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.
LAST TIME, on Fairy Adventure: looks like the gang had some trouble making sure the falling city stayed nice and steady on its way down. And with the military on the way, some quick decisions had to be made and so were some sacrifices. Býleistr and Nashi worked together to get to Skade and save him from a fate worse than death—but all three of them might be too late. With Muta leaving Happy and Charla a lot to think about with his place in the old Extalia, Bleu took some advice and decided to do something for himself—only for Ekho to derail that plan just a little bit. Ellie and Olivia talked out their plans for the future, but I don't think either one of them planned for the future about to come soon. Meanwhile, Laxus, Dazzler, Ghost, and the others are getting their butts kicked with their Magic exhausted, but not to worry, Mammon and Talia save the day. Býleistr and Nashi rescue a weak Skade and bring him into hiding to heal but hiding isn't enough when Nashi's powers take too much out of her and they're discovered. Býleistr brings Nashi back to Magnolia, but at the cost they are forced to leave Skade in the hands of those soldiers. Lance finally wakes up after a crazy dream and it's time for everyone to head home. But not without offering John a spot in Fairy Tail! Bleu and Ekho ran into a drunk Tesla and Bleu learns about her potential connection to his father. Meanwhile, with Nashi hospitalized, Igneel rushes to see her and say his final good-bye to her, Lucy, and surprisingly Natsu before he heads off for his own self-healing journey. Julia's plans for a nice quiet night at home after an eventful day turn to ash with just one voicemail. Dazzler and her crew return to Magnolia with Ghost announcing he'll leave Fairy Tail and Dazzler was finally able to process all that she went through in a weekend. Silver questioned his parents on his new feelings, but I think we all know what's going on with him. Luna's vivid warning from her ancestors about her powers woke her up to the real world where she slept for hours as the world changed around her. Caught up to speed, Luna and Gale were ready to head home…only for everything to change.
"No. Gary… Skade… What are we going to do?"
"Don't worry, Second Princess. We will make sure everything is taken care of."
Mirella, what exactly do you mean by that? And is it just me or is Linus a little, um, sus?
The reporters John and Yoko were up and ready for the start of their day with their mugs of coffee, their outlines before them, and matching expressions. John looked into the camera with his smile and wished, "Good morning, Fiore! And isn't it an already unbelievable morning?"
"That's right, John," Yoko agreed. "Already, an early morning press conference has shaken up the Magic Society as well as most of Bellum." She waved her hand and a screen appeared next to her that featured the carnage of Bellum in its aftermath, streets demolished and homes gone. "As many of you may know, Bellum had a monstrous attack on its heavily populated cities this weekend. For those of you who haven't heard, take a look at the footage."
The screen expanded to show a shaky Insta livestream as the falling city above broke off chunks of its bare bottom to rocket down to earth. People screamed, children cried, and pets howled as they desperately sought to abandon their houses and stores to get to safer ground. The screen split into three as it showed copter footage from different angles in the different cities affected and a graphic visual of debris about to kill a hysterical teenager trying to encourage their dog to jump out the window for them to run. The feeds all stopped as John and Yoko reappeared with the screen beside them showcasing a press conference with cameras flashing.
"Absolutely horrible," John said somberly. "After taking a preliminary census, the Bellish police estimate a total of two-thousand-six-hundred-and-eighty-four citizens were killed in the disaster which is one of the largest deaths by man made disaster to date." The feed began to play a video from a famous YouViewer who crossed through the caution tape to explore the remnants of the city in its haze of smoke and dirt and blood. "Insofar, the police have roped off the cities affected by the attack and emergency services have already been deployed to do a sweep and find any survivors."
Yoko continued as the screen showed an ambulance rushing a patient with a slab of rock punctured through their upper thigh and hip. "While many have referred to this disaster across social media as Laputa's Fall after the mythological floating city, the cause of such a colossal event was unknown up until around midnight Fiore Central Time and two in the morning Eastern Ishgaran Time. Join us, folks, as we give you a brief overview of a press conference release from Bellum's location of their Ministry of Defense in Wiri Wiri with Defense Minister Cedrych Folorunso. Take a look."
The screen expanded to show the press conference that had streamed wee in the morning with cameras going off as a tall man with hollowed cheeks and dressed in his suit and fila (aso oke hat) was in front of a podium in the press room with his faithful left and right hands at his side and a flurry of microphones before him. Even though he spoke in Bellish, a dub had been created in Fioren-Minstrish. The voiceover translated: "This tragic weekend, the people of Bellum suffered a heavy loss at this extraordinary event of a falling city. Up until yesterday, we had clear reasoning that this was a man-made disaster created by wizards who were in opposition to the state registry all wizards would partake-in to coincide with their draft underneath the National Magic Registration Act. We had reason to believe these wizards would go to extreme lengths after the last terrorist attack on the Baron Film Museum. However, our secret police have officially apprehended the culprit."
Cedrych nodded to his associate who clicked a remote. The LV beside them showed the image of a deranged and ugly creature with torn-up wings and marks all over its body. The soldiers were dragging the creature in chains with a muzzle strapped to it onto the back of an armored truck. "This was the creature we have found that may be the cause to the statewide disaster and thousands of deaths and even more injuries. As of now, we have the creature in our custody and comatose, but from the testament we have gotten from our officers, this creature is capable of commanding dark magical creatures and possesses some form of sentience. Should our Sorcerers confirm this creature is a sentient magical creature, we will be forced to sentence this creature through capital punishment as retribution to the irreplaceable surmount of lives it took on its rampage."
Once the screen dialed back to living in the corner, John said, "With a face to the chaos, citizens have been demanding Death Rowe should this creature turn out to be capable of speech, complex emotion, and abstract thought as Magic Law dictates the definition of what a sentient magical creature is. However, many citizens have been recounting their own tales of mysterious people saving a majority of them from the falling debris and death. Psychologists have claimed this is a nationwide hallucination which is possible considering the incomprehensible amount of stress the people were under and mass hysteria."
Yoko straightened her outline sheets. "This morning, we received word in which Bellish Prime Minister Göran Bildt, Bellish Lady Magic-Speaker Hendrika Sandström, and the Defense Minister themselves will be giving an updated report on their findings about the creature as well as their loose outline on how to restore these demolished cities and help them through both a disastrous and economic crisis through Executive Press Secretary Sarah Srivastava. We bring you to the capital of Bellum, Porcini, where they are releasing their statements live. Take a look."
The screen expanded to show lights going off on the steps of the castle with reports and cameramen everywhere. The Bellish Prime Minister and Defense Minister stood side-by-side with their assistants, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Lady Magi-Speaker forming another line. The other ministers were not present nor were members of the parliament. The Bellish Press Secretary was at the podium with her head deputy and assistant near-by. Sarah addressed the crowd in Bellish; however, a dub came over in Minstrish. "Today, after countless hours of research from our efficient staff and Sorcerers, we have evidence to support the creature our soldiers have captured qualifies as a sentient magical creature capable of speech and complex expression and free thought in accordance with the Magical Creature Act and its updated guidelines. We have reached out to our state magizoologists who have concluded after much deliberation that the creature identifies as a Royal Wolf Chimera. While Royal Chimaera are considered an 'endangered species', we have collaborated with the Worldwide Wildlife organization branch in Bellum in which they have stated the endangered title only qualifies for magical creatures incapable of abstract thought.
"After taking in several witnesses' testimonies and statements alongside footage, we have come to declare this Chimaera guilty for genocide and terrorism. As such, the penalty for such crimes is capital punishment. Once the Chimera has regained consciousness, we will launch a full-on interrogation. We do not believe this Chimera worked alone and have reason to believe this Chimera worked alongside humans. As Chimaera are notoriously connected to Mages, we will be launching a countrywide investigation onto legal and independent Magic Guilds, Wizard Unions, and Tamer Unions to verify this Chimera was not in league with the same terrorist group that has been attacking major buildings and statues in the state." Sara gave the audience a cold stare. "We have heard the cries of our people loud and clear. Enough is enough. Untamed and undocumented Magic was the cause for such devastation and we cannot continue to abide by the loose laws surrounding magical rights when they affect the Nons. As such, we—"
"I object!"
This sent a ripple through the audience and the filming cameraman turned as a bodacious woman of raven-black hair, tan skin, and a suit dressed to kill walked through the crowd that parted for her as well as a building of a man in a tight-fitting suit and another woman with such striking eyes and a briefcase.
Sarah kept her cool as the security detail made a wall. "I apologize, miss, but we are not taking questions at this time," the voiceover translated for her.
The black-haired woman did not care about the bodyguards. She took her place on the steps and brought out an envelope. A rushed voiceover translated her words. "I'm not asking any questions today, secretary, because you have been served."
An uproar took place with countless questions flying out and everyone wanted a statement from such a bold woman. They did not have to wait long as the woman whipped around with her chin held high and cold glare silencing the crowd before her. She spoke and the translator kept up with her. "I represent the Ishgaran Magical Monsters Committee underneath both the United Nations and the Magic Council. I hereby demand to see my client to ensure their rights have been read and they are given a fair trial in the court of law. This trial will not take place in the Bellish court systems as under the Undocumented Magical Creature Ordinance, subsections H, section E, this creature is under the protection of the Magic Council for further inquisition and any court punishment."
Sarah looked for permission to respond and when the Prime Minister nodded, she turned and addressed the woman. "My apologies, ma'am, however, this Royal Chimera—"
"May not be a royal Chimera to begin with." The black-haired woman went on: "I have reason to believe my client was not given the correct Affinity Test nor the appropriate amount of time to identify the type of creature it is. Because I have brought this complaint in front of both the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, my accusations must be represented and upheld in court. As my client's lawyer, I will be ordering a full panel and enlisting Magic Council-approved magizoologists and scientists to identify this creature prior to our arraignment which will be held in the Ishgaran Magic Court. I request my client be put into Magic Council custody which is well within their and my right to request so. Should the Bellish ministers fail to uphold this request, I will not hesitate to allow the Magic Council members alongside Lady Magic-Speaker Hendrika to pull rank and forcibly remove my client from Bellish property and moved into the Council prison." She turned to face Sarah dead-on, but it looked like her eyes were focusing in on the Prime Minister. "And correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you stated my client is rendered unconscious which means they have not waived their rights to a barrister nor consented to the panel you subjected him to. As such, you are on borrowed time to allow me to see my client before I press for a class action suit due to Bellum's incompetence and illegal activity regarding my client."
She turned back around and began walking down the steps. As questions blared in Bellish, the woman held up a hand to reign in silence once more and said, "We won't be taking any questions today, but I want the people of Bellum to know this…" Her eyes struck dead into the main camera. "You have all been served."
°•°•°•°
The Prime Minister watched as the woman strode through the throng of press with her co-counsel and guard just as the director slipped over to him and whispered urgently, "Zal ik iemand sturen om haar te volgen?"
"Waarom... Er is geen besoifte aan." The Prime Minister took off his glasses and whipped out a handkerchief to wipe them. "Wat ze ook vet, geef het aan haar."
The director looked agitated at that. "Maar, meneer—!"
"Als we ons verzetten, zullen we veel grotere problèmes hebben zoals de Conseil," the Prime Minister reasoned as he wiped the second lens. He checked the cleanliness of his glasses. "Of het nu gaat om het Hof van de Conseil of om ons eigen gerecht, we zullen ons daarover uitspreken. Zorg ervoor dat Noelle alleen een juridisch adviseur kiest die zijn mond kan houden. We zullen ons aan de règles houden. We kunnen ons de MC-auditeurs niet veroorloven om nog een truc te doen." He pushed back on his glasses. In Minstrish, he added, "And make sure Hendrika is indisposed."
The director gave a terse nod. "Natuurlijk, ministre-premier. As you wish."
The Prime Minister tucked away his handkerchief as his eyes slid to the wooden Hendrika who listened to every word her assistant told her. Why, Miss Sandström… What sort of mischief have you gotten into this time?
°•°•°•°
"We won't be taking any questions today, but I want the people of Bellum to know this… You have all been served."
Erza shut off the LV in her office with Number Five sitting with her. Number Five did not even have to hesitate to get Erza her migraine medication and a nice glass of water to wash it down. "Thank you, Miss Five," Erza sighed resignedly. "I have a feeling I'll be needing much more of those."
Number Five tilted her head. "If I'm not invading too much, Master, I believe it's time you used that number."
Erza had to agree. "Would you be so kind to give me a few minutes to myself?"
Number Five nodded, bowed, and left the office with her chains clinking each step. Once she closed the door behind her, Erza sat back to just take that moment to collect herself and her thoughts. She opened her top drawer and went to the bottom where a secret compartment lie. Opening it, an old Compact was there. A burner Compact. She powered it up and went to the only contact listed inside.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
Erza took a breath before she chose the contact and dialed. In seconds, the line was connected, but the other person did not speak. "The Fairy Heart is in all of us," she started.
A beat of silence.
Erza proceeded. "Makarov made sure I had this number just in case I had an emergency. I have one now and I need your help."
°•°•°•°
The place looked like an eternal greenhouse with plants big and small and every color under the sky blossoming within the sanctity of the sun. Old hands swirled around a dramatic polka dot plant and it perked up. "Come my way when you have everything figured out," came rickety yet soft command. "We have, at most, a few weeks. Bring Gray with you. I have a contact in place I think would be most helpful."
"Of course. Thank you. I'll be in touch."
The Compact came down as a hand went to care for a shy little shame plant that retracted its leave on instinct and slowly opened up when it recognized the touch. "Sorry for that. Awfully rude of me to take a call while we're in the middle of a conversation," came supposed. A coughing laugh. "I'm becoming more and more popular the more rings I get around my trunk!"
Lips turned upwards. "Age is but a number."
A mouth opened only for the Compact to ring again. "Excuse me. This must be my riveting apprentice." The call was answered. "Miss Strauss, my little philodendron, I take it you won't be coming into the firm today?"
"I'm so sorry, sir." Ellie was on the line out of breath and overly emotional. "I was wondering if I could take a personal half-day? One of my friends is in the ICU and I—"
"Say no more, Miss Strauss," came soothe. "Take the entire day to collect yourself and see your friend. Come into work tomorrow, but don't push yourself. As much as I'd love to recommend a bouquet, if your friend is in intensive care, just your presence will be enough for her. It certainly brightens any room just like a yellow tulip."
A sniffle. "Thank you so much, sir. I promise I'll work twice as hard tomorrow."
"You already work hard, Miss Strauss. Be with your friend. I hope they have a swift recovery. I'll see you on Tuesday." The call ended. A sigh was dropped.
"She's not coming in?" came light inquiry.
"She has important matters to attend to. Now, where were we…what did you say your name was again?"
"Wintour." And there stood a man with dark chocolate skin and shades to cover his eyes. His three-piece suit was pitch-black and contradicted his hair, a staggering blondish-white. Behind him, a mountain of a man with white hair and gray eyes stood silently in his kimono. "Waleed Wintour, Saint-Sir."
A raspy laugh. "Please, no need to use that title. Just call me 'Warrod'." The elderly man stood to his full height with his branches shedding leaves and his high-collared kimono a nice blue to fit the season. "Now, Mister Wintour, you explained to me you have some insight on the creature that attacked Bellum?"
⌜MAGIC COUNCIL
Name: Warrod Sequen
Occupation: 4th Wizard Saint; Magic Councilman
Magic: Green
Likes: jokes Dislikes: non-reusable goods
Special Note: Warrod might be a powerful Magic Council member, but these days, he's an overseeing supervisor for a landscaping architecture firm! Did I mention Ellie is his protégée?⌟
"I do," Waleed stated. "And, if you'll pardon my intrusion, I'd like to discuss with you a fair deal in which myself, Bellum, and the creature win in the end."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Ah utsukushii sekai
Utsukushii mirai
Utsukushii kehai no suru sono saki wa
Subarashii sedai
Subarashii kitai
Subarashii sekai
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
It was a tragic morning at the Fullbuster house. Gajeel had high-tailed it to comfort Juvia while the broadcast went live and Gray passed the distraught Juvia into Gajeel's arms as she blubbered and sobbed over the implications of this arrest. Silver had yet to emerge from his room and with Julia gone, Gray was unsure if either of his children knew what happened. Still, he was on the Compact with Lyon, rubbing his face and feeling ice in his veins as he looked over at the news.
"Meredy and I are on our way over," Lyon told him. "We'll be there in thirty."
Gray wanted to curse out the world. "Thanks, man. Erza already called me to meet her at her office." He glanced over at his wife before peeking outside. The sky was gray and cloudy, but there was no rumble of thunder or hint of rain. "Gajeel's here, but I need someone else to be with them in case Julia comes back. We don't have to worry about the press, but we do need to worry about how to handle Gary's absence."
Meredy stepped onto the line. "Gary was on a mission with Nashi, wasn't he? Where is she?"
Gray leaned against the counter. "She's in the hospital?"
"What!"
Gray winced. "Lucy called me last night and told me Nashi had been shot. She's in the ICU, but she hasn't woken up yet. Juvia and I were planning to head to the hospital to see her and then go to Lucy and Natsu's to make sure Lucy had everything she needed, but then shit hit the fan. I've already got her texting me if Juvia and I need anything, but I know her and I know she hasn't slept—"
"I'll check in on her and make a visit to the hospital," Lyon offered. "Meredy will come over to your place. Has Natsu come home?"
"Not to my knowledge," Gray sighed. "Idiot should be home soon. I know Loke's already on his ass." He sagged as he reached for his Suertish coffee. "This is a whole mess."
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.
Gray pulled away to see an incoming call from Dazzler. "Uh…" To Lyon and Meredy, he said, "I'll talk to you guys later. Text me when you're closer. I gotta take this call. Yeah, see you soon. Bye." He ended his call with them and accepted the call from Dazzler. "I take it you saw this—"
"Mister Fullbuster, we have a huge problem," Dazzler rushed out a little too loudly over the Compact.
Gray cringed at the volume. "I know, Dazzler, I saw the news," he said slowly. "I'm going over to Master's office to discuss a legal plan of action, but as long as Gary's identity is safe—"
"That's the thing. It isn't safe."
Gray went rigid. "What are you talking about?"
Dazzler let out a half-hysteric laugh and half a wheeze. "This isn't the first time Gary's Devil has been seen," she reported through her anxiety. "Back in Margaret Town, the blizzard… Nashi got shot by a Magic Hunter trying to bait the Devil and Gary. When Gary and the Devil lost their shit and started that blizzard, soldiers were after the Devil."
Gray knew all this. "I know, Dazzler—"
"No, you don't!" Dazzler said harshly. "Those soldiers weren't from the Magic Council. Those soldiers were officers."
Gray felt his entire body freeze.
"Body cams, Mister Fullbuster, they had body cams," Dazzler explained. "And I can bet maybe one or two of them hadn't been frozen. As long as they had body cams on them, they got footage of Skade and what he did to Linus and us and Nashi."
Gray tried to think. "But Gary's identity would still be safe even if they had evidence of—… Wait, who is 'Skade'?"
"Gary's Devil. Look, it's a long story and I'll explain everything later, but the point is, Skade wasn't just Skade. He transformed back into Gary right then and there and caught Nashi. They could have the evidence, Mister Fullbuster, of Skade and Gary sharing the same body. And they'll have more against Skade for being part of the attack in Margaret and pin Skade as the reason for it—"
Gray growled. "Dammit, Gary, why the Hell didn't he tell me this?" He reigned in his temper when he saw a little flurry swirling around him. "Dazzler, I want you to come to the Master's office with me. Was anyone else with you in Margaret Town? Would anyone else know about this?"
"Luke," Dazzler said instantly. "He tried to attack Skade for having Nashi. Mustang was with me too and Julia and Misty."
"Bring Mustang and I'll get Mystogan," Gray commanded. "I need all of you to tell your story to Master. If we have any chance of saving Gary from this mess, we need to know all the facts."
Dazzler sniffled. "I'm sorry we didn't say anything before—"
"It doesn't matter," Gray cut in. "What matters is what you say now. Meet me at Fairy Tail in twenty-minutes." He ended the call before bringing up his contacts. To Mystogan, he sent a message. Then, he sent messages to Aine and Lance. If I'm going to get the whole story, I'm going to need everyone involved. Gary… What the Hell have you gotten yourself into?
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure 57
I Miss You
なんでこんなに急に終わったの？ 喪失感と愛が咲き乱れ、心は今何をすべきか悩む。
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
When Peter woke up, showered, and got dressed in his school uniform, he did everything in his power to avoid any animal fur getting on his clothes, even if that was a plan all for naught. He came downstairs with one of the fluffier black cats winding around his legs only to skitter away the second an old female pitbull hefted over for her morning pats. As he went into the kitchen, he saw his father working on his PAL at the island bar with the news on in the background. "Morning, Dad."
"Hey, morning." Bowie glanced over at Peter. "You're looking oddly happy today for someone so distraught yesterday."
Peter grinned as he got a banana for breakfast. "I am." He hopped up on the counter where Meela had taken up residence and she eagerly went into his lap only to groom herself. "Mary Jane's getting discharged today."
"Oh?" Bowie sat back on his high-rise chair. "So that's the reason for your good mood. When are you going to bring her to the house?"
Peter snorted as he peeled his banana. "At this point with Mom? Never."
"Peter…"
"What?" Peter took a healthy mouthful of his banana. "I'm just saying. Pretty sure Mom is going to be angry enough I'm dating a Mage. I can't imagine what she'd be like in person with Mary Jane."
Bowie crossed his arms. "She'd be cordial and still want what's best for you, but she'd be respectful. Just because your mother has a little aversion to Mages doesn't mean she'll kick Mary Jane out of the house upon sight." When Peter snorted, Bowie took a look at the clock. "And aren't you late for school?"
"Exam week," Peter said between mouthfuls. "I got high enough grades that I don't have to take the finals in most of my classes except in physics." He finished off his banana with one more mouthful. "Should've done what Bleu did and taken all those college classes. He doesn't have to worry about exam week which means he gets to spend all his time doting on his girlfriend." He rolled his eyes dramatically as he moved Meela onto the counter so he could jump down to the floor.
"'Girlfriend'?" Bowie laughed. "Well, that's news. I didn't think his dad allowed him to date."
Peter shot Bowie a sheepish look. "I mean… Yeah, technically, Bleu isn't supposed to date, but this is the first time I've ever seen him so excited over someone. It's not like they'll get married or anything, but what his dad doesn't know won't hurt him, right?"
Bowie chuckled. "I hear you loud and clear. Not a word of this gets back to Mister Demiurge." Peter mouthed thank you as he went to the refrigerator, but then Bowie added, "So what's his girlfriend like? What?" He laughed when Peter gave him a look. "I can't be curious about your friends now?"
Peter grabbed a fruit smoothie. "She's great, Dad," he observed. "Pretty nice. She's Igneel Dragneel's little sister? You know him, Mary Jane's best friend?"
"Ah, yes… The new Salamander," Bowie named.
"Uh-huh." Peter twisted off the cap and knocked back a few swallows. "Mary Jane introduced Luna and Bleu at the Festival of Gratitude. Luna's been pretty great. The way Bleu looks at her, you'd think she's like a falling star or a goddess or something." Then, he scoffed. "But she sorta comes with a guard dog. Ever heard of the name Gale Redfox?"
"The Earth Dragon of Fairy Tail." Bowie whistled low. "I might have snuck to see a couple of his fights when Eloa was sleeping. The boy's badass." He winced. "And I see the problem."
"Hey, Bleu got the better end of the deal." Peter screwed his cap back on and moved to the dining room to get his backpack. "He gets some MMA Hellhound, but I'm the one stuck with the Thunder God. And Bleu gets to kiss Luna. If I wanted to kiss Mary Jane, I'd be six feet under. How is this fair?"
Bowie got up when Peter slung on his backpack and made his way towards the garage door. "Have you met your mom's parents? You think it was easy to convince them a Suertsman with no rhythm in his hips and not a lick of taste should marry their daughter? I'm lucky I'm still a ginger after all the stress they put me through."
Peter shook his head. "Whatever, Dad. I'm off to see Mary Jane then to my exam. If Mom calls, can you just tell her I went to the library for a cram session?"
"I'll tell her the truth," Bowie hollered, "but I'll let her know to go easy on you!"
Peter waved a hand as he opened the door to the mudroom that would lead to the garage. "Yeah, yeah, yeah…" He plucked his car keys. "If Mister Dreyar doesn't kill me for touching his daughter, I'll see you at dinner!" He heard Bowie's good bye as he opened the door and stepped into the garage. He hit the button for the garage door to open and padded off to his car. Once he was inside, turned on the car, and got situated, he brought out his Compact and found Mary Jane's contact.
He typed a message:
« Hey Sweets, I'm on my way. Let me know if you get discharged before I get there and we can meet up when your home. See you soon »
He found Bleu's contact and typed a message:
« I know you're a smart ass with no exams, but wanna meet come see me at Sweets' hospital room for her discharge? I'm going there now »
He plugged his Compact in so his CarPlay came up and Bleu answered him back pretty quickly.
« Yeah, sure. See you there »
« Think Luna will be there? Asking for Carlisle »
Peter reversed and pulled out of the driveway. "Bleu, Bleu, Bleu..." He hit the road and towards the hospital. "You are such a lovesick idiot."
The Dragneel Household felt off and everyone knew why. Virgo, Aries, Taurus, Lelantos, and Plue had stayed behind today to help with remedial chores, protection, and emotional support. Icarus took pleasure in having Plue around especially, but he hung tight to Luna with the sobriety hanging around her. She had taken her breakfast to the dining room with Icarus by her side and Lelantos too. Plue sat on the table and looked upset Luna was upset. Not once did she laugh at his silly dances and Aries soothed the Canis Major Spirit with assurances Luna would laugh later.
Luna picked at the remainder of her food when Aries has come in. Like all Lucy's Spirits, as times changed and Lucy's needs changed, her Spirits took pleasure in adjusting. Aries had taken it in stride with her wool dress lengthening with slits on the side that crawled up to her thighs and had created a nice cardigan with black wool. Her pink hair retained its curl, just looser and flirted with the middle of her back.
"Luna," Aries said softly, "you need to eat something. You're always hungry."
Luna sighed. "Sorry, Auntie. I guess I'm not all that hungry today, y'know?"
"Well, you need to eat up." Luke came into the dining room with his PAL bag. "I promised Mom I'd get us over to the hospital to see Nashi before the next doctor comes to visit." He came behind Luna's chair and set his chin down on her head.
Luna huffed. "Well, excuse me if I'm not all that hungry after everything that happened." Luke was forced to get off her when she scooted back her chair and grabbed her plate. "I'm done with breakfast." She marched to the kitchen and threw away the rest of her breakfast. Virgo kindly took the plate and Luna set off down the hallway.
Luke groaned and followed after her. "Lu, c'mon, I didn't mean to sound insensitive…!" He whistled and the dogs scrambled after him, Icarus barreling after his owner. "Lu, talk to me!" He stopped when he got into the living room to see Sagittarius and Taurus watching the LV as a broadcast portrayed speculations surrounding the mythical creature responsible for the terrorism in Bellum.
Luna felt her hands shake. Icarus nudged her and rubbed his cheek against her leg to provide comfort, but Luna could not look away. "How can I see her?" she whispered. "How can I see Nashi and tell her Gary's been arrested?"
Luke grabbed Luna's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Because she's going to need us to help her through this," he murmured. "She'll need our support. She won't blame you."
No… Luna remembered the overwhelming feeling of purity rip her open. But she'll see me and blame herself.
Luke tugged Luna gently. "Come on. We'll take my broom to the hospital." He nodded at Icarus who disappeared back into the Celestial Spirit Realm.
It did not take long for the pair of siblings to be in the air by broom. Luna hung onto Luke with such sadness written on her face.
"What do you mean by take care of everything?" The focus was on Mirella who was already walking away. "What's going on? What…plan?"
"We had a feeling something drastic might happen to Skade." The focus turned to Kyler who gave her soft eyes. "We planned for all alternatives just in case. We'll make sure your friend is taken care of, Luna. Trust us."
Still, Luna found herself disturbed and uneasy. I want to trust them. I feel like I can, but… I'm just so worried. I feel so helpless.
Icarus linked to her, It is natural to feel helpless. Take small paw steps to feel helpful, Pup.
Like what?
Visiting your littermate, Icarus suggested. Helping bathe her if the healer allows you. Help around the den to ease Queen Mother's worries. Those little things will ease your own troubles.
Maybe. Though, Luna was still unconvinced. I wish Bleu were here. He's— Her eyes widened as she let out such a loud gasp, Luke nearly took them off-course. "Oh my gosh, Bleu! I totally forgot about him!"
"Wait, what?" Luke questioned. "What's going on?"
But Luna was too busy panicking to answer. Oh goodness, I bet he's been texting me! I haven't spoken to him since Sunday morning and I promised I'd call. Where's my Compact? A thought came to her and she internally sweated. Don't tell me I dropped it in Bellum. How am I supposed to explain that to Papa when I beg him for a new Com? Wait, this could work. Maybe he could get me the new Compact that came out…
"Oh, he left some texts and a voicemail for you."
Luna's thought bubble popped as she leaned closer to Luke. "He did? Are you sure? And where's my Com?"
"You left it in the treehouse when you teleported," Luke informed. "I have it in my bag. I have it charged for you. You're welcome."
"Eee, thank you!" Luna perked up to kiss Luke's cheek as he laughed. "Best brother ever! Iggy would have deleted Bleu's stuff to me—"
"He would not!" Luke said in defense, but when Luna hit him, he winced. "Okay, okay… So he maybe would have done that… But it's only because he cares about you and you know he's overprotective of you," he quickly put in when Luna huffed. "He's got you and I've got Nashi. It's Bro Code. Sisters wouldn't understand."
Luna made a noise. "Mmm-hmm, yeah, sure… So does this mean you're not going to get overprotective when Bleu and I kiss and go on dates—?"
Luke damn near would have pulled the broom to a stop mid-air, but he pressed on when he was forced to remember his mother's request. "I'm still not over you and him kissing in front of me," he gritted out. "Dates are fine, but you shouldn't be kissing anyone. Think about…! Think about all the germs you could get from him!"
"'Germs'?" Luna giggled. "Yeah, I'm not too worried about that. Besides, he tastes good. Like…really, really good—"
Luke lamented, "Shut up, shut up, shut up…! Just stop talking about that." He puffed as Luna simpered into his back. "Ugh, god, this is so awkward. Maybe I should have taken a page from Igneel's book and deleted that from your Com." He looked over his shoulder. "By the way, have you seen him this morning? Did you see him when you got in?"
Luna frowned. "Well, no, but I just figured he was with Mary Jane. I know she was hospitalized. I'm sure he just stayed the night or something, right?"
"No…" Luke's brow furrowed. "Mom said he left the hospital after visiting Nashi in her room since he was just overwhelmed." Something isn't adding up…but I can't put my finger on it. Shaking off his unfounded worries, he predicted, "He probably ran off to the hospital again when they opened the door to visitors or something."
Luna perked. "Yeah, that's probably—!"
A letter put to rest on a desk. A crimson seal with golden letters I.Z.D.
A hooded silhouette sitting in an uncomfortable chair in the dead of the night as they watched the windows of the Sky Port and a Sky Boat pulled into the bay.
Scarlet-cerulean swollen with tears. "Igneel, please…! Don't go!"
Luna bit her lip to keep from the huge breath she wanted to take. No… No, that can't be right. This is just a possibility, right? Igneel wouldn't have left us without saying good-bye…right? And the thought would trouble her as Luke peddled them through the air by broom to the hospital.
When Lance opened his eyes the first time, he was back at the palace with draperies made of silk and satin, the halls a-glisten with all precious metals, and the air smelling so enchanting and rich. But he opened his eyes again and he was back in his master bedroom fleshed with natural light. "What a strange dream…" he murmured. Sitting up, he winced a little at the soreness he felt, but this was nothing new to him. "Gosh… I'm going to be feeling this for a little while. I hope I'll be able to get back to training soon."
His head turned when he finally heard the soft lull of the LV. Aine's still here?
It was a few minutes later after Lance freshened up that he emerged from the master bedroom and went down the hall. The ranch-style house he had bought was a blessing in disguise. Sure, it was a little bit away from the guild, but his neighborhood still fell within Magnolia city limits and that was all he really cared about. He had enough space for his quiet, to train, and to study, and he was still close to his parents and to the guild for emergencies. When he came out of the hall, he looked to see Aine was sitting in the open dining room on her PAL as she poured over notes with her online textbook up. She had made a large breakfast and seemed to have acquired the company of his senior Fulgumiho who rested on his bed, huddled in his nine tails. The Fulgumiho noticed him as he approached before Aine did.
