the bubbles. But the ceiling and floor were the most magical of things. The carpet twisted and moved as a snake came up to hiss its greeting within the décor of the carpet and slithered away. The ceiling welcomed her with a mini firework show, spelling her name out in the clouds it formed.

"Why of course, Miss Lafayette."

The focus turned to see the back of her father while a man older than time with small circular glasses looked down on her. "Only the best for the daughter of our prized pupil."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Barely anyone wanted to be your friend," came pitiful coo. "They all knew you were the daughter of the infamous Lafayette and would speak to you, but no one cared about you outside of your father's name. And when he died, everyone only remembered his legacy. No one cared about you."

"They did," Dazzler tried to defend, but what was the point? "Some of them cared about me…"

"Who did? John?"

Dazzler flinched at the laughter.

"Oh, right. John. And didn't he abandon you too? Used you to get close to your father until he thought he didn't need to be an apprentice anymore. He left you like everyone else did when they got what they wanted. You always were a people pleasurer. Maybe that's why you're commitment-phobic and stick to one-night stands. You leave them before they figure out how to use you."

Dazzler bit her lip as the comment stung like a slap. I've always thought that, haven't I? Why get close to people when they'll figure out they can use me for something? The students at school used me for better grades and meeting my dad. My teachers used me for as an example, paraded me around so my dad would give them more money. And John… Her eyes shut when she felt stinging in her eyes. How pathetic am I. I get a 'no one loves me, everyone abandoned me' origin story. Even Gary would've abandoned me. Once he and Nashi finally start dating, he'll leave. T'oree is from another planet. She doesn't have any reason to stay here. And Cade…

DRIP.

A tear fell without grace.

DROP.

Dazzler covered her mouth to stifle her cry. After what I did, I don't blame him for leaving me. Pushing him away and being the world's biggest bitch is probably the most selfless thing I can do.

"Even Daddy Dearest left you," came whisper floating in one ear and out the other. "He was one of the only people you could trust and he left you."

"He died," Dazzler whispered. "That's different. He wouldn't have left me alone. He loved me."

"He didn't just die, Dazzler," came seductive reminder. "We both saw those pictures. He hung himself. It was suicide."

"No!" Dazzler covered her cry. "I know what the detective told me! Dad didn't commit suicide; it was just framed that way—!"

"But you can't stop thinking about it… If he had committed suicide."

Dazzler shook her head. "Shut up."

"This is what keeps you up at night," came hiss. "You think constantly what if the detective had been wrong? What if Dad really did commit suicide? Maybe it was your fault. You should have noticed it sooner. What sort of daughter doesn't know the signs? What sort of daughter just sits by and lets their father die?"

Hair covered Dazzler's face when her head bowed. "I do," she whispered. "I-I'm a horrible daughter. I let him die. I let him die."

CLACK!

"Would you shut up?"

Dazzler froze. Laxus…?

"You didn't let anyone die, kid," Laxus gruffly told her. His hand went to her shoulder delicately as though not to startle her. "Your father was a good man. One of the best in his trade and I'll be damned if we all didn't feel his death. But you gotta remember, kid, I was right there with you when his will and trust were read. And I was with you when they gave us the report on his autopsy."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

On a day so colorful, it felt like life was black and white and gray that day. Nothing felt real to her. How could anything feel real? Her head tilted to the side while her eyes glazed. She was in the room where it happened, but she could not care less. Bodies blurred as the forensic analysts gave their wordy reports with their top dogs taking thorough notes. She held her father's hat in her hands, but that was the only string she had of reality. 'He's gone. He's really gone.'

Her grip on the old hat tightened.

'I don't even understand why they bother trying to find out what happened,' Dazzler thought airily. 'He's dead. No need to drag it out.'

"Hey. Kid."

Dazzler flickered her eyes up. A broad man in a tight suit and a brown overcoat with fur trimming looked at her with unreadable eyes that had grayed in her world. He looked like the most imposing man in this room. Who was he? He muttered, "Wipe that pathetic look off your face. You look ridiculous."

Dazzler blinked. "Eh… Excuse me?"

The man lifted his chin at her. "Stop looking around like you're the one who died," he grunted. "If anything's worse than one dead corpse, it's a living corpse." He fished for something in his pocket. "Put some life back in those eyes because you have a life to live. And I want you to live that life. Here."

Dazzler blinked and reached into her hat to pick up an old pair of Magic Headphones.

"My own daughter didn't want them," the man added as an unnecessary explanation. "Figured someone as pathetic as you could get some use out of them."

Dazzler looked up at him then back at the headphones. "Um…"

The man growled. "You really are a living corpse." He swiped the headphones and rather than shoving them onto her ears, he fit them lightly. "There. Maybe some damn music will spark something in you because I'm sick of seeing you look like this." He walked away.

Dazzler snapped out of her trance to call, "H-Hey! Who do you even think you are anyway?"

The man stopped and looked at her over his shoulder. And for once, in a world full of gray, she saw the emerald in his eyes. "Just a father," the man told her, "who wouldn't want my own kids looking this so damn pitiful if I died." And he walked away without a backwards glance.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"He could've killed himself." Dazzler's voice was just barely audible.

Laxus' grip on her shoulder tightened if only just. "He could've," he offered with no comfort. "The way his death was set it, it did look like a suicide. But there was nothing natural about that case. One day, you'll realize that. But today isn't that day."

"Then, what day is it?" Dazzler demanded to know with a quiver in her tone.

"Today's the day you tell me you'll keep that pitiful look off your face."

Dazzler's breathing hitched. Then, a weak smile curled on her face. "You can be a real asshole you know that." Closing her eyes, she nodded. "I'll stop looking so pathetic if you lose the resting bitch face."

"Tch. Don't start with me, kid."

"Don't make me turn you into a rabbit, old man." When Laxus laughed, Dazzler sighed, "Now that that emotional bullshit is over, I say we find Lance and Aine."

"Glad you agree." Laxus put both hands on her shoulders. "Because we just did."

Now Dazzler was puzzled. "What do you me—? Ah!" She was screaming and the next thing she knew, the shadows spat her out, she was on the ground shaking, and the world had light again. Eyes wide, she curled on the dirty floor. "That's it," she gasped. "I'm going to be gravity's bitch for the rest of my life. I'm worshipping gravity. Gravity is my new god. Oh, hello, Gravity, how are ya?"

"Mister Dreyar…" That was Aine's voice.

Dazzler pulled herself together enough to see they had landed in some sort of dank tomb. "Where are we…?"

"How's he doing?"

Dazzler lazily blinked to finally understand the scene. Aine sat on the floor with Lance's head cradled against her stomach and hands. Aine was coated in sweat with spots of dirt and her voice sounded breathless, but Lance looked like he took the brunt of the damage as his face scrunched up and his eyebrows twitched in his moments of unconsciousness.

Aine shook her head. "I felt a spark, but that was it," she confessed. "He's been unconscious ever since he used some sort of black lightning during his fight against a little girl."

Dazzler had not noticed Laxus had stiffened because she was busy dusting herself off and straightening her hat. "He fought against a little girl?" Then she remembered. "That must've been Talia, Kyler and Mirella's daughter."

Aine could not hold back her perplexity. "You know Mirella?"

"Briefly," Dazzler dismissed with the wave of a hand. "Nothing like sorors for life or whatever, but we have some recent history." She went over to Aine and pulled a damp cloth out of her hat. "Honey, you need a hot shower immediately." She dabbed Aine's forehead with the cloth. "What happened to you making it on your own in Erika Town?"

Aine winced. "Nothing I can really remember. From what a friend told me, I lost my memory. I was used as bait to lure in Gary and his Devil and Nashi." Kobicha filled with sorrow. "Maybe Mystogan's right. Maybe I wasn't made for this like I wanted to be."

Laxus scoffed and put a rough hand atop Aine's head. "Your idiot brother might be powerful, but he's an idiot," he deadpanned. "His biggest flaw is he doesn't see the raw potential or value in others. Yeah, he trains Luke, but he needs to broaden his scope. If he actually knew people's value, he'd know your mom won't fall apart hearing Jellal's name. And he would damn well know both of his sisters are badass women with smarts."

"Misty's just trying to take care of us," Aine defended on Mystogan's behalf.

"By being an overbearing asshole." Laxus shook his head. "That's the reason you're hiding your relationship with my son, isn't it? If Oberon wasn't such a helicopter pseudo-parent, you both would be more open about your relationship. Don't even deny it," he warned when Aine opened her mouth.

She at least looked contrite. "You know he doesn't like to be called 'Oberon'."

"Then, he can either beat the shit out of me for calling me that or suck it up and cry a river on his own time," Laxus sniffed. "That's his name. I'm not calling him 'Mystogan' or worse—Misty—just because he's pissed at his dad. This is Veronika's 'Call me "Ronnie"' phase all over again." He took a knee to put his hands on either side of Lance's temple. Gold lightning passed from the tips of his fingers to Lance's skin. In a few moments, cyan static reciprocated. "That black lightning is feeding into his emotions," he explained.

"What's black lightning?" Dazzler questioned. "Is it like a Curse?"

"Basically," Laxus grunted. "It's annoying as Hell. Mira uses it when she uses her Demon Soul. From the report during the Fairy Tail battle royale at the Harvest Festival, the Demon that possessed Lance forced him to use black lightning. Should've known the kid hadn't been cleansed of it, but I didn't push when he claimed he was fine."

"It was my fault," Aine confessed, voice small. "He was so busy taking care of me… I should've noticed more."

Laxus heaved a sigh. "We all should've noticed, but Lance is exactly like his mom. He smiles so well, you forget thinking anything was wrong. He's perfected the talent ever since he was young." He rubbed his hands together and static clicked off him. "I can force him to wake up easy, but he won't be all mentally there. He's not okay to go on a battlefield, let alone one falling from the sky. We're going to need a place to keep you both hidden and preferably in a place we don't need to Shadow Travel to."

Dazzler retracted her arm.

"We don't have that many options," Aine worried. "The only other option is outside, but it's not safe out there either."

Dazzler bit her lip.

Laxus stopped rubbing his hands as he flashed frustrated fang. "Dammit. I don't want to wake him up here. Look at you, Aine, you're exhausted, dehydrated, and you clearly need your inhaler. Lance is too critical for me to wake him up on the off-chance something goes wrong."

Silver flashed down.

"We'll figure something out," Aine assured softly as she stroked Lance's cheek. "We're Fairy Tail. We always do."

"Um…"

Aine and Laxus looked up to see Dazzler rising to her feet. "I," Dazzler started, "might have a suggestion."

Laxus lifted an eyebrow. "Well? We're dying in suspense."

Dazzler twirled her hand within her fingertips. "Okay, listen," she let out with a whoosh. "I said I wouldn't keep this pitiful look on my face, but I might need a strong drink after this. So I'm sorry if I get a little emotional. But Uncle Laxus, you gave me the strength to even attempt this."

While realization donned on Laxus, Aine was still in the dark, but she knew better than to question. "Dazzler," Laxus spoke quietly with concern in his gruff tone, "you don't have to do this. You might be pushing yourself too much in a short of a timespan. Rushing will harm you more than help you. Trust me when I say that."

Dazzler turned around. I know. I know rushing might hurt me even more. It'll be worse than ripping off a band-aid. But we don't have a choice. She took a deep breath as she felt her Magic shift throughout her body, traitorously familiar to her. The silver in her eyes glowed as her aura banded around her body and swirled her hair. "Enakuxe maka tin pórtāea!" A Magician Circle appeared within thin air. It moved back to create twin grandiose doors with no remorse. Once the circle disappeared, Dazzler lost touch with her Magic and her knees gave for her to fall to the ground.

Laxus rushed over to her to help her back to her feet. "Kid, stay with me," he barked. "I can't have another one of you passing out on me. You know the paperwork I'd have to fill out on your behalf as your emergency contact?"

Dazzler risked a feeble grin. "Dick," she teased with a cough. "I think I'll take that drink right about now." Pushing herself to a standing position, she grimaced as she looked at the perfect twin doors. "Make that several shots."

Aine peered at the twin doors. "Where do they lead? Is it safe there?"

"Well…" Dazzler pinched the bridge of her nose. "I just Dimension Door'ed us to my dead dad's famous Enchanted Estate trademarked." She traced the perfect and unblemished finish of the doors. "On second thought, I'm going to make myself a nice couple of cocktails to chase those shots."

°•°•°•°

When Talia slowed, she did not do it to stop. She expertly clamored up broken piles of brick and stone to get to the top of a put-together building. Býleistr climbed, though it proved a little more difficult for him, and got them next to her. Nashi dismounted and Býleistr turned back into a Beastman while Nashi looked on, unable to tear herself away from the sight. The thirteen-story casino mocked her and crawled with familiars and Darklings lying in wait for their pound of flesh. Some chose to use their lust to past the time while others wandered around, frustrated they were missing possible kills. Much to her disgust, two Darklings seemed to be eating a person, fighting over the skeletal remains.

"So then…" Býleistr crossed his arms. "This is the casino, huh?"

