Fairy x Adventure

by Magnafeana

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

59. Adventure 059

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.

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

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LAST TIME, on Fairy Adventure, Mirella—or should I say Miss Wilson?—went toe-to-toe with Bellish attorney Chinlien Broussard and won a public trial for Skade, but boy, was Chinlien arrogant or what? Nashi might have been out of the hospital, but it doesn't mean she's up and ready to go. Still, at least she's getting the help she needs…even if they aren't human. Bleu and Carlisle took Ena and Luna for some fun in the ritzy mall to cheer up Luna and by extension Ena, but I wonder… What are Ena and Silver hiding from Luna? Olivia finally bit the bullet and now just needs to wait another week to leave. Galileo seems to be restless too, but for a different reason. What's up with him and Rika anyways? Gale and Julia joined Dash, Cane, and their Spiritless friends as they plan a party only Gale to learn Tesla's secret: she is the only other Magic Hunter besides Zelda who has natural born powers. Cade learned while he's not that great with words when it comes to Dazzler, maybe there's still some hope left for their friendship. It's about that time for Mary Jane to head out to catch her airship and her family and Peter come with her. Mary Jane and Peter make it to her airship when they exchange not one but two kisses! Aw, isn't that so cute? With a promise for Peter to ask her a fated question upon her return, Mary Jane sails off to see her older sister and her niece and nephew while Igneel has made it to Magia Dragon.

"I've found you…Magia Dragon."

Huh. Wonder what Igneel's doing all the way in Giltena? And, um, Luke? Pretty sure your eyes weren't always that dark…

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Magnolia Town did not have that many hotels to begin with, but it did have its massive library and it was proud of that fact. At this time of the year, the library was full of holiday cheer with events going on every day to inspire the children and help those who did not have a family to go to for the holidays. The only people studying were those who attended universities and one or two high schoolers who wanted to get their winter break homework out of the way so they could enjoy the rest of it. A few librarians and volunteers were setting up for a gingerbread house contest.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Magnolia Public Library. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The independent study rooms were open for the most part, but the second conference room had been stolen with the blinds closed and the door bolted shut. Within the conference room, Nashi sat on one end with her eyes a little purple underneath from lack of sleep, but she did her best to look her best. Býleistr had come in his Cat Form but relaxed into his natural form once the conference room was secure to stand by Nashi's side. Everyone else was here to keep up appearances in their transformed states. The only indication was the eyes. Kyler might not have looked like himself, but his turquoise eyes were there, same to Mirella's golden eyes, and Talia's own. Mammon had taken guard outside the room in his mortal form, a flat stare scanning the perimeter. Muta perused the library in his Cat Form, but his eyes and ears were on alert.

Mirella had a few documents before her. "With Skade's public trial now with a set date, Chinlien has been ever-so-kind to send in the transcripts of his depositions," she told the room. "His witness list is impressive, but the photos of Skade's crimes are too murky. He's relying on hearsay and to exaggerate the damages done. He'll hit the jury with large and pretty numbers like the death toll, how many trillions have been lost, and such." She held out her hand and Talia put a packet of papers into her fingers. "But big and pretty words don't impress the judge."

"I did reconnaissance and have watched every criminal case His Honor Trumphour has decisioned and categorized them based between a bench trial and a grand jury," Talia informed with that emotionless voice of hers. "The judge has very little sympathy and abides by facts. Jury or not, he has always decreed fairly by the evidence presented."

Nashi frowned. "Then why not do a—what was it? A bench trial? That's the one where it's just the judge, right?"

"Because we need Skade to regain credibility in the public's eye," Kyler reasoned. "Right now, his name is all over the news as he is painted the villain. He's being used as not only a scapegoat for the wizards in Bellum who are resisting their rights being stripped, but he is also painting Dark Creatures in a horrible light. On your world, most Dark Creatures keep to themselves as of late. They're relatively tame and have learned to coexist with humans. But the more Skade was televised as a mass murderer, tensions between mortals and Dark Creatures have risen."

Nashi's eyes widened. "I didn't even know that."

"You shouldn't have," Mirella assured. "Once the networks pulled Skade from the story, we've been actively monitoring social media for possible defamation. Your country has little to do with Dark Creatures outside the minor Demons on a few islands, a Devil on a volcano—"

"Fiore has Demons?!" Nashi blurt. "And a Devil? There's a Devil here?"

Kyler touched Nashi's shoulder. "The Demons are very minor," he told her. "Just like you, they have love and compassion and kindness. Your father actually checks in on them now and again. The Devil is a made-Devil, not born of one. The other two Devils are also made-Devils, but they've become monks who have taken vows of silence."

"What's the Devil on the volcano like?" Nashi had to know. "Are you guys using him as a witness?"

Mirella grimaced. "He's a strange man," she admitted. "I looked into his past and he has a number of allegations against him. Apparently, a another Fire Devil used to live on that volcano. The man was an Independent Mage and took the job to defeat the Devil. But no one told him slaying a Devil doesn't make it go away. The Devil's powers was forced onto the man and, with time, he turned into a Fire Devil himself." She looked straight into Nashi's eyes. "This is why we've been on you and why your parents will be on you of overusing your powers, both Demon and Angel. If you overuse your powers without rest, you'll turn into something you never wanted."

Nashi took this into account. "I know. I understand. But what about the Fire Devil?"

"He refuses to be a witness." Talia glanced at Mirella. "Actually, when I read his mind, it looks like we weren't the only ones to visit him. Mister Broussard had people pay him a visit and others came too, but the Fire Devil turned him away." She looked over to Nashi. "Don't worry, First Princess. We have an ally currently working on it."

Nashi slowly nodded when she realized that was all anyone was going to say on the subject. "Okay… So what about me? I'm a witness, right? What's the plan?"

"For you to tell the truth," said Kyler. "Not that truth," he added when Nashi looked perturbed. He nodded to Mirella who slid a packet towards him. He took it to display to Nashi. "This is your immunity deal alongside your rights as a character witness. As a character witness, we're relying on you to give a testimony regarding how Skade has treated you. The absolute truth on that."

Nashi's brow furrowed. "But I thought you said the judge isn't sympathetic?"

"Again, this is for the jury and the public eye," Kyler reminded. "Mirella will be picking out twelve jurors who will be unbiased, thanks to Talia. But…" He shared a look with Mirella. "Show her."

Nashi looked between the two as Mirella brought out her bag. "Show me what?"

"This." Mirella took out a cube and threw it into the middle of the table. A screen popped up to reveal what seemed to be footage of a blizzard. The camera stayed steady underneath the pressure, but the sound had been muted. You could tell this was taking place down a street as gloved hands held out a weapon. But then…

Hickory widened.

…he was there.

Skade stood in his true form with those icy-silver eyes and a snarl as he held what looked to be a lifeless Nashi in his arms, deathly pale and lips turning blue.

"But…" Nashi reached for the image, but her hand passed through it. "How did they…?" She shook her head. "What are we supposed to do if they have this as evidence?"

"The truth." Kyler waved his hand for the screen to disappear. "A version of the truth."

Talia came forth. "I read your mind," she said so casually, "and the memories both you and Skade have of the event will hold. You will tell them regarding the Magic Hunters. In your country, Magic Hunters are on retainer to be dispatched for Level Dragon situations. Your country handled the situation in Margaret Town poorly if they sent Magic Hunters to not only capture the Ice Devil but they had no regard to your safety or other Mages who had been detained. Once you tell this to His Honor alongside the witness testimonies we have collected and will collect, a Magic Council auditor will come to Fiore to reassess your country's ministries having partnerships with Magic Hunters. No longer will this image be an issue against Skade."

"So I can let them know Skade saved me?" Nashi asked. But then another thought came. "But what about Linus? He was there too. A few of my friends were, I remember. Skade attacked them."

"Because he was feeling threatened," Mirella reasoned. "We'll make sure to take care of the situation when it arises, I promise you. But your testimony is vital to swaying the public's opinion."

Nashi nodded. "I know. And I'll do whatever I have to so they can come back home."

Kyler still looked uneasy. "Nashi, think about this," he pleaded. "This is going to reveal you being in an interspecies relationship—"

"I know, Kyler." Nashi huffed through her nose. "Look, I know how this is going to reflect on me. I know all of this. But I'm doing it anyway. Gary and Skade saved my life. And Gary's always been there for me. This is the least I can do. He doesn't deserve to be in a jail cell. He deserves to be here with his family, with—" Me, she wanted to add, but she did not. She looked at Kyler and took in his uncertainty. "You're worried about me and my mental health and all the lash back—I get it. But this is my choice. Please respect this. For your little sister?" she added with a little smile.

Kyler gave a longwinded sigh. "For my stubborn little sister, I'll try," he supposed. "Just…promise me you'll let me teach you some suppressing techniques? The trial is next Monday. It gives us plenty of time for me to teach you. It'll help when your emotions get out of hand, I promise."

"Okay. That works," Nashi agreed. She looked over to see Mirella amused and Talia bemused. "What? What is it?"

Mirella crossed her arms. "Nothing, nothing. It's just funny to me." She crossed her legs. "Maker relationships are so interesting is all. Most Makers used their little precious newborns as slaves or sex toys or something. First time I've seen a Maker call their Newborn their sister." She looked at Kyler. "When are you going to give her an angelic name?"

Kyler colored while Nashi asked, "A name? But I thought only Dark Creatures needed names?"

Mirella arched an eyebrow. "No, sweetie, not just Dark Creatures, but that is somewhat true," she allowed. "While regular mortals don't have other names, anything higher than a mortal needs another name. Same concept where only someone of a higher power can give them their names. I'm not talking—what used to be here again? Like fae and stuff. On this planet, your higher powers would be more spiritual. So the spirits, the gods, heavenly beings, and Dark Creatures, obviously. Dragons, eh, now that Dragon Slayers took over the concept."

"So wait." Nashi looked at Kyler with wonder. "I get to have an Angel name too? Are you naming me?"

"No," Kyler refused. "And only," he added, touching Nashi's cheek when she scowled, "because you're still in a fragile state of balancing your Angel blood and Demon blood. Your mortal blood is a good buffer between the two to prevent any interaction, just like Talia's god blood helps prevent interaction. Once you're strong enough and have more control, I'll think about it."

Mirella rolled her eyes. "Ugh. This is getting too weird."

Talia muttered to herself, "Does this make the First Princess my paternal aunt?"

Mirella gestured to the packet Nashi had. "Well, outside of all of this, are you ready to start your deposition?"

Nashi nodded and pulled her full attention to Mirella. "I'm ready," she promised.

"Talia?" called Mirella. But Talia already had the recorder out and was laying it on the table. She pressed the record button and stepped back. Mirella brought out her list of questions. "Perfect." She clicked her pen as a smile toyed on her lips. "Then, let's begin, shall we?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ima nan janai?

Meramerato tagiru

Kon'na boku ni mo hisomu seigi ga

Dou shiyou mo nai shoudou ni kara rete

Hora kidzukeba te o nigitte iru

•

Ittaizentai

Son'nani nimotsu o

Shoikonde dokoheikuno

Nee nee matte boku ni chotto azukete mite wa?

•

Nana na nana na

Nananana nana na nana na

Nanana nana na nana na

Nananana nana na nana na

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Luna and Ena were in Luna's bedroom with a Christmas album playing in the background. Ena was busy as she finished the touches on the clutch she was designing for Nashi's dress while Luna looked visibly frustrated over the material she was reading. "This is too much!" Luna grumbled. "Why does my papa keep doing this to me?" She tumbled onto her bed and threw the book away. "It's not like he reads!" And she added reluctantly, "I mean he does, but I didn't think it was stuff like this."

Ena smiled to herself as she carried on in her work. "Your dad's really articulate," she mentioned. "My mom says your mom was a good influence in getting him interested in reading. He's borrowed a book or two from my mom, actually." Chibi versions of Erza and Natsu appeared in her mind as Chibi-Erza handed him a book that a mischievous Chibi-Natsu took. But the books he takes always have some…questionable titles, to be fair… "And anyway, this is part of your Mage training. You always said you wanted to be a Guild Mage."

"I mean yeah, but…" Luna huffed. "I mean… You don't do training like this, right, E?"

Ena snorted. "If you think my mother doesn't make sure I'm well-versed with my rapier and every other blade in her arsenal, you're hilarious, L." She frowned. "Though, I guess I haven't been doing too much with her. Miss Virgo has been a great sparring partner in the meantime."

Luna sat up to address her best friend. "You know my parents don't care how long you stay," she assured.

Ena sighed. "Yeah, I know. I still feel bad, though."

"Staying here?"

"No." Ena shook her head. "This house is like my second home. No, I just…" She set down her work. "I feel bad for my mom," she admitted in a small voice. "I know she's going through a lot. She's under a lot of pressure right now with guild stuff… We got lucky the MC Auditor won't be coming until February, but… I don't know. She seems so stressed and she's always working. I feel bad I'm not at home with her, but I just couldn't stay there." She shrugged. "And I'm sure Aine's helping her out anyways, so no need for me to be in the way."

Luna frowned at that. "You still haven't talked to Aine?"

"No. And I don't plan to." Ena said those words with a bite as she went back to work. "She's the favorite sister. I'd just be in the way."

"E…" Luna slipped off her bed to drag herself over Ena who sat in her desk chair. "Misty is an idiot who can't see the potential you possess and the talent you have. And I know nothing I say will make you believe me. I'm sure your mom has said the same thing. So, instead, we are going to make sure you forget that asshole"—Ena laughed while Luna grinned—"and I'm going to help you out as much as I can with your stuff so long as you help me study for this stupid stuff my papa is making you do."

Ena hummed, amused. "You know he's just doing this to you to hope he wears you down and you confess you have a—Mmmph!" She tipped up her head with a flat look in her eyes and Luna's hand slapped over her mouth.

"Don't – say – anything," Luna hissed. She let go of Ena slowly to creep over to her bedroom window. Peeking out from her curtains, her nose wrinkled as she watched as her father came out onto the deck and clapped Gale's shoulder as he looked refreshed and ready for their session. "He hears everything," she murmured. "Seriously. He's been training me like a dog ever since I took a Com-call and he was all the way at Dragon Pond." She froze when both Gale and Natsu looked at her bedroom window and she slammed the curtain closed. "And it doesn't help that my favorite babysitter is here too."

"He can hear you," Ena sang.

Luna snorted. "Good. I want him to," she sneered.

Ena simpered as Luna lied on her bed. "It's nice your dad is training Gale."

"I guess," Luna supposed, though sulkily. She clapped her hands. "Well, onto better and brighter things. I finished up holiday shopping and could totally use your help with the rest of the wrapping? Pretty please?"

Ena laughed. "Let me finish this clutch and we'll get started. And since we can't talk, just text me the details."

Luna attacked Ena into a hug. "Oh, thanks, E! You're the best!"

"I know," Ena chortled, "and you can thank me by making sure you get a lot of exposure at the Yule cotillion with my outfits." As Luna swore up and down to do just exactly that, Ena smirked and questioned loudly, "So, L, do you have a boyfriend yet?"

Luna's entire face turned red. "E…!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 59

The Powers the Be

力がメッセージを送っています！ 聞いてみましょうか？

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"Block!"

Gale did so without hesitation, but Natsu still pushed him back. Without thinking, Gale twisted around to deliver a kick which Natsu caught and flipped him around. Gale landed on his feet, but he had to shift quickly when Natsu rushed him with a power kick.

The training was in the backyard. Sure, snow had fallen, but Natsu's heat was enough to keep most of the backyard clear and pretty. Both Natsu and Gale had donned loose clothing for their sparring match as Gale had forged a stage for them to spar on. A weighted shirt and padding had been added for Gale, but Natsu needed no such thing. Jugs of water had been off to the side. With their hands wrapped and shin guards on, they continued their sparring as Natsu shouted commands at Gale to follow. It was impressive watching them move as they anticipated reactions and Natsu would throw out a compliment on occasion when Gale got a blow in.

But Gale took his last compliment with a smirk as Natsu went for another punch. He spun around, angled his hips, and delivered a strong kick to Natsu's chest, slamming him back a few yards. Natsu grinned as he righted himself and rolled his shoulders. "Not bad," he supposed. "You're getting stronger."

"That's what the old man says too," Gale said as he messed with his hands' wrappings. "Says my Dragon Slayer Magic is helping."

Natsu chuckled as he went over to the waters. "For sure," he agreed. "It's weird. Here." He threw Gale's jug to him. "Asked Levy for some more information about Dragon Slayers with a Lacrima. Sting and Rogue and Laxus aren't that helpful since the Lacrima was implanted into them. But yours is different. You can still talk to her."

Gale looked down as his amulet appeared and the gemstone winked at him. "Yeah. I guess it's weird. She told me she'll give me more of her power little by little so she doesn't overwhelm me."