She perked seeing him (and he took the time to appreciate she was just wearing one of his shirts while her hair was in twin buns). "Hey, you're awake!" She got up and closed her PAL. "Here, let me get you breakfast—!"
"Aine, take it easy," Lance soothed. "I can get breakfast myself. I'm sore, but I'm pretty much healed."
Aine did not look convinced, but she sat down and watched him like a hawk as he went to the kitchen to pile on the omelet she had made for him and all the sides he could cram. Lance asked her, "What are you working on? School stuff?"
Aine glanced instinctively at her notes. "Yeah. I have off this week at the hospital due to exams, but I have my micro exam tomorrow."
Lance frowned as he came over with his breakfast and a glass of peach water. "I know you've been worried, but you shouldn't be. You've been passing your classes no problem." He sat beside her. "I'm sure you'll do great on the exam, little fox."
"I hope. The modules have been dreadful." Aine opened her PAL again to see her textbook. "But I'm kind of thankful I took Luke's advice about the study outline for the last couple of weeks. I know I'm cramming, but now it doesn't feel like I have to cram. It's just a courtesy." She snorted when she saw Lance eagerly digging into his food. "Yeah. You're definitely back to normal."
Lance swallowed his last mouthful and offered her a cheeky grin. "Told you so." His head turned when he heard a language unfamiliar to him and looked at the LV in the dining room. It showcased the news and was doing an international story on Bellum and showed a fly-by of the destruction. "What happened while I was asleep?" he wondered quietly.
"A lot happened," Aine confessed, somber. "News stations are covering this. Trillion of jewel lost, thousands were killed, and…"
Lance swung his gaze to Aine. "And what?" When Aine hesitated, Lance asked more forcefully, "And what, little fox?"
Aine lowered her eyes. "Gary's been arrested."
Lance had to take a moment. "What?"
"He was captured in his Devil Form," Aine explained in a murmur. "He's been framed for causing the destruction in Bellum and he'll be put to trial. If they find him guilty, more than likely…he'll get the death penalty."
Maybe some would expect Lance to pop off. Or perhaps expect him to grow furious. But Lance did none of those things. Instead, he settled down his cutlery, propped his arms, and placed his mouth against his folded hands. "I see," was what he said. "As much as I want to say it surprises me—and it does in a way—it makes sense." He lifted a brow without even looking to tell Aine to stay silent when she looked outraged he would make such a claim. "Not many people know Gary can turn into a Devil, let alone the ones who do think Gary still maintains his humanity as a Devil."
"Doesn't he?" Aine shirked a little when Lance's eyes cut to hers. "Sorry."
Lance sighed. "It's okay, little fox," he soothed. "But no, he doesn't. Gary and his Devil are two separate entities which isn't common, I know. Even if people think the Devil is just a different part of Gary's psyche, the Devil has its own thoughts and opinions and motives. What it does and what Gary does are two separate things. For Gary, it's hard to maintain his individuality when he's sharing his body with someone else. And, in his eyes, he's responsible for both his and the Devil's actions which makes it hard on him when his Devil gets out of control." He smiled just a tad when Aine lifted her chin. "You have a question?"
"Do you think the Devil is responsible in any way?" Aine asked.
Lance considered it for a moment. "No," he answered. "I've only met the Devil a handful of times and not to Gary's choice on the matter. I've seen its power. But I've seen its motive too. It might be a Dark Creature and it may have a Curse, but it wasn't raised to be a cold-blooded homicidal maniac. All races have good and bad amongst their people and the Devil is no different. It's irrational and uncontrollable with its bloodlust, but nothing I'm actively worried about."
"So then why do you say Gary or his Devil getting arrested makes sense?" Aine wondered.
"Because the way the Devil operates isn't common knowledge and Bellum needed a scapegoat," Lance said. "I'm sure Bael wasn't seen in public. Kyler, Muta, and Mirella more than likely made sure Bael wasn't seen to the general public."
Mirella… All Aine could think was Mirella displaying her death scythe and the way she cut down the afterimage of her mother. She killed Hemera. I know I can't really sense power since I'm not a real Mage, but even I got shivers from the energy I felt from her. "You really think they could do that?"
"I do," Lance believed. "And even if they didn't and somehow, the Demon was seen, Bellum wouldn't waste their time keeping it a state secret. They would flaunt it. From what I know of Bellum's magical stance, they're pro-Spiritless, anti-Magic, and are part of some group that lobbies anti-Magic policies to make it impossible for any Aberrants or any wizard to maintain a semblance of freedom like we do here. They will either militarize Magic or they make sure anyone different falls in line. They'd gladly tell the world about Bael attacking Bellum to stir the pot."
Aine agreed with the sentiment. "Okay. So how does that explain Gary being the obvious choice for blame?"
"From what I learned about Nashi and what I know of her, she more than likely was in the battlefield," Lance assumed. "And I know where she is, Gary will follow. But the name of the game wasn't to capture Gary; it was to capture the Devil in the first place. Which means the Devil was on the battlefield. It might not be fond of humans, but it knows its relationship with Gary must be cooperative and mutualistic at the very least. That, and it's a creature with animalistic instincts. The transition back to Gary mid-battle would have been high risk and low reward. So more than likely, it stayed in its form to fight. And taking in Bellum's own secret ways to control the magically strong, I have no doubt they sent secret police to handle the Devil as its scapegoat. And the only way the Devil would get captured…"
"Is if Nashi was in danger," Aine concluded. "And she's in the ICU right now, actually."
That was news to Lance. "What? How? Why isn't she at Granny's?"
"From what my mom told me over the Com this morning, Nashi was admitted for anti-Magic bullets," Aine informed. "Your dad said it last night, but you might've been too dazed to remember. She was in critical condition when they brought her in. Taking her to Granny's would have been ideal if she didn't have that many wounds. She needed medical attention only the ICU could give her."
Lance thought about that. Anti-Magic bullets. Magic Hunters, then? We saw them in Margaret Town and they were after Gary and his Devil before. But, from what Gary told me about the blizzard, Nashi had been injected with the serum because a Hunter wanted Gary to lose control, which he did. Was she shot to trigger the Devil? Or was he the target in the first place, but it was fine if she got shot since the end result would be the same? His stare grazed over Aine and he knew what she was thinking. "None of this was your fault, little fox."
"I can't help but think it," Aine regard miserably. "I know it won't help anything having that mentality. But I feel guilty still. Like, if I hadn't blown up and demanded we take that job in Erika—"
"Then, Nashi and Gary would have taken a mission together and the result would still be the same." Lance cradled her jaw with a hand before letting it drop to her neck to thumb it.
"I just wish I had been a little stronger," Aine whispered. "Instead, I got pawned. I was used. And I couldn't do anything about it. What good was I there except watching over you? I couldn't save anyone."
"And neither could I," Lance pointed out. "I was unconscious."
Aine scoffed. "But if you hadn't been unconscious, we both know you would have contributed much more to the fight than me," she reminded. "But," she added when Lance gave her one of those warning looks, "me degrading myself isn't going to help the situation nor is it constructive." She graced him with a small smile. "I remember, Sir."
"Good thing you do. I would have had to punish you with the way you kept going," Lance joked. "Although, it would have just added on to the punishment I already have in store for you."
Aine pouted. "What do you mean 'the punishment' you already have in store for me? What did I do?"
"You'll be telling me later," Lance guaranteed with a dark glint in his eyes.
"'Later' being the operative word." Aine checked the time. "We need to get ready for the day to pay a visit to Nashi and then I need to head home to change clothes and find out what happened to the job we took. And I know you want to come with me, but Misty is more than likely going to be on my case, remember?"
"All the more reason for me to come," Lance tried to persuade. "I can help take some of the heat Misty tries to give you. You know he's going to come for me anyways for not doing right by him and protecting you."
Aine rolled her eyes. "Let him. It's ironic he preaches how his sister needs to be protected, but somehow, he forgets he has two sisters." She blew out a breath. "Honestly, I'm happy I have you. And I know I should be grateful Misty is so protective of me. But Ena's his sister too." She gratefully accepted Lance's fluttering touch down her side. "I don't know. What did you and Nik do with Veronika and Mary Jane?"
Lance cast his eyes away. "Nik was, well, abrasive," he put into words. "He doted on Mary Jane, sure"—a fondness touched his words—"and he would even make sure to end jobs early to come home so she could read her favorite stories to him, but he was also the one picking Veronika up from parties whenever she called and they had a close relationship where Nik was the second one Ronnie told when she was pregnant. It was different with me and both my sisters." It was like the tone shifted and the atmosphere turned tense. "My relationship with Ronnie… She was five years older than me, so at the time, I might not have understood the adult concepts of everything. I know Nik was furious I didn't defend her from my dad's fight with her, but Nik always handled things with aggression back then. It wasn't my way. Ronni and I talked a lot. I was the first she confessed to about her pregnancy. I'm sure she didn't give me any of the graphics like Nik got, but we did talk. And even now, we still call every week."
Aine's eyes widened. "But I thought when she left, she didn't contact anyone?"
"Yes and no," Lance answered. "She shut out most of the family except for Mary Jane and me. It was only a few years ago she and Nik reconnected and Nik and I were able to convince her to speak with Mom. But when she left, she and I still talked. Nik was hotheaded and blamed me being so focused on Mary Jane that I didn't pay attention to Veronika and I know Mary Jane wrote me off as the enemy in the story." He used his free hand to rub his face. "It's not easy. Sibling relationships can be easy, but ours isn't. I get why Misty is focused on you with everything you've gone through. But he shouldn't neglect Ena."
Aine nodded. "He says he's looking out at me like Dad never did, but that isn't true. Our dad was loyal and loving. He taught me everything I know. But Misty has this warped perception of him and is trying to be the opposite of that, when, in reality, he's turning into the exact person he paints our dad to me." A terse breath. "I just wish he'd see that."
"He will, one day." Lance guided Aine up from her seat to sit her in his lap and let her curl into him. "It'll take some time and serious reflection."
"What if he's too late?" Aine worried. "What if, by the time he realizes it, Ena doesn't want anything to do with him? What if he never realizes she needs him too?"
"Then, he loses on a wonderful person to call his little sister," Lance murmured into her skin. "And we'll be there for Ena. She's your family meaning she's my family too."
Aine hummed and closed her eyes. Dad… What would you do if you were here? But no one answered her.
Nashi was back in the place with all the bleeding-heart flowers where it felt like spring has sprung and no one ever cried. But when she had arrived there, she did not expect to see Seraphim in his wispy white form before her. She looked around as she said, "Seraphim… What are we doing in this place? What happened to me?" Her eyes widened as she whispered, "Oh my god, am I dead?"
"Nay, Little One," Seraphim soothed in his plethora of voices. "You have not crossed over."
Nashi breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god." She tucked her hair behind her ears. "So…what are we doing here?"
Seraphim converged his energy into a glowing form of man. He sent down his naked feet and towered over Nashi by a good two or maybe even three feet. "Come, Little One. We have much to discuss." He strode forth and Nashi found herself breezing through the flowers to keep up with him.
Nashi looked up at the Seraph Soul in wonder and questioning. "Did something happen to me? Is that why we're here?"
"You are alive in the physical realm," Seraphim assured. "From what I sense in your soul, you were injected with the serum that strips you of your power."
"Anti-Magic serum." Nashi groaned. "That's so much worse than actual bullets. Can you tell if I'm okay? Or what's going on with me?"
Seraphim shook his head, making Nashi disheartened. "I cannot. While my soul is bonded to you, our bodies are not one. I am able to tell you are alive." He glanced down at her with those magenta swirls for eyes. "One day, you will understand your powers well enough to project your soul to speak on your behalf even when your body is unable to move. Your father is able to do such a thing."
"He is?" Nashi gasped. "And I'll be able to do it too?" She looked down at herself. "Woah… I wonder what other powers I'll learn?"
Seraphim chuckled. "Calm thyself, Little One. We will train you to make a fine wielder of souls." He strode ahead as Nashi slowed to a stop.
"I'm sorry. 'We'?" Nashi echoed. She rushed to catch up to Seraphim. "What do you mean by 'we'?"
Seraphim abruptly stopped and Nashi stumbled to stop with him. "I will no longer be your sole counsel and provider, Little One," he told her. He laughed when Nashi's eyes widened. "Calm. We will not be joined by your Demon half. As she is you, there is little she can teach you." He crouched down and gestured forth. "Nay. An old friend who has always been with you will be your teacher."
Nashi craned her neck and squinted. She saw nothing for a few moments when a thinning outline of someone created itself. As more time passed, Nashi's eyes gradually widened when she saw the translucent person make themselves known with a shy smile and tawny brown skin glowing at the ever-present light in this world. But Nashi knew those eyes anywhere. "Cael?"
The man nodded and did a quiet wave with his fingers.
Nashi took a step back and partially hid behind Seraphim like a scared child seeking refuge behind their parent. Seraphim looked at her in amused curiosity. "What frightens you about him, Little One? You have known him since you were little."
"I just… I didn't think I'd see him." Nashi took a step out of Seraphim's protection and found herself drawn to Cael. He was not all there in his ghastly form and looked handsome in his white robes. Wings were on his back. Even translucent, they looked massive like the dragged a little on the ground. When Nashi came toe to toe with Cael, even he towered over her another foot and a half, but his size did not make him look menacing, especially when he lowered himself so they were equal. He put up a hand.
Slowly, Nashi put up her own hand and tried to press it against Cael's. While she did not feel flesh, she felt a physical force of warm mold onto her skin and made her want to giggle. Abashed, Nashi whispered, "Hi."
The warmth on her hand increased as Cael slow blinked at her.
Nashi refused to take her eyes off such a heavenly being as she called to Seraphim, "When can Cael and I speak again? It's been so long since we've spoken." She directed this to Cael. "It's been so long since I've seen you too. I'm sorry it took so long."
Cael shook his head and Nashi felt his own apology through the warmth alongside the relief they were together again.
Seraphim approached the pair of them. "As you grow into your new prowess, Cael will slowly regain the abilities he had when you both first met. His bond to you is damaged while both of your souls are perfectly intact," he explained. "Pure soul resonance will allow you to unlock all his powers."
"But why is our bond damaged?" Nashi questioned both Seraphim and Cael. "Why can't I hear you? What happened to us?"
Cael opened his mouth, but he looked so helpless. His big eyes went up to Seraphim.
Seraphim sighed. "Even Cael can't answer that. For some reason, there is a block on your memories and with a damaged bond, he can't access them. And, before you ask, I can't access them either. The block you have is too strong for both of us to currently break. It needs a physical entity to break it rather than a spiritual one."
Nashi looked put out. "Oh. I see." She blinked when Cael pressed his other hand against her cheek to flood her with assurance and promise. How could she resist smiling at him? "Thanks, Cael. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here." She leaned into his touch. "One day, I'll hear you again. And you'll get so sick of me that you'll wish you went back to us not hearing each other." She giggled alongside the overwhelming amusement Cael expressed to her. "You like that? Because I've got a bunch of jokes."
"Another time." Seraphim looked at Cael who nodded sheepishly and righted himself. "You must return to the living world. We will be beside you when you need us, Little One. Do not hesitate to ask for us. We will always come."
Nashi took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you. I needed that little pep talk." She took a look around. "But how exactly do I get out of here? I wonder what it'll be like on the other side… Do you think Gary—?" And that was when the all-consuming anxiety shook her core and quickened her heart rate. "Oh my god, Gary! Skade! Where are they? What happened? What's going o—?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Býleistr refused to take his eyes off Nashi. That was why, when her heart rate monitor picked up and the machines began to beep like crazy, he stood up and crowded Nashi's bed. He shouted for a human healer as he knelt beside her and took her pale hand into his large ones, murmuring for her to beat the odds and wake up to yell at him. The ICU CNA came out from the glass-protected office with a wide look and immediately went to call the nurse and PICU physician.
Nashi's eyes cracked open and the world was turning chaotic. Medical personnel bustled in with their own machines with the head physician giving quick and precise commands. The nurse attempted to remove Býleistr from the scene and he immediately refused, but when Nashi's machines beeped like wildfire, Býleistr was forced out of the room by the tiny nurse and back into the hall. Ragged breaths escaped him and he could not help it when he turned into a lion and paced the length of Nashi's sliding doors, ears pricked, snarl at the ready. Passing-by personnel seemed a bit freaked out a lion was in the PICU, but Loke and Lucy came barreling down the hall to assure everyone that lion was a magical creature allowed to be here.
Býleistr refused to transition when Loke said, "She's awake?"
"Yeah, but they won't let me stay in the room with her." Býleistr snarled and glared at the doors. "I don't understand. Healers used to respect a Spirit's place alongside their mistress."
Lucy smoothed down part of Býleistr's side. "That was when Magic was a lot more prevalent," she reminded him. "It's okay, Býleistr. You watched over her all night for us. You kept her safe."
"I should've done more." Býleistr grew back into his hybrid form (everyone ignored the gawking two nurses' aides) and sat before the sliding doors with hands dug into his mane. "I should've gotten her out sooner. She was on a stupid suicide mission trying to reign in the Wolverine and save him and I just played into it. I should've been a more responsible Star Spirit to her and taken her away from the danger instead of giving in to her demands."
Lucy frowned. "Býleistr, you—"
"Yeah, you should have." Loke spoke up as he whipped off his shades and glared up at Býleistr. "The first rule about being a Celestial Spirit is to always protect our masters. But you just keep forgetting the law over and over again." He scoffed. "Just like you to try to kill another mistress."
"Loke!" Lucy snapped.
"It's okay, Your Highness," Býleistr muttered. "Let Leo speak." His piercing glower clashed with Loke's own. "Pretty sure he's been waiting to get this off his chest for cycles. Ain't that right, big brother—?" His words were choked when Loke moved fast with his hands going onto the lion's neck in an attempt to choke him out.
"Don't you ever call yourself my brother?" Loke snarled. Hazel fueled with nothing but hatred. "You hear me? You are nothing but neutron star that should have stayed in that Void!"
Býleistr gagged and was forced back into his Beastman form. It did not matter that he was the bigger of the two of them. Loke's grip was ironclad and Leo Minor would always be weaker in regard to Leo Major. "But you let me out of the Void," he wheezed with a smirk, "brother."
Power flared around Loke as his Celestial symbol burned onto his chest. Rage began to consume him as he vibrated and pushed Býleistr so hard into the grass, spidery cracks crawled onto it. Lucy shooed away the slowly approaching security and noticed the crowd of medical staff and patient visitors. "Loke, please," she beseeched in a hiss. "Not now. Not here. Not when my daughter is in the other room and needs me."
That snapped Loke out of his ire. He let go of Býleistr like he was made of acid, like he could not believe his anger had gotten the best of him. He shakily put back in his shades while Lucy knelt down to comfort Býleistr. "Are you all right?" she fretted.
Býleistr cracked his neck and took a breath. With a loose glance at Loke, he muttered, "Nothing I can't handle, Your Majesty." He lowered his gaze. "I offer my gratitude to your intervention. However, I ask you to allow Leo the right to punish me as he sees fit. I deserve it."
"Don't you ever say that."
Býleistr looked up to see such ferocity in those dark chocolate orbs swept in gold. "Uh… Your Highness—"
"I'm not royalty," Lucy stressed. "I'm just Lucy. Heck, call me 'Miss Lucy' if you still feel like I need a title. But the point is you are my daughter's Celestial Spirit. That makes us family." She extended a hand to him. "I'm going to need you to be strong for her. She's going to rely on you and need you. I know it's unfair you were called here and have to deal with this. And I promise you'll get the rest you need soon. It's disrespectful for me to resummon you when your Nashi's Spirit. But please, Býleistr. Whether you think it or not, Nashi can't do this without you. That means not getting bullied by other Spirits."
Býleistr could not hold back the astonishment on his face. "Your Highness…" His fur grew hot when Lucy arched an eyebrow. "Miss Lucy," he corrected. He accepted her hand, but he did the work to get himself up. He did not rise fully. He knelt before her with her hand in his. "You have offered me nothing but your kindness and acceptance. I don't deserve it. But I make the vow to you that I will protect my princess with my very life and every star I have within my command. To you, I swear it. My word may not be honorable at the moment—"
"Enough." Býleistr lifted his head to see Lucy smiling softly at him. "Come with me. You must be at least a little hungry and thirsty. I know Spirits don't need to eat human food, but I think some tea might help you right about now." She looked over her shoulder at the sullen Loke. "Loke. You'll stay here and alert me the second I'm allowed in the room."
Loke started guiltily, "Lucy, I'm—"
Lucy spurned her Spirit as she tugged Býleistr to follow her. "Come on, Býleistr."
Býleistr stumbled after her, but even he could not resist looking back at Loke's face and seeing the anguish written on it.
°•°•°•°
Býleistr wanted so badly to ignore the stares going on as he was forced into this little chair that clearly could not support his weight. A growl rumbled in his chest and he cut his glare to two little boys blatantly staring at him. He forced his lips to cover his teeth and took to cracking his knuckles under the table. I wasn't built for tiny human halls like this. I should make a break for it. But then I'd be disrespecting Her Maj—err, Miss Lucy… His shoulders sagged as he let out a sigh. "I don't know what the Hell is wrong with this new generation of Heartfilia's," he muttered. "Trusting someone like me."
"Here's your tea."
Býleistr would have tipped the entire table over with how fast he stood up and alarmed almost everyone in the cafeteria. Lucy still smiled up at him with a piping hot mug of tea as Býleistr, wide-eyed and tail straight up, stumbled over his manners. "Miss Lucy! I didn't hear you approach. Allow me to get your chair—" He stepped back, but much to his bewilderment, he knocked over not just his chair, but the chair and table behind him. He stepped forward, but he bumped into the table and barely caught it in time before he could tip over. "Dammit! Fucking mortal bullshit!" he hissed. His ears twitched and he whipped around when he heard the whispers of two surgical technicians. "I can hear you, you humans!" he snapped.
"Býleistr, please."
Býleistr swiveled his head back to Lucy who nodded at his fallen chair. He fell over himself to get his chair up and scramble back into it while Lucy settled into her own across from him. "Right. I, err, sorry, I, um…"
"Tea?" Lucy offered the mug to him again.
He dipped his head, still wide-eyed, and stumbled over his manners. "O-O-Oh. Thank you, Miss Lucy." He accepted the mug, but he dared not take a sip quite yet. Embarrassment gnawed at him. Great. She already has doubts I'm a capable Spirit after the bullshit Leo told her. Now I'm pulling kit shit like I'm a newborn protostar. Idiot.
Lucy studied Býleistr with a raised eyebrow. "I promise I'm not trying to poison you if you're worried about that…"
Býleistr about fell over himself trying to assure her. "Oh, no, that's not why—! I mean—!" Hastily, he took a few healthy swigs, though his eyes watered at the heat of it. He refused to cough and make himself look more like a fool, so he choked down his urge, and weakly said, "It tastes great. Would you like me to taste-test yours, Miss Lucy?"
Lucy laughed as she raised her mug to her lips. "Why would you do that?" She blew on her mug before taking a sip of her tea.
Býleistr cocked his head and his tail flicked. "You're the Priestess-Queen of the Heartfilia Clan," he stated like the answer should be obvious. "Leo should be taste-testing your food and drink for you."
"Oh, right…" Lucy wafted the scent of her tea. "Loke and Capricorn and Ana told me about those ancient traditions. I'm sorry, but I don't follow any of those traditions. My Spirits aren't my servants, y'know? They're family. Besides, if anyone takes a bite out of my food before me it's my husband. That man can eat like a horse and would eat the food off my plate before I could even have a little bit."
Býleistr tried to wrap his head around all this. "You keep saying your Spirits are your family," he said slowly. "All Priestess-Queens treat us as part of the Clan, Miss Lucy. But the Priestess-Queen was to be protected at all costs. It was in our customs to ensure a Spirit or servant tested their food and drinks and scouted any living quarters for any assassins or ambushes."
Lucy set down her mug with a little smile playing on her lips. "Yeah. Ana told me how serious those times were," she mentioned.
"Who is this…'Ana'?" Býleistr questioned. "Is she your Star Gazer?"
Lucy shook her head. "Ana is my great-grandmother."
"She's your…" Býleistr's eyes widened. "A Priestess Mother still lives after all this time?"
"It's a long story," Lucy told him. "But, yeah, she does. My mother and grandmother passed away, but Ana is around to teach me about the Heartfilia Clan. I can't say I'm doing everything as to what my ancestors did. The only thing I can really take credit for was buying my parents' land back with some help and turning it into a school for future Celestial Spirit Mages and even then, I still feel like it's not enough." She raised her mug for a few quiet sips. "Anyways, that's not the point I'm trying to make. Things are a little different here than how they used to be."
Býleistr looked around at the odd contraptions and the mortals. His eyes zoned on two therapy dogs and when he showed them his teeth, both cowered. "So I gathered," he groused. "When the princess and I connected, we were able to get by with me adopting her native language, her sense of time and space, and a Rigil Link. But without my Vow with her, I'm still confused about this era."
"I'm sorry I can't give you more answers," Lucy apologized. "When I summoned you, I did it a lot quicker than I should have—"
"No, Miss Lucy, don't apologize." Býleistr sounded stern in that. "I mean no offense when I say it is my responsibility and that of my mistress for me to adapt to this. Once we take the Rigil Vow, I'll have more access to her memories and I'll better understand the century she lives in." His brow furrowed. "But I know enough to know she's not all the way mortal."
Lucy sighed. "Well, you can thank Natsu for that. My husband," she said for clarity.
Býleistr nodded. "I gathered. A creature like that back in my day couldn't wield a Celestial Spirit Key without tainting it. But that's not what I'm referring to."
Lucy watched as Býleistr set down his mug. "What do you mean?"
"The princess…" Býleistr struggled with his words, but he knew better than to lie. "As the princess lay dying, she was given blood that wasn't her own. And, because of that, she has a lot of power in her system that'll be hard for her to control. And given the state she's in now, I just thought to warn you."
Lucy closed her eyes. "It's why I signed off on the Magic inhibitor suspension. Actually, two people came by the house to explain the situation. You might know their names. Mirella and Muta?"
"The Exceed and the Demon bitch?" Býleistr snorted. "Seems about right they'd go behind our backs and do something like this. So I take it you know about the princess'…?"
"I do." Lucy opened her eyes. "But when she's better both mentally and physically, I'll want to hear the story from her. As of now, a friend of mine will be coming by the hospital to measure Nashi's power. And then we'll go from there." She reached out a hand to put atop Býleistr's large one. "And eventually, Býleistr, when you're ready, I'd like to hear your story too. I mean it," she enforced when Býleistr looked doubtful. "Yes, Loke told me things, but it doesn't matter. I want to hear your side of the story whenever you're ready. But tell the story to my daughter first and then me. You two deserve to have that sort of bond."
Býleistr opened his mouth then closed it. When he opened it again, he said hoarsely, "I never thought I'd serve another Heartfilia again. I am eternally grateful to serve the family the stars swore to stand beside eons ago." His head lowered. "You have my thanks even past my stars dying out."
Lucy wanted to say something, but she was interrupted when a greeting called out. She and Býleistr looked to see Luna waving enthusiastically with Luke trailing behind her. She ran over to hug her mother. "Morning, Mama! Ooo, tea!" She stole her mother's mug for a few sips. "Oh, so good!"
"Good morning to you too," Lucy said dryly. "Someone's in a good mood. It wouldn't have to deal with a boy, would it?"
Luna went rigid then faked a laugh. "Eh-heh-heh… Come on, Mama, saying such silly things like that. I'm only happy because I'm here to see my big sis! Ah!" She found her cheek being pinched and stretched by her mother.
"Mmm-hmm. I'm onto you, young lady." Lucy sharply turned to Luke who tried so hard not to show his nerves of which he was losing grasp. "And I should hope you're adhering to my punishment against Lu and you didn't give her back her Compact."
Luke waved his hands with a twitchy smile on his face. "Come on, Mom, have some more faith in me! You know I'd never go against your ruling." He sweated when Lucy pinned him with that stare, the stare all mothers gave their children when they knew something was up. Luke stressed to Luna, Lu, if you can hear me, you need to do something because you know Mom will break me.
At the same time, Luna thought, Oh, crap. Luke's always the one to break when Mom gives him that stare. Her stare flitted around until she found Býleistr and an evil gleam was in her eye. Býleistr had no time to react when Luna charged at him with a loving embrace. "Oh, Býleistr! It's so good to see you! I'm so glad you're okay!"
Býleistr spewed out his tea from his nose and coughed at the affection. "Good to see you too, Second Princess," he wheezed with tears streaking down his face. "Last time, I saw you—"
"Luna! Oh my gods, Luna… Luna, please, no… Go-o-o-o-ods no…!"
Luna slipped away from Býleistr with a tense smile on her face. "She didn't mean it," she murmured quietly. "She was just desperate. I know that. I-I-Icarus will come around." Her hand went to her arm. "I'm sure he will. She's my big sis. He can't be mad at her forever."
Býleistr looked at Luna and could not help but be in awe of her. I can't even smell or sense any deceit. She means every word. She trusts her sister that much to know Nashi would never mean to hurt her. She truly loves Nashi and knows Nashi loves her.
"You poisoned someone who cared about you so much that they set aside their own issues for your selfish ones! Loving your siblings isn't killing them. It's killing for them. You love her when it's convenient for you and it meets with your goals. You used her. Tell me that, Princess! Tell me why you sent your own sister on Death Rowe—!"
"I didn't mean to!"
Býleistr looked down. I said such horrible shit to Nashi. I know she isn't using her. I just…
"It's okay." Býleistr looked up to see Luna reaching a hand to touch his cheek. "There's no reason to be sad. I'm sure Nashi knows you're sorry. So please don't be sad. Nashi really needs you to smile for her." Luna shot him an easy smile. "Okay?"
Býleistr's eyes widened when Luna disappeared a strong woman with laughter in her eyes and hair painted the color of the sun came before him. He blinked away the image to swallow and nod. "Yeah, okay."
Lucy moved to stand with Luke comically letting out a breath of relief when she was not looking. "Loke told me we can see her now," she informed. She pulled out her Compact just to check the time when she saw a text message. "And it looks like we're not the only ones who want to speak to her."
°•°•°•°
Dazzler was pacing around like crazy in the PICU waiting room. Laxus had joined, haggard from his lengthy night at the hospital and comforting Mira. Laxus did not have to take out his earbud as he grumbled, "You keep pacing like that, I will nail your ass to the chair next to me. Sit."
Dazzler sat, but her foot tapped away. "I just keep thinking she's going to think I blame her," she confessed. "She has every reason to think I'm going to hit her hard after the words I threw at her before." She looked at her lap. "I knew what Talia was doing when she made that call. I knew, but… I stupidly thought Gary would pull a hat trick and get away. Not this."
Laxus laid his head against the wall with his eyes closed. "Hmm."
Dazzler messed up her hair and whipped it all to one side. "I can't imagine all the stress Mister and Misses Fullbuster are going through," she murmured. "I felt so awful telling the story to everyone. Gary's secret could be out with his trial. And then what? Scientists from around the world will want to study him. From what I gather, there's no one else on the planet with his ability. He'll be picked apart. He'll never have a normal life." She twirled down her hat and looked inside to see a slightly blurry picture of her and Gary when Gary attended one of her shows. "If I had just done the right thing…maybe I could have saved him. He'd be home and Nashi would be safe and sound. They'd be doing unspeakable things in his condo…but they'd be safe."
"Hmm."
TICK!
A tick mark pounded against Dazzler as she turned to chew Laxus out. "Is that all you have to say to this?" she growled. "Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be upstairs with Mary Jane or something?"
"Mira has her." Laxus looked unbothered at Dazzler's agitation towards him. "When Mira felt Nashi's soul jolt, we knew she woke up. I need to be with her to take up the report about what happened."
Dazzler snorted. "Unbelievable. A report is more important to you than Nashi's own life?"
ZZZT!
Dazzler flinched back when Laxus opened an eye that reflected his lightning. "Don't you ever think I don't value my guildmates," he said with warning evident in his tone. "Nashi is family. I care about her wellbeing over anything. Per my job, yes, I have to take her own statement for the guild records and work with her on her story when the guards and the attorney come in. Lucy filled me in this morning. They think Nashi was in a domestic dispute and they're trying to link it back to a case a few years ago."