Talia let her glitter flow and it turned pitch-black. "The Curse is strong here," she noted. "A façade for the Demon's energy reserves. If I blew up the building, the souls he's collected would run free and try to find human hosts. We would be dealing with the Pretas, Yūrei, and Mylings—the Undead."

Býleistr grumbled in his displeasure. "I hate the Undead. So gross. Always crying about how they don't have a purpose or feel fulfilled and miss their bodies or how they want to be buried properly or need a wish fulfilled to 'pass onto the afterlife'. Grow up. You're Undead."

Nashi searched around, but she found nothing. "Are you sure Skade's here?"

Talia pointed and Býleistr and Nashi followed her finger to the top of the building. "He's on the roof," Talia explained. Her eyes narrowed. "And… Bael's Daemon is with him. He must be the opponent."

Nashi looked at Býleistr who hissed and bit into his knuckle. "Well, shit, we're screwed."

"Why?" Nashi looked between them. "And what the Hell is a 'Daemon'? You mean Skade's with a Demon?"

Talia explained best she could. "Daemons and Demons are different. Neither one is inherently evil, but where Demons are born as a race unto themselves, a Daemon is similar to guardians made by deities."

Nashi's eyebrows shot up. "Holy crap, Skade's fighting a god's bitch?" Eyes wide, her hands went to her cheeks. "What sort of shit storm did I just land into? And if that thing is a godly guardian or whatever, what is it doing with a Demon?"

"Think of a genie, I believe is the Earth Land terran word," Talia described. "A genie, while having immense power, may only use their powers when they are bound to their masters. If their master is evil, they must carry out their wishes. Daemons are similar. They have no wishes to grant, but in order for them to live, they must have a master. They're neutral beings who follow the orders of their masters."

Nashi scratched her hair like crazy. "Ugh! I feel like an audience surrogate!" She looked up at the roof. "So, long story short, Skade is fighting a Daemon which is following orders from a Demon." An idea came to her. "Can something override the Daemon's servitude or something?"

"How about 'or something'?" Býleistr grunted. "Half-pint just said Daemons are like Jinn. A Jinn can grant multiple peoples' wishes so long as that being touched their sacred key. Daemons are the same without the creepy key and crap. Unless the Daemon's master frees it, the Daemon can serve however many masters." He eyed Nashi when she began to grin. "Why are you looking like that?"

"No reason." Nashi turned to Talia. "I'm heading up. Can you—?"

"Consider it done." Talia looked down below. "This will give me a better chance to test my suppressed powers."

Nashi looked over at Býleistr. "How do you feel about scaling a building?"

Býleistr guffawed at that. "I feel like I haven't done that in centuries and could use the fun."

"Good." Nashi inhaled, then exhaled through her mouth. "Okay. I'm going to transform. Watch my six." Feeling her Magic was simple. It was one of the first lessons you learned as a Mage. Magic was not just the spirit inside you. It was in your blood, in your breath, and in your bones. That light tranquility she always felt warmed her from the inside. But just as she thought it was done, more and more bombarded her, heating her in a way she never felt. And it felt…fantastic.

I've never felt so alive before, Nashi gushed. This feels incredible!

Something pressed within her mind like a hand pressing against glass. She felt something secondary to her own feelings smoothen over her. A sense of peace and welcome. It touched her so familiarly that she nearly cried feeling it. Cael? she whispered. Is…? Is that you? My first soul?

Eager cheerfulness pressed against her mind and flooded through her Magic.

Nashi could feel the prickle of tears. I've missed you so much, she near-cried. This must be the effect of the Angel blood. I can feel you now.

Palpable relief emoted to her and that humbled sense of gratitude. There was a tinge of guilt and remorse that soured it.

No, no, don't be sorry, Nashi feverishly thought. I can feel you again. That's enough for me. I promise one day I'll hear your voice again and see you in my dreams. I promise you.

Soft amusement and a rush of contentment streamed through her.

"Now…" Nashi could feel the rawness of her Magic's heat. "Transform! Divine Soul!"

Pink overtook her in such a rush with trundles of gold woven in that she had never seen before. Power hissed onto her skin and snapped in place. The star of Mother Mary pierced her chest. An armored dress cloaked her as gauntlets came onto her hands. Her duel Holy Rings shrunk down to become bands around her waist. A winged head dressed crafted in cold, bound by a language none could interpret, landed on Nashi's hair, but when her hand moved over her face, the headdress extended into a plated mask that shielded her eyes. Loose hair was strapped in intricate Encan braids and extended to her waist. A triquetra appeared engraved on her back with two wings flanking it.

When the Magic disbanded from Nashi, she looked down to see her new self in awe. "Woah… I got a major upgrade!" She touched her Holy Rings. "I always knew my Divine Soul had bigger potential. Man, I feel like Hot Summer Girl."

"Advantages of having more Angel blood than you know what to do with," Býleistr grunted.

Nashi grinned and tried to get a look at her back. "I was really hoping for some wings though." She frowned, though she did not notice both Talia and Býleistr exchange looks. "All I could really do is float before, but nothing like flying." Shrugging, she turned back around. "Doesn't matter. I definitely got a power-up and we're taking advantage of it." She went over to Býleistr. "Onward"—she put a spring in her step—"my mighty stee-eed!"

Nashi flailed when she rocketed into the air like a jet, screaming her shock.

Býleistr's ears flattened and he did not even have to look to know Nashi had garnered more attention and blown their cover. "I'll get her," he groaned to Talia as he transcended back into a lion. "You have fun." With a chuff, he made a Stargate and leaped through it.

Talia let her hands circle around each other like they were magnets of the same type. Glitter appeared between her palms as she saw the horde of ravenous Darklings and familiars rush to take notice of the scream. "Oh, I very much will."

Nashi kept screaming and thrashing as the earth got farther and farther away from her. "Oh my God, someone help me!" she shrieked. "I'm gonna cr—Ah!" A weight slammed against her and she clawed at it without hesitation. "Get away from me!"

"Craters, Princess!" came snarl. "Stay still!"

Nashi stopped fighting when she saw it was Býleistr in his Beastman form with his arms scooped around her. "Wha—?"

"Star King Almighty, you're such a damn handful," Býleistr growled at her. "I like the bratty ones, but this is going too far." At Nashi's gaping mouth, he snapped, "You had a power trip because you couldn't keep it in check for five seconds. We told you this would happen, but Little Miss 'I eat danger for breakfast' didn't think to listen, did she?"

"I didn't think I'd fly!" Nashi managed to retort, though hoarsely. "Who would ever think that?"

Býleistr twisted himself so his feet landed with a crunch on the side of the casino. By his guess, they were on the seventh story. "What happened to 'I'm not that reckless'?" he spat at her. "If I hadn't caught you, you'd be hitting your world's next atmospheric layer and then what, huh? What then, Princess?"

Nashi could not fight with that or maybe with her heart in her throat, it was too difficult to do so. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I-I didn't think…"

Býleistr recognized the look on Nashi's face and sighed, bringing her close to him. "We still have six more floors to go," he murmured. "I can take care of Wolverine and the Daemon myself. Sit this one out."

"No." Nashi took a gasping breath and pasted on a shaky smile. "I'm fine. Really. I was just…surprised I had that much rocket power." She patted his chest. "Don't worry. I have enough juice left to kick Daemon ass."

Býleistr did not seem convinced, but he was not about to argue with her. "Whatever." He shifted her in his arms so he held her hips. When she squirmed and stammered, confused and embarrassed, he tossed her over his head so her legs wrapped around his neck. Automatically, she clawed at his mane for balance and his tail flicked back and forth as he snuffed his groan. "Again with the mane-pulling." Hunkering down while Nashi fidgeted and tried to muffle her confused shouts, he transitioned back into a lion.

Nashi panted, head darting this way and that. "I said I have another juice for butt-kicking, not for stunts like that."

Býleistr chuckled. Hang onto me, Princess. And he bounded up the side of the casino.

°•°•°•°

SLAM!

Skade hit the stone one, twice, three times before he coughed up blood. Curling in on himself, he tried to ice over his wound on his stomach and panted like a dying dog. A silhouette masked his own figure and a hand reached out to pick him up by the neck. Skade had nothing left in him to fight back, hissing at the agony his body was in.

Mammon stared him down with no satisfaction in his eyes. "Oh, look at you. My Lord will have a field-day seeing you this bruised and bloody," he lamented. "If Master commands it, I will heal you. Now, I believe it is time to prepare you for him."

Skade spat blood with an eerie grin to show his bloody teeth. "F-F-F-Fuck y-y-y-you…"

Mammon tilted his head. "So resilient and yet still in pain. A broken body doesn't equal a broken spirit." He began to walk, carrying Skade high in the air and his hand squeezing his neck ever so slightly. "Master Bael will break your spirit, but he will take his time with you. He's a thoughtful master to serve. You're ungrateful to defy him."

Skade wheezed a laugh with blood spittle coming out. "I would rather die than become his bitch."

Mammon paused. Then, he murmured, "When I am finished with you, you will wish to become his 'bitch'." And he let go. He dropped Skade…

…off of the roof.

Mammon sighed as he went over to get his ax. "I grow weary of this work the master asks of me," he muttered. "This one will not submit easily."

"Hey!" came shout. "Hey, you, Daemon!"

Mammon picked his ax up to look behind him. Nashi pointed at him with a scowl on her face and energy swirling around her in her rage. Býleistr hauled himself over the edge as a Beastman, winded, while Skade lay on his back, eyes beginning to glaze. Mammon swung his ax atop his shoulder. "The Etherious First Princess," he greeted with a bow. "Master will be most pleased about your attendance. See, Winter Devil? If you ask nicely, perhaps the master will allow you two to mate before he claims either of you."

Nashi blushed, rearing back. "W-Wait, what? 'M-M-Mate'?" Red pulsed around her face as lewd images crashed through her mind. She could see herself and Skade finishing the erotic play they had started—

Býleistr rolled to all fours. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Princess," he coughed. Hauling himself to his feet, he jerked a thumb at the very still Skade. "Why don't you take a crack at healing the Wolverine?" His eyes settled on Mammon. "I'm much more up to par with dealing with Daemons. Immense power, but they can only use it when someone's got them by the balls."

Mammon's eyes flashed to Býleistr. A nerve had been struck. "Aren't you a Star Spirit? A guardian just as I. That would mean the princess must have you by your genitals for you to even be standing in my presence."

Býleistr rolled a shoulder and wound up his arm, a cold smirk on his face. "At least she's hot," he shot back. "She can grab me by the balls any day."

"Don't say that sort of crap, you stupid cat, that's nasty!"

Býleistr ignored Nashi's indignant shout. "The princess might be a shit-stirrer and she could use to be knocked down a peg or two with her reckless 'I'm a hero' attitude, but she's on the side of good and I can respect at least that. Your master treats you like a slave. He doesn't give two shits if you live or die. He can replace you just as quickly."

Mammon lifted his chin. "I'm not meant to be irreplaceable. I'm disposable as all contractual beings. We are not of free will. We are transactions." He readied his ax. "At least I know my place."

Býleistr crouched low before Mammon. "I spent millennia in the Void on a crime I didn't commit. I know all about knowing my place." He extended out his claws and let them lazily drag along the stone. "Time for me to put you in yours." With a push off the stone, Býleistr bounded forward. Mammon decided to meet him halfway and claw battled against ax.

Nashi was hovering over Skade with her face stricken over the disgusting number of tears and wounds in his body. "Oh my God…" She tried to reach for him, but she pulled back when she realized how delicate his body was right now. "Skade…"

Icy blue drifted to her. "Malãi…ka…" His hand twitched as he tried to shift it.

Nashi shook her head. "Shhh, no, no, no, don't move," she stopped him. "Don't move, okay? I'm going to heal you, okay?" She conjured her healing teapot—it was more embellished than before—and rubbed the side to pour strength into the sands within. "You're gonna be okay, Skade, I promise."

Skade seemed unable to hear her. "Ma…lãi…ka…" A grunt barely based between his lips as his hand went to cover her hand on the teapot. "Ke kaslo...to ku… Ke'i...ts'uanelo…"

Nashi bit back her snivel as she shook her head. "No, sh-sh-shhh, Skade, shhh. You didn't fail me," she whispered to him with something fierce in her words. Desperation for him to stay awake. Grief she was too late. Anger towards their situation. Desire for justice. "Don't you dare say, 'sorry' unless you're apologizing for leaving me high and dry, okay?" Shakily, the teapot approached his body. "I'm going to heal you now. You're going to get better and we'll all go home." She lifted the teapot to pour the golden sands from its core and dust Skade's woun—

Icy blue widened as Skade let loose a howl.

Nashi drew back in horror when Skade's adrenaline kicked in and he curled away from her, withering in pain. She felt Cael's concern press through her mind and overlap her own dread as she set down the pot to attend to Skade. Her hand went to the least wounded part of his shoulder to grasp him only when he howled again and broken wings acted as a divider between the two of them.

"Skade," she pleaded. "Skade, please, tell me what's wrong and I promise you I'll heal it." She flinched when she felt Cael bear down on her mind even more with some sort of urging to turn away.