"And she has a point." Natsu hunkered down on the grass right outside the ring and Gale joined him. "Too much power at one time could do some really ugly things to you. We just don't know what it could do to you since we've never seen a Dragon Slayer like you. So we have to keep an eye on you."

Gale rolled his eyes after he guzzled a good portion of water. "Yeah, yeah, Old Man says the same thing and Aunt Wen too." He nudged Natsu. "When do I get to go to call the super-secret Dragon Slayer meetings? When do I get motion sickness?"

Natsu laughed. "Metal-head already asked about introducing you to everyone else. You've kinda met Sting, but I don't think you've met Rogue. Since it's the holidays and everything, I said we'd do a meeting sometime in January. We haven't seen an Earth Dragon Slayer, so we don't know the extent of your powers. For now, you'll train with that asshole of a Pops you have and me. Wendy wants to see your healing powers."

Gale nodded. "Right. Sycaña mentioned I'd be able to tune in with nature and heal quicker than way. She just didn't explain all the logistics." He took another swig of water.

"So"—Natsu's mouth curved into a grin—"what are you going to do about my baby girl's boyfriend?"

Gale spat out his water and coughed while Natsu cackled. Tears gathered in his eyes as Gale failed to breathe "W-W-What!" he wheezed. "What are you talking about?"

Natsu pointed at his house. "Lu's great at keeping conversations about boys out of the house, but I don't think she gets I can still hear her if I wanted to when she's all the way at the guild. And"—he made a face—"I smell the dude's stink all over her clothes even after she washes them. That's why I asked."

Gale coughed, but it was getting easier for him to breathe. "Well." He swallowed and let out a big exhale. "Not sure any dad wants to hear this, but I tried telling her, y'know"—the tips of his ears turned red—"how I feel and shit. And, uh… It didn't really work out well."

"Really?" Natsu pointed at Gale's wrist for the boy to see a ruby bracelet had crawled onto it. "I can tell." Gale grunted and banished the gemstone back into Ethernano. Natsu said, "You're right. I don't like hearing the fact my baby girl has admirers, but she is half Lucy. 'Course she has people out there crushin' on her." He scowled. "Lucy had all sorts of creeps tryin' to take her away from me."

"It's not…just a crush."

Natsu looked over to see Gale's self-deprecating grin as he looked at his water. He dragged his eyes away to look at the sky. "I know, kid," he murmured. "I know." Then, he did something Gale did not expect.

He slapped Gale's back so hard, Gale nearly fell over and shouted in pain.

"But that doesn't mean you should give up," Natsu determined and looked at the younger Slayer with a grin. "C'mon, that's not the Dragon way."

Gale grumbled, "And what is the Dragon way when it comes to shit like this exactly?"

"Well," Natsu started sunnily, "you steal her away from the evil prince and lock her in a tower."

"That sounds illegal!"

Natsu took a swig of water. "Well, didn't you have it in your head that even if Luna met someone, you'd still do everything in your power to make her fall in love with you?"

Gale rubbed his neck. "Yeah…" he supposed haltingly. "I did, but…" A sigh. "I don't know. Stuff's messing with my head. I have a lot I'm still processing and so does she. Plus, I've pretty much acted like a dick to her. And now she thinks I'm in love with someone else, so yeah. Maybe…" A beat. Then, he decided to just stop and look at the ground.

"You know…"

Gale looked up at Natsu.

"…I once told Igneel that he needed to let go," Natsu confessed. "There was no chance for him. Not right now, anyway, not without him forcing it. I didn't want him to become that type of person. He deserved to find his own peace. And I really believe in the future he'll be able to get what he wants. But you? It's different. You didn't take it that far. You still have a chance."

"But how do you know that?" Gale wanted to know.

"Because I know Luna." Natsu got to his feet. "Lucy would be all like, 'let her be' and stuff. And maybe Lu really does like this boy. But you and I both could smell and feel she felt something for you. Not saying you should steal her away or to talk about your feelings or whatever. But you can always show her you care still."

Gale's brow furrowed. "You think she'd care?"

"I think she cares more than she wants to admit," Natsu told him softly. "But you know the women around here. They're all so stubborn. So did what the rest of us did around here—and what Juvia did for Popsicle. Out-stubborn them."

Gale blinked. "That works?"

Natsu shrugged as he walked away. "Who knows?" He put his jug to his lips. "Let's take a quick cool down. Take off the guards. We'll start training in fifteen minutes."

Gale was left to his own devices as Natsu walked away. He groaned as he laid back on the grass. He took a few breaths as Sycaña invaded his mind. Try touching the grass. I will facilitate the nutrients so you are not as sore without losing the progression in your muscles.

Gale did as she asked and watched as his veins were glowing in emerald and gold. Much to his amazement, the grass turned a lighter tint of green just as he could feel relief flood through his body. "Wow," he murmured. "You'd think I'd kill the area trying to heal myself."

You very well can, Sycaña told him as she titrated the connection until his skin went back to normal. Training with a Sky Dragon will prove well to helping you control your healing abilities. As a young Drake new into your powers, you may accidentally kill a tree from trying to heal. You will learn about the ebb and flow of nature. Only taking what you need and allowing nature to weaken, only for it to grow back stronger. She paused. I have enjoyed watching your progress with His Majesty. He will ensure you prove a wise asset to your thunder…and to your Female.

Gale groaned and threw his arm over his eyes. "She's not mine, okay?"

And you are content with that?

Gale stiffened. "Well…no…" He peeked to watch the clouds move. No, I'm not 'content' with it or whatever. I'm just…tired. I've been fucking up left and right. I don't have my shit together—… I really don't understand why you chose me as a Slayer.

Just because you are not a perfect mortal doesn't mean you are any less worthy of gaining a Dragon's power, Sycaña soothed. Anyone can steal a Dragon's Heart of Hearts and attain our power. From one whose sire and dam have no blood relation to Magic to one who was bred to become the sole inheritor of the power. But it takes a certain mindset to understand the Dragon way.

And you think I'll understand it?

I do. Or else I would have killed you without hesitation. Amusement fluttered through their link.

"Puh." Gale smirked a little. "Yeah right." He let his hand rest on his stomach as he sighed through his nose. Even if I told her I was in love with her, she wouldn't believe me. I never said it all this time and now she thinks I'm in love with someone else. She said I was confusing her. Even if I said it, what am I supposed to do next?

Then you show her.

Gale snorted. "Yeah. Because that'll work."

I mean it, Sycaña pressed. I have observed through your eyes and your sense. You understand more of Dragons than you think. The gods may have their soul mates that they used pretty chirps for and the Demons have their possessions in which they hover over, but a Dragon does none of those. A Dragon understands actions and physicality are the quickest way of succeeding.

And how would you know? Gale fired back. You had one mate.

You think Dragons naturally mate for life? Sycaña snickered in a gruff chuff. No, Little Gem. Dragons have no use to mate for life. We mate temporarily for the sake of sating lust and of Nature's intent. Sorrelo was the only bond-mate I chose to continue our bond with after we finished breeding—

Well, this is quickly becoming TMI—

But because Dragons are so prone to multiple mates, we have learned success lies in our actions. Male Dragons bring their potential Females offerings. They show off their prestige and power. Some may do so by battling another male—

"Wait, wait, wait…" Gale pinched the bridge of his nose. You want me to fight the jackass now?

Sycaña snarled so deeply, it vibrated through Gale's bones. Oh, you foolish egg. Displeasure poisoned their link. I am saying His Majesty is right. To show his daughter you are fond of her and would like to fly with her, you should show her through acts as mortals do. A Male Dragon would impress me with his kills. Sorrelo impressed me through the forest he reconstructed in my honor. Your Female is easily besotted through thoughtful gifts and actions. Use that. She huffed while Gale looked like an idea occurred to him. Honestly. Males would never have gotten this far without their dames.

"Gifts…and actions…" Gale echoed as he sat up. "That's right. I'm shit with my words—or well, romantic crap. But actions… I could do that. Maybe less on the gifts since love isn't materialistic. But little things, I could do." He grinned as he pushed himself to his feet. "Sycaña, you're a genius."

Sycaña snorted. Oh, am I now?

"Shut up; you know you are." Gale's eyes honed on Luna's bedroom window. I fucked up and didn't do things right. I know that. And I have a lot of apologies to dish out. And I know you'll brush them off and not believe me. So I'll show you I mean every word I say.

°•°•°•°

Virgo washed the pots while Aries dried. Snacks had been made with the dogs happily munching on scraps. Lucy was prepping for lunch since it would not be ready for a little while. She hollered up the staircase as Natsu came inside, "Kids! I have snacks ready!" she called. She wrinkled her nose when Natsu wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, gross, you're all sweaty."

"Didn't you tell me I smell good when I sweat?" Natsu teased.

Lucy snorted. "You can't use that against me. I say a lot of things when you're seducing me."

"I know." Natsu pouted. "Just like you told me you wanted me to…"

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

Lucy's face turned redder and redder the more Natsu whispered in her ears as Luna and Ena trickled down the steps. "Oh, look, our daughter and her friend!" Lucy blurted in a laugh. "You girls ready for snacks?"

Luna slowed her pace. "Um… Mama…? You okay?" she questioned. "You look a little, um…red."

"I'm fine, baby! Why don't I set you and Ena up with some snacks and Ena can tell me all about the dress she made me that I'm still dying to look at?" Lucy offered. As both girls agreed, Lucy hissed to Natsu under her breath, "And I did not say that, you pervert."

"You did." Natsu brushed his lips on her pulse. "Don't worry, Lucy. You'll say it again and I'll give it to you." He grinned. "Like always." With a smack on her butt, Natsu cackled as he darted away before Lucy could punch him, and went back outside.

Lucy grumbled as she fixed plates. "Lu, are you sure I can't replace your papa with someone else?" She set both plates out for the girls on the island while Luna got herself and Ena some glasses and sweet tea. "I know some very nice men who would treat me appropriately."

Luna giggled. "Mama, we've had this discussion." She set down the glasses on the island and began to pour. "I'm happy to kick Papa to the curb, but remember all those times you tried and we had to deal with him either picking fights with anything that moved or begging all of us to come back in." She and Lucy remembered as they envisioned the Chibi-Natsu sniveling against the glass like an abandoned puppy. "And I don't think I could handle the public shame of him popping up everywhere trying to come back home," Luna muttered, sweatdropping.

Lucy's eyebrow twitched as she remembered a pitiful Natsu following her around at the grocery store and startling customers. "Yeah… He has a habit of becoming annoying…" She flipped her hair. "Well, I guess he can stay. At least until you leave the house." She grinned. "Then, he can go live in the wilderness while I enjoy a comfy child-free retirement." Lucy and the girls laughed as Aries smiled to herself and exchanged a warm look with Virgo. "So, Miss Ena." She rubbed her hands together. "Can I finally try on the final production of my dress?"

Ena smiled. "Not yet, but soon," she promised. "Thanks to us heading out to The Shoppes, I finally have inspiration for the jewelry. Amber and Galileo are helping me out with the details and refinery, but once it's done, I promise you it will look amazing on you.

"I'm happy to hear it!" Lucy was about to go to the fridge, but Virgo quietly passed her over wine then passed a flute to Aries which both women thanked her for. "But, um… Who exactly is 'us' since Luna's grounded to Magnolia right now?"

Luna stiffened and sweated nervously, but Ena smoothly told, "Just me and friend of mine. He lives in NAC. His name is Carlisle." She turned to give Luna a subtle wink as Luna visibly relaxed. "We had a lot of fun and I got a lot of inspiration. But everyone's dresses and suits were already done and my mannequins have been really useful."

"Your powers are so cool, E," Luna groaned. "You can transform anything into anything. Your mannequins can be transformed into people."

Ena simpered. "Dummies of people," she informed. "And I have to have the mannequin in order to do it. I guess my Magic is cool. Not too many Mages or wizards, in general, can transform things with their minds\." She shrugged. "Just makes me different, I guess."

"Way to undersell yourself," Luna muttered as she nudged her best friend. "It makes you unique and I love that about you." She took a few bites of her snack.

Lucy leaned forward. "So are you taking the boy you kissed to the Fairy Tail Christmas Eve dance?" she asked, casual, as Luna's eyes widened and she choked on her food. "You really think we don't know you're up talking to someone at night?"

Luna coughed. "But…I took that call in the guild," she weakly defended. Her entire face paled as she realized, "Oh, no. Does Papa—?"

"Oh, yes," Lucy tittered as Luna sank in her seat. "He won't talk to you about it quite yet. I think he's hoping it's not true and you're just pranking him. But we both know that's not true."

"What's not true?"

Lucy looked over her shoulder. "Just Lu's… Hey… Where are your glasses?"

Luke touched his face to reveal those dark orbs naked without his glasses. He frowned. "I guess I didn't feel like I needed him," he supposed. "My eyes have been hurting a little, but they hurt less without the glasses." He moved around the kitchen to get a plate.

Lucy frowned. "We'll have to take you to the ophthalmologist then." She watched Luke go to the snacks and hurried to say, "Oh, Luke, wait, those snacks have meat in them. I have vegetarian snacks for you and Nashi."

"It's okay, Mom." Luke piled both meat and vegetarian snacks onto his plate. "A little meat won't hurt me."

Luna added, worried, "But won't you get sick? It's been a while since you've had meat—" But her worries were silenced when she saw Luke chomp down on the meat snacks without failure. "Or…maybe not?"

Finished, Luke lipped his lips. "That tastes so good…!" he praised in a groan. "Mom, if it's okay with you, I want to take my snacks to my room, so I can keep working, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, honey…" Lucy's brow furrowed. "That's fine…"

Luke beamed. "Thanks, Mom." He kissed her cheek before he headed up, but he paused two steps up the stairs. "I know you guys are having steaks tonight, but…could I have one too?"

"Luke," Lucy warned, "getting back to meat isn't easy. I don't want to overwhelm you—"

"I'll be fine. Just, um…" Luke turned to widen his beam for his mother. "Could you make my steak rare? This stuff is great medium, but rare meat tastes a lot better and fresher." He did not wait for an answer as he hopped up the steps without fail.

Lucy watched him go as she shook her head. I can't sense anything off. It's just a gut feeling. But one thing's for sure…something isn't right with my son.

---

Jaxton's apartment was not located in Magnolia. While Guild Provincial Law dictated a Mage of a guild must have a permanent residence within city limits, Jaxton had petitioned for an exception that Erza had gladly granted. Saint Tupelo's Institute of Arts was located in Sororia and forced their first years to live on campus. With Jaxton, he was the unlucky one to not get a dorm-room in time, but the university permitted him with a nice high-rise apartment two-bedroom. The apartment was pragmatic. No personal touches. In fact, it looked like it was barely used.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Jaxton's apartment in Sororia City. He currently lives alone as his former roommate withdrew two weeks into fall semester. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Jaxton was busy cooking, but there was soft R&B music coming from his room. The doorbell had rung and Jaxton wiped his hands before heading over to his front door and opening it. A man about the same height of Jaxton with less muscle and a hoodie-jersey was on the other side with a package in hand. The man smirked as he and Jaxton did their handshake. "Damn. I was hopin' ya girlfriend was gonna answer."

⌜SAINT TUPELO'S INSTITUTION OF ARTS

Name: Roderick "Ricky" Boseman

Age: 18

Occupation: Second Year Student in Graphic Arts and Computer Animation with a minor in Tuba Performance

Likes: psychological thriller anime Dislikes: raw fish

Special Note: Ricky aspires to be an animator for a Cipanguese animation studio one day! He's even helped clean-up animation for a few indie studios!⌟

Jaxton softly punched Ricky in the stomach and, when Ricky stumbled back, Jaxton took his package. "That was the first and last time you see her in a towel." He stepped aside. "Come on in. I'm making lunch."

Ricky cheered and rubbed his hands. "Thank you, thank you, my brotha, you know how to treat me well."

"He's a natural-born caretaker," Tesla announced as she came into the room with her PAL with her oversized sweater that went down to her upper thighs showing some bare shoulder and her cute Magia slippers. "And that's what I love about him." She went over to kiss Jaxton sweetly. "But he's right. That was time you get to see in wet and in a towel…for free." She giggled when Jaxton muscled her onto his front and gave her a deeper kiss.

Ricky cursed. "Dayum. How many bones I gotta shell out for just another peak? A thousand? Two thousand? Ouch!" He patted down his low afro. "Girl, don't touch the hair. Just got my fade done."

Tesla plucked at his curls to pick out some white things of lint. "What you need to do is take care of your hair," she muttered. "I told you you had breakage and I bet your barber said the same thing. Have you been using the pillowcase I got you?"

"No." Ricky pouted. "Roommate told me I looked stupid."

Tesla planted her hands on Ricky's shoulders and, like she did with her boyfriend, she had to tip her head way up for their eyes to meet. "Tell the dumbass if he wants to pay for your hair care, he's gotta go through me." She brushed his low afro. "Because ladies aren't going to fawn all over a tuba player with smelly ass hair lookin' all kinky and breakin' off."

