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!

71. Adventure 071

Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it, nor any pop culture or classical 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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PREVIOUSLY, on Fairy Adventure, Nashi and Býleistr leave for Nashi's first interview about the trial with Petra Cromwell! But things didn't go exactly as planned when Petra turned out to be an imposter and drugged Nashi before escaping. Mary Jane went to visit Makarov with her parents and all seemed well at first, but between Mary Jane's mysterious pain and Makarov's alarming warning, she took comfort in Igneel's scarf and even Igneel himself. Cullen discovered the Forever Container which holds the Demon gemstones from battles before, but it brings Luke to question what sets his family apart from other Demons? Luna went to visit Silver and Ena only for Jasper to crash the party, much to Silver's (not) jealousy, but it seems Luna's troubling visions stir all sorts of things and leaves Silver in disarray, Ena confused, and Luna trying to understand what she saw. We got to meet Carlisle's very stoic friend Aphtan and Carlisle met up with Bleu to discuss the odd call their non-blood-related relative gave to Carlisle, but things are still not looking up. Dante and Tesla had a heart to heart about relationships, but something tells me that conversation might go a bit deeper. Luna and Luke decide to get out of Magnolia for some quality sibling time…but it backfires when Luke is rendered unconscious and Luna is drugged. When she wakes up, she, Nashi, and Luke are in some interesting company.

"My prince, my princess, and My Empress—I pledge my fealty to you as I did to His Late Majesty as your royal consul. And I take great honor in welcoming you home to the Alvarez Empire."

Man, these kids can't catch a break, can they? But it looks like some help might be on the way for them after all…

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Chibi-Nashi appears with a sunny grin. "Hi, everyone! We just wanted to warn that there are several implications of some darker context and wanted to give a notice for the future for both this arc and parts of the series. Mature themes will be discussed and, unfortunately, the bad guys will have less morals than most bad guys. If you feel uncomfortable, please don't force yourself to read, okay? Read only at your own peril."

She winks. "And don't worry. Author-san promises that the next arcs will be noticeably lighter and our heroes will finally catch a break…but not without processing their pasts. But all good things come to those who wait. So please enjoy!"

---

The bedroom looked the same with half a mural on the ceiling and various shades and tints of blue and gray and black as the common color scheme. A Mallow Coon had made itself at home with its tail up and was wandering the hall. The LV was on, but it was at a low volume. They did not need any background noise.

She laid in his arms, comfortable and safe. His winter and her summer flushed against each other intimately. Under the sheets, it was just their skin and nothing else, something they both preferred after much hemming and hawing on her part. She hummed as he did absent little circles on the small of her back. "I love you," she confessed to him.

"I love you too."

But the voice… That voice sounded wrong.

She frowned and tipped her head up only for horror to fill her when she saw it was not Gary. Galileo had filled his place, naked and concerned as he cupped her face. "What's wrong, Angel-fish?"

Her mouth worked, but she could not speak. Dread filled her and made her blood go cold when her skin no longer felt the tingle of winter, but a metallic cold that made her sick.

"Angel?"

Her head whipped around to see Gary at the door. He looked like he had come home from an outing with his house slippers on, but his coat on and a few bags in his hands. But those blue eyes that normally look at her with all the love in the world swam with betrayed tears.

"Gary," she breathed. "It's not…! It's not what you think!"

But Gary was already shaking his head as the bags dropped from his hands. "I knew it," he whispered. "I'd never be enough for you. Who could love a monster?"

She scrambled to get out of the bed. She cared little for Galileo still in her bed—the bed she and Gary spent so many nights in together—as she tried to get to Gary as her own tears gathered and her stomach knotted. "No, no, no, no, that's not true!" She got to Gary as he trembled and tried to turn away from her, but she gripped his chin in her desperate attempt for him to look at her. "No, Gary, you are enough. You've always been more than enough to me."

"You chose him." Gary threw the words, but they were not vicious. Like he could even be vicious when she broke his heart. "Did I…? D-D-Did I do something wrong—?"

She nearly sobbed as she fervently shook her head. "N-No, you could never—"

"Then why did you sleep with him?" Gary cried to her. He sniffled as he rubbed his wet cheeks. "I wasn't good enough for you. I just wanted to be good enough…" He crumbled before her, a man on his knees as he clung to her and wept. "I'm s-s-sorry I wasn't good enough—!"

She sucked in a breath. "You were always so good," she choked. "This was my fault. I'm so sorry I made you feel like this!" She stroked his hair. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "What can I do to make you feel good enough?"

Three beats.

"I want a baby."

She froze. Did she hear him right? "What?"

Gary drew to his full height, but somehow, he looked taller than before. Those blue eyes looked all…wrong now. Predatory. Hungry. And they only looked at her stomach. "I want a baby, Angel."

"B-B-But…" She backed away from him. "Y-You said…you didn't…"

Gary cocked his head as he matched her, his step forward and her step back. "That will prove to me you really love me, Angel," he mocked. "You fucked Galileo. I wonder who else you were sleeping with while you were playing with me?"

Her back hit a wall and panic paralyzed her. This fear was new to her. The fear of someone you care about hurting you. "Gary, please, we talked about this—"

But his laughter cut her off, dark and maddening. "Come on, Angel, you can't tell me you thought I was serious." His hand gripped her cheeks like a viper, icy and poisonous. Her chest heaved and her heart was in her throat when his nose brushed her skin. The cold his skin gave her was unsettling and made her feel nauseous and dirty. "You'll give me what I want." His hand stroked her lower stomach. "You gave them a kid."

"Wh-What do you—?" But he turned her head to the side only for her eyes to widen.

Five sets of eyes.

She could never forget those eyes.

"Nashi!"

Gary was gone, those eyes were gone, and she was somewhere she recognized. A meadow filled with birds and butterflies. Her safe haven. Her happiness. She felt all her fears go away when she saw her little sister smiling and laughing as butterflies kissed her hair and a bird perched on her wrist.

"Come on, Nashi!" Luna urged through her beam. "Aren't they beautiful?" She swirled around and the birds and butterflies fluttered, but they did not fly away. They swirled around her, curious.

She had to laugh at the silliness of her little sister. "Just be careful, Lu! Don't go too far, okay?"

"I won't!" Luna giggled when a blue bird came onto her shoulder. "You should come join me! You're missing all the fun!"

"I will! Just wait for me, okay?" But her smile fell when she noticed something behind Luna. It looked like a shadow. A male shadow with rubies for eyes. "Hey, Lu… Why don't you come over here?"

Luna was too infatuated with the nature around her. "But it's so pretty here!"

The shadow crept closer, eyes pinned on Luna.

"Luna." Her voice dropped into a command. "Come here."

But her sister did not see the danger lurking close to her. Her smile never fell as she helped a robin fly from her arm. "But, Nashi, everything is so beautiful out here! You should come see!"

"Luna!" She tried to move her feet, but she was stuck. The shadowy figure was only yards away from Luna with his fangs extended and red eyes gleaming with want. "Luna, please, listen to me! You need to run!"

"'Run'?" Luna laughed at the thought. "Why would I run? I'm safe in Magnolia, remember? Nothing can hurt me here."

The shadow loomed above Luna and she recognized that face. Gale, his skin hacked away with scales, had crowded behind Luna, and her little sister was none the wiser. In just the blink of an eye, the beauteous flowers had withered and died and the birds and butterflies scattered. Luna stood in the field of dead flowers with that smile on her face, but her eyes held no spark. Gale held her by her shoulders, claws dug far enough into her skin for blood to bubble to the surface.

Luna's lips parted. "That's why you left me here. Nothing can hurt me here, right?"

A single tear shed.

Her mouth opened in a scream when she witnessed Gale's fangs descending on the juncture of Luna's neck and shoulder. "NO!"

• — • — • • — • — • — • — • — •

The start Nashi had waking up might have shocked her system, but it also shocked the people milling about her room. And she had several questions as to why people were around her, why she was in a bed, and why she had a room.

Her eyes darted this way and that as people murmured around in a language she did not understand. It sounded harsh to her ears, but it did not matter. Her heart was raising and her forehead was damp from the sweat. It was just a dream, she told herself. It wasn't real. Swallowing, she took a moment to calm down and try to figure out the rest of her situation. But please tell me I'm in another dream.

The room was far to lavish for one person to sleep in it. Filled with rich golds, creamy whites, and hints of blacks and reds, Nashi had been boarded into a room the size of a two-bedroom apartment with its own open expanse of a living room that was dented into the floor, a fireplace, and a private collection of books. The three large windows in her room were open with the curtains drawn back, but she had very little interest looking outside since she was somehow being made a spectacle by a dozen people.

They wore the same outfit: peasant gowns, aprons, a neat pair of shoes, and their hair was to be cut short and fashioned so it looked short to the common eye. Their eyes were smaller, prettier, and they all were locked on Nashi in what she could make out to be worry and…adoration?

"Uh…" Nashi dragged up her comforter (when the Hell did she get into bed in the first place?) and asked, "Who are all of you and how did I get here?" Her eyes widened when the women curtsied low and seemed to murmur words of reverence to her. "No, no, please don't do that!" She got out of the bed with her heart racing. "Don't bow to me! Please just tell me where I…" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw black strands drape of her shoulder. "How…? I don't have black hair…"

"You look nothing of His Late Majesty. Dying your hair will suffice."

That pitiful feeling crawled inside Nashi's stomach. No. She ignored the female staff as she rushed to the nearest mirror with shaky hands. No, no, no. The reflection before her was not one she was used to seeing and never wanted to see again. Pink locks had been tainted into a charming nightshade black. Her outfit from her failed interview had been stripped of her for a regal nightgown that held the crest of…

…the Alvarez Empire.

"No, this isn't happening," Nashi whispered. "I-I-I was… I was in an interview. I was in an interview and…" She shook her head as she backed away from the reflection. Part of her wished her reflection was someone else, but with every movement it mimicked, that delusion fell through. "No… No, no, no, no!" Hickories stressed for an exit and she darted over to the grand doors without abandon, not caring the staff both bowed to her and gave her wide looks of concern.

I need to get out of here. This isn't happening. I was at home. I was supposed to go back home for Lu—Luna! Luke! Nashi got to the handles as she remember her sister's face and her being strapped to a chair. She remembered an unconscious Luke trapped within a water tube. Oh my god, oh my god, I need to find them! We need to get out of here!

But she never got the pleasure to rip open the grandiose doors and someone else. Nashi tripped on her own two feet as she stumbled backwards. The staff rushed to her aid and helped her to her feet, but she was having trouble with gravity and keeping herself from passing out.

"Your Majesty, good morning."

Nashi looked up to witness a mere child in her presence, a young girl who looked no taller than Luna. Small eyes, a petite frame, and an eyepatch fell over her left eye. Her dress looked like something a doll should wear and the same to her striped stockings and loafers, but what made her all the stranger was she carried doll with her. A sack doll that looked intimidating with its button eyes and sewn-shut smile. A troupe of guards had come along with the little girl, straight-faced with their black and gold armor. Some were Machias with their metallic bodies while others were human.

Nashi was left to stand on her own, but her mind was not catching up with her body. "I'm not…a 'Majesty'," she negated. "I'm not anything. I-I-I shouldn't be here." Anger filled her for her capture, for the compromised safety of her siblings. "I'm leaving," she sneered, "and I'm taking my siblings with me." Like she had done so hundreds of time, she called upon her Magic…

…and received no response.

The girl tipped her head. "Something wrong, Your Majesty?"

Nashi refused to answer as she searched for that warmth her Magic brought. Seraphim? she called. Cael?

Nothing.

She refused to show her anxiety, but it was getting increasingly hard to not fall to her knees and cry. Býleistr? she pleaded. Kyler?

Nothing.

Nashi squeezed her eyes shut for her last resort. Gary?

Nothing.

"My Magic." Nashi sucked in a breath to glare at the girl before her. "What the Hell did you do to me?" She kept the tremor out of her voice in favor for a righteous fury. "What the Hell is going on? Where are Luke and Luna and Igneel? Why can't I use Magic?"

The girl bowed. "Excellent questions, Your Majesty." She gestured into the bedroom. "If you would allow me to answer them…"

"You'll answer them right now," Nashi snarled.

"But Your Majesty…" The girl blinked. "You wouldn't want me to kill your entire staff, would you?"

Nashi went blank. At first, she thought she misheard. But the girl looked at her and dread crept through that she heard right. "You'd…what? Just because I…?" She slowly shook her head as she took a step back. "They're innocent people. They don't deserve to die—!"

"Then Your Majesty should behave if she wants those innocent to live." The girl cocked her head. "Shouldn't she?"

Nashi heavily swallowed. Rather than vocalizing her answer, she swept back into the bedroom. Her legs were about to give out at any moment and she found the closest chair to rest on and put a hand over her chest to calm her stuttering heart. Some of the staff flitted about, cleaning, but the second she was able to catch her breath, two of the women came by ready with a tray of little pastries and scones and began to pour tea. One offered her a cup and Nashi rasped, "Th-Thank you."

But she dared not to take a drink.

The girl stood a little diagonally to Nashi. The guards she had brought with her, however, kept outside as the grandiose doors closed. "We would never poison you, Your Majesty," the girl assured. "In fact, we need you completely sober for your coronation."

"What is going on?" Nashi got out. "Where's my family?"

"Her Highness Princess Luna will await for your arrival in the west dining room," the girl informed. "According to her advisor, she had been most difficult this morning. Because she wouldn't calm down, other means had to be taken so she was in a more…agreeable mood."

Nashi surged from her chair out of instinct to glare down at the girl. "If you touched a hair on my sister's head—!"

The girl bowed low. "We would never want to hear the future of the Empire, Your Grace," she promised. "Her Highness is vital to our great nation and our purpose. Her safety and well-being is our priority, as are yours."

"And my brothers? My parents?" Nashi demanded.

The girl straightened herself. "Prince Igneel is still unfit to come to Alvarez, so he did not make the journey. His Royal Chief thought it would be best to wait until he came back home," she explained. "Prince Luke has a different purpose to our great nation. Once he has trained for it, you will be able to see him."

"'Trained'?"

"Yes, but please don't worry," the girl requested. "His Highness Prince Luke is in more than capable hands—"

"He was in a damn tube when I saw him!" Nashi snarled. "The Hell do you mean 'capable hands'? You're treating him like he's some experiment—!"

'Experiments don't get love. We're nothing.'

A new layer of horror filled Nashi at the implication. "He's…an experiment." Her legs trembled and she sat back on the couch. It felt so hard to breathe. It felt so hard to think. "I'm… I'm in the Alvarez Empire. Luke's an experiment. And Luna is…" Her eyes stung. This was too much. "M-My parents. Where are my parents?"

"Your parents are not a necessity to this nation," the girl said simply. "Please don't worry for their safety. Alvarez plans to have an amicable relationship with the Dragon Slayers. They will remain untouched so long as you behave."

Behave. She kept saying that word.

"You can't do this." The words came out in a hopeless whisper because everything felt hopeless.

"Your Majesty, for all political purposes, we can." The girl picked up a scone. "You are the future of this nation. Your people have been waiting for you to become of age to take the throne. And having Her Highness Princess Luna will bring your people great happiness that His Late Majesty has not one but two powerful nieces."

"Luna… Luna…." Nashi worked her mouth. It was like she was no longer speaking. She was watching someone else push her body through the motions. "Luke is an experiment. I'm the…ruler. But Luna… What are you going to make her do?"

"His Royal Chief did not reveal what the agenda for Her Highness Princess Luna," the girl confided. "He mentioned she is quite a rare snowflake in the arctic and delicate matters were not to be discussed with her. We have been told her emotions can cause quite a stir."

Her powers, Nashi thought absently. Her powers are unrestricted when she's emotional.

"My Magic…" Nashi did not know how to finish that sentence.

The girl tittered. "His Royal Chief has frozen your Magic as a precaution. We've all been worried about you, Your Excellency. Until you've acclimated to your royal duties as the Empress, it has been advised to restrain your Magic use." She tasted the scone. "As for the soul bond you share with your ex-lover, please don't worry. His Royal Chief was able to freeze it temporarily. We have our finest minds in the FMA working on a way to break it permanently so you will be freed from it."

This was too much. Her head was swirling. But she did focus on one thing… "'Ex-lover'…"

"Yes, Your Majesty. It would be ill-advised for this nation to have its next ruler as an abomination," the girl explained as though it were simple. "Please don't worry. His Royal Chief has ensured the press be alerted you were in your rebellious phases when you joined with that abomination and you are ready to commit to Alvarez with the human husband of which upon the Council has decided."

"'Husband'…"

The girl nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. We understand you are young, but the polls suggested at least an engagement would ease your people's worries about the future rulers. When His Late Majesty had no living direct heirs of his own, it brought so much sadness to the Empire. We want to consciously avoid another error like that again."

"'Error'…"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The girl turned to the staff and commanded something in a harsh tongue that had the women curtsying and scurrying about. "I will have your lady's maids prep you for breakfast in the western wing with Her Highness Princess Luna. His Royal Chief is eager to discuss with you the next items you have on your schedule." She bowed low to Nashi. "Please, Your Grace, if you have any questions or need any assistance, I will be by your side. Once you are ready, His Royal Chief will take my place and I will maintain my advisory role for Her Highness Princess Luna."

Nashi knew she heard every word, but she could not process any of them. "Who are you?"

"My apologies, Your Majesty, for my egregious error." The girl bowed lower. "I am Blanche Corday, your attending assistant." Blanche righted herself to look over to Nashi. "I must take my leave now, Your Majesty, but I am never far if you need assistance." She pivoted towards the doors. "And please remember to be on your best behavior. Her Highness Princess Luna and your entire staff are counting on it."