Dazzler blinked. "I didn't know that."
"You shouldn't have," Laxus retorted, "because it isn't your business. Yeah, I'm here on behalf of Master for a guildmate. But first and foremost, I'm here to see my niece and make sure she's going to be okay and make damn she accepts any help she can have. The kid deserves a medal for all that she went through."
Three beats of silence.
"I'm sorry." Dazzler could not stop the apology. "No excuses on that."
Laxus side and opened both eyes. "Yeah, well, everyone's on edge. And it'll get a hundred times' worse when Natsu's ass is here. When Nashi's ready, we'll tell her the news on Gary's arrest. For now, we only talk about what won't trigger her and help her get everything straight before the authorities come." He glanced at Dazzler. "So if you're here to wipe your conscious, get out now. Nashi doesn't need you erasing your guilt."
Dazzler squared her shoulders. "I'm not here to do that," she said quietly. "I really just want to make sure she's okay. I wasn't the nicest to her. But I want her to know I have her back through this. Gary might be my friend…but Nashi is his everything. He would want me to be here for Nashi. And I want to be here on my own."
Laxus side-eyed her before closing his eyes. "Good."
Dazzler looked at him, incredulous. "That's all you have to say to me?"
"Uncle Laxus?"
Laxus and Dazzler paid attention as Luna came barreling down. Laxus stood and held out a hand that stopped Luna by the head before she could attack him with a hug. "Easy there, Sunshine," he muttered, though softly.
Luna beamed up at the Lightning Dragon Slayer. "It's so great to see you!" But then she thought about it. "But isn't Mary Jane in the rehab wing? What's going on?" Panic alerted her eyes. "Did something happen to her?"
"We're here to see Nashi," Dazzler filled in.
Laxus released Luna as he explained, "Master doesn't want Nashi to be overwhelmed with her friends just yet until we can help make sure Nashi has her story straight." He bored his eyes into Luna's. "Just as a precaution."
Luna understood and opened her mouth quickly only for Laxus to shake his head. That's right. Dazzler said something about Uncle Laxus being there. Luke told me some detectives or something thought Nashi was abused. Now I get what's going on. Her eyes went to Dazzler. But what I don't understand is…
"Why are you here?" Luna blushed at her blurted question. "I mean, I'm sorry—I-I-I didn't mean to sound rude or anything! I was just curious and…"
Dazzler offered Luna a soft smile. "I'm just here to visit and make sure Nashi knows I'm here for her." She jerked her head towards Laxus. "Plus I'll help her get her story straight. How's she doing?"
"They stabilized her." Luke approached with a not-so-friendly look towards Dazzler. "She woke up panicked and her vitals going crazy. They gave her some more Magic Inhibitors and something to calm her down. It's just our mom and Býleistr in there for now, but she sent me out to get you. But I don't want anything to upset her." He jeered the statement towards a remorseful Dazzler. "She doesn't know anything about Gary and Skade. She's lucid, but she asked about them."
Laxus nodded. "We won't ask her anything about the day unless she volunteers it. But we do need to make sure she knows what to tell others and the guard when they arrive." He did not have to say any of that. But to abate a worried sister and a wary brother, he would. "We'll head back, but we won't take much of your time away from her." To Luna, he offhandedly remarked as he moved down the hall. "You might want to visit Mary Jane. Looks like she has an unexpected guest."
Luke and Luna exchanged a look. "'An unexpected guest'?"
Laxus and Dazzler trickled down the ICU, but Dazzler could not help but rubberneck with some of the more open rooms. A team rushed through with the threat of a patient losing themselves to death on the rise. A little boy giggled due to the jokes his older brother told him. A loan teenager wrested with casts on nearly her whole body while her boyfriend read next to her in the softest of tones. Dazzler looked away from such an intimate moment and said, "I've never been to the ICU. Normally, Wendy or Porlyusica heal us. Our Mage body takes damage a lot better than mortals."
"Yeah, well, you get shot with anti-Magic serum several times and you survive a rocket launcher and you tell me how that goes for you." Laxus stopped at the room where Loke and Capricorn waited outside. Loke nodded and Capricorn slid open the door.
Laxus went in with confidence, rumbling a delicate greeting, but Dazzler took her time. She stepped in and while she wanted to look around, it was too hard for her not to stare at Nashi and how stark-white she looked and how many machines were helping her live. They had at least removed her ET tube after the complication beforehand. Horror and bile rose up in her throat, but she shoved it down. She looks so bad. Without her Magic, she isn't healing right. Gary would be killing himself if he saw this.
"Hey. You."
Dazzler looked to see Býleistr glaring at her. "The fuck are you staring at?" he hissed.
Dazzler fumbled. "I—… I-I-I'm sorry—!"
Býleistr only stopped when Nashi's shaky hand barely came up. He noticed the motion and attended to her. She coughed and wheezed, "It's okay. Let her stare. I look ugly, kitty."
"You look beautiful and strong, Princess," Býleistr assured her in a soothe, so different than the tone he gave Dazzler.
Lucy stood up and approached Laxus with some low words he agreed to. She slipped out of the room and slid the door shut behind her. Laxus took her place on the chair and examined Nashi's face. "I won't ask how you're doing since we both know you feel like shit."
Dazzler wanted to reprimand him and Býleistr's fur fluffed up, but Nashi's feeble laugh stopped her. "Yeah. Not exactly the greatest. But I still look better than you." It was so odd to hear her normally heard voice be so soft-spoken and hoarse.
"Nice burn." Sarcasm laced his voice, but everyone could tell Laxus was happy for this banter. "You worried a lot of people."
"I know." Shame painted on Nashi's face. "But Mama said you'll help me with my statement?"
"They're going to hit you hard with domestic abuse," Laxus said bluntly. "These aren't just guards. They're officers. Not beat cops. These are outsourced detectives. Once you're finished with your psych eval, they'll approach you and ask some questions. Ask you about your whereabouts and who you were with. Ask you about feeling unsafe at home or with someone else."
"This is ridiculous," Nashi muttered.
"This is real life," Laxus said back. "Not many if any ICU patients are Mages messed up as bad as you. The anti-Magic serum was a dead giveaway someone wanted you hurt or worse. Of course they'll ask questions. We need to go over the answers you tell everyone, you got it?"
Nashi sighed, eyes fluttered, and Býleistr asked, "Would you like to sleep a little longer?"
"No." Nashi opened her eyes half-mast. "No, we need to do this. Býleistr, make sure I stick to this. My hangover is fuzzing things up."
Býleistr nodded.
Nashi looked over at Laxus. "Okay? Where do we start?"
And that was how it all began as Laxus brought out the notes he and Erza and Thirteen discussed on questions possibly thrown at her and how she should answer and the plotline she needed to follow. Dazzler sat back and listened, but she hated how she could not help but stare at Nashi. I wonder how much she remembers? she thought. Does she know how Gary got arrested? Either way, I won't ask. For now, my job here is to make sure Gary has Nashi safe and waiting for him to come home.
°•°•°•°
DING!
Luna bounced off the elevator with Luke in tow as she chastised her brother, "I could've gone myself."
"I know," Luke agreed, "but I want to see Mary Jane too. Maybe Igneel is with her, but I really want to know how she's going. She's gone through a lot. We all have."
Luna hummed. "I wonder who that special guest of hers is? And why Uncle Laxus said it so mysteriously?" Shrugging, she hopped over to Mary Jane's door and knocked on it.
"Come in!" came Mary Jane's welcome.
Luna took the handle. "I feel like we should have brought a gift or something." She opened the door. "I mean she is getting discharged..." Her words trailed off when she realized who Mary Jane's guest was. "Gale?"
Gale sat beside Mary Jane's hospital bed looking refreshed in a vision of black from his bandage shoes to his combat joggers to the hoodie masking his hat and the mask he wore around his mouth and nose. A bouquet of flowers perched on Mary Jane's little nightstand and Mary Jane looked like she regarded Gale seriously. Though, she visibly perked seeing Luna. "Luna! My mom said you were here!"
Luna nodded, flashing a wary look to Gale, and shifted to Mary Jane's other side. "Yeah. We just finished our visit to…"—she witnessed Luke slowly shake his head and she changed direction—"…to, um, visit Mara! But we wanted to come see you too."
Mary Jane saw nothing wrong with Luna's fumbling and smiled. "Oh, cool! How's Mara?"
"She's fine." Luke stepped in when Luna looked uncomfortable. To Gale, he said, "Didn't expect to see you here."
Gale tore down his mask as he said, "Yeah, well, it was my fault she got involved in this mess in the first place from what I heard. Plus, thought Salamander would be hiding out here with his crush."
Mary Jane blushed as Luna said, "Yeah… I thought Igneel would be here too."
Popping out of her blush, Mary Jane frowned and confessed, "I haven't seen him since last night. I figured he went home. I tried texting him, but he never answered."
Luke dwelled on that. Yeah. And all my call to him went straight to voicemail and my texts weren't read. What the Hell is he thinking? Igneel, where are you? Nashi needs us.
CLAP!
Everyone jolted as Mary Jane had her hands together. "Well, we can think about him later. Luke, can I talk to you privately?"
Luke blinked. "Um… Sure. Yeah, that's fine."
"Perfect!" Mary Jane put a hand on Gale's jacket when he tried so hard to sneak away. "Gale, be a lamb and bring me some actual food. Luna, can you help him? Boys always need a lady's help for such an obvious thing to do."
Gale stiffened and muttered, "Why can't your boy toy do it for you?"
"Because I asked you to do it, dummy," Mary Jane laughed. "And because"—her voice lowered—"I have the power to say anything I want to Luna when you're gone."
And that had Gale merrily guiding Luna out the door but when he spun around to close it, he gave Mary Jane a subtle middle finger and the door shut. Luke looked at the door then at Mary Jane. "You know, you and your mom scare me sometimes."
Mary Jane did not even try to play innocent and shrugged. "Yeah, well, not like they were going to clear the air without a little help."
Luke occupied the seat Gale vacated. "I thought you were pushing Bleu and Luna together?"
"Oh, I am, for sure now," Mary Jane assured. "Bleu and Luna totally match. But that doesn't mean I think Gale should bottle everything up inside and neither should Luna. I'm not hoping for confessions, but Luna needs to tell Gale what she feels and Gale should too without them having an argument so they can figure out their friendship from there."
Luke's eyebrows shot up. "Since when did you become so wise?"
Mary Jane grinned. "I've always been wise. But the old me gave a lot of advice harshly to people. I thought when I changed, it wasn't my right to get involved with people's lives like that." She could remember such warm onyx eyes. "But Igneel made me see I can still do everything the old me did. I just need to change tactics."
Luke softened. "Mary Jane, we like you for you. The brash you and the you now—we like all of it."
A bit of pink caressed Mary Jane's skin as she said, "I know that now. Which brings me to why I wanted to speak with you." She faced Luke's questioning stare with her own determination. "I want to know how I can thank Igneel."
Luke tipped his head. "Thank him?"
Mary Jane dipped her head. "Mmm. I want to properly thank Igneel for showing me so much and not giving up on me. He's already given me so much, so I want to give him something. He was my first friend. And that means something to me." Much to Luke's surprise, she hunched over in a bow. "But I owe you an apology for how I treated your brother. I'm so sorry—"
"No, no, don't apologize," Luke rushed to assuage. "It's not needed. Honest. Igneel was pushing you and didn't listen when we told him to back off. Of course I'll help you find a way to thank him for being there for you, but, uh…"—he grinned—"don't ever hesitate to give him a little Hell, okay? It's nice seeing him sweat a little."
Mary Jane giggled. "Deal."
°•°•°•°
Luna gritted her teeth with Gale nudging her towards the sky bridge. "Ugh, would you stop pushing me!" She throttled herself away from Gale and dusted off his touch like it disgusted her. "Geez, I took the hint. No need to shove me."
Gale rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Your Majesty." But his sarcasm was thrown out the window when he saw Luna wince. "You okay?" he worried. "Still not feeling great yet?"
Luna rolled her shoulder. "I should be asking you that."
Gale shrugged. "I'm good."
Luna shot him a cheeky grin. "Feeling the urge to eat a tree with a tasty leaf salad?" she purred and Gale went stiff as a board.
"I will have you know you can eat the inner layer of tree bark and it tastes good, thank you!" Gale declared.
"Know that by personal experience, do ya?"
Gale comically froze and sweated bullets as Luna simpered. "Gosh, Gale, you really are turning into an Earth Dragon. I'll have to find some nice flowers for you to eat next."
Gale growled and squished her chin with his hand. "You just watch yourself, Blondie. I have a bunch of embarrassing shit on you too. So I'd be careful making fun of me if I were you."
Luna raised an eyebrow with a challenging smirk. "Oh, yeah? Bring it on, Redfox." She poked him, but when he flinched, she realized she had poked his lower abdomen. Horror filled her. "Oh, Gale, I'm so sorry! Here, let's sit somewhere, okay?"
Gale chuckled as Luna guided him to a nearby bench. "Blondie, I'm not an invalid. I'm okay." But Luna was having it as she sat him down and perched beside him. "Seriously, I'm fine."
"Not if you keep getting hurt." Luna fixed him with a stern look. "This weekend, back to back, you've been in fights. You're still hurting, Gale, even if Kyler healed you. He probably doesn't know enough about what you are to have healed you all the way."
Gale teased, "Look at you, using your smarts and shit. Proud of you, Blondie-girl."
Luna growled and smacked the upside of Gale's head. "You need to take this seriously."
"I am taking this seriously," Gale insisted in a laugh. "You're just more hardcore than me about medical stuff. I know I put my body through a lot, okay? The Old Man already called off training until Aunt Wen gives me the clear. So just meditating and herbal teas and essential oils for me. Does that make you feel better?"
Luna wanted to be irate, but she just ended up pouting. "A little." Turning away from him, she murmured, "I'm just worried. You're always getting hurt and we're always fighting… I hate we keep doing that."
Gale sat back. "We're just bad communicators," he chalked it up to. "We need to talk more and maybe not fight every time we do it." He nudged her playfully. "Means you can't go all Mean Girl on me when I insult your taste in how to spend free time."
Luna whirled on him and whipped her hair to the side. "What is that supposed to—?" She realized what she was doing as Gale failed to smother his laughter and red tinted her face. "Oh. Right. Sorry."
Gale sighed out the rest of his humor. "Nah, nah, it's okay. I need to stop acting like an asshole too. Be a little more tactful and try not to say shit below the belt." His smile fell into a frown. "I had no right to say bullshit like that to you."
Luna toyed with her hair. "So then…you didn't mean what you said back then?"
Gale gently took her hand and thumbed it with his thumb peeking out of his fingerless gloves. "Some of what I said came from me acting like a dick," he confessed, "but some of it, I meant. Blondie, there's a whole world of danger out there and you need to properly train for it. But you look at life like it's the same as a movie and it worries me a lot. I just want you to be safe, kicking ass or not."
Luna was about to huff, but she faltered when she took in Gale's words (and Icarus strung to her warning about any aggression). "Maybe…I do get carried away a little," she supposed. "I just… I got so excited I had powers and could finally be a part of Fairy Tail. I could be like my family and make a difference."
"Can't make a difference if you're dead," Gale gently put to her.
Luna snorted and bumped his arm. "You try taking your own advice."
Gale gave her that. "Yeah, I'm a reckless son of a bitch," he conceded. "I need to take care of myself a lot more. Which is why I train hard. You want to do what I do? Do what your fam does? A'ight. That's fine. But you need to train to get to that level." He knuckled Luna's face so soft ruby and torn chocolate could meet. "You'll get there. Yeah, it'll be slow. But everyone is going at a different pace. Penelope got S-Class when she was like ten or something, but others didn't get there until into their forties. You'll get there. And, if you let me, I'll be right there with you to help you and spar with you."
Luna hummed. "You mean that?"
"'Course," Gale murmured, his eyes flicking to her lips. "You'll always have me, principessa. Whether you want me there or not."
"Promise?"
Gale pulled Luna closer to him. "Promise." But hesitation held him back from moving any closer. Instead, he pulled away and fought against his own instincts to let Luna go.
Luna grew confused at the sudden change of pace. "Gale?"
Gale got caught up in his own head. She's with that asshole. She kissed him. But... No, maybe I'm just trying to make shit up. But if there's even a chance she feels something for me back…
"Gale?"
Gale took a deep breath. "Blondie. There's something I gotta get out now. And if I don't, I'm gonna lose it, so just listen to me and if you don't like what it is, just…tell me later."
Luna tipped her head. "Okay? What is it?"
Squaring his shoulders, Gale turned to Luna and swallowed away his nerves. "I should've told you this a long time ago, but I was a coward," he blurted. "Blondie… Luna… I'm in love with someone."
"Treasure!"
Luna blanked. He's in…love?
"Treasure!"
Luna's hands went limp in her hands. Well, that's it then. I had nothing to worry about, right? He's in love and I should be happy…right?
"Treasure!"
Gale cursed at his cowardice. "No, fuck, that's not right. I mean that is right, but I'm not getting my point across—"
"Gale. I get it."
Gale's eyes widened when he saw Luna stand up and move away from him. "Blondie—"
Luna offered that warm smile. "It's okay. I'm happy for you, Gale. Falling in love with someone sounds beautiful and I wish you the best."
Gale stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. He ducked his head to meet her eyes, but Luna did not want to. "Blondie, I'm going about this all wrong," he swore. "Let me start over. Please, Blondie, I'm in love with—"
"Treasure?"
Gale locked his haw and turned his head to see Bleu had jogged up to them with a more wary Peter coming up. Peter had some fast food in his hand and a drink, but Bleu looked like he came with a milkshake. He looked between Gale and Luna with nothing more than curiosity. "Sorry… Was I interrupting something?"
Gale growled, but it was Luna who responded with an answer that surprised everyone. "A little," she admitted, "but it's okay. Would you mind giving us a minute?"
Bleu nodded as he came over to her. "Sure, Treasure." He kissed her temple and murmured, "We have a lot to talk about, pretty girl."
Gale fought himself not to snarl when Luna leaned into his touch. "Yeah, I know. We will, I promise."
Bleu hummed and looked over at Gale. No challenge, no accusation, no jealousy. Just sincere apology. "Sorry about that, man. I'll let you to get to it. C'mon, Petey." Bleu walked away with Peter trailing after and hissing words at him.
Luna sighed before looking up at the agitated Gale. "I'm so sorry. You were trying to tell me something important, but we got interrupted."
Gale let her go and crossed his arms. "Whatever."
Luna frowned. "Gale, please, I want you to feel comfortable telling me about your feelings." She did not notice the way Gale ground his teeth. "You're in love with someone. That's amazing—!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Gale put on his mask. "Tell Janie I'm a bitch and she can chew my ass out later. I'm outta here." He moved to walk away.
Luna put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Gale, wait, I'm listening—!"
"No, you're not," Gale barked. "The second you saw your little Prince Charmless, you forgot all about me. You know your old man isn't gonna be too happy you're makin' out with an asshole when you should be training."
Luna fought down the urge to snap. "Gale," she said tightly, "I get you're angry we got interrupted, but I promise you, I'm listening to you. If you'd just tell me what I did wrong to make you so angry—"
"Don't worry about it." Gale jerked out of Luna's touch and stalked away. While everyone could see the anger tainting his body, embarrassment and shame had welled up inside him in such a twisted way, he did not know what to do. I'm so stupid.
Sycaña was quick to soothe him. You are not stupid. Your heart is breaking, Little Gem. You are hurting and you show it the only way you know how.
"Fuck that," Gale grunted aloud. "My heart isn't breaking and I'm not hurt. You saw them. Wouldn't want to ruin a perfect little couple. Happy for her. Really."
Little Gem—
"Just—!" Gale stopped and let out a breath. Tugging on the cap to his snapback, he pulled it down further. Leave me alone, Sycaña. Please. With his mind silent, Gale crossed the sky bridge with his head down and his soul as black as the clothes he wore.
Luna's shoulders had sagged as she watched Gale storm away from her. The calmness she had to display, the fake smile, the confession—it all drained her and she sagged back onto the bench. I should've gone after him.
You were right not to, Icarus told her. The drake would have turned on you with harsher words.
Luna held her head in her hands. He's in love with someone? Memories swamped her of Gale's smiles, his kindness, the surprises he laid for her. Why…? Why wasn't my smile real? All this time, was he just—? No, this isn't his fault. I was just being unfair and looked at everything wrong. He was just being friendly and I… I don't even know.
Icarus whined. Pup, I don't think…
No, Icarus, this is my fault. Luna knuckled away those few stray tears and sucked in a breath. He's right. I'm looking at everything so blindly. Gale was always friendly towards me. I'm Igneel and Luke's little sister. I'm my parents' daughter. He was just being nice and all this time, I thought he actually liked—… Well, it doesn't matter now.
Pup, if you'd just wait—
Luna straightened her shoulders and stood up. I'm not waiting anymore. I'm going to stop being such a kid. She strode back to Mary Jane's room. I'm going to support Gale and whoever he's with. It's what friends do. I'm not going to cry. This was my fault to begin with.
Icarus sighed. Is that really what you want?
Luna stopped before Mary Jane's door. "Yes," she whispered. "I'm going to be the friend Gale needs. And whoever he loves, I'm going to welcome them. Because that's what friends do."
Pup, your tears—
Luma quickly wiped them away. Don't worry, Icarus. She gripped the handle. I'm over it. And she slid the door open.
Peter and Luke had struck up a conversation as Mary Jane basked in the fast-food she was given, practically drooling how she finally got real food. Bleu was the only one who paid attention to her arrival and crowded around her instantly. "Treasure—"
Luna smiled. "Bleu—" She was silenced when Blue dipped down to give her a hard kiss on the mouth. He pulled away and she was breathless at that. "I'm so sorry—"
"I'm just happy you're here," Bleu murmured. "You worried me, Treasure."
"I'm sure I did," Luna agreed with regret. "I'm sorry. My Compact… Well…"
"I told him."
Luna and Bleu turned to Luke who stepped out of the conversation with Peter to address them. "You know, told him how you were going through something health-related and you were really sick and you weren't up to contacting anyone?"
"Ye-Yeah!" Luna jumped onto the lie. "I'm sorry I didn't reach out, but it was just a lot and I was really sick—!"
"No, I get it," Bleu assured. "I wish you had told me, but since I haven't officially met your parents, I'm not sure I could have done much."
Luna giggled and got on her tiptoes to peck him on the lips. "Just you being here is making me feel better already."
"Okay, okay, that's enough," Luke grumbled as he came over to pull his sister away. "Just because I'm the nice brother doesn't mean I'm okay with this." He nodded at Bleu. "You seem like a good guy. Mary Jane vouches for you. But this one is still my little sister."
Luna rolled her eyes while Bleu smiled. "Don't worry about it. I understand. I'm happy she has a protective family looking out for her." He looked down at Luna and cooed when she looked put-out, "Don't give me that, Treasure. Be thankful you have people watching over you."
"Whatever," Luna grumbled.
Luke decided to throw her a bone. "But, if you and Bleu want to sneak off just for a few hours—Woah!" He laughed when Luna leaped to hug him and he hugged her back.
"Best brother ever!" Luna squealed.
Luke pulled her away with a dramatic eye roll. "Only for a few hours." He pulled out Luna's Compact from his bag, but he held it above her head when she went to grab it. "Keep this on you at all times." He lowered the Compact.
Luna took the device and kissed her brother's cheek. "Thank you. I owe you. I love you." But when she pulled back, something occurred to her. "What about our…situation? I shouldn't go when it's still happening."
Luke raised a finger. "First, you're welcome, you do owe me, and I love you too. Second, go and have fun. You were told the same thing. I have some stuff for the games to run through anyways. No one would have it any other way, okay?" He looked over at Mary Jane. "So I'm gonna go. You got everything down?"
"Mmm-hmmm!" Mary Jane beamed. "Thanks, Luke!"
"No problem." Luke turned to Bleu and held out a hand. Bleu shook it and Luke told him, "Take care of her. She has a bad habit of disappearing."
"Oh, I know," Bleu said dryly with a cursory glance at an abashed Luna. "I'm going to need to put a tracker on her."
Luke chuckled. "I like you already." He let go of Bleu to wave at Peter. "See ya, Pete! I'll check on the practice test later!" And he made his way out of the room and closed the door behind him.
Mary Jane looked at Peter, curious. "I didn't know you knew Luke that well. 'Practice test'?"
"We became friends after the whole situation in Margaret Town," Peter confessed. "He's actually helping me study for the entrance exams. I haven't found a college yet, but I'm definitely going with Alchemy." He rubbed his neck. "But I didn't realize entrance exams were this…difficult. Some of the stuff I learned in school applies, but the subjects are really complex for Alchemy and Magic in general."
Mary Jane frowned. "Maybe you should talk to the recruiters when you get a chance and let them know you're new to Magic," she suggested. "I know with late-bloomers, they'll give you a lesser version of the entrance exam or exempt you. They'll just put you on a probationary period and you take the entrance exam the next year to keep your student status."
"Huh." Peter mulled over the idea. "I'll have to think about it." He looked over and grimaced when he saw Luna and Bleu smiling at each other between kisses. "Okay, you guys can leave now," he shooed. "I'd like some alone time with my future girlfriend, thanks, and not constantly seeing you guys suck face."
"Then go mack on Janie's face," Bleu taunted in good humor as Luna got back on her feet with red kissing her cheeks.
"Bleu, be nice," Luna cooed when Peter and Mary Jane looked like steam would come out of their ears. "I'm sure Peter wants to make their first kiss special just like you made mine."
"Ex-Exactly-Exactly!" Peter agreed fervently. And notably without Mister Dreyar being in the same city.
Bleu grinned. "Fine, fine. We'll leave you kids to it so we can go make out somewhere else." He came over to Mary Jane and kissed her cheek. "It was nice seeing you. Get better soon, okay? We're having a rave in honor of Petey's leave to the Magic Society once he picks a school."
"Really?" Mary Jane clapped her hands. "That sounds like fun! Can I help plan it?"
"Me too!" Luna popped over, snuggling to Bleu's side. "Sounds like a great time! Fairy Tail members definitely know how to plan a party."
Peter groaned. "Oh god I can already feel the hangover preemptively," he lamented.
Bleu winked at Mary Jane. "Once you're out of here and Peter lets you breathe a little, text me, Janie." He reached down to lock a hand with Luna's. "C'mon, Treasure. We both know we're both hungry."
Luna giggled and waved at Mary Jane and Peter as Bleu guided her out. "Bye, you guys! Mary Jane, if Igneel swings by, let me know, okay? Love you!"
"Yeah, sure! Be safe! Love you too!"
Peter furrowed his brow as Luna and Bleu slid the door shut behind them. "Igneel? He didn't come to visit you?"
"He did, he did," Mary Jane assured, "but I haven't seen him this morning and he hasn't been answering his Compact." She played with locks of her hair. "Already I saw my parents and a lot of my family and got calls from V and Nik and a visit from Master, but…"
"It'd be nice if you're best friend came to see you?" Peter filled in.
Mary Jane looked at him with a vulnerable blue eye, her red eye hidden beneath a curtain of hair. "Is that bad? Are you mad at me?"
"Never." Peter sat down on the chair and scooted close to Mary Jane. Taking her hand in his, he gave her a squeeze. "Makes you human and in need of a friend. I just hope I'll do for now."
Mary Jane tittered. "You're fine," she promised. "Thanks for coming to see me on my D-day."
Peter smiled. "Of course. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
°•°•°•°
Nashi could barely keep her eyes open at this point. She knew not too much time had passed, but exhaustion hit her hard and she had to focus to make sure she did not fall asleep while Laxus grilled her. But Býleistr was attentive enough to say, "Okay, that's enough. Princess needs her rest."
Nashi dismissed the notion. "M'fine," she said drowsily. "C'mon. Gimme another question."
Laxus observed her. "Your Spirit's right, Pinky," he rumbled. "You're about to pass out. We can hold this off for another day. You feel any pain anywhere?"
Nashi tried to shake her head to wake back up. "No. They have me too drugged up to feel pain," she said, half-joke and half-serious. "I'm okay." She yawned and her mouth felt like cotton. "But I could use some water."
Býleistr was up in a flash. "I'll get it."
Laxus glanced over at Dazzler who hung back and said slowly, "I'm gonna tell Blondie how far we got so she's all caught up. I'll be back soon, but if you're asleep, then have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow."
"You too," Nashi echoed in farewell. "Tell Lance to feel better and Aine to take it easy."
Laxus nodded and with a look thrown at Dazzler, he left the room. Now it was down to an awkward Dazzler, a tired Nashi, and an alert Býleistr. He returned with water and poured little bits of it into Nashi's parted mouth, even massaging her throat when she winced swallowing. His eyes went to Dazzler and he said snidely, "Anything you want to add or are you just admiring the floor work?"
Dazzler jumped, startled. "O-O-Oh, uh, well, I just, uh…" She pointed at the door. "You know what? I'm just gonna go. Let you rest and all that."
"Dazzler." Nashi said the name as she opened her eyes and sighed through her nose. "You didn't come all this way just to stare at me. If you have something to say, you should say it. I can take whatever you say."
Dazzler winced and approached Nashi's bedside with shame draping around her. "I know my apologies can't make up for what I implied, but I am sorry," she murmured. "No excuses can be made for saying that. I know you genuinely care about Gary and what goes on in your relationship isn't my business."
Býleistr grunted. "Damn right it isn't."
"Býleistr—" Nashi coughed twice, but she shook her head when her Spirit offered her more water. "Dazzler, you know how Justin goes on a bunch of dates, but until Ace, he never really had boyfriends outside his one ex?"
Dazzler nodded, unsure where this was going.
"The reason JJ had so many dates with no boyfriend was because of Ellie and I," Nashi confessed. "We saw who those guys were. They just wanted in JJ's pants for his fame, not for who he is. To them, he was a convenient way to get more fame while getting a switch."
Býleistr frowned. "The Hell is a 'switch'?"
He went ignored.
"You were protecting Gary like we protect JJ," Nashi compared. "It's what a good friend does."
"But not saying crap like that to another friend," Dazzler countered. "I should've talked to you in private and used some nicer words, but I didn't. And I'm sorry I didn't."
"It's okay." Nashi meant that. "I forgive you, Dazzler, so stop apologizing. Don't worry about Skade either. He's a literal Devil. Holding grudges is in his blood."
Dazzler chimed an uncomfortable laugh. "If you say so…"
Nashi hummed and took a breath. "Can you tell me something though?"
"What?"
"Where's Gary?"
Dazzler's eyes widened. "Um…"
Nashi huffed, but it led to a cough. After a moment, she could control herself. "Is he okay? Everyone has been walking around eggshells around me. Býleistr and my mom gave me BS saying Gary's just away on a little errand. My memory's a little foggy and I might be pretty much useless right now, but I'm not stupid."
"No one said you're stupid—"
"I wasn't talking to you," Nashi snapped at Býleistr with her ire coming back. "You're not telling me anything either. I'm asking Dazzler."
Dazzler kept her cool. "They're right, Nashi," she said steadily. "Gary's just away on an errand. But I promise you he'll visit you when he's back."
Nashi vibrated when her agitation flared up and forced her heart monitor to beep a little faster. "Why are you lying to me?" she growled. "I can feel you guys are lying to me."
Býleistr furrowed his brow until it clicked. Her powers. I knew those stupid inhibitors were suppressing a percentage of it.
"Tell me the truth," Nashi demanded as her hands shook. "What happened to Gary? And Skade? Where are they?"
Dazzler passed a worrisome glance to the heart monitor. "Nashi, let me get your nurse. You need to calm down—"
"Don't tell me to be calm!" Nashi shouted. The machines buzzed and beeped like crazy as she tried to move within the confines of her wires and tubes. "Tell me the truth! Where are they?"
"Princess," Býleistr called, fretting. "Calm down—"
The CNA in the glass office emerged with neutral eyes on the machines. She came over to press the nurse's button as she told Býleistr and Dazzler, "You two need to leave. Miss Dragneel is getting agitated and needs to rest."
"Dazzler, don't you dare leave!" Nashi cried. "Please, just tell me the truth! What happened?"