You cannot heal him that way.

Nashi paused. Seraphim?

You have the powers of a half-blooded Angel within your system, Seraphim educated. You are using purity to heal a Curse. You have good intentions, Little One, but your Devil hurts because the amount of external purity you're healing him with is attempting to seek out and destroy his Curse as all purity should.

Nashi wanted to cry. So I'm killing him even more? Horror sickened her body and she abandoned Gary's shoulder as though she was the problem, the virus, the killer. He's in pain because of me? She choked on that thought and covered her mouth. B-But I could heal him before—

You healed the human, Seraphim explained, because the human has Magic. While linked with a Curse, the Devil is the physical manifestation and takes the brunt of the Curse's power and consequences. To heal him, Little One, you would need to tap into your Etherious powers and that is not advisable in your current state.

Nashi fists her hands against the roof's stone, teeth gritted. So I'm useless then? All this power and I can't even heal the person I…? Heart chipped into cracks when Skade went limp and wheezed. What am I supposed to do, you guys? What am I supposed to do, I—? She hiccuped as she lurched forward and crawled closer to Skade. Trying not to make his wounds even more aggravated, she settled his head into her lap and held back her sob seeing how beaten his face looked.

Cael's concern and warmth emoted to her.

Nashi lifted a hand to brush Skade's hair, but she thought the better of it. "I'll find a way to heal you," she promised with her voice quivering. "I'm so sorry I'm useless to you now." Closing her eyes, she thought hard on it and her transformation shattered off her. I just need to focus.

Little One, you can't—

If it means saving Skade, I don't care, Nashi bit back harshly, though grief blinded her. I can't save him in my Divine Soul forms, fine! Then, I'll turn into a Demon!

Urgent warning slammed against her mind and disapproval.

Nashi blocked it out as she tried to keep herself from hyperventilating and giving in to her need to cry. Focus. I can do this. I just… I need to feel it again, that's all. Her fingers shook. I can do this. For Skade. For Gary. I can do this. But as the minutes ticked by and she felt nothing, a cry bubbled out. I can do this. Please, God, please let me do this. Her chest heaved. Her breaths quickened. The feeling of numbness crept over her body. Hickory opened at half-mast, but the panic was there. Please, no, she begged. I can't—! She coughed as her shaking intensified.

Býleistr leaped several paces back to avoid Mammon's ax when it dug deep into the roof instead of into him. His ear twitched and he felt something heavy in his chest expanded. Glancing back at Nashi, he saw her begin to hunch over and plant her hands on either side of the Devil with open-mouthed breath erratic. Shit, he cursed. I don't have time to calm her down and deal with this.

Mammon dug out his ax from the roof and his eyes strayed to Nashi. "I'm surprised a star of your caliber would remain in this galaxy," he admitted.

Býleistr turned half his attention back to Mammon. "Well, don't leave me in suspense," he sarcastically quipped.

Mammon did not. "Considering how you singlehandedly destroyed a planet on the sixty-third galaxy"—Býleistr froze—"I thought you would have remained there to finish your work if your master had required you to."

Býleistr made a show of his teeth. "So I'm that famous a Daemon bitch has heard of me."

"A Daemon who walked this universe long before you were even a thought," Mammon told not unkindly. "Seeing such a Garden be destroyed was less than pleasing for my master and The Other."

Býleistr winced when the heaviness in his chest knocked into his vision and, for a moment, the edges of his vision blackened and Mammon doubled. I need to get them out of here, but with this idiot still alive and kicking like he's about to have tea with the king, I don't have very many choices.

"According to our records on Celestials… Your master was…Alina Heartfilia."

Býleistr's entire body constricted, but he tried to remain unfazed. "Yeah? And?"

Mammon raised an eyebrow. "Peculiar is all. A Heartfilia ordering their Celestial to destroy a planet and commit mass genocide is unheard of. The bloodline of that family runs pure." He tilted his head. "It's curious how she wanted blood on your paws."

A callous smirk. "Unlike you, slave, I don't always follow the moral values of my owners." Another hit of frenzied panic had him holding back from staggering under the pressure. "Don't you remember the story? I killed that planet because I knew I could." He crouched down. "Enough talking. I'm ready to beat the shit out of you." He rushed forward. As Mammon and him locked in combat, he fired off to Nashi, Princess, what's wrong?

I can't, I can't, I…can't… Nashi sniveled and sent waves of hysteria towards him. I can't do this.

Býleistr backflipped away from Mammon's ax to snarl and run his claws down the Daemon's face as Mammon got his ax back out from the stone. Princess, get in control, Býleistr growled to her. Sooner you stay in control, sooner you heal the Wolverine.

I can't heal him.

What? Býleistr caught the ax blade within his palms. Stardust tore out from him as he and Mammon engaged in a battle of strength. Why not? An idea came to him and made him angrier. Your powers. It would kill him if you healed him as a Holy Soul Meister. When more panic fed into his mind, he growled, But now isn't the time to cry about it. Can you move him somewhere safe? He shoved the blade back and ran under it before it could do down to deliver a few unexpected jabs and a kick to Mammon's abdomen.

Nashi felt like her lungs were on fire. Tears and nerve blurred her vision and she swayed. All she could see was Skade and the damage he received. Skade and his bruises. Skade and his wounds. Skade and his blood. Horror overlapped with guilt as blurred images stuffed her mind. Her hands scraped at her facial skin as something ached in her back. She smelled blood to the point she felt she could taste it and throw it up. Wet grass stung her nose and her ears felt like they had been water-logged with blood as sound tried to penetrate. Heat surged in her body and aimed for her back. Breathing became harder and harder until she was a trembling mess of tears, nerves, and shame.

Princess! Býleistr barged into her mind. Snap out of it! I can feel your anxiety levels. You need to calm down!

Nashi gasped as she dry-heaved. Reality and fantasy blurred their lines and dizzied her mind. I ca… I ca… Her hands went to her throat. Can't…breathe… Can't…

"Malãi…ka…" Winter chilled over one of her thighs.

But all Nashi could see was blood through her tears. Something ugly outweighed the purity of her Magic and blocked her from Cael and Seraphim's attempts to abate her rushing mind. Water, she croaked. Need…water…

Býleistr sidestepped another blow and held up his arms to block Mammon's head butt. He looked over to see Nashi on all fours heaving and near-sobbing and he snarled. "Moonbeams, Princess, get it together!" he shouted.

"Stop…" Nashi hissed through clenched teeth, "yelling…at me…"

Býleistr leaped away and as Mammon charged at him, he shouted, "Well, if you can't get your shit together, then stop having a fucking seizure and get—!"

Nashi's hands dug into her hair. "Don't…"—light pink shot off from her body—"YELL AT ME!"

From below, Talia noticed the ring of pink and absently crushed the skull of a golem. "Oh, my… She's been pushed." She whirled her hands around for glitter to appear. "Then, I suppose I must stop playing." Her eyes brightened into a turquoise glow and she spread out her hands for her own ring of power to expand. Every creature in the vicinity stood no chance against her ray and disintegrated at first touch, some starting at first sight. When all were dead, Talia pushed off and rocketed into the air.

Nashi panted, but the darkness clawing within her vanished. Sensations of secondary worry and soothing pushed through her mind with a little resistance. The need to cower and shake was gone and her vision assimilated to single-focused after a few more gulps of air. "What…was that?" she wheezed.

"A lady with a temper such as yours would make a fine accessory to my master."

Nashi shoved back the hair that had fallen into her face to look up. She swayed a bit, but the world around her made more sense. She witnessed Mammon striding towards her with his ax on his back and hanging by his fingers was a…cat? A golden-orange Mallow Coon cat that hissed and wriggled, displeased immensely by being lifted by the scruff.

When Nashi saw the cat's amber eyes, her own eyes widened. No way… Is that…? She pointed in shock at the cat. "Býleistr?! You're an actual cat?!"

Býleistr hissed and squirmed some more.

"Pfft." Nashi covered her mouth with cheeks blown out from her muffled amusement. Oh, this is so wrong, but this is so freaking hilarious. God, I'm such a psycho!

"Nashi."

Nashi paused to follow as Talia landed before her. "Talia…" Her eyes widened in her shock. Wait. Where the Hell did you come from?!

Talia examined Mammon with her blank expression. "So, this is the Daemon and an old one at that. He's powerful. And he has a hostage." Turquoise narrowed. "This makes it more of a challenge to put him down." Her hands came out again with glitter shifting colors in waves, almost like a cat's cradle. "You needn't worry. I will dispatch him and get back the cat." Her eyes slid to Skade. "You couldn't heal him." Fact.

Nashi winced and looked at the ground.

"Not to worry," Talia calmed. "I took that into account. Regardless that you have named him, your spell is too full of purity. You would have to be mates for your purity not to affect him." She cocked her head towards Nashi. "Perhaps you should consider mating with him."

"You might be older, but it's weird for a little girl to say that!"

Talia eyed Mammon. "Anyways…"

"Hey, don't just bring up sex so casually then change the topic!"

"I would advise you to leave while you have the chance," Talia went on. "Once I get your cat back, transform him back and use a portal to get yourself to safety. Around two klicks westbound, you should run into the mutants Kyler and Mirella have teamed up with along with your friends."

Mammon stopped, lowering his chin to see Talia. "So you are the Master's granddaughter," he presumed. "You are also on the Master's list for retrieval." He threw Býleistr towards her and Talia caught him in mid-air. "The Etherious Princess may have her cat back. But you, young lady, must come with me to see your grandfather."

Talia lowered Býleistr into Nashi's hands as she put, "Bael serves no purpose to be recognized as my grandparent. I understand my Demon heritage. But I am not one to follow his path of evil." Her hands expanded and the glitter between her palms came together to burst into a death scythe. "Go, Nashi. Get out of here while you can." And she flew into the air with her death scythe at the ready.

Nashi looked down at the Mallow Coon in her arms. Býleistr looked back at her, pupils slit, and ears flattened. His tail hung low, but he would not dare attack her. "Um…" Nashi started. "Can you, like, change back?"

A stab of frustration hit her mind.

Nashi grimaced and rubbed her forehead with a free hand. "Ow… What the Hell was that for?" she complained. "Use your words, kitty."

Býleistr opened his mouth—

—and let out a cackling scream.

Nashi held him up and away from her, wide-eyed. "What the—? Are you kidding me? Speak, dammit, or use Telepathy. How am I supposed to change you back?"

Exasperation pressed against her as Býleistr made a move to bat at her whilst hissing.

"Hey!" Nashi lifted him higher with a scowl. "Bad kitty! Don't think I won't get a spray bottle." Býleistr looked apprehensive at that. Annoyed, Nashi thought, Cael, Seraphim—any ideas?

Cael pressed within her a supportive wave of emotion as Seraphim thought back, From my understanding, the form a familiar takes is the form their master needs them the most in. I remember Luna's own may shift between dog and beast based on her needs.

"Um, okay then." Tone dropping, she commanded Býleistr, "Turn into a lion!"

Nothing.

Nashi's brow furrowed. "Into a lion!"

Still nothing.

"Change! Shift! Abracadabra! Shazam! Cat Up! Thunder, Thunder, ThunderCat!"

Býleistr gave her a grumpy look and annoyance stabbed at her again like pins and needles.

Nashi brought him down and into her arm, stroking him with a free hand. "Don't get snippy with me," she bit. "It's not like I meant to turn you into my own personal Salem the familiar or some shit. You just kept yelling at me."

Justified exasperation kicked at her mind.

"Well, yelling at me when I'm going through a damn panic attack solves nothing," Nashi retorted. "Look what it got you. I turned you into a fluffy Mallow Coon. Next time, I'll turn you into a kitten."

Býleistr tensed and let out a low meow at that.

Nashi glanced over to see Talia and Mammon fighting each other at such speeds, they were blurring before her eyes. Hickory ricocheted down to an eerily still Skade who looked like he was barely breathing. I have to think of something quick. Talia won't be able to fight him forever. This series doesn't do multiple-episode fights anyways. And I have to heal Skade without using my normal Magic and turn my cat into a lion.

Her eyes went to the edge of the roof. A thought curled within her. Or maybe I can kill two birds with one stone…

Turning to Skade, she murmured to him, "Skade? Can you hear me?"

Skade grunted. "Ne."

Nashi put Býleistr down (he seemed even more grumpy at that) to attend to Skade. "Can you stand? I'll support you as best I can, but I need you to stand."

Skade shifted as pain covered his face. He swayed and Nashi straightened, gritting her teeth as she helped him back onto his feet. Slinging his arm around her, Nashi had an arm around his waist. "Skade," she told him, "I need you to trust me on something."

Skade let out a gurgled purr. "Koyamehla."

"Good. Býleistr, get on my shoulder."

Býleistr narrowed his eyes, ears to the sides, but he made a large leap. It seemed his revenge was sinking his claws into her shoulder to haul himself onto her person.

Nashi grunted. "Fat ass," she insulted. "You're going on a diet." Ignoring Býleistr's displeased growl, Nashi looked to the edge of the roof. "I promise you this is going to work and we don't die."