⌜ALVAREZ EMPIRE

Name: Blanche Corday

Curse: Ushi no Koku Mairi

Likes: her doll Dislikes: N/A

Special Note: Blanche Corday is a forced to be reckoned with even if she looks like a living doll!⌟

Blanche might have left or maybe she stayed to exchange more words, but Nashi did not know. Her body felt cold. Her mind felt disconnected. No Magic. No souls. No bond. Nothing. She was alone and she alone controlled the fates of her siblings.

DRIP.

A tear fell down her cheek.

DROP.

And Nashi stayed like that, muted and disconnected.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

You can do anything

Your hands grab even your life

What will you use them for?

You can take my warm hands

If it makes you feel yourself

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The open ballet room was godsent this morning for free period and Carlisle felt blessed. He had quickly changed out of his uniform to hog the studio for himself and slide the sign to change it to MOVEMENT IN PROGRESS. In his black biketard and ballet flats, he pushed up his favorite headband—it had cute green aliens on them that Lucy never appreciated—and synched his Compact to the stereo system to start playing music.

He warmed up with some stretches and pliés, but he found his mind wandering.

"But please. Call me 'Kyler'."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Kyler." Dante shook Kyler's hand. "It's nice to meet you." He drew back and gestured to his home. "Come on in. I'm sure Carlisle and you have some things to talk about."

GARA-GARA-GARA.

Kyler frowned and lifted an eyebrow. "A roommate?"

"A friend," Dante corrected. "We probably woke up her. She's grouchier than me when you wake her up." He shot the focus a weary look before he pulled closed to briefly kiss Carlisle on the cheek. "Take all the time you need," he murmured. "Do you want me to come back downstairs?"

"It's okay. You should get some sleep." The focus glanced over to Kyler and narrowed. "Family shit takes a while around here considering there's just so many of us." Turning back to Dante, Carlisle kissed his nose. "Sorry for this."

"It's okay. Family is family. Let me know if you need me." Dante nodded briefly to Kyler before he made a lazy walk to the stairs.

Carlisle sighed and the focus swept back to Kyler. "Well, you heard the man. Come on in." He sniffed at the tomcat. "An Exceed. Great."

The tomcat opened his eyes to glare at Carlisle. "Well, aren't you pleasant?" He looked at Kyler. "Are you sure he's the match? I thought he was supposed to be…friendlier."

Carlisle huffed. "I am standing right here," he snapped, "and I'm very, very cold. Come inside before I shut the door on you. And let's keep this very quick."

"Hmph. Brat." The tomcat trotted inside and thwack Carlisle's leg with his tail.

Kyler came inside soon after to look around the home, but his eyes drew to the ceiling in quiet curiosity. "Your guest has such a fascinating aura." He turned to Carlisle. "Is she one of yours?"

Carlisle closed the door. "No. Keep in mind I'm not like you. At all. Neither is Maman. We come from the left side." He crossed his arms and glared at Kyler, but he chanced an uneasy glance over to the stairs. "Come on." He strode forward to grab Kyler's bicep and dragged him further into the house until they were in the kitchen. "Now. What happened? Why were you looking for me?"

Kyler sighed. "I had hoped we'd meet under better circumstances—"

"I want nothing to do with your mom's side of the family, okay?" Carlisle snapped. "They aren't exactly the greatest around Maman and me."

Kyler shot Carlisle a look of genuine sympathy, but, thankfully, he did not make any comments or attempts to console him. Instead, he explained, "Nashi Dragneel is my little sister-in-wings. I've been busy with negotiations and trying to find a lead on her wings when I felt my connection to her drop to almost nonexistence. I've tried multiple times to reach her, but I wasn't able."

He gestured to the tomcat. "Muta has been hiding in plain sight in Magnolia," he went on. "I understand Magnolia is safe, but I had my own concerns. Since their parents are out of town, Luke and Luna were supposed to stay home, but they left—"

"And you let them?" Carlisle snapped.

Muta scowled. "What in Hel were you doing to make sure they were home?" He made it obvious he was glancing to the ceiling. "Right. You were doing that."

Carlisle had half a mind to childishly yank on Muta's tail in retaliation, but Kyler quickly intervened, "Either way, all three of them are gone and I can't sense them." The stress wore down on his face as he straightened his jacket. "I understand our blood ties aren't something you think of fondly, but I need your help—"

The focus widened. "My help? Are you crazy?"

"I told you he was a waste of time," Muta muttered.

Carlisle felt no regret when he bent down and pulled on Muta's tail that had the fat tomcat give out a strangled meow when he was forced to turn into his Exceed Form. "Listen," he hissed with a glance over to the stairs, "it's not like I can. I mean that," he stressed when Muta rolled his eyes and Kyler's face pinched, "there are some…complications with me that make it a lot more difficult to help. As much as you religious right-side types think everything is all kumbaya in your little bubble of pearly gates and bibles and Spirits, those of us who do actual work can tell you it's not."

"Carlisle, please." Fear shone on Kyler's face without restraint. "You can't turn your back on them—"

"Like Hel would I turn my back on them!" Carlisle realized his voice had raised and he lowered it instantly as he tapped his foot. "I'm not turning my back on them. I'm just as emotionally involved in this as you. I just can't be a physical asset on the frontlines like you can. I work more behind the scenes." He rolled his eyes. "Lucy doesn't like it, but I have to help somehow. The little cute blonde means a lot to him and me. And he and I are family." He gestured between Kyler and himself. "We are not."

Kyler winced. "We are family—"

"Yeah, ask my père how being 'family' worked out for him considering he's dead and we're here to reap the consequences," Carlisle spat. He rubbed his temples when Kyler did look ashamed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be picking a fight. I'm just stressed. What do you need from me?"

Kyler shifted on his feet and appeared a little nervous. "I had assumed you might have some information for me since you're…close to people. Maybe a location and a few names."

"I'm not close to anyone, but they know who I am and who I know, yes," Carlisle said flatly. "You want to know where they went? Isn't that obvious?" He barked a mirthless chuckle when Muta looked impatient and Kyler looked a little lost. "They were forced back home, little birdie, to the Alvarez Empire."

A new voice rang out through a yawn. "Who went to the Alvarez Empire?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Warm-ups done, Carlisle shook himself out and readjusted his biketard before going over to his Compact. He picked out the movement and let the first shy notes wash over him. He was not too into the movement, but he remembered the steps like the back of his hand and could do them in his sleep. Did I do the right thing? What if I didn't? Maman is going to be so furious with me if she finds out.

Carlisle flourished his arms and did an emphasized Stellian fouetté. He was supposed to be enjoying this piece, but he could not stop the frown on his face and his continuous thoughts. Especially on Kyler. Kyler, he tested the name again. More family members. More trouble. Maman said no one should talk to me if I kept my head down. But then again, I talk to Lucy…

CREEEEEEEAK…

Carlisle did not stop his twirls as he breathed, "This one is being used."

"I know, Carlisle-po."

Carlisle spun to a stop to see Aphtan had stepped into the studio, hair pulled back by a clip. His unitard looked different than the average with ankle-length cotton leggings combined with a sheer mesh backless halter top. He set down his bag and his water bottle, but he kept on those gloves of his. "Hi, Tantan." Carlisle went to retrieve his Compact.

"It's okay. Keep it playing," Aphtan advised as he put on his own flats.

Carlisle paused. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Aphtan stepped onto the vinyl flooring and experimentally did a cartwheel with a flawless landing. "I will dance with you, Carlisle-po."

Carlisle bit his lip. "I'm a little in my thoughts, Tantan—"

"Then, I'll lead." Aphtan approached Carlisle and extended a hand. "May I have this dance, Carlisle-po?"

Carlisle sighed, but he took Aphtan's hand and let him guide him around for a twirl. The dance required only a pair, but the ballet itself had an ensemble perform alongside with the main pair. The steps were poised to be about yearning and the forbiddance of it all. The notes were soft, hesitant and slow, because going any faster would ruin the time the pair had left. Even if Aphtan was shorter than Carlisle, it made no difference to either one as he guided Carlisle, caught him when he gracefully fell, and spun him when he felt like it.

The notes picked up, more confident, hedging on desperate, and Aphtan guided Carlisle that way. Their moves retained refinement, but there was a hurrying feeling to them like they had to rush because now the time was slipping away and they needed to do as much as they could with the time left. As the music rose higher and higher with repetitive runs, Carlisle was at Aphtan's mercy, too weak to think he could stop, and Aphtan poured him through a series of spins and steps with attitude.

As the last beats of the movements came to play, strung high on lust and yearning, Aphtan accompanied Carlisle in a close spin before stopping him close and dipped him low on the last climatic downbeat.

As the next song came on, Aphtan lurched Carlisle up and spun him away only for Carlisle to freely laugh. "You have so much energy today, Tantan," he remarked. He threw himself into a lazy Gilteniann fouetté before he swept into a mock curtesy. "Thanks for that."

Aphtan, the ever serious one, crossed a hand over to the opposite side of his chest and bowed. "It's my pleasure, Carlisle-po." He straightened up and commented, "What has you so stressed?"

Carlisle pouted. "I'm not stressed."

"You like to listen to La Bayadère when you're stressed, Carlisle-po," Aphtan pointed out.

Carlisle blinked twice. "I do?"

"Yes." Aphtan went over to get his water alongside Carlisle's.

"I am a little stressed." Carlisle fell to the ground and splayed himself on the vinyl adagio rolls. "I didn't get too much sleep last night."

Aphtan returned with the water bottles and sat down with his knees bent. "I keep telling you, Carlisle-po, you need to stop seeing your sex friends after nine—"

"I wasn't having sex!" Carlisle grumpily swiped his water bottle and guzzled a few swallows. "I wish it was sex that did it though," he muttered. "It was just more family drama."

"I see." Aphtan took delicate sips of his drink. "Carlisle-po, if there is anything I can do to assist, please let me know."

Carlisle aimed a grateful beam to Aphtan. "Aw, Tantan, you're so good to me—"

"Because when you stress, you eat copious amounts of vegan food but it's all disproportionate, so you miss out on the calories and vitamins and minerals you're supposed to be getting," Aphtan continued without breaking his expression. "You tend to try and sneak out to a bar when you're stressed as well and it causes problems because you always manage to attract attention to yourself and make it increasingly hard for me to escort you home."

Carlisle felt his heart crack as Aphtan continued his very thorough explanation. Tantan really doesn't hold back anything, does he? He took another swig of his water as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Carlisle… I'd like to be there for you if you'd let me."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The focus watched as Kyler shifted again and tugged on his sleeve. But those turquoise eyes stayed locked on the focus, affectionate, kind, and a little anxious. "I know you haven't had the best experiences," he continued, timbre gentle. "But I didn't just track you down for this. I've been searching for you for quite some time."

"He has," Muta confirmed.

Carlisle huffed. "Please. Why would you need to look for me?"

Kyler sighed. "Because, as much as it might not seem like it right now to you, I'd like us to become a real family." His eyes slid down to Muta who stayed by his side. "I lost the love of my life many centuries ago only to find her again. I met Muta. I have a daughter now. I have a little sister and perhaps a brother-in-law. But…" His eyes found the focus again. "Having you a part of it would mean a lot to me."

Carlisle was unconvinced. "You'd have better luck with Lucy than with me." Tone bitter and saddened. "I'm happy you found your family. I have a nice family too. I just…" The focus swung down. "I don't think you and I would ever be family considering my…complications."

"Carlisle."

The focus looked up when Kyler put his fingers beneath Carlisle's chin to force their gazes to meet.

"I wanted to wait to tell you, but I think I should now," Kyler revealed. "We're family on my mother's side, yes, even if distant. However"—something in his eyes flickered—"we're family on my father's side too."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Carlisle-po?"

Carlisle jolted from the memory to look over at Aphtan. "Sorry, Tantan. You were saying?"

Aphtan held up a glowing Compact. "Your sex friend is calling," he informed. "Should I decline or take a message for you?"

"Can you answer it and put it on speaker?"

Aphtan did so and put the Compact on Carlisle's chest while he got up and went back to his bag.

"Hi, Prince," Carlisle called. "You're on speaker and Tantan is here, so let's not say anything too vulgar."

"I see." Dante must have been moving on his end. "Since I can't do anything with the last two projects I'm on until the parts ship in, I'm taking an extended lunch today—"

"And you wanted to spend it with me?" Carlisle hoped. "Oh, my dear sweet Prince, you flatter me with just the offer of a lunch date!" But when there was only silence on the end of the line, he frowned and grew worried. "Prince? Are you there?"

"You'd consider it a date?"

Carlisle frowned. "I mean I was teasing, but I love lunch dates. Tantan and I do lunch dates all the time."

A heavy sigh. "So it would be a friend date and not a romantic one."

Carlisle sat up, confused, as Aphtan came back over with a hand towel for him. "What do you mean by—?"

Aphtan stole the Compact (and Carlisle blinked as it took him seconds later to realize what happened) and spoke into the receiver, "Sex friend, Carlisle-po deserves more than an impromptu date for your first date."

Three beats. "'Sex friend'?"

"Tantan!" Carlisle tried to grab back his Compact, but Aphtan held him back with ease. "Give it back!"

Aphtan ignored him to say, "I expect Carlisle-po to be treated appropriately and for his date to be respectful. I will not relinquish Carlisle-po to anyone who treats him any less than that. And many have treated him less than that."

"And you think I will." A statement. No accusation. Neutral like always.

"Many are after Carlisle-po for his fame and his money. How am I to know you are different?" Was there a slight scathing in Aphtan's tone?

Carlisle stopped trying to get his Compact back to stare at Aphtan in both perplexity and that feeling of being touched. Tantan…

"You don't," Dante supposed. He did not sound offended. In fact, he sounded vaguely amused at the conversation. "But before you judge me, you can meet me and see for yourself. You can join Carlisle and me for lunch."

Carlisle jolted at the thought and sweated bullets. Oh, no. Tantan is going to make me a spinster. He reached for the Compact as he said, "No, that's okay—"

"Very well then," Aphtan agreed which made Carlisle gawk. "We will go to lunch at the café down the street that has been approved by our dietician." He inclined his head when Carlisle wanted to object only for him to snap his mouth shut and look like a sad puppy. "Don't be late. I expect you to be punctual for Carlisle-po."

"Can you make sure he's punctual too?"

Carlisle gaped. "That was rude! Rude!"

"Carlisle-po, you'd be late to everything if you were left alone." Aphtan turned his attention back to the call while Carlisle huffed and sulked. "I'll make sure."

"Thank you. Can I speak to Carlisle or is he pouting?"

"I'm not pouting," Carlisle muttered as he drew circles into the flooring with a finger.

"He's pouting."

"Tantan, you traitor!"

Aphtan held out the Compact to Carlisle. "I'll buy you an oatmeal cookie before your first class starts, Carlisle-po."

Carlisle snatched back his Compact. "I'm not doing this for the cookie." He took the call off speaker and quietly inserted, "And I want two cookies." He turned away from Aphtan to put the Compact to his ear. "Hi."

"'Sex friend'?"

Carlisle grimaced. "It's a long story, but I technically don't know what to call you."

"That's fair."

"You know…" Carlisle hesitated. "You don't have to eat lunch with Tantan and I. It's okay."

"It's fine. You've met several of my friends. I think it's time I meet yours." A pause. "Do you not want him to meet me—?"

"No, no, it's not that!" Carlisle hurried to assure. Just that Tantan offends everyone we meet either on accident or on purpose. "It's nothing. Forget it. I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

"Okay." Three beats. "Are you sure everything is okay? You didn't say a word when you came back to bed."

Carlisle shut his eyes. "Yeah, everything is fine. Just simple family drama. Sorry I wasn't so talkative this morning." His lips tugged into a grin. "I'll make sure I'm bouncing off the walls for you tomorrow."

"That's not what I—"

"Too late!"

A long sigh. "Why do I like you?"

"Meanie. I will have you know I'm a catch—!"

But Dante's voice sounded away from the Com when he murmured, "What is it, Ren?"

Carlisle's stomach dropped when he heard Ren squeaking something to Dante that was too full of stutters and fumbles for him to understand what was being asked. The little mouse again, huh?

Dante came back onto the line and apologized, "Sorry, Lips. Ren needs some help. I'll let you know when I'm on my way, okay?"

"Okay." Carlisle forced his tone to be upbeat even if he wanted to pout. "Will you—?" But he heard a dial tone and pulled his Compact away to see the call had ended. "Bye, I guess." He ran a hand through his hair and asked Aphtan, "Are you sure you want to come to lunch, Tantan?"

Aphtan was over at his bag and was pulling out a floor-length cardigan to put on. "Of course, Carlisle-po." He reached up to take the clip out of his hair and shook his head as his locks fell around him. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well…" Carlisle grabbed his water bottle as he got to his feet. "You never exactly liked any of my exes…" And you'll ruin my plot to seduce Dante to buy me ramen.

Aphtan hummed as he took Carlisle's Compact and water bottle to carry. "There's a first time for everything. We need to change for class."

"Right." Carlisle did a quick check to make sure the room was clean before he herded him and Aphtan out into the hall. "Could you just…please be nice to him? Just a little?"

But Aphtan the ever somber one replied, "I don't need to be nice to someone who potentially feeds you junk food."

"He doesn't feed me junk food!" Anymore. Spoilsport. "Look, all I'm asking is just for you to lighten up a little?" Carlisle requested. "Please don't scare him away." He snapped his fingers at an idea. "Why not try telling a joke to break the ice this time? I can even help you think of some!"

Aphtan replied baldly, "I don't need help making up jokes, Carlisle-po. I'm very funny."

Carlisle paused, face scrunched up. Was that a joke? "But, Tantan—"

"Carlisle-po, I think your sex friend is calling back."

"Wait, really?" Carlisle crowded Aphtan for his Compact. "Gimme, gimme, gimme!" He did not mind Aphtan had answered the call on his behalf. Putting his Compact to his ear, he purred, "And here I thought you had—"

"What in Hel happened last night, Carlisle?! I thought your mom and I made it clear you were supposed to keep your head down?! What were you thinking?! I swear to Them, Carlisle, I want to reach through the Com and strangle you to death, you—!"