Ricky grinned. "Ladies love tuba players," he boasted. "I could've gotten a scholarship all the way in the USM—!"

"Here we go," Tesla muttered.

"—and be a sousa player and I'd have those dancing dolls all over me," Ricky finished with pride. "Women here just ain't ready for all of this."

Jaxton laughed as he slapped Ricky on the back and the poor guy nearly fell over. "Maybe try hitting the gym with me more and you'll find the ladies are ready for all this," he said in good humor.

Ricky brushed off Jaxton to wrap an arm around Tesla's shoulders. "Tesla, do you hear this disrespect?" Ricky asked, aghast. "I don't need any more improvement on all of this, okay? Right, baby?"

Tesla swatted Ricky off her. "You know, every time you talk, it just makes more and more sense you were a black boy raised in a whitey white neighborhood," she said dryly. She beamed at Jaxton. "Lunch smells really good. Anything I can do to help?"

But Rick's jaw had dropped and he watched Tesla merrily pad to the kitchen. "Your girlfriend is vile," he told Jaxton with his drawl gone. "Did you hear that? Did you hear what she said to me? And she just dismisses me like that!"

Jaxton chuckled as he steered Jackie in the direction of the kitchen. "I heard her. But you do lay it on a little thick when you try to flirt," he admitted with a hint of teasing.

"That's 'cause ladies love the accent," Ricky complained. He puttered into the kitchen and planted himself on a barstool. "You don't know how embarrassing it is when girls come up to you at bars, thinking you're some sort of basketball playing 'brother' or something from the 'hood' or wherever, and out of my mouth comes all this enunciation and that I'm a weeb who plays tuba for funsies."

"Weebs are the shit though and will take over the world and you can quote me on that." Tesla had overtaken the kitchen fairly quickly with her sleeves rolled up as she tended to the wok. "I'm an otaku girl, honey, and I still get guys." She smiled innocently when Jaxton narrowed his eyes. "But I have the perfect man already, so I have no one to impress outside of him."

Jaxton hummed then muttered to Ricky while cleaning the used dishes, "Conventions are a nightmare. The pictures are fine, but people request hugs and get more than friendly with her."

Tesla said lightly, "And if you think it's a picnic for me that my boyfriend is a certified bishōnen and people stare at you and take pictures of you all the time, you are sorely mistaken." She glanced at Ricky. "Just be yourself. I keep telling you to come to conventions. Your cosplays are amazing. You can come with Jaxton and me to Comic Con'nichiwa in January. I'm doing a panel and there will be plenty of women half-naked and there's a pool night rave with two-hundred jewel drinks…" she sang to sweeten the deal.

Ricky groaned. "It's not that fun to go to cons alone," he lamented.

"Well, no, but you'll have Jax with you for a little bit since he likes to do to the dealer's room and check out the more debate-ish panels," Tesla promised. "And the point of cons is to make friends. Meet like-minded people? Have kinky orgies, be your freaky self, geek out over your favorite character being cosplayed, and buy those big ass glasses of alcohol?"

Ricky took that into account. "Maybe," he told her. "I'll think about it. If my cosplay can be in good shape, then sure." He looked over at Jaxton. "You guys are heading to a party tonight, right? Do you need me to be designated driver? Oh, wait." He nudged Jaxton with a teasing grin. "Mister Mom over here will make sure Tes makes it back to his place in one piece. Man, I never see you drink."

"Because that one"—Jaxton pointed at his girlfriend who feigned a gasp—"loves to drink."

"Well, if you did want to drink, then I wouldn't drink," Tesla countered.

Ricky snickered. "Yeah, you say that, but didn't you try to DD for Jackie, me, and the boys and you ended up drinking more than most of us?"

"Um…" Tesla smiled sheepishly. "Second time's the charm?"

Jaxton shook his head. "It's fine. Even when we're out, Ricky, I'd still prefer not to drink and keep my head clear. Someone has to be responsible and make sure you don't sleep on my couch and invade my privacy."

Tesla cackled while Ricky felt his skin heat as he defended, "I said I was sorry! I was hungover and sleep-deprived! And who has sex in the shower?" He glared when Tesla raised her hand. "You guys are disgusting. How does that even work? Water isn't even a lubricant."

"Oh, believe me, it's not," Tesla assured. In a purr, she added, "But you don't have to have sex directly underneath the spray. There's a whole 'lotta shower left."

Ricky waved a hand at her. "Have some decency, ma'am, please." He reached over to whack Jaxton on the arm. "And put a sock on the door or something and I won't go barging in on your private time."

"Yes." Jaxton turned to dry the plates. "I'll remember to put a sock on my own bathroom in my own apartment for privacy when you're over." He looked over to Tesla. "¿Tenemos que pasar por su lugar antes de que vayamos a la casa de Miles esta noche?"

Tesla hummed thoughtfully as she turned off the heat on the stove. "No. Empaqué mi traje para la fiesta en mi bolsa de noche." She tossed him a dirty smirk. "¿Estás listo?"

Jaxton set down the dish he was drying to go over to Tesla and kiss right below her ear and reveled in her little breathless giggle. "Zhǐyào women jīnwǎnwán,wǒjiùwánle," he murmured.

"Suí nǐ de biàn"—Tesla turned around as her eyes flicked to his mouth and her hands slid up his chest—"Daddy."

Ricky coughed loudly in efforts to break up the couple, but it was in vain with them in their own little world. "Hey, Minstrish-speaking single guy in the room here trying not to third wheel!" he called. "Unless you guys are turning this into a throuple?"

Jaxton threw back his head for a sincere chortle while Tesla snorted. "Ricky, chile, you wouldn't be able to handle Jang-ta, let alone me," she guaranteed. "But you're right." She tried to slide away from Jaxton and batted away his hands when he made a grab for her. "You're over and it's rude to be all PDA-ing and talking other languages with a guest over." She targeted her words directly to her boyfriend with one of those don't-test-me looks that had him amusedly back down. "Lunch is ready. Hope you like shrimp stir-fry."

"Gimme, gimme, gimme…!" Ricky demanded ravenously. "I haven't eaten all day with us pressing out a new episode! I'm so nervous!"

Tesla went over to grab some plates while Jaxton murmured something in her ear and moved out of the kitchen. "Which YouViewer is this for again? Is this the webcomic adaptation you're working on or is this for other students?" She began to dish out portions onto the plates. "I remember you were telling me about something or other."

Ricky seemed to wait until Jaxton was out of sight until he turned to Tesla and said lowly, "I'll tell you in a sec. I just wanted to know how you're doing."

"How am I doing?" Tesla let out a laugh. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Ricky frowned. "I mean… You might be here at Jackie's apartment often, but you're here pretty much half the week, right? And I don't know… You don't look like you've been getting a lot of rest and not in the 'he's rocking my world' way, but more like the emotional way."

"Well, gee, thanks," Tesla appreciated sarcastically. She went over to get a fork for her but chopsticks for Ricky and Jaxton. "I know I'm not looking my best, but it's just exhaustion. It's been pretty intense these past of couple of weeks and the holidays always hit hard since I don't really have family to go back to." Ricky muttered his thanks as she gifted him his plate and chopsticks before she went to the fridge to find a drink. "Not like I celebrated holidays to begin with, but, you know. Restaurant's getting busy, so I'm cooking in-between practices and all."

Ricky was unconvinced. "Tes, if something's happened and you need someone to talk to…"

Tesla froze then whirled Ricky with an incredulous look. "Jaxton wouldn't—!"

"Oh, no! Nonononono, that's not what I'm implying," Ricky scrambled to rectify. "I mean, of course, if he was, I'd do everything I could to make sure you were safe and protected, but—no. That's not what I mean." He glanced around (though it was comical because it was so obvious he was checking for Jaxton) and whispered, "Are you…you know…with child?"

Tesla blinked. "What."

"You know…" Ricky swallowed. "Do you have a Blalan bun in the oven?"

Tesla slowly set her hands down on the counter as she tried to process this. "Roderick Boseman, are you asking if I'm pregnant?"

"Not so loud!" Ricky hissed as he glanced around again. "I mean…yeah, that's what I'm asking, but if you're not comfortable sharing, I won't tell Jackie—"

"Ricky, I promise you I'm pregnant," Tesla spoke up with a shake of her head. "All my exhaustion and stuff? Not from pregnancy."

"Are you sure?" Ricky wanted to double-check. "I could always get you a pregnancy test—"

"My IUD and I are very much sure," Tesla cut him off. "No babies. No Blalan in my stomach. But thanks for being this considerate." She winked at him as she grabbed a glass and poured herself some lemonade. "I'm doing to be child-free until the day I die, but if I accidentally get pregnant, you'll be the first guy I come to."

Ricky sighed in relief. "Well, that's good. About the 'not pregnant' thing. And the child-free thing so you don't contribute to overpopulation."

"Ricky?"

"Yeah?"

"What did I tell you about your mouth?"

Ricky stopped. Then, he grumbled as he picked at his food, "Only my mouthpiece should be there, not my foot." He took a bite of his stir-fry. "You know, you act just like my mom sometimes."

"And I can whoop your ass with a wooden spoon and a flip flop and give you a BMW any day of the week just like her," Tesla assured, smiling when Ricky grimaced at the memories. "Eat your food, boy. I'm gonna check on my sugar daddy." She padded away.

"If that's a euphemism for sex, can you at least play some music so I'm not scarred?" Ricky called.

Tesla ignored him as she went past the living room and down the hall. The Jaxton's bedroom door was open and was in pristine condition with his black, white, and gray color scheme he enjoyed. But the other bedroom door was closed. She knocked thrice before she peaked in. "Jaxton…?" she called in a singsong voice. "Are you eating?" She opened the door a little further to see the office Jaxton had set himself up with a little bookcase filled with relevant books to his major and even a pullout couch for guests. Nothing was out of place, but Jaxton was not there either. She frowned. "Jaxton?"

"What's"—Tesla screeched—"wrong?"

Panting, Tesla whirled around to see a confused Jaxton standing there. "Jesus, you scared me," she scolded, though breathless. "Where were you?"

Jaxton jerked a thumb to the down the hall. "Bathroom. Why? Everything okay?"

"It's fine." Tesla embraced him. "Just wanted to round you up for lunch so we can freak out Ricky with the filthiness that is our sex lives."

Jaxton hugged her back and Tesla smiled when his laugh vibrated within his chest. "I wouldn't want to miss that," he jested lightly as he rocked them side to side. "Just remember for this party—"

"I know, I know…" Tesla drawled. She looked up to him and accepted the chaste kiss he delivered to her. "I'm allowed to drink to get tipsy but not drunk so we can still have playtime and if I get drunk, I get punished." She sassed him by sticking out her tongue and batted at his chest. "You're so strict in public."

"You like the rules and structure," Jaxton reminded her.

Tesla sighed dramatically. "I do, don't I? Must be all those Daddy issues catching up to bite me."

Jaxton's smile faltered at that as he feathered her cheek with his hands. "Are you sure you're up for a party?" He needed to know this. He needed to know her truth on this. "They'd understand if you wanted to stay home. We could stay here. You and Ricky and I could play Band Hero, watch some horror movies, watch Night Out…" He smiled a little when Tesla leaned into his touch with a smile of her own.

"I'm up for it," Tesla promised. "I need some normalcy. I don't want to give that up just because some crazy lady thinks I'm her cousin."

"Tesla…"

"Jaxton…" Tesla said his name firmly. "Until I get a DNA test, she's still a stranger to me." She raised a finger to his lips to shush him when he tried to speak. "I told you what I told her. That's my final word and I'm sticking to it. Hǎo ma?"

"Hǎo ba," Jaxton supposed.

Tesla hummed. "Xièxiè." She patted his chest. "Now, let's go eat and torment your friend." She began to guide him away and he happily followed as he reached for the doorknob to pull the door shut. But just for a split second, his eyes scanned his office. And in that split second, the entire office wavered to reveal a black briefcase on his desk. But the briefcase vanished when he turned away and shut the door.

---

The house Silver approached was in more suburban Magnolia. It was a bigger house, but for the chaos of the triplets unleashed within it, it was a necessary evil to get a bigger home. Silver smiled to himself when he heard Lisanna relentlessly chasing after one of her sons. He stepped up to the door and rang the doorbell before knocking. He did not have to wait long when Lisanna opened the door, breathless. "Oh, Silver," she greeted pleasantly. "Come in, come in!" She stepped aside for him to enter as she said, "Are you here for Paige?"

Silver toed off his shoes. "Yeah. Just…wanted to check on how she's doing."

Lisanna growled when she heard something shatter in the living room before turning back to Silver in slight apology. "Sorry, kiddo, but Paige isn't here. She went on her last job for some spending money for our family trip—Poseidon!" she shouted when she heard ceramic shatter. "If you broke one of my plates again, you will not be seeing Lacrima-games for a while!" A heavy sigh escaped her when her son shouted back he did nothing wrong it was his brother Pim's fault. "As you can see, the triplets are excited to see all their cousins." She threw him a smile as she whispered, "But I think they're more excited about giving Libby her presents. Freed, Justin, and Libby are going back to Libby's home country for a few days and for the actual Christmas Day, so the boys have been all geared up about which present she'll like the most."

Silver chortled. "She has her own fan club."

"She's a heart breaker," Lisanna tittered. "Freed's little ladybug is the center of his and Justin's world. She has everyone wrapped around her finger. Even that cat of hers." She and Silver both winced when something big thudded to the ground. "Well, I need to make sure the triplets didn't break anything valuable, but you're more than welcome to stay."

"Actually, um… Could I go see Penelope?" Silver asked hesitantly. "I have some questions for her."

Lisanna nodded. "Of course," she assured. "She's in her room meditating. She's been working on some project for Master." She shook her head, smiling. "So young, but her mind is like—"

BOOM!

Instant crying.

A tick mark banged against Lisanna's temple. "Would you excuse me?"

Silver shook his head in amusement as Lisanna stormed off as she shouted to her sons she prayed they were not getting into mischief. He helped himself up the stairs and to the second floor. You would think Penelope and Paige would share a room as the triplets did, but each sister got their own room with the freedom to decorate everything from their door to their walls. He stopped briefly at Paige's door divided into the animal souls she had collected and the animals she wanted to collect. Moving forward, he went to Penelope's door that was, for the most part, blank except for her little mail pouch that hung on her door and a request for silence. He knocked thrice.

"Penelope?" Silver called softly. "It's Silver. I know you're busy—"

The door creaked open. "Come in."

Silver pushed his way inside only to be taken back at the inside of Penelope's room. "Wow…" His awe was justified when a normal bedroom had become the center of the universe. Stars in their black backdrop dotted everywhere. Some were in formation with constellations while others kept to themselves. Below Silver's feet was their solar system in the distance. He saw the burning weight of the sun and the planets as they trekked their orbit. He reached out to touch a vortex and the thing rippled before eating itself up and exploding. "This is so cool…"

"Thank you." There resided Penelope with her glasses off and eyes shut as she bobbed up and down, legs crisscrossed. She reached out a hand and her glasses were summoned. "Aunt Lucy taught me this spell for meditation purposes and I like it." With her glass on her face, she kept up her levitation, but she did look at him with those pale red eyes. "You soul seems troubled. Sit."

Silver tried to step over an asteroid belt and sat down. He could feel the ground physically and understood this was an illusion, but he was still enchanted. "I guess I'm just a little confused," he admitted.

"Is this about Paige?"

"Yes." Silver paused. "Yes and no, I think." A sigh. "I don't know. It's all weird. And I know Paige is in her own space and needs her space, so I'm giving it to her, but…"

Penelope tipped her head. "But what?" When Silver hesitated, Penelope went on: "Your soul has been troubled since Margaret Town. Does it have something to do with your magical imbalance?"

Silver blinked in surprise. "You can feel that?"

"Yes," Penelope told him. "Your natural Magic is still strong. But I can see into your soul of your imbalance. Do you want me to correct it?"

"You can do that?" Silver breathed. "How?"

Penelope took off her glass and shut her eyes. "Allow me." She shifter her hands as they flowed through the air like they were doing some sort of dance.

Silver watched half-amazed and half-befuddled as the illusion shifted and drop so only the ocean surrounded them. He had to smile when a school of fish passed right through his body. A whale pod was moving in while a few magical Abaia zipped through the water like nothing. "This is incredible," he murmured.

"Close your eyes," Penelope commanded as her hands whirled in the air like a shamanistic ritual. "Allow me to correct your soul's imbalance.

Silver nodded and did as she asked. Eyes shut, he could still hear the ocean around him. The echoes of the whales calling to each other. The puttering flippers of a hurried Mazomba (a giant fish with five eyes). The underwater scrawl of a Shachihoko. It encompassed him, but not like white noise. It was a comfort to him. He felt at peace with it.