Neither Skade nor Býleistr understood what she meant—

—until she threw all three of them off the roof.

Talia flew away from Mammon's attack when she noticed this. Nashi… I hope you know what you're doing.

Nashi screamed as she kept a hold on the near lifeless Skade while Býleistr flailed around, trying o gather his bearings. Pressing down her fear and her racing heart, Nashi thought desperately and fumbled for her Celestial Silver Key, Okay, I'm in danger. That's a great motivator for power-ups, right? Putting myself in perilous danger?

She felt Cael's pressing fretting and Seraphim urged, Use me as your wings, Little One, before you kill yourself!

I can do this, Nashi insisted. Clutching her key tighter, she prayed, Please, turn this Leo Minor Spirit into a lion in my time of need. Peeking her eyes open, she saw Býleistr hissing and flailing his limps. Panic tried to take her and she prayed harder, Turn into a lion now.

Býleistr screeched.

Turn into a lion! Please!

Býleistr rrowed as he tumbled in the air.

Nashi felt the walls closing in on her mind as the realization of her actions caught up with her. Oh my God, I'm such a freaking idiot, she whispered. Her eyes closed as hotness stung her eyes. I just threw us off a roof and for what? We're going to die because I'm so freaking stupid and an idiot and I never think things through. Everyone was right about me. I just—! I didn't think and now—!

Little One, summon me, Seraphim urged.

No! I can't! Nashi denied. Just my Magic in my Divine Soul was enough to hurt Skade. I can't take that chance again or he could die! Another reality slammed into her. We're going to die. Oh God, we're going to die. We're gonna die—!

"Malã'ika…"

Nashi's eyes opened as her tears flew with the wind.

Skade's mouth moved. "Yi e yanela."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Do it now."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Nashi's eyes widened. Then the storm in her calmed at the confidence in him. She looked down to see the ground level would approach soon. More monsters and Darklings had gathered as a second wave and were hungrily waiting for their next meal. Closing her eyes, she gripped the key. A change shifted in her. So subtle, only her souls and Býleistr could feel it.

Pink glowed on her palm.

I'm not a Celestial Wizard. I never have been and…well, I doubt I'll ever be close to the potential Luke shows or how powerful Mama is, Nashi confessed. But he's my Celestial Spirit and I'm his owner. He protects me just like I protect him.

Pink flickered and it lightened.

Nashi tightened her hold on the key. And as his owner, I made a promise to him I wouldn't die when he has another chance at living life.

Pink lightened and lightened until it shone gold.

Monsters on the ground geared for their attacks as Nashi, Skade, and Býleistr passed the fifth floor.

Time slowed.

So let me show him I'm serious about taking care of him as his owner! A triquetra glowed from her back, pink with hints of gold. "Transform the Spirit of the Leo Minor!" she chanted. "Lion Form!"

Býleistr was wrapped in gold Magic as his body morphed and grew. The fourth floor passed as his large paws broke out from the Magic Spell. A full-grown mane fluffed out with the constellation symbol of the Leo Minor burned onto his haunches. Pink energy burst from his back as large wings expanded and flapped to shoot him up from the ground. His wild eyes saw Nashi and Skade falling to their deaths and he let out a roar to jump through his own Stargate.

Nashi felt power drain from her body as the symbol. She clung to Skade when she felt bloodlust hit her body and her skin thrummed in protest at the despair battling against her hope. Skade… I'm so sorry.

"Princess!"

Nashi's eyes widened when she felt fur beneath her. She saw Býleistr beneath her and her head knocked into his mane. Býleistr… A roar burned into her ears and a flash of Magic blinded her. The next thing she knew, she was away from the monsters and Býleistr shifted beneath her as she flew towards a wall. He caught her and Skade as a Beastman, eye twitching at the pain of his back hitting the wall. Nashi gathered herself as she looked at her Celestial Spirit in awe. "Býleistr…" A hysterical laugh left her and she threw herself against him to hug him. "Oh, thank God we're not dead—Ack!"

Býleistr held Nashi back with a hand to the face. "Yeah, Princess, I don't do hugs and shit." He rubbed his cheek and looked up at the Lucky Duck Casino that was only a few streets over. "Not like I got us far. I used pretty much eighty-five percent of my Magic."

TICK…

His eyes burned with anger.

"And also…"

Nashi's lips trembled as she sweatdropped as Býleistr hovered over her, seething. "U-Um, hey, let's talk about this calmly," she tried to soothe, "and rational—"

"Fucking Moon, why the fuck did you turn me into a cat? A fucking pussy? Are you shitting me? I am a lion and you reduced me down to a pussy?! If I wasn't so pissed you tried to commit suicide, I would kill you myself! You should be on your knees apologizing to me for disgracing me like that!"

"Hey now, it wasn't like I was trying to turn you into a cat or anything," Nashi nervously giggled. "I mean you were yelling at me during a really stressful time." Now that brought her anger and she butted heads with Býleistr. "In fact, I deserve an apology for you yelling at me in a time of crisis! Who the Hell does that? Don't you have any damn class? Next time, I'll keep you as a pussy for the rest of your life!"

"What'd you say?!" That got Býleistr thinking and instantly he sobered, ignoring Nashi's tirade on his tactless shouting. That's right… The pain in her back. And… A flash came to him of those pink wings magically sprung from his back. Those wings… To Nashi, he grunted, "Hey, Princess. Shut up for a phase, okay?"

"I should be telling you that, you jackass!"

"Your back still hurting or whatever?"

Nashi blinked. "Well, that was random." She scratched her chin. "Mmm, no, it's not hurting. I mean I'm still a little shaky, but no back pain. Should I have any?" A mischievous smirk. "Is this a subtle way of asking about my sex life, you perv?"

"No way in Hel."

Nashi huffed, crossing her arms. "Well, no need to sound disgusted when you say perverted things."

A stir. "Malã'ika…"

Nashi blinked in shock when Skade spoke and rushed over to him. "Are you okay?" she breathed. "I'm so sorry! I should've been at your side a lot sooner and my stunts might've furthered your injuries—!"

"Come…closer…"

Nashi nodded eagerly and bent down. "Yes, of course, what is it? Is it one of your wounds?" She cradled his jaw to search his eyes. "We'll find somewhere to heal you soon, okay? Just hold o—Mmmph!" Nashi had been yanked down for a rough kiss. Too shocked, she pulled away fast and touched her stinging lips, pink tinging her cheeks. "Wh-What was that for?"

Skade smirked faintly. "Mine—"

Blood spilled from his mouth.

Býleistr and Nashi looked at Skade wide-eyed. That's not normal!

As Nashi fussed over him, Býleistr sighed. Damn. Things just keep getting interesting and not in a good way. Definitely not what I signed up for when I was taken out of the Void. I just don't understand what the Hell Leo was thinking summoning me and I'm already back in a war-zone. Just like him to do this. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the casino. With Wolverine out of commission and the princess too big of a risk for accidental suicide and power trips, we should just cut our losses and get the Hell out of here. But… His eyes flicked to see Nashi—

His eyes widened and he nearly spat.

Boobs.

Boobs spilling out of a lacey red number.

Gorgeously shaped boo—

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

Nashi paused in tearing off another scrap of her shirt. Arrows pointed at the make-shifted bandages tied around Skade's arms. "I'm trying to bandage him up."

"By stripping?!"

Skade grunted a growl as he tried to sit up. "Mine." He flinched and shook, unable to support his weight. But he persevered to give Býleistr a frosty glare. "Do not stare at my Malã—!" Blood gushed from his mouth.

Frustration growled from Nashi's throat. "You idiot! Stop getting possessive and lay down so I can help your wounds a little!" She finished tearing off part of her already-damaged shirt and balled it up. Softening, she tried to wipe the blood from his chin. "I'm not anyone's property, you got that? Jeez. Overprotective dog." She brought an arm around him.

Icy blue widened when Skade's cheek was pressed against her chest. Malã'ika…

"Do something that reckless again," Nashi warned him quietly, "and your next couple of weeks of recovery are going to be very hard, got it?"

Like you're one to talk! Býleistr wanted to shout.

Skade paused, then he closed his eyes as a grin adorned his face. "Understood, Malã'ika."

"Everyone okay here?"

Nashi and Býleistr looked up to see Talia landing right before him. "Talia…" Nashi murmured. "Did you finish the Daemon?"

Talia shook her head. "No." Her eyes slid away as she rolled a lock of hair between her thumb and forefinger. "I might've overextended the use of my powers a little…"

"You mean that Daemon bitch is still walking free?!" Nashi and Býleistr screeched.

"Not necessarily 'walking'," Talia drawled. "He's actually on his way to us to bring us to Bael."

"And you didn't say anything earlier?!"

Býleistr got to his feet. "Well, I say we start running and running fast. I'm not in the mood to tangle with the Daemon when my powers pretty much draining."

"Hold on." Nashi looked at Býleistr in confusion. "I thought a Celestial Spirits power came from their master? I summoned you here, didn't I? Shouldn't you be drawing from my Magic?"

Býleistr crossed his arms. "In theory, yeah. But you haven't sworn our Vows yet for one," he reminded. "And for two, whatever little emotional outburst you did pretty much blocked the flow of your Magic the natural way. I'm running on fumes on my own Magic Power which ain't exactly too much to work with considering all the jumps I've been doing since I was resurrected from the Void."

"We'll say our vows later," Nashi promised. "But you're right. We need to put some space between him and us and find a place to heal Skade. Can you turn into a lion on your own?"

Býleistr shifted with ease. "It's no problem. My transforming becomes a problem when my suicidal mistress imposes her own will over the form I take."

Nashi looked away and sweated when Býleistr shot her a lethal glower. "I-I-I don't know what you mean," she whistled.

"The Hell you don't!"

"But anyways," Nashi continued, ignoring when Býleistr snarled, "We're talking about this later!" She turned to examine Skade. "How are we supposed to get Skade on your back?"

Talia reached out a hand. "I've got him." She levitated Skade in the air. "We should make haste. Mammon moves quicker than I originally thought."

Nashi nodded and darted over to Býleistr. She mounted him when he crouched down and grabbed onto the bottom part of his mane. "Let's get the Hell away from here then." She kicked Býleistr's sides. "Býleistr, yip-yip!"

Býleistr got to his paws and his tail flicked. "One of these days, Princess," he warned. To Talia, he snapped, "Keep up, half-pint, 'cause I ain't slowin' down."

Talia lifted her chin. "Same to you." She sprinted off with Skade levitating behind her.

Býleistr snarled and bounded after her. Nashi looked up at the black storm and the lightning cracking. Kyler… Please be careful. And fuck that Demon up for us.

°•°•°•°

Seeing a Demon get frustrated was neither fun nor pretty.

Kyler held his staff before him to part the Curse spearing towards him down the middle. Whirling his staff around, a cloud of willowy white dust gushed from the staff to hack away at the Curse before it could let loose. Bael reared his head as black lightning struck down around the falling city and waves of madness went into the air unsupervised. He charged as a shadow towards Kyler, but Kyler held his own with his staff as his shield.

"All you ever do is dodge and defense," Bael snarled. "What is this? Too goody-goody to actually try and punch me? And here I thought you have balls. Mirella must be holding them for you. At least she tried some offense."

Kyler pushed away and before Bael could overwhelm him, Kyler dropped down and let his wings carry him a distance away. Bael had no issue chasing after him like a lion who knew his prey was within reach. Kyler gripped his staff as he scanned across the crumbling city the sight of allies battling tooth and nail and bullet and spell against Bael's legions of Darklings and familiars. If I can get him further away from them, his influence might lessen. It's a long shot, but I can't risk our fight hurting anyone else.

His glowing eyes scanned the horizon. Perfect. Empty farmland just a few thrones away from here.

Bael cackled behind Kyler. "Running away? Your wings look so cute from behind. So does your ass. If you wanted to play a game of chase, all you had to do was ask. Mirella's more fun to chase, but I'll settle for her boy toy."

Kyler gripped the staff when his jaw clenched. He's baiting you. Don't give in to the temptation of wrath, he calmed himself. You knew Mirella's past. You knew what he did to her. And you can't let that get in the way of saving these people. He smiled to himself when he saw a vision of Mirella in their youth, smiling and carefree. After all…she would kick your butt if you tried pulled something like that.

Kyler shouted to Bael: "You're right! I am just a toy for her! But I'm happy to be her toy! That just means I have to follow every command she gives me when we play!" His staff pulsed white energy around him to shatter the incoming missiles of Curse Power into dust. "You forced Mirella into something vile and disgusting on every account! But I showed her what love and sex could be like when she had choices! Newsflash, Demon." Kyler turned his head to make sure Bael could see his smirk. "She called me 'Daddy'."

Bael roared as the Curse that filled him expanded and wrath and envy spread through the wind. "You motherfucker…! She's mine! Mirella is mine! She only calls me that! No one else! I'll kill you for making her call you my name!"