Calmly, Carlisle pulled the Compact away as threats were made on his life to see the caller was none other than Lucy. He saw Aphtan was farther away with his back to him, but his hand was raised over his face. Well played, Tantan.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 071

A Cold Welcome

新しいほど良い意味はありません。 変化の重圧は重荷だが、私たちは乗り越えられるだろうか？

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Nashi understood what it felt like to be an animal on parade.

Bathed in the purest of water with fresh rose petals which were considered a delicacy and dressed in the finest of threads, Nashi stood in a floor-length black evening dress that was spiderwebbed in gold at the bottom, on her waist, and made an intricate pattern on her chest that had been centered with a large jewel. A shawl was attached to it and dragged to her knees. Her black hair had toiled into subtle waves. No crown was on her head, but she was expected to have her nose and mouth covered by threaded together jewels that dripped down almost like Magic.

More conscious of her body, Nashi was able to walk on her own down the hallway and took in every inch of it to catalog. The halls were taller than wider with washed sandstone, but unlike what she expected, the halls did not flaunt wealth. Paintings had been dedicated to the hallways as well as many plants, but the theme was nature rather than portraits of the previous ruler. The staff who tended to the plants all bowed low in her presence and murmured something to her that she could not figure out. Blanche trailed a good five paces behind her while Nashi had been given a vanguard and rearguard to accompany her and matched her step-for-step.

No matter how many times I look, there are no openings, Nashi thought. I wouldn't get far without Magic. I can fight and I can run, but I can't win in a place I know nothing about surrounded by highly trained guards. I just need to find Luna and Luke.

Blanche suddenly spoke up and said, "The western dining room will come up on your left, Your Majesty. Please allow us to announce your arrival."

Nashi thought it best to keep quiet as they arrived at twin doors that looked larger than life itself. The guards at the door had opened the doors on her behalf and the announcer said something in that same unfamiliar language. It did not matter right now. Soon enough, Nashi was escorted into the western dining room. A mural of nature consumed the walls, but it was not just a mural. The animals were animated illustrations as they frolicked and fed without a problem in the world. Guards lined the dining room every few feet and took precaution against the large back window. Food galore had been laid out on the table that had too many empty chairs.

But none of that matter to Nashi for the moment she saw Luna's scared eyes, her resolve steeled.

Nashi had to resist running to her sister when she saw Blanche move a little closer from the corner of her eye and instead took the time to observe Luna who sat to the right of the end chair that had obviously been crafted for royalty. Her hair had been left blonde, but it was forced in a braided bun and she had been given a veil like Nashi to cover everything outside her eyes. Rather than the regal black Nashi wore, Luna's dress was a lighthearted pink with golden enrichments. Nashi's eyes narrowed when she got Luna's nervous glance over her shoulder and followed her sister—

Nashi wanted to snarl.

A large man settled at-attention against the wall behind Luna's seat. His eyes were hidden behind a silk scarf, but it was not his eyes that Nashi cared about. She could sense a quiet deadliness about him and it certainly did not help he had organized bumps crossing all over his arms. He seemed content in leather pants and tunic.

"Your Majesty?"

Nashi realized she had come to a stop to glare at the large man, but she got back in line without question to be guided to her seat. Without hesitation, she reached underneath to find Luna's hand and gave it a squeeze to which Luna squeezed back.

Blanche told Nashi and Luna, bowing low, "Your Majesty, Your Highness—please enjoy your breakfast. I have already sent one of the messengers to alert His Royal Chief and he will join you shortly. I have other matters to attend to, but Hemlock will continue to escort you."

"'Hemlock'?" Nashi questioned.

Blanche nodded and gestured to the large man. "Yes, Your Majesty. Hemlock is proved to be Her Highness Princess Luna's assistant, but he is capable enough to protect the pair of you."

Handler, Nashi growled. A handler who touched and scared her. But she could not say that, so she inclined her head.

Blanche spoke in a different language this time and two maids came out, pretty and silent. They made both Luna and Nashi a plate with eggs, bacon, rice, potatoes, bread, and they poured tea for the pair before bowing and backing away. "I will be on my way," Blanche said with a glance towards Hemlock.

Nashi said nothing until she was certain the doors had closed behind Blanche. "Lu—"

She stopped herself.

Her eyes darted left and right to the posted guards and she cursed. Dammit. Talking here would essentially be suicide. Her eyes widened, bewildered when she felt a light touch against her mind.

N-Nashi?

Luna?! How did you—? Nashi let go of Luna's hand to begin cutting into her breakfast like everything was fine. Start eating your food and don't look suspicious.

Luna's hand shakily went for her utensils as she heaved an inhale. Nashi, I'm scared, she whimpered. She chanced a look back at the unshakeable Hemlock. What's going on?

I'm starting to understand, but I'm still in a lot of shock. Nashi took a bite of her eggs and potatoes. First of all, what did that man do to you?

Luna looked like she was ready to breakdown, but she shoveled on trying to fork over eggs. He wouldn't leave, she whispered. He was…everywhere.

Fear gripped Nashi for the implications, but she tried to keep it down. She could feel Luna's creeping terror and sickness with her thoughts. Luna, what happened? What do you remember?

It's still fuzzy, Luna told her as she chewed on her eggs mechanically. I know Luke and I got dinner, but I remember waking up here. I… I think I had a few visions. She sniffled as her eyes watered. They were so awful—

Luna, look at me.

Luna did so and Nashi's heart broke when she saw such grief in her sister's eyes.

I know everything is scary right now, Nashi soothed her, but I promise you we'll figure out a way together, okay? I won't leave you. I'm right here.

Luna covered her mouth to keep herself from hiccuping when silent tears streamed down her face. It was so awful, she cried. And then h-h-h-he…

Nashi forced herself to keep eating even if she wanted to say screw it all and hold Luna. What did he do to you?

I-I-I couldn't calm down, Luna sobbed. I didn't know what was going on and I was scared, so h-h-he…! She held her face in her hands. He pinned me onto the b-b-bed. Her shoulders shook. H-He put his h-h-hand over my mouth…

Nashi clenched her knife as her eyes closed. Spine straight, she forced a deep breath in and out, but the feeling to go nuclear would not go away. Luna, you don't have to say anymore, she tried to console. I'm right here. He won't touch you again. No one will touch you like that again. She forked in more eggs and potatoes with a forceful gesture. Her eyes went to Hemlock in burning hatred. I wish I had my Magic to summon my swords. Her eyes went to a shaky Luna in sympathy. I know you might not be up for answering, but do you know how you still have your powers?

Luna sniffled and grabbed a napkin to wipe her nose. No, she choked out. They know I can teleport, but they told me if I teleported, something would happen to Luke.

They told me the same thing about my behavior would affect you and Luke, Nashi informed. Can you feel Luke anywhere?

Luna subtly shook her head as she tried again to eat. No. I didn't really know I could talk to you until I tried. But I think Icarus helped me.

You still have his key?

No. Luna scrunched her nose in her confusion. It's like…I can feel bits and pieces of his Magic. Sort of like how Mama can summon her Spirits without her keys? I'm not strong enough to do that. I know his key isn't close to me. But I feel a little bit of his power.

While I'm out of Magic altogether. Nashi went for her tea as she scanned the dining room. We need to play along with whatever weird game this is until we can find Luke. They'll dangle him over our heads every chance they get. The second we find him, we—

The doors opened once more and Nashi and Luna both shivered at the sudden temperature drop. The announcer said something once again in a foreign language, but neither sister needed to know what he said to know who entered the room.

Nashi's eyes narrowed in fury while Luna's eyes widened in fear. It's him.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Highness," came salutation. "I hoped you both slept well. Your attendants, Your Highness, tell me you have them quite a scare this morning. I hope Hemlock was satisfactory in aiding your rather disturbing mental state."

A haunting look came back to Luna and her eyes filled with tears all over again.

Nashi had enough and she scowled over at the man. "What do you want with us?" she hissed. "You don't need her. I should be enough, right?"

Steps came forward until that choking winter stood between both sisters. "You misunderstand, Your Majesty. You, of course, will rule Alvarez as the late emperor did as the reborn Sylph Empress, but Her Highness has her own role to play."

Luna stiffened when a freezing gloved hand touched her shoulder.

"To have such a revered position in politics for one so young is an honor. Is it not, Your Highness? I was assured Hemlock told you as such while you were in your bath."

CLANG!

Luna's utensils clattered onto her plate and she quickly brought up the napkin to her mouth to try and quell her sobs.

"How dare you," Nashi growled. "She's innocent, you sick bastard! She's only fourteen! What is wrong with you—?" Her anger was swallowed the moment she saw his hand tighten on Luna's shoulder.

"Your Majesty, might I remind you good behavior is key to ensuring certain…safeties," came light reprimand.

Nashi pressed her lips together and she did not know whether she wanted to join Luna in crying or to silently scream because why-why-why was this happening to them. "I don't need another reminder." Voice tight. Spiteful. "But I just wanted to remind you she's innocent and so is Luke."

"And, as I said before, as no disrespect to you, Your Majesty, both have vital roles to play." The hand tightened.

Luna jerked and her eyes fled to Nashi's in pain.

"Do you not agree, Your Majesty?"

Nashi had to take a long breath before she consented, "I…agree."

The hand was gone from Luna's shoulder. "How wonderful. His Late Majesty would be so proud to see his heir have such a level head on her shoulders," came poised praise fit for a child. "Today will be an easier day for you both, Your Majesty, Highness. Your Highness is scheduled to serve tea to a representative of an allied party followed with the beginnings of history lessons of Alvarez, music lessons, and a tour around the castle. Your Highness, Hemlock will remain at your side to attend to anything you need."

Luna bit her bottom lip and looked at her plate.

"Your Majesty, Blanche and I will be accompanying you to meet your staff and will have an audience with King Ajeel on the arrangements in place as well as the current council who have been eager for your arrival. Once introductions have been made, I have set up a time for you to meet with your personal tutor. I didn't want to overwhelm Your Majesty on your first day."

Nashi wanted to roll her eyes and snort, but she dared not risk it. "And Luke?"

A flippant hand wave. "He has other matters to attend that do not concern you at this time, Your Majesty. He's in the most capable of hands and shouldn't be disturbed."

Nashi bit her tongue to negate that and asked, "And Igneel?"

"Prince Igneel is not a necessity at this moment," came explanation. "He's far too untamed for his place in Alvarez."

"You won't get away with this," Nashi spat. "Someone will know we're missing—"

"Your Majesty, I think you're underestimating my ability to be useful to the throne. I took precautions to ensure the transition of power would go smoothly, including ensuring none of your little fairies would pay you a visit. Rest assured, Your Majesty, you will be crowned Empress like planned."

Nashi's blood went cold. "'Precautions'?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Necessary precautions." A fist crossed his chest and he bowed lowly. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, I best ensure preparations are met for the staff introductions. I suggest you both eat your breakfasts in a timely manner. Your Majesty, please don't worry about the meat. His Late Majesty was a lover of the beauty of life, so the food provided to the royal family will continue to honor his wishes and are vegetarian and vegan employed. It brought our chefs' immense joy their Empress shared the same beliefs as His Late Majesty. And, to you, Your Highness, I suggest you not keep your guest waiting. I would hate for them to grow offended."

A push up of glasses. "I will be taking my leave first, Your Majesty, Your Highness. Enjoy your breakfast."

Before he could get far, Nashi needed to know, "And who exactly are you outside of our 'Royal Chief'?"

He gave paused. "My apologies." He turned around to show those eyes that could freeze Hell and connected them with Nashi's hickories. "I am Invel Yura. I served His Late Majesty for many years before his untimely passing."

Nashi jerked and clutched her chest when something crossed between freezing cold and pins and needles hurt her internally.

Invel did not bat an eye. "And I am just as excited to serve the true ruler to my nation." He turned away and left the room without so much as a backwards glance.

---

Silver hesitantly made his way up the steps of the Fernandes residence where a car was warming up in the driveway, but he forced himself to stay calm. He knocked thrice before ringing the doorbell and was content to rock on his heels as he figured out something to say, but it was his surprise when the door opened and Aine was on the other side strapped in her winter gear and backpack.

"Oh." He blinked. "H-Hi, Aine."

"Silver. Hello," Aine greeted as she stepped outside with her car keys. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting you this morning. Did you need something from my mom? She's at the guild currently."

Silver gave her a quizzical look. "I'm here for Ena."

"Oh." Aine adjusted her bag. "You just missed her, actually."

"'Missed her'?"

Aine turned to lock up the house as she said, "Yes, she's at the train station right now. She took a job for the day." She blew out a breath and rubbed her hands together. "My goodness, today is cold."

"She…left?"

Aine turned back to Silver to see a lost expression on her face and she softened. "She said she needed a day off," she explained, "and to just be alone to her thoughts. I take it she didn't tell you?"

"N-No…" Silver backed down a step. "She didn't say anything…"

Aine sighed. "That sounds like her. Sometimes, she and Mystogan are alike more than she thinks. I didn't even know until I saw her leave this morning." She shook her head. "She worries me sometimes, I swear—"

"Did she say where she went?"

Aine offered a hopeful-edging-desperate Silver a sad shake of her head. "No. She just told me she'd be gone for the day and maybe tomorrow, depending." She glanced to her car then back to a shifting Silver who wore his heart on his sleeve as he showed his worry. "If you'd like, I can drive you to the train station. She only left a half an hour ago, so she might still be there—"

"Please!"

Aine blinked to see a fierce emotion cage mayan blues.

"Please." Silver's hands clenched to fists. "I need to find her."

°•°•°•°

The train station was busy in a formal way and that was the best way to describe it. Students and businesspeople alike were boarding and getting off trains to start their way and grabbed what they could from the mini convenient stores and stands to give them enough energy. A few college students looked dead tired with coffee in their hands as they complained about an early morning lecture. One fast-taking financial analyst was at his wits' end with a late nanny for his daughter. An older brother was trying to placate his younger sister who was crying about how she could not have sweets for breakfast.

Ena waited for her train with her backpack at her side and her tablet in her hands as she looked longingly at the adverts for the fashion weeks held in Pergrande, Minstrel, Stella, and the USM. "Someday," she murmured. Dodging out of that, she decided to go through international news as her reading of choices. Her eyes squinted when she saw a headline in a foreign language, but it had a picture of a castle. She tapped ⟪ Translate to Minstrish ⟫ and read:

•

Alvarezites show excitement as possible Spriggan heir photos have been leaked

Insider reports two new high-profile guests have been stationed at the castle.

Ena scrolled to see the fuzzy pictures, but all she saw were far-off shots that caught the back of a woman with black hair. Shrugging it off, she went back to the news and decided to bring out her headphones to listen to a news report in Perench—

"Fernandes!"

Ena's brow furrowed as she glanced around and her eyes found the culprit who called for her in the form of a sprinting Silver. She arched an eyebrow when he slowed to a stop in front of her, panting. "Can I help you?"

Once Silver gathered his breath, he accused, "You said you weren't going anywhere!"

"When on Earth Land did I say that?" Ena asked, befuddled.

"Yesterday! When you were—!" Silver's pale cheeks flushed. "You know, when you were holding me?"

Ena blinked. "I said that?" Before Silver could fall over, it clicked. "Ah. Yes. I did say that. And I didn't go anywhere," she reminded. "I stayed with you until you felt better, remember?"

"W-W-Well…" Silver felt more flustered and all he had planned to say went out the window. "I-I mean you did, but… That wasn't what I…"

The PSA came on. "The train now approaching platform seven does not stop here. Please stand well clear of the edge of Platform Seven."

Ena went back to finding her headphones as she told him, "And, anyways, I sent the entire staff an email last night that I would be out of office but still available for any questions. You should have received my email with all the numbers for the vendors, a list of typical questions I'm asked and the answers I give, and my rearranged schedule. Ah." She smiled when she found her headphones. "Here we are." She shooed him away as she pushed pack her hair to put in her earbud. "Since I took the day off, if you want, you can to. I trust the staff and they can reach me."

HONK-HONK!

CHUGGA-CHUGGA-CHUGGA-CHUGGA!

Lips curled. "You're not…listening to me…"

Ena paused in putting in her other earbud. "I'm sorry. Did you say something? The station is getting a little loud—"

"Ena."

Her eyes when Silver had stolen her hand and confused dark chocolate clashed with determined mayan blues.

Silver took a deep breath, cheeks red, and shouted—

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!

KEH-CLACK! KEH-CLACK! KEH-CLACK!

The fast train breezed past the platform in a whirlwind of silver and windows and silhouettes as it honked its horn and bombarded the station with vibrations. No one was too bothered by it. It was commonplace for fast trains to come by and most minded their business as they waited for their own train to arrive. The entire ordeal took a little under a minute until the fast train was gone.

Shoulders having, Silver panted as he looked expectantly at Ena who could only stare at him. There. I-I did it. But as silence dwelled between them, his anxiety welled up. Why is she just looking at me like that? Is she rejecting—?

"Sorry." Ena blinked twice. "What did you say?"

Silver froze.

Ena gestured to the now empty train track. "As I was saying, the station gets a little loud and it makes it hard to hear anything." Now she looked at him expectantly. "So, what did you say?"

A weak smile twitched on Silver's lips. She…didn't hear any of that? "O-Oh, um… It was nothing important." It was probably the best she didn't hear me anyways… I don't think I could handle the rejection.

Ena was unconvinced, but she slowly nodded. "Okay then… Could you let go of my hand?"

Red coated Silver's face as he snatched back his hands from hers. "R-Right. Sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I, um, didn't mean to disturb you and everything. I guess I didn't read the email."

"That's okay. Now you know." Ena put back in her earbud and synched it with her L-Pad. "See you tomorrow. Have a nice day." She played her video and that was the end of that.