Dazzler backed away as guilt burned through her being. "Na-Nashi, I'm sorry, but I really don't know—"
"Liar!" Nashi fought against her restraints and did not care the CNA and Býleistr were holding her down. "You're all liars! Where are they? What happened? What happened!"
Two other assistants followed in the nurse as she bustled in, her eyes alarmed at seeing Nashi's heart rate skyrocketing passed 138 BPM. "Get the doctor," she ordered to the CNA over Nashi's shouts. "You two, keep her strapped down. I'm giving her a dose of metropolol." She looked at Býleistr and ordered, "Talk her down if you can."
Býleistr did just that. "Princess, I'm right here," he soothed.
Nashi turned to look at him with distressed eyes. "Why won't they tell me anything? Why can't you tell me? Something bad happened to them. I know it. You're all lying to me."
Býleistr wanted to lie again and give her soothes, but he knew Nashi saw through it. "Princess, I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you, but I can't."
"What can't you tell me?" Nashi demanded to know, her pitch a little higher. "Býleistr, what happened? Tell me, dammit, tell me right no—!"
A giggle. "Want to play a game?"
BOOM!
Burning icy-blue…
Nashi's breaths turned into wheezing as her throat swelled, the top of her eyes felt hot, and her body launched into such a tantrum. Her mouth moved into a series of screeches that did not sound remotely humanized, her tongue being bitten every so often. Her left wrist began to rotate her hand like she was cursed. No recognition crossed her face when Lucy replaced Býleistr with sweet soothes and whispers. Nashi could feel herself fall as her body heated up in a dramatic surge and nothing felt right. Everything felt wrong.
The doctor barged in with a few commands, but Nashi did not care. The pain, the guilt, the anger—it was such a burden to bear and her body and mind could not hold it back anymore. And she did not have to let herself go through this motion for much longer. A fog swarmed over her mind and slowed her from her fall. It was not instant in the slightest, but bit by bit, the fog clogged her hysteria and anxiety and wrapped around her to stop the mental crash she would have had.
Her vision blurred and for a moment, she saw her mother, but then she saw Gary. Then she saw Skade. Then she saw Cael and his beautiful wings. Then, she saw an unrecognizable being, so young, so wounded, so fearful.
A tingle nestled into her back.
And then she saw nothing.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And then…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Much to Ekho's description, the WindBnB was truly in a place of peace. It was in a more rural than suburban. There was space for at least half a football field between houses and duplexes and that was such a rarity. The sun had risen, but few cars took to the roads. Not many had a reason to travel this far out.
Jaxton was busy in the kitchen with a new shirt and pants as he finished making tea from the kettle the owner supplied their guests. He took the mug and went out of the kitchen and down the hall to the master. The master was not huge, but it was enough where a vanity and a little futon could fit alongside the king-sized bed. Tesla lay on her side, unmoving, in a satin wrap they hurriedly bought alongside their new clothes, food, and supplies on their way to the rental.
Jaxton sat on his side of the bed. He murmured, "I know you're awake."
For a moment, Tesla said nothing. Then, she curled in on herself and nodded.
Jaxton reached over Tesla to set down her tea on her nightstand. "I made you something to help calm you down." He rolled so he was the big spoon to her little spoon, even atop the covers. "Whenever you're ready for it."
Tesla nodded. "How is everyone else?" Her voice came out cracked and hoarse. "Are they mad?"
"Katherine is a little mad," Jaxton conceded. "But not at you. She's more upset at herself for allowing you to drink so much. Everyone else is fine. They're worried about you."
"Shouldn't be," Tesla muttered. "I'm not their problem."
"You're never a problem," Jaxton told her. "You're their friend. They just want to help and want you to be safe."
"But I'm not safe. That's the thing." Tesla sat up with Jaxton mimicking her movement. "I'll never be safe again, Jang-ta. He's going to get out of prison and there's nothing we can do about it."
Jaxton refused to believe that. "Tesla—"
"I agreed to drop the charges." Tesla gutted out the words like they were destroying her. "I dropped them because he was right. I didn't have enough evidence. I would never have enough evidence."
Jaxton could not say anything to that, but he did offer something else. "Just because the system couldn't protect you doesn't mean I can't."
Tesla launched herself off the bed in just her panties as something ugly reared its head. "That's a nice sentiment, Jax, but you can't. My father always wins in the end. He made sure I'd always choose him in the end. And he's going to do it again." She made her way to the bathroom.
Jaxton followed after her. "I know you're scared—"
Tesla laughed as she went over to the glass shower and turned the nozzle all the way to the hottest setting. "Jax, being scared is such an understatement. I am terrified and also not because I know how this goes." She rooted around the bathroom counter that had they had haphazardly put down toothbrushes and paste and lotion and other essentials they bought to find her shower cap. "My father's getting out of jail because my devoted birth giver made sure to forge all the evidence she could to get him out and gave a big heartfelt speech on how great of a human being he is."
Jaxton hardened. "You watched it?"
"Of course I did," Tesla retorted as she shimmied out of her panties. "You think you and my therapist telling me to not watch the trial was going to stop me? Also, I fired my therapist. You're welcome."
Jaxton tried to work his way through the conversation. "You fired her? Why?"
Tesla shrugged as she went back to the glass shower. "She wasn't exactly a great therapist considering she kept encouraging me to speak to my birth giver." She waved her hand. "I'm taking a shower, so I'm done talking about this. Next words coming out of my mouth are break up words." She ignored Jaxton's attempt of rebuttal as she closed the door behind her and fell under the heated spray. The water pelleted her like bullets of molten lava and sent goosebumps throughout her skin, but after the shock died off, Tesla turned away and allowed her face to fall.
It's better this way, Tesla told herself. I'm doing the right thing. I don't have a choice. I don't have a choice. She sniffled and covered her mouth to keep any more sniveling from coming out. I'm okay. I'm fine. It's okay. I'm just making everything seem worse than it was anyways. Right? Yeah. I'm overreacting. It won't be that bad in the end. And Jang-ta will be protected and safe.
The glass door opened and shut.
Tesla cleared her throat and blinked away the sting she felt in the back of her eyes. "Jax, please, I just need a minute, okay?"
Silence.
Tesla sniffed. "Jax?"
"Kàn zhe wǒ."
Tesla rubbed her cheeks and turned underneath the spray. In Zhōnguánese, she muttered, "Bàituō wǒ méi xīnqíng tīng zhége—" Surprise caught her throat when an aching kiss barged onto her lips and she had no choice but to succumb. Her arms wrapped around Jaxton and he hoisted her up and into his arms, backing her against the tile walls for another hard kiss and then another and then another until they were forced to part for air.
Tesla was still catching her breath, confused and hot and bothered from the assault, and Jaxton finally spoke in that low even voice of his. "There is nothing I won't do for you, Tesla Isioma Greer, and nothing I'd ask you in return. But I'm asking you now to not give us up because you have it in your head if you do that, you're keeping me safe. Your safety matters most to me—to everyone. Even if you don't believe it. You're trying to make it okay you have to sacrifice your own freedom and your body just so I'm okay. You think I could live with myself knowing every day I'm alone and without you, you and that disgusting human being are—?"
"Stop it," Tesla softly pleaded. "Jaxton, i-i-it's not that bad. I was just…making things worse than they were."
"No, you were being honest for once in your life," Jaxton insisted, "and he's cramming you back into that mindset you had before that forced you to tamp down everything you felt just so you wouldn't have to realize what he was doing was wrong."
Tesla shook her head, but she could not meet his eyes. Desperate, she persisted, "I just wasn't being a good daughter."
"No. He wasn't being a good father," Jaxton corrected. "Tesla, I know your mind is going a mile a minute and you have your mind made up. But at least try my way first. Give me a chance to prove myself to you as the man I promised to be to you."
Tesla hated how she felt her tears pressing to be released. "Jaxton—"
"Wǒmen shì mìngzhōnɡ zhùdìnɡ yào zài yìqǐ de," Jaxton persisted with such conviction in his tone. "Wǒ ài nǐ."
Tesla laid her head back against the tile and shut her eyes. Jaxton took the time to worship her throat in scorching kisses. Tesla murmured, "This isn't a romance movie. Love isn't always enough."
"I know." Jaxton branded the words into her skin. "Love isn't enough to protect you. But it's a start and it's my motivation to protect you."
"I can handle myself." The argument grew weaker when Jaxton pressed a firm kiss on her pulse. "Jang-ta… Ah…" She tightened her hold on him when she felt something press against her core. "You're distracting me."
She felt Jaxton's smile against her skin. "No distractions. Yányǔ wúfǎ xíngróng wǒ duì nǐ de ài. So let me show you." He pulled away to look at the besotted expression on his girlfriend's face and when she gave him that nod of approval, Jaxton held nothing back.
Under the spray, he dominated every single moment of her time with feathered touches, possessive kisses, and promising nips and he savored every hiss, moan, and plea she could offer him. He stole more when she thought she had given enough. She made a move to touch him, to gratify him, but he gently moved her away and took her mind off her need to give when his fingers played on her body like a pianist playing on the piano he knew since childhood. Tesla rose and fell to his passion and was a willing slave to it. Tears had sprung out during her first and streaked down her face with the shower water, but her sobs and groans intermingled when Jaxton gave her more than she could handle.
He showed little mercy when he moved them away from the spray and kept her up and against the tile when he lined himself with her perfectly and molded them so tightly, it was hard to see where she ended and he began. For this time, he would show his own desperate possession and let those emotions he kept coiled and always below the surface to be unleashed. He was consuming her and being consumed by her. He wanted her imprinted onto his body and vice versa so neither ever forgot to whom they belonged. Tesla dug her nails into his shoulders as she fell victim to his harsh rhythm and could hear his claiming words in his native tongue sending shivers down her spine and deep into her bones.
When their throe of passion ended, he clung to her. He let them stay like that, but not for himself. He let her cry. It came wordless, then a sniffle, until she had buried her mouth into his skin and let out her high shout of anguish, of fear, of sorrow. And he held her like that as his words softened to pretty hushes of comfort and encouragement and love in his mother language. He would hold her and soothe her for however long she needed him to.
Tesla was not finished with her jumbled emotions, but her voice went hoarse and her body could not give her tears anymore. She pulled away and Jaxton was slow to untangle them, but he did not let go of her, only set her down. She was like a puppet as he guided her back to the spray and grabbed the soap. He washed her with his hands first. His touches lacked any sexual want, only sweet caresses like little reminders he loved every part of her body. He massaged the dark scars on her inner thighs and placed chaste kisses. He got to his knees and let those same kisses go to the scar that hung right above her slit and the scar on her lower stomach before he washed her skin. A worshipper of her being. A humble servant to a goddess.
Every inch of her was lathered in soap and he did the same to himself before he pulled down the detachable sprayer and took his time getting the suds off her before quickly doing the same to himself. Once the shower was turned off, a pregnant silence filled between them, but it was nothing awkward or uncomfortable. Yes, it was sad, but it was not as tense as before.
Jaxton guided Tesla out and got her towel, but he did the honors of patting her dry before drying himself. He shed her shower cap and her satin cap (Tesla had made two plaits in her hair last night). He made quick work of picking her up into a cradle and carrying her back onto the bed, both naked and carrying an afterglow about them.
Tesla did not mind Jaxton placing her back on the bed since he joined her shortly and curled her into his chest. Eyes blank and seeing farther than what was in front of her, Tesla said quietly, "Thank you."
Jaxton thumbed her side. "Nothing to thank."
"I love you."
Jaxton turned to kiss her forehead. "I love you too."
"I feel like I'm going crazy."
"That's okay."
"I want to feel angry, but I feel nothing."
"That's okay too."
Tesla traced the Fairy Tail tattoo on Jaxton's chest. "I shouldn't have fired my therapist. You shouldn't have to deal with my emotional outbursts. I don't want to be dependent on you like that."
"You aren't being codependent because you cry and need to vent," Jaxton said softly. "You aren't using me as a stand-in therapist. It's really the opposite. You're always trying to keep the negative emotions away from me and it worries me."
"I'm sorry," Tesla whispered. "It must hurt you when I do that."
"Whether if it does or doesn't, it doesn't matter." Jaxton tucked her under his chin. "As long as you talk to someone, then it's okay with me. I hope one day when you're ready, you'll trust me with those thoughts."
"I'm not being fair to you." Tesla knew that.
"I wouldn't be fair to you if I demanded you tell me everything when you aren't ready," Jaxton debated. "It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to not be ready."
Tesla pressed a hand onto the tattoo. "I won't make you wait long."
"I'll wait as long as you need me to." Jaxton said this with thick promise. "When you're ready." When Tesla let out a deep sigh, Jaxton brought up, "If it's okay with you, I can look for a new therapist for you."
Tesla tensed.
"I have a guildmate, Mara. I'm not suggesting her, but she has some connections to trauma therapists," Jaxton explained. "Only if you want, I can get some insight from her."
Tesla rolled the idea around. "What would you tell her?"
"Only that I'm looking for a psychologist who specializes with whatever diagnosis you're comfortable letting me tell," Jaxton assured.
Tesla forced out an exhale. "Okay." An agreement in a small voice.
Jaxton praised her with a squeeze on her waist. "Thank you."
"And…" Tesla continued, "while I don't want us to live together, maybe…we could compromise? I could spend some nights with you and some at my place."
"Alone?" Jaxton checked. "What if someone spent the night with you?"
Tesla frowned. "I'm not asking my friends to babysit me."
"It wouldn't be babysitting when they're your friends and want to see you," Jaxton reminded.
Tesla rolled her eyes. "Let's talk about this later when I'm not as emotional." She snuggled closer into Jaxton. "Seriously. How do you know what to do and say with me? I'm batshit psycho."
"Nǐ shì wǒ de línghún bànlǚ."
Tesla popped a giggle as her eyes closed and she half-heartedly smacked Jaxton's chest. "Chile, you are such a Z-drama male lead," she joshed. "The Hell you doing with a mad black girl?"
Jaxton joked back, "Black? I don't see color; I just see the person."
Tesla was between cackling and groaning with the noise she made. "Ay dios mio, los gabachos are such idiots." She hummed pleasantly. "I needed that laugh. Thanks for that."
"I love hearing your laugh, so really, I should be thanking you."
Tesla groaned as Jaxton chuckled. "That's it! I'm dumping you for a douchebag white guy! He wouldn't be this suave!" She tried to wriggle out of his arms.
Jaxton smiled as he rolled over and pinned Tesla beneath him. "You like your Selans too much," he teased. "Why else would you be rewatching Love 010 and What's Up with Miss Secretary? all over again?"
"Do not hate on Kim Yong-kyu or my precious Wang Wang," Tesla warned good-naturedly. "And no need to be jealous either just because they're hot and sound so sexy and look good in suits—Mmmph! Mmm..." She succumbed as Jaxton led her into another passion-filled series of kisses.
He pulled back for their lips to barely graze each other. "You know I'm sexy in suits too," he rumbled. "You think I'm hot too. Better than them."
Tesla gave him a soft, throaty laugh. "Do I? Because I'm still convinced they have you beat." She nipped at his bottom lip. "Show me I'm wrong…or should I fantasize they're both with me right now instead of you?"
Jaxton rumbled and tackled her into a flurry of hard kisses and dominating touches—
"Get that bread, get that head…then leave…"
Tesla ripped Jaxton away from her (and tried not to cower at how heated his eyes looked) when she heard her ringtone. "That's my Com."
"Get it later." Jaxton dove down for another kiss—
—and Tesla slapped a hand over his lips. "Down, boy," she jested. "I'll be a second." When Jaxton reluctantly conceded, Tesla squirmed away from him to get to her Compact. She answered it with a cheerful greeting as Jaxton sat up and tried to calm himself down.
"Excuse me?"
Jaxton studied the way Tesla cocked her hip and her face took a hard edge to it. "If this is some prank call, it'd not funny," she snapped.
Jaxton got up from the bed to come up behind Tesla and hug her from behind for support.
Tesla made a noise of contempt. "Yeah, sure, I'm sure you are. Look, if this is some press stunt, I'm not interested and not making a statement, so please don't call this number again. Good-bye." She ended the call with an annoyed puff.
Jaxton massages her lower back and sides. "Wrong caller? Reporter?"
Tesla closed her eyes. "Maybe. I don't know. It was some woman who claimed she was my cousin and wanted to meet me to talk about my father's release."
Jaxton raised a brow. "Your mother's side?"
"No. Crazy lady said she was a cousin on my father's side." Tesla jerked a little when Jaxton's hand lowered a little closer to her nether regions. "Yeah like that's true. My dad was an only child."
Jaxton rocked against her as he murmured into her ears, "Did she say where to meet her?"
Tesla shivered. "She said she'd be at some café later today." She got that out in two struggling breaths.
"Did she sound"—Jaxton raised his hands to cup her perky breasts—"like she was telling the truth?"
Tesla gave a soft cry as she arched her back well into Jaxton's touch. "Maybe," she blurted, breathless and needy. "I don't…know… You're making it hard to think."
Jaxton smirked. "Can't hurt for us to meet her." He tweaked both her nipples. "Right? If she's press, we'll handle it." Laboriously, he rolled her nipples between his fingers. "Yes?"
"Yes, yes!"
"Good." Jaxton dropped his hands and took a step back, smug. "Then, we better get ready and have some lunch. I'll start making the meal."
Tesla whirled around and grabbed his hand to boldly place it right atop her. "Not until you finish what you started," she told him almost menacingly. Their eyes were locked in intimate stare-down as she pried one of his fingers and thrust it into her. She refused to groan, but it did not matter with Jaxton seeing how her body curled in pleasure.
He caressed the back of her neck with a free hand and whispered carefully, "Sube a la cama."
And while the pair of them went back to bed and drowned each other in kisses, groans, and touches, Tesla's Compact was forgotten on the edge of the bed as a news article popped up from Twit.
⌜TWIT
"Riots have continued in Alvarez Empire due to Spriggan sympathizers and reveal heirs exist to the throne"⌟
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Back in Bellum
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The meeting room housed under the Department of Justice was with those with clearance levels high enough for this high-profile case. A strong woman dressed in a suit with her hair in a high-wavy undercut and earrings took charge of the meeting with the legal team on full alert. Hendrika and her assistant had joined this meeting with Hendrika looking blank near the entire thing.
The woman proceeded to say as she put two hands on the long table, "We hebben met de VN en de Magische Conseil van Ishgaran bevestigd dat deze vrouw geloofwaardig is en hebben vingtwintig uur de tijd om de Conseil te vragen de Royal Chimera in hechtenis te nemen."
⌜BELLUM DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY
Name: Noelle McEntee
Age: 35
Occupation: Attorney General and Minister of Justice
Likes: old cartoons Dislikes: raw fish
Special Note: Nolle might be the overall law and order for all of Bellum, but did you know she used to dream about being an animator?⌟
Noelle looked over at Hendrika. "Lady Hendrika, je kent het Ishgaran Magische Cour beter dan iedereen hier. Wil je de procédures uitleggen?"
But Hendrika was out of it. Her mind had gone down a wandering path. It brought her back to the moment she had hurried away from the scene when the brazen lawyer had proclaimed to take on the creature as her client on live Lacrima-Vision. Her assistant has rushed after her, trying to calm her down, but Hendrika was too much in a hurry to get away.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The focus passed through the hallway where regular personnel milled about and bowed in her presence, but she did not care. She just needed to get away. 'Het zal niet lang duren voordat ze zich realiseren dat ik ze hierover niet heb verteld,' she figured. 'Maar ik had geen keuze. Ze zouden anti-Magische propaganda lanceren met dit schepsel. Ik kon ze het niet laten doen.'
"Lady Hendrika! Alsjeblieft, wacht!"
Hendrika bypassed her secretaries who all stood and looked confused when she rushed past them like she was on the run.
"Lady Hendrika!"
Hendrika stopped at her doors, pulled herself together, and turned around to see her assistant with her big hair and the regret apparent for wearing heels to work today. "Miss Kiana," Hendrika said calmly. "Ik verzoek u al mijn oproepen en vergaderingen voor de rest van de dag te houde."
Kiana did not understand. She looked down at her L-Pad with concern. "Maar, Lady Hendrika—"
"Kiana." Hendrika took a sterner tone. "Please. Ik weet dat het niet makkelijk zal zijn. De secrétaires zullen bijstaan bij de herschikking. Maar ik heb dit moment nodig voor mezelf."
Understanding filtered through Kiana. "Natuurlijk." With a step closer, she said in a low murmur, "Iedereen hier is achter u, madame. Hoewel sommigen van ons Mages en Magiciens zijn of familie zijn, gaf u ons nog steeds banen als niemand anders dat zou doen. Wat je ook nodig hebt, we zijn hier."
Hendrika could smile for that. "Danken, Kiana. Laat het personnel weten dat u een laag profiel wilt behouden. Ik heb het gevoel dat de hogere ups veel dichter bij het département van Magische zullen kijken en niet op een goede manier." With a nod, she unlocked her office and slipped inside. Putting her back against the closed doors, she blew out a breath. 'Ik hoop alleen dat ik Reine Hisui op tijd kan waarschuwen. Ik hoop dat ze begreep wat ik probeerde te zeggen. Zelfs met een brander Lacrima Ball was het een risico. Onze dagen in dit kantoor zijn genummerd.'
"Dat"—Hendrika froze at the mysterious voice—"was een hele événement."
She lifted her head to look into her office. At first, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was just her desk, her books, the couch, and chairs, and all her plants, but it was nothing else. She slowly put her hand on the doorknob—
An arrow pointed at her throat.
Hendrika looked down to see a shadow had done this to her with blazing eyes. Slowly, the shadow pulled forth into a physical form of a cloaked man with a mask shielding all but his eyes. "Wie ben jij?" Hendrika whispered.
The man did not answer; he only stared.
A chuckle. "Pardonnez Chase. Hij is...verontrustend als mensen achter hun rug dingen proberen. Chase. Ze is een vriend, geen proie."
Chase lowered his arrow. Hendrika watched shakily as he slunk back into the shadows and moved further into her office until he took up residency in the shadow of someone who just appeared. She made herself at home in Hendrika's office as she sat on the desk, reading a book with a crooked grin. It was titled 'Lord of the World'. "Excuseer me un instant. Ik wil gewoon naar een goed stoppunt en.…" A moment later, she snapped her book shut. "Dat is beter. Nu kan ik goed praten."
Hendrika swallowed and kept her calm. "You speak fine Bellish for a Native Meidilandian," she acknowledged in accented Minstrish.
The woman tipped her head before she flared out the beaded leather wraps in her twin-braids. "Yes. I suppose these do give it away," the woman supposed. Crossing her legs again, she asked, "I saw that little display outside the Ministry of Defense. It's no surprise you didn't look surprised. You already knew the protocol." She cocked her head. "You probably already knew the diagnosis of a Royal Chimera was off too."
Hendrika inclined her chin. "Did the Prime Minister send you to scare me? Is that it?"
"Oh, goodness, no," the woman laughed. "But he did send this. Oh, Chase…!"
Hendrika's eyes widened when a large shadow breathed into this world and displayed two unconscious agents dressed in all black, mouths slack, eyes wide and horrified. "Did you—?"
"We haven't killed them, yet." The woman nodded and Chase swallowed both agents back into his shadows before manifesting into his cloaked form. "I just thought to do a favor for a friend is all. You're no use to us beaten up and traumatized. They were Mages too. Probably sent to sexually harass you to play into the plot that all Magic is bad."
Hendrika could not keep the tremor out of her voice. "Well, I'd thank you, but I'm sure my gratitude isn't what you're after."
The woman smirked and shook a finger in Hendrika's direction. "I knew I liked you." She slid off the desk and sauntered slowly towards her. "I need you to pull a bit of negotiating with whatever scumbag lawyer who represents Bellum. You're going to make sure the transfer goes smoothly, but there's one thing I need you to convince them to do." She got so close to Hendrika, their breaths were intertwined. Carefully, she pulled a folded paper from her bra and refused to take her eyes off Hendrika as she slipped the paper down Hendrika's top and into her space between her bra and breast. "Follow everything on that piece of paper. Don't worry. Chase will make sure you do everything as you're told."
Hendrika hated this feeling. She hated this fear she had been living for months that hounded her like she was a rabbit and it the hungry wolf sadistic in its game. But she hated the way this woman stared at her with the corner of her lips curved and those dark eyes filled with wicked things. "Am I supposed to ask 'and if I don't'?" she breathed.
"I'll just pay you a visit personally." The woman watched Hendrika's expression as she ran a finger up Hendrika's stomach, over her breasts, and danced up the curve of her neck. "It's against the rules for me to make a second visit. But I like you, Hendrika. And I'm much more…fun than Chase."
Hendrika flinched inadvertently when the woman let her finger drape over Hendrika's chin and toy with her bottom lip. "Why me?"
The woman smiled. "Why wouldn't it be you? You're the head of this department. Technically, you're the Minister of Magic. You're the perfect candidate and influencer to help make everything work out. I could have always blackmailed that Defense Minister of yours, but you're a lot more…"—her head dipped for her nose to trail up Hendrika's neck—"my type."
Hendrika knew her chest was heaving and her heart was ready to burst from her chest. "I'm sure our Attorney General has far more power than me," she reasoned.
"She does," the woman said with certainty. "But in magical affairs, she legally must turn to you since she has no background in Magic Law and due to the Council rules. Besides, that Attorney General with you is way too much of a domme. I don't like that in a woman." She tilted Hendrika's chin up with just two fingers and her smile widened when she saw how easily Hendrika kept her stare down. "I like mine submissive…and a little bratty to make the games exciting for me. Now, look at me, Hendrika."
Hendrika did as she was told.
"You'll do everything that paper says," the woman reinforced softly. "Don't disappoint me."
Hendrika licked her lips. "I can't make promises. I have no assurance you're not part of the Prime Minister's ploy to get rid of me." Yes, her words might have fronted as strong, but even she heard the breathlessness.
"Mmmm, I like it when you don't give in. Look at you, being bratty. So cute," the woman said huskily. "Makes this more fun." She let her lips hover over Hendrika's. "Chase will be your shadow, but I'll be keeping an eye on you. I have been for a while now. When you're at home, eating your favorite krokets and lamb stew… When you're taking a shower and using that pineapple exfoliator that's driving me crazy right now… When you're at work and bracing yourself for the Prime Minister to try and impeach you… Just know I'm watching." She pulled away to take in the flush on Hendrika's cheeks. "I'll see you soon." She pushed away from Hendrika and backed a few steps. "Chase?"
Hendrika felt her spine tingle and looked to see a shadow merge with her own until it was back to its normal size. "Wait. Who are"—she looked up and she was alone—"…you…?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"Lady Hendrika?"
Hendrika closed her eyes and she held the folded note within her hands. "Het Magische Cour van Ishgaran zal een jury van elf gulden meesters uit heel het continent en twaalf Nons toestaan. De Ishgaran Magische-Juge is Ocrevus Trumphour, die in de afgelopen acht jaar rechter is geweest. Hij is een hardnekkig en moeilijker om met sympathie te slaan," she informed. "Hij tolereert geen inbrekende of lange manieren om aan de wortel van het vragen te komen."
Noelle pushed herself to a stand and crossed her arms. "Hebt u suggestions voor een barrister?"
Hendrika took a breath as her mind flashed to the piece of paper and the names written on it. Opening her eyes, her decision was made. "Chinlien Broussard."
Noelle arched an eyebrow. "Ik ben verrast. Mister Broussard is niet bepaald goed geverfd in de Magische Cour. Zijn spécialité is het strafrecht, niet het Magische Strafrecht."
"Hij hoeft niet gespecialiseerd te zijn in het Magische Strafrecht," Hendrika assured. "Omdat hoe hoog deze zaak is en het Gemenebest Bellum als eiser is vanwege de misdaden die het wezen veroorzaakte, hebben we hem niet nodig als hoofdpleitbezorger om zich te specialiseren in de Magische Wet. Ik zal mijn eigen advocaat hebben als zijn avocat-conseil en hem alle essentiële zaken die hij nodig heeft onderschrijven."
Noelle seemed to approve. "All right." She looked around. "Ik zal mijn secrétaire de oproep laten coördineren, maar we zullen een ontmoeting moeten hebben met de vrouw zodra Chinlien en een barrister van Lady Hendrika in contact komen—"
BANG!
The doors split wide open to reveal the iconic woman and the other from before.
"No need," the woman said coolly. "We're already here."
Everyone stood to bow. But Noelle drew herself up to look the woman in the eye. "This is certainly unprecedented." She said those words with bite. "To what do we owe this pleasure considering we shouldn't be speaking until we are before a judge?"
The woman did not take the bait. "I just came to make sure you are all aware if my client is to be seen in any more reran media or portrayed in a bad light, we will sue for defamation."
Noelle tipped her head. "Of course. We wouldn't want you making any more threats, now would we?" She gestured to the legal counsel as she took her seat. "Well, if that's all you had to say, you can show yourself out. We have some debriefing and investigation of our own to continue with."
The woman looked at the sea of faces until she landed on Hendrika. Hendrika did not hold her stare and her eyes narrowed as she said, "You have less than twenty-four hours to ensure my client is in Magic Council possession, Noelle. Try not to pull any tricks. I'll be on whatever flight my client is on." She whipped around. "We'll be in the office your assistant so graciously showed us to. As always, it's a pleasure. Danken." And just like that, the legal counsel had left.
Noelle clenched her armrests. "Chinlien better bring his A-game," she muttered, "because that woman means business."
And the woman strode down the hall with her small team beside her. Her eyes kept forward as she openly thought, Did you see, Talia?
The younger woman on her right flank gave a slight nod. It appears our suspicions were correct, Mirella. Lady Hendrika is under siege as well as her entire office. But what I don't understand is why her life matters so much.
Politics, Mirella responded. It's all politics. We scratch her back, she scratches ours. I just hope Kyler, Pazuzu, and Muta are okay and can follow through. Whether or not we can convince the Council or not to let Skade and Gary live is entirely up to them and us. If not, they'll get the death penalty. She flicked her hair as two security agents opened twin doors for her. As ironic as this sounds, we could really use a guardian angel right about now.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The hospital might have been cold, but Býleistr's fur kept him pretty warm. He had not slept and he did not need sleep. He could just not wipe away that heart-racing fear he had as he remembered Nashi's body trying to lurch off the bed, the volume of her screams, and the way she fell back asleep and looked more dead than alive. The ICU CNA kept a firm eye on the monitors within their office.
Býleistr tried so hard to keep his mind in the present, but it was so difficult. One moment, he relived the explosion with a blank Nashi within his possession, and the next he was on a burning planet with bodies mutilated around him, and those brown eyes fraught with tears.
"Býleistr, help me!"
He sighed. No matter how much time goes by, it'll never get easier. But I can't keep going there. I have a new mistress to protect. She needs me. He looked at Nashi hooked up to the machines and pale beyond belief. Why did I listen to her? Why did I let her go after him?
The nursing assistant left her station to come out and do a routine check on Nashi's vitals. She flashed a hesitant smile at Býleistr before she set to work in silence, but Býleistr needed to know. "Human."
The nursing assistant had logged onto the DAL out here and was taking in information. "What can I do for you?"
"What exactly was that?" Býleistr wanted to know. "What happened to Nashi…What is the term for that?"
"With her vital signs, we call that a non-epileptic seizure," the nursing assistant explained. "When a patient is under severe mental pain, it can happen. It gets confused with a panic attack often."
Býleistr nodded. "I see. What was that healer Miss Lucy referred to?"
The CNA thought about it. "A psychologist?"
"Yes. What is that? Can they heal her?"
The nursing assistant frowned. "Psychologists are healers, but they guide their patients mentally and emotionally instead of physically like your normal physical therapists or specialists. From what was explained to me, Miss Dragneel is a survivor of a traumatic event. Some patients bounce back quicker than others, but she's in a lot of pain and stress from the situation she got out of. She's reliving the trauma and it might not just be the trauma from this event, but from other events in her life it triggers. It's common in patients with PTSD."
"'PTSD'?" Býleistr scrunched his nose. "I've never heard of that, but what you're saying sounds like Gilgamesh's Curse."
Now the nursing assistant was confused. "What's that?"
"A Curse brought down upon sick people who would have nightmares of things that haunted them," Býleistr described. "Be it a death of a friend, abuse, or war—these mortals would have Gilgamesh's Curse. There wasn't an elixir to cure them. Some were put to death if they were a threat to spread the Curse, but most were confined to one house."