Kyler flew even faster as revulsion coiled in his stomach. It was like he could feel his own mother's light tap through his staff. Less than gracious, I know, but goading dark entities with envy is a sure-fire way to keep their interest. He glanced back past Bael to catch a glimpse of the falling city. Muta, I hope you made it to Misses Dragneel and her family in time. Býleistr, Skade…take care of my daughter and my little sister-in-wings.

---

Lightning slapped against the ground, but Mirella shadowed and let the sparks fly through her. She was half-physical when Hammon came at her with his arm blades. Turning into her mist was easy, but Hadad stepped in and thrust his spear into her, igniting lightning.

Mirella's mist vibrated and she hightailed it away to shakily breath into her physical form. Rolling to her knees, she whipped around and pulled apart her hand for a prism shield to emerge. Beams of refracted light shot out in spurts and her half-brothers worked hard to avoid them, but even they were not impervious to her attacks. Rising to her feet, she kept up her shield as light glowed through her eyes and hands. She whirled her hands around her head before light towards Hammon and Hadad.

Hadad was able to shield himself in time, but Hammon was critically hit and mists of darkness wafted as black blood dribbled down his skin. Hammon wiped the blood from a wound on his cheek and smirked. "You always did like to play it rough," he laughed. "Have to admit you were pretty limp in bed. Hope I get to see this feistiness."

Hadad whirled his lightning spear around to deflect more beams of light. "You wouldn't be able to handle her," he told Hammon. "She should be with another demigod." He flinched and looked down to see a beam of light had cut into his side.

Mirella spread her hands above her as a faint rainbow spray out. Percussion-locked rifle-muskets dropped down, ready for attack. "You both disgust me," she leered. "Glad to see you both kept to Bael's side of the business." On her command, the rifles fired off bullets of light.

Hammon spread his hands for golden wool to protect him while Hadad had lightning make a dome and strike the bullets mid-air.

Mirella gritted her teeth. This is getting tedious. Where I like it or not, Hadad and I are evenly matched, but Hammon is a wild card. Dairi are Sacred Ones. From what I remember, Hammon putzes around during a match. It makes him seem like a fool, but he's insanely powerful. I could barely beat him at best. But things are different. Bael isn't coaching me. I'm not trying to survive being in someone else's bed. I'm protecting people. She closed her eyes. Which means I don't have a choice.

A Curse dressed as a snake wound around her right arm. From what I remember about the laws Earth Land's power source commands, what I'm doing is considered a 'Taboo'. A faint rainbow powered around her left arm. I don't know what consequences will happen to me. And I don't care. Dagon is getting closer. I can't let him harm that family.

Mirella raised her hands above her head as she felt such conflicting powers battle within her. The tore at her soul, at her core, wanting to have the upper hand in her life. Her right eye turned black from the pain while her other eye turned red, a testament to the goodness left inside of her. Blood leaked from her eyes as she tried to force her hands to join together. It was like forcing two positive magnets to meet. Resistance was there. Bael might have groomed me; he might've raped my mother; he might be my father. But what I do with this Curse is my right. And I choose…

Her hands finally clasped together. Rainbow and Curse bubbled and mashed together to cover her.

…to accept being a Demon demigod!

Antlers sprung from her head made of dark crystal. The battle armor she proudly wore had been torn down. She had been given a second skin at the behest of her Curse to at least cover her breasts and other parts at best, but the Lampetia in her granted her winged boots, arm blades, and a warrior's dress made of a prism. A tail lashed out with a spear as its tip. Breaking free from her back were two pairs of wings, her ugly bat wings with a prism as the finish, tinting a faint rainbow. Dark brunette parted down the middle into black and white as streaks of red, yellow, orange, green, blue, indigo, and violet made their mark. As she washed a hand over her face, her face shattered off to form a volto mask dawn in white and a stoic expression. A diagonal crack, however, showed the ugly black that Mirella hid within her.

Mirella gathered the power of the Light God and the Demon as she felt her whole bit lit aflame. Bring my Accursed Death Scythe… A monstrous scythe wrapped its blade around her with a misty handle. She reached her hand it solidified under her touch, but it rippled as it morphed and changed. Now…evolve!

The death scythe's blade glowed and grew as light poured into it.

Hammon disbanded his wool to look up at the ethereal form Mirella took and smirked. "Shit."

Mirella grabbed her scythe with one hand. Become a scythe for the God of Death! Swinging it back, the blow back awashed the fields of grains and grass. She took a good look of her half-brothers. It was like time froze. Neither had the capability to stop her and all three of them knew it. As a demigod, I wish for you to go in peace. But as the daughter of a Demon…I hope you rot in Hel. And she took the swing.

There was no explosion. There was no fire. The blade sliced through Hadad and Hammon cleanly. It was as though the world did not know how to respond to such an attack. Hadad did nothing to react as his Curse tore him from the inside out. But a soul—the soul of a Demigod—remained. Rather than the Curse eating it, the soul sprinkled into white particles of Ethernano and faded away. But Hammon was a different story. His soul would not rest in a different realm. His Curse tore him up with no remorse. While some Curses could thrive within a corpse, this Curse could not.

All Mirella saw from Hammon was his smirk and his mouth open before his Curse ate him away.

Blood dribbled down from her eye.

The descencion back might have killed a weaker will. Mirella landed on all fours with blood dripping from her eyes and mouth and her body quaking in pain. She felt around her chest when she could. I can feel I broke a few ribs. I've taken on an extreme amount of internal damage and bleeding. My sense of taste is almost gone and I can't hear from my right ear. Also, I think I broke one of my arms. This must be the consequence of combining two powers that were never meant to combine. Grunting, she got to her feet to look up at the sky. But I've survived pain worse than this. This… She grinned. This is nothing in comparison to the Hell Bael put me through. Mists gathered around her to form a pair of damaged wings. Shakily, she rocketed the air as she cradled her broken arm.

Kyler, Talia, Nashi, Gary, Muta… Leave the rest of this mission to me. Protect one another. Don't let your fear show. Because…

Her mind flashed back to such a warm memory. A memory before pregnancy. A memory of their early days together. They sat together on a porch swing to a temporary ranch they lived in with little neighbors around them. She laid her head on his lap as he rubbed her back.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"'Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; They will never leave you nor forsake you.'"

"Mmm…" The focus peered up at a peaceful Kyler. "What does that exactly mean?"

Kyler looked down at her with those affectionate eyes of his. "It means there's no need for you to be scared or frightened whenever someone comes for you. No matter what, They will be at your side."

"No offense, but I'd rather it be you then this mysterious deity to be at my side. You're a lot more handsome."

Kyler chuckled softly at that and his hand came over to caress her cheek. "Well, thank you, Arezodi. But when I can't be with you, I trust Them to watch over you. They'll be there for you when I can't be."

"Says who?"

"Says me." He dipped down to kiss her temple. "And thus saith the Lord."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

…even though we aren't with each other, we have someone watching out for us. I might not believe in Them, but I believe in all of you. She pressed forward and powered through her agony. Be strong, you guys, because this isn't over until it's over. Thus saith the Lord. And thus saith me.

°•°•°•°

Peter waited on a nearby bench with a late lunch (MgRonald's down the street) when the door slid open. The doctor and his resident bowed and murmured their farewells before leaving the room. Peter slipped inside to see Mira unpacking up some of Mary Jane's belongings while Mary Jane looked a tad sour. "What's wrong, Sweets?" he fretted. "Did they find something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. I'll just be discharged tomorrow instead of tonight."

"They just want to observe you for one more night," Mira soothed. "Just one more night. And we should be able to leave by noon tomorrow."

Mary Jane huffed. "Tomorrow is a lot longer than tonight."

Peter chuckled and settled beside her to offer her some fries. "You've got this, Sweets," he promised her, amused at her grumpy look. "At least you can still wear something underneath the gown. That's a plus."

Mary Jane shot him a look as she inhaled a few salty fries. "Yeah. But the food is gross and the beds are uncomfortable," she lamented.

"All the more reason to appreciate what you have at home," Peter responded cheekily.

When Mary Jane swatted at him, he rumbled with laughter. "What do I even see in you?" she muttered.

"Many things, but it's mainly my charm." Peter snapped up a fry with a beam. "How about after you're discharged, we can get a late lunch together?" He winced and looked up at the grinning Mira. "If, um…that's okay with you, Misses Dreyar?"

Mira waved off his concern. "Oh, its fine, Peter." Then, she remembered something. "But what about your car? Wasn't it impounded for the night?"

Peter grimaced. "Yeah. A friend of mine will be coming to pick me up so I can get my car today. My parents aren't going to be too happy, but it is what it is. They'll probably limit my driving privileges."

That brought something to Mary Jane's attention and she complained, "How come I don't have my learner's permit and no one taught me how to drive?"

"You never wanted to learn," Mirajane told her. "Remember? Your father and Lance offered you dozens of times, but you turned them down."

Mary Jane slunk in her bed and made a scene of her little tantrum. "Thanks a lot, Past Mary Jane," she muttered while Peter laughed.

VRRRRRRRRRRRR…

She sat up to see Peter going for his Compact and seeing a text. "Is that Bleu?" she guessed.

"Yeah. He's here to come get me." He stood up and stretched before leaning back down to Mary Jane. "But I don't exactly want to go and leave you here."

A wan smile. "Go," Mary Jane commanded with care. "Get your car. Talk to your parents for me. I'll be okay here."

"No you won't," Peter sighed as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "That's why I don't want to leave you. I want to sleep here again."

"In that uncomfortable recliner?"

Peter shrugged. "You're worth it."

A bigger smile. "Thanks, but I'm okay," Mary Jane insisted. "Besides, you need actual sleep and not chair sleeping. Go play with the zoo at your house. We can call tonight too, if you want."

"I'd like that." A fondness grew in gold eyes to seer into scarlet-cerulean. "Falling asleep to your voice… How can I say, 'no' to that?"

Mary Jane was all blushing and bashful. "Peter…" She pointedly glanced at her eavesdropping mother.

"Let her hear me. I want her to know I'm romantic with you." He threaded their fingers together. "If we're going to do it, we're going to do this right with this whole romancing before I ask you to be my girlfriend."

Mary Jane teased him, "I'm not sure if I want to be the girlfriend of a kissing virgin."

Now Peter was all blushing and bashful. "Sweets…" He tweaked her nose and grinned when she made a dramatic motion of rubbing her nose. "That's what you get," he teased her before drawing himself up to his full height. He went for a stretch and did not notice his shirt rode up nor Mary Jane's pink cheeks seeing a hint of his stomach. "I better get going." He moved towards Mary Jane, but he thought the better of it and shuffled awkwardly at Mira's humor-filled gaze.

Mary Jane noticed and ground out, "Mother…"

Mira tittered and held up her hands innocently to move about the room. "Oh, sorry, don't mind me." She slid the door open. "I'll just be conveniently down the hall for a minute or two. Long enough for a farewell or maybe a farewell kiss…"

"Mom!"

The door slid shut.

Mary Jane glared at the door, then exhaled. "I'm sorry about her. She's a natural matchmaker and embarrassment of my life."

"She's being a great mom is all," Peter excused. He dipped down to kiss Mary Jane's forehead. "Gives me the chance to do that without dying on the inside."

Mary Jane giggled girlishly. "Still afraid to kiss me?"

"N-N-No!" Peter tried to tamp down his mortification. "I-I-It's just, well, you're injured and in the hospital and this isn't the right time or mood and your mom's down the hall and—!"

"Peter, I'm kidding," Mary Jane soothed as she cupped his cheek with a hand. "I think it's sweet you want both of our first kisses to be special."

Peter looked a little affronted. "And you don't?"

"I do." Scarlet-cerulean gentled. "Only because it's you."

DOKI-DOKI!

Outwardly, Peter blanked. Inwardly, his soul was flushed pink with an obscene nosebleed and a pounding heart. This girl is going to kill me! So cute!

It was then her words caught up with her and Mary Jane's face turned a burning red with steam nearly coming off her. She squeaked and buried her head in her hands, unaware static clacked off her at the mood change. That sounded so flirty and cheesy! Oh, gosh…!

A hand came towards her shoulder. "Sweets, are you—?"

ZZT.

CRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…!

Mary Jane did not notice she had electrocuted Peter who laid twitching on the floor, comically charred, until she was able to lift her head. Peeking over the bed, she blinked as she saw him cough smoke with static clacking off his now-spiked hair. "Um… Peter?"

°•°•°•°

Bleu was in the pick-up curb, but he seemed content in his Lacrima Sedan with black wrapped around the entire car and tinted the windows. The moto mascot held a dramatic Angel figurine. He listened to a bass-heavy song about a rapper's social anxiety being neglected by his former representatives in favor of his fame while he frowned at his Compact. Luna had yet to text him back and he was waiting for a reply.

BEEP. BEEP.

"Hey, Boss," F.R.I.D.A.Y. called out as the screen on his car blanked with an alert. "Looks like a new urgent email has popped up. From what I can tell, Aleda has relayed your father will be leaving the country."

"Surprise, surprise," Bleu muttered, sardonic. He refreshed his screen, but he had no text from Luna. "F.R.I.D.A.Y.? Why won't the girl I like text me back?"