Silver shuffled his feet and glanced towards the exit. I know she wants today off, but… He looked down at his shoes. But… His hand clenched the material over his chest. I can't stop feeling that fear…

Ena was roused from the Perench news by a hand covering the screen. Frowning, she looked up and, to her weariness, Silver was still there, looking like a nervous wreck. She took out one earbud and scathingly questioned, "What do you need now? You have the day off, paid, with no strings attached."

"I-I-I just, um… I-I…" Silver messed with his fingers. "I just thought…maybe you'd want some company?"

"No."

Silver turned away as he tried to hide the comical disappointment behind a feeble smile. "Right. I see." I shouldn't have expected a different answer anyways.

"No offense, but you're not exactly the sort of company I need."

I think I just heard my heart breaking, Silver absently thought. Ah, yes. There it is in a million pieces.

"It's just…" Ena sighed as she paused the video. "I'm just so stressed right now and I just need to be somewhere I don't have to think or worry. For once, I just want to relax and think about whatever comes to mind, you know?" She snorted. "You probably think I sound like a spoiled brat—"

"No, not at all."

Ena tipped her head up to see Silver regarding her with almost an understanding expression.

"You have a lot of responsibility that I guess I never thought about," Silver realized. "Since we're the Fairy Tail and a powerhouse guild and our parents are really high-level Mages, I know we have to attend events, but it's a lot more for you being Master's daughter and the appearances you have to put on. And with all the work you do day-in and day-out, it's kind of a no-brainer you'd want to get away for a day." He laughed as he scratched his cheek. "Honestly, hearing you say that is kind of like a relief to me."

"A 'relief'?"

"Yeah. Every time I see you, you're always so in the zone that it's almost intimidating. Like you're a working machine or something and you can never stop. I thought I was lacking when I saw you in action." Silver looked down at himself in a shameful smile. "I felt so…inadequate about myself. Like I wasn't doing enough. You always have a plan and you're so focused and really driven. So hearing that even someone as great as you could want a break from it once and a while…" He smiled. "I don't know. It just makes me sort of happy."

Ena only observed him in silence.

Silver coughed into a fist, neck flushed. "A-A-Anyways, I didn't mean to bother you or anything," he laughed. "I was just worried, but I guess there's no reason to worry, right?" Even if he knew he should leave, he felt so reluctant to do so. "I guess I should go." When Ena said nothing, his shoulders nearly drooped but he forced himself to give her a smile and wave. "See you tomorrow." He walked away and the more steps he took, the less he could keep up his smile.

Idiot. She's fine. There's nothing to worry about.

Fists tightened until knuckles turned white.

Then why…do I feel so afraid she'll leave and I won't be able to find her?

"Silver?"

He gave pause and he turned back around to see Ena staring at him with a mixed look of contemplation and…was she uncomfortable or was that shyness? "Uh, yeah?"

"I know these days haven't been easy on you also," Ena started. "I'm sure you could use a break too."

Silver perked, but he dared not get his hopes up just yet and teased, "Well, you did give me that day off." He reeled back at Ena's sudden dark look and prompted, "R-Right. I'm sorry. It was a joke. You were saying?"

Ena rolled her eyes and she locked down her L-Pad. "Look, the job I'm taking is for me alone in New Rosemary; however…" Dark chocolate tempered as she offered him a tentative smile. "I could stand to have some company after my job. For a little while anyway."

"You mean that?" Silver hoped.

Ena nodded. "Just… I don't want to talk about work. I'll try to be nicer, I promise. I don't want an assistant. I just…need a friend." Uncertainty flashed through her eyes. "Okay?"

"Yes!" Silver blurted and barely kept it together from bouncing off the wall. "Yeah, sure, I can do that! I'll be your friend! The bestest of friends!"

Amusement danced on her face. "I think L holds that title."

"Then, I'll just have to try harder to get that title too," Silver determined. "I won't let you down! I promise!"

"Silver, I don't have any expectations you need to meet," Ena stressed. "We're both relaxing together, remember? There are no plans after my job." She tapped a finger to her chin. "Now that I think about it, New Rosemary does have a lot of bistros and they should still have their park open. The job shouldn't take me that long. Maybe lunch and then go to the park? What do you think?" She looked back at Silver, but she sweatdropped when she saw him looking a little too giddy. "Silver?"

But he neglected to hear his name as he was too in his thoughts. She's finally going to just eat with me and talk to me. Me! And we get to go on a walk together. An idea hit him and he wanted to jump up and down. It's like a date. This is like a date, right? People do this on dates, right? That's what Goggle told me. Is this a date? Maybe she does like—

SHING!

Silver stayed perfectly still as a few innocent strands of her were neatly chopped off by the blade that passed him.

Ena scowled at him as she wielded another knife. "You were just ignoring me again, weren't you?"

Never mind. I was horribly wrong. Silver shook his head to settle for an embarrassed chortle. "Sorry, sorry. I started thinking about New Rosemary and tried to think of stuff to do there while you're on your job."

"Oh." Ena frowned. "Just stick close to the area. Who knows? I might need you on the job." She shrugged as Silver stumbled and clutched his chest. "Although, I highly doubt I will need you considering the job is…"

But Silver was gone and kept hearing those words.

"I might need you on the job."

"I might need you…"

"…need you…"

My heart, Silver gasped. My heart can't take this. How does she break my heart and give me hope in five minutes?

Ena's nose scrunched up when she caught Silver hunched over and looked like pain was on his face, but at this same time…happiness. "Are you okay?"

Silver waved off her question with a shaky smile. "I'm fine," he rasped. I think I'm just having heartburn, but it's going away now."

"Okay…" What is wrong with him? I'm already regretting this. "Well, why don't you check with you make sure to check with your parents first and buy your ticket?" She checked the time on one of the nearby clocks. "The train should be here in another fifteen minutes."

"Right." Silver tried to get his heart under control. "I'll do that."

"Oh. And one more thing… You did your schoolwork for today, right?"

Silver froze. Then, sweat began to trickle.

"I'm taking this day to relax because I made sure any assignments are out of the way. And I assumed if you agreed to come with me, it means you thought it through that you have no other work to do since this is a day of relaxation. Am I right?"

"U-U-Um…" Silver hesitantly turned around with a nervous chuckle. "Funny story about that…"

"Silver."

He stiffened when he could feel her murderous energy crowd him.

"You will finish all of your schoolwork on the ride to New Rosemary. Am I clear?"

Silver bowed and murmured, "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Ena wriggled out of her earbuds to put one back in. "Go buy your ticket for New Rosemary. I won't wait for you if you decide to wander off."

"Yes, I know." He did know that very well from all the times she did leave him behind over the past month.

"And Silver?"

Silver tensed, ready for another condition.

"Thank you…"

Mayan blues gleamed when he witnessed a light pink on Ena's cheeks and her shy smile.

"…for being a good friend." Ena messed with her braid. "And for worrying about me. I…appreciate that."

She can be so cruel, sometimes. She'll yell at me. Throw things at me. She still gets impatient with me and she doesn't really like to see me outside of work. She hogs Lulu and, sometimes, she can be so uppity and stiff. She dismisses me like I'm nothing and orders me around like a dog. But then, in moments like this…

Silver beamed as he rubbed the side of his neck. "It's no problem! I'll go get my ticket now!" He spun on his heel and dashed away as he covered his heated cheeks.

…just seeing her smile and say words like that to me… It's like the whole world stops.

Silver looked down and mumbled, "She really is…amazing."

BANG!

Ena sweatdropped when she saw Silver run into a pole. He rubbed his forehead and apologized profusely to the bewildered people who stopped to make sure he was okay and there he went, running again. What the heck is wrong with him? She shook it off as she put in her remaining earbud and played the video. But still… I wonder…

A giddy beam was on Silver's face as he suddenly pumped a fist and jumped, startling several bystanders when he hooted.

…when will Paige realize she's lucky to have someone this kind love her?

---

Luna tried to keep her head up in the massive hallway and tried not to shake, but it was a struggle to keep herself in check. In a twisted way, she wished the guards would enclose around her if it meant Hemlock was not just behind her shoulder. Eyes wide and fearful, she knotted her fingers together and her breaths came out in short, rushed intervals. She remembered Nashi's words.

'See if you can feel for Luke. Since I don't have Magic, only you can keep our link open. Remember to breathe, Lu, and call me if anything happens.'

Luna swallowed and tried to take a steady breath, but she ended up choking. I've faced Demons, she tried to remind herself. I could've died. Igneel could have died. Nashi could have died. Gale could have died. I've faced Demons. I just need to be brave. Her hands violently shook and she clutched her dress for some sort of support. Why can't I be brave?

"Something wrong, Your Highness?"

Luna stumbled in her steps when she heard Hemlock's voice. "N-N-No. No," she got out in a stammer. "I-I'm okay."

"You look flushed. It must be the fear I smell." Hemlock bent a little and took a deep inhale. "It still hasn't gone away from this morning."

⌜ALVAREZ EMPIRE

Name: Hemlock

Curse: Necromancy

Likes: N/A Dislikes: N/A

Special Note: The reason why Hemlock has his eyes covered pertains to his Necromancy, but not even Invel knows the reason why.⌟

Luna's bottom lip trembled.

"Did I frighten you this morning, Your Highness? My apologies."

Luna stiffened when she felt a large hand on her lower back.

"His Royal Chief thought you might need a heavier hand to help you adjust to all these changes. Did the bath not relax you?"

Tears sprung up in Luna's eyes, but she bit her to keep her cry inside. Be brave like Nashi. Just be brave. Taking a deep breath, she half-spoke half-whispered, "The bath was…fine."

"That's a relief to hear, Your Majesty." The hand trailed up her back. "If you find yourself stressed, I would be honored to draw you another bath."

"I-I'm okay," Luna quickly sniffled. "C-Can I ask who the visitor is now?" She squeaked, but she swallowed down a scream when the hand went to her shoulder.

"Your visitor requested it to be a surprise." Hemlock delicately took a strand of Luna's hair and bent over to sniff it. "His Royal Chief granted the request. You will have to be patient, Your Highness, but His Royal Chief assured you would appreciate the guest." He let go of her hair.

"O-O-Okay." Luna felt her heart lurch and the small pieces of food she was able to shove down the roll in her stomach, but she tamped it down. Breathe. Just breathe. I need to be brave. They'll hurt Luke. I don't want Luke to get hurt because of me. Her eyes shut tight to keep back the sting. Just breathe. Be brave for Luke. He needs me.

Her power only needed a nudge, but even this littlest thing brought her some semblance of comfort. Like she had practiced in meditation, she let her power expand as she leafed through the nearby presences. It took more concentration than she wanted and with her being acutely aware of Hemlock, her anxiety made it harder, but she pushed through. Vaguely, she sensed the guards and avoided the lethal darkness that wafted off Hemlock. Further away, she could feel innocent staff. But the farther she went, the harder it was to get a sense for which mind was which.

Icarus, she pleaded. I need you.

No response.

Luna had no choice but to stop her efforts with a ragged pant. Her heart burned and she felt woozy, almost tripping on her feet.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Hemlock questioned. "You look unsteady. Should I carry you?"

"No, n-no, I'm okay," Luna was quick to assure. The terror at the suggestion was enough to cure her exhaustion and she forcibly straightened. "I-I-I'm just nervous."

"No need to be nervous, Your Highness," Hemlock assured. "You're in a position of power. Your guest has more reason to be nervous of you."

"R-Right. Of course." That was all Luna could say and continued to walk with her guard and Hemlock. I have to think. What's the next right thing to do? I can't find Luke. Not here. I need Icarus, but I can't find Icarus. What's the next right thing? Her heart sunk when she realized she was coming to a dead end. There has to be something. Please. Something.

But nothing came to her.

Hesitantly, she called within her mind, Hello? Voice? Are you there? Can you help me?

Nothing came to her.

Please, there has to be something, Luna begged. Please. Please, I just need to think of something—

"Your Highness."

Luna snapped out of her thoughts to realize they had stopped. She looked to her right to see twin doors carved in mahogany were guarded by two sentries who were bowing low to her. "M-My guest is in there?"

"Not yet, Your Highness, but they will arrive in a few moments," Hemlock confirmed.

"W-Will I be going in alone?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Your guest requested for privacy." Hemlock paused. "But if Your Highness feels more comfortable, I will escort you. It would be an honor."

"No, it's okay." Luna swallowed as she looked at the doors. I can call Nashi if— But she backpedaled. But if they find out I was using Telepathy, what if they hurt Luke? Or hurt Nashi? I have to be brave. "I can go alone." She erased the dread on her face to give Hemlock a smile that wanted to crumble so badly.

Hemlock gave a short bow. "As you wish, Your Highness. I will remain on standby." Then, he said something foreign to the guards.

The guards snapped to attention and hauled open the doors.

Luna hesitated. What if this is a trap?

"In you go, Your Highness."

Luna quelled the whimper that threatened to push past her lips when she felt Hemlock's hand on her lower back and it lingered. She gulped and closed her eyes when he bent down for his words to hit her ear. "I'll be right here if you need me."

Luna stepped forward and opened her eyes. Just be brave. Just be brave. Head high, she pressed into the room and quickly looked around her. The room looked nothing too terrifying. It was a simple sitting room with all the trimmings of velvet seating, large windows, and ornate carpets. But when she was inside the room, she did not find someone else with her.

SLAM!

Luna jumped and whirled around to find the doors closed. Just be brave. Just be brave. Slowly, she turned back around to find the table at which she and her guest would be seated. A dark brown feature with white table clothes and fresh flowers. Cakes on a tray had been made and all the necessities for hosting tea. Trepidation in each stepped, she went for the table. "H-Hello?" she called. "Is anyone else in here?"

No answer.

Luna swallowed as she came closer to the table. Nashi's words came back to her.

'Stay on your toes for any food or drinks. I don't know how they drugged me to get here, but I've been drugged before and had a Magic and drug detector straw. The Petra Cromwell I was supposed to interview with wasn't her. Don't eat or drink anything or touch anyone without using your Magic.'

Luna kept her hands to her sides as she eyed the food. Did they drug me with food? I can't remember much. Luke and I went to dinner and I got so sleepy. I couldn't tell the Luke kidnapping wasn't Luke until it was too late.

Her shadow rippled and expanded.

Mama and Papa said we were safe in Magnolia—. Luna realized the mistake and guilt gutted her. And we left Magnolia because of me. I was so stupid. We could've been at home and safe, but I was being selfish and n-n-now Luke is…! He could be hurt or worse!

The shadow breached into the real world.

Luna covered her mouth. This is my fault. If I hadn't… If I had just listened… This is my fault… Her eyes widened when a presence invaded her personal space. Like it was instinct, she whirled around and her mouth opened in a scream when she saw a male silhouette in front of her as he gestured for her to keep quiet. It took her a few moments of quick breaths and borderline hysteria for her to realize why that shadow looked so familiar…

"Cu… Cullen?"

Cullen nodded and wiggled his fingers.

Relief flood Luna for a second, but then suspicion rose up again. "How do I know it's you?" she demanded to know. "You could be a fake just like the other Luke."

Cullen deflated for a few seconds until he raised a finger as an idea came to him. He reached into his stomach and pulled from his shadow a…

Luna's eyes widened. "The Forever Container?" She carefully took the dodecahedron into her hands and cradled the Anti-Ether prison. Her eyes sought Cullen in disbelief. "How did you…?" Then, she shook her head. "You are Cullen."

Cullen nodded, though the action looked sheepish.

"I-I'm sorry. It's been a…rough day." Luna stroked the dodecahedron as she frowned at Cullen's figure and noted his form looked a little fuzzier than pronounced. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Your Shadower can't help you. It's too dark for him to form here."

Luna winced as the memory bombarded her, loose and hazy, but it was something. "You… It was too dark. Shadows can't be shadows in complete darkness." She looked for confirmation in Cullen who nodded to her. "Are you okay, though?" She looked at the light the windows drew in. "I guess you can come back now that there's enough light."

Cullen rubbed his neck and nodded.

"It's nice to have a friendly face," Luna confessed. Another realization stumbled upon her. "And someone to help me. Cullen, you have to help. Luke's in danger. I need you to find him."

Cullen went alert hearing Luke's name, but her request made the Shadower wince and shake his head.

Luna's eyebrows slammed together. "Cullen, please, you have to find Luke," she insisted. "He's in danger and they'll know if I teleport and Nashi can't use Magic. You have to save him."

Cullen looked to the doors then back to her. He pointed at her.

"Me?" Luna fed him a feeble smile. "I'll be fine. I'm here, aren't I? I can be brave. Please, just find Luke and—"

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.

Panic flashed on Luna's face as she heard in rough Minstrish, "Your Highness, your guest has arrived for morning tea. Shall I send them in?"

"I-I-In a second," Luna called. She turned to Cullen and showed him the dodecahedron. "Take this with you. Find Luke. Get him out of here. If you find him but you can't get him out, find me and show me where he is." When Cullen shook his head and pushed the dodecahedron back to her, Luna pushed it back into his hands. "No, Cullen, please—!"

Cullen shook his head and exaggeratedly pushed the dodecahedron back into her hands.

That confused Luna. "You're saying, 'no' to taking the Forever Container?"

Cullen nodded.

"No, Cullen, you don't understand—!"

KNOCK-KNOCK.

"Your Highness?"

Without a word, Cullen slunk down into the floor and Luna watched as the shadow blended in with the shadow one of the bookshelves gave off, but she had a feeling he had left the room altogether. Stuck with the Forever Container, Luna turned to the table. Where am I supposed to hide this? Those Demon gems… I can't let anyone find them, but—!

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.

"Your Highness." It was Hemlock who spoke as the handle turned. "We grow worried for you. If you'd allow me—"

"No!" Luna's eyes darted around, but they landed back on the table. She reached underneath to see the table trimming had curved just enough for something to sit on it. "Um, yes, let them in!" With hurried hands, she put the Forever Container within the table and thanked every deity that it stayed put.