The CNA's eyes went wide. "Oh, wow. That's intense." She scrutinized him. "Where did you say you're from? You're a Celestial Spirit? I don't really know much about your kind, but I thought you'd know all this."
Býleistr shrugged and answered evasively, "I've been away from modern times for years." Nodding to Nashi, he asked, "So how will this mental healer cure her of the Curse? The witches at the time had spells to confine the Curse, but it was too strong for them."
"Well, psychologists don't use Magic for one." The nursing assistant thought about it. "Well, not all of them do," she amended. "First, Miss Dragneel will meet with the ICU psychiatrist once she's better. Misses Dragneel was insistent Miss Dragneel not be placed in a psych facility, but it's up to Miss Dragneel. If she doesn't comply with any medications or to see a therapist, we'll have no choice."
Býleistr longed to unsheathe his claws. "She is not going to some house with Cursed people."
"It's just a possibility," the nursing assistant said lightly. "Miss Dragneel has been taking medications, but they'll probably suggest therapy on top. Her therapist may try a few different things with her treatment. My mom's a war veteran and she fought in the Josean War. She used to see a therapist and her therapist did some eye-coordination association thing. I don't know the whole kit and kaboodle, but it worked. I know other therapists just let the patient vent or will introduce them to a creative hobby to help them process their trauma or depict any dreams they had about the event."
Býleistr nodded along. So these mental healers must be the same as Oneironauts. Interesting.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
The door slid open and Erza parted the curtain to fully step inside. She thanked her guide before smiling. "Good afternoon. I hope I'm not troubling anyone."
"Afternoon, Guild Master," the nursing assistant chirped and locked their DAL. "You're not. I was just finishing up. But it looks like Miss Dragneel had quite a day today."
"I'm sure," Erza agreed. "But if it's not too much trouble, I'd still like to speak with her."
"Of course. I'll get out of your hair. I'll be in the office if you need me." The CNA bustled back to the office and shut the door.
Erza approached Nashi's bed and she could not mask her own anguish at the scene. She looks so peaceful even when she's in this state. She took hold of Nashi's hand. Your dad's coming as soon as he can, Nashi. I promise you.
Taking a breath, Erza sat down. "So, Býleistr… I hear you're Nashi's Celestial Spirit."
"I am," Býleistr answered and offered nothing else.
Erza admired him for that. "I'm not familiar with all the lore and Spirits as Lucy is, so I'll cut right to the chase." She frowned. "Why did you abandon him?"
Býleistr did not expect that and it showed on his face only to contort into anger. "You think I wanted this outcome?" he hissed. "I might not have known Wolverine long, but I would never have left him like that if I didn't have a choice. He knew the risks. He took them. We did what we had to to save her."
"And why save her?" Erza crossed her legs. "You could have had a much simpler life if you gave her away."
The audacity. Býleistr let out a vibrating snarl, but when he saw the nursing assistant look over in worry, he controlled himself. "I don't know who the fuck you are," he growled lowly, "but Nashi isn't some possession up for grabs. I don't give a shit what happens to me. I will protect her with all I have if it means she's safe."
Erza studied him for three beats until she nodded. "I understand." Smoothening down her shirt, she said, "My apologies. I just needed to know your stance before I asked my next question."
Býleistr snorted. "Humans and your mind games." His tone dripped with disgust. "Why should I answer a damn thing you say?"
"I'm not forcing you," Erza assured. "I just need to know for my own peace of mind." She crossed her arms. "At any point, did he transition into any other form outside the one you saw?"
Býleistr thought about it. "No." He was confident. "We were all careful to commit him and her to one form to make sure they weren't recognized."
Erza nodded. So it's just the footage from Margaret Town. If I can get Genius on it quick enough, we might still have a chance.
"So." Kobicha connected with wild orange. "You here to kick her out of your little tribe?"
Erza arched an eyebrow. "Pardon?"
Býleistr sat back with a look of disdain. "In my day, leaders were quick to cast out the sick and diseased and injured. It made their tribes and Covens look weaker if they kept on anyone disabled."
"Nashi will always be welcome in the Fairy Tail Guild." Erza lifted her chin. "An accident or injury isn't what forces me to exile my guildmates. Betrayal, abuse, murder—that's what forces my hand. And Nashi has done none of those. She's smart and kind, a little on the stubborn side, and she puts on a strong front. But she's passionate about the people she cares about. I'm lucky to not only call her my guildmate but to call her my niece."
A twinge of respect glinted in Býleistr's eyes. "Anything else you want to add?"
Erza nodded. "I wanted to hear your own account of what happened."
"Why?" Býleistr questioned. "You don't even know me."
"You saved Nashi's life. I don't have to know you more than that."
Býleistr grunted, but he did not argue. "Same thing I told Miss Lucy. When I was summoned, I found Nashi dying in the snow. The Wolverine revived her."
"You mean the Devil?"
Býleistr nodded. "We took her to some home base to heal. She healed, we stupidly charged into battle to rescue Wolverine, and we were on the run. I tried getting her safe, but she insisted we saved the Wolverine and it nearly cost her the life she has. End of story.
"I see." Erza tipped her chin down. "And tell me, Mister Býleistr… Are you protecting anyone with this version of your story?"
"No." Býleistr said it monotonously. "Are we done now?"
Erza observed him for any hints of discomfort, but none were there. He's loyal; I'll give him that. He's trustworthy if he's willing to lie to protect them. But I can't assume that loyalty extends farther than Lucy and Natsu's family. Still, if that's the case, why protect Gale? She sat back. "Thank you for your cooperation."
Býleistr pitched up an eyebrow. "Yeah. Sure." He stood up. "Look, I gotta go ask Miss Lucy something. Watch her." He did not wait for Erza's response as he left the room and stalked down the hall and out to the waiting room. He went up to Lucy who opened her mouth and said gruffly, "Gotta take care of something."
Lucy nodded. "I'll find you if something happens."
Býleistr nodded his thanks and made his way out of the waiting room and out of the hospital. He did not care who saw him as he broke down into a Mallow Coon and bounded away as a stray cat. He did not have to leave the hospital campus as he crossed the grass and avoided avid people wanting to pet him. He made it to a shadow part of the campus where bushes grew and the catmint that still thrived in the winter. He shook out his fur and moved to clean his face. "About time you showed up," he muttered.
A snort. "Miss me that much?"
Býleistr sat down with his tail tip flipping back and forth. "Get to it. I don't want to leave Nashi for long." He settled down with his paws tucked under him and his ear flicked to ward off a little fly trying to land. "So what's the plan"—he observed the white tomcat sitting before him—"Muta?"
°•°•°•°
KNOCK-KNOCK!
"Come in!"
Mira showed her face first with a bag of fresh clothes and Laxus was behind her. "Hi! I came back with some clothes for your discharge," Mira announced.
"Ooo, yay!" Mary Jane got up from her hospital bed and eagerly accepted the offering. "Thanks, Mom!"
"Of course, Mary Jane." Mira took a seat on the chair and asked, "No Peter?"
"He's at his exam," Mary Jane explained. "But he said he'll come by the house when I'm discharged if that's okay with you?"
Laxus grunted, but Mira swatted at her husband. "It's fine, sweetie. Then your father can meet him and see how wonderful Peter is." Mira elbowed Laxus and it was apparent he felt that by the discomfort on his face. "Right, Laxus?"
Laxus tched. "Sure." Softer, to his daughter, he asked, "Did you call everyone?"
Mary Jane was set to ignore her father, but a look from her mother had her huff and muttered, "Yes."
Laxus sighed. "Butterfly, I'm not trying to be—"
"Mom, can you have Daddy leave so I can change?" Mary Jane asked stiffly.
Laxus's face constricted into pain, but he schooled it. "I'll come back later." He left and slid the door shut.
Mira sighed as Mary Jane began to strip herself of her hospital gowns. "Mary Jane, mind your father." She stood up to help untie her daughter. "He's only looking out for you."
"He thinks I'm like Ronnie," Mary Jane negated. "But we're nothing alike. And so what she and Daddy fought? She's happy now. And I have a niece and nephew, but I almost never get to see them because Ronnie won't come to visit."
Mira saw where this was going. "We told Veronika we're fine with you going to Myosotis Island to see her and Ivan and Lisa-Jane." She helped Mary Jane out both hospital gowns and went to discard them. "But before you go, can you please try to speak to your father? He promised he'll be nice if Peter comes around."
Mary Jane snorted as she shed her panties and begun putting on her new clothes and undergarments. "I'll try if he tries." But that was all she could promise. "Did Igneel happen to stop by? Have you seen him?"
"I haven't since yesterday." Mira tried not to let her eyes show her sadness. "He did give me a present to give to you. I set it on your desk at home."
"He did?" That perked Mary Jane up as she finished putting on her shirt. "Him and his surprises. I can't wait to open it when I get home. Luke helped me figure out a gift for Igneel too. I know Christmas is soon, but—I don't know. He's always so nice to me. A gift is the least I could do for everything he's done for me." She finished with her pants and went to her Compact. She frowned when she saw no notifications from Igneel. "But he still hasn't texted me back." She went to their message thread. All her messages to Igneel had gone through on her end, but the little checkmark had yet to appear.
Why isn't he answering me? Mary Jane wondered. Maybe he's busy. He did say he had to prepare for the games, right? I'm probably making something out of nothing. Her hand fist the material over her heart and her acorn button shifted. Then, why do I feel like I'm not?
°•°•°•°
Ellie and Justin led the brigade of their friends jammed with get-well-soon gifts galore. They were automatically guided into PICU and Lucy stood to greet them all. Ellie and Justin were the first to reach her for a hug.
"Sorry we're so late, Auntie L," Ellie apologized. "We were doing prep work."
"I'm happy you're here," Lucy soothed. Pulling away, she smiled at the pair. "Nashi is lucky to have friends like you all."
Justin asked, "Has she woken up yet? Do they know what happened?"
Lucy replied, "She woke up a few times, but she was pretty dazed and fell back asleep. The only full time she was lucid was when Laxus came to take her statement." She looked away. "As for what happened, we're still trying to put the pieces together." She peeked over to see Cade, a nervous T'oree, Mustang, an uncomfortable Dazzler, a somber Olivia, a worried Galileo, Orochi, and Mara. "She won't be able to have all of you in the room, but we upped the visitors to two per visit."
"Not a problem," Ellie promised. "Sorry Aine and Lance couldn't be here with us. I'm not sure if you heard, but Lance got sick on their mission in Erika."
"I heard," Lucy assured. "They were able to make the visit, but they weren't able to stay for long."
Ellie beamed. "That's great!"
Justin looked around with a scowl on his face. "Okay, that right there pisses me off. So Lance can visit still sick, but Gary is conveniently missing instead of visiting our sweet girl who he so-call 'loves'?" He huffed. "And to think I actually liked him."
"We don't know that," Ellie said briskly, though, by the way her frown hardened, she seemed irked as well. "Gary cares about Nashi like a true woman. He'd be here if he could."
"Then, why isn't he?" Justin demanded to know. "God, pulling the disappearing act when Nashi needs him. Typical. Once a guy gets his jollies, he books it."
"That's not true!" Dazzler stormed up to Justin and shoved a finger onto his chest. "Gary loves Nashi! He would never use her like that! You don't know anything!
Justin scrunched his brow as he gently plucked her finger from him. "Right because I'm going to believe the person who thought my sweet girl was nothing more than hoe for your boy."
"Justin," Ellie said harshly, "cut it out. Look, we'll try Gary's place later. Nashi doesn't need this energy when we visit her. True woman positive energy, remember? Good, cleansing vibes." She placed a hand on Justin's shoulder. "Happy thoughts so Nashi has happy thoughts?"
Justin kept a cool look on Dazzler. "Of course, El-bell. Our sweet girl doesn't need negativity." To Dazzler, he said in a low voice, "But if he's not at home, don't expect me to let him get close to her any time soon." He swept away with Ellie in tow as they went down the hall to Nashi's room.
Lucy caught the distraught look on Dazzler's face and moved closer to her to say, "I'm not sure what's going on with all of you, but you have to know Nashi isn't going to think those thoughts. Justin's just very protective over Nashi. I appreciate it, but I know he can be intense."
"It's fine." Dazzler drew a long exhale. "Not like he knows the whole story and not like I do either. Uncle Laxus said we were doing an ambush?"
Lucy nodded. "He told me he's still working out the details with Erza. Someone went to the requestor's place to complete the mission and the reward still goes to those four. We won't fake any crime scenes, but Fairy Tail's attorney has to make sure everything we say will hold up in a court."
Dazzler took the time to see how drained Lucy looked. "Is Mister Dragneel coming home soon?"
"He's on his way." Lucy brushed back her bangs. "He hadn't intended to get this far from home. He rushed back last night for a quick thing and then he had to get back to work, so he's making up for lost time." She hugged herself. "I spoke to him on the Com when he could talk. We're both worried about how Nashi will take the trial."
"We all are," Dazzler confessed. "We'll do everything we can to make sure she stays safe during it. But I really need to figure out how to deal with Gary's absence."
"I've thought of that," Lucy admitted. "I called Gray and Laxus and they're coming up with a story with some help from Genius. I'll let you know what it is when they solidify it."
Dazzler nodded her appreciation. "Thanks, Misses Dragneel." She wanted to walk away, but she shuffled her feet as she awkwardly said, "About what Justin said—"
"I don't want to know whether you said those things or not." Lucy's words were firm with understanding. "What you do, Dazzler, is what counts."
Dazzler offered Lucy a weak smile and small thanks as she headed over. The group gathered had all sank down into the chairs and couches, but Dazzler deliberately chose to see beside Mara while everyone talked amongst themselves of their own speculations. Dazzler took out her Compact and unlocked it to go to her photos. She found her oldest video of her and Gary goofing off with Gary mimicking Dazzler's signature look with thigh-high boots, makeup, and all, though he broke his character when Dazzler made him laugh.
We're gonna get you home, Dazzler promised. You have a family who needs you. And Nashi needs you so much too.
While most noticed Dazzler's somber mood but chalked it up to the times, Cade saw T'oree looked more worried than most and torn to approach Dazzler. He took the plunge and moved over to Dazzler's side and murmured, "Nashi's going to recovery. Gary's gonna come home too. You'll see."
Dazzler locked her Compact as she sneered at him, "Thanks. I know all that. I don't need your comfort." She moved to stand. "T," she called, "come with me to get some drinks?"
T'oree popped out of her seat almost like she was more than happy Dazzler wanted her near. "Of course! The machines of vending always amaze me!"
Dazzler moved, but Cade caught her wrist as he stood up. "I'm just trying to help," he reasoned. "We're all going through some shit right now. Why can't we just be friends when we need to stick together?"
Dazzler served him a cold look. "I'd have to consider you worth my time for me to want to be your friend." She ripped away her wrist to take T'oree's outstretched hand and walked with the War Princess to the vending machine room.
Cade sat back with a curse snarled out and dug his head in his hands. With everyone so busy worried and theorizing, it would seem the action went unnoticed.
…until Orochi and Mara exchanged a look.
Gale hated the world, but he hated how much more he was in a bad mood. And he hated the reason for him being in a bad mood. Over and over again, he replayed his awkward partial confession, and over and over again, he could hear Luna's words of encouragement, and over and over again, he would see her leaning into Bleu's temple kiss. A snarl escaped him and he did not care two people who passed him were spooked. Stop thinking about it, you jackass, he scolded himself. It's over. You fucked up and she likes someone else. So get over yourself. She's a freaking spoiled ass princess anyways. You dodged a bullet.
He passed at a crosswalk where traffic was flowing and waited with the other pedestrians. Head down, he groaned, No, what you really did was shoot yourself in the mouth. Jesus, I'm in love with someone? Seriously? I couldn't have just said her name? And then she had to go get all supportive and shit when I'm pouring out my feelings! Who the fuck does that?
The light turned.
Gale moved on with the other pedestrians.
He could not help but think sulkily, A good friend does that. Dammit. She was just being a good friend and I acted like a class-act dick per use. After giving that whole big speech about miscommunication and here I am, fucking things up and being a hypocrite. I bet Blondie wanted to ream my ass, but no… She had to be all mature and want to talk things out like we just agreed on because she's always the bigger person. He shook his head. Janie was wrong. I don't know why I even took her advice in the first place.
"I know you love her."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The focus settled on a neutral Mary Jane, both eyes clear and concise. "Don't try to fight with me on this, Gale. I've always known you loved Luna."
"Okay. So what?" Gale growled, irked. "You want a medal now?"
Mary Jane did not stoop down to his sarcasm. "I thought Bleu would be the one to push you over the edge to confess, but honestly, I see he's a much better fit for Luna than you could be right now." The words cut deep and stung for moments to come. She held nothing back. It was like she was the old version of herself.
Gale wanted to leave. "Well, thanks, Janie, I already knew I was an asshole, but hearing you say the same makes it all the better."
"You're not listening to me." Mary Jane inclined her chin. "I said Bleu's a better fit for Luna right now. I never said anything else. But you get frustrated over one sentence that you don't let anyone else explain themselves. That's your issue with Luna. You're quick to jump. You're insensitive. You're angry—"
"Oh, please, keep going so I can put all of this on my dating profile," Gale quipped dryly. "Is there a point to listing all this? And also, not exactly fair you're calling me essentially 'toxic' when you're not even going to list Blondie's—"
Something dark flashed in those mixed eyes of hers. "If you shut up, I would have, Slayer."
Gale fell silent.
Mary Jane went on: "Luna's still learning just like you. She's got a temper that shows a lot with you. She's figuring out how to adjust, but she's easy to offend, easily annoyed, and too quick to try and be a sacrifice. No, I don't think you two should be together right now. Not until Luna finds her footing in Magic and her own issues. And not until you settle your own issues either."
Three beats.
"Can I speak now?" No sarcasm. No joke. A genuine question.
Mary Jane nodded.
Gale took a moment to figure out what he wanted to say. "I'm not saying we're perfect alone or together. I want to be with her, Mary Jane, I do. But I know having me like that in her life is the last thing she would need while her family is running her through drills and trying to catch her up with the rest of us." The focus looked down at hands locked together. "It's so fucking frustrating. I want to kiss her so badly, but I want to yell at her for risking her life and scaring the shit out of me, but then I just want to hold her and tell her I'm one-hundred-percent with her, and then I want her to stay far away from me because I'm fifty shades of fucked up." His thumbs toyed together. "You have no idea how much I know all of what you said. Not exactly Fire Alchemy. But what am I supposed to do?"
"Tell her how you feel, obviously."
The focus shot up and narrowed on Mary Jane's face even as it held that neutral expression. "Oh, right, obviously. Cut the bull-crap and tell me what you actually think."
"That's what I think." Mary Jane tucked hair behind her ears. "Gale, I've known you for years. Sure, we tolerated each other and maybe you don't consider me your friend, but I consider you mine. And in my friendly opinion, you've always been too aggressive, not very tactful, and stubborn. But I know everything you've done for Luna came from a place of love."
Gale hmphed at that. "Sure you did. Is that why you hooked her and the little asshat up?"
"I told you why," Mary Jane retorted, "and I still believe it. But I don't want Bleu to be caught up in this and I want Luna to stop being confused. So, yeah, tell her how you feel. Both of you need to just sit down and talk and be honest about it. Say you're in love with her so she's not constantly confused why you try to kiss her one second and then you're treating her like she's my little cousins another second. Let her be honest with her feelings to you. Clear the air."
Gale snorted. "I'm sorry, but when exactly did you become this certified love psychologist?"
"Take my advice or don't. It doesn't matter to me." Mary Jane leaned closer to him. "But if you don't want to clear the air, then you need to do the right thing and walk away right now. Bleu doesn't deserve you confusing Luna and neither does Luna. Pick an option. Believe me when I say I can always choose it for you."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Gale shook off the memory like it wronged him and pulled out his Compact, a comically irked expression in his face. "Stupid Devil Woman, threatening me like that. Who does she think she is?" He checked his calls to see he had outbound calls made to Julia several times this morning, none of which were returned. "She's still not answering," he murmured.
He stopped dead onto the street as he thought about it. "Where could she be? She's not at her house or my house or our friends' house—"
Ruby sharpened. Don't fucking tell me.
So Gale stormed his way to the apartment building like he was on a warpath and did not care how rude he was when he had to get past people. Hell no. I hope to shit I'm wrong about this.
Some college let Gale in on his way out and he passed her a terse thanks before he took the elevator would have taken too long and he was a man on a mission. He came to the apartment and gave three loud bangs just as a neighbor down the hall exited with a suspicious look thrown at Gale. Gale did not care. He shouted, "Asshole, it's me! Open up!"
Gale kept his ears pricked, but all he heard was footsteps coming closer and Wally's excited paws. The door unlocked and opened to reveal a half-naked Dash with a grim look and Wally's happy face. "You rang?" Dash asked, sardonic.
Gale did not back down. "Have you seen Lady J? I've been trying to call her all morning."
Dash leaned against his doorframe. "And if I said I have, why would I answer to you? You popped off with some chick the other night and left Peaches worried as Hell about you."
"Which I want to explain to her what happened," Gale said flatly, "but I can't do that or be there for her when I don't know where she is."
"And you think she'd be here?"
"I had hoped not," Gale muttered, "but you have a thing of finding her when she's most vulnerable."
Magic lit within Dash's eyes and Gale did not even flinch when Dash had grabbed the collar of his sweatshirt at inhuman speed. "You're pushin' it, Redfox," Dash warned. "You're my friend and I respect you, but you're pushing your luck with me if you disrespect Julia."
Gale lifted his hand and bared down on Dash's wrist. Not enough that he came off aggressive but enough that Dash winced. "I'm looking out for her," Gale defended.
"And you think I'm not?" Dash snapped. "Just because you're fucking emo and hot and cold about the girl you'll never have with your personality defects doesn't mean the rest of us are like that."
Gale felt his skin tug for his scales and he could not help it when a snarl powered through his chest. A ring of emerald flashed in his eyes as his pupils turned to slits. "The fuck did you say to me?"
Shocked at the change, Dash let him go. "What the…?"
"Gale…"
Julia muscled her way past Dash in one of his shirts to give Gale a glare, but her eyes were bloodshot. "What the Hell is going on here?" she demanded to know.
Gale blinked away the ring of green and his slitted pupils to look at her with a scowl. "You tell me?" He picked at her shirt.
Julia crossed her arms. "You up and disappear with no warning and I'm supposed to explain things to you now?"
Gale growled. "Lady J, it's not like I meant to disappear," he insisted. "I would've sent you a text, but I don't exactly have international coverage."
Julia lost her glower to her confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
"It means something I can't exactly divulge out in the open," Gale said with a look down the hall to the elevator that just opened up.
Julia looked up at Dash who sighed and shrugged. "Sure, man, come in," Dash supposed. "I've got some work to do so I'll be in my study." He moved back and Julia made room for Gale to come inside.
Julia stopped Dash before he could get too far with a hand on his arm. "Thank you," Julia appreciated. "And I'm sorry."
Dash shook his head. "Don't be. I'm not one to stick my nose in other people's businesses." He nodded over to Gale who had taken a seat on the floor with his mask off with Wally resting his head on Gale's lap, belly up for rubs. "As much as he can be a dick, go easy on him. Looks like he went through Hell."
"If he did, I'll play nice then bitch later."
Dash chuckled and dropped a kiss on her nose. "That's my Peaches." He detached himself from her and moved down the hall.
Julia took a moment to gather herself then she went back to the living room and sat on the recliner across from Gale. Crossing her legs and her arms, she judged him with a raised eyebrow. "So where were you?"
"Bellum." Gale looked up and made sure Julia knew how serious he was. "With Blondie."
Julia wanted to question until everything was coming together. "Nashi's in Bellum. Luna would do anything to protect her. But why would she take you?"
"She didn't mean to," Gale explained. "She had a power influx and was in pain and, well, you know how that gets her, even if she doesn't want to admit it." When Julia nodded, Gale asked in a softer voice, "How are you holding up?"
"Terribly," Julia muttered. "Nothing I did mattered. Gary still got captured. He's going to court and there's nothing we can do. And if they find out Gary and his Devil are one in the same, how much do you want to bet the Bureau is going to sweep him up as an experiment?"
Gale shook his head. "You don't know what."
"But I do." Julia pulled her legs up to hug them. "In Margaret Town, when soldiers were after the Devil, it transitioned back to Gary right in front of them."
"But you said they were frozen—"
"I thought they were all frozen," Julia corrected. "But now I'm not too sure. And they saw the Devil carrying Nashi around. If any of their body camera footage shows Nashi, the narrative spins. God, Nashi." She sniffed and asked, "How is she? I need to go see her."
Gale lifted his shoulders and they fell again. "From what I heard, she's not doing that great. I'm sure she'd breakdown apologizing to you if you visited her."
"That's what I want to avoid." Julia groaned into her hands. "She's probably self-blaming. I want her to know she's not at fault and we don't blame her. That we'll do everything we can to get Gary home, no matter what it takes." She sighed and peeked over to Gale. "How's Lu doing?"
Gale rolled his eyes. "Well, she and the douchebag are probably making out somewhere, so I'm sure she's fine."
Julia shook her head and let herself fall back on the recliner. "You know, I could say something about your attitude, but I'm too emotionally drained and exhausted and stiff to do anything."
"Dash have anything to do with that stiffness?"
Julia threw an arm over her eyes. "No, he didn't." She was too tired now to be curt. "Eiji was a good friend and let me spend the night."
"You both reek like each other—"
"Because we cuddled, dipshit." Julia paused. "Okay, so maybe we made out a little—"
Gale growled. "The Hell—!"
"But he stopped it both times and didn't go any farther," Julia defended. Then, she pouted. "Even if I sorta wanted him too—"
"I don't want to hear this," Gale choked, torn between disgust and anger. "Lady J, you know you can come to me for things, right? We're like family."
Julia bobbed her head. "Yeah, and I do come to you for things. But the comfort Eiji gives me feels a lot better than your comfort." Gale made a face and Julia simpered, "Not that, you sicko. I can't exactly cuddle you and kiss you, dork. That's pretty much incest. Getting that other kind of comfort is just…nice, y'know? Like when you and Luna—Oh…" She realized her error when she saw Gale go rigid. "Right. Sor-Sorry."
"No, no, don't apologize," Gale sighed. "I'm…sorry I've been such a dick about you and Dash."
"Woah…" Julia lowered her arm to dramatically raise her eyebrows. "An apology from Gale Redfox? To think I thought the day would never come!"
Gale grunted. "Shut up," he groused. "I just want you to be careful. You've got a lot goin' on and so does he. Just lookin' out for you, Lady J."
Julia softened her face into a smile. She moved over to sit at his side and put a head on his shoulder. "I know you are," she murmured. "Thanks for looking out for me. I appreciate it. But I just want you to know it's not like Eiji and I are dating or thinking about dating. We both know we have stuff going on."
Gale leaned his head against her. "Just be careful."
"I am and I will." Julia took a breath with her whole chest. "I want you careful too. I know this is a lot for you too. Try to do a little more self-care and a little less self-deprecation, okay? A little bit of self-love." Gale smirked and could not hold back his laughter and Julia fell into it with him. "I mean it, you sick pervert, and in the clean and spiritual sense, m'kay? Take care of yourself. The fight is always going to be there. You're always going to be a Dragon Slayer and have time to train. But that time gets a lot limited when you're depressed and angry."
Gale turned to Julia with a larger smirk. "Since when did you become smarter than me?"
"I always was." Julia broke away to looked up at him with a teasing smile. "You just have a bigger than ego than me. Humbleness makes the mind more intelligent."
Gale rolled his eyes good-humoredly. "Mmm-hmm." He pushed himself off the ground to stand up before offering his hand to her and helping her to his feet. He tipped his head toward the hallway and asked, "You mind apologizing to him for me? I'll text him later. Make it up to him through some of my old man's good stuff."
"Sure." Julia frowned. "But where are you going?"
Gale shrugged as he stepped over Wally to walk to the front door. "Just to walk. Figure out some stuff. When Blondie took us home, she pretty much passed out in her room and I had to sneak out, sneak home, and got lucky my mom was out the door before I was this morning." He opened the front door. "Maybe I'll stop by Uncle Ben's. Pick up some shifts for my off-week."
"Have you told Master about your little trip?" Julia asked him.
Gale grimaced. "Not exactly. She knows Blondie went, but she hasn't called for Blondie or Blondie hasn't ratted me out. I'll tell her, I promise," he added when Julia looked ready to object something. "But she's focused on the case. I'll set an appointment instead of popping by."
"All right," Julia supposed. She pulled back his hoodie and took off his hat to fix his hair before putting the hat back on. "Leave the hoodie off," she ordered. "Best way to help stop being brooding and sullen is not looking like you stepped out of Hot Take."
"Yes, ma'am," Gale guffawed. Saluting towards her, he said his farewell and took his leave. He had made it to the elevator and pushed the button. Ears pricked, he caught the distinct sound of Julia beginning to cry and Dash coming to her rescue with soft words. Swallowing down his own guilt, Gale climbed on the elevator when it came and punched the button for the lobby. Yeah. She ain't wrong about that, he thought as he exited the elevator. Would be kinda nice to have someone close like that. Someone I could hold, but…someone who would hold me too. He crossed the lobby. But if I can't have Blondie, not really worth passing my time with someone else. He left the building and looked up to see while the sun bared down, the day was still chilly. Wonder when we'll get another snow day…
"Gale! Is that you?"
Gale turned to see India had called him out and was jogging towards him in her winter running gear. Half of him did not want to acknowledge her and keep moving, but he knew she recognized him and would be affronted later on if he ignored her. So he nodded towards her and crossed his arms. "Yeah. It's me." Lame words, but all he could come up with.
India slowed into a walk then stopped before him as she took a cool-down break. "I've been trying to contact you since Friday night," she admitted to him. "Where've you been?"
"Here and there." Really, that was all Gale could say. "Thought you had exams?"
"I do," India confirmed with a face. "Calculus was this morning, so I came home and decided to go for a run before I head to Uncle Ben's. Are you coming in tonight?"
Gale shrugged. "Maybe," he answered in vague. "Got some stuff at home to figure out."
India frowned. "Oh. Anything I can do to help?"
Gale shook his head. "Nah. But I was going to stop by Uncle Ben's to see if I could pick up any shifts this week." He decided it could not hurt to divulge a little information. "I'm taking an off-week from missions and assignments from the guild, so I could use money."
"And you won't start any more fights?" India snickered when Gale scowled and nudged him. "C'mon, stop making that face. Vito is long gone anyways."
Gale said darkly, "He better not show his face ever again." He turned his head down the street. "Better let you get back to your run. See ya later." He began to walk—
"Hold on!" India joined him in his walk. "I'll come with you to Uncle Ben's. How about we stop at my house first then we head to the restaurant? Mom's been dying for you to taste test this salmon glaze she recreated from some Cipanguese recipe."
Gale put a hand on his stomach. "I could eat," he supposed. "Sure. Why not?"
"Cool!" India casually looped her arm around Gale's like he was escorting her. "Can't believe you didn't come with us on Friday. Doesn't matter. It got real weird real fast." And India launched into her weekend affairs and Gale gave noncommittal replies when he needed.
°•°•°•°
The restaurant was nothing more than a mom and pop's diner within Magnolia Town that served the best burgers and shockingly had a larger seafood menu than just the typical fried shrimp, bland salmon, and maybe cod or some white fish. Even for a Monday, the place had families with their school children now that school was out. One family had Magnolia as their pitstop and came to visit the home of the infamous Fairy Tail on their cross-country road trip. A lawyer had come to the diner with his PAL as he worked on his discovery. A waitress took over the register to cash out a few people and noticed a Com-number written on the receipt she handled and a cute note, a blush startling her cheeks.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
« This diner is called Double Trouble, a classic mom-and-pop's restaurant that is notorious for its pies and buttercream. This diner even has photos of the first one hundred guests it served! »
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Bleu and Luna were not the only couple eating at the establishment, but they were the only couple who sat on the same side with no one else on the other side. Bleu had been amused when Luna blurted out her tall order only to add his own. They were roughly halfway done and neither wanted to stop anytime soon. Luna was gushing over how good her steak was. "My papa would kill me if I told him the steaks here were better than the one he grills at home, but I don't care."
Bleu chortled. "I'm glad you recommended this place." He forked in some more of his omelet. "You come here often?"