"She could be busy, Boss," F.R.I.D.A.Y. provided as support. "Give her time and don't over text."

Bleu placed a hand on the steering wheel and gripped it. "I don't know… Something doesn't feel right. I had that bad feeling dropping her off this morning." His ears perked and he turned his head to see the door open and Peter plopped into the passenger seat and shut the door. He grinned as his best friend leaned his head back and let out a long sigh. "That bad, huh?"

"No, it's not that," Peter told him. "Just wish I could've stayed with her, you know?"

Bleu glanced at his Compact. "For sure, man." A beat. "How's Janie?"

"Better," Peter relayed as he buckled himself in. "She's been doing some therapy to help her muscles, but she's back to her perky self."

Bleu dropped his Compact on the center console to pull out of the curb. "Did she explain what happened yet?"

"No, but…" Peter scratched his chin. "She doesn't owe me an explanation." He remembered the blue energy that had encompassed Mary Jane and the serenity he had leaned into before the shock of her flying into the flames without a look back. "It's just…" He tried to gather his words. "I respect her friendship with Igneel. They're close, fine. I mean they're in the same guild, they run in the same circles…"

Bleu bobbed his head. "But…?"

"Dude, I don't know." Peter thumbed at his Compact. "Should I be jealous of how close they are? I mean you should've seen them during the Festival of Gratitude. And then last night and now…"

Bleu glanced over at him. "You're asking me if you should be jealous? Seriously?"

Peter cracked a smirk. "I don't envy you. The guy you're told not to worry about looks like an MMA fighter trapped inside a rugby player and a mercenary. His stats are impressive, but his reputation spells violent."

"Gee, thanks, Petey," Bleu appreciated with heavy sarcasm. He turned on his blinker at a stop sign to get out of the rehab campus. "Guy looks like he's trying to kill me with his eyes. But the vibe is different. He wants her bad, but she's over it all. He messed around with her head and he's paying the price for it and one man's ex is another man's treasure. You"—he pointed at his best friend—"have a different vibe in the situation. I haven't been around both of them at the same time except for that one time in Margaret. But the vibe is different now, it seems."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they're obviously good friends now," Bleu stated as fact. He pulled into the main street. "They have good chemistry for friends. But from what I got from her last night, sort of seems like that chemistry is in a gray area for her and she doesn't even know it, you know? But he's either all black or all white, hands down."

Peter blew out his cheeks. "I had that feeling." He looked out the window. "I have nothing against him. How am I supposed to blame him? Mary Jane is beautiful inside and out. She's smart and cute and hilarious and she keeps me on my toes, but she also relaxes me. She supports me and listens to me. And I don't want to give that up. But I'm not going to treat her like an object and play tug-o-war with him. She chooses, not us."

"True," Bleu agreed. "So what? What's the move?"

"Well"—Peter propped up his elbow on the car door—"first thing is I need to choose a school to go to and get accepted. Then, if she'll have me, ask her to be my girlfriend. And then probably talk to him."

Bleu arched an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea?"

Three beats. "I trust Mary Jane," Peter started, "because she's never given me a reason not to. She's said it over again how she views him as a friend and she'll feel annoyed and offended if I mention again if she's interested in him. But he thinks she's something else, even if he won't admit it. Or maybe he really doesn't view her that way and this is how he is with girls, I don't know. But either way, she's important to both of us and I'm going to be away at school. I need to know I can trust him too."

A slow grin rose on Bleu. "Wow… Look at you, being all mature and shit, Thompson. Never thought the kissing virgin had it in him."

Peter barked a laugh. "Shut the Hell up, asshole," he crooned. "Better to do it the right way than screw up and go back to square one. With her, I want everything to be perfect. Speaking of perfect"—he cocked his head in Bleu's direction—"your dad's gone, right? My mom texted and told me she was leaving with him on a trip."

"He is." Bleu's grin broadened. "Which means—"

"Which means fiesta at the Demiurge residence!" Peter howled.

Bleu cackled. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., can you alert Luther we'll be having guests soon?"

"Got it, Boss."

"We'll party once Janie feels better," Bleu proffered. Eyes shot to the black screen Compact. And hopefully whenever this bad feeling about Treasure goes away.

°•°•°•°

Luke kept rocking back and forth as he murmured his calming spell, but Luna screeched and cried with her wrists restrained to prevent her from hurting herself. Icarus could not sit still as he whined and nudged her and paced, worried out of his mind for his mistress. Charla and Happy looked on in heavy concern as Luna pleaded for the pain to go away.

"Nothing's working," Luke panicked. "She's not calming down. She's just getting more agitated."

"Make it stop!" Luna begged of them. "Please! I don't want to see this anymore!"

Icarus curled around Luna and placed his muzzle on her shoulder as though to soothe her, his tail sweeping in agitation. I'm here, Pup. Please. Let me ease your mind. When Luna shook and cried, blocking him out, he tried to keep himself from falling apart and whimpered.

Charla was still stuck on something. "What does she mean by 'see'?"

Luke hesitated. "Well…" He struggled to hold her against him. "A night ago, Luna's was having some sort of nightmare. I tried to calm her down, but she wasn't having it, so I tried going inside her mind. She was having this nightmare of Nashi dying."

Charla blinked. "A 'nightmare'?" She thought hard on this. Could it have really been a nightmare? Or was she…? She decided to find out. "Luke, can you help me get into her head?"

"What?" Luke's momentary surprise had him lurch to keep Luna against him. "You want me to take you into her mind?"

Charla nodded sharply. "Yes. I have some idea of what's going on with her, but I need to be sure."

Uncertainty passed through him. "I'm not like Sensei. I can't facilitate connections like that, only with one other person and myself. Even if I wanted to try, I'd need complete concentration and that's all right now keeping Lu from hurting herself."

Charla wanted to curse, but her eyes flickered when Icarus moved to stand and dug his nose into Luna's clavicle. Charla's brow furrowed until she saw what he was trying to nose. It was his key. "You can do it?"

Icarus barked, growled, then barked twice with an aggressive huff.

"Charla?" Happy called, fretting.

Charla softened as she looked at Happy. "It's okay. I'll be okay."

"Will you?" Luke gritted his teeth when Luna thrashed, pained seeing his sister in such agony. "Entering her mind could do psychic damage. She's unstable. I've locked down to suppress her Magic from lashing out, but—"

Charla strode forward to Icarus who lowered his head towards her. He sniffed her, curious, while Charla said, "Luna is like a niece to me. I'm not letting my own family suffer." She extended a paw. "If you'd please?"

Icarus bowed his head and pressed his nose against her paw—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Charla's breath was stolen from her when a scene unfamiliar to her consumed her existence. An entity far beyond the boundaries of Earth Land grew with an ugly roar to display an arachnid creature with a vicious cat's head with six eyes and rows upon rows of carnivorous teeth. Sitting atop the spider was the top half of half a man showing off his skeleton and boiling skin. One arm had sharpened claws while the other had been converted into the head and mouth of a frog, the arm showing up as a tongue with claws.

The creature cackled as it threw back its head, bones stretched to create a crown. Taking one of its swords off its back, it made a swipe for another creature. This creature was different than the rest. Six wings that glowed like a star, it lifted its arms to create a sigil. An infinite number of triangles overlapped within a hexagon. Ancient words spilled from its mouth as this sigil blossomed and brightened and brightened until—

Rapid eyes dressed in blood glared into the focus. The hatred was palpable, but the undeniable lust made everything feel even worse. "You will come with me, Child," came bellowed hiss, "or I will kill everyone you have ever loved!"

A courtroom had filled out, but it glitched every few seconds to show a different combination of people. By the insignia, this was the Ishgaran Magic Council courtroom full of Guild Masters and representatives and cameramen. Eyes focused on the creature that had stepped into the room. A man with hair dressed in white and eyes a chilling icy-blue. Loose clothing had been given as a prisoner's apparel, but he was kept in a straitjacket. A collar squeezed and burned at his throat as an MCP held his leash and his mouth had been muzzled. But it looked at the court with no resentment, no satisfaction, no nothing.

Three words came out.

"I am guilty."

Uproars paraded ab—

A train station zoomed into view, but it was hard to remember. While the clock was the only constant, the passengers glitched in and out with each passing moment. Mary Jane sprinted down the train station alone, but the image changed to show Peter at her side, then it changed to show she was alone and had opened gifts in her hands and tears in her e—

Twisted despair cracked the image. Glowing white made a spider network as emotion boiled over, it was too much to take. "GET OUT!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Charla gasped as she staggered back and her butt hit the floor. Happy came to her aid, panicking over her, while Charla stares at the thrashing Luna in horror. This isn't like my Precognition. No. My power comes to me in spurts. They aren't clear, but the come true in an unexpected way. But Luna…

"Ah…!" Luna threw herself away from Luke and viciously squirmed to get away. "Make it stop! It hurts! Please, someone, help me!"

Charla snapped back to her senses. "Luke, Icarus, you need to psychically silence her," she commanded. "She's being overloaded with information and her mind is too fragile to process it." She turned to Happy. "Happy, turn off the lights. She needs darkness."

As Happy flew off, Luke grunted when Luna shoved into his stomach. "She's getting more agitated. Her Magic is…growing…"

The lights went off, but Luna shrieked as tears ran down her face. "No more," she sobbed in a plea. "No more, no more, please…! Please, stop it, please…!"

Happy looked up to see the lights flickering on and off even after he turned them off. The photographs shook and the windows looked like they were vibrating. "Um… Guys?"

"Happy, get the eggs," Charla commanded, not taking her eyes off Luna. "Luna, I know you're being hit with a lot, but we can help you." She glanced at Icarus who nodded. "Your Spirit wants to help you so badly," she murmured to Luna in a soothing tone. "He can help you, Luna. He can make it stop."

Luna choked and sobbed as she kept saying "no" over and over again.

Luke winced when a light bulb exploded as Luna frantically clawed at him like a vengeful cat. "Luna, please!" he begged. "Let us help you! You're not alone!" He wrestled her down when she tried to kick him away, but she was agile where he was not and he had difficulty pinning her down. Torn between hurting her and easing up, he tried his best to keep her down. "Please, Luna, don't make me do this." She inched further and bunked, screaming. Luke pressed down on her spine with another hand going to the back of her neck. "Luna—!"

White radiated from Luna as all her fear and pain freed. "NO!" Eyes shot open, covered in pure white.

Luke had no time to react as glass shattered and everyone was driven back and hit the wall. Luke groaned as he rubbed away his dizziness to see Luna trembling and dry heaving with a white glow illuminating her entire being. Fear, now, began to sink its claws into him. "Luna," he whispered. "Luna, listen to me. It's Luke. It's your brother who loves you. Please let us help you—" His back hit the wall as pressure forced him to stay there, pinned there like a target. From the corner of his eye, he saw Happy, Charla, and Icarus were pinned to the wall by a force none could explain.

It was unsettling to Luna curl into a ball with tears leaving her glowing eyes. "What's happening to me? What's wrong with me?"

DRIP.

Glowing white bared into pained honeyed amber.

DROP.

"Luke." A fervent whisper slathered in terror. "Help me."

Luke was blinded when a flash of white stained his vision. But when it left, he fell to the ground unceremoniously and could hear everyone else clatter. Burning heated his eyes, but he waved his hands for a haphazard spell to take effect and the burning and glare stopped. He looked around to see the remains of the only bedroom in the treehouse and could vaguely hear the Celestial Spirits on guard shout up in their concern. But Luke was focused on the spot Luna had been in. No scorch marks left and not even any Magic residue. But he squinted and looked closer.

"Luna," Happy worried, "where's Luna?"

Luke stopped down to touch the wood where Luna disappeared. He felt the impression left behind. A cross with pattée ends. "I don't know." Honeyed amber hardened. "But I'm going to find her."

°•°•°•°

Gale woke up to licking and not the licking he wanted. No throbbing in his head, but his mouth felt like cotton and his body was stiffer than a hundred-year-old tree. A chime in the distance hurt his ears, but the licking went away. Even laughter hurt his ears, but there was something nagging his gut. Did he need to throw up? It did not feel like nausea, but it was bugging the Hell out of him.

A whine.

The licking was back.

Gale decided it was better to open his eyes and was thankful he was met with shade. He sat up instantly (God, he felt dizzy) to see the culprit of all the licking was a juvenile Belnich Shepherd-pit mix who wriggled as he sat before Gale like he was desperately trying not to jump him. Gale cracked his back, then his neck, then his hands before his feet swung out from the couch and landed on the floor. He eyed Wally. "I'm not touching you," he growled. "You licked me."

Wally wriggled and whined.

Gale exhaled and scratched through his locks. Looking around, he muttered, "Where's Speedy now?" He picked at his ear and listened close to hear murmuring coming from a room down the hall. "He's here. Can't hear a fucking thing he's saying." He told the dog, "I must still be a little bit drunk."

Wally dipped his head, ruffed, and whined again.