The doors opened just as Luna shot up and tried to fluff out her hair and calm down her breathing. She swallowed down her nerves and tried to paste on a smile—

"Your Highness…"

Chocolate widened.

"…it's a privilege to see you again."

Slowly, Luna turned around to see a young gentleman bowed before her. It did not matter. She knew that mossy jade hair even if it had been cut to look more reparable. Her heart stopped.

The young gentleman lifted his head to show green eyes dancing in that familiar mischief and a grin that said trouble. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Since the Harvest Festival, Duchess."

Luna could only breathe one name: "Jay."

°•°•°•°

Nashi had been prepped in an extravagant sitting room that mimicked the throne room in a way with her seat the grandest of them all and on its own pedestals, a long carpet leading down it. Back straight, hands in her lags, one leg tucked under the other—Nashi remembered all those etiquette lessons Capricorn, Virgo, and Aquarius had drilled into her for the formal events she attended with her mother. One after the other, servants came and royal staff who bowed low. The higher staff spoke Minstrish to her, but others spoke in an odd language that had to be translated to her.

Blanche stood at her left while Invel stood at her right, hands clasped behind his back and eyes pinned on each who approached her as though daring them to step out of line. But it more felt like she was being flanked by two handlers who would not hesitate to instill punishment if she did not put on her best behavior.

Nashi tried her best to thank each person who explained to her their name, their royal, and their loyalty, but with each person, it was harder and harder. These people are innocent, she reminded herself. They did nothing wrong. They don't deserve to die.

At one point, Invel raised a hand to stop anyone else from coming down the carpet and addressed them all in a foreign language. The staff and servants who had introduced themselves scuttled away while the others stayed dutifully behind, eyeing Nashi in pure adoration and wonder as they murmured to each other. Out of the shadows, a boy came with a tray of tea and little sandwiches which he presented to Nashi.

Nashi smiled politely. "No thank you."

"Your Majesty," Blanche cut in, "I would think you'd want to drink and eat considering you have more introductions to do today."

Nashi knew a warning when she heard one and nodded at the boy. He smiled back at her and she felt so guilty seeing him look at her like she hung the moon. He poured her tea and made sure she was set with finger sandwiches before he bowed low and backed away.

"They adore you, Your Majesty," Invel murmured. "They can't stop looking at you."

"So I've noticed," Nashi muttered.

"Forgive their gazes, Your Majesty, but they have been waiting for a long time for the true heir of the Alvarez Empire to return," Invel explained. "They have nothing outside of the same reverence and love they felt for His Late Majesty as they do for you and the princess and princes."

"My papa is technically the 'true heir'."

To which Invel said in a chilling voice, "Of which the people are unaware of your father's current state nor will they learn about it."

Nashi swallowed and looked at her hands. "Of course." Moving onto a safer topic, she questioned, "What language are they speaking to me?"

"Alvarez has many languages due to the induction of several hundred countries into our nation," Blanche answered. "Minstrish is a secondary language to most of our people, but they commonly speak Alkyztik and several eastern languages such as Jazi and Thambiyyah. You'll learn the languages, Your Majesty. Our tutors come highly recommended."

"His Late Majesty made it a point to learn the languages of his people so he could communicate with all who were graced with his presence." Something mollified the tundra waging in Invel's eyes. "He was dedicated to his people."

Nashi looked over at Invel before she looked back at her lap. This could be my chance to learn something about whatever is going on. "My papa never told me much about Zeref—"

"Because your father is weak and spineless."

Nashi felt winter burden her and the gasp she released came with frost. She clutched her throat as the freezing cold expanded on her insides and left her shivering.

Blanche's eye flicked to Invel. "My Royal Chief…"

Invel let out a breath of frost.

The winter inside Nashi vanished without a trace and she coughed several times before reaching for the tea.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. Your father is a sensitive subject in the empire," Blanche explained. "We understand you were never given the truth regarding His Late Majesty. Your history teachers will happily share His Late Majesty's legacy with you so you may understand your heritage."

"Precisely." Invel pushed up his glasses. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. My temper got the best of me."

His temper? Then, why did it affect me like that? Nashi touched her chest at the sickening feeling. I feel…cold. When he said he froze my Magic… Whatever the Hell his power is…it's living inside me. Is it Ice Magic? But it doesn't feel like Gary's Magic or Uncle Gray. It feels…tainted.

"Just know, Your Majesty, you are destined to become the Empress your people need," Invel told her. "You will be loved by many and never know a life with hatred or loneliness."

Nashi's nails scraped her dress. Except I'll be away from my home—my family—Gary—and I'll hate you forever for forcing me into this. I have no powers, no bond, no control over my siblings' lives. A seed of hopelessness nestled, but she refused to let it take root. I just… I just need to think differently. There has to be something I can do or find out, right? I just need to figure out what. It doesn't matter if they just want me to rule a country. There has to be something else.

Hickory glinted. The king… I'm remembering more from last night, but… King…Ajeel. Yes, King Ajeel, I think. Something about him wasn't right. Why would he agree to just roll over and let me take the throne? It didn't look like he was being blackmailed. He didn't look angry; he just looked…blank. But why?

"Time to continue with introductions, Your Majesty," Blanche told her. "Once introductions are finished, we will need to hurry for you to meet with King Ajeel and the council for your meeting."

"Right. My meeting to get engaged," Nashi remembered scathingly.

Blanche nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. But the council has seen it privy you adjust to your role prior to a marriage ceremony and the try for future heirs, so the meeting will be more overview than details and a grander look at the agenda."

"'Future heirs'?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Invel was the one to respond. "Children."

Nashi clutched her dress as she glowered at Invel. "I'm not becoming a breeding machine for you people," she snarled. "I will never—!" She cowered back when Invel moved his hand to push up his glasses and his eyes swung to hit hers.

She had never known such coldness.

"Now is not the time for a tantrum, Your Majesty."

Nashi's mouth flapped, but she could only croak when winter was shucked down her throat and burned her.

"You will fulfill every role given to you as Empress," Invel continued as Nashi started to crumple. "You needn't worry about your child's safety. The Alvarez Empire will welcome them with open arms."

Nashi gasped frost as she clutched her throat.

"That being said, if Your Majesty is that against bearing such a gracious burden…" Invel kept his eyes on Nashi, but he asked Blanche, "How old is Her Highness, Blanche?"

"Fourteen, Royal Chief."

Invel hummed. "Still a mere child, but… If Your Majesty is that against producing an heir, I am certain Her Highness would be honored to birth the future of our Empire. Would you not agree, Your Majesty?"

Terror latched Nashi. She could see the horrifying image of her little sister, sick and broken with too heavy a stomach for one so young. Her lips chattered as her skin felt like ice. "Pl-Pl-Please…" she begged. "N-Not…m-m-my sister… I-I-I…" Winter seared onto her tongue.

Blanche glanced down at Nashi. "Your Royal Chief, I believe Her Majesty is trying to answer you."

"Very well then." Invel did not even twitch, but the winter that sucked everything out from Nashi vanished and she was left to gasp. "What are your thoughts, Your Majesty?"

Nashi drank in several gulps of air and tried to keep her fingers from trembling. "H-H-Her Highness is too young for children," she whispered, pain laced in each word. "But I…" She closed her eyes. "I'm…not."

"Worry not, Your Majesty," Blanche soothed. "You wouldn't be expected to have your first child until after a year of marriage to your betrothed. And your marriage date will be approved once the council and His Royal Chief have agreed you have a fair grasp over your duties."

Nashi barely heard the words as she cupped her stomach. Her mind flashed to look down at blood creeping down her legs and splattering onto the floor.

"I want a baby, Angel."

Invel inclined his chin and spoke again in that rough tongue. Conversations died as staff and servants lined out to eagerly greet their empress. He gestured for a servant to step forth while he murmured to the silent Nashi, "I watched the trial of the Winter Devil to learn of your past trauma, Your Majesty. My deepest sympathies. If you'd like, the men who wronged you can be brought to justice and your Winter Devil can come live within the castle as a pet of some sort or and that Ice Mage can be a male concubine for your…entertainment. So long as you do your duties and behave."

Nashi had no time to answer when the servant dropped to a low bow before her and tried to speak in broken Minstrish for their introduction. Her smile came on, dead and forced, and her eyes were elsewhere. But her hand remained on her stomach and the memories of the clinical smell of the hospital and her sobs stuck to the forefront of her mind. Think, Nashi, think. There has to be another way out.

But that seed of hopelessness had already taken root.

---

KEH-CLACK! KEH-CLACK! KEH-CLACK!

The passenger train traveled through open plains covered in snow and ice without fail. Houses were this way and that and you could see an abandoned half-built greenhouse in the distance, but there was not too much out here. The passengers lived in comfort, but there were none-too-many who took a train like this all the way to its end. Most were parents or guardians and their little ones who had to take a train a fair distance to get to their preschools and primary schools. A young mother of a bouncy girl and a shy little boy was talking to a guardian of three kids all on their MagiLites. A vacationing couple who had just wedded were swapping stories with a few Tamers and their magical creatures companions consisting of a juvenile Amarok highly interested in a sleek Merlion—a catlike creature with fins and a fishtail—that seemed to hiss at it, a dozing Umbrumiho, a nervous Terumiho, and a snacking Alicanto.

Gale had taken off his shoes and hauled his feet onto the available seat beside him with his back to the wall. He had packed for the unexpected since the job left a lot to the imagination. Right now, he was doing sudoku with his headphones in as he listened to his mother fret over him…again.

"Maybe we should go with him," his mother worried. "I can just ask to take a few days off—"

"Shorty, stop worrying," came his father's drawl from further away. "We can't just leave when you're teaching a class in thirty and I know you hate failing all those students who signed up for your seminar. Gale's grown. He can take care of this." Then he shouted at his son, "But you better call if you're in trouble, you little shit—Goddammit, Short stack, that hurts!"

Gale snorted. "It's what you deserve, jackass."

"Gale!" His mother huffed. "Gajeel, look at the words you teach your children! I bet that's why Livy left! She didn't want to deal with all of your vulgarity!"

Gale and Gajeel groaned at the same time. "Mom, Liv left because she had shit to do," Gale reminded patiently.

"And she's more fuckin' vulgar than the rest of us," Gajeel muttered, though he sounded proud of himself. "You're not the one who takes her to the MagiCross games. She spits with the best of 'em."

Levy huffed. "I didn't raise my children in a Catholic household so you could teach them every swear word in the book!"

"Oh, please, Shorty, you only found God and Mary after you gave birth. You sure weren't all about waiting until marriage when you met me—OW! That was my foot!"

"It'll be your head soon," Levy said darkly. Sighing, she returned to worry over youngest. "Gale, the Boundary Forest isn't safe," she wanted to remind. "I'm surprised they even let a job get past Lane for you to take."

"Mom, I'm being a transport escort," Gale sighed. "I'll be fine. And it's not like I'll be in the Boundary Forest. I'll be in Infiorata which is predominantly weirder with all their traditionalist shit." He frowned when he messed up a row and had to start all over again. "And I needed a break from Magnolia."

"You should have come with us if you wanted a break," Levy told him. "Oh, Gale, you'd love it here! I would have loved you here! You'd be a great guest speaker and you would have loved the site we went to."

Gale smiled. "Yeah, I got the pictures, Mom. Looks nice. But I doubt the old man would've wanted me to cockblock on your…which honeymoon is this one again?"

His mother giggled. "Don't mind him. He's just all pouty because Lily is a bigger help to me than he is right now." In a lower tone, she said, "I need you to promise me you'll be careful and you won't wander in there. I'm serious, Gale. The Ether forecast analysis I've looked at for the Boundary Forest is disturbing. The Magic Council sent some more guards to help out the sentries and set up barriers around the town, but I'm not sure how the energy influx has been affecting the barriers."

"I promise I'll be careful," Gale vowed. "But, Mom, you do realize what I am, right? The forest is nature and Magic and I am nature and Magic."

"You're also the same little boy I was holding when you nearly died," his mother whispered through a thick tone.

Gale felt guilty with his brush-offs when he heard her little sniffle. "I'm okay, Mom," he soothed. "I promise I'll be careful and if there's something weird going on or I feel weird, I'll head home and call you. Please don't worry too much over me."

"I'm your mother. It's my job to worry about you and your siblings." A beat. "How was Galileo doing? He answers my calls, but he always keeps them short and it has me worried…"

Gale blew out a breath. "He's in his emo mode, Mom, so anything is possible with him. He came out of his room when I was leaving, but that was pretty much it," he informed. "We've both been pretty much caught in our own heads."

"How's therapy?"

Gale groaned.

Levy laughed. "Yes, I was going to ask about it. How do you like Doctor Orr?"

"He's…nice," Gale settled on as he rubbed his nose. "I don't know. Therapy is going. I'm still going to it."

"Have you spoken about what happened?"

Gale flinched.

Levy must have known what his silence meant. "Your father and I went to therapy years ago, Gale. Talking about it and talking through it helped us both. But we were ready to talk about it."

"I…want to be ready," Gale admitted in a small voice. "I just don't know how to be."

"One day, the words will just come to you," Levy told him, "and you'll start talking. Maybe you'll stop and need to pull yourself together. Maybe you'll keep going. But starting to talk about it is the biggest step." Two beats. "You know I love you with all my heart, right?"

"I love you too, Mom," Gale recited and blinked when he felt his eyes get glassy, "with all my heart."

"Good." Her voice sounded choked with emotion. "Just please call if you need either of us, and be safe."

"You too, Mom. Bye." Gale wrenched out his Compact to end the call and took off his headphones to sigh. He frowned down at his sudoku. "Maybe I need something else to do."

"Um, excuse me?"

Gale looked up to see a young woman with short and curly hair and a god-awful band sweatshirt had come over to him with an Alicanto perched on her shoulder and munching on crackers. She had been part of the Tamers that had sat around each other. "Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry, but I overheard you say something about the 'Boundary Forest'," the young woman said. "Are you really going there?"

Gale shook his head. "Not exactly. I'm going to Infiorata, but its neighbors with the Boundary Forest."

"Woah…!"

Gale and the young woman were bombarded with more interested eyes. A young boy and young girl and their Vrykolaka puppy had come to join in the conversation. "You're going all the way there?" the girl squeaked.

"You must be crazy," the little boy laughed. "Why would anyone want to go there?"

Gale had to remember he was dealing with a little boy. "I have a job out there that I'm doing."

"You do?"

Gale wanted to bang his sudoku book against his head when the sentence he was hoping would kill the conversation ended up dragging over a few more curious neighbors to take seats near him. The one who had questioned him was a heavier man with a meta t-shirt on and headphones around his neck. He took another look at Gale and gasped. "Yo, you're the Earth Dragon of Fairy Tail, right?" He held out a hand. "Dude, it's an honor to meet you!"

Gale shook his hand (and thanked the universe he wore gloves) and nodded. "Thanks. Nice to meet you too." He jolted when he felt something nudge his legs and lifted his sudoku book to see a Terumiho pup showing signs of its lineage was wriggling towards him. He widened his legs, bewildered, when the pup crept onto his stomach and decided this was the perfect place for a nap. "Uh…" He pointed at the pup. "Is this someone's…?"

"Oh, my goodness gracious!" An older bespeckled lady came over in her knitted cardigan and safari hat and her Minstrish accent. She looked so exhausted as she looked at the young Terumiho. "Winston, you get off that young man right now!" she commanded.

But Winston the Terumiho ignored her.

"Oh, the devil!" The old lady threw up her hands in exasperation. "Why can't you listen to me?"

Gale was set to shift the creature off him when Sycaña stirred and murmured, Let the little pup sleep.

Why? I'm not a bed. He eyed the creature in disgust. And I don't like pets. Can't animals sense non-animal lovers? First, Syra, and now this thing?

He senses you're of the earth just like he is. He can feel your Nature.

That shocked Gale. This thing can?

Yes. It was commonplace for young creatures to seek out their elders of the same Magic for comfort and protection. This little one must need some sort of reassurance only you can provide. Allow him to stay.

Gah. This is gross. Gale aimed a smile at the old lady and hoped it looked real. "Don't worry about it. He can stay on me for a little longer." Hesitantly, he stroked the Terumiho's back. "Good boy. Nice boy." His eyes widened when he saw the tails vibrate. "Oh god, what is it doing?"

The Tamers all chuckled and the old woman stated tiredly, "Oh, Winston's just happy. Kumihos do that like when cats purr."

"Oh. Interesting." Gale went back to pet Winston, but he eyed the tails. Thank god. I thought it was about to explode. He looked around the group that had enshrouded him. "I guess you guys are just headed to the Rose Garden? I've never seen so many Tamers before. Um, no offense."

"No need to worry," the young woman with her Alicanto spoke. "I'm Aloysia and this is Hebel," she introduced and her Alicanto whistled at its name. "We're on our way to Rose Garden since there's an event happening and the winner gets a paid trip to the Sanctuary."

Gale's brow furrowed. "Is that like a vacation spot?"

"It's only the best place for anyone to go!" the heavier man exclaimed. "I heard it's like a paradise there! No more stupid bans and restrictions or MCPs."

"Oh, hush, Judai," the old lady admonished as she slapped Judai on the wrist (to which he flinched). "There's no such thing as a Magic Council-free zone." She sighed with a hand on her cheek. "But I'll admit, the Sanctuary does look like quite the place. If I could afford it, I'd move there." She looked down at Winston. "All these restrictions are utter nonsense."

This was news to Gale. "I didn't realize Fiore had restrictions for Tamers."

"Not Fiore," Aloysia negated. "None of us are from Fiore, actually, but the event is international." She rubbed Hebel's chest. "It's our one chance to get somewhere where our creatures can roam freely without being killed."

"Not that Fiore is a bad place or anything," the old lady assured. "Honestly, I'd consider moving to Fiore, but considering how much money it would take to move…"

Aloysia sighed. "If only the Faction wasn't stirring up so much trouble. It's hard enough to take Hebel anywhere back home." She shot Gale a sympathetic look. "I'd imagine it's much harder for you."