"How did this imbalance come to be?" Penelope's voice wafted over him like a gentle wave.

Silver frowned as his jumbled memories he suppressed came forward with such a smooth ease. It was like the memory was projecting in front of him. He could see the horrible concrete prison. He could remember the feeling of his Magic gone, contained. He remembered those eyes that gave no second thoughts to life or death. "I was kidnapped." The words came out like lead. "Hunters took me away. That's what my mom told me. But… But one of them took me away from everyone else."

His eyes widened and he could see the strange woman snaking before him with that chiding smirk on her face. "She took me away. She said…something was inside me…and she wanted it out."

The ocean waving around Penelope and Silver dropped leagues to show the trenches of the sea. The illusion spun the table of the deep ocean in its darkness where parasites and the homely fish lived and breathed. A deep-seated cold touched the room. It did not bother Penelope, but a chilling breath escaped Silver.

"They…hurt me…" Silver felt ice in his veins and the chill of the ocean prickled his skin like uncomfortable needles. "They beat me."

Penelope kept twirling her hands until her Magic pulsed around her body and whipped around like ribbons. "Your soul was untouched, but your spirit was forced to grow," she told him. "That's your imbalance. A soul and spirit should grow at the same time."

"She did something to me." It stung like a bitch to say that, to remember it. But he felt that invasive Magic throttle into his body. He felt it root around him and touch him like Magic should not. It felt wrong and sickening as it latched onto him and expanded. "She… She…" Silver let out another chilling exhale dancing in frost as the deep ocean dragged him down into his depths, into an abyss none could return to. But he heard it. He heard the rumble. A rumble that turned into a growl. He felt something slither around him. Eyes… Something was watching him. Something was close!

Silver's eyes snapped open to see a glowing pair of eyes large and rooted to his being. "Penelope!" he screamed.

And that did it.

The entire illusion shattered into particles. Away went the deep ocean and the freezing temperature. Away went the glowing eyes. Instead, Penelope and Silver abruptly landed on the floor of Penelope's room. It was a medium-sized bedroom filled with texts and a DAL and a bed and dresser, but as far as personal items, none really existed in this bedroom. Silver cupped a hand over his mouth when his body lurched. Penelope summoned a little trash can for him, and he shakily wretched into it, coughing and sputtering all the while.

Penelope got up and adjusted her glasses. "Well, then. It seems I cannot correct the imbalance within you."

Silver coughed and spat out anything left to croak, "Wh-Wh-Wh-What does that mean?"

"It means, while this imbalance was not originally caused by you, it has now manifested itself into something even larger because of you." Penelope came over to Silver and crouched down to rub his back. "I am sorry, Silver, but no healer will be able to correct your imbalance. Now that you have enforced it, you must correct it."

Silver spat again then panted, "And how"—PANT!—"do I do"—PANT!—"that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Penelope waved a hand and floating in her palm were the two glowing eyes from the illusion. She showed it to him. "These eyes are what triggered your intense emotions. Find these eyes and it'll correct your imbalance."

"But…" Silver nodded his thanks when Penelope summoned wipes with a flick of her wrist. He wiped his mouth and gathered his bearings. "What if I don't want to?"

Penelope did not even stop to think over her words. She just said them and Silver could feel his blood freeze. "Permanent imbalance with no correction causes the user to be consumed in endless despair," she told him, monotone. "If you continue on with this imbalance with no effort to correct it, you will know nothing outside of the addiction to despair and anger." Her hands wriggled as the eyes melted into crystal clear water that fluttered through her fingertips.

DRIP.

"So what will you choose, Silver?"

DROP.

Pale red reflected the water. "Because either way…"

DRIP.

Silver's nails scraped against the wood floors to curl into a fist.

DROP.

"…whichever path you take…"

DRIP.

"…will bring you immense sorrow."

DROP.

---

Eloa stretched from the comfort of her office. Even though it was the middle of the week, she had the luxury of a gentle reprieve from office life and worked from home today while her husband was off doing who-knows-what. A few of the cats and a senior cocker spaniel had taken up residence in her office just for naps and the comfort of their person by their side. Eloa had put on zen music to keep her calm and focused and keep the animals happy and sound asleep, but her calmness went out the window when she received a Com-call from the one person she wanted to avoid.

"Hello," she answered coldly when the line connected.

A barking laugh. "Come now, Eloa, no need to act all hostile."

"Robert"—Eloa crossed her legs—"if this isn't a work-related call, you know better than to call my work Compact."

"Well, it is a work-related call," Robert assured her. "Bossman wants us on a conference call in fifteen. Everyone else but you accepted the request."

"Because I'm not needed in this conference call," Eloa told him bluntly, "and, ironically, no one else in my department received an invitation for the conference call. So this was a simple mistake and I'll continue doing my work. Thank you." She ended the call with a dragged-out sigh. "Maybe… I should just try and quit again." She checked her Compact for the time, but her eyes shifted to the background photo of herself, Bowie, and Peter on Peter's first day of primary school with his cheeks rosy as he clung to his adoptive mother.

It seems like yesterday he was so little. Now he's grown up. Her gaze went to her home DAL and logged on. It did not take her long to get to her pictures, but a locked folder revealed a younger Eloa with bouncier hair as she laughed alongside a woman with golden hair. Jean… I know this is what you wanted… You didn't want him to have powers… But what would you do now that he does? Are we doing the right thing? Another sigh escaped her as her dark eyes dimmed a little. I wish we had had more time with you and Alex. There are so many questions he's going to have. I just wish we had answers for him or knew someone who could.

°•°•°•°

The hospital looked like a very unique hotel to most people who passed by it with glass towers rising up from a triangular base. But the ambulances and the emergency in blaring red letters gave it away as a clinic. It housed three green roofs and a plethora of plants as well. There was never a slow day at the hospital and, with it being the holiday season, it seemed like there were more and more patients arriving due to silly accidents resulted from getting frisky with holiday spirit and overeager children. Taking away the holiday season, it was closing in at the end of the year and everyone and their mother was bound and determined to get in their last appointments of the year be it a physical or a medication check-in.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Xerion Private Hospital located primarily in Margaret Town, but it has several other hospitals in other cities. Xerion Hospitals employ a majority of Alkahests and other Healers alongside Spiritless clinicians. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Peter had never been to this hospital and he doubted he ever would, considering the number of magical finesse clinicians gave to their patients. It was fascinating as well as nerve-wracking to be around so much magical energy and he took it in stride. He waited in the lounge that was crammed full of older patients and many young adults, all who were trying to get their testing done before the year ended and insurance could potentially run out. Peter had already let the medical receptionist know and after she promised he would be alerted, he took his seat and played with his Compact. He brightened when Mary Jane texted him back.

« Sorry. Good morning. Or well, afternoon? It's been really great so far! Veronika has this nanny named Miss Chelsea and we've been doing a lot of stuff with Ivan and Lisa! »

Peter typed back:

« That's great! Is your sister still not going outside? »

Mary Jane immediately typed back:

« Not too much. She came to the courtyard and to the store, but she stayed in the car. »

« Which is fine! I don't mean to come off like it's not fine. I know she's nervous leaving her home, so I'm so proud of her! »

« She even agreed to let us to MagiaLand on Friday night for the new Friendship is Magic show, but… »

Peter frowned.

« But what? »

The bubble came, then went, came, went and then they came again.

« I don't know. I don't want her to force herself, yaknow? She's stressed enough b »

« but (sorry I sent by accident) she won tickets to MagiaLand from Jennababy's contest since she's performing live with another singer tomorrow »

« I don't know. I just feel like we're pushing her. »

Peter was quick to soothe her:

« If she's really determined to go, maybe make it easy on her? One of my cousins has severe anxiety, so when we go out to places, he has an anxiety whistle if he gets lost and can't communicate to anyone. He has his emergency inhaler and even a card to give to someone about his name and who to call if he goes through an attack and we're not close to him. »

« Does she have anything like that? »

« She has an inhaler, but I can buy a whistle for her and make a card. I just want her to have a positive experience and hopefully that'll convince her to come to the lodge »

« Are you SURE you want to come? »

« Positive, Sweets. Wouldn't miss it for the world. But you'll have to protect me from your dad »

Mary Jane laughed at the message.

« Deal. Oh, I gotta go. Lisa's calling. You're at the hospital today, right? Good luck. And don't be afraid to ask questions. I'll talk to you later »

« Wait, Sweets, before you go, I have something to say »

A few seconds.

« What? »

Peter smiled.

« I like you »

It took a full minute until Mary Jane's message came through.

« I like you too. »

« I miss you »

« You'll see me this weekend, silly, and it's only been two days »

« Doesn't mean I don't miss you like crazy. And I have a very important question to ask you this weekend, remember? »

Two minutes.

« I know. »

« And I think I already know my answer »

« Gotta go. Bye! Good luck! »

Peter chuckled to himself when Mary Jane sent him a hwaiting oppa sticker as an animated girl waved her pompoms. "Thanks, sweets."

"Mister Shuusei-Thompson?"

Peter lifted his head to see a medical assistant was waving at him and he got up. After a few muted hellos, the nurse led Peter passed the door and into the back. Some patients were getting weighed and measured in height while others were guided to the rooms or just stepped out of them to make a follow-up appointment. Medical personnel flitted about, some with papers, some with tablets. But Peter was not the average patient. Rather than be guided into a doctor's office, Peter bypassed that to end up in the conference room for this department. He was settled in, declined any food or drink, and waited. And as he waited in the conference room, he took a look around. Books filled the shelves with medical knowledge with the certifications from every nurse and physician in this department. Countless awards had been given to Doctor Mothersbaugh for his innovative work in Alkahestry.

He really knows his stuff, Peter mused. One particular award caught his eye and made him get up. The plaque had a picture as well as Doctor Mothersbaugh thanked the presenter alongside a beautiful woman with flaxen hair, freckles, and such. He reached out and traced her with a finger.

CREEEEEEAK…

Peter jumped back. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't—!"

"No need to make excuses." Noah Mothersbaugh walked in with his hands in his lab coat and his Aceso by his side. He nodded towards the portrait. "You'd be right. That's your mother Jean."

Peter jerkily nodded and looked back at the picture. "What was she like?"

Noah sighed as he took a seat at the head of the conference room table. "She was brilliant," he commented. "She was humble about it though. She never liked to try and outshine anyone else, even though she easily did. She had that stupid smile on her face all the damn time no matter how bad her situation got." He shook his head. "Like a fool."

Peter had drifted closer with every word spoken and took a seat to Noah's left. He tried asking a question when the Aceso nudged him and Peter obliged in scratching under its chin. "What else?"

"She was a horrible dancer." Noah snorted. "She was embarrassing when she came to functions as my prized student. Had two left feet. She was beautiful, but she was a horrible dancer and singer. She had horrible, tacky t-shirts she'd wear to my classes." He shook his head. "Eloa gave her some much-needed fashion sense."

Peter laughed a little. "Yeah. Mom's a stickler for looking presentable, but she'll go out in her silk cap in the morning to get the mail." A beat. "Was Jean…my mother… Was she close to my mom? Really?"

"As close as you could get," Noah told. "They were sorority sisters. From what Jean told me when she droned on all the damn time, Eloa was finding it tough to fit in since she didn't fit the mold for many sororities, even the black sororities. Jean was supposed to be in some sorority she would have been a legacy in, but she didn't want that life for herself. She wanted to be something else than her family's legacy. Both of them joined this really small sorority and became friends while they were pledges. And Jean couldn't shut up about her."

Peter could not help the ridiculous smile on his face. "Really?"

Noah sat back. "Oh, yes. Your mother might have been humble and quiet to others, but she talked my damn ear off," he muttered. "Told me everything that was going on in her life."

"And…what was her life like?"

Noah looked at Peter and could not help but say the truth. "Her life wasn't bad, but it wasn't a cakewalk either," he informed. "She went to Alexandria due to her family. She was constantly controlled by them and their ambitions for her. Alkahestry ran in the family, but it was through the men in the family, not the women. She was the first woman to have Alkahestry. So she had a lot of expectations to fulfill. And she hated them." He took off his glasses to wipe them with his lab coat. "Boy, did she hate those expectations."

"What was she expected to do?"

"Oh, the usual." Noah checked the one lens then moved onto the next. "You should know about Magic Bloodlines. Since Alkahestry ran with the men of the family, the men could choose their wives without even thinking about it. But for Jean? She was pressured into marrying an Alkahest husband. Her parents, from what I recall of them, were fearful if she married someone Spiritless or a wizard, they'd lose Alkahestry in their bloodline. And since they couldn't have another child, it was important for Jean to carry on the Alkahestry lineage." He put back on his glasses.

Peter furrowed his brow. "But what would it matter who she marries if Magic is all inherited?"

"You'll need to know this, so pay attention," Noah said. "Magic is just like genetics with dominant and recessive genes. The reason there was a whole purity civil war between the unions of Spiritless and Wizards was because many Spiritless feared marrying a Wizard meant their child would be a Wizard while Wizards had the opposite thinking. Marrying a Spiritless meant your child didn't inherit your magical powers. And even with magical powers being inherited, it didn't guarantee it was your powers your child inherited." He reached down and the Aceso nuzzled his hand.

"A Fire Mage and a Magician could get married. Being a Magician is much more common than being a Mage since Magicianry requires knowledge of spells across the board and channeling that power through a Magic Instrument rather than Mage Magic that deals with more physical, emotional, and mental stress. Magicianry would be more dominant than Mage Magic and be passed down. But let's say this Magician came from a Spiritless immediate family and got their powers from a grandparent. It's then more than likely for the kids to be Spiritless then have Magicianry in comparison to all of them having Mage Magic."

"I see," Peter said, thoughtful. "It really is like the genetics stuff we learned about in biology. Just on a whole 'nother level. So if Jean, my mother, was pressured into it, but Alex, my father, was an Alchemist, does that mean she got disowned from the family?"

Noah nodded sagely. "She did," he said softly. "Her family removed her from the line and a cousin took over as heir. Even though he didn't have Alkahestry, without your mother, he was the closest who could hold the line."

"What…happened to Jean's family then?" Peter asked haltingly. "Are they still around?"

"I'm not sure," Noah confessed. "I haven't seen any of them in any of the Triple A meetings or been alerted of an enrollee. As far as I'm aware, you would be the sole heir. But with your mother removed, you have no connection that family, even with blood. Do you understand?"

Peter swallowed. "Yeah, I get it."

Noah took a moment to read Peter's face. "I know it's not an easy thing to hear that any blood you have out there isn't the most welcoming, but it's for the best. With you having Alchemy and Alkahestry, there's no telling what schemes that family would have you roped into just to reestablish themselves. Having two types of Magic on any grounds is rare. Mages practicing outside their true Magic, Magicians who have a specialty—it puts severe stress on the body. For you to have Alkahestry and Alchemy, you're listed as a canonical rarity. You'd be in a revolving door of those who want to use you shaking your hand and promising things that are too good to be true."

"I figured." Peter sat all the way back in his chair. "You warned me enough. I've already gotten a bunch of letters from all these schools—"

"Under the last name your adoptive parents have given you, yes," Noah cut in.

"What are my biological parents' last names?" Peter wanted to know.

Noah shook his head, however. "I took the same vow your adoptive parents took," he regarded with a little bit of regret. "We can't reveal too much about your parents without breaking that vow and the vow is unbreakable." He went into his inner jacket pocket when Peter faltered. "But… While we might have taken the vow, it doesn't mean others haven't." He pulled out a piece of paper and slid it to Peter.

Peter took it up instantly. "Who is this?"

"A professor at Alexandria College." Noah nodded towards the paper. "I know you've most likely received countless offers, but I know Alexandria College made an offer to you as well. I won't skew you in any direction. The professor did promise no matter which school you went to, they'd like to speak with you. This particular professor in Alchemy studies Alchemical theory and philosophy. From what I understand, they didn't take the oath."

"They didn't?" That put a whole new perspective on this. "Why?"

"I'm not sure," Noah admitted, "but I know they aren't related to your parents nor a friend to them. I never taught them and they weren't a professor or else they would have taken the oath as well."

Peter looked at the card and read the name:

DR. AMBROSE FLAMEL, Ac.D, MD

Peter looked up at Doctor Mothersbaugh. "What else can you tell me about Alexandria College?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Lance was seated in a lobby with friendly concierge and ticket masters. It was afternoon and the museum was closing up for the evening. The lobby portrayed murals of the past with a carefully crafted chandelier to give light to everything. Guests were exiting with their coats from a small little girl in a puffy jacket raving about how the first king was stupid to ally with Minstrel to a pair of young adults who wanted to come back again and check out a new exhibit that had just opened up before the holidays. It looked like a field trip had been taken. A school of middle schoolers were leaving in their paired groups and chaperones and excitedly murmured how they could not wait for their own winter break.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Natural History Museum at Kinnikinnik under the control of the National History Museum of Crocus. All the history museums how members of the Archeological Society as historians, directors, archivists, conservators, and curators. A new exhibit featuring newly recovered artwork from the original indigenous people who lived in Fiore opened up. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Mister Dreyar?"