Luna enthusiastically nodded. "Oh, yeah! Silver, E, Penelope, Paige, and I come here a lot. It's so good here. One of the owners here gives us discounts even though we keep saying we won't need them. I think they're just really grateful Penny promoted them in one of her interviews." She giggled to herself. "Well, it's not like she meant to do it, but now a lot of people come here after she mentioned this place."
"I can see why." Bleu smiled when he saw one of the waiters offered a small plate of canine-safe food for the service dog sitting faithfully beside his human. "Service is great and the food is great too. We'll have to come here more often when I'm in Magnolia."
Luna paused when she reached for her drink. "You know something?" She looked over at Bleu. "I don't think I know where you live."
Now Bleu paused. "Oh."
Luna saw the clear hesitation and quickly covered, "But if you don't want to tell me that's okay too. Sorry. I'm not pushing anything or anything like that."
"No, it's not that." Bleu looked away. "I mean you'll eventually see it for the party. I just don't want you to think of me differently is all."
Luna's brow furrowed. "Well, that's silly. I wouldn't think of you differently."
Bleu's shoulders sagged. "I live in Tuxedo Park."
One beat…two beats…thre—
Luna gasped and would have spat out her drink. "You live there? B-But that's like one of the richest places in Fiore!"
Bleu sunk a bit in his seat. "Well, my dad sort owns properties all over the world and when we moved to Fiore, he wanted to have the best, so…"
"Oh, my gosh, some of my favorite celebrities and YouViewers live there!" Luna continued to gawk. "It's like this gated community of the filthy rich! I see it all the time on house tours on YouView!" Another thought occurred and she could just see Bleu in those billion-jewel tailored suits with his hair slicked back as he dove into a money pit with beautiful women all around him and servants at his beck and call. Wow… So he's super-rich. Her wonder fell into shame as she put her drink on the table and her gaze dropped to her plate. What's he doing here in a place like this when he could have anything he wanted? Anyone he wanted? And not someone as plain as me…
"This is why I didn't want to say anything."
Luna looked over at Bleu who looked a bit frustrated. "What are you saying?"
"Everyone gets weird when I mention where I live," Bleu muttered. "It's like they think I'm some Corey Cash or something and everyone either wants me for my money or they get freaked out and don't want to be associated with me." He turned away from Luna. "I guess this is where you tell me you don't want to be with me?"
Luna's eyes widened. "Blue, no! That's not it at all!"
Bleu looked over his shoulder at her like he did not believe her. "Really? Because you didn't have to say anything, but I could see the thoughts going through your head. You probably thought I was too much to handle being rich and had better things to do and I could have anything I want and I'm just taking my life for granted, right?"
"No!" Luna winced. "Okay, so maybe I thought you could be doing better things and have anything, but not in the way you're saying it." She sighed. "I just thought…what are you doing here with me."
Bleu turned to fully view Luna. "So…you're only concerned why I'm with an amazing, beautiful, talented, wonderful person instead of fake women with more botox than brains?" He could not hold back the humor in his voice when Luna smiled a little for him. "Is that it, Treasure? Nervous your positive personality and real lips and natural hair won't compare to their over-colored hair, fake lips, and fake personality? Huh? Did I get that right?"
Luna could not help it when she guffawed. "Okay, okay, I get it."
Bleu thumbed Luna's lips. "Treasure, I know where you're coming from. It's not easy being with someone like me. I'm not here with you, talking to you, kissing you because I'm in some rebellious phase or, like, I'm… What's that thing that happens in J-Dramas and Z-Dramas? NJ said the rich male lead always has some fiancé or something or a childhood friend clinging to him or something like that. I don't have any of that."
"Don't forget the disapproving parent," Luna joshed. When she saw Bleu cast his eyes away, her teasing fell flat. "Bleu…?"
Bleu rolled his lips. "My father, he's…" He shook his head. "Treasure, I'm going to be honest with you and I need you to hear me out completely before you say anything."
"Of course." No hesitation. "What is it?"
Bleu explained: "My father is strict I don't date. He's practically forbidden relationships. And I can't say I was ever really upset. I kissed a few girls, or, well, they kissed me, but I wasn't interested in dating or relationships until I met you. And I don't give damn what my father says. I want to be with you. And I don't want to let you go and I'll do everything I can to make sure I won't have to." He tried to meet her eyes. "So what do you—?"
Luna sat before him sniveling with crying eyes.
"Wait, you're crying?!" Frantic, Bleu plucked some fresh napkin and dapped at Luna's cheeks. "Treasure, I'm so, so sorry I made you cry. I-I-I-I never meant to make you cry—!"
"I'm not crying because I'm sad," Luna assured him through her tears. "I'm crying because you're just so sweet." She cleared her eyes to look at him with her watery smile. "I'm just happy you don't want to let me go. I don't want to let you go either. I don't care what my parents say. I still want to see you." Embarrassment crept up to her as she reached for napkins to clean her face. "If you can take me getting all emotional like this all the time."
Bleu chortled and stopped Luna just to look at her. "I think it's cute you get emotional when you're happy." He dipped his head to deliver a soft kiss she warmly returned. When he pulled away, he told her, "You're beautiful on the inside and out, Treasure. Never forget that. In fact, I'll tell you that every day so you can't forget it."
Luna laughed and gave him a quick kiss. "Promise?"
"Promise." Bleu sank into another kiss with her, but she giggled into it and pulled away. He grinned. "Well, now that we got that out of the way, I was hoping you'd do me the honor of being my date to a New Year's Eve party."
"I'd love to." But just a second later, Luna groaned. "Ugh, I'll have to find a way to get out of my family's party then."
Bleu cocked his head. "Fairy Tail isn't throwing a party?"
"Not this year," Luna informed. "We do one every other year. This year, my family invited some family friends to come to our house for New Year's Eve. I'll have to find a way out of it."
"I could always—"
"No." Luna put a finger on Bleu's lips. "Nuh-uh. Papa's already gonna be angry I'm spending time with you. If he sees us kissing, he'll lose it."
"Fair point," Bleu gave her. "I'm not particularly in the mood to turn into ashes."
Luna tittered. "Yeah. You're much cuter fleshy and alive and stuff." She then told him, "But there's something else I have to tell you. My mom sorta grounded me when she found out you took me home and I didn't walk."
"Oh." Bleu thought about this. "Treasure, the call is yours to make. But if your mom meeting me helps this whole thing—"
Luna dismissed the idea. "It's okay. I think I might have a plan. Nashi taught me a lot when she used to sneak out." Sadness mixed with fondness touched her face and her words. "We have Sister Pact together. Even if Nashi wasn't at home all the time, we still trusted each other with a lot of secrets."
"That's the best thing about a sister or a brother," Bleu regarded. "Sometimes, it's like a built-in best friend or your natural rival or both. It must be nice to have that. I've seen stuff about your family. Your siblings are really cool."
Luna nodded. "They are." Hesitation. "I feel like I was such a bomb about to go off before with them, though. They were just always gone on missions or school and I was stuck at home. We didn't fight or anything like that and maybe once and a while, I'd go with Luke to get a milkshake or Igneel would take me to the manga store or Nashi and I would paint nails. But I just felt like…" She exhaled. "I don't know."
"That even though they were so close, they were so far away, and even if you wanted to close that gap, you didn't know how?" Bleu guessed.
Luna gawked. "Woah… I mean, yeah, but also wow. How did you know that?"
"This isn't the first time I've dealt with something like this." An ambiguous answer but effective. "But from what you were saying, you and Nashi hung out a lot more after Thanksgiving?"
"A little, yeah." Luna added, But now she's in the hospital and I don't know if she'll ever be the same.
"Treasure." Bleu tapped her cheek to get her out of her head. "What's with the face? Something happen?"
Luna knew better than to tell the truth, but she also knew better than to lie completely. "Yeah," she said blandly. "My sister's in the hospital, actually. She was attacked on her job this weekend."
Bleu's eyes widened. "How is she doing now?"
"Not bad but not good either," Luna remarked glumly. "It could've been worse but it shouldn't have happened to her at all." I shouldn't have agreed to teleport her. She would be safe if we hadn't left that house.
"Do you want to go back to the hospital and see her?"
Luna shook her head. "No. I did this morning. My mama and my Uncle Loke set up a rotation with her and her Spirits so Nashi is always with someone, plus my sister had her own Spirit always at her side. Býleistr made it clear if he caught Luke and I sitting and waiting at the hospital he'd kick us out himself." She smiled. "He told us nothing good came out of moping and waiting and he knew Nashi would want us to still keep ourselves busy."
"He's right in a way," Bleu agreed. "The worst thing a person can do when someone they love is in the hospital is to stop taking care of themselves. You have to take care of you and keep living and have hope the recovery comes soon." He snorted. "Then you have Petey who spent the night in Janie's room."
Luna tucked in some home fries. "Stop judging him. It's sweet," she thought. "Mary Jane certainly didn't complain."
"I guess not." Bleu took a bite of a blueberry muffin. "Did you and Gale get whatever you two were talking about resolved? Sorry I interrupted."
Luna waved away the apology. "Don't be sorry. Gale just got embarrassed is all. He'll finish what he was saying when he isn't stomping all around like a Dragon and going through his tantrum," she muttered with an eye roll at the end. "Honestly, we literally just agreed on talking to each other instead of getting mad and I play nice and he still gets mad?" Angrily, she took a bite of steak and shoveled in some eggs and home fries. "The nerve. Seriously. Oh, man I should've…!"
Bleu nodded quietly and kept his thoughts to himself for a moment to replay what he saw at the hospital and the intense look in Gale's eyes. I wonder… Did he finally do it? "Treasure?"
Luna stopped mid-rant with her mouth chewing bacon. "Yeah?"
"Say a person confessed to you," Bleu started, "what would you do?"
Luna cocked her head and finished her bacon. "I'd be as nice as I could and reject them since I'm with you." She cringed when she remembered Gale's harsh words. Though maybe Gale has a point and I was boy crazy before… Yikes.
"But what if you had feelings for them?"
Luna blinked then her eyes narrowed. "Bleu, you're doing that thing Igneel hates where you talk in circles."
Bleu fidgeted. "Promise not to get mad?"
Luna sat back and twisted herself to gauge him with a wary look. "What are you trying to ask me?"
Bleu spat it out. "If Gale confessed to you, what would you do?"
Silence.
"Well, I wouldn't believe him."
Bleu looked to see Luna's eyes shut as she thought about this carefully. "What? Why?"
"He told me he's in love with someone else," Luna stated matter-of-factly. "He didn't say who, but he wouldn't lie about something like that."
No, but he probably got nervous, Bleu decided. Aloud, he asked, "Okay, but what if he meant you? What would you do?"
Luna looked at Bleu like he was crazy. "Why would he mean me? Bleu, he's in love with someone else. And, obviously, me being his friend told him I'd support him."
Bleu sweatdropped. Dude was just slapped with the friend zone. Even I feel bad for him now.
"Although…"
Bleu tuned into Luna's next words.
"Maybe, before, I wished he liked me," Luna admitted in a slow choice of words. Not embarrassed, just reminiscent. "It was confusing, honestly, I don't know." Her hand went to her arm. "Maybe I liked him or just cared about him a lot, but it doesn't matter now. He was just being friendly. To him, I'm just some trapped-in-a-tower princess and my dad's daughter. He's in love with someone else and I want to support him all I can. Like a good friend would. And I like you. So there's no point thinking about all the 'what if?'s and everything."
Bleu reached to touch her cheek in apology. "Treasure, I—"
"I'll be right back." Luna tore out of the booth to make a beeline for the bathroom and she knew Bleu was watching her. She made it safely to the women's restroom and fell onto the counter. If she looked into the mirror now, she knew she'd see the threat of tears in her eyes so she sucked in s breath. "Gosh, I'm such a crybaby."
None of that, Icarus shushed.
"Why does it hurt?" Luna whispered. "It shouldn't hurt like this, right?"
There is no need to compare your feelings to how a situation 'should' be, Icarus admonished. You feel what you feel and that is enough to make your feelings valid.
Luna took a shuttering breath. "Do you think he thinks I'm crazy for running away like that?"
I think he's thinking of one hundred ways to apologize for upsetting you. I like this one. He smells odd, but his intentions have no impurity. He cares for your wellbeing.
Luna allowed herself a small smile. "Yeah, he's great." She dared look at herself in the mirror and fixed her untucked strands of hair. No tears and her cheeks were turning back to her normal color. "He really does care."
Just know, Pup, to always have your actions governed by your own choices. Not the choices of others.
Luna frowned. What does that mean?
If the reason you like this human due to Gale's words—
"No, it's not that," Luna quieted. "Really. Maybe it hurts now Gale is in love with someone, but I really like Bleu and I liked him before knowing Gale's feelings. I'm okay, Icarus. I promise."
Very well, Pup. I am here if you need anything.
"Thank you." For good measure, Luna washed her hands and did not pay attention to a girl who came out of the stall to wash her hands as well.
"He's a keeper."
Luna did not realize the person was speaking to her until she looked up and saw the person—a beautiful Jambu-dvīpa woman who was maybe nineteen with her caramelized skin and rolls of thick hair—angled her head towards her. Blushing, Luna asked, "I'm-I'm sorry?"
"The boy you're with." The woman got in-between her fingers. "He feels powerful and honest. As do you." She finished washing her hands and went to dry them with the hand dryer machine.
Luna blinked a few times. "O-O-Oh, uh…! Thank you…?"
The woman finished drying her hands and said to Luna, "You are more powerful than you think. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."
Luna nodded, perplexed. "I, um, won't…?"
The woman did not smile, only inclined her head. "It was nice to meet you."
Luna snapped out of her confused dazed. "Oh! Um, my name is Luna—Luna Dragneel. It's, um, n-nice to meet you too." Her eyes were drawn to the jewel on the woman's forehead. It winked at Luna in its violet hue. "I, uh, like your jewel. It's a bindi, right?"
The woman touched the jewel. "Something like that." She inclined her head. "I will see you again." And she left.
Luna just stood there and stared after the woman. "Bye…" She physically shook herself out of her stupor to dry her hands. "Weird." It took her very little time to finish drying her hands and exit the bathroom. By the time she got back to the table, Bleu was looking mighty anxious and stood up to greet her.
"Treasure, I am so sorry," Bleu got out. "I didn't mean to make you upset with all my pressing, and crossing a line I shouldn't have isn't okay—"
"Bleu, it's fine," Luna shushed him. "Really, it is." She motioned for them to sit and so they did. "Sorry for getting all emotional back there. But none of that's your fault."
"Don't be sorry feeling, Treasure," Bleu said. "Are you feeling any better?"
"I am." Luna could say that with confidence. "Honest. I am."
Bleu could not but look relieved hearing that. "Good. I'll stay to safer topics. Like what sort of Christmas present I should get you?"
Luna burst into laughter as she put a hand on Bleu's chest. "How about we start with mistletoe?"
Blue grinned as he leaned closer to her. "I'm listening."
°•°•°•°
Gale had tuned out India a long time ago as he kept quiet within his thoughts. He looked around absently until his eyes rested on a diner. He hated how sharp his eyesight had gotten, thanks to his new Magic, but he saw it clear as day.
Luna kissing Bleu.
His hands clenched to fists as he stopped and could not tear his eyes off the couple. Foulness sweltered his soul and he did everything he could to not show his fangs. But a ring of emerald appeared in his eyes and his snarl suppressed into a quiet growl. Fate really likes to fuck with me, doesn't it?
India had noticed they had stopped and looked around to see what Gale was looking at. But when she could not find anything, she asked, "Gale? You okay there?"
"I'm fine." Gale looked away to shield his eyes from her. "Let's just go." He let her go and did not notice he left an indent underneath his feet where he just stood like his anger was imprinting into the earth.
And as Gale stomped away, someone came out of the diner to watch him. "So he's the second one," came thoughtful murmur.
A rumble came to her.
"Yes. I see." It was the girl from before. She touched the jewel placed on her forehead and it glowed for her. When it stopped, she let her gaze wander over to Luna before dipping back to Gale. "I understand." She took down the opposite way and in the throng of people, she vanished into thin air with only a few violet particles in her wake.
When the Dreyars came home, Mary Jane made it a point to get out of the car and race up the steps, but her plan to avoid her father was all for naught when she realized she no longer had her house keys on her. So she kept her eyes trained elsewhere as her parents moseyed up the steps. Mira shot her husband one of those long looks before she pretended to look for her house keys and mentioned in passing, "I told Mary Jane I'm fine with her visiting Veronika. It would be a great idea for her to try and convince Veronika to come home to the mountain cottage for the family weekend."
"I think it's a great idea too," Laxus inputted. It was adorable seeing such a powerful Thunder Dragon God hopeful for his own daughter to spare him just a look, but she did not such thing, only hmphed. Clearing his throat, he added, "I will be paying for your round trip, so Veronika doesn't have to. I could drop you off at the Sky Port—"
"No need," Mary Jane sniffed. "I told Ronnie I'd pay for my own trip, so I wasn't putting her out. And I have a ride to the port already."
Mira looked surprised in that. "And who is that?"
"Peter."
"No."
Mira shot Laxus another look. "Laxus—"
"No, Mira," Laxus growled. "I don't even know the kid—!"
"Because you won't give him a chance!" Mary Jane blurted in her own stewing anger. "You're just comparing me to Veronika all because I have a boyfriend and it isn't fair! Peter isn't like that—!"
Laxus clacked static off his hands as he clenched them. "So now he's your boyfriend?"
"You're not even listening to me!" Mary Jane burst. "And, well, he's not my boyfriend yet, but he will be—!"
"I thought I made the rules perfectly clear, Mary Jane," Laxus snapped. "You are not dating until you're seventeen or out of this house"
Mira unlocked the screen door and the house door as she warned, "Laxus, we both agreed to revisit that rule."
"That was before she was talking about going off with this guy and boyfriends," Laxus said darkly. "Mary Jane, you are under my house and you live by my rules. You are not having a boyfriend until you're seventeen or not under my roof. End of discussion."
Mary Jane wanted to feel that burning anger. She could feel it crawling up inside her and spell something ugly. But she was just so drained. Everything was hitting her at once. Tears gathered in her eyes as she tried to say, "Daddy, please—!"
"No!" Laxus thundered. "You're too young for relationships. You don't know what you're getting into. Guys are dogs, Mary Jane. Maybe he's a nice guy now, but you don't know what will happen push comes to shove if you don't agree with everything he wants to do."
"Laxus, you're hurting her," Mira told him as she rushed to Mary Jane's side and hugged her daughter. "We should talk about this later when everyone's calmed down."
Mary Jane wrestled away from her mother as despair and anger wrote on her face to glare at her father. "That's funny coming from the man who tried to take over Fairy Tail by force and didn't even care about his own family," she retorted.
"That's why I know guys are shits when they're younger," Laxus argued. "They're riding off their entitlement. Yeah, I rode off my entitlement to Fairy Tail, but you don't know what this guy thinks he's entitled to with you."
Mary Jane could not believe this. "Peter would never force anything on me—!"
"You don't know that!" Laxus bellowed. "You don't know him! Hell, I don't even know him!"
"But if you just met him—!"
"No! This isn't up for discussion!"
"This isn't fair—!"
"I said"—Laxus leaned forward to make his point clear—"this isn't up for discussion." Straightening up, he said, "You are not dating him. Not now. Not ever. And that's the end of it."
Scarlet-cerulean widened then lowered as her hair pulled to cover her red eye. Mira, with a gentle tone, told Mary Jane, "Why don't you go upstairs? I need to talk to your father alone."
Mary Jane drifted from the porch and opened the doors to go inside. But she paused. Abruptly, she whipped around and screamed, "I wish you were never my daddy! I wish I didn't have a daddy at all! I hate you!" She did not see the look of shock crossing both her parents' face or the hurt Laxus showed as she ran upstairs and slammed the door when she made it to her room. She did not care how dramatic she looked when she threw herself on the bed, woeful sobs coming out of her. She cried for the unfairness of it all. She cried for the hurt her father instilled. She cried for Peter being given an unfair chance.
She cried.
Mary Jane pulled herself to her side and dug out her Compact to call. She pulled her Compact to the side just as the automated voicemail came up. Pulling herself together, she waited until after the beep to spew her thoughts. "I'm sorry to call," she rushed to say, "I j-just don't know what to do. I need a friend right now and…!" She closed in on herself. "You're probably busy. I'm sorry. This was a mi-mi-mistake. See you at the guild tomorrow, Igneel."
She ended the call to sit up, swiping away any more tears. I hate this. I don't want to stay here. She picked up her Compact again to place another call and waited, sniffling.
"Hi, Cousin," Justin greeted cheerily. "Saw you got discharged in the family group chat and we may or may not be planning a fun little party in your honor… I mean we totally are, you know this family by now. So anyways, Libby is making you your own honorary crown for the occasion—"
"Can I come stay with you?" Mary Jane blurted. "And Orochi? Just for tonight?"
Justin did not even hesitate. "Well, of course. You know we always have room at our place." He paused. Then, he said softly, "Have you been crying?"
Mary Jane tried not to sniffle. "No?"
"Honey, I hear it in your voice," Justin pointed out sympathetically. "What's going on?"
"No-Nothing." Mary Jane sniffled. "It's just… Gosh, I hate Daddy so much right now."
"Ah, so it's Daddy issues. Say no more. Chi-chi is going grocery shopping. I'll let him know to get some of your favorites and bring home your favorite dish from that Selan place. What time do you want me to come get you?"
"Any time," Mary Jane said weakly. "Justin, you don't have to—"
"Cousin dearest, I want to and I know Chi-chi would want to too," Justin assured. "But are you sure you want to stay with me and not Lance?"
Mary Jane rolled her eyes upward to wipe the corners of her eyes. "He'd probably just agree with Daddy," she told with certainty. "Daddy's comparing me to Veronika again. Lance would probably take his side."
Two beats.
"I think you should talk to Lance."
Mary Jane froze. "Justin—"
"Not to stay with him," Justin soothed. "You can stay with me, obviously, and I'll sneak you some watered-down cocktails and we can watch Real Housewives. But I think if you really talked to Lance, you might find out things you didn't know were happening before."
"He just agreed with Daddy and let Ronnie leave!" Mary Jane countered. "He stood by and did nothing. I know that, Justin."
"You might know that, but did you ever ask him why he did what he did or did you just assume?" When Mary Jane did not answer, Justin tacked on, "Just talk to him. For me? Your favorite gay?"
Mary Jane mulled it over. "And I could still stay with you?"
"Of course, Cousin. I'll come pick you up and we'll swing by Lance's place with some dinner for him and Aine then come back to mine, okay?"
Mary Jane smiled and could breathe a little easier. "Okay."
"Good BB. Let me change into my jogging suit and I'll text when I'm on my way. Kisses to all. Love you."
"Love you too. Bye." The call ended and Mary Jane flopped back into bed for a moment to think. Lance never said anything when Veronika lived here or when she got kicked out. Nik was the one to really butt heads with Daddy all the time and he followed Ronnie. What else is there for me to know?
Still, she had plenty of time to think about it. For now, she got off the bed and grabbed her duffel. As she sifted through her clothes and underwear and threw some things into the bag, her eyes wandered over her desk—
What's that?
Mary Jane went over to her desk to see she had no noticed a small brown paper gift bag and a letter with its own waxed seal. She set down her duffel to attend to the letter and it was addressed to:
MY MJ
"Igneel?" Mary Jane grinned. "Oh, right, Mom said he had a gift for me. The moron. He didn't have to write me a get-well-soon letter too when he already saw me. He could've just visited me." She found her scissors and carefully sliced open the top. She pulled out the letter with a goofy smile and read it.
Her smile dropped.
And she read it.
Her heart stopped.
And she read it.
Her hands shook.
And she was done.
The letter dropped from her hands and onto the floor.
Shaky fingers went to the gift bag to pull out a red scarf. It had been washed, but the distinct smell of burning embers would never fully go away without giving it more time. The hands curled around the scarf and brought it up to a trembling pair of lips.
Why…?
A scream was heard.
Mira and Laxus rushed into Mary Jane's room to assess the situation, Magic at the ready, when they realized she did not need Magic. She was on the ground, on her knees, as she bowed with a scarf muffling the cries. Laxus got down to snuggle her against him while Mira went to the fallen letter and saw the signature. Oh, Igneel, she thought.
It was not before long Mary Jane pushed away her father, grabbed her Compact, and sprinted out of her room. She ignored her parents' calling. She had to run. She had to go. She could catch up to him.
Why…?
A fangy grin full of cheer.
A burning red guild mark.
She caught the trolley just before it left. Unsteady hand laid her Compact screen down for her payment to go through. She took a seat. Scarlet-blue looked haunted as she kept the scarf close and in her lap.
Why…?
A thimble glinting in the light.
Flames stringing together in endless dance.
The first stop, shock was still in Mary Jane. The background in her world drained color and faded into gray, black, and white. The second stop, the shock bore into denial and person by person, their color was stripped away from him, their faces turned to shadows. Mary Jane sat there with her blonde hair and mixed eyes, the only light in this sea of gray. But by the time the fourth stop rolled around, her color was drained from her. The people turned to living shadows clothed and emotionally vacant. The scarf was the only thing left untouched in this colorless world, the only thing she held onto. Like it was the only thing worthy of color in this new world. Like it was the only thing that reminded of life.
"Dear MJ."
And there Igneel sat beside her in full color with those onyx eyes and soft smile.
"By the time you're reading this, you should be at home and free from the hospital. Maybe you already called me and I probably didn't answer," this Igneel narrated to her. "I'm sorry I didn't answer. But you should know I'm happy you're out of the hospital. Hospital gowns aren't your strong suit."
Igneel had moved to sit behind her and looked out the window and onto the slow-moving gray landscape. "Mary Jane. You should know how proud I am of you. You're strong and kind. You're beautiful. You're amazing. I never want you to forget that. But I'm none of those things. The guy who is your best friend"—the smile widened—"is a fraud."
Igneel had moved to stand in the aisle with his head down and a hand wrapped around one of the wrings. "I thought I'd have more time. We could have been partners and gone on jobs together. We could have had loads of fun adventures. But right now, that's possible because…" His smile saddened. "I'm going away."
Igneel was seated all the way in the back with his arms behind his head and his eyes closed. "I'm not okay, MJ. I'm a monster. Maybe you don't understand that I am, but I am. I'm not a person you should be friends with and I'm not a person people should be around. So, I resigned from Fairy Tail."
Igneel appeared in the seat before Mary Jane. "I'm probably a hypocrite," he supposed. "I quit the guild after preaching for you to stay in it. But, MJ, don't quit the guild because of me. Don't quit because I did. If you want to give up Fairy Tail to go to school or go to another guild, then that's fine and I'm happy for you. But never quit the guild because of someone else."
Igneel moved to the front of the trolley to lean against the pole there. "You have so many new adventures to go on with Fairy Tail. I already wrote Luke a letter with the lesson plan I wanted to start to help you relearn Magic. If you want, he can teach you. He's a way better teacher than me anyways."
Now he was on the railing balcony that hung from the trolley, a young boy full of flame and color in a world of bleak gray and white and black. "MJ, I promise I wouldn't have left if I didn't see any other way," he murmured. "You're my best friend and no matter where we are, we'll always be in this together. I might not be there, but just look at the second star to the right and know I'm looking at it too. You've never been my Tinker-bell. You've always been my Wendy. But even Wendy needs to grow up."
Igneel leaned against the pole that barred Mary Jane's seat. Eyes soft, arms crossed, he looked at the jaded Mary Jane as she leaned against the trolley with that precious scarf pressed into her nose and chest like it was a hug. "So keep working hard at your Magic and school," he encouraged. "Talk to Lance more. He has so many answers to questions you can have. Make new friends. Go on journeys. Keep dreaming. I want that for you. I'm not worth your tears. You shouldn't waste a second on someone like me who wrote a goodbye letter because they were too much of a coward to say goodbye in person."
Igneel moved through the gray space to take a seat beside Mary Jane again. He reached forward to adjust her hair, but he pulled himself back at the last moment. "Take care of yourself, MJ, and everyone else," he asked for. "Smile and laugh. Have fun. Never stop wondering what's out there. Never stop dreaming. Because to live your life the way you want is an awfully big adventure."
He leaned forward with his whole chest, a shadow covering his eyes. "Love…"—his hand pressed against her cheek as his lips moved closer to her—"Igneel..."
TOOT-TOOT.
DING-DING-DING-DING!
Mary Jane stepped off the trolley as fast as she could to race towards the train station. She did not care who she had to push past. Igneel… You can't leave.
She ran up the steps and booked it to the first ticket-master. The line was not as long, but long enough for her to keep peeking and pray for the line to hurry up. You can't. You promised me. You promised. You can't leave.
"Next?"
And soon, Mary Jane got her turn, but the words were spilling out so quickly. "Igneel Dragneel. Salamander. I need to follow him." When the ticket-master looked like he wanted to dissuade her, Mary Jane scrambled for her MagID. "L-L-Look—! Look! I'm a Fairy Tail Mage, see? Please, sir, please, I need to find him before he makes a mistake!"
Before he leaves…and I don't get the chance to…
The ticket-master took her card and scanned it. After it verified, he gave it back to her. "Of course, Miss Strauss. Allow me a moment."
Mary Jane jerkily kneaded as she kneaded the red scarf in her hands. Please. Please, Igneel. Just give me a chance to…
"Miss Strauss, I'm afraid I can't help you."
"You will, mortal!" Mary Jane wrestled back the rage pounding into her and covered her red eye so only blue could be seen. "Please, sir, i-i-if you could just—!"
"Ma'am, I'm afraid I can't." The ticket master turned the screen so Mary Jane could see it.
Her eye widened.
Because on the screen that should have shown her guildmate, her best friend—it showed nothing.
"Because he no longer exists in the system."
"I'll stay."
Mary Jane knew the ticket-master was looking at her in concern and most likely was saying words of apology, but Mary Jane could not hear them. The world was draining of color. Sounds jarred and turned into nothing. Faces turned into shadows.
Her eyes dropped unsteadily to the scarf in her hand.
"You can just take mine. You can have it as a token to remember me by when I'm gone."
The scarf shook in her hand as this grayscale touched its edges like a spreading disease.
Warm onyx. "We're in this together."
Her lips moved. "You're…such a liar."
And in this sea of grays and white and black, Mary Jane was not consumed by the colorless. Scarlet flared into her blue eye and rained down her body in a slow burn energy. Her body trembled with the tremendous weight of anger and hatred as it tried to consume her every thought, every cell in her body.
In a colorless world, she became red.
She could see Igneel's back as he walked away.
She was bumped out of line and found herself on the ground on all fours with Igneel's scarf clutched in a hand. But it did not matter. That power she denied surged with a vengeance as she watched Igneel walk a way with a hand raised and disappeared into the light.
You liar, Mary Jane sneered in accusation. You never cared about me. I was nothing more than a toy for you to play with to past the time. And you abandoned me. You betrayed me.
Scarlet overtook this colorless world. It seeped in like a silent killer. The clothed shadows were helpless as scarlet electrified them and those smiles turned into snarling grins with scarlet eyes full of madness. Animals who had come to the station bared loose their fangs and howled and growled as though someone threatened them.
Mary Jane snarled. You abandoned me. The scarf was nearly covered in scarlet. You broke your promise. You're nothing more than a—!
"Mary Jane?"
Mary Jane stopped.
Everything stopped.
STEP… STEP… STEP…
Shoes were all Mary Jane could see.
"Sweets?"
In her haze of red and chaos, she looked up to see Peter untouched by it all. He shined a bright gold in this world of scarlet madness and only concern held his expression as he dropped before Mary Jane. "Sweets? What's wrong?" He touched her cheek.
And just like that, scarlet stopped spreading.
The storm raging within Mary Jane's head dulled.
The scarlet haze changed back into a bleak world of gray.
Scarlet eyes dulled back into scarlet-cerulean.
For a moment, Mary Jane was still in that moment of shock. But the next, she gave a little bit into the pain. Then her head bowed and her bottom lip was chewed by her teeth into to stop her cries from spilling over, and the jerks her body gave the only sign she was trying to keep it together. Maybe she felt shame. Maybe she wished she had better control over her emotions.
But gosh it was so damn hard to keep it together when it felt like the world was falling apart.
She broke apart.
And Peter was there to catch all the pieces.
And the bleak world dripped life and color back into it. Little by little, the silhouettes turned to flesh and carried about the day. Sounds trickled back in until the train announcements were back with a roar. But it did not matter.