Gale yawned and stretched out to sink back into the couch. When he looked down at his bandaged arms, he snorted. "Really must be drunk because I can't feel a thing." He lifted his shirt to poke at the large scar. Nothing. "Hmm." He looked up at the ceiling and felt that tipsy wooziness still within him. He scratched his stomach when that uncomfortable feeling would not go away. "Not like me to puke after getting wasted," he muttered, brow furrowing.

Wally whined again and went in a circle before thumping his tail, like he wanted to say something.

Gale ignored the dog. Nnngh… What's going on with me? He smacked his lips. I need water. Or another drink. Pushing himself to his feet, he yawned as he went over to the ki—

SLAM!

Gale toppled onto his back while Wally let loose some excited barking. He groaned, blinked and widening his eyes. "What the Hell?" He looked on his chest to see Luna had literally dropped in on him, shaking up a storm and hyperventilating. "Blondie?"

Luna sniveled. "Help me," she whispered. "Please help me, I can't…" She covered her mouth as she lurched.

Gale went into action as he sat up and crossed his legs, holding her within his lap. She shivered and sniffled and sobbed and he curled around her like he was shielding her from her fears. "Blondie-girl, it's okay," he shushed. "I'm right here. I've got you."

"Make it stop!" Luna pleaded as she grasped his shirt. "Please make it stop, I can't…!" Her nails dug into her temples. "I can't take it! There's so much!"

Gale felt something was wrong and it hit him square in the chest. Coddling would not help. "Blondie, chill it," he growled to her, taking a hold of her wrists. "What's going on? What do you need me to stop?"

Luna gasped out, "Visions… So many… Hurts…" She thrashed in his hold as though to scramble away.

Gale wrapped his arms around her waist and his chin dug into her shoulder. He let her wriggle and cry and plead, but he would not let her get away. "Calm down!" he barked at her. "You're spiraling again, Blondie."

Luna twisted around to claw at him. "Away!" she bemoaned. "Go away! Let me go, let me go, let me go!"

"No!" Gale snarled. "I'm not letting you go until you tell me what's wrong!"

"No!" Luna shouted at him, trying to free her arms from his grip. "Let me go, let me go!" Her hands tried to get to his face and her fingers tips met his temples—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The restaurant was packed this time of day. It was the lunch rush with a few newbies at a law firm down the street cheering to the intern who was hired in. She looked scraggly but promising as she drank her hard tea. A stoic man built for war looked attentively at his partner as he blew out the steam from his coffee and prattled on about the newest actor for his production. A waiter rolled his eyes when a woman dismissed him like a house servant after making pompous demands.

The focus sat alone with a table covered in breakfast foods. Eggs over medium, an omelet with the works, cubed potatoes, croissants—everything. And yet nothing had been touched. Like everything had been staged, but it was not supposed to be eaten.

'Wait… What the Hell are we doing here?' Gale wanted to know.

"So, what will it be?"

The focus flickered to see a sharp man sitting a few tables away. He oozed dominance even when he was drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Dressed well in his suit, his hideous goat tie was the only part apart him that looked off. He flipped to the next page of his newspaper. "An offer isn't indefinite," the man said aloud, addressing no one. "You have until September twenty-first to give me your answer. After that…" The man folded up his newspaper and gestured towards his waitress. "You'll have to figure out how to meet him without me."

A glitch.

BANG-BANG-BANG!

A pair of white wings fluttered and squirmed about under their chains, beating against a class prison. It was like the wings were alive as they tried to escap—

The highlands were touted with gray skies and winds that always tasted like a storm. A lone cloaked figure sat on the porch with their shoes off and their eyes trained on the kitten haphazardly in the sky with their weak wings. The kitten mewed happily and fell headfirst into the chest of the cloaked figure to purr uncontrollably and meow as though proud it was in the ear. A worn-out hand came up to stroke the kitten's fu—

Then, everything glitched as frothing blood-red eyes stare them down, breathing hatred and sulfur. "Show me your power, Child!" came snarling urge. "Show me if you deserve to go to Eden!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gale jerked his head back to center himself, but he noticed Luna had not calmed down. She stared up at him with teary eyes and her fingers dug into the palm, recoiling from touching him. She whispered, "Did you see that too?"

Gale nodded, somber. "Yeah. I did."

Luna blinked so rapidly, it was like her eyes were fluttering. "What's wrong with me?" She could not understand it. "Why am I seeing all of this?" Her breaths went into uneven pants. "What's wrong with me?"

"Shhhh, Blondie," Gale tried to soothe. "Breathe with me, Blondie, breathe."

"I'm a horrible person." She was speaking to herself as her chest heaved and her erratic shaking paralyzed her. "I watched my sister die. I watched her die. I watched her die." Crescent moons dented her palms and she would break skin soon if she was not careful. "What's happening to me? Make it stop. I can't do this anymore. I can't watch her die. I can't watch her die." She rocked herself back and forth. "I'm sorry, Nashi, this was my fault, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Gale's ears twitched when he heard the picture frames rattling. Even Wally ducked down, whining like no tomorrow. A pressure was building in this room and it would snap at the chance. "Blondie, I'm here for you," Gale promised her. "Nashi won't die. Nothing is your fault—"

Luna shut her eyes as white brightened from her figure. "Make it stop," she pleaded. "Make it stop!"

Gale held Luna's face in his hands. "Blondie—!"

Her eyes opened.

Glowing white clashed with crimson.

Luna's lips parted in a tremor. "Make it stop."

For a moment, Gale found himself consumed in light. Nothing about it felt threatening. In fact, his sobriety snapped back to him and his thirst had been quenched. He felt at peace.

And then he was ripped out of it.

Luna, on the other hand, had fallen into Gale, chest pained and breathing labored. But the agony in her head had subsided for now. Weakness overcame her muscles as she breathed into his chest, securely tucked underneath his chin. With a scratchy voice, she asked him, "What's wrong with me? What's happening to me?"

"Oh my God, Luna?!"

Luna flattened herself against Gale with her eyelids heavy. She felt…so tired. She felt Gale's hands try to leave when she curled up even more and pressed against him. "Don't go," she breathed in a slur. "I'm…sorry…Nashi…"

Unbeknownst to her, Gale's eyes had rounded. "You might be able to say your sorries to her in person, Blondie," he murmured. Because from where he was sitting, Nashi had climbed off a rather large lion dressed in—"And why are you half-naked?!"

Nashi brushed off the comment. "Had to use my shirt for bandages. You've seen boobs before, so quit staring." She sank down to rub her hand up and down Luna's back (and dutifully ignored Gale's grumbles). "Luna… What are you doing in a place like this?" Back to Gale, she demanded to know, "Why is she here? Why are you both here? We would've run you over if Býleistr hadn't noticed something was coming."

Gale blinked. "'We'?"

"It's called"—Gale was startled at this new voice—"superior intellect, Princess. Get yourself some."

Gale looked over to see the large lion had spoken with a constellation symbol burned into the sides of its hips. Now upon noticing, Gary's Devil was suspended in mid-air with makeshift shirt-bandages wrapped around what wounds they could be, but the creature was still beaten and bludgeoned and in desperate need of healing. A child seemed to be the culprit of holding him up, but with the wisdom behind her stare, it was unnerving to think her a child.

"Well?" Nashi snapped.

Gale was trying to process everything at once. "I don't… I don't know how we got here," he admitted. It was then his body synced with his mind. He heard the sounds of a raging storm and thunderous explosions. Sulfur rotted the air along with Magic, despair, and another power he could not put his finger on. He looked around to see them in a maze of demolished buildings. To his stomach recoiling disgust, he saw limbs peeking out from the rubble. People had died here. "Where are we?"

"In the middle of a war zone," Nashi growled. "What the Hell were you thinking bringing her here?" She tried to take Luna away, but Luna had tensed up and dug into Gale like he was her safety net.

"I didn't bring her here and I sure as shit didn't do it on purpose!" Gale retorted. It was all coming back to him. "I think she might've teleported us here."

"What?" That caught Nashi off-guard. "Why?"

Gale growled. "Well, first, she teleported to me. She was having a panic attack over these overlapping visions she was getting from the future. And then she started rambling how sorry she was to you about watching you die and it being her fault."

"Hold on. 'Visions'?"

Gale winced. "It's a long story." He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. "She was having an overwhelming nightmare the other night. I was able to calm her down, but that's all I could really do. I don't know what it was about, but—and this is just a theory—it must've had something to do with you and death."

Nashi opened her mouth, but Býleistr rumbled, annoyed, "Can we take this shit show on the road? I don't feel comfortable having a recap expository when we're on the run from a beefed-up butler."

Nashi agreed and stood up. "Can you take all of us?"

Býleistr eyed Gale and Luna. "Put little Miss Halo closest to my mane," he ordered as he hunkered down. His ear flicked. "And get moving. Now that I can't do any hazardous jumping, we'll need to run like Hell."

Nashi nodded and, once again, reached for Luna, but her sister seemed adamant to cling to Gale even in her slumber. Huffing, she barked at Gale, "Move your ass and get her on Býleistr."

"Should I wake her?" the little girl proposed.

Gale got to his knees and swung his arms underneath Luna to pick her up bridal style. "Not now," he decided for her, ignoring Nashi's glare. "Wait until we're somewhere safe." He moved towards the lion and set Luna down. Nashi, however, pushed him aside to adjust her legs with a warning glare towards him.

Luna snuggled into Býleistr's fur and seemed to exchange one security blanket for another in his mane. Gale tried to mount on after her, but Nashi pushed him aside again with a glare to mount. He huffed and settled behind her. Býleistr lifted himself and with a snarl, he took off into a sprint.

Gale gripped onto the fur. "Hey, wait!" he shouted over the wind. "What about the girl?"

"Who, Talia?" Nashi glanced behind them and grinned. "Oh, she'll keep up."

"I"—Gale's eyes widened when he saw Talia at their side, sprinting along and looking effortless doing it—"have Lynn to thank for making me use my Demon Speed," Talia explained. She looked over at Gale and lifted her hands to make glitter. Surprise entered her stare. "Another Dragon Slayer? How nice."

"Excuse me?" Nashi swung around to give Gale an incredulous look. "You're a Dragon Slayer?"

Gale groaned. "Listen, I'll explain as much as I can when we get somewhere safe," he promised. "But where the Hell are we? Last I checked, you took some job in Erika."

Nashi looked ahead as hickory steeled. "We're in Bellum."

Gale blinked. "'Bellum'?" It clicked for him. The wreckage, the despair, the corpses, the singed blood, the brimstone and sulfur… "We're on the falling city, aren't we?" he whispered. His mind flashed back to looking at the streams on his Compact and the footage from the ground of the falling city destined to kill thousands more than the hundreds it already did from debris.

"Yeah, but we're going to stop it before it kills all those people," Nashi vowed. "We're going to save everyone and I'm getting you guys home." Thunder clacked and lightning reflected in her eyes. "Thus saith the Lord."

---

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…

Looks like things just keep getting more intense! Mirella committing a Taboo, Dazzler going back to the Enchanted Estate, Býleistr turned into a cat—what next? Well, to find out, tune in to the next episode of Fairy Adventure!

---

Eloa sighed as she got off the elevator. The hotel was extravagant and yet simplistic at the same time. Her floor was one of the upper floors specifically reserved for those who wanted it bad enough and the privacy enough to spend millions. "For the last time, no," she said firmly, trying to keeping the annoyance out of her voice. "No dinner, no dancing, no drinks, no nothing."

Robert followed her with a smirk. "C'mon… Boss was insistent you come out with us."

Eloa looked at Robert square in the face. "What, so I can watch you break marriages and get harassed by him? No thank you." She turned back to go to her room. "Instead, I'll ordering my room service dinner and wine while FaceCalling my husband alone," she added when Robert closed in on her. She went through her purse and tried looking for her keycard.

Robert leaned against the wall, looking at her up and down. "You're so boring," he reprimanded teasingly. "Don't you get tired of being a dull housewife? Why not take a night off?"

Eloa snorted. "I do take nights off with my husband or my actual friends or with my family," she retorted scathingly. Shooting him a glare, she muttered, "And since you're none of those, you can be on your merry way because you are not coming with me into my room." Her eyes zoomed in when Robert pulled out her keycard from his pocket. She swiped it from him. "Can you tell me again why HR didn't accept my resignation the last time I tried to quit?"

Robert shrugged. "They didn't receive a resignation letter, remember?"

"Something our loving boss had something to do with," Eloa stated darkly. She opened her door to pause. "Tell him I sincerely hope he picks up some random at the hotel bar and falls madly in love with her, so I don't have to deal with his harassment." Without another passing glance, she went inside, shut the door, and made sure he could hear her lock it.

Robert chuckled and pushed himself off the wall. Walking back to the elevators, he brought out his Compact just as a call came in. He answered it and said, "Yeah, she said, 'no'."

A chuckle. "I predicted she would. I would've been a little surprised if she agreed."

Robert pressed the down button. "And you would've been in deep shit if she realized you weren't waiting for and I'd have to entertain her."

"Hmm. Perhaps. How's my son?"

DING!