Lance rose with a smile to see a young man appropriated him with a mole under his eye and a contractor short mohawk for a man with such prestige in his clothing. "Hi. That's me." He shook the man's hands. "And you must be Doctor Thomas Crittenden?"

"That's me." Thomas shook Lance's hand with a beam. "It's very nice to meet you!"

⌜ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Name: Thomas Crittenden

Age: 28

Occupation: Historian at the National History Museum at Kinnikinnik

Likes: true crime videos Dislikes: spiders

Special Note: Thomas is a good friend of Levy's and both get along brilliantly with their short problems!⌟

"Misses Redfox said you'd be dropping in on us today," Thomas said. "Thanks for being able to come so late. I know it's a busy time of the year, but unfortunately, for us historians, this is the perfect time for all is us to catch up on work and articles. I was actually speaking to one of the directors about the next site I have to go to."

Lance followed Thomas to the EMPLOYEES ONLY double door as Thomas swiped his badge. "Doesn't Levy go on a bunch of excavations too?"

"She does," Thomas said as he led Lance down the hall and to an elevator. Pressing the button, he added, "She was pretty absent with her children, I believe, but with her children almost all being adults, she has a lot more time to come onsite to work with the society. Her husband comes along too, but…" He laughed a little nervously as the elevator door opened. "I have to admit. He terrifies me when he smiles."

Lance agreed as both men stepped into the elevator, "Yeah. He does have a little bit of a terrifying smile."

Thomas pressed a button to the third floor and up they went. "But anyway, she did forward me all the information she took from you." He frowned. "I did some research and consulted with some colleagues, but I'm not sure if I found what you're looking for." The elevator opened its jaw on the third floor to an open floor to a few offices. "Unfortunately, the sketch artist who works with us from time to time is on vacation, or else I would have invited them to give you a better picture of what you've seen."

"That's okay." Lance nodded his thanks when Thomas opened his office to him. "I'm just happy we have an idea."

Thomas looked unconvinced. "Well, maybe…" He froze when he realized how messy his office was with a few artifacts in glass sealed cases and papers and binders scattered. "Excuse the mess!" He cleared off the guest chair to set his binders onto the floor. "Sorry, sorry! I've been doing some other research for a possible new exhibit and I haven't had the chance to clean up."

"Levy's office looks just like this sometimes, so it's okay," Lance assured as he sat down and he shook his head when Thomas offered him coffee. "So what were you able to find out?"

Thomas settled behind his desk and swiped his hand. A keyboard appeared and dual monitors popped up as Lacrima Screens. He typed in something and clicked only to tap one of the monitors so it reversed the image and Lance could see all the images. "I was able to find a few things, but none of them are close to Fioren mythology." He scrolled as Lance observed the images. They were all rings with symbols encrusted into the metal. "These were all the images I was able to find based upon your description."

Lance examined each ring carefully until one caught his eye.

"I'm sorry if I—"

"Wait." Lance pointed at one of the rings. "This one. Can you zoom in on this one?"

Thomas frowned. "Oh, um, sure." He clicked on the image and as Lance studied the ring, Thomas provided, "I'm not quite sure that's the ring you're looking for those. This ring is by an archaic religious system that only exists in bits and pieces of literature. From all the God Slayers on Earth Land, none of them have any of their powers from this system."

"Could you tell me a little bit more about this religion?"

Thomas blinked. "O-Of course!" He focused on the second monitor this time and it took a moment, but he brought up a few articles. "Eureka! So this ring belongs to a Goidelig religion. While the religion isn't as practiced as much, the language still runs strong. The symbol on the ring belongs to a god called 'Baracles'." He drudged up another file. "Um… From what I gather…" He brightened. "Eureka! Here we go! So the god Baracles is the god of thunder, lightning, storms, and harvest," he informed as Lance looked even closed at the symbol. "Mmm… I'm trying to see what more I could find out about this particular god and I can see at least a singular temple has been discovered and is in the process of being excavated, but with there's not too much on the religion anymore." He thought of something. "But someone else might know."

Lance sat back as Thomas took back control of the other monitor to furiously type. So… A god, huh? But why would I get a message from an old god? Mom told me gods don't really talk to people anymore. The Take-Over Mage she faced off with who used God Soul passed away. After that, God Slayers rarely exist around the world.

"Eureka!"

Lance snapped his attention back to the beaming Thomas.

Thomas half turned the Lacrima Screen to point out the article he had pulled up and the statue he had found of a beautiful woman in a flowing dress with a bandage over her eyes. "Old religions might die out, but it doesn't matter. There are historians of the gods or even oracles. Those powers are really rare since Mildian disappeared, but people still have them. They're protected by the Magic Council, but some of them are in Archaeological Society with different religions to help authenticate what we get for our collections. For this religion, we don't have one. But she does exist." He did some clicking to show a map. "In this religion, those sorts of historians and oracles were called fáirths. And it looks like one does exist in the area where the Goidelig religion took place."

Lance read the country name that was streaked across the stream. "Éirulan…"

"Yes." Thomas tugged at his sleeves. "I'm sorry I didn't think of this before. Religious studies aren't my main field of study, but I took on the challenge for Misses Redfox as a personal favor."

"And you've been more than help." Lance smiled at Thomas. "Thank you, Mister Crittenden. Really. This was a big help."

Thomas blushed a bit. "Oh, it was nothing, really. Just research which is the main thing I do."

"Would you mind doing one more thing for me?"

Thomas tipped his head. "What is it?"

"Could you print me out you email me the research you conducted?" Lance requested. And the general location of the oracle you found? If it's okay with you, I want to do a little bit of my own research."

Thomas fell over himself. "Oh, of course, s-sure!" He pulled up his email and started loading on attachments. "Let me just get everything organized for you and I'll get it to you right away! I'll put my business contact information in here too. If you have any questions or need me to introduce you to some people, just let me know."

"I'll keep that in mind." Lance meant it. "Thanks, Mister Crittenden."

°•°•°•°

Lance walked back to his Lacrima Car after waving to Thomas one last time while Thomas asserted it was no trouble at all. "Honestly," Thomas had said as he scratched his cheek with a finger, "it was really fun exploring a field that wasn't my normal one." Looking so cutely determined, he had told Lance, "Like I said, if you have any more questions or need any more help, you can count on me! It'd be an honor to help the legendary Railgun!"

Lance settled into his Lacrima Car and took a second to breathe. "A god," he murmured. "The Hell does a god want to do with me? If anything, you'd think they talk to my dad. He's the Thunder God of Fairy Tail. Or maybe even Nik." Lance remembered his older brother and the way he had absolute control over his rare strain of lightning. "He's a beast when it comes to Lightning Magic." So why…? Why me?

VRR-VRRRRR…

Lance paused to take out his Compact from his jacket pocket to see Aine had called him. "Hi, little fox," he greeted. "Sorry. I just finished up with the historian."

"Well, good, because if you don't come home now, you're going to be late and you'll be the one who ends up with the bill," Aine scolded in teasing. "Did the meeting go well? What did they say?"

Lance inserted his key and started the car. "I'll tell you when I get home," he promised. "But he definitely helped me a lot."

"That's great! Then, how about to celebrate research gone right—?"

"I am not giving a hint about your surprise," Lance laughed as he headed out of the museum parking lot. "You always ask every year and my answer is still going to be no. It's a sacred Dreyar rule. No hints. Now, if you want to talk about your gift to me—"

"Who said I was getting you a gift?" Aine jested. "Maybe you get nothing this year. We'll see how I feel about it."

Lance guffawed. "Keep the threats coming, baby, and you'll see how much I appreciated them later." And rest of the car ride back to Magnolia, Lance had Aine on the Com-line as he took comfort in her laugh and how they bounced their teasing off each other.

---

The firm was designed in a larger-than-life glass greenhouse that trapped the firm building within. The exterior of the campus was tended to in seasonal flowers and other plants. Connected to the firm was another greenhouse and a lot that did sell plants to both clients and to the public. The coniferous trees were out and about to be sold as Christmas trees alongside poinsettias. A tour group of young and bright interns was going about for a tour of the building. Raised bed gardens were everywhere with healthy vines and strings of flowers. A zen garden was encased in the center of the lobby with a gardener tending to the rocks with a scrape. A man-made stream teeming with fish and some water lilies cut down the hallway to divide it in half. Some plants hung from the ceilings and a few coworkers were tenderly touching their leaves in passing.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is WYM Green Designs, a landscape architecture firm started by Wizard Saint Warrod Sequen. This landscape architecture is used by Mercurius Castle and countless nobles across Fiore. It's rumored every tree planted on campus is connected to Warrod so he can keep an eye on the firm while he's at home. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ellie's office was nothing special, or so she liked to say. The office floor she was on was modeled after a typical rose garden with various roses everywhere. Grass green as ever carpeted the floor with stone pathways leading down the aisles and little patios for the desks. Butterflies took up residence as natural pollinators. What was more impressive were the glow-flies they maintained, butterflies made of refracted light. They flittered from flower to flower and would rest on someone's shoulder or hair or desk. Dead in the middle of the open floor plan was a calming water feature that would filter the entire floor itself. Easily, one could drink from the spring and found themselves refreshed and ready to start working again.

Ellie had a larger cubicle to herself made out of recycled wood and a desk terrarium on her desk with a few potted roses, a cactus, and a couple of other flowering plants brightening up her little office. Pictures of her family and friends were tacked and framed alongside a handmade flower Eloise had made for her some time ago. Ellie was hard at work on her DAL, but she had her tablet out to draw her designs and stream them to one of her monitors. A peacock butterfly fluttered on her shoulder as she worked and was unbothered as Ellie moved her arm.

"No, no, no…" Ellie sat back (the peacock butterfly stayed put on her shoulder) and looked at the schematics in disapproval. "This just doesn't look right." She looked at the butterfly. "What do you think?"

The peacock butterfly in response left her shoulder to land on her tablet.

Ellie sighed. "Yeah. I thought so too…"

An amused voice spoke to her. "Having some trouble?"

Ellie turned in her chair with a scowl. "Yes," she gritted. "I need to get this project to Mister Sequen by Friday and I'm still having trouble what the centerpiece should be."

"Want some help?"

Ellie looked up at the person speaking to her. The woman had on a power suit with the sleeves rolled up to her elbow and hair tied up in a high bun. From the black lipstick to her black hair and black power suit, the pop of lavender for her shirt underneath was a welcomed surprise to her ensemble. Ellie rolled her lips. "I don't know, Ines I know you're busy…"

"I'm not too busy for you or for this," Ines promised. She reached over to grab the little stool Ellie kept under her U-shaped desk and sat down. "What's going on?" She offered her mug. "Tea?"

⌜WYM Green designs

Name: Ines Sharabi

Age: 20

Occupation: Specification Writer

Likes: LV Show "Werk" Dislikes: dolls

Special Note: Ines has two names! One in Minstrish and another name in Ivrit! But only her father calls her the Ivrit name!⌟

Ellie took the tea and she put a finger down for the butterfly to crawl on. Shifting the butterfly to one of her plants (and it immediately took to drinking), she gestured to her tablet. "So I have everything plotted out. I have a list of the plants, the mulch, the grass, and I even did what the client wanted for a shade area…but I still don't have the water features."

Ines hummed sympathetically as Ellie took a sip of tea. "You always overthink your center," she reminded Ellie. "Think simple. Who's the client again? Is this the one you're doing for Mister Sequen? Not the castle, but is this for that lord or something? The fam with his wife who went crazy when the last team gave her the wrong grass when it was the right grass?"

"That's the one," Ellie muttered, miserable. "I don't understand why he trusts me with this. I'm useless."

Ines guided Ellie's hand and the mug towards her to take a sip of tea. "You are not useless. You just get so fixated on your perfectionism. So think simple. Talk to me about the wife and her likes."

Ellie thought on that. "Well, I had originally thought about doing a cascading water fountain that went into a small little pond since the client wants a pond, but she kept insisting she didn't want anything too big. I'd put it right by the bench so she has a place to read," she explained. "Then, at the center of the garden, I was going to put an endless fountain." She rolled her eyes. "She kept going over and over again how she hates ponds in the center of a garden because she finds it tacky, but she stressed she wanted two water features."

"An endless fountain is hard to sell," Ines reminded. "If she's anal about water, she should go for the endless fountain, but how does she feel about rocks as the base?"

Ellie blew out a breath. "That's what I was trying to figure out. I'm trying to design an endless fountain that won't make her angry." She pulled up her legal pad full of quick notes. "She called my office Com several times to keep pointing out I need to make sure this is kid-friendly because she wants this to have the sophistication for her lady parties, but it attracts her kids to stay outside." She took off her cheaters and bury her head in her hands. "This is impossible," she whined. "I should've told Mister Sequen to give this to the senior staff."

Ines rubbed Ellie's back. "He gave it to you because he knew you could handle it," she murmured softly. "C'mon. Let's look at this." When Ellie pouted up at her, Ines laughed. "Come on, Strauss. Let's break it down easier. Did she tell you about her kids?"

Ellie gave her a look. "She sent emails full of pictures of her kids," she said flatly.

"And what did she say about her kids?"

Ellie frowned. "She has twin daughters and a son. She's really disappointed in both her daughters since neither one of them want to be ladies like their mom or at least not her type of nobility," she recounted. "They're more like their dad, I think. He's very science-oriented. They are too. They really like to experiment. The son's just a wild child the mom wants nothing to do with, but he follows his sisters everywhere."

Ines' brow furrowed in thought until an idea sprung on her. "I got it." She took over Ellie's DAL, typed in some words into their database, and pulled up a few pictures. "A vortex endless fountain?"

Ellie's mixed eyes widened. "That's it!" she cheered. She lurched forward to swipe on one of the pictures to drop it down to her tablet. "Oh, finally, I have the rough draft done for Mister Sequen! Thanks so much, Ines!" She sprung a hug onto Ines.

Ines hugged her back. "It's nothing. You would've figured it out if you had just slowed down." She pulled back to pat Ellie's cheek. "Next time, take a breath. Focus on the client's needs in the most simplistic way and meet that. If the client doesn't like that idea, then you can get stressed. Got it?"

"Got it," Ellie giggled. When Ines pulled her close, Ellie lost her laughter to put a hand on Ines' shoulder and looked around. "Not here," she whispered.

"Why?" Ines scooted Ellie closer to her. "I'm pretty sure the entire floor knows after, um…"—she looked down and grinned—"well, that."

Ellie sunk her upper teeth into her bottom lip when she saw she had conjured another patch of red carnations, yellow irises, and a morning glory. "We-Well, that's just a sometimes thing—"

"We both know that's a lie," Ines whispered as she tipped Ellie's head so their eyes connected. Ines saw how deep red Ellie's cheeks had gotten and the way she fidgeted. "Are you sure you want me as your date to the party?" Ines asked with concern touching her words. "You told me your friends have only seen you with men."

"They're not like that though," Ellie was quick to defend her friends.

"Then, why haven't you told them?"

Ellie deflated a little and the plants around her followed in suit. "I don't know," she admitted in clear guilt. "They'd understand. I know they will. It's just…you're the first woman I've been with. And I've never…well…"

"You pussy fem-virgins are too cute," Ines crooned as she placed strains of Ellie's hair behind her ear. "We go at your pace, Daisy, just like I promised. But I don't want to hide anything from your friends." She gave Ellie a meaningful look when Ellie pouted again. "Put that away. We'll be fine. We are going to dance and get drunk and then make out in my hotel room. Or what are you kids calling it these days?" She smirked when Ellie turned red-faced. "The naked tango? Dot-dot-dot?"

"We're at work," Ellie scolded her like she could barely keep it together. "You can't just say stuff like that here! Someone could hear you!"

Ines looked down to see flowers of jonquil and coral roses blooming in her direction with their petals preened and healthy. "You're blossoming again."

Ellie looked so cutely torn between wanting to swear, wanting to die, and wanting to scream when her work Compact rang. She tended to it and frowned for a moment before a happy beam was on her face. "I'll be right down!" she promised. "Tell him to wait right there." She ended the call and hung up her work Compact. "That was the receptionist. Elvin's here for lunch," she told Ines.

"Can I meet him to start breaking the ice?" Ines teased.