Peter set aside his confusion, his own worry, as he took Mary Jane into his arms as he sat on the ground while she cracked and shattered.
You moron…
DRIP.
…how could you just leave me…
The tear landed on the red scarf and ebbed into particles.
DROP.
…when you knew I'd miss you so much?
Tesla moped in the Lacrima Car the second Jaxton parked it in the parking lot. They had finally put on clothes, even if Tesla was in some tacky long-sleeves and comfy pajama pants because that was her mood. Jaxton had retained his refined look and opted for a black sweatshirt and black joggers. The café looked busy, but then again, it was a popular establishment.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
« This is Black Swan Café. What's interesting about this café is that the only meat it serves is seafood and fish and features tributes of black culture. It made its debut in Minstrel and is finally becoming a chain café! »
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Jaxton smiled a little at the pout on Tesla's face. "You're cute when you have that look on your face."
"What look?" Tesla grumbled.
"Like I made you eat all your vegetables."
Tesla shot her boyfriend a dark look to which his smile widened. "Oh shut up, immigrant," she snapped. But she fell into a whine as she kicked her legs. "This is stupid…!" she groaned. "Jang-ta, this is just a press stunt!"
"Or maybe it's not," Jaxton reminded. "I have offered before to come with you or meet her myself if you truly don't want to see her."
Tesla sunk in her seat and truly looked like a child. "No. I don't want you wasting your time."
"Again, I wouldn't be wasting it," Jaxton assured. "I just want to make sure you go through as little stress as possible right now." He patted her thigh before intertwining their fingers. "If it's the press, I give them a warning. If she's legit, I'll let you know. It's in my Magic to know what's real and what's fiction."
Tesla sighed then flopped her head over to the side to look at him. "You really don't mind?" she wanted to check.
"Anything to make life a little easier," Jaxton said in promise.
Tesla pouted. "Why can't we just go back to my place and just veg and have really hot sweaty as fuck sex and forget everything wrong in my life exists? I miss the days I only had to worry about if you were into black girls and your parents hating me."
"And then you found out I am very much into black girls and I'm not the firstborn," Jaxton reminded. "My parents aren't as strict with me as they are with my old sister Weiwei."
Tesla raised a finger. "First off, I stan Angelle and will never understand why your mom did what she did with Angelle's ex-Perench fiancé. Secondly, your parents still think I'm a phase," she pointed out. "They think your whole 'staying in Fiore and dating a black girl' is something you need to get out of your system before you come back home and do the right thing and settle down with a nice Zhōnguánese girl." She went back to kicking her legs and sulking. "But I'd rather take that heat than deal with this…!"
Jaxton breathed his laughter as he reached over to kiss Tesla on the forehead. "I'll be right back. Stay in the car." He gave her a look at her mischievous grin. "I mean it. I'll know if you leave." He tapped the window. "Mirrors, remember?"
Tesla blew a raspberry at him and gave him a middle finger.
Jaxton shook head and left the car. Tesla watched him make it into the café and disappear before she pulled out her Compact for mindless stimulation. A few of her friends had texted from school were excited about a Christmas party they were attending and the costumes they would be wearing. Her boss at the restaurant who knew of her emotional distress told her to text when she was ready to be put on the schedule and she could use personal time. She had a few emails from professors about wishing them a happy winter break since their finals had wrapped up and all she needed to worry about was her performance evaluation. But then she saw the news broadcast about Bellum.
"Wow," she murmured. "That's so horrible." She was brought to a YouView video covering the event alongside the creature that could be responsible for it. As she leafed through pictures, she thought she saw someone. "Is that…?"
"Tesla."
She jumped and her Compact clattered into her lap. She glared at the window. Rather than it be her reflection, it was Jax staring at her with the busy café as his backdrop. "Ugh, I hate your whole 'scrying' whatever-the-Hell Magic bullshit you pull—!"
"I need you to come inside."
Tesla finally got a good look at Jaxton's face to see how tense he looked. "Is everything okay?" she asked, wary. "Is she legit?"
"Just come inside." And he disappeared.
Tesla rolled her eyes as she unbuckled herself. "Would it kill him to send a simple text message?" she grumbled. Hauling herself out the car, she muttered, "It probably would. Of course I had to date a Mage. I bet he spelled me. Asshole." She made her way into the café lobby and took a look around. Nothing about it was out of the ordinary, Tesla smiled to herself seeing the flags and the different headdresses and ornaments and props from cultures around that world, featuring the black side of it. If she listened closely, she could hear jazz playing with a soulful trumpet player going at it.
"At least she knows her audience," Tesla mused. She thought about going to the hostess, but she decided to bypass it and take a look around herself. It was not hard to find her boyfriend. Not that he stood out, but he was the only person who looked so stiff in one of the high-lifted booths. With no one with him outside a tuna melt, a thing of tea, and three waters, Tesla slid into the booth on his side. "So…?" she prompted. "Was she legit or…? Hey." She frowned seeing the tension pinching at Jaxton's face. "What's wrong?"
Jaxton locked his jaw.
Tesla turned to him directly and cradled his face with her hands. "Jang-ta, zěnme le?"
A smile. "Oh, he's just a little tense."
Tesla looked up and her eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Not to be rude, but may I ask who you are?"
They slid into the booth. "I like you. You're just like me—no bullshit."
Tesla let go of Jaxton to lean back and cross her legs and arms. "You're giving me a lot of bullshit for a woman who claims she isn't the type," she sneered. "I'm not making any statements."
"I don't need you to," came assurance as a hand went for tea, a beautiful brown hand. "Seeing you here is all the proof I need."
Tesla cocked her head. "And again: who are you?"
"Your first and only living cousin from your father's side. And it's nice to finally meet the cousin I've been missing all these years." A sip of tea was taken.
Tesla snorted. "We ain't all related. I would hope you would know that."
A titter. "I do. And I'm not lying." The teacup was set down as a hand went to an inside breast pocket. A photograph was taken out and slid photo-down onto the table and towards Tesla. "Take a look at it for yourself."
Tesla humored the woman and turned the picture up—
Her eyes widened.
"Who…?" Her eyes could not get off the picture. "Who are you?"
"I told you, Tesla. I'm your cousin."
Tesla's eyes focused strongly on the two men in the picture. Both were powerhouses in their own right. Twins. They were twins. They had identical builds like mountains and dark skin, though one twin maintained a low box cut while the other maintained dreads half up and pulled into a bun and the other half loose. They were not alone in this picture. Others surrounded them, each looking odd in their own way and none looked like they shared blood. However, a girl with a sleekness of a lioness stood at the man with the box cut's right with her eyes blank. Another little girl was there with her own dreadlocks in disarray and mass panic on her face as she stared up at the dreadlocked man as he clenched his big hand around her wrist.
"Or should I call you…"
DRIP.
A teardrop landed on the scared girl.
DROP.
Tesla could not stop the tears falling.
The teacup was raised to a pair of plump lips.
"…Hylia Lynk…?"
Even with Lance sore, he had put his foot down when Aine wanted to drive his Lacrima Car. Not that she could not drive or was he attached to his car, but he always made it a point to drive both of them no matter what. She relented and now, when they pulled into the driveway, Aine was thankful she did not see Mystogan's broomstick or car in the driveway. "Maybe we're lucky and he's at the guild," she hoped as she got out of the car.
"Which reminds me," Lance said, "I checked my email on my Archive. She let me know we can swing by the guildhall to pick up our stuff or someone can drop it off at my house. But she said whenever we're both feeling better, we can come in for the breakdown."
Aine hesitated as Lance took her hand and they walked up the sidewalk and the porch steps. "Did she say anything about the mission?"
"No." Lance waited as Aine unlocked the door. "Nothing in the email. But I assume she'll talk to us when we come in for our debriefing."
Aine came inside and made sure Lance followed her in before closing it. "More like scold us," she muttered and Lance chuckled. "Hello?" she called, kicking off her shoes. "Is anyone home? Ena? You here?" She saw it was dark in the living room. "Maybe no one's home then?"
"On the contrary…"—the lights snapped on with Mystogan standing in the middle of the living rooms, arms folded, chin up, and anger flared—"I am."
Lance was quick to come in front of Aine. "Mystogan," he said, voice stern, "don't get mad at Aine. This is on me."
"Lance, I'm going to get mad at my sister doing something as stupid as nearly get herself killed," Mystogan snapped. "But believe me, I'm furious with you too. And Nashi and Gary for that matter."
Aine could not believe it. She came flying forward to slap Mystogan. "How can you be mad at Gary when he's been arrested and made a public enemy and terrorist and Nashi is in the ICU?" she demanded to know. "How dare you get angry at those two with the hardships they're going through and Lance for that matter. This was my mission gone wrong. Don't you ever blame those three for my judgment error?"
Mystogan rubbed his cheek. "You're right," he said simply. "Gary and Nashi have suffered enough. While they should have known better than to let you go on a job, Nashi's in critical condition and Gary has been internationally targeted. They have nothing to answer for. I can see what they went through took a toll on them I'll never comprehend. I…apologize for my words."
"But you won't apologize to Lance or me for being this much of an asshole?" Aine checked, irked.
Mystogan adjusted his glasses. "You're sick—"
"I'm not sick!" Aine shouted. "Sick is catching the flu or pneumonia. You have it for a few days to a week at tops and it goes away! Oberon, this won't go away! But that doesn't mean I hide in my bedroom in a locked tower because of it! I have to live too! I deserve to live!"
"At what cost?" Mystogan ground out. "At the cost of your life? At the cost of other's lives? You want to defend Nashi and Gary? Aine, your little prove-my-self excursion nearly cost Nashi her life and it could risk Gary exposure he isn't psychologically ready for!"
Lance thundered, "Oberon, stop it!"
"You think I don't know that!" Aine cried. "You think I'm not feeling guilty and blaming myself over this situation! You think when I was there visiting Nashi and had to look Aunt Lucy in the eye, I didn't cry and couldn't stop apologizing over and over again for the fact if it wasn't for me wanting to go out to Erika, she would have never been captured?" Tears crowded her eyes as she shoved a finger on her brother's chest. "You think you know everything. You think you know what's best for this family, but you don't. You say you love me, but you suffocate me. You disrespect Mom. You neglect Ena and you trash-talk Dad—!"
"Don't bring him into this!" Mystogan bellowed with his temper hitting the roof.
"Why shouldn't I?" Aine challenged. "You trash-talk Dad like it's your right every moment you can in front of Mom and Ena, but don't you see how much it hurts Mom and Ena? Don't you see how much you hating Dad over nothing kills Mom inside—?"
"No, it kills her inside because he left us—!"
"Mystogan, he didn't leave! He had a job to do—!"
"And he abandoned us for it!" Mystogan yelled over top of her. "He chose a mission over his own wife and kids!"
Aine worked her mouth like she was in such disbelief. "Oberon, you do the same thing!"
"I do not—!" Mystogan tried to retort.
Aine raised her hand to slap him again, but she set it down on his shoulder instead. "Mystogan," she breathed, "you do the exact same thing. You choose your duty to your job over your duty to your family." She held up a finger when he opened his mouth to clap back. "Listen to me," she hissed. "You might be a renowned Mage and the work you do is important, but Misty, you have been a horrible brother. And it's worse because you don't see it."
"How am I a horrible brother?" Mystogan objected. "By caring about you? Loving you?"
"By being overprotective of me," Aine said back, "and by neglecting Ena."
Mystogan rolled his eyes. "Here we go again. I'm not neglecting her. She doesn't need me like you need me, Aine. She's fine and capable of handling herself. You need me more."
"But that's the thing!" Aine lowered her voice before she started shouting again. "That's the thing, Misty. She does need you. She needs you more than ever and you refuse to see that. Out of all of us, she has no memories of Dad. And here you come in treating Dad like he's Satan? Okay, fine. Disrespect Dad. But if you're going to disrespect him and make him out to be the villain she shouldn't sympathize with, then why aren't you being the hero you can count on? Mystogan, stop it, listen to me," she stressed when Mystogan turned to walk away from her. "Hey! I wasn't done speaking!"
"Well, I'm done listening." Mystogan whirled around with a finger pointed at Aine. "I'm doing Ena a favor."
"What 'favor'?" Aine had to know. "What possible favor could you be doing to our little sister who needs some sort of father figure in her life? That could be you, Misty! You could be there for her!" When Mystogan gave an apathetic noise, Aine hissed, "How are you this much of a dick to your own sister?"
"I've never mistreated you—!"
"Ena, you asshole!" Aine cried. "Do you even hear yourself? You don't even acknowledge that you have two sisters! We have a younger sister, Mystogan, remember? The one we were just talking about? The one who needs you to be there for her? But no. Why would the great Oberon want to be there for his own little sister? No, instead I had to come home on the Daddies-Daughter dance to learn Ena was in shambles because she worked so hard on outfits for you both to wear and where were you, Oberon? Where were you? Enlighten me. Where were you?"
"Stop it!" Mystogan seethed. "Ena doesn't need to deal with the pain of having a deadbeat father. You and I are better off without a father. She'll see that too. I'm teaching her to be self-reliant."
"She's thirteen, you psychopath!" Aine framed her face as she could not believe she was having this conversation. "She's barely a teenager and you're trying to act self-righteous like you emotionally scarring her and shunning her is helping her more so than damaging her?"
"No need to bring in your little textbook diagnoses into this," Mystogan growled.
Aine spun in a circle and let out a cross between an incredulous laugh and a snort. "Oh my gosh. There is no point arguing with you. You'll forever see that you're in the right and we're all in the wrong. Well, you know what, Oberon, why don't you do me a favor? Treat me like how you treat Ena. Forget I exist. Forget I ever meant a thing to this family. Teach me how to be so self-reliant that you disappear from my life." She pushed past him to storm down the hall. "I'm not staying here to deal with your little favors." She opened her bedroom door and like a madwoman, she found a bag and grabbed clothes.
Mystogan followed after her. "Aine, stop being ridiculous—!"
"Shut up!" Aine pointed at him with a shirt in her hands and her eyes bloodshot, cheeks wet with tears. "Mystogan, I am begging you. Stop talking. Because you are at serious risk of losing me forever." She went back to packing.
Mystogan shook his head. "Have your temper tantrum. I'm leaving." Rather than storm out, he disappeared like he was never there in the first place. But he had been there. And his damage was written all over Aine's face as she sniffled. She wiped back hair that had flown into her mouth as she balled up shirts and threw them in her bag.
Lance approached with caution, but he knew she would not snap at him. "Aine…?"
"Lance." Aine stopped, pants mixed with strangled sobs whooshing out from her. "I just… I just need a minute, okay?"
Lance strode into the room and to wrap himself behind her. "I'm right here, little fox," he soothed. "It's okay."
"It's not okay, Lance." Aine sucked in a deep breath and batted her eyes to keep her next set of tears at bay. "How could he do this to me? How could he do this to Ena? She doesn't deserve this. First, she never gets to meet Dad and now, she has Mystogan doing this reverse psychology crap on her and she should be thanking him? Lance, I just…" She buckled as a sob left her and Lance held her steady. Her words tried to come out, but they twisted into cries. Cries Aine refused to smother. Cries Lance comforted her for.
And cries Ena shared.
Ena had her back against her door and slapped a hand over her mouth as endless tears kissed her cheeks. She had no idea what to do. She had no idea what to say. She pushed herself away from the door, but she stumbled and thankfully caught herself before she fell. Dragging herself to her desk, she went to her recent calls and pressed the contact. She did not have to wait as the call was instantly picked up. "L, please, can I come stay with you?" Ena pleaded. "I know Nashi is in the hospital and I shouldn't be asking this, but I just—!" She sniveled and gave an ugly inhale. "L, I just need to be with a friend right now."
Silence.
"Will I do?"
Ena rooted around her desk for a tissue and blew her nose. "Silver?" She groaned. "Look, this was a mistake. Again. Just forget it, okay? I'll call L. Sorry to bother you."
"Wait!"
Ena waited as she cleaned her nose. "What is it? Because I'm not in the mood for you to call me names, Fullbuster."
"I'm not—!" Unintelligible murmuring. "Just… Come over, okay?"
Ena sniffed again and wiped her eyes. "Really?"
"Yeah. I-It's whatever. Don't think of it as something, okay, 'cause it's not. But you need a friend. Maybe we aren't friends, but…"
Ena threw away her tissue to pluck another fresh one. "Look, it's nice of you to say that, but I can't…stay here. I can't sleep here. I'll call L—"
"You can stay with me." Silver sounded half-disturbed but all serious with the offer. "Stop fighting me. Just come over. Don't worry about bringing anything. I've got it covered. I'll let my parents know you're staying the night here. They're not gonna care. We have a guest bedroom anyways."
"Silver, listen, that's nice, but I don't want to intrude." Ena dabbed her tissue underneath her eyes. "I'm sorry I called—"
"God, Fernandes, do you ever shut up?" Silver lamented. "If you don't agree to come over, then I'm coming to you. Stop fighting me already. I'm trying to be nice. You need someone right now, so get your butt over to my house. It's already getting weird you haven't insulted me. I need Maleficent back."
Ena laughed wetly and weakly. "Yeah, well, Maleficent took some hits with silver."
"That's fine then. Diaval is always there to stay with her while she heals." Quieter, Silver requested, "Come over, Fernandes. Don't think about it. Just get here. Want me to stay on the Com with you?"
"Would you? I'm not really talkative right now, but I just…"
"You don't have to tell me. That's fine. I'll talk enough for the both of us. Maybe that'll get you to insult me again."
Ena snorted as she threw away her tissue to find a jacket and some shoes. "It isn't hard to insult you."
"Look at that. Already turning back into the witch. I'm a miracle worker."
Dryly, Ena remarked, "I'm remembering why I find you annoying."
"That's the spirit, Fernandes. That's the spirit."
When Nashi woke again, she was muddled, yes, but less than she was before. Like it was routine, Býleistr pressed the nurse's button and adjusted Nashi so she was automatically more comfortable. Wooziness covered Nashi in its blanket, but she was alert enough when the nurse came in that she could recite her first and last name and date of birth without effort. She groaned a little and asked, "What day is it again?"
"Monday," Býleistr answered for her. "It's Monday in December. It's evening time."
Nashi shut her eyes. "Monday. Right. Weekend's over."
The nurse chirped, "Well, Miss Dragneel, I'm just going to record your vitals, make a few tweaks to the machine, and I'll let you settle in." He looked over at Nashi and remarked, "You seem a little more awake and perky than you were last time."
"'Last time'?" Nashi parroted. Her eyes open to bounce to the nurse. "You mean when Laxus was in here?"
The nurse shook his head sympathetically. "No, ma'am. You've been in and out a few times, but that's all normal for you, so please don't stress about it," he informed. "It's all right to be this way, especially since you have syncope. I'm sure your guardian can catch you up to speed on what you missed, but in the meantime, do you feel okay enough for me to bring in the physician to see you?"
"Where's my mama?" Nashi wondered.
"Your father is on his way here," Býleistr answered for her. "Your mother went to wait for him and try to keep him calm before he comes in here."
Nashi would have nodded if her neck did not hurt. "Got it." To the nurse, she responded, "Yeah. Better get the doctor in here before my papa comes. I have a feeling I have a lot of explaining to do."
The nurse chuckled as he typed in his notes. "I think he'll be too worried about you than anything," he assured. "Just a couple of simple questions to run through while I collect your vitals, okay?"
The questions were relatively easy and Nashi felt fairly awake by the time they were over with. The nurse dipped out with a gracious farewell after helping adjust Nashi to sit up as far as her wires and tubes would let her. Nashi sighed as she looked at her body and noted how the color was slow to return to her skin. "I thought I had all this Angel power now," she sulked. "Why haven't I healed yet?" With a sigh, she looked over at Býleistr. "What's that face for?"
"Excuse me for not having a slap-happy smile on my face," Býleistr grunted, "while you're in a damn healing ward."
"Hospital," Nashi corrected. "This is called a hospital."
"Whatever." Býleistr adjusted his sitting position. "So you remember the Thunder Dragon coming in here and questioning you, but nothing else?" Nashi shook her head, so Býleistr explained, "Well, you had quite the little pity party visit you. All of them were so sad looking and pathetic. They believed the story you guys came up with about the attack, but when you're feeling better, we'll have to go over details."
Nashi nodded. "Right. How are Lance and Aine? Did you hear anything?"
"You asked before," Býleistr noted. "They're fine. They came and visited."
Nashi hummed. "Cool." She pitched a yawn. "What else has been going on?"
So Býleistr caught her up on as much as he knew or overheard within the boundaries Miss Lucy had given him, careful not to upset Nashi. But in all her questions, Býleistr silently commented, She hasn't asked a single thing about the Wolverine. Maybe she's still processing. Or maybe she remembers what happened last time.
"Hey, Býleistr?"
"Yeah?"
"You haven't said Igneel's name."
Býleistr quieted. Do I say something? It might send her over the edge. I just don't know will trigger her right now since Miss Lucy summoned me and not her. I can't read her thoughts. "He visited," he responded. "Talked to you for a little bit before he had to leave."
"I got it." Nashi peered out the window. "This weekend was crazy. Part of me wants to ask how I ended up here, but…another part of me doesn't want to know."
Býleistr stiffened.
A forlorn smile crossed her face. "You probably are wondering why I haven't mentioned Gary, huh? Or Skade?" Her shoulders slackened. "Honestly…?" Her fingers tightened against her blanket. "I'm scared to know what happened, y'know? It's hazy now, but I feel like I heard you guys talk about how you couldn't tell me anything. I sort of remember having a mental breakdown too."
"Princess—"
"Don't say anything," Nashi hushed softly. "It's okay. Not like I'm feeling all that sane. I want to scream and cry and be angry and be sad, but I just feel so empty inside." It showed in those hickory eyes just how hollow she felt even with that desolate smile on her face. "So empty, Býleistr. Like there's nothing inside me."
Býleistr opened his mouth, but the words were just not there. Frustrated, he looked at his lap. I wish I knew what to say to her. I just can't do anything right as her Spirit. What the Hell was Leo thinking giving me to her? She's already gone through so much and I was helpless to save her. And now, I'm helpless to comfort her. His nose twitched and then his ears. He looked at the closed door and curtain.
Nashi noticed his movement and asked, "What is it? Are my parents close?"
Býleistr fell from his chair into his Lion Form as a low growl powered through his throat. "I don't know. Their energy feels off to me." His ears twitched. Those footsteps… The shoes sound expensive… But that energy. It's like they're human but not human. Are they trying to shield themselves from me?
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Býleistr's tail flicked.
The door slid open.
Nashi tensed.
The curtain opened a little. "Sorry for the intrusion."
Hickory widened.
Hazelnut glared.
A tall man had come into the room in a dark blue Stellian pinstripe suit with his trilby hat touched to his chest and his jacket hung over an arm. His deep red hair was curly as sin, but his beard was clean cut. But it was his eyes that Nashi looked into. Perhaps for some, having dark brown eyes was not impressive. But Nashi thought something was interesting about those eyes.
"My apologies." The man had some sort of accent that hinted in his words, but it was too soft to identify. "But the staff were generous enough to let me in. Pardon me, Miss Dragneel."
Býleistr growled louder, but Nashi was not as hostile. Her blood hummed and her skin flushed back with her normal color. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the man even closer. Familiarity ghosted her mind and swam through the fog trying to block her. He seems so familiar… Like… Like I've seen him before… "No, no, it's fine," Nashi promised, though still unsure. "I, um… Sorry, I'm just a little wigged out right now."
The man nodded, but he dared not move closer with Býleistr looking like he would attack him at the slightest movement. "It's not a problem, Miss Dragneel. But tell me… Do you believe in Magic?"
For a moment, nothing made sense. Then, it all hit Nashi as a vision of Kyler overlapped with this strange man. "But you can't be…"
The man nodded and his eyes brightened until they turned turquoise. "Hello, sister-in-wings."
Býleistr lost the fight in him to transcend back to his hybrid form. He stepped aside to let Kyler further into the room. "Sorry for nearly trying to kill you."
Kyler laughed as he took a seat beside Nashi. "You're cautious. We need that." He set down his hat and jacket to take Nashi's hand into her own. "It's good to see you, Nashi. I've been so worried."
"Good to see you too." Nashi felt so choked up. "But what are you doing here? I thought you'd still be in Bellum with Mirella and Talia?"
Kyler shook his head. "Not when work is still needed to be done. You'll have to excuse my appearance. This is how mortals view me. I wasn't lying when I said my name is Kyler Wilson in public documents. But I had my natural form and energy to better blend in."
"I got'cha," Nashi said. "What happened to Bael?"
"Defeated with some help from your sister," Kyler explained. "She's so powerful. It's a wonder she's not constantly hunted down."
Nashi swallowed. But it makes sense why Mama and Papa kept her here where she's safe. "And what happened to the falling city?"
Kyler elaborated: "Talia managed to link Mammon to her in the end and he helped remove Bael's casino back to where it came from. Miss Lafayette's Reapers saved every person they could still."
"That's good then that everything worked out that way." Nashi's eyes rested on Kyler's hands covered her own. "Kyler, are you doing that thing to calm my emotions so I don't freak out?" She smiled a little when Kyler had such a guilty look on his face. "Don't look like that. When you took my hand, I could feel you all over me. Like you're giving me a really nice hug."
Now Kyler smiled. "That's good. Magic Inhibitors might work on your Soul Meister Magic, but it has little effect on the side effects of your blood."
"But then why haven't I healed myself?" Nashi wondered. "Shouldn't I be healed?"
"Not necessarily," Kyler deemed. "From what I gather, you were shot with anti-Magic serum. But in reality, that serum is more detrimental to the bloodstream. It isolates and kills any mutated blood cell different than that of a regular human." He massaged her hand and a turquoise glow softly beaned beneath his palms. "The Angel Blood given to you has been in your system long enough to be able to reproduce itself like your Demon Blood will. I'm just helping along to drain the toxins from your body."
Nashi perked. "So you'll heal me?"
"No."
Nashi instantly deflated. "But why not?"
Kyler concentrated on his task. "As much as I want to heal you so you're out of this hospital, I'm only going to remove enough of the toxin so your blood can heal you naturally. It won't take long for your Angel Blood and your Demon Blood to heal you, I promise. Once you have better control, you'll find yourself able to sustain larger injuries and heal yourself in an instant on the battlefield. Just make sure you use it sparingly since it can drain you if you're not careful. Little cuts and bruises add up."
"I understand." Nashi could feel herself getting lighter. It was like slowly a weight was dropping off her. "Thank you."
Kyler hummed.
"Kyler?"
Kyler hummed in question.
"Now that I'm under your calming power…can you tell me what happened?"
"Ah…" Kyler kept massaging. "I was wondering if you could feel that. Describe what the sensation feels like. Can you smell the sensation yet?" He saw Nashi scrunch her nose. "That's more of a Demon power than an Angel power. Demons can smell certain spells. Your father has that ability."
Nashi scowled. "I knew Papa was holding something back." Exhaling, she described, "All I can really say is like I'm covered in a warm Sherpa blanket. Or like you're giving me the best hug ever. Now will you tell me what happened?"
Kyler paused. He searched Nashi's eyes. "Are you sure you want that?"
Nashi nodded. "I do. I want to know while you're here. I know without you tamping down my psycho emotions, everyone would hide it from me. Please, Kyler," she added in plea when he hesitated.
Kyler sighed. "All right," he supposed. He worked his way up her hand and to her wrist and arm. "Early this morning, the Ice Devil was reported captured and in Bellish government possession and accused as the co-conspirator in the events of the weekend."
"So he was captured." A note of sadness trailed in Nashi's words. "I knew it, but I didn't want to believe it."
"Mirella and I have a plan in motion," Kyler assured. "The Ice Devil will have a fair trial by the Ishgaran Magic Council. Mirella and Talia will be the Ice Devil's legal counsel. But…"—his eyes darkened—"we have reason to believe Bellum will not only use this event but other events the Ice Devil was in that would reflect negatively on him."
Nashi's brow scrunched together. "What are you talking about?" But the second she said the last word, she got it. "They know about Margaret Town?"
"There's a chance," Kyler affirmed. "Talia has been doing mind sweeps as have Mammon. As Mirella is the Ice Devil's lawyer, she'll request a witness list as part of her discovery demands, but Bellum is so anti-Magic, I can be sure they'll pull an unexpected witness. So we're doing what we can to gather our own witnesses without compromising them."
"Kyler…" Nashi's voice was delicate. "I know you're trying to work your way up to asking me something. So ask me already."
So Kyler no longer beat around the bush. "Mirella and Talia both agree we should bring you to the stand as a character witness and an eye witness," he put it frankly. "But, if we brought you as a witness, not only would you have to testify in having an interspecies relationship, but you would be cross-examined with questions that might trigger you." Kyler made a show of tensing. "I was against the idea from the start. Mirella should know better. We've seen how brutal anti-Ether authority can be towards others. I don't want to see them strip you apart on the stand."
"But it's the only way for Skade and Gary to come home…isn't it?"
Kyler closed his eyes. "It would put the decision in his favor, yes," he supposed unhappily.
"Then you know my answer. You knew my answer, but you were hoping I'd say know."
"Guilty." Kyler opened his eyes and worried turquoise clashed with smooth hickory. "I'm just worried about you, especially with my blood in you. You are my sister-in-wings officially now. And as my little sister, I don't want to see you picked apart in a court so large and lacrivised. Everyone will hear your story, Nashi. This could damage your home life."
"But it will save Gary and Skade's life," Nashi countered. She offered her other arm for Kyler to massage. "I'll do whatever I have to do to bring them home, Kyler. You know that. So what's the plan for me to be a witness?"
Kyler bit back a scowl. "We'll need to make sure you heal in the next couple of days. We can't have them find out about your Angel Blood. Your mother has been interfering with blood work because you're half-Demon. A lab assistant running the tests is actually sworn to secrecy through your Guild Master. But I've been compelling them to overlook any flags for any other blood mutations. Since I'm eliminating a good chunk of the serum in your body, your blood will double down to replenish and heal you in days. But I have a blood bag for you just in case of a last resort blood infusion."
Nashi nodded, but something occurred to her. "Hold on. You're only half-Angel, right?"
"That's correct."
"So what's your other half?"
Kyler's lips twitched. "Let's just say my father's race is extinct on this planet. Don't worry. I know what you call Blood Magic. I can separate both types of blood in my system. You'll only get my Angel portion." He scooted his chair down and pulled down the blanket. Maneuvering his hands through the wires, he set to work massaging her legs. "Once you're healed, Mirella will contact you as a witness for the Ice Devil's case. The case is severely expedited due to the severity and public demand, so the discovery won't be as long as it should. Because you're an adult in the eyes of Magic Court, you don't need your parents' permission. Tell Mirella you'll want a lawyer present and an immunity deal."
"And let me guess… You're my lawyer?"
Kyler grinned. "Of course. As your lawyer, I'll be able to interact with Mirella as well as be with you to ensure I can keep you calm. Magic Courts have a neutralizing ring that prohibits your realm's Magic. But it hasn't evolved to neutralize my powers or Mirella's, Talia's, or Mammon's. A little unfair, but considering Bellum's tactics, we need every advantage we can get." He frowned. "We just need to make sure your story is straight before you're on the stand."
"But if I lie under oath, isn't that perjury? I watch a lot of legal dramas," she clarified when Kyler looked impressed.
Kyler chuckled then grimaced. "It is," he agreed, "but with the immunity deal, we'll have you protected from defamation and any possible charges from your testimony. It doesn't mean they can't get you on other things. We're trying to make sure you come home too."
"But when you swear under oath in Magic Court, they make you take that Vow Spell or something, right?" Nashi remembered. "It doesn't compel you to tell the truth, but it silently alerts when you're lying."
"Talia will handle that." Kyler looked proud of his daughter. "She's quite powerful like her parents."
Nashi agreed with that. Yeah. All that power and she still looks like she's younger than my sister. She and Penelope are so similar… "So what did you mean I'll be stripped down on the stand?"
"Bellum's approach will be ruthless from the start," Kyler warned. "From what Talia gathered, they're enlisting their top criminal barrister who is known for his cruelty in the court. Even if his client is guilty, he can get them off with a much lighter sentence. I know if you confirm you and the Ice Devil are in an interspecies relationship, he'll come at you for your dating history, notably with Gary."