Robert stepped onto the elevator and hit the ground floor. As he shut, he said, "Looks like he met up with that queer boy again. Bath Kol's son. I doubt he'll be coming to the estate for a while if he can help it." The elevator stopped on the seventh floor for a sniffling woman to get on, eyes puffy. "Y'know, since you're micromanaging his first relationship and all."

A heavy sigh. "He'll get over her. He needs to focus on the work I give him, not a Child."

Robert's eyes rested on the woman's heaving breasts and he licked his lips. "He might be onto something, Boss," he reminded. "Checked out the girl. She might be a Child, but there's something even I find interesting."

"Well, when you find out, let me know. My guests just came in, so keep me updated and make sure Eloa stays in her room."

"You got it, boss man." The call ended and Robert slipped his Compact back into his jacket pocket. He schooled his face into sympathy as he murmured to the woman. "Rough night?"

The woman sniffed and brushed her bangs. "My fiancé is a cheater," she choked. "I'm so pathetic to think long-distance could work." She sniffed again and shrunk back. "Sorry I'm telling you that. You probably think I'm—"

"A stunner." Robert smiled when the woman looked up at him in surprise. "An absolute knockout. I'm sure your smile is even more beautiful. And I'm thinking how your stupid fiancé wasn't thanking a deity every day for having someone like you in his life."

She blushed at the praise, turning shier by the second. "You're just saying that…"

Robert shrugged as another ding came and the doors opened to the lobby. "I could say plenty more over drinks."

Thoroughly taken by surprise, the woman tried to pass off, "I'd be horrible company."

Robert offered his arm to her as they both stepped out of the elevator. "Then I guess that means I need to be extra charming to balance us out," he cheekily decided. "Besides, after the night you had, you could use a couple of free drinks to forget that asshole."

She considered it before slipping her arm around his own. "You're right," she decided. "But I have to warn you my drunk self is handsy."

Robert chuckled as he led her over to the bar. "I'll take my chances."

°•°•°•°

The Compact was brought down. Jazz music calmed the crowd as a sparkling singer with a noticeable beauty mark and half-moon eyes entranced them in her song about her lost love and her hope to see him after the war. A modern speakeasy the restaurant was with waitresses dressed like flappers and the attitude to boot and the waiters in their suspenders and slicked-back hair. Quite a crowd had come in this evening, but they paid their full attention to the singer.

Two chairs scooted back. A man and a woman dressed to the nines were guests tonight. The woman looked comfortable in her springy hair and dark skin as she thanked her lover with a promising grin. The man could hold his own against an arsenal and looked like he would rip his suit in one move.

"Good evening," came smooth apology from the man. He held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Sir."

A hand came out to grasp the man's own. "Pleasure's all mine." Letting go, the hand went for the woman's. When she offered it, a kiss went to the back of it. "Is she new?"

The man boomed a laugh. "She's my escort for the night, yes," he conceded. "I had the pleasure of training her and the results are exquisite. Top of the pack."

"Wonderful to hear," came congratulatory murmur. "Though, I was hoping to see your daughter. She's remained elusive for quite some time." A hand picked up the deep red wine chilled in a glass. "Where is she this evening?"

When the man froze, the woman stepped in with a dismissive wave of the hand. "She's being a bit of an ungrateful and rebellious child," she told. Flattening her hand against the chest of the man, she assured him, "But she'll come around. She's your daughter after all."

The man forced himself to relax. "Yes," he supposed. "She's a stubborn one."

"Just like her mother, I hear," came curious observation.

The man tensed again, jaw taut. "Yes," he agreed, voice tight, "just like her mother." He observed the man in front of him. "Bringing us to some place like this might be your style, but you wouldn't be provoking me without needing a big job done. Is your new friend that much of a big shot?"

"Not yet," came conspiratorial answer. "More like they will be. I've had my eye on him ever since I came here. You have too." Fishing into a jacket pocket, a picture came out and slid onto the table. "In fact, he's caught the eye of many. But no one's been successful in caging him except when he was just born."

The man and woman looked at the picture. The woman seemed a little puzzled, frowning, while the man slowly smirked. "He's my prey for another contract, but you already knew that."

"I know everything there is to know about who I share a meal with," came reply. "That's why I have an even better offer."

The man sat back, intrigued. "Oh?"

"Why, yes. The complete capture of your daughter and the transfer of custody into your care."

Now at that, the man blanked. Then, a grin touched his face, clearly amused. "You think my daughter is worth more than the money the bureau is giving me?" He leaned forward. "Because you'd be right."

The woman started, "Baby, you can't be serious. The deal you have with the bureau—"

"Faye," came deadly calm warning, "you are with me as a quiet escort, not as my counsel." When Faye sat back, displeased, the man looked at the other. "You've got yourself a deal."

"Need to think it over? I have a contract drafted up."

"Then, give it to me to sign." The man crossed his arms. "No need to think it over."

"And the bureau?"

The man smirked. "I have a different Hunter on that contract, but he's taking in-between cases at the moment. You'll be dealing directly with me and not with my pack."

A smile as the waitress came over with a tray. "Ah. And just in time to celebrate my newest partner." To the waitress, a request, "Would you pour a glass for my esteemed guests? A toast is in order." As she bowed and did so, a comment flew by. "Family, to me, is very important. If my own son strayed away, I would go to extremes to have him back under my wing. I'm sure the same could be said to you. We share that. Having only one heir and they being the only one capable to continue the world we created."

The man took the filled wineglass while Faye sat back, soured. "I understand perfectly." He raised his glass. "A toast to family."

"A toast to you, Black Dog."

Wine glasses clinked.

The man brought his glass to his lips. "Please. Black Dog is only for my associates and business partners. Returning my daughter to me makes you a friend to the family."

A smile with no warmth. "Very well. A toast to you…"

…amber eyes glinted in a veiled eagerness underneath those glasses and his grip on his wine glass showed a tattoo of a Hellhound…

"...Lennox Lynk."

---

Chibi-Luna appears before the class. "Good day, class!"

The class choruses: "Good day, Teacher! What are we learning today?"

Chibi-Luna hops up to bring down the projector. "Today, we'll be going over Magic in the military!" She swings down the projector and the show begins. Old war propaganda clips begin to roll. "You see, way back before Mages had rights, they were forced and stolen as weapons against other factions and countries. Even now, some countries still implement this method and will try to poach Mages from other countries to recruit into their militaries. But for countries that have given Mages back their rights, it's a whole different story."

Chibi-Luna changes to a commercial about the Fioren special forces. "In Fiore, we have different units for Mages. Mages cannot legally enter the military under normal means. Unless a Mage agrees to a sealstone band to keep their powers at bay, they can't enlist. This is to prevent any magical outbursts that can cost a mission. For a Mage to be granted using their Magic in the military, they have to go into special forces."

She switches to a pie chart dissecting eight different branches and the percentages of Mages. "Insofar, we have the Magic Ground-Defense, Magia Beret, the Magia Strike Force, HAWKS, Maj-RECON, Beta Force, ARCHERs, and Intelligence," she lists off. "Each one of these branches allows Mages to enlist as specialized operatives. Some of these career paths have requirements on Magic. As an ARCHER, you're considered a paratrooper except you have to have an advanced understanding of Flight Magic without the help of armor or a weapon or at least a strong showing in Telekinesis. In Intelligence, you have to have some level of Telepathy be it an empathic ability, one-way connections, and so on."

A hand goes up. "Teacher, how do you get into groups like this?"

Chibi-Luna nods enthusiastically. "I'm happy you asked!" She changes her slide to show college campuses. "Just like regular military, a Mage in high school can enroll in JCSDT which stands for junior cade security and defense training. You learn the basics in martial arts, a sense of honor and duty, and have modules in the branches of the military. You get a chance to fine-tune your Magic to weapons and martial arts, work on your stealth, and even learn new skills. It helps a lot before you enlist into a Magic military academy for CSDT."

"But, Teacher, I thought to use your Magic, you have to know martial arts?"

Chibi-Luna shakes her head. "Mmm-mmm. Not always. All Magic comes in different forms. No two Mages with the same Magic practice it the same. For example, Assistant Fire Chief Florica Wenman practices Fire Magic just like my papa Natsu Dragneel. But my papa uses his flames as a physical force, an extension of himself. He still trains mentally, but he has to practice martial arts to keep up with the growth of his Magic since he took a physically demanding form of it. Florica practices Fire Magic with a telepathic flame. Because of that, she has to train a lot more mentally than physically since she chose a mentally-taxing form. Does that make sense?"

The students mutter and nod.

Chibi-Luna nods approvingly and turns back to her presentation. "Once you get to a military academy, Mages go to a special forces academy, to begin with. All of them are but through basic training regardless of military occupational specialty. Some Mages are scouted right away, but a lot of them have to survive to get to the QSC which stands for qualification and selection course. It's designed to test every applicant to the best of their ability and get them ready for P-Day or Performance Day which happens after their training. Mages have to go through a standard of five phases. The sixth phase is a testament to their MOS. Orientations and History, CAL which stands for communications, anthropology, and linguistics, SERE which stands for survive, evade, resist, extract and TIC which stands for tactics in combat, and MOS Training are the five phases needed to pass. These five phases are for the normal special forces, but Mages have less time in each phase due to their Magic capabilities. Many trainees are pushed to the risk of Magic Deficiency Disease."

She goes to a clip of soldiers in a rainforest. "Before a Mage graduates into their position, they go through P-Day. P-Day is actually a month-long performance evaluation testing survival skill, their proficiency in language, map skills and so forth. No one knows when their performance evaluation starts. Unlike the other special forces, a Mage's performance eval is all through the use of specialty group within Intelligence who can manipulate personal reality since, if Mages were put to the test with their powers, it could obliterate an actual simulation room. From there, the Mages are placed within their teams in different biomes after they're given a quick briefing. They have a month to complete their mission. If someone dies within that mental-scape, they aren't thrown out of the program, but they'll have to repeat P-Day with the next incoming team until they survive."

She goes to a graduation clip. "Then, once you perform and pass, you get to graduate and you're officially part of the special forces!" She wraps up her slideshow. "That officially concludes our lesson about Magic in the military! Any questions?"

"Yeah! You think if I enlisted, Angel would stop playing hard-to-get?"

Chibi-Luna sweatdrops when she realizes Chibi-Gary popped his head in through the window. "Eh, Nashi isn't one for heroics," she reminded.

"The heck I'm not!" Chibi-Nashi storms in to grab Chibi-Gary by his shirt. "Why the heck would you enlist anyways? Do you seriously want to be on a battlefield, you stupid dog?" A blush increases on her cheeks. "And what about me, huh? You're just going to leave me all alone? Are you that selfish?"

A grin.

Everything cuts in real-time as Gary cups Nashi's chin. "Angel, if it takes fighting a war for me to earn your love, then it will have been worth it."

Nashi's entire face turns red. "Eh…?!"

Chibi-Luna laughs nervously. "Well, I'll leave you two to it." To the class, she announces, "Also, Miss Author wanted to know if anyone would be interested in a language and culture page in her Mischief, Magic, and Magizoology book. Those pages will include new cities, countries, continents, and their languages, currencies, and culture and maybe even a language key to follow Dark Tongue that Skade, Pazuzu, Mirella, and Bael speak. So let her know if you're interested by commenting! And if you have voice actor recommendations or even a filler prompt suggestion, Miss Author is also looking! Next time, on Fairy Adventure: MIRACLES!"

---

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel – Cherami Leigh

Muta the Exceed – Jason Douglas

Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill

Charla the Exceed – Jad Saxton

Icarus – Christopher Sabot

Laxus Dreyar – Patrick Seitz

Dazzler Lafayette – Kristi Rothcock

Pazuzu – Patrick Seitz

Mary Jane Dreyar – Erica Lindbeck

Igneel Dragneel – Bryce Papenbrook

Peter Shuusei-Thompson – Joe Zieja

Nashi Dragneel – Lauren Landa

Býleistr – Scott Freeman

Talia – Serena Varghese

Skade – Griffin Burns

Mammon – Paul St. Peter

Bael – Paul St. Peter

Kyler – Ray Chase

Dagon – Kevin Michael Richardson

Mirella – Edie Mirman

Hammon – Micah Solusod

Hadad – Kaiji Kang

Luke Dragneel – Alan Lee

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Sycaña – Christen Austen

Julia Fullbuster – Michelle Ruff

Eiji "Dash" Ackerman – Leraldo Anzaldua

Loke/Leo – Eric Vale

Taurus – Jeremy Inman

Shadow-Laxus – Patrick Seitz

Shadow-Dazzler – Kristi Rothcock

Unnamed Headmaster – Chris Rager

Aine Fernandes – Carrie Keranen

Seraphim – Jameison Price

Mirajane Dreyar – Monica Rial

F.R.I.D.A.Y. – Madeline Morris

Bleu/Lucifer Demiurge – Xander Mobius

Happy the Exceed – Tia Ballard

Eloa Shuusei-Thompson – Taylor Ann Ramsey

Robert – Christopher Corey Smith

Bleu/Lucier's Father/Mister Demiurge – Leo Fabian

Faye – Sametria Ewunes

Lennox Lynk – Phil LaMarr