But Ellie did not find it funny and frowned. "I know it's not easy being with me," she started slowly, almost in hurt, "and I'm sorry I'm not like everyone else—"

"Daisy, stop it," Ines soothed. "I told you, it's fine. We go at your pace. I won't rush you or push you. I was just joking." She swept Ellie close to her into an embrace and did not care who around them saw. "I promise. I won't move without you saying the word. I don't want you to worry about that." She pulled back—

—and her eye twitched when she saw Ellie's eyes comically swimming with crocodile tears as she sniffled. "You're the best, Ines," she blubbered in such a humor sob that her words came out strangled and meshed together. "Thank you so much!"

Ines sweatdropped. "I know I'm the best, but your brother might notice you were crying if you keep this up…"

°•°•°•°

Elvin did not feel the need to dress up. Glass shoved on his face, his hair a tousled mess, he chose a jacket and joggers for a winter day like today. He waited in reception until he heard someone shouting his name and looked up to see older sister running towards him enthusiastically and attracting pretty much everyone's attention. He stood up to greet her with a weak smile. "Hey. I know I didn't—Nnngh!" He was blown back when Ellie charged him with an embrace.

"Ooo, I was hoping you wouldn't cancel on me!" Ellie released him with a beam. "I'm so happy you came all this way out here!"

Elvin laughed, though a bit awkwardly. "Well, it was either I keep our lunch date or Eloise would subject me to more tea parties," he told her.

"Well, then, you chose right." Ellie tugged her brother into a light walk. "C'mon! Let's go to the cafeteria! They've got a great vegetarian menu for the both of us! You're gonna love it!"

And true to Ellie's word, the cafeteria had more vegetarian options than Elvin had ever seen. While meat was an option, it was a secondary option underneath the plant-based options. There was even seafood and fish for pescatarians that came with a whiteboard in the background to tell you where each fish had been imported from and the date they had arrived. Elvin had settled on meatless bibimbap and a side of market basket soup while Ellie had heartily dived for apple-white cheddar grilled cheese with a side bowl of tomato-garlic lentils.

The cafeteria was a live-in greenhouse with a giant tree planted in the center. It kept all its leaves all season long, but the leaves still changed color to reflect the seasons. Full leaves were stroked in oranges and burnt reds and would never leave their mother branch. A few Mages in touch with Green Magic were eating their lunch as they drizzled their Magic onto a nearby plant for it to appear happier than before.

Ellie sat her and Elvin down at a table closest to the center tree. As Elvin began to separate his dishes from hers since he had carried all the food on one tray, Ellie told him as she took hold of her water, "Seriously, Elvie, I'm happy you came out to my work. You've been so quiet lately, I felt like you were doing to cancel on me."

"I did think about it," Elvin revealed with a twinge of regret. "But you're right. It's been a while since I've seen you and we've talked."

Ellie nodded as she grabbed her first grilled cheese sandwich and took a healthy bite. "So good…!" she moaned. "This feels like the first meal I've had in days!"

Elvin frowned. "Have you not been eating?" He took his fork and messed around with his bibimbap. "I know you had a lot of work on your plate."

"Yeah, a little," Ellie supposed. "It's just been busy. I had to make sure Honey got the right bouquets. It's not hard for me to make them but making a lot of them is something else. Work got a little stressful and with Nashi still recovering, I guess I just need a moment to breathe."

Elvin faltered at the mention of Nashi. "How's she doing? Nashi, I mean."

Ellie swallowed her next bite as a pitiful smile came about her. "Honestly? I know she's hurting. She doesn't really want to talk about everything that happened and I respect it, but…" She remembered how dull those hickory eyes were. "I can tell it's something that really shook her. And I can tell Gary being missing is affecting her too. I know Justin is adamant Gary is on his list because he wasn't there for Nashi but…" Tawny-cerulean deepened with sadness. "I don't know. I'm not mad at Gary as much anymore. I just wish he'd come home so Nashi could smile for real."

Elvin took in Ellie's expression before looking at his food. "I should've checked on her."

"No, no, don't worry about it," Ellie was quick to assure. "Nashi's not in the place where she wants people constantly asking how she's doing. But…" Ellie tossed Elvin a look. "How are you doing?" She tried to gauge Elvin's look when he looked away from her. "You've been in your room pretty much when we came home from Margaret, Elvie. I don't see you at dinner and, when I do, you aren't really talking. I've been worried about you, but I don't want to push you."

Elvin sighed. "I guess I'm still thinking things over."

"Is it about the letter you got?" Ellie witnessed a myriad of emotions fly through Elvin's face. "The letter from Councilman Wolfheim?"

Elvin worked his jaw. "How did you know?"

"He visited," Ellie said simply. "Well, his assistant visited me. Mister Wolfheim was with Mister Sequen. He was concerned you hadn't responded." She tipped her head. "What's going on, Elvie?"

Elvin stayed quiet.

"Elvie?" Ellie asked again. "If you think I'll tell Mom and Dad—"

"I know you won't," Elvie assured without looking at her. "It's just…" He fiddled with his food. "Transforming back in Margaret was a lot. I pieced together what I could, but… It's scary," he murmured, "having your Magic take over like that. Being so out of control. I don't want that to happen again. I could've hurt someone." He flinched. "Like I've hurt you."

"It wasn't your fault," Ellie soothed. "And I got a cool leg tattoo out of it that I'm proud of." She went over to the polka-dot plant housed on the table. She touched the leaves and watched as the plant perked. "I don't know what it's like for you. My Magic wasn't easy, but it isn't nearly as complex as yours. I just wish you stopped fighting it. Fighting against it is making it worse for you and I hate seeing you so exhausted and closed off."

"I know." Elvin squared his shoulders. "I'm sorry I've been worrying everyone—"

"Don't you dare apologize," Ellie scolded and surprised her little brother by squishing his cheeks. "You're going through a lot. It's not me you need to apologize to. Say sorry to yourself for not taking better care of yourself." She let him go and nodded to his food. "We both know you can eat more than a few bites, at least around me." A wan smile. "You hated eating a lot when we're all together. Dad would get too excited and call you 'Man-Beast'."

Elvin winced. "Yeah…" He cleared his throat. "I promise I'm figuring things out. I'm sorry I haven't been as talkative about it, but I am piecing things together. It's just hard at home with Dad…you know…being Dad."

"He'd understand if you didn't want to transform—"

"He would and that's worse," Elvin snapped. "He'd understand and be disappointed just like every other time I don't want to. You don't see it, El. I can just see how much it punches him when I turn him down for a training session or going camping to hone my Magic in and be all wild and free—Nnngh!"Pain splashed in the center of his forehead and his eyes dilated as his canines extended. His ears jutted out into points and hastily he drew up his hood to cover himself.

Ellie did not panic. She stayed calm and, instead, she cupped her hands and blew Magic into her palms. A few plants of marigold, clary sage, and lavender grew from her palms and touted along with their own soil with them. She shifted so the plants were right in Elvin's face and she watched as those crystal blues almost covered in black lessened and lessened until his hue was clear. Those irritating canines retracted themselves and, as his hood fell from his grasp, his ears were back down to normal. Ellie let him catch her breath as she vanished the plants into magical dust with a thought. "How long has it been?" she had to ask.

Elvin took deep breaths. "Since Margaret Town," he got out. "I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"And neither do your powers," Ellie told him gently. "I know you're convinced your Magic isn't controllable, but, Elvie, it is. You just keep rejecting it. It's just like when anyone denies their true Magic for too long. Your Magic is a part of you and, one way or another, it wants to be used."

"I hurt you." A hoarse whisper.

Ellie shook her head. "I know you won't believe me, but I'm telling you this still. I don't blame you. Your Magic got out of control one time, Elvie."

"But it could happen again," Elvin predicted without question and with heavy stress. "I hurt Paige and Nelly and I could hurt you again or Eloise—"

"Elvin." Ellie said his name sharply. Softer, she told him, "If you're so fearful about your Magic, the worst thing you can do is run from it. By controlling it, you'll have control over yourself and you won't have to worry about hurting anyone ever again." She patted his hands. "It's just something you should think about it." She checked the time on the nearby clock. "I still have some time left for lunch, but if you're not up for sticking around—"

"No." Elvin brought himself out of his thoughts to give her a small smile. "I came here to have lunch with you and I want to stay and have lunch with you." He gestured to their food and as both of them dug into their meals, Elvin asked through a mouthful, "How's it going with the party planning for the reunion?"

"Great!" Ellie perked up at the mention of the reunion. "I'm excited about heading to the lodge on Friday. If feels like forever since we've seen Esme, Evie, and Ezra!" She gave a big eye roll. "But Esme said she's bringing a surprise with her and you know what that means. Dad's about to have a womanly heart attack."

Elvin laughed. "Hey, with her there, Ezra and I won't have any attention on us. It'll be nice to have someone who is actually calm and in this family with me, so I know I wasn't adopted."

"Even the adopted Strausses have more chaotic energy than Ezra," Ellie tittered. "You think Mary Jane's really going to do it and convince Veronika to come to the lodge?"

Elvin shrugged as he went for his market basket soup. "I don't know. I can't remember too much of Veronika except all the fights she and Uncle Laxus had all the time when the family was together," he recalled. "I asked Mom the other day when I was doing laundry. She said if anyone could convince Veronika to come home for a weekend, it'd be Mary Jane. I don't know why though."

Ellie grinned. "I guess you would've been too young to remember, but when it came to Mary Jane, Ronnie, Nik, and Lance would bend over backward for her," she explained to him. "She used to be as sweet as she has been now when she was little. Veronika was a badass true woman from her tats to all her piercings and Nik had a lot of testosterone going on, but the two of them would drop everything for Mary Jane." She blew out a dramatic exhale. "And now Nik tries to be this 'hear me roar' major in the military, but everyone knows he's a big softie for Ronnie and Janie. I think Uncle Laxus had a heart attack when Janie turned into the Ronnie two-point-oh."

"Minus the tattoos and piercing." Elvin shook his head in amusement. "It'd be cool if Veronika and Nik came to the lodge. Aunt MJ gets so sad when we take family pictures and they're never there."

"Well, the fight Ronnie and Nik had with Uncle Laxus before they both left was intense," Ellie gossiped, "or so Lance told me. Nik basically kicked himself out of the house and joined the military after his fight with our uncle and Ronnie ran off. I know she has two kids from what Lance says when I ask, but that's all I really know. Dazzler, Esme, and Evie knew Ronnie better than me. Oh, and did you know Ace is visiting the lodge on Saturday morning and Janie's boyfriend is staying with us?"

Elvin smiled. "I did, actually. Aunt MJ asked me and Ezra if it was okay if Peter stayed with us. I don't care and Ezra doesn't. He'll probably be really interested in Peter's Alchemy. I didn't know about Justin's boyfriend. Aren't you guys throwing a party on Saturday though?" His eyes widened. "Wait… Ace coming Saturday morning? But—"

"I know. Big breakfast." Ellie sighed. "I told JJ Ace is going to run for the hills, but JJ is positive Ace will fit in with the chaos for breakfast. I like Ace—which is why I told him to stay far away from our family." The siblings shared a laugh and then Ellie added, "We'll have to see who breaks a blood vessel first. Uncle Laxus with Peter staying the night, Dad with Esme's announcement, our aunt Lis with Pace and Pearce coming in and dealing with the triplets."

Elvin groaned. "Don't remind me. I'm pretty sure I got out the last of the glitter from last year back in August. Why can't they prank Eloise or Libby?"

"Because Eloise's meltdowns are the literal apocalypse," Ellie noted, "and everyone is soft for Libby. Even Pace and Pearce and the triplets which says a lot." She remembered something. "Oh my god! Do you think Esme's pregnant?"

And so, for the next hour or so, both siblings left their troubles aside as they exchanged bits of news and gossip around their family like it was old times. There was not a boy fearful of becoming a beast and a fallen fairy afraid to share her ambition. Just a brother and a sister. And for now, that was all they needed.

---

Ena was making headway on her second clutch while Luna had understood the concepts in the book her father required her to read (and Icarus hung out, lazing about in his Dog Form for his side to serve as a pillow for his mistress) when Luna's Compact lit up. She smiled as she abandoned her text to pick up the Compact. "Hey. Don't say anything. Give me a second." Muting herself, she got off the bed and crept over to Ena. "E, I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

Ena smiled as she continued her work. "Right. Bathroom."

Luna mouthed thank you and she skittered out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. Ena had to laugh a little when she heard not just the shower turn on but a hairdryer was on full power and she could not ear anything outside such an offending dissonance of sound.

Nashi definitely taught her that, Ena thought amusedly as she absently reached for something then frowned when it was not there. "Oh, darn it. I must've left it at home." She checked the time on her Compact. "Mom shouldn't be home. And Aine should be at Lance's still." She pushed back from the desk. "I should be good to go then."

Once Ena had gathered her little over-the-shoulder purse, she went to knock on the bathroom door. "L, I'll be right back!"

Luna called back, "Want me to come with you?"

"No, it's okay," Ena assured. "I'll only be, maybe, an hour."

"Okay! Text me!

"I will!" Ena retreated downstairs and found Lucy in the living room reading. "Aunt Lucy, I'll be right back!"

"Okay," Lucy said absently. "Where are you headed?"

"Back to my house for some supplies," Ena said. "I'll be back in an hour and I told L I'll text her."

"Good." Lucy glanced over at Ena. "Still avoiding your mom and Aine?, huh" When Ena ducked her head, Lucy smiled. "Not to worry. I'm not judging. Do what you need to do and stay for as long as you'd like. You're always welcomed here, Ena."

Ena smiled back. "Thanks, Aunt Lucy." Making her way back down the hall, she gathered her coat and her boots and layered herself. She brought out her Compact to start her list of what she needed as she opened the door—

—only to see Silver on the other side with his hand poised to knock.

"Fullbuster?" Ena opened the screen door with a frown. "Looking for L? She's in the bathroom."

Silver could not meet her eyes. "Got it. I can, um, just wait here until she's done."

"Oh, no, that's probably not a great idea." Ena came outside and shut the door behind her. "She's in the bathroom."

Silver's face scrunched up until realization caught him. "Ah, right, yeah. She might take long in there," he laughed awkwardly. He turned away. "Guess I'll come back later—"

"Hold it."

Silver froze when Ena moved closer to him. "Look, I'm not here to fight—" he tried to defend.

"Neither am I." Ena cocked her head as she scanned him up and down. "You seem…out of it. And, for once, I suppose this isn't coming out as an insult."

Silver scratched the back of his head. "I guess I am a little," he supposed, weary. "Just been one of those days. I just wanted Lulu's opinion about—"

"Come with me." Ena brushed past him and went down the steps.

Silver scowled, but he followed after her regardless. "Bossy," he muttered. "Why am I going with you? Where are we even going anyways?"

"My house," Ena said simply. "I have some stuff to get and you'll be my little servant and carry things for me."

Silver's scowl deepened as he caught up to her and matched her stride. "And why would I even do that, Fernandes?"

"Well, you're following me now, aren't you?" Ena replied smartly.

A hated blush swamped Silver's cheeks. "W-Well, a girl like you shouldn't be walking in the woods alone—!" He held up his hands when the tip of a sword was just millimeters away from his nose.

Ena smirked as she dissolved her rapier into Magic. "I think it's a girl like me should be escorting you." And she walked away.

Silver caught up with her, irate. "You know, this is some crappy treatment to someone who helped you out when you were hitting a low point," he brought up.

"And I said I would thank you properly with a meal," Ena reminded not unkindly. "But you know I've been busy with making sure every outfit is perfect. If you help me, you can get your free meal quicker, and then my debt to you is repaid and we can go back to hating each other. There. Easy." She snuck a look at him. "Even a lovesick idiot like you should be understanding what I'm saying or should I dumb it down even more?"

Silver opened his mouth to fight that then closed it then opened it again. "W-Well, I'll help, but not because you told me to and only if you give me two free meals. And this doesn't mean we're friends, got it?"

Ena was unfazed. "We were never friends but fine. We're mistress and servant right now. And if the servant doesn't get to work, the mistress is going to make sure you never eat again."

Silver looked ready for a retort when an idea crossed him. "Get to work, huh? Fine then." He scooped up Ena. "But if we're doing this, we do it my way."

Ena glared. "You will put me down this instant, you idiot—!"

"Water-Make: Tidal Wave Cruiser!"

Ena gasped when she saw Silver's Magic Circle produced a bundle of water. "Wait, we can walk—!"

"Nope!" Silver sped then off as the water beneath him carried them forward. "My job as a servant means getting my mistress to point b as fast as I can, so I'm doing my job. Right, Fernandes?"

Ena huffed. "Smartass," she muttered.

Silver grinned. "There's that hatred I missed," he teased. "You were getting all soft there for a second, Fernandes."

"And you're extremely soft in your neck…" Ena remarked thoughtfully. "It wouldn't take much of an effort for me to strangle you."

"You wouldn't dare—Ack! Wait! Ah! Let me go, you psychopath! We're going to cra—! Ack! Fernandes…!"