Nashi might have paled without Kyler's calming effect, but for now, she frowned. "Right. Those trashy magazines and blogs and tabloids all over have me pictured with him. Hell, even Gary mentions his feelings for me in his interviews. And I know the press got photos of us together as the Festival of Gratitude." She cursed. "Shit."
"That's why we need to get your story straight," Kyler enforced. "We need it ironclad so when the barrister cross-examines you, you're ready to answer his questions without hesitation. The moment you hesitate is the moment they know they've got you."
Nashi gulped. "Ri-Right."
Kyler moved to her other leg. "We have other witnesses including an expert witness. While Devils are rare on Earth Land and the ones existing are more reclusive, they do exist and we have an expert on them and their language. As for evidence, well, Mirella will do what she can to protect the identities of all other parties involved."
Nashi groaned in relief when Kyler finished with her leg. She felt like she could breathe easier. "Ah… That feels good…" To Kyler, she asked, "Will I be allowed to visit them before the trial?"
"Unfortunately, no," Kyler told. "Once we do your deposition and you declare in a romantic relationship with the Ice Devil, we might have some wiggle room for you to see the Ice Devil through a two-way mirror. But only Mirella and Talia will have access to him." He grimaced again. "The court may order a psych exam on you. From what I gathered, in interspecies relationships, they aren't legally recognized on this planet without a judge ruling and the human participant being psychologically evaluated to ensure there is no quote-end-quote 'brainwashing'."
"Easy. Done," Nashi decided. "I know legal dramas are sort of shit at following the actual law, but there was this one episode from Innocent Assassin about an interspecies couple. The girl had to take a blood test and urine test for MSTIs, STDs, and pregnancy."
Kyler nodded. "The barrister may press for that, but you have the right to deny that. It's not necessary or relevant to the case. He might claim it's relevance since, if you were pregnant, you might feel more obligated to protect the Ice Devil. But the hospital already ran those tests which came negative—"
"As they should, thank god," Nashi muttered.
"—so we can counter those test results are recent and should suffice if he presses for them," Kyler finished as he smothered his laughter towards Nashi's remark. He scooted back to her side to give her a good look. "Nashi, if you do this, it could damage your reputation," he murmured. "While they can't say or do anything in the courthouse, you may come home to find people won't want to work with you. Your friends may judge you—"
"Kyler, I don't care." Nashi wanted to make that clear. "If my friends judge me, then they weren't friends to begin with. JJ and Ellie will probably be concerned, but eventually, once Gary's comfortable, I'll tell them the truth. If people want to be magists and not work with me, that's fine. I can take general jobs and I know my rights. Once I accept, they can't send me home just because of who I'm with. I'll be okay, Kyler. I want to do this. So let me, okay?"
Kyler sighed again. "Okay. I'll be with you every step of the way, Nashi. Never forget that." He picked up his coat and put on his hat. "Well, I've frozen time long enough. I better get going."
Nashi squinted. "What do you mean you 'froze time'?"
Kyler gestured. "Take a look."
Nashi looked over—"Oh my god!" Her jaw dropped seeing Býleistr frozen. "You froze time!"
Kyler simpered, "Well, not exactly froze, but that's the best way for me to put it. Agents exist outside of the confines of time and space like Demons do and other higher life forms. That's why what you called Guardian Angels or Sentinels are able to watch over so many people at the same time. As a half-Demon, you can exist outside time and space, but now, with my blood, I'm able to pull you further away from those confines."
Nashi made a face. "This is totally vampiric, just so you know."
"Yes, except you can go into the daylight, you don't have fangs, and drinking blood will still hurt your stomach," Kyler said with a twinge of humor. "Don't get me wrong. I understand the concept is weird. But you already had access to angelic power through your souls. My blood worked for you since you had that power. If you hadn't…"
"Let me guess. I would have died seeing the light," Nashi jested.
"Possibly," Kyler quipped. He tipped his hat towards her. "Wait for Mirella's call then let her know you have a lawyer in mind. Make sure to get your story straight about why you're hospitalized. I'll be back tomorrow as a simple nursing assistant." He took steps towards the door. "I'll see you soon."
Nashi wanted to ask so many more questions, but she let him go. "See you soon…Kyler."
The second the door slid back shut, it was like everything fell back into place. Býleistr said like he was not interrupted, "But you should know—" He jerked when he realized Kyler was gone. "The Hell?"
Nashi giggled to herself when the door slid open and her parents came through. Lucy looked so relieved to see Nashi awake and alert. "Nashi! Oh, you're awake!"
"Hi, Mama." Nashi peered at her father who had that unreadable expression. "Hi, Papa."
Lucy set aside so Natsu could sit in the chair beside his daughter (though he yanked Lucy into his lap, much to her utter embarrassment). Natsu stared at Nashi for a long moment, but Nashi refused to flinch away. In a low voice, he remarked, "You're pretty banged up."
"Yeah. I am," Nashi lamely replied.
"But tell me one thing."
Nashi swallowed. "What is it?"
Natsu paused. "Was it worth it?"
'Was it…worth it?' Nashi set her lips in a determined frown. "I'd do it again. I have no regrets."
So Natsu stared at his daughter for moments more like he was waiting for her to breakdown and take back what she said. But that resolve refused to crackle under the heavy weight of his gaze. Finally, his frown dissolved into a wide grin. "Well, okay then! That's that!"
Býleistr and Lucy nearly fell over. He got over it so quickly!
"I'm so happy to see you're awake!" Natsu cheered. "Sorry I couldn't get here sooner. The job I was on took a little longer than it should have when I bailed for a little bit for an errand."
Nashi shook her head and noted how much easier it felt. "No, Papa, it's okay! I wouldn't have wanted you to see me anyways. I was probably looking ugly as heck."
Natsu barked a laugh. "Princess, I'm your dad. I've seen you when you were a baby and had mashed food all over your face and in your hair." As Nashi flushed, Natsu squeezed Lucy. "'Sides, you're not the one who sees what Lucy looks like when she wakes up after she drinks a lot."
TICK!
Lucy gritted her teeth as a tick mark knocked against her temple. "You're walkin' on thin ice, buddy…"
Natsu only snuggled into his wife. "Aw, c'mon, Lucy, lighten up for Nashi," he teased. "Not like I told her how ugly you looked when she used to do your make up when she was three."
Nashi laughed as Lucy raved, "That's it! I don't care that you came home! Sleep on the couch!"
As Natsu playful whined, Nashi glanced at her Spirit to see Býleistr had shockingly reverted as a Mallow Coon and took to hiding on the other side of the hospital bed and frantically grooming himself. Amused, she tittered, "Býleistr, what in Fairy Tail's name are you doing?"
"Trying to look my best before His Majesty," Býleistr hissed between licks. "He probably thinks I'm a weak ass kitty-cat who can't protect his daughter."
"Well you certainly look like one now," Nashi said dryly.
"Is that Loke's bro over there?" came Natsu's curious pipe.
Býleistr instantly grew to his Hybrid Form, spine straight, tail down, ears alert. He took one look at Natsu before bowing deeply. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."
Natsu snickered. "Hear that, Lucy." He nudged his wife. "He's calling me 'Your Majesty'."
Lucy's cheeks reddened. "Well, don't expect me to do that any time soon, you pervert." To the Celestial Spirit, she muttered, "Býleistr, don't stroke his ego. It's already big enough. You can just call him 'Natsu' before he gets a power trip." She huffed. "Star King knows he'll get high off it."
Natsu pouted. "Lucy's no fun."
Býleistr rose and said, "Mister Natsu, sir, my name is Býleistr, a Leo Minor, and am the dedicated Spirit to your daughter. It is my fault she had been injured and I take full responsibility—"
"Hold on a sec," Natsu cut in. "You're saying you did this to my princess? You hurt her?"
Býleistr was bewildered at such a heinous notion. "No—"
"Well, then, you're not at fault," Natsu decided like it was that simple. "Look, you seem pretty strong. Actually, I kinda want to fight you—"
"Papa!/Natsu!" Nashi and Lucy scolded respectively.
"But I know you did everything you could to bring Nashi home," Natsu finished loudly over Nashi and Lucy's protests. "You're Loke's little bro, right? As much as the cat is annoying as Hell, he's no joke when it comes to protecting Lucy. So I know you're not joking when it comes to protecting Nashi. Easy as that."
Býleistr looked away. "It's best if you don't compare me to Leo," he murmured politely. "He's an honorable lion. I'm nothing like that."
"Oh, yeah…" Natsu looked toward the ceiling in thought. "Loke did say you're some murderous psychopath or something—Oof! Hey!" he whined when Lucy hit him. "I was gonna say I'm not really any different! Geez!" He added to Býleistr, "I might not look like some villainous Demon Lord anymore"—he put the word in a low pouty mutter—"but I had my moments. I nearly killed my best friend. I have killed before." He feathered Lucy's guild mark. "I've hurt the best thing that's happened to me."
Lucy curled into Natsu and kissed his cheek.
Natsu took the sweet comfort. "But at the end of the day, what matters is how I atone for it. I can't keep walkin' around here with a chip on my shoulder and all depressed and angry and looking like Gajeel when he got his hair cut when I did all those things. I have to accept I did them and make peace with it. You haven't."
Nashi saw how uncomfortable Býleistr was getting and hissed, "Papa, stop it."
"No, Princess, he's right," Býleistr muttered. "I haven't gotten over shit in the past."
"So what are you gonna do about it?" Natsu questioned.
Býleistr unsheathed and sheathed his claws. "I don't know how to start," he admitted with shame. "I feel like I don't deserve to atone."
"If you feel like you don't want forgiveness, that's fine. Sometimes, we don't need forgiveness. But if you won't even take the steps to make it up to whoever you wronged"—onyx slipped into emerald and scarlet—"then you have no business protecting my princess. And I'll make sure you don't have to worry about her anymore."
"Natsu…" Lucy murmured in disbelief.
Nashi was set to defend Býleistr, but when he raised a hand towards her, she closed her mouth. Býleistr looked Natsu square in the eye and rumbled, "I understand, Your Majesty."
Natsu nodded and with a blink, his eyes were back to that pitch onyx. The tension constricting the room was liberated the moment Natsu went back to his teasing ways, poking fun at both his daughter and wife who fell for his tricks. But Býleistr could not join the fun. His mind clamped down and reran Natsu's words that overlapped with Loke's disgust towards him. Atone, huh?
Bloodshot chocolate eyes.
Býleistr observed Nashi as she dished back the teasing towards her parents. I can't change the past or ask for forgiveness. But I can start making it right protecting Nashi with my life. Even if Leo hates me, even if the Universe sees me as a murderer… So be it. I'll protect Nashi at all costs from anything and anyone with every star in my command and everything I've got. And on the Star King's name, I'll make sure the First Princess and this planet never become another Garden.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And somewhere deep beneath Bellum…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
There was only darkness where Skade drifted. He floated in it, barely breathing, like his string was waning between life and death. A dark blue hue covered his battered Devil Form in this realm. Slowly, his eyes opened half-mast. 'I am…alive?' Blankness held his now darkening eyes. 'Angel… Is she alive? Where…am I…?'
'Skade!'
Skade half-opened his eyes to see a light blue Gary coming towards him, naked and glowing. 'Broth..ther…?'
'Skade!' Gary got close enough to slow down and be face-to-face with Skade. 'You're awake. I thought I was losing you.'
'Where…are we?' Skade struggled to ask.
'I don't know,' Gary answered honestly. 'Our connection gave out and I couldn't hear or see anything. I just felt pain.' He locked his jaw. 'More than likely, we've been captured. I doubt we were able to get away. Not if we were trying to protect Angel. But right now, I need you to wake up. We have to figure out where we are.'
Skade grunted and forced his eyes to open wider. 'Yes… Awake… Need to…wake up.'
Gary could see cracks appearing in this abyss. 'Remember, Skade, say nothing and do nothing. Just let me in. We'll figure this out together.'
'Yes…' Skade gurgled as the cracks widened and poured in light. 'Awake…and then…nothing…'
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Skade felt resistance in opening his eyes. It was like his body was begging him for more time. But there was no more time. He needed to open his eyes and he did just that. The fresh sting of liquid hit his eyes, but he pushed through. This was not necessarily water, but it was something. The first thing Skade noticed as his breathing was controlled through some sort of mask. He looked around to see tubes and wires were connected to one, especially the tube on the back of his neck. Blearily, he looked down to see his Devil Form intact and a few of his wounds were closing up.
What is this? Where am I?
Skade looked around to the outside of his water tube. To his surprise, the outside of the tube looked like a dark laboratory with screens and wires and testing stations. Lab coats and masks and gloves were worn everywhere and for Skade, seeing them again made him tail twitch and his wings itch to ruffle. He could feel his heart picking up the pace as he remembered a laboratory with several water tubes containing Aberrants and other sentient magical creatures. No… No, I cannot be… I cannot be here. I cannot be here!
"Oh, you're awake."
Skade winced at the crackling he heard like it was directly in his ear. It belonged to a person who had come by the main screen closest to the tube and they adjusted their glasses. "Good to see you're awake. You've been causing some trouble."
Skade tried to growl, but he could barely hear himself over the water in his ears and the rushing thoughts storming him. Even if he wanted to speak, he could not with this mask keeping him breathing. His fists clenched and he wished he could unsheathe his claws without pain accompanying it. The past and the present interwove in his mind and it was hard to keep it separate. Mutum, he growled.
I'm here. Gary's voice was weak, but he was there. I can hear and see.
Does this place look familiar to you?
A beat. We can't be at the Bureau. Gary refused to believe that fact.
We do not know how long we have been unconscious, Skade remarked. The Bureau may have us in their possession. If that is the case, I will kill everyone here. No mercy. Not for what they did.
Gary hesitated. Skade—
No, mutum. Skade could feel his Curse try and breach his skin and fur. They do not deserve fair justice. They deserve vengeance in every way.
Skade, that's what they want from us, Gary snapped, irked. They want us to lose control. They want us to kill. It gives them an excuse to—
I do not care. Skade urged his Curse to ooze out from his pours and he could feel the liquid around him still and drop in temperature. I will not go back! I will slaughter them all—!
HEEL-CLICK… HEEL-CLICK…
A smile. "Oh my. Look at you. You've grown up to be such a fine specimen with devilish good looks."
Skade looked past the lab coats—
His eyes widened. No. NO! Tail thumping, his body began to convulse uncontrollably as those painful memories ripped through his skull and plastered their way to the forefront. Memories of those sick puns whispered into his ear. Memories of her hands. Memories of her smile. Memories of those goddamn eyes.
Gary felt instinctual panic within Skade and urged, What is it? What's wrong?
NO! Must get out! Skade tried to twist and shove himself back against the glass, but the tubes kept him in place. The animal in a cage was looking for a way out, but it was backed against the corner. The feral need to flee exhilarated Skade as his claws came out on their own and flexed, but they were not to attack. They were to help escape.
"Look, Levitt, he remembers me." A giggle. "His fear is so different than Gray's revenge. But I like it all the same."
Levitt—the one who spoke to Skade when he woke up—adjusted their glasses and said, "Should we sedate him, ma'am?"
"No, Levitt. Let's play devil's advocate." A hand slid onto the glass. There Mary stood with her cross eyes and merciless smile. "Hello again, Gary," she welcomed. "Did you miss me, Devil? I'm sure it was a Hell of a time being away from me."
Gary could feel the connection between him and Skade become unstable as it filled with madness and terror. Skade! Skade, what's going on? Who is she? Why is she calling you me?
It is her, Skade whimpered. He hated this fear emotion. He hated how it clogged his heart and filled his lungs. But instinct triumphed over all. It is her. Her…from the bad place. From the Bureau!
Gary was startled. The…Bureau?
SLAM!
Mary pressed her face onto the glass with a wild grin. "Don't worry, Gary. I won't hurt you. See, I have to return you to those stuffy goody-goodies upstairs. My time at the Bureau was fun, but I have to stay true to Zeref's purpose. But we're going to have a lot of fun before you leave me." Her grin broadened when Skade's fearful face reflected. "Just for the Hell of it."
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…
Oh, man, does life ever get any easier for Skade and Gary? Nashi might be awake, but it looks like she's in for a ride of her own. But the only way to watch it is to tune into the next episode of Fairy Adventure!
Chibi-Luna springs into the classroom with only a binder today. "Good day, class!"
"Good day, Teacher!" the students chorus back in greeting. "What will we be learning about today?"
Chibi-Luna puts the binder on her desk and flips through it. "Well, class, today, I wanted to teach you a lesson we saw in today's episode," she explains. "Today, we're going to learn more about magical creatures and their rights among the Spiritless community and Magic society and interspecies relationships." She goes to pull down the screen and turns on the projector. The slide show begins. "See, class, magical creatures are a gray area. Because magical creatures aren't considered 'human', for the longest time, they were considered property and livestock." She shows a black and white picture of a frantic thunderbird tangled in netting while the hunters came to collect. "Magical creatures were hunted and killed for sport hundreds of years ago and, like livestock today, they were forced to breed, killed inhumanely, and consumed by humans."
She transitions the slide to a portrait of a feminine man dramatically reaching out to touch a water sprite. "That was until Tonantzin, a Native Meidilandian, centuries ago, realized there were certain creatures around him that not only understood orders, but they could also speak and process complex and critical thinking. Tonantzin's paintings contain his numerous findings of now-extinct magical creatures that could communicate. From what linguists deduced, Tonantzin was the first to validate sentient magical creatures by means of complex thought and communication. Tonantzin would go down in history as the father of Tamers."
She turns to another slide that shows a black and white reel of a female Tamer as she huddles in the foliage and watches as an anthropomorphic doe and stag come barreling through the flowers and bushes as they laugh and play and frolic. "From Tonantzin's discovery, many native tribes would start trying to discover which life deserves the same courtesy as a human and which life is livestock. And these ideas would spread to other nations too who began to closely study other forms of life. Organizations would be set up to ensure these sentient magical creatures were protected and fought for their rights. Unfortunately, many wars would be lost and many species would go extinct on Earth Land before the Magic Council would recognize sentient magical creatures as beings under their protection. The reason why Skade's case is so rare is because it's difficult to find sentient magical creatures and, while they should have rights, many countries refuse to acknowledge their rights since the laws are still very loose and not as protective as they should be."
"Teacher?" a student asks. "Is that why interspecies relationships are bad?"
"They aren't bad," Chibi-Luna corrects. "They're just frowned upon." She switches the slide to show an archaic painting of a beautiful dark-skinned girl as she reached down from her ledge to a half-man, half-lion as tribesmen surrounded it with their spears and arrows. "The first official record of an interspecies relationship came thousands of years ago between a human girl from Andüsa and what is called a 'Lion Chimera' now. Back then, they were called Beastmen. Their love story was a tragic one and the accounts told about it aren't too much to go off of. From what the accounts say, the Lion Chimera stole the girl from her village in the middle of the night. When she returned months later, she was pregnant with the Lion Chimera's child and declared she was leaving with the Lion Chimera to join his pride. Her chief refused, but the girl didn't care.
"She said her farewells to her family, but she journeyed back to the pride with two other Lion Chimaera. But the chief sent some of her finest warriors to follow the girl back to the pride. A war was started. It gets tricky to read after that, but its summed up that the girl gave birth in the middle of the war to a baby boy, half-Chimera and half-human. The village was appalled at the abomination and thought the girl had been cursed. They killed her and tried to kill her baby, but the father Lion Chimera made sure to take his son far away. It doesn't say much after that."
The class murmurs their sympathies and one student laments, "That's awful."
"It is," Chibi-Luna agrees. "Interspecies relationships pop up often throughout history, especially between humans and fae. Many families would claim their relative who had fallen for something inhuman were cursed or damned and would either kill them or make sure they were locked up in an institution. Some would bring in witches and wizards to perform spells or make potions to convert their relative to only like humans. They were convinced their relative had been brainwashed."
"But why?" a student questions. "Why is everyone assuming brainwashing?"
"Some sentient magical creatures communicated through telepathy," Chibi-Luna explained. "Back then, the use of telepathy was linked to mind control."
Another student raises their hand. "So, wait. How come, if Nashi goes to trial, she has to do all those tests?"
"That's a good question." Chibi-Luna changes the slide to an article about the research on bi-species children. "In an interspecies relationship, having children is a struggle. Your bodies weren't made to be compatible. There were those who believed in mates and soul mates, especially fae and Chimaera. In their culture, if you found your other half, the deities you worshipped would help match your human partner's reproductive system to their own so children could be possible. From what professionals can conclude, when a human female falls pregnant with a bi-species child, it changes their psychology. In some cases, the woman instinctively stays with her other species half and will become violent if she's separated. It's a dispute in the Magic Community, though, if that's a side effect from the pregnancy itself or if that's a side effect from entering an interspecies relationship in general."
Chibi-Luna turns to the next slide. "In court, if Nashi says she and Skade are together, the court would want to make sure she isn't pregnant or they'll conclude Skade is coercing her to commit perjury to defend the father of her unborn child. It's not exactly sound logic, but that's the logic behind it."
"But, teacher, aren't you not human?"
Chibi-Luna smiles. "You're right. I'm half-human and half-Demon. The laws around bi-species children are foggy. Because we're human, we still are naturalized citizens of whatever country we're born in. We can still go to school and travel. No one knows that I'm half-Demon, though, so my experience is different. For the rare children out there that actually say and can prove their half-human and half-something else, I'm told they go through a lot of testing and private school before their government deems them passable to be in the human world. It's not fair, I know," she adds over the outcry of her students. "But it is what it is. Laws are being worked on to rewrite this injustice and a few class-action suits have been taken against countries, but it would be a while until we see change."
"Well, that sucks," a student mutters.
Chibi-Luna sighs. "Yeah, it kind of does. But we'll keep fighting the good fight until all beings are made equal on this planet." She ends the slideshow. "But that's all we have for today. The board wanted me to let you know a playlist is being created for character songs just like requested. The first song up is Luna Dragneel's character song! The board has selected MOONFESTA by the band Kalafina would best represent Luna Dragneel's ethereal spirit! So, please, check out the song! And hopefully, I'll be able to tell you more songs as more episodes come out! Speaking of episodes… Next time, on Fairy Adventure: PROPOSITION!"
Voices in Order of Character Appearance
John – John Michael Higgins
Yoko – Lyrica Okano
Bellish Defense Minister Cedrych Foloroso – George Harris
Bellish Executive Press Secretary Sara Srivastava – Macy Anne Johnson
Mirella – Edie Mirman
Bellish Director – Bob Carter
Bellish Prime Minister Göran Bilt – Ed Blaylock
Erza Fernandes – Colleen Clinkenbeard
Number Five – Melissa Fahn
Warrod Sequen – Garrett Schenck
Pazuzu/Waleed Wintour – Bill Butts
Eliana "Ellie" Strauss – Reba Buhr
Lyon Vastia – Jerry Jewel
Gray Fullbuster – Newton Pittman
Meredy Vastia – Bryn Apprill
Dazzler Lafayette – Kristi Rothcock
Peter Shuusei-Thompson – Joe Zieja
Bowie Thompson – Nicholas Guest
Aries – Didi Archilla
Luna Dragneel – Bryn Apprill
Luke Dragneel – Alan Lee
Kyler – Ray Chase
Lance Dreyar – Johnny Young Bosch
Aine Fernandes – Carrie Keranen
Nashi Dragneel – Laura Landa
Seraphim – Jameison Price
Loke/Leo – Eric Vale
Býleistr – Scott Freeman
Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel – Cherami Leigh
Laxus Dreyar – Patrick Seitz
Mary Jane Dreyar – Erica Lindbeck
Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes
Lucifer "Bleu" Demiurge – Xander Mobus
Sycaña – Christine Auten
Icarus – Christopher Sabat
Jang-ta "Jaxton" Yang – Eddy Lee
Tesla Greer – Galena White
Bellish Attorney General Noelle McEntee - Margarita Levieva
Hendrika Sandström – Laura Bailey
Kiana – Nafessa Williams
Unnamed Female Assassin – Amber Midthunder
Talia – Serena Varghesa
Muta the Exceed– Jason Douglas
Mirajane Dreyar – Monica Rial
Justin Justine – Ian Sinclair
Cadorius "Cade" le Fay – Ricco Farjado
T'oree Denv'rz – Kimberly Brooks
Eiji "Dash" Ackerman – Leraldo Andzaldua
Julia Fullbuster – Michelle Ruff
Unnamed Mysterious Woman – Frieda Pinto
India – Kamali Minter
Igneel Dragneel – Bryce Papenbrook
Zelda – Gabrielle Union
Mystogan Fernandes – J. Michael Tatum
Ena Fernandes – Xanthe Huynh
Silver Fullbuster – Yuri Lowenthal
Natsu Dragneel – Todd Haberkorn
Gary Fullbuster – Griffin Burns
Skade – [In Disccusion]
Levitt – Tyler Ford
Mary – Dani Chambers
• — • — •
Additional Voices
Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Recap Narrator – Melissa Fahn
Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Ending Narrator – Melissa Fahn
TRANSLATIONS
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Bellish → Fioren-Minstrish
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Zal ik iemand sturen om haar te volgen?
Shall I send someone to follow her?
• — •
Waarom... Er is geen besoifte aan.
Why… There is no need.
• — •
Wat ze ook vet, geef het aan haar.
Whatever she wants, give it to her.
• — •
Maar, meneer—!
But, Sir—!
• — •
Als we ons verzetten, zullen we veel grotere problèmes hebben zoals de Conseil. Of het nu gaat om het Hof van de Conseil of om ons eigen gerecht, we zullen ons daarover uitspreken. Zorg ervoor dat Noelle alleen een juridisch adviseur kiest die zijn mond kan houden. We zullen ons aan de règles houden. We kunnen ons de MC-auditeurs niet veroorloven om nog een truc te doen.
If we resist, we'll have much bigger problems like the Council. Whether it's on the Council court or our own, we'll make our point. Make sure Noelle only chooses a legal counsel who can keep their mouths shut. We'll play by the rules. We can't afford the MC auditors doing another sweep. And make sure Hendrika is indisposed.
• — •
Natuurlijk, ministre-premier.
Of course, Prime Minister
• — •
We hebben met de VN en de Magische Conseil van Ishgaran bevestigd dat deze vrouw geloofwaardig is en hebben vingtwintig uur de tijd om de Conseil te vragen de Royal Chimera in hechtenis te nemen.
We have confirmation with the UN and the Ishgaran Magic Council of this woman's credentials and have twenty-four hours to make the call to the Council to have the Royal Chimera transferred into their custody.
• — •
Lady Hendrika, je kent het Ishgaran Magische Cour beter dan iedereen hier. Wil je de procédures uitleggen?
Lady Hendrika, you know the Ishgaran Magic Court better than anyone here. Care to explain the procedures?
• — •
Alsjeblieft, wacht!
Please, wait!
• — •
Het zal niet lang duren voordat ze zich realiseren dat ik ze hierover niet heb verteld. Maar ik had geen keuze. Ze zouden anti-Magische propaganda lanceren met dit schepsel. Ik kon ze het niet laten doen.
It won't be long until they realize I didn't tell them about this. But I didn't have a choice. They were going to launch anti-Magic propaganda using this creature. I couldn't let them do it.
• — •
Ik verzoek u al mijn oproepen en vergaderingen voor de rest van de dag te houde.
Please hold all my calls and meetings for the rest of the day.
• — •
Ik weet dat het niet makkelijk zal zijn. De secrétaires zullen bijstaan bij de herschikking. Maar ik heb dit moment nodig voor mezelf.
I know it won't be easy. The secretaries will assist in rescheduling. But I need this moment to myself.
• — •
Iedereen hier is achter u, madame. Hoewel sommigen van ons Mages en Magiciens zijn of familie zijn, gaf u ons nog steeds banen als niemand anders dat zou doen. Wat je ook nodig hebt, we zijn hier.
Everyone here is behind you, ma'am. Even though some of us are Mages and Magicians or are family is, you still gave us jobs when no one else would. Whatever you need, we're here.
• — •
Laat het personnel weten dat u een laag profiel wilt behouden. Ik heb het gevoel dat de hogere ups veel dichter bij het département van Magische zullen kijken en niet op een goede manier.
Please let the staff know to keep a low profile. I have a feeling the higher-ups are going to look a lot closer to the Department of Magic and not in a good way.
• — •
Ik hoop alleen dat ik Reine Hisui op tijd kan waarschuwen. Ik hoop dat ze begreep wat ik probeerde te zeggen. Zelfs met een brander Lacrima Ball was het een risico. Onze dagen in dit kantoor zijn genummerd.
I only hope I could warn Queen Hisui in time. I hope she understood what I was trying to say. Even using a burner Lacrima Ball, it was a risk. Our days in this office are numbered.
• — •
Dat was een hele événement.
That was quite an event.
• — •
Wie ben jij?
Who are you?
• — •
Pardonnez Chase. Hij is...verontrustend als mensen achter hun rug dingen proberen. Chase. Ze is een vriend, geen proie.
Forgive Chase. He's…apprehensive when people try things behind their back. Chase. She's a friend, not prey.
• — •
Excuseer me un instant. Ik wil gewoon naar een goed stoppunt en... Dat is beter. Nu kan ik goed praten.
Excuse me for a moment. I just want to get to a good stopping point and… That's better. Now I can properly talk.
• — •
Het Magische Cour van Ishgaran zal een jury van elf gulden meesters uit heel het continent en twaalf Nons toestaan. De Ishgaran Magische-Juge is Ocrevus Trumphour, die in de afgelopen acht jaar rechter is geweest. Hij is een hardnekkig en moeilijker om met sympathie te slaan.
The Ishgaran Magic Court will allow a jury of eleven guild masters from all the continent and twelve Nons. The Ishgaran Magic Judge is Ocrevus Trumphour who has been an issued judge in the last eight years. He's a hard-sell and harder to hit with sympathy.
• — •
Hij tolereert geen inbrekende of lange manieren om aan de wortel van het vragen te komen.
He doesn't tolerate any badgering or longwinded ways to get to the root of the questioning.
• — •
Hebt u suggestions voor een barrister?
Do you have any suggestions on a barrister?
• — •
Ik ben verrast. Mister Broussard is niet bepaald goed geverfd in de Magische Cour. Zijn spécialité is het strafrecht, niet het Magische Strafrecht.
I'm surprised. Mister Broussard isn't exactly well-versed in Magic Court. His specialty is criminal law, not Magic Criminal Law.
• — •
Hij hoeft niet gespecialiseerd te zijn in het Magische Strafrecht.
He won't need to be specialized in Magic Criminal Law.
• — •
Omdat hoe hoog deze zaak is en het Gemenebest Bellum als eiser is vanwege de misdaden die het wezen veroorzaakte, hebben we hem niet nodig als hoofdpleitbezorger om zich te specialiseren in de Magische Wet. Ik zal mijn eigen advocaat hebben als zijn avocat-conseil en hem alle essentiële zaken die hij nodig heeft onderschrijven.
Because how high-profile this case is and it's the Commonwealth of Bellum as the plaintiff due to the crimes the creature caused, we don't need him as the head advocate to specialize in Magic Law. I'll have my own barrister as his co-counsel and debrief him on all the essentials he needs.
• — •
Ik zal mijn secrétaire de oproep laten coördineren, maar we zullen een ontmoeting moeten hebben met de vrouw zodra Chinlien en een barrister van Lady Hendrika in contact komen—
I'll have my secretary coordinate the call, but we'll have to have a meeting with the woman once Chinlien and Lady Hendrika's barrister get in touch—
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Zhōnguánese → Fioren-Minstrish
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Kàn zhe wǒ.
Look at me.
• — •
Bàituō wǒ méi xīnqíng tīng zhége—
Please, I'm not in the mood for this—
• — •
Wǒmen shì mìngzhōnɡ zhùdìnɡ yào zài yìqǐ de.
We were meant to be together.
• — •
Wǒ ài nǐ.
I love you.
• — •
Yányǔ wúfǎ xíngróng wǒ duì nǐ de ài.
Words can't describe my love for you.
• — •
Nǐ shì wǒ de línghún bànlǚ.
You are my soul mate.
• — •
Zěnme le?
What's the matter? / What's wrong?
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Sinnish → Fioren-Minstrish
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Ay dios mio, los gabachos—
Oh my god, —
*Gabachos is a slang term used to describe a foreigner in a derogatory way.
• — •
Sube a la cama
Get on the bed
*Literal translation: Lie down on the bed.