"Not really," Gale answered.

"Oh, not here, dear," the old lady said. "In other countries. With more travel bans and restrictions, it's getting more and more difficult to live our lives. For Tamers, it's a bit different."

"We can't do much outside of Taming," Judai explained, "but you Mages are the real threats to everyone. That's why I'm surprised you're going to Infiorata. I heard the people there aren't a fan of Mages."

"News to me." Gale shrugged. "Well, I've got a job to do and I already signed off on it. If the people don't like me, they don't like me. It wouldn't be the first time I get stared out or someone badmouths me."

The old lady twisted her lips. "Just do be careful, dear."

"Of course, ma'am. Thanks for your concern. I appreciate it." Gale looked down at the snoozing Terumiho in thought while the Tamers dissolved into chatter about their event. Huh… Guess I've been so busy in my own screwed-up head, I haven't been looking at the rest of the world. The 'Faction'. The 'Sanctuary'. He watched as Winston yawned and squirmed until his nose was covered in a tail. Well. No one ever said a Mage's life was easy.

---

The town might not have been big, but it was not small either. It heavily invested in the art and local talent, however, with murals the sides of buildings and works of art everywhere. Even with the town itself covered in snow and ice, the works of art had been carefully preserved to outlast the chilly weather and maintain their perception of beauty. With school in session and business open, not too many wandered the town outside children too young for school and their guardians, the few who did not work today, and those who retired and could go out and about for their daily rounds. The local chapel was happy to host a fun event for the seniors in a jazz band session. A young lady waved good-bye to those at the adoption center as she took home her new kitten regardless of her father's reservations. A few boys who tried to skip school were caught the moment they left a music store by two awaiting guards.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is New Rosemary Village, the former home of Guild Master Erza Fernandes and Mermaid Heel Mage Kagura Mikazuchi. With Erza and Kagura's help, they were able to help get a budget and plan approved to rebuild their home into something even better. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Silver huffed as he sat at a desk within an inn room and his schoolwork that he had been able to print out at the complimentary office downstairs. "I should've just lied," he muttered. "This is so unfair. She gets to go out and I'm stuck here." He could remember the venomous look Ena had given him when she threw him in here.

"You are not to leave until you finish all of your assignments," she had commanded. "If you think you can skip homework on my watch, you'll wake up with my sword in your back. I've had a look at your grades and I'm not impressed. If you want to be my assistant, I expect every assignment turned in on time and for you to maintain status in the second percentile. If you think I want some third-percentile student like you by my side, you're an idiot. Don't make me check every assignment. Do you understand me?"

Silver shivered at the reminder and went back to his algebra homework, if so begrudgingly. She's so violent and insulting. But still…

In his head, his version of Ena was gentler and sweeter as she breathed, "I want you by my side. I need you."

Silver dreamily sighed as he worked on his equation. Yeah. She'd never say that to me, but I bet hearing it would be amazing. He blinked down at his work when he realized rather than solving the equation, he had drawn out Ena's name with a heart in the a. Blushing, he grabbed his eraser to get rid of it.

"Argh, now I have to start all over again," he complained. "It's all her fault I'm like this." He blanched, however. But if I ever told her that, she'd probably turn me into a rat, gut me, and leave me to the dogs. Shuddering at the thought, he slapped his cheeks. Okay. I've got this. I'll show her I can be a good student and a good assistant. Then, she won't threaten me anymore. He reached his Compact to look for a playlist to listen to. I can do this. I can do this.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

30 minutes later…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Silver groaned as he laid a head on the desk. Half the printer paper he was using to show his work was just filled with various fonts of Ena's name and he had barely done a quarter of the online questions. All whilst a love song featuring a crooning country singer and her clucking banjos and electric guitars. "I can't do this… I can't do this…" He pulled up his head to rustle his hair.

She's going to kill me if she comes back and I'm not finished. Maybe not. She is supposed to be relaxing today and murdering me doesn't sound relaxing. His eyes widened in horror. She'd probably lock me in here and go out there by herself. And I spent all that time on the train coming up with a plan. We were supposed to eat together and she'd actually laugh at one of my jokes.

He could envision it. Ena sitting on the other side of him at a bistro with her hair all perfect and her skin perfect and her eyes are sparkling like they always do and she laugh behind her hand like she does with Jasper and—

DUN-DUN!

Silver internally cried as he imagined his fantasy turned into a nightmare with him chained to this desk while Ena locked him in here and merrily frolicked away. And now she's going to murder me because I can't focus, he whimpered. He reached for his Compact to pause the playlist and sift through his contacts. I need professional help.

He put the Compact to his ear and waited for the recipient to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Lulu, help me…!" Silver whined.

"Okay!" Luna chirped. "With what?"

"I think Fernandes put a spell on me and now I can't focus because of her," Silver complained. "And I have to focus because if I don't finish my homework, she's going to come back here and murder me!"

"Oh! Then, you should finish your homework!"

"But I can't," Silver stressed.

"Oh! Why not?"

Silver groaned. "Were you not listening to me? She magicked me." He rubbed a hand down his face and mumbled, "With Paige, she didn't even care about my grades. But Fernandes will shove her sword down my throat if I don't bump up my grades." He toyed around with his pen. "How does she make me feel like two different types of idiots at the same time?"

"I don't know how to respond to that. Could you ask me again?"

Silver huffed out of his nose. "I don't even know what I'm saying. I never had to worry about this before." He picked up his pen then dropped it and watched it roll. "She's so demanding. I get sixties and seventies on some of my tests… I just mainly get forties." He slumped. "She probably just thinks I'm stupid and wouldn't want to be caught dead with someone stupid."

"The third-percentile consists of grades ranging from forty percent to forty-nine percent and indicate satisfactory or average performance."

"Right?" Silver raised a finger as he brightened. "See? I give satisfactory performance! How can she be mad at me for that?" Then, he deflated. "I bet she's one of those perfect students are always in the first percentile, isn't she?"

"Ena Fernandes is currently ranked in first percentile as a distinct student."

"Yeah, of course she would be," Silver muttered. "She just had to be so perfect. She gets good grades and she's brilliant and passionate and her smile is perfect and she has nice skin." He gave the L-Pad she had given him a firm stink eye when she saw his homework problems. "I bet she just keeps me around so she can feel better about herself. I'm the idiot and she's just some…violent fairy witch or something."

A wide smile. Twinkling dark chocolate eyes. "Silver…"

He sighed dreamily. "A cute violent fairy witch…"

"A fairy-witch hybrid would not be possible considering a fairy is already a magical creature."

"What?" Silver furrowed his brow, but he decided to shrug it off. "Anyways, when I come home, can I come over so we can do karaoke?" Red painted his cheeks as he confessed, "I've been sort of listening to the playlist."

"'The playlist'?"

"You know." Silver's cheeks burned as he gripped his Compact. "The love song playlist we made?"

"Yes. 'Love You Like A Love Song' playlist shared between Luna Dragneel and Silver Fernandes consists of You Belong with Me, We Belong Together, No Air, Rush, This is Me—"

Silver could feel steam waft off him and wanted to melt on the spot. "Lulu, not so loud!" he hissed. "But, um…" He checked the door before he whispered, "Could we do karaoke to Rush? I really need my power song."

"Yes. Song Rush by AK and AJ—"

STEP… STEP… STEP…

Silver panicked when he heard those footsteps stop before the door and he hurriedly said, "I'll come over once I get back home and I want to use the blue mic this time. Love you. Bye." He ended the call the moment a little beep! came and tried to make himself look like he was busy. Clearing his throat, he feigned nonchalance as he asked, "How was the job?"

"Fine." Ena came into the room as she messed with her hair. "The job wasn't anything special, but it was stress-relieving."

"That's good to hear." Silver swallowed when he heard Ena approach him and tried to hide the screen. "Well, um, I'm almost done, so if you want to change or something—Ah!" He flinched when the L-Pad was ripped from him. "U-U-Uh, it's not what you think!" he blurted. "I was really working hard—I was!—but then I-I, u-um, I-I, well, there was…! There was just…!"

"Silver."

He shied away from her. He could not see her face over the L-Pad, but he could feel the murderous intent. Oh, no. This can only go three ways. A—she's going to whip out her sword and impale me. B—she's going to turn me into a rat and put me in a cage. Or C—she's going yell at me and lock me in here. He closed his eyes tight. Please let it be C.

"Look at me when I address you."

Silver took a deep breath. "Okay." He opened his eyes and quickly inserted, "It wasn't my fault! I got distracted—!"

"Silver."

He stopped in his spiel when he noticed Ena was not taking out her sword nor gathering her Magic. She was not even looking at him.

"I'm not going to yell at you," Ena sighed.

"You're… Y-You're not?" Silver echoed.

Ena shook her head and offered the L-Pad back to him. When he took it, she said, "No, I'm not." She turned her back on him to sit on the bed and massage her temples.

Oh. This is new. Silver frowned and set aside the L-Pad. "Hey, um…" He joined her on the bed, but he kept his distance. "Is, um…everything okay?"

"Yeah." Ena put her hands down to cross her arms and look out the window. "Everything's great."

Silver's frown deepened. "Hey." He scooted over to bump his thigh with hers. "What's wrong? I know I'm not Lulu, but I'm here for you, you know."

Ena waved a hand. "It's stupid."

"Nothing's 'stupid'," Silver countered. He heard Ena sigh again and nudged her. "What happened?"

"It's nothing." Ena thought the better of it and admitted, "It was just these assholes. I was on my way back here when I got stopped by them. They asked me if my mom was Erza Fernandes since my looks sort of give it away. At first, they were being nice, but then…" She quickly swiped her cheek. "They said it was fitting a Mage didn't have a dad since we're all known to be pretty much child-abandoners."

"They said what to you?" Silver growled.

"It's nothing," Ena dismissed. "You and I both know there are Spiritless out there who hate us and think we're monsters or we're bombs waiting happen. It's not like I haven't been told things like this before. I just…" She cleared her throat. "I didn't think it would happen in a town my mom helped reconstructed."

"Wait…" Silver looked around. "Your mom…?"

"Yeah." Ena swiped her cheek again. "My mom and my godmother Kagura were born in the original Rosemary and then it was burnt to the ground. They pulled a lot of investors together and were able to reconstruct New Rosemary into what it is now."

"That's…" Silver could not believe it. "That's honestly so amazing Master would do that." Hatred returned for those definite assholes. "And now it makes me want to hurt those jerks for saying that to you even more. Tell me you didn't let them get away with that—"

"And do what?" Ena snapped at him. "Bring out my sword? Turn them into the asses they are? Do you know what would happen if I did that to them? What people would think? I'm the Fairy Tail Guild Master's daughter. I don't get to fight with Spiritless and think it won't reflect badly on her." She sniffed and cleared her throat again. "And with all this Faction stuff happening, I couldn't risk Spiritless hating on us more. Not in a town my mom worked so hard to rebuild."

Silver looked down at his lap. Right. The Faction. I didn't even think about it. He swallowed. "I-I'm sorry—"

"Anyways." Ena coughed into a hand and sniffled. "I don't think I'm up to do any exploring. You can go on without me since it's your day off. I think I'm just going to head home and head back to work." She got up from the bed to dust off her jacket. "I'm sorry you wasted your day on nothing. Don't worry. I'll reimbursed you for the ticket here and I'll pay for your ticket back to Magnolia." She wiped her cheek again. "If you'll excuse me." She sniffed as she went to get back the keycard—

"Wait!"

Ena paused and sniffled, but she did not turn back to look at him. Her voice broke as she asked, weary, "What is it?" She stiffened when she felt something latch onto her sleeve and looked down to see Silver had grabbed it.

"You've been helping me a lot these past few days," Silver told her. "You took care of me when I wasn't feeling good. I want to return the favor."

Ena wrenched her sleeve from his grasp and bit, "I'm not a 'favor'. And don't worry about it. I never expected you to feel indebted to me."

Silver let out a noise of frustration and tried to scold, "That's not what I mean—"

Ena was not hearing it. "I'm not some little charity case and if L was the one to put you up to this and watch over me, do yourself your own favor and don't."

Silver gritted is teeth. "Would you just listen to me for—?"

Ena slapped the keycard down on the desk and got back her L-Pad, set to ignore him.

Fuming, Silver stormed over and grabbed her shoulders. "Would you just listen to me for once?!" He forced her to face him—

Shocked mayan blues clashed with red-rimmed dark chocolate.

Ena used Silver's shock against him and shoved him away from her to hide her face from him, but she did not dare make a pass for her belongings again.

"Ena…" Silver wanted to reach for her, but he hesitated. She's been crying all this time. This is the second time…I've ever seen her cry. Slowly, he reached out his hand. But… His hand went to hers. Even so… He held her hand in his.

The words just came to him in a soft timbre. "I'm not about to ask you this just to return a debt or to do any favors. I-I just…want to be here for you like a friend should be." His nerves tried to catch up with him, but he chased them away. "I know you think I'm annoying, but I promise I'll be quiet. I just don't think you should be alone right now a-and, um…yeah…"

Ena did not agree with him nor did she reject his offer. She stayed quiet and perfectly still.

Pushing his luck, Silver tugged her over to the bed. He stripped her of her L-Pad and her jacket with the same gentleness she had done to him when she helped him out of his clothes. It was hard to ignore her wet cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, but he made sure she was out of her shoes and hat before he could act. He climbed into the bed and under the covers and held them open for her. Wordlessly, she climbed in and immediately turned her back on him to curl into a ball.

Silver's face broke when he heard her little sniffles and saw her shoulders shake. Ena… He swallowed and murmured, "I-I could hold you…if you want me to."

Ena sniffled. "N-N-No."

Silver recoiled and tried to shove away the hurt he did not have the right to feel. He looked away instead. "R-Right. You wouldn't want me to hold you. I understand."

"N-No, it's… It's not that." Ena hiccupped. "I don't want you to see me like this again. Like I-I'm…" But she could not finish when she sniveled again.

Silver shot her a quizzical look and wanted to ask what she meant, but then he understood when he remember how much of a mess he had been in the bathtub. She doesn't want me to see her look 'weak'. Tentatively, he proposed a counteroffer, "I don't have to look at you. I could be big spoon this time…if you want me to."

Ena did not respond as she curled into a tighter ball.

Silver moved with caution. He did not want her to be even more upset, but he could not just let her cry alone. He shifted onto his side and wriggled until he was behind her. He kept his hands light as he slid one under her and let one drape on her side. He stilled when she tensed and feared he made a horrible call-in judgement, but when she did nothing, he proceeded with more caution, wrapping around her until he cocooned her and could feel her trembling. He closed his eyes as he thumbed her arm like she had done for him.

"He's never coming back."

Silver listened to the broken words with a heavy heart.

"He's never coming back, is he?"

Silver did not know how to answer that. Instead, he remained silent and held her tighter as she muffled her cries and sheltered her from the world. I've heard her cry twice now and it's still—he closed his eyes as he felt her own hurt flood through him—the most heart-breaking sound I've ever heard. But for her to trust me seeing her like this…

The gesture was subtle, but he could feel Ena peel her hand away from her tight ball to wrap her pinky around his own as though accepting his comfort.

…I want to do everything I can so I can be a person she always trusts with her tears.

---

Tea had been a quiet affair between Jay and Luna. She had poured them both tea and plated the pastries, but she had not a sip or bite of anything while Jay had helped himself. Instead, Luna sat poised, eyes blank, as she tried to figure out what was happening.

How is he here? What is he doing here? He's the allied party? But he was Nashi's friend. He was trapped with that Orias Demon with her. What is he doing here?

Jay finished his tea with a sigh. "Alvarez tea definitely hits different," he noted. He gestured to her tea. "You should try some of the food, Duchess." He popped in another mini-cake. "I know you have a big appetite, remember?"

Luna's hands curled into her palm. "Why?" she breathed. 'Why are you…here? In this place?" She could not for the life of her understand. "Why are you sitting here trying to make me drink and eat with you?" Her hands shook and that fire in her eyes was back. Fear be damned—she was angry. She was angry her brother was missing. She was angry Nashi was alone. She was angry she was helpless. "What is going on?"

Jay wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. "You never liked to bullshit, did you, Duchess?" He sat back in his chair to get a long look at her. He looked good with his slacks, his button-down, and his vest. A chain hung out of the pants' pocket, but Luna did not care. "I'm still surprised. I would have thought you and Gale would be together by now." Wild basil danced conspiratorially. "What happened? Find someone else?"

Luna tried to school her face, but she could not help thinking, Bleu… She crossed her arms and saddled Jay with a dirty look. "Answer my questions and I'll answer yours."

Jay raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine, Duchess, we'll play it your way. As for what's going on, I don't know all the politics happening within your new home." He waved a hand around the room for effect. "That's not my concern."

"Then, what is?" Luna bit.

"You, Duchess." Jay garnered a grin. "You're the reason why I'm here."

"And what do you want with me now that you have me?"

Jay leaned forward for intrigued basil to clash with furious chocolate. "Oh, come on now, Duchess, we both know I'm not the one who has you."

"What do you want with me?" Luna snapped.

Jay chuckled. "It's not what I want, Duchess. But my grandmother has a specific job for you and I need you to play nice and come along to see her."

"And what am I supposed to be doing?"

"That's the easy part." Wild basils went cold. "See into the future."

Luna could not help it. Her eyes widened and her pulse spiked. No, he can't know. He's bluffing. He has to be bluffing. No one outside my family, Master, and Gale know.

Jay broke into laughter that had Luna jolt. "Your face, Duchess!" he crooned. "Your face was priceless!" He settled back into his grin as he picked out another mini-pastry. "Actually reading the future is too rare a skill and not even the Mildians had those sorts of abilities."

"So, then, what does she want me for?" Luna asked as she demanded her heart to calm down.