---

Dinner was a rowdy affair at this time of night. The bar-and-grill they had returned to was not in Magnolia, but it was two towns over. Even though it was the middle of the week, it was jam-packed with the more adult crowd since to even step into this restaurant after a certain time, you had to be IDed as an adult. But with the gang nearly assembled, it felt like their laughter and conversation carried over everyone else. T'oree was constantly amazed as Aine showed the alien princess her Compact and a few videos. Lance and Mustang discussed Mustang's strategy for the Grand Winter Games. Dazzler dipped between ogling at Mustang and laughing at Galileo's horrible pick-up lines he told both her and Ellie. Mara was not able to join them, but Orochi had come and he and Olivia were talking amongst themselves. Justin had come with Ace again and they happily flirted with each other.

Cade sat out from conversation this time as he played with his whiskey and let his gaze constantly dart to Dazzler. Just…be cool, he kept telling himself. She hasn't even brought it up. It's been two days. I'm freaking out over nothing.

"Hey, alien!"

Cade blinked out of his stupor to realize Dazzler was smirking at him. "U-Uh, yeah?"

Dazzler picked up her drink as she crossed her legs. "We're about to do a toast." She looked around the table. "We're toasting to Ghost who tragically has left us, the asshole." The entire table hooted, slammed hands down on the table, and clinked glasses with each other. "We are toasting to Livy here who will be leaving us after this weekend." Again, the table went wild as Olivia shyly smiled and Orochi rubbed her shoulder. "And we toast to Big Daddy Ace of Hearts over here for sticking with us even when our first meeting went pretty bad."

Ace chuckled as he stared at his boyfriend. "Well, you guys certainly have your charm," he admitted. "Drama's normal between friends who are like family." He frowned. "But it would've been nice to see Nashi and Gary. I've been worried about them."

"Baby…" Justin sang as he rubbed his boyfriend's chest. "I told you my sweet girl has been through a lot in this past couple of weeks and her pimp is traipsing off elsewhere to break hearts, remember?"

Dazzler scowled. "Gary is not messing around."

Justin took a poised sip of his wine. "All I'm saying is if he didn't want to make time to see my sweet girl when she was in the fucking hospital, then he's no better than all the other straights sniffing up her skirt." He gave a tight smile. "And he's lucky he's not here because El-bell and I would be destroying his ass for reckless abandonment."

Dazzler looked like she wanted to say something, but T'oree gave her one of those maternal looks that had her swallowing her words. "He didn't 'abandon' Nashi," she said as she forced her tone to be calm. "But if that's how you feel, then fine. We're not here to fight."

"No, we're not," Ace spoke with a warning look to Justin. "We're here to toast to friends. I'd like to toast to Nashi's recovery and the hope Gary comes home soon."

Everyone clanked glasses in agreement with that and were more than grateful for the smooth transition. Everyone except Dazzler. She took her sip and said stiffly, "I need to go to the ladies'." She left the table and did not notice her friends looked at her leave in worry. Though when T'oree rose, it surprised most of the table Cade was the one to stop her as he stood up and, with a small smile, he walked after Dazzler.

Dazzler thought about going to the women's restroom, but she ended up in the family restroom instead. It was nothing like it was just one stall. They had three stalls set up with a little couch, three sinks, and a giant mirror. Dazzler instantly slunk onto the couch. "God, I shouldn't have come if Justin was going to come," she bemoaned. "I should've known he'd bring up Gary wasn't there for Nashi. But he totally would have been if he wasn't…!" She groaned and laid all the way down on the couch. "This is such a mess…" she whined. Gary… I hope you're okay, but god do I hope when you come back, you and Nashi show Justin there's more to you guys than just sex. I can't wait to see you out of jail.

Dazzler took off her headband as he expanded back into her Magic Hat. She reached inside to pluck an envelope addressed to QUEEN OF MY HEART. Softly, she murmured, "If I'm even still here…" She undid the already-opened envelope to look at the short note and could hear John's voice:

Bunny,

Drinks on the anniversary. My Treat. I'll bring your collar.

M. Christmas

You have a funny way with words, Winters, Dazzler had to acknowledge. Remembering the anniversary… Emotional manipulation was always your strong suit. Her fingers tightened on the note. I just wish you weren't so damn good at it. You've even got me second-guessing…

THWOP!

Dazzler was slow to sit up as Cade stepped in with a quick look around. "Um… We're alone," she told him in confusion. "But, uh, if you're trying to hook-up in here, don't even try it. I'm not leaving until I'm good and ready to and sex isn't enough to force me to leave."

Cade scowled as he shut the door. "Contrary to your belief, I'm not exactly a great fan of public sex."

"Hmm." Dazzler put the envelope back into her hat. "Pity." She observed him come over and awkwardly sit on the arm of the couch. "So… Is there a reason you stalked me to the bathroom? Not exactly in the mood to give a bj right now—"

"That's not it," Cade gritted out while red splotched his cheeks and neck. "I just…came to check up on you." Tone wavered with uncertainty. "You seemed a little butt-hurt about what Justin said and all, so…"

Dazzler arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, it stings." She then sighed and laid back down on the bathroom couch. "But what can you do? Not like he's wrong. Gary's missing and Nashi's recovering. I get why it looks suspicious; I do."

"Then, why so sensitive about it?" Cade had to ask. He moved to sit on the couch when Dazzler made room by raising her legs so her knees bent. "I get you're Gary's best friend. He's a good friend of mine too. He loves talking to me about my culture." With a little grin, he added, "And I know it's to impressive Nashi, but he's always invested in our lessons. He's a good guy. But even I had to take a step back when I learned he skipped town and didn't bother to visit Nashi."

Dazzler sat up so abruptly, Cade reeled back when their eyes clashed. "And doesn't that seem suspicious to you?" she questioned. "Not like 'he's just using her' suspicious, but it seems off for his character?"

"Y-Y-Yeah," Cade agreed with a swallow, trying hard to keep his eyes on Dazzler's and not dip any lower. "We all think it's really off. He stalks her pretty much any chance he can get. Why wouldn't he be storming down her door and preaching he'll be her personal nurse and spoiling her?" He blinked. His words resonated with him. "I guess it didn't really hit, but… Yeah… Why isn't he here spoiling her?" he thought aloud. "Unless the Master sent him on an important job or something, but he would've still sent Nashi presents." He internally sweatdropped as he remembered an irate Nashi receiving love letters and romantic gifts from Gary when he was all the way across the country. The man doesn't know when to quit. I don't know if it's admirable or creepy…

But Dazzler was sweating internally for a different reason. Crap. I wasn't supposed to say all of that. Uncle Laxus told me to play it cool.

"You are not to tell anyone or convince them otherwise, Lafayette," Laxus had thundered down on her. "So help me, if you get all defensive and ruin this, I will personally use you as target practice."

Dazzler clapped her hands with a forced smile and got up. "You know what? Gary's probably just busy on something top secret. He is an S-Class Mage and everything. If he's not talking to us, his job probably forces him for no-contact. It'll be fine! He'll come back and probably will piss off Nashi trying to show her with love and everything."

Cade chuckled. "Yeah. I can see that too."

Dazzler jerked a thumb to the door. "Well, I'm gonna bounce and get back to the table, so—"

"Dazzler, wait."

Dazzler frowned. "What? I'm hungry."

Cade stood up and hated how red his face had become (and cursed his ancestors for passing down this trait to him). "So, uh… About that kiss…"

"Oh." Dazzler waved him away. "That. Right. Just a mistake."

Cade blinked. "A…'mistake'…?"

"Well, duh." Dazzler rolled her eyes. "Look, I might have been tipsy, but I was in full control of my actions, nonetheless. I didn't mean to come onto you and kiss you and make you feel uncomfortable. It was a mistake and I take responsibility for it. There." She shrank her hat back into a headband and placed it on her head. "So, we good?"

Cade looked at the floor. "Uh, yeah… We're good…"

"Perfect. I need food." Dazzler whished out of the bathroom without a second thought.

But Cade waited a moment. If you were in full control of your actions… Does that mean…you meant to tell me why you hate me?

---

Gale parked the Lacrima Car at the small parking lot at the convenience store down the street since the entire street was filled with cars and trucks. The music was blasting that the vibrations were easily felt in the ear and on the sidewalk. But the neighbors had no problem with it. With proper warning, the neighbors took the time to either gather on the street to have a conversation and be on the lookout for any unruly action or they removed themselves from the street for the night. Julia had reindeer antlers on in a headband and a little dear tail with a red amulet to symbolize her nose while a reluctant Gale escorted her with a Grinch sweatshirt.

"I can't believe we have to go to this," he muttered. "Why did I let you talk me into this? I'm still traumatized from the last party we went to."

"Well, you're not sleeping with anyone else since you're not drinking and I'm pretty sure Lu would lose it," Julia said brightly. When Gale made a noise at her, she laughed and clung to his arm. "Cheer up. It's a Christmas-slash-Kwanzaa-slash-Hanukah-slash-Pagan party," she reminded him as she pinched his cheek. "You're DDM."

"Designated den mother." Gale shook his head.

"So you don't have to have fun, but it wouldn't kill you if you did."

"It might," Gale said dryly as he looked at the lights peeking through the blinds and curtains of Miles' house. "Have a damn seizure with all the lights." He stopped before they could get to the house and pleaded, "Couldn't I, like, stay at home and sulk and shit and do some more studying on my powers? Make a game plan for how to prove to Blondie I'm not a total dick of a loser and I love her?"

Julia hummed as she pinched his ear. "Cute, but no. You're coming to a party." In a lower voice, she said, "And remember, we both need to investigate Tesla more. See if Z got into contact with her again. Maybe touch Jax to see how much he knows too. I have a meeting with Z, but I have Kore following her. I don't want to go into this blind. Z might be one of the good Hunters, but in the end, she's a Hunter. If we want to protect Tesla and my brother from them, we need to know all the facts."

Gale somberly nodded. "Understood and agreed." He led them to the house. "You know, ever wonder why we never use over-stood? Why all this weird suffix and prefix bullshit? Minstrish language is complete and utter crap."

"Tell this to me when I'm drunk so I can agree with you and think everything you're saying is worth listening." Julia pulled Gale up the steps. "For now, just watch me and make sure I don't get drunk and sleep with Dash."

Before Julia could open the door, Gale stopped her with a squeeze to her hands and serious ruby eyes. "I don't know what the Hell is going on between you to, but the dude reached out to me with his apologies and tried to make me your guys' little facilitator," he informed. "I said, 'no', obviously, and to grow a pair and speak to you. You don't want him near you and I'll make that happen. Dash might be fairy fam, but you are like another annoying as fuck sister to me who reads my ass when I need it."

Julia let her smile fall. "I'll be okay," she promised in softer tones. "If he wants to talk, he can. Doesn't mean I have to listen or care. But thanks for the worry." She opened the door and brought them inside.

The party was already bumping as old-school hip-hop played. Christmas lights and otherwise had been gathered to fill the place in its cheery glow and flashy strobes. People wore outfits and costumed designed to the holiday they celebrated or could most relate to and if they did not celebrate a holiday, they simply wore a winter-themed ensemble. Rudolph noses and Santa Claus hats were everywhere on the floor. A slutty elf was grinding her butt against the crotch of a very expressive reindeer. A Misses Claus and a girl dressed as a snowman bypassed Julia and Gale to get to their car and continue the passion they experienced in the party. Kat was DJing in the living room and waved to a few friends. She wore a dreidel on her shirt. Miles came up to her with an ugly Christmas Tree sweater to kiss her cheek.

Julia and Gale took off their coats for Gale to hang them in the closet while Julia began her rounds to greet friends. Gale entered the room with some nods, hugs, and blasé compliments and greetings as he eased his way to the kitchen. He could see Dante had found a muscular Rudolph in suspenders and a second reindeer nose on his crotch. He kept his swim to the kitchen when giggling and male urging hit his eats and changed his direction to the dining room.

"What the fuck?"

Much to Gale's shock, there was Tesla atop the dining room table as a slutty Santa Clause in that short fur-trimmed mini-skirt and her crop top fur-trimmed hoody, both lathered in red latex with a little glitter to them. She rolled her body as the music played while both boys and girls gathered around the table to cheer her own and for a peek of what she hid underneath. Even Gale had been entranced at the way she moved, but not for the same reasons everyone else was. As she bent her body, all Gale could think was, Wow… She moves like Blondie.

He sprang into action when Tesla unzipped her hoodie jacket at the behest of her admirers to reveal underneath was a red lace bra with bowties right on the nipples. Her admirers roared and begged to see what she held underneath her mini skirt, but none would live to see it when Gale shouldered in with a fierce snarl. "Show's over, folks!" he snapped. He saw Cane in the crowd and growled, "Dude! The fuck, man!"

But Cane had very little shame as he hungrily looked at Tesla. "I was the one to tell her not to do it, originally," he confessed, "but then she started dancing like that… And after last week after you left…" He hissed a breath when Tesla winked and blew a kiss at him. "Jax was jealous just because Tessie thought about a threesome—"

"And you think he wouldn't get 'jealous' now?" Gale held out a hand. "Tesla?" he shouted. "Tesla, get down here now."

Tesla easily shrugged and took his hand. Gale helped her down and zipped her crop top jacket back up (and hating how her cleavage could still be shown). "Tesla, I love you, but what the fuck, girl? ¿Crees que Jaxton estará de acuerdo con esto?" He wrinkled his nose as he took in her scent. "Jesus. How much did you drink?"

"Cane?" Tesla called for and he popped over. "How much did I drink?"

Cane checked, "You still want that threesome?"

Tesla giggled. "Yup!"

Cane smirked. "Then, enough."

Gale ripped Tesla away and showed his teeth to anyone who stopped him. Tesla giggled as she said high to people and whispered very loudly how she has special panties on tonight. Gale grew angrier by the second until he got to the kitchen. A few people lingered as snacks and drinks were here, but Gale shoved people aside as he got a red solo cup and filled it with water. He turned back around to see Tesla at the near mercy of another masc-girl who dressed as a lump of coal in all black and Tesla toyed with the zipper of her jacket, trying to pull it down. "Move it," Gale snarled at the girl who shrugged and winked at Tesla before walking away. He thrust the cup into Tesla's hands. "Here. Drink."

Tesla pouted. "Esto es agua. Quiero lo bueno," she whined.

"And you had enough of the good stuff." Gale forced the cup to Tesla's mouth. "Open and drink." As Tesla obeyed and took a few sips, Gale demanded to know, "Where the Hell is Jax? He should be watching you."

Tesla finished her fill of water to point a shaky finger at Gale. "Tesla belongs to Hylia," she snapped then laughed. "Or is it Hylia belongs to Tesla? Who cares? I'm the same person."

Gale's eyes widened then hardened again. "Tesla, where is Jax?"

Tesla waved a hand. "Tomó una llamada en su coche," she dismissed. "Me dijo estar bien y no beber algo claro o marrón y no hice." She grinned. "Bebí todo que era afrutado."

Gale cursed and wanted to pace, but he knew if he moved, Tesla would move too. "Shit, shit, shit!" He stopped and thought for a moment. "Okay, fine." Gale took Tesla's hands. "Come on." He led her down the hall and to one of the side doors. A lock had been placed on it, but Gale knew where the key was hidden atop the door. He unlocked the door's lock and forced Tesla in before himself. It was a staircase to the basement. No one had made the journey to it with the door being locked. The basement was nothing too special. Concrete floors with some mats on the ground for padding and full of nerd paraphernalia and a screen and projector. But Gale was grateful for the reprieve.

Gale sat Tesla on the couch and sat next to her. She tried to get up, but Gale grabbed her wrist. "Stay. Quédate."

Tesla playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm just gonna look around the basement," she promised.

Gale let her go with a warning look and watched as Tesla traipsed along and had such a childish fascination with the collector's items she saw. Shaking his head, Gale dug out his Compact to text Jaxton. It sent and was delivered, but it was not read. Gale turned on the sound for his Compact and glanced over at Tesla as she giggled over a big-chested action figure.

If she let it slip to me and she's this far gone, I can't let her speak to anyone else, Gale determined. Jax already knows, but I haven't heard anything about him inducting Tes as one of our protectees. He checked his Compact but nothing. Dammit, Jax. Where are you? Taking a deep breath, he thought, Well, it's as good a time as ever… "Tesla?"

Tesla popped her head up from looking at a bookshelf as Gale took off a glove. "Sí, Papicito?"

"Come sit." Gale patted the space next to him. "I need some, uh…girl advice?"

Tesla oohed then giggled as she clapped her hands and she could not sit next to him fast enough. "I have been waiting for this day!" she squealed. "What's going on? Give me an update, honey, I need to know!"

Gale gritted his teeth. The things I do for recon. "So I decided I want to show Blondie I'm in love with her and could use some tips on stuff I should d—"

But Tesla rapidly spoke, "Oh my god, that's so cute! Okay, okay, so if you really want to show her you love her, you should start with…"

Gale tuned her out as he raised his naked hand. Here goes… He placed his hand on Tesla's mouth and did not get to see her wide eyes looked as the world went blank.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The focus was in a kitchen. From the smell of it, jambalaya was being cooked. J-Pop played in the background with a swanky disco beat to it. As sausage was being chopped, Tesla muttered, "Listen. I'm still trying to figure things out. This… This is insane, Miss Lynk—Zelda—I don't even know—whoever you really are."

"I know," Zelda said softly from the other end of the line. "I know and I'm sorry. But we don't have a lot of time before your father gets released. Other Hunters can't find you right now given your powers."

"But you found me—"

"Not easily and not without help," Zelda reminded. "When you disappeared, not even the Hellhounds could track you down. I only found you thanks to my Sleeper."

A snort. The focus turned to the pot stewing the stove and went to stir it and add a dash of cayenne pepper. "Yeah, thanks, cuz, for having someone spy on me. Totally not creepy or anything. Totally doesn't make me even more paranoid because your little detective could double-cross you and hand me over to that man—"

"I know you're afraid and I'm sorry I made you more afraid," Zelda said with clear remorse. "But I was desperate to find you, Hylia—"

"Tesla." Stern. Cold.

Zelda coughed. "I'm sorry. I was desperate to find you, Tesla. You have no idea how much I regret. I should've protected you. I didn't."

A long sigh. "Look, Zelda, first cousin—whoever. I'm not going to sit here and just believe my father was a Magic Hunter or I'm a part of this weird family or I'm this rare person born with powers like this is some fanfic. The only powers I have are getting my boyfriend to cum in my mouth, cooking, and speaking a bunch of languages."

"Who do you think taught you those languages?"

A pulse of despair flooded through Tesla's mind as she gripped her wooden spoon. "I'm sorry," she said tightly, "but I think you're making a huge mistake. I'm not who you think I am, Miss Zelda. That photo had to have been of another black girl. Everyone says we all look alike."

Zelda made a noise of exasperation. "Chile, don't even try to play me like that," she said flatly.

"I'm not playin' you," Tesla snapped. "You made a mistake; it happens. I'm not your cousin. My father was a deplorable human being who thought abusing his daughter was solid parenting and my mother happily encouraged it. Sorry. That's just how my traumatic back story begins and ends. I'm not this…! This 'Hunter' or whatever." Exhaustion swam through as the need to cry and disappear strengthened. "Please, just… Just leave me alone, okay? I have enough to deal with. But I am sorry about your cousin. Really, I am."

Zelda refused to give up. "Then, why did you cry when I showed you that picture? Why did you recognize that man?"

"So he looks like my biological father—big deal," Tesla weakly dismissed. "Dreads are common for our culture. I got…confused. It was an emotional weekend. I also told my friend we'd have a threesome. I wasn't in my right state of mind. It's called depression and risky behavior. Psych one-oh-one."

Zelda grunted. "I understand this is hard to believe. This is a lot of information and I'm not doing my best to go slow with this. But Tesla… If you really want to make sure your father can't get to you once he's released… If you want to protect your boyfriend… Please. I just need an hour of your time. You left in such a hurry last time, I didn't get the chance to explain."

A few beats. The focus slid down to the Compact. Leaving the call running, Tesla tapped to see her lock-screen. It was her and Jaxton with her wide smile and his more reserved one they had taken just outside a concert hall, it seemed. She brought her Compact out of the focus as she said, "Fine. An hour. But I choose the time, date, and place. I have a bunch of fun stuff planned with my friends and my Selan daddy and I don't plan to skip them."

A chortle. "Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt that," Zelda supposed. A pause. "Thank you, Tesla. And I'm so sorry I couldn't be with you for so long."

The focus blurred with that hot sting of tears. A moment of wanting to give in, break down, and cry shot Tesla, but she pushed back to say lightly, "We don't know if I'm really your cousin. This could be a mistake. Maybe we should take a DNA test before we get all sentimental, but…" The focus looked down at the counter. "If I was your cousin…I'd tell you it doesn't matter it took you so long. You're here now. And I'm…happy to have family in my corner for once." A sniffle. "What number do I text? This number is blocked."

A watery laugh. "Sleeper will tell me. Just make sure to say it aloud and they'll get it back to me."

A sniffling giggle. "This is so freaky. I have a spy on me. I mean, cool, but also, this is totally a WebPad story with a shit adaptation."

"If it helps, I don't even know who Sleeper is or what they look like. They go by a code name, but that's all I know. Nothing more."

"Still creepy," Tesla muttered as a buzzer went off. "Listen, I need to go. I'll, um…see you later, I guess?"

"We'll talk soon," Zelda promised. "Take care, Tesla."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gale slowly pulled his hand from Tesla's mouth and she had seemed to sober up a little in that time to glare at him. "I thought you wanted help," she groused, "not let me talk and you shut me up and kill my buzz."

Gale blinked and managed a rueful grin. "Right, yeah, sorry. I, ah… I just got a little embarrassed, y'know? I'm not exactly a guy to do all the whole romantic gestures, dancing in the middle of the street, bring flowers, and stuff."

Tesla softened. "You kinda are," she admitted. "I mean really think about it. Taking Luna to see the parade and the fireworks even though you were both banned from your guild's parade? Showing her around Margaret Town? And don't think Juju didn't tell me about what you're doing for her Christmas present?" she remarked, grinning when Gale flushed.

"Dammit, Lady J, where is the Bro Code?" Gale complained.

Tesla winked. "Girl Code takes precedence, boo," she teased. "No secrets."

Gale smirked. "So she knows about the girl you ate out?"

"Okay, so maybe there are some secrets," Tesla supposed shyly. "But we def talk about you guys a lot."

A door upstairs opened. "And I hope they're all good things."

Tesla brightened and squealed in happiness as she jumped up from the couch when Jaxton showed himself. "Daddy!" She throttled herself at him and he easily picked her up as she locked her legs around him to give him a big kiss on the cheek. "Where have you been? I missed you!"

Jaxton smiled and kissed her forehead, letting her preen beneath his touch. "Sorry about that. I had some stuff to take care of." He looked at Tesla's outfit slowly and looked so torn. "Are you sure you don't want to go home?"

"Nope!" Tesla placed a peck on his lips before she got herself down and back on two feet. "I want to stay and party because I am not missing out on all the fun stuff we have planned."

"There's fun stuff at home," Jaxton said almost in a pout even if he remained straight-faced.

Tesla playfully punched his shoulder. "Stop being such a Grinch. This is fun, remember?"

"Says the one near stripping on top a table with people horny on main all around her," Gale snorted, but he froze when Tesla seared him with a death look and Jaxton looked visibly tense. "Uh… I mean, uh…" He shrugged. "Fuck it. I said what I said."

Tesla turned to her boyfriend and splayed her gloved hands on his cheeks. "Wǒ hē zuì le," she defended, "wǒ fāshì wǒ shénme yě méi tuō! Wǒ zhǐshì...bǎ wǒ de shàngyī sōngkāi yìdiǎn—"

"Tāmen kàndào wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi de dōngxi le." Displeasure was obvious in Jaxton's statement.

Tesla winced. "Yěxǔ …?"

"Kǎinī kàndào le ma?"

"Shì tā." Gale raised his hands up in innocence when Tesla glared at him again. "What? I know languages too, Tessie, so I'm gonna contribute and tell the truth."

Tesla made a motion of cutting off his balls, but Jaxton was not having it. He let go of his girlfriend to come up to Gale. "It's nice to see you here," he said and he ignored the way Tesla pouted. "But I saw Julia upstairs with Dash and you might want to…"

Gale slapped his thighs as he got up. "Yeah, man, I'm on it. Where's Amber?"

"Where do you think?" Jaxton gestured all around. "Doing body shots like we're pregaming. But she's out of the picture. Just look out for Julia, okay?" He offered a hand for Gale to shake. "

Gale shook it without question. "Yeah, man, you…"

Ruby dulled.

Jaxton frowned. "Gale? Are you okay?"

Ruby sparked and widened.

"Gale?" Jaxton tried to read Gale's expression. "What's wrong?"

Gale retracted his hand and looked at it. His naked hand. I… I don't understand this.

Tesla hopped over with a frown. "Gale, what's wrong? You look weirded out."

Gale swallowed. "No, just…" He felt the lie craft before he said it. "Bit depressing. Holiday cuffing. And the girl I'm in love with is probably making out with someone else." He reached for his glove and sheathed his hand. "Just, uh… Makes me a bit moody, I guess."

Jaxton understood. "The guy… We met him when Tesla was drunk a little while ago. He's a good guy, Gale. I know that isn't what you want me to tell you—"

"No." Gale smiled bitterly. "I mean it'd be easy to hate the asshole and steal her away if he was an asshole, but he's been decent to her. I just have it in my gut something's off about him."

"Well, I like him," Tesla boldly inserted only to pat Gale's cheek. "But I like you too. And I think showing her you care is an excellent idea." She folded her hands with Jaxton's. "You think I believed mister too-cool-for-facial-expression pretty boy when he told me he liked me? His actions showed me he did." She smiled when Jaxton kissed her knuckles.

"That's sweet," Jaxton murmured, "but that's not enough to stop what's happening in my bed."

Tesla scowled and tore her hand from his. "Fine. Get mad at me for drunk stripping," she growled as she stomped up the stairs. "Gale pretty much killed my buzz anyways, but maybe I should get drunk and let them show the panties you want me to wear too if I'm still getting punished."

Jaxton grinned as he hollered, "Don't force my hand. We already talked about public play."

Tesla answered with a fierce middle finger. "Then get your handsome ass up here and do something about it."

Jaxton shook his head in amusement. "I love her so much." He turned with a quirked eyebrow at the still uncomfortable Gale. "Are you coming up?"

Gale snapped out of it. "Y-Yeah. I am." He followed Jaxton as both fled up the steps. Sycaña, did you see that?

I saw it through your memories, the Earth Dragoness responded, troubled. I do not quite understand it.

Me neither. Gale observed Jaxton's back. But I intend to.

---

Don't wanna Stop Stop koi suru kokoro ni

Kimi no Love Love ima tsukamaetai

Yasashiku sareru tabi ni sukoshi kitai shite shimau

•

Oh Never let me go dakishimete

Never let me go kimi janakya iya yo

Stop stop koi wa tomaranai

Negai wa hitotsu dake Stay by my side

•

Ah ah ah ha

Ah ah

Stay by my side

---

TO BE CONTINUED…

At least this was the calm before the storm. Still, I can't help but worry about Gary and Skade's trail…and if Mary Jane managed to convince her older sister to come to the family reunion. To find out, tune in to the next Fairy Adventure!

---

Chibi-Luna is already in the classroom with the screen down and the projector turned on as the students come in from their break. "All right, class! Good day! Take your seats and get ready for your Fairy Lesson!" Once everyone is seated, Chibi-Luna looks around. "Has everyone heard of Magia World and MagiaLand?"

The entire classroom explodes as students raise their hands and gush about their love of the theme parks.

Chibi-Luna giggles as she displays a whimsical castle. A video. She's playing a muted video of a commercial for Magia World. "I thought so, but I see some students might not be familiar," she tells. "The Magia Compay, or Magia, is a huge conglomerate in the media and entertainment world," she educates as the video shows a brother and sister slow-motion running down a busy brick path with balloons shaped as the heads of the beloved franchise characters. "Around thirty or so years ago, a Mage created Magia and enlisted many talented wizards and witches and allies of Magic to help build their empire."

Chibi-Luna pauses the video on a statue of a grinning witch holding the hand of an anthropomorphic cat with a bowtie. "That's Abigale Magia. She's the famous witch who created Magia. Her last name originally wasn't Magia, but she changed her last name to that. Beside her is Nicky-nyan, one of the mascots. There are Nicky-nyan and Nina-nyan, Prancer-pyon and Rebecca Rabbit, Poko and Pika, and a whole bunch of others. Its sad Abigale is a descendant of the Grimm Brothers. Do any of you know who they are?"

A student raises their hand. "The Grimm Brothers are the famous storytelling wizards who made a bunch of our fairy tales now," she explains.

"Correct!" Chibi-Luna cheers. "Abigale didn't want her ancestors' stories to fade into just books, so she built Magia as a way to honor them and to let the world know Magic is here to stay and it can be full of fun and positivity. And now, there's a bunch Magia merchandise and TV shows and theme parks across the globe. Fiore has our own MagiaLand and a Magia Resort as well. Actually, where Mary Jane went, MagiaLand resides on one of the Fioren Isles, so she's really close!"

"Teacher," a student hollers, "what's your favorite Magia movie?"

Chibi-Luna thinks about this. "A lot of the Poko movies are my favorite, but I've been really into a really famous Magia song. You guys might know it. It goes, 'Into the unk'—Mmmph!" Her wide eyes go to Chibi-Gale who put his hands on her mouth and she curses him for what he is doing.

"Blondie, I will kill you if I hear another song from that movie," Chibi-Gale hisses. "Galileo has been singing it around the house and my ears can't take his high notes anymore." He glares at the class in which the students cower back. "Lesson's over. New opening theme is MELA! by Ryokuoushoku Shakai and the ending theme is STAY BY MY SIDE by TWICE." Chibi-Luna throws Chibi-Gale's hands off her mouth to say with him: "Next time, on Fairy Adventure: FAMILY REUNION PART ONE: BACK AGAIN!"

---

Voices in Order of Character Appearances

Mirella/Miss Wilson – Edie Mirman

Talia – Serena Varghese

Kyler – Ray Chase

Nashi Dragneel – Laura Landa

Luna Dragneel – Bryn Apprill

Ena Fernandes – Xanthe Huynh

Natsu Dragneel – Todd Haberkorn

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Sycaña – Christin Auten

Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel – Cherami Leigh

Luke Dragneel – Alan Lee

Jang-ta "Jaxton" Yang – Eddy Yeung

Roderick "Ricky" Boseman – Jovan Jackson

Tesla Greer/Hylia Lynk – Galena White

Lisanna Strauss – Carrie Savage

Silver Fullbuster – Yuri Lowenthal

Penelope Strauss – Cristina Vee

Eloa Shuusei-Thompson – Salli Richardson

Robert (voice only) – Tony Azzolino

Peter Shuusei-Thompson – Joe Zieja

Mary Jane Dreyar (voice only) – Erica Lindbeck

Noah Mothersbaugh – Brian Mathis

Lance Dreyar – Johnny Young Bosch

Thomas Crittenden – Justin Briner

Aine Fernandes – Carrie Keranen

Eliana "Ellie" Strauss – Reba Buhr

Ines Sharabi – Michelle Hendley

Elvin Strauss – Micah Solusod

Cadorius "Cade" le Fay – Ricco Farjado

Dazzler Lafayette – Kristi Rothcock

Justin Justine – Ian Sinclair

Ace – Billy Kametz

Jonathon Winters (voice only) – Joshua Waters

Julia Fullbuster – Michelle Ruff

Cane Alberona-Groh – Clifford Chapin

Zelda Lynk – Gabrielle Union

• — • — •

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Recap Narrator – Melissa Fahn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Ending Narrator – Melissa Fahn

---

TRANSLATIONS

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sinnish → Fioren-Minstrish

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

¿Tenemos que pasar por su lugar antes de que vayamos a la casa de Miles esta noche?

Do we have to stop by your place before w ego to Miles' house tonight?

• — • — •

No. Empaqué mi traje para la fiesta en mi bolsa de noche. ¿Estás listo?"

No. I packed my costume for the party in my overnight back. Are you ready for it?

• — • — •

¿Crees que Jaxton estará de acuerdo con esto?

Do you think Jaxton would be okay with this?

• — • — •

Esto es agua. Quiero lo bueno.

This is water. I want the good stuff.

• — • — •

Tomó una llamada en su coche. Me dijo estar bien y no beber algo claro o marrón y no hice. Bebí todo que era afrutado.

He took a call out to his car. He told me to be good and not drink anything brown or clear, and I didn't. I drank everything that was fruity.

• — • — •

Quédate

Stay.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Zhōnguánese → Fioren-Minstrish

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Zhǐyào women jīnwǎnwán,wǒjiùwánle

As long as we come back here tonight, I'm good.

• — • — •

"Suí nǐ de biàn

As your wish/As you command

• — • — •

Wǒ hē zuì le wǒ fāshì wǒ shénme yě méi tuō! Wǒ zhǐshì...bǎ wǒ de shàngyī sōngkāi yìdiǎn

I was drunk and I didn't even take anything off, I promise! I just...undid my top a little...

• — • — •

Tāmen kàndào wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi de dōngxi le

They say what I bought you.

• — • — •

yěxǔ

Maybe

• — • — •

Kǎinī kàndào le ma

Did Cane see?

• — • — •

Shì tā.

He did.