Jay chewed on his pastry. "More family politics," he explained. "Someone important in the family has an interest in you and Granny thought now was as good a time as ever to start negotiations. And you'd just be simple collateral."

"Why an interest in me?"

"Not so much of an interest in you, but, well, a description." Jay's grin broadened. "Imagine my surprise when you fit the description."

None of that sounded assuring. Luna shifted in her chair. "Look, if… I thought we had become friends," she tried. "I thought you were my friend. You told me some very personal things and—"

"My parents?" Jay swallowed the rest of his pastry and began to select his next. "You know, Duchess, you and your siblings really need to watch your food better."

Luna's brow furrowed. "What?"

"It's just that so many things could happen to food you don't watch." Jay found his next pastry. "You could be drugged and put to sleep. You could lose all your enhanced senses." Wild basils flashed to her. "You could spill all your secrets and believe anything anyone tells you."

For a few moments, Luna did not understand. Gradually, piece by piece, the Harvest Festival came back to her. "We got food…You… You were behind me, I think…" She shook her head. "N-No… I would have… No, that's…not possible. That's not possible."

"Just like it's not possible to possess a chef to flavor your appetizers with a sleeping power and a reduction power so by the time you get to dessert, your brother's senses are the same as a human's and you're knocked out?" Jay pitched up an eyebrow as he watched Luna's face fall. Mirth passed over his features. "Honestly, are you guys Zeref Dragneel's relatives? Didn't your parents teach you anything?" He decided to pour himself more tea and continue on while Luna stewed in his trifling words. "You should be more careful, Duchess. It's so easy to manipulate the comfortable."

No, I… Luna thought back to dinner at Nevereverland. No, that's… No. Luke would have smelled something in our food. She glowered at Bleu even if her doubt was backing it. "You're lying."

"Am I?" Jay held eye contact with her as he took a swig of his tea.

Luna tried not to falter under his dead confidence. "Yes. You are," she determined. "Nashi and Luke wouldn't fall for something like that—"

"And you're partially right," Jay agreed. "Honestly, it was a pain to put up with them. Igneel, Nashi, Luke—they're all hypersensitive about Magic. It was aggravating. Even your home has extra enchantments that no one can break. But it's very easy to manipulate a comfortable person." Wild basils lit up in amusement when Luna curled her lips. "You don't believe me? Why not this then?"

Luna's eyes widened when Jay's flesh rippled. To her horror and disgust, she heard bones cracking and resetting and had to turn away to stop the visual that came with it. After a few more seconds, the cracking and popping had stopped.

"Oh, Duchess?"

Luna froze.

A roguish grin. "What's wrong? Do I sound familiar?"

Luna looked up—

—and Cane was sitting in front of her like nothing was the matter.

"No," Luna whispered. "That's… That's not possible." She rapidly blinked. "I didn't feel any—"

"Magic?" Cane finished for her with a tsk. "I'm surprised this would shock you, Duchess. After all, I'm sure you've seen weirder." Cane's flesh rippled and tore as his joints cracked and bones reset and after a few excruciating minutes, Jay had returned and cracked his neck to fully relax.

Nothing could make sense of this. "You can only transform using a Transformation Spell," Luna tried to reason. "You had to have used Magic. There's no other way."

"You really think Magic is the only source of power here?"

Luna looked at him in disbelief.

Jay ticked off a finger. "Magic." Another finger. "Curses." Another finger. "Anti-Ether." He wiggled his last finger. "And what's that fourth thing I'm looking for, Duchess? Come on. Surely, you know it."

"Stop it," Luna snapped. She did not know she was frightened or angry or maybe she was both, but she could not handle this anymore. "You're lying. You're lying about all of this. You're just trying to get me to believe what you say again."

Jay shrugged. "Fair point. I could be manipulating you. I might not be. Either way, you don't have a choice."

"A choice in what?" Luna asked, suspicious.

"Why, being the perfect little princess towards your esteemed guest, of course," Jay told her. "It took a lot for the Winter General to let me see you. He was adamant you not be disturbed during your adjustment period, but someone managed to sway his decision. But I know and you know the dear General has Nashi, Luke, and you in his clutches. And any wrong move from you or Nashi will put Luke's life in danger."

"So what do you want?" Luna cut in.

Jay got to the point. "You took something important from my family. Actually, you took one, two, three somethings very important to my family. It doesn't matter if we steal it back. You're the only one who can reactivate them."

"And what makes you think I'll agree to that?" Luna spat. "I don't even know what your family wants."

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.

"Your Highness," called Hemlock from beyond the door. "I'm afraid your introduction to your staff will start soon." The handle began to turn. "Might I come in and collect you—?"

"No!" Luna shouted.

"You can tell him we're finished." Jay got up and dusted off the crumbs from his outfit. "You'll agree sooner or later, Duchess. You don't have a choice."

"I don't even know what I'm agreeing to or what you want from me," Luna argued. "Why don't you just tell me?"

Jay shook his head. "Sadly, Duchess, Granny didn't think to tell me that little tidbit of information. All she mentioned was that you would know and you would make this easy on all of us."

"Oh yeah? Or what?"

Jay rounded to her side and caged her within his arms. He bent his head to whisper, "Or else I might think you do tell the future. And that's one secret I don't think I can keep to myself." He pushed away from her. "You should try the cake. It's delicious." He strode away without a second glance to witness the dread on Luna's face.

---

Carlisle and Aphtan lounged in the lobby. To be more precise, Carlisle indulged in the gaggle of girls who doted on him while Aphtan blatantly ignored any attempts being made to converse with him by staring out the window. As Carlisle thanked a kind student for donating to the organization he was representing, Aphtan spotted a truck pulling into the drop-off zone and tugged at Carlisle's sleeve.

"Carlisle-po, I believe your sex friend is here," Aphtan alerted.

Carlisle turned a violent shade of red while the girls all gasped. "Tantan, you can't just go saying that!" he whispered with the urge to shake his best friend. "There are beautiful women present!"

"Are you dating someone, Carlisle?" one of the girls questioned which made him wince.

Another girl giggled. "Are they a boy?" She then turned to her friend. "We might have another boys' love romance!"

Carlisle turned back to the girls as he grabbed Aphtan's bicep ("That hurts, Carlisle-po.") and offered a sweet smile, "Sorry, ladies, but Tantan and I have a lunch date we have to go to!"

The girls sighed and pouted, obviously put out. "But Carlisle…!"

"I'm really sorry, everyone!" Carlisle offered them a peace sign and a wink. "But please make sure you eat healthy, okay?"

Aphtan loftily commented, "That's funny coming from you, Carlisle-po."

Carlisle internally flinched. Tantan, you're so cruel! He blew the girls a quick kiss that had them swooning and fighting over who caught it before he steered Aphtan towards the door ("I don't need assistance walking, Carlisle-po."). "Bye, lovelies! See you next class!" He ducked his head to growl at Aphtan, "Tantan, you were being very mean."

Aphtan deftly got out of Carlisle's hold to grab the latter's wrist. "I was only telling the truth, Carlisle-po. You constantly try to cheat on your diet." He pushed open one of the first set of doors to hold it open for Carlisle.

Carlisle's jaw dropped. "I do not!" He shrunk back at the sharp glance Aphtan gave him. "Well, maybe a little bit…"

Aphtan got the second set of doors for the both of them and the pair walked outside. "If your sex friend is buying you unhealthy food—"

"I told you he isn't," Carlisle grumbled, put out that he lost his only source of freedom. I should've never said anything about my stupid diet. "And stop calling him my 'sex friend'."

Aphtan tipped his head. "Should I call him your lover instead?"

"I…" Carlisle sighed. "I mean that's better than sex friend." He beamed when Dante came out of his truck to greet the two of them. "Prince! I bet you missed me, didn't you?" He would have pranced over to Dante if Aphtan had not grabbed his backpack and held him back. "Tantan?"

Aphtan kept his eyes locked on Dante. No malicious intent or judgment, but something in Aphtan's eyes was off as he observed Dante. "You must be Carlisle-po's lover."

"I am." Dante extended a hand. "And you must be his 'Tantan'."

Aphtan ignored Dante's hand. "Only Carlisle-po calls me that. You can call me 'Aphtan'." He looked at the truck, unimpressed. "We should go." He moved to the passenger's side.

Carlisle trailed after him, but he paused before Dante with an apologetic look. "Sorry about Tantan. He doesn't really like too many people. Which is a shame considering he's so cute and pretty."

"I don't mind," Dante assured. "He's just protective of you." He looked past Carlisle and raised an eyebrow when he saw a group of girls and a few other students giggling amongst themselves as they kept their eyes on Carlisle from behind the lobby doors. "And I see why."

Carlisle looked over his shoulder to sheepishly smile. "It does get a little crazy." He blew the spectators a kiss and gave them a wink and within seconds, they were waving and gushing.

"Carlisle-po," Aphtan softly called. "We must go."

Carlisle sighed. "Right." He went to get the door, but Dante beat him to it. "What a gentleman," he teased as he climbed into the truck with the help of Dante's hand. "See, Tantan. Isn't he princely?"

Dante extended a hand to Aphtan to help him in, but Aphtan ignored it. "We'll see." And he climbed in.

Once both were settled, Dante got onto his side with the truck already started. He looked at Carlisle as he tabbed the screen on the dash and asked, "Which café?"

"Ross and Daughters," Aphtan supplied. "Carlisle-po can't cheat on his diet there."

"I'm not liking all this rudeness, Tantan," Carlisle muttered.

Dante found the café and tapped for directions before he pulled off the curb. While Aphtan looked out the window and Dante was focused on navigating New Azalea traffic, Carlisle was awkwardly left in the middle as silence filled the truck. That why he had a sharp inhale when he felt Dante press his thigh to his and a thicker hand nudge his own. Carlisle flex his hand and threaded their fingers together. Glancing over, he saw a small smile toying on Dante's lips that made Carlisle's heart feel a million times lighter—

"I expect you to have both hands on the wheel, Carlisle-po's lover."

Carlisle shot Aphtan a wide-eyed look. Tantan—!

"His safety is important," Aphtan continued as he looked out the window. "He deserves to be with a responsible person."

"I understand." Dante relinquished Carlisle's hand.

Carlisle did not know whether to pout or glare over at Aphtan, so he did a cross of both. "Tantan, was that really necessary?"

"Carlisle-po, your previous dates have been irresponsible drivers with speeding tickets and DUIs, both men and women," Aphtan replied. "And you have anxiety with irresponsible drivers."

Carlisle hated being reminded of that. "Yeah, but Prince isn't like that—"

"It's okay," Dante soothed as he turned down into a narrower brick street. "He's just concerned for you."

"Yes." Aphtan fiddled with his ring. "Your safety is important to me, Carlisle-po."

Carlisle blinked at Aphtan. "Tantan…" Comically, tears filled his eyes as he crushed Aphtan against him in a hug, though the latter seemed unaffected, and sniffed, "Oh, Tantan, you're so sweet to me!" he cooed. "And you're so cute when you're sweet! I'm so lucky you're all mine!"

Aphtan patted Carlisle's hand. "Yes, Carlisle-po, whatever you say." To Dante, he remarked, "I'm surprised you'd let him hug another person, Carlisle-po's lover. Carlisle-po has had jealous ex-lovers before."

Carlisle froze. Inwardly, he felt like he was sweating. Tantan, you went from being so sweet to so cruel.

"In fact, before you arrived, Carlisle-po was entertaining a group of young ladies," Aphtan went on, no matter how much strife Carlisle was feeling. "He has many fans who like to bring him food and drinks and try to flirt with him. They even offer their laps as pillows when Carlisle-po is tired—"

Carlisle broke into nervous laughter when he covered Aphtan's mouth ("I wasn't done talking, Carlisle-po."). "Tantan is kidding!" he swore. "He's completely kidding! People don't do that for me!"

"It's fine." Dante gripped the steering wheel a little firmer. "You wouldn't want to disappoint your fans."

Carlisle wanted to placate him, but Aphtan moved Carlisle's hand from his mouth to say, "It isn't just fans. I offer my lap to Carlisle-po to rest his head when he feels tired."

"I see."

Carlisle winced when he heard something negative in Dante's tone. Crap. That didn't sound good.

"You should." Aphtan inclined his head. "Carlisle-po is very close to me, so I have to take care of him." He turned to Carlisle with expectation. "I take it since you have been at your lover's house on most nights, you won't need to come to mine until you need to." To Dante, he supplied, "Carlisle-po doesn't like to sleep alone. Even when he dated his exes, he preferred me."

Carlisle could practically feel Dante's animosity and shivered. "Tantan—"

"What Carlisle does is his choice," came Dante's gritted reply. "However… He's been sleeping with me just fine and I think he will for a while longer. So there's no need to worry about him there."

Aphtan looked back out the window. "I'll be the judge of that."

The silence that filled the truck was choked with a palpable tension charged with electricity. Carlisle shrank in the middle seat with his head down and the pressure practically destroying all his nerves. One glance at Dante and the way he flexed his arms made Carlisle think, I think I would've taken Lucy yelling at me over this.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

And then…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Carlisle fiddled with his straw in his glass of juice.

Aphtan sipped his tea with poise.

Dante finished another bite of his sandwich.

But none of that mattered considering the threatening auras Dante and Aphtan projected that had patrons glancing over in befuddlement and Carlisle itching to cry to his cousin on his situation. Why did this have to happen to me?

The café might have seemed small from those walking around the busy streets of New Azalea, but it was lengthy rather than outwardly large with large windows in the front with benches perfect for reading. At this time of day, the counter was packed with businessmen and women who had the pleasure of being lunchtime regulars as they poured over the news or spreadsheets and emails whilst eating their favored smoked fish over a bagel or dabbled in knishes or some soup. The entire back wall was a chalkboard where anyone could draw out their ideas and the waitstaff took pleasure in doing new drawings every day for the customers. A few students from neighboring academies came to visit to cram for an exam or just forget about school altogether.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Ross and Daughters, a comfort food café that has been in this corner of New Azalea City for 20 years. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The waitress came back over, albeit hesitantly as she looked between Aphtan and Dante. She settled on Carlisle being the path of least resistance and offered, "Can I get you anything else?"

"No."

Carlisle stiffened when Aphtan and Dante answered at the same time, even if neither looked at the other. With a sweet smile to the waitress, he requested, "Actually, could I get some babka, please and thank you?"

The waitress beamed. "Of course—!"

"Carlisle-po." Aphtan set down his teacup on the saucer. "You had two cookies this morning. You shouldn't have any more sweets until after practice."

Carlisle pouted. "But it's chocolate babka!" he whined. He shot the waitress a wink. "The best chocolate babka there is. Almost as sweet as you, beautiful."

The waiter blushed and giggled behind a hand.

A hand came down onto Carlisle's shoulder that had his smile freeze.

Dante told the waitress in an even tone, "We don't need anything else."

The waitress swallowed, murmured her apologies, and scurried off but not before one last smile at Carlisle.

Aphtan dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin, ever graceful. "Most of the time, Carlisle-po's lovers overfeed him. Carlisle-po doesn't have the best eye for portion control."

I'm not a dog! Carlisle cried.

"I've noticed," Dante noted. Was there a testy edge in his tone? His hand dropped from Carlisle's shoulder to rest on his thigh.

Aphtan looked over at a flushed Carlisle. "Carlisle-po, Lola has missed you at dinner. She has been rather sad without you to gush over her cooking. She'll be making adobo."

"She will?" Carlisle brightened and was practically salivating at the thought of the marinated mixed dish. "Ah, she makes the best adobo!" He eagerly looked at Aphtan and asked, "Tantan, please tell me you're making sinangag and poqui poqui!"

Aphtan might not be one to smile, but his eyes had an indulgent look in them. "Of course, Carlisle-po. I made sure to buy patis."

"Yay!" Carlisle turned to Dante with eyes wide in excitement and gushed, "Tantan and Lola make the best food ever! I always feel so spoiled when I come to their house!"

"That's right." Aphtan put a little more sugar in his tea. "Carlisle-po enjoys my cooking. He even lets me feed him."

Carlisle went rigid when the hand on his thigh tightened and he heard Dante's grunt of shot an accusatory look at Aphtan who ignored it to sip his tea. Tantan, why are you doing this? Clearing his throat, he commented, "Prince is a great cook too, Tantan." Slowly, he pried Dante's hand from his thigh to thread their fingers together in an attempt to soothe him. "I think you'd love it too. He makes really great banh khot actually and you should try it—!"

"And he lets me feed him." Dante saddled Aphtan with a stoic look, but his eyes darkened. "While he's in my lap."

Aphtan tipped his head. "Carlisle-po, I'm surprised your lover is taller. You told me you never wanted to look up at your lovers and preferred them around your height. You found it a pain and unattractive if they were taller."

"I-I-It's only a few inches, Tantan," Carlisle nervously reminded and cringed when Dante's fingers tightened on his own. "And my opinions can change based on the person. You know personality means a lot more to me than looks." He tipped his head up to swiftly kiss Dante's cheek.

"But you've dated models who have treated you horribly," Aphtan pointed out.

Carlisle's eye twitched when he felt his hand go numb under Dante's hold and faked a laugh. "Y-Yes, well—"

"Carlisle-po has an affinity for being attracted to the wrong people," Aphtan continued, his eyes on Dante.

Dante's cheek twinged. "And I take it I'm in that group."

"Precisely." Aphtan flicked his hair back. "Carlisle-po deserves stability and not someone who is after him for his beauty or fame. Insofar, none of his exes have impressed me."

Dante's lips went flat. "I see." After a lingering look at Aphtan, he said to Carlisle, "Lips, I think you might be overeating after all."

"What?!" Carlisle ripped his hand away to give Dante an affronted look. "I am not!"

"He's right, Carlisle-po."

Carlisle shot Aphtan a look of betrayal. "Et tu, Tantan?!"

"Your hips filled out one more centimeter than normal, Carlisle-po," Aphtan told him. "I felt it when I was holding you this morning."

"And you didn't tell me?!" Carlisle abruptly got up, panicked beyond belief. "Oh, no, Mom will kill me if I got fat and I have to get my outfits altered before the exhibition skate!"

Dante suggested, "Why don't you go to the bathroom and check for yourself?"

"Are you sure?" Carlisle looked between Dante and Aphtan in worry. Well, more worry his hips were filling out, but still worry leaving the two of them alone. "I could wait until we've gotten back to the school—"

"Carlisle-po, is that a pimple on your nose?"

"No, no, no, this isn't happening, this isn't happening!" Carlisle kissed Dante's cheek. "I'll be right back!" He all but sprinted to the bathrooms.

Dante wasted no time. "You don't like me and will never like me."

"That's correct." Aphtan lifted his teacup.

"Is it because I'm not rich?"

Aphtan paused to consider the question. "People with less have pursued Carlisle-po, but people with more have always tried for Carlisle-po, so, no, it isn't that." He took a few sips of his tea. "Carlisle-po told me you are an Enchanter. I would think you would make good money."

"I get by." That was all Dante would say on that. "I understand you might never like me, but I want him to be happy. It would mean a lot to him if we got along. But I take it you didn't get along with any of his exes."

"I prefer not to speak to people. They exhaust me," Aphtan confessed. "Carlisle-po is the exception and Lola, of course." He scanned Dante up in down in slow appraisal. "Carlisle-po is very naïve in human feelings. He likes to see the good in them even when they treat him terribly. He's used to being treated terribly."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "I've only met his cousin, but he praises his family."

Aphtan stilled. "You've met Lucy?"

"No." Dante shook his head. "Another cousin. Kyler, I think his name was."

Aphtan considered that and his eyes slipped out of focus. But he blinked and he was back. "His mothers and his brother and sister are nice people. Lucy is the only other relative who knows Carlisle for who he is and treats him considerably well. But his other family and his exes wronged him. Lucy and I are there to help Carlisle pick himself back up."

"And if I could show you Carlisle was in good hands?"

"Many have tried." Aphtan dismissed the suggestion with a wave of his hand. "They spoiled Carlisle-po at the beginning with fancy dinners and presents and words until they didn't."

Dante's cheek twinged again and his hand flexed. "So he does like finer things."

"I think you've got that confused." Aphtan forked in his kippered salmon. "Carlisle-po has no need for luxuries. He only has a need for sincerity. He thinks people who give him things are being sincere in their gift-giving."

Dante had a clearer picture of what Aphtan was saying. "I can't say I've known him as long as you," he slowly began, "so I don't know everything about him or all his likes and dislikes or his flaws. But I'd like to know."

"So you can what?"

"I'm sorry?"

Aphtan's eyes drew sharp. "When you learn those things about Carlisle-po, what do you intend to do?"

"Keep being with him if he lets me." Honesty rung in Dante's words. "It's too soon to tell where this goes. I like him a lot. I want to be with him. He might drive me crazy, but I still want to be with him."

"You mean that." No mocking or acidity in his tone. Aphtan regarded Dante with complete detachment.

Dante nodded. "I do."

Aphtan stayed silent for a minute. Then, he said, "I don't like you and I don't trust you. You might have good intentions now, but people change the more they know a person. I don't doubt you'll treat Carlisle-po fair at this moment…"

Dante filled in the blanks. "But you don't think I will in the future."

"No," Aphtan affirmed. "Please make no mistake. You seem like a reasonable person. But Carlisle-po's best interests are my only concern."

Dante lifted his chin. "And I'm not in his best interest?"

"I'm not sure anyone is for the amount he goes through," Aphtan answered, "and Lucy is hesitant. Neither of us is fond of any of Carlisle-po's choices. I can tell he likes you. Time will tell if it's different than the others. But I have no intentions of handing him over to a person like you."

"A 'person like me' meaning…?"

"Someone who can't separate Carlisle-po from his physical standing."

Dante's eyes narrowed. Something in those words told him Aphtan was being cryptic and was not simply speaking about Carlisle and his figure skating career. "I understand."

"I doubt you do." Aphtan sipped his tea and finished the cup. "In any case, please treat Carlisle-po with care. And just know, where you lack and fail with him"—his eyes took a darker turn—"I'll always be at his side." He turned his head to the window and dismissed any option of a continuation of conversation.

Dante's hands clenched into fists as he observed Aphtan. It's not like I don't meet people I don't like. And it's not like I don't get threats. But… His jaw locked. This threat I won't take lightly.

°•°•°•°

Carlisle was a whirlwind of anxiety as he got to the bathroom and hogged the mirror as he obnoxiously looked over his face for the blasted pimple before he felt his hips. A sigh of relief came. "I'm still perfect and I don't feel any heavier, thank goodness."

A realization struck him and he scowled. "Meanies! They tricked me!" He tried to perfect his hair when he saw strands out of place. "Ugh, Tantan knows how I feel about acne. I've never gotten a zit in my life and I don't plan to start now." He turned away from the mirror to fan his face. "I should have said, 'no' to lunch," he groaned. "Nothing is going well. Tantan hates him and Dante is getting upset."

The mirror rippled.

Carlisle sighed. "It's not like Tantan likes anyone else, but I was hoping he'd at least be nice to Dante."

A gloved hand dipped out of the mirror with its arm.

Carlisle closed his eyes. "I'll just have to apologize to Dante…"

His nape tingled.

Carlisle's eyes flew open, but it was too late when that gloved hand grabbed the back of his blazer and shirt and hauled him up and through the mirror. He flailed for a moment without the ground underneath him and his eyes could see the restroom reflection through the mirror he had been pulled through, but like a switch flipped on, his body locked down and twisted out of the hand's grip. He whirled around, but it was hard to do when you were suspended in zero gravity.

Reflections surrounded him of various sizes and shapes. One ovular reflection showed a woman plucking her eyebrow with her hair in a towel and her poodle yapping in the corner. A smaller reflection the size of a Compact showed a young boy scrolling through something on the reflection. A mainly circular reflection that was a little murky showed people stepping across it and, occasionally, someone stepped on the reflection and violently rippled the entire thing.

Carlisle had little time to observe his surroundings when a hand grabbed the collar of his shirt and he was forced to look into enraged yellowish-amber eyes. A man held him, covered in black from head to toe and even with a black half-mask covering his nose down, but those eyes were clear as day. "Where is she?" came heavy snarl. "Where did she go?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Carlisle forced himself to stay calm even if his heart was racing. "Who are we talking about?"

The man seemed angrier at that and fisted Carlisle's shirt. "Tesla. Where did she go?"

"'Tesla'?" Carlisle tried not to show his surprise and kept his eyes emotionless. "Sorry. I don't know anyone by that name—" His throat clamped up when gloved hands wrapped around his neck, but he only clenched his hands to keep his body from panicking.

"I know you know where she is," the man viciously hissed. "She was with you last night. I saw it. But I can't see her." He pressed down on Carlisle's throat to emphasize his point. "Where did she go?"

Carlisle slowly closed his eyes and measured his breaths. When he opened them, those beautiful sea-green eyes were blank. "I know nothing."

The man threw Carlisle as he let out a bone-deep howl that reverberated the nearest reflections and caused the ones in the reflection to give pause and check the reflections in confusion. Carlisle was able to tuck until he slowed to a stop. His eyes could have wandered around, but he kept them on the man who was losing himself to a chilling fury. He did hazard a glance to the reflection of the men's bathroom he had been pulled from, but he knew better than to take his eyes off the enemy.

I don't think I can get out of here by myself, Carlisle thought with an inward pout. Not without shattering the mirror. Damn. Maman and Lucy are going to be so angry at me. First, an estranged cousin, then Tesla, then Tantan and Dante, and now this nightmare.

"Tesla… Where are you?"

Carlisle blinked over to the man who had seemed to have forgotten him after his bout of madness. Instead, his head moved frantically and he took off in this world full of reflections without a second thought. Panic hit Carlisle as he tried to swim after him. "Hey, wait!" he cried. "Wait!"

But the man was sprinting too far ahead to catch up.

Call it stress or anger—whatever it may be, Carlisle's face scrunched up and he held out a hand as the violet specs in his eyes glowed. "Stop."

The man choked as he was forced to stop. Growling, he fought back against his invisible restraints, but it was worthless. He was stuck.

Carlisle jolted his hand to his side. "Come." But he faltered when the man was torn through the realm of reflections at an unfathomable speed. "Wait, not so fast!" he cried. "Stop! Stop!"

The man came to a dead stop mere inches before Carlisle with those yellowish-amber eyes aglow with fury. "Let me go, Carlisle! I need to find her!"

"Who are you?" Carlisle demanded to know. "How do you know her? And how…?" His body slackened with realization. "How do you know me?"

The man grunted. "I know what I need to know," he reluctantly responded. "I'm…sorry for attacking you. I've been searching for her all day and I can't see her." His eyes darted around. "I can see everyone, but I can't see her." Frustration etched his word. "I need to find her. She isn't safe."

Carlisle's brow furrowed. He sounds pissed, but…he sounds worried too? He's worried about her? Why? Who is he to her? He winced. Maman is going to be cursing up a storm, but… He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and his hand slowly turned to the left.

The man suddenly glowered at Carlisle. "Don't look through my thoughts!"

But it was too late. Carlisle's eyes opened in more understanding than surprise and he dropped his hand to free the man from the restraints. "I'm sorry." The words came out delicate. "I can't tell you where she is."

The man bristled "You—!"

"She told me not to."

That gutted the man when his eyes flared and his body stilled.

Carlisle slanted his head. "I'm sorry."

It took the man a few moments, but he strode over to Carlisle. Yellow-amber looked resigned and sad. "I should get you back." He took Carlisle by the hand. While he could walk in this realm of reflections like he was on solid ground, Carlisle had no choice but to float. He took Carlisle back to the reflection that held the men's bathroom. He touched the reflection and let it ripple. "You can go back now."

Carlisle hesitated. "So you know…"

The man nodded.

"Please don't tell him," Carlisle pleaded. "No one is supposed to know—"

"Don't worry." Some of the sadness in those yellowish-amber pools lessened. "I understand."

Carlisle bit his lip and nodded. "I guess you do." He did feel guilty, however. "I'm sorry I can't tell you. She didn't say a reason, but I want to respect her choice. But just know she's with a…"—he winced—"relative of mine."

"I'm still going to look for her," the man said concretely, "but I'll take that into consideration."

Carlisle nodded and, with one last glance at the man, he dove through the mirror. The landing was not his best work and he stumbled, but he was back in the men's bathroom, alone and unblemished. He peeked back at the mirror as though waiting for something to happen, but all he could see was his own reflection. Relieved, he sank against the counter. "Phew… I might get chewed out, but I'm glad I did that." He hazarded another look over to the mirror.

"Carlisle, please." Distressed steel grays. "Whatever you do, don't tell—"

THWOP.

"Lips?"

Carlisle whipped his head to see Dante coming into the bathroom. At first, panic overcame him, but he tamped it down for his giddy smile. "Coming back here to hide from Tantan's icy grace or to have a quicky with me, Your Majesty?" he teased.

Dante gave Carlisle a flat stare that had him giggle. "He doesn't care for me that much."

"Tantan doesn't really like people," Carlisle explained with a shrug. "He barely tolerates Lucy." Dramatically, he placed a hand over his heart and sniffed, "But he still loves me and Lola, so that's all that matters."

"Can I ask who 'Lola' is?"

"His grandmother." Carlisle gave a surprised hum when Dante came over to him and wrapped his arms around his lower back. "She's really amazing." Probably the only grandmother I'll ever like. "I met Tantan through her, actually." He laughed at the memory. "She's absolutely batshit crazy and I love it."

Dante's lips twitched. "Anyone who has to put up with you is crazy."

"Hey, you're one of those people too, Your Majesty," Carlisle reminded as he flicked Dante's nose. "Calling yourself 'crazy'?"

Dante snorted. "What's crazy is I didn't murder you for waking me up. No one wakes me up."

"Please, I'm a little too amazing for death." Carlisle blew him a kiss before smiling. "Come on. We'd better go before Tantan gets suspicious."

Dante held him back, however. "You two have been friends for a while, right?"

"Yeah. Since childhood pretty much." Carlisle ran his hands through Dante's hair with a contrite look. "Sorry for Tantan's coldness. I wish I had time to warn you in advance. He's just…protective. He's had to put his foot down a lot around me when it comes to real fans versus fake fans, he's been there through my breakups and bad dates…" Grouchily, he added, "Weight anxiety."

"I understand. He does seem to care about you." Dante caressed Carlisle's cheek as he raised an eyebrow. "You get anxiety with driving?"

Carlisle's eyes went downward. "A little," he admitted in a smaller voice. "It's why I don't drive. I had an ex who was a thrill-seeker and, well, that pretty much put the nail in the coffin."

"And not being able to sleep alone?"

Carlisle pulled back his hands to loosely lock his fingers together.

"Look at me, Lips." Dante cupped Carlisle's chin and tilted his head up so darkness could class with hypnotizing sea-green. "We both have a lot that has happened. But I'm not going to walk away just because of that. Are you?"

Carlisle's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? You think I'm strong enough to just walk away?"

"'Strong enough'?" Dante had to chuckle at that. "Are you trying to feed my ego after leaving me with Aphtan that I make you weak?"

Carlisle heaved a sigh. "Maybe." His eyes dropped salaciously to Dante's covered abdomen and his hands slid against hard muscle. "But these make me really weak too... Even if my abs are better." He smiled when Dante grabbed his hands and giggled when Dante kissed the tips of his fingers. "I really am sorry for Tantan's behavior. If he said anything rude to you—"

"He was just being protective of you," Dante soothed, even if it irked him to remember Aphtan's last words. "He cares about you which is the only thing he and I have in common." He dipped his head to kiss Carlisle's bottom lip only for a few moments before pulling away to watch a flush stress across Carlisle's cheeks and his freckles. "Are you still coming by tonight? I'll be home late since I have class, so dinner would be late." An unrecognizable look crossed his face. "Or did you want to go to Aphtan's?"

Carlisle thought about it and perhaps he did not see the look that came onto Dante as he did. "I might stop by Lola's house to visit her after going home for a bit since it's been a minute since I've seen that crazy woman, but I'd still like to come over." He grinned cheekily. "Not like you could stop me since I have my own key as your unwanted roommate. I guess what they say is true. You fuck once and, suddenly, you're living together."

"Mmm-hmm." Dante pressed a heated kiss against Carlisle's lips.

Carlisle groaned. "This isn't becoming of you, Prince," he gasped out. "I thought you were supposed to be more reserved than—Mmm!—this—Mmmm…" He tilted his head and found his hands gripping Dante's shoulders the moment he—

"Carlisle-po."

Both were slow to release each other and reluctant to do so, but they did, and Carlisle looked to Aphtan with almost a pleading look that had no effect on him. "Tantan—"

Aphtan stepped into the bathroom to tug on Carlisle's blazer. "I ordered chocolate babka. You can have a slice of it now and a slice of it after practice."

Carlisle instantly brightened and all his focus was on Aphtan. "Really? I can?" When Aphtan nodded, Carlisle hooted and pumped a fist. "I finally get a sweet piece of chocolatey heaven!" Too excited, he dashed out of the bathroom like a bull in a Zhōnguá shop.

"That was kind of you," Dante remarked. Maybe a little bitter.

Aphtan looked in the direction Carlisle fled. "I might not be able to show Carlisle-po I care for him physically as you and others can, but I have other ways to make him happy." His eyes flashed back to Dante. "Please remember that." He left a narrowed-eyed Dante with a flick of his hair.

---

The library was one of the vastest libraries Luna had ever seen. Stories high with the shelves completely packed with literature, she absently thought her mother and Luke would be in paradise seeing so many books. It had been explained to her that the reason for so many books was because Zeref had been a collector of sorts. He brought books from his research in Mildian, but he had collected books from around the world in languages Luna had never even known existed and had been old enough to collect first editions of them.

She had been introduced to the library staff as well as students who were here on scholarship to attend the most prestigious school in all of Alvarez and, thus, had limited access to the royal library. To Luna's dismay, the staff and students had revered her in awe and hope. The staff could only speak to her in tongues she did not understand, but the students were eager to practice their intermediate Minstrish for her. She had praised them just barely and they were over the moon, assuring her they would become fluent in Minstrish for her sake as they felt privileged to know the native tongue of their princess.

Luna felt her stomach knot and twist at that implication.

She had been herded into a private study chamber that was not so private with Hemlock guarding the exit and Jay was there, reading, but she knew he was keeping an eye on her in the hopes she would falter. Her tutors were older women who could speak Minstrish to her, kind and fair and overly honored to teach their royal princess the history of her nation.

Luna did try to listen to them, but between feeling Hemlock's lingering stare and Jay's eyes flashing to her form, she found herself shrinking and half-listening to their lecture over the formation of Alvarez and when which countries had been acquired and under what circumstances. I know they're waiting for something. Hemlock is probably waiting for me to freak out again. Jay is waiting for me to crack, but… She shifted uncomfortably at the dodecahedron she had hidden in her sleeve. I can't get nervous or panic. The Forever Container has Demons inside and if they found out… I don't know what would happen. I don't want to find out.

"In X-seven-eighty-one…"

Why did Cullen have to leave this with me? Luna wanted to know. Why did he take it in the first place? Oh, I just hope he found Luke and got him away from here. If we can just get Luke away, I can teleport us back home…I think. I can't consciously teleport too far. I wasn't all there when I teleported to Nashi, but… Maybe I could try it again?

"…wherein END failed to…"

No, no, I can't think about things that I might be able to do, Luna scolded herself. There's too much on the line. I have to think about what I can do. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her eyes open as she felt around once again. Her Magic sifted through the library. She could feel the minds of the students and staff and their emotions of excitement all linked to her presence. She winced and kept looking, but it was a struggle to maintain the connection with her eyes open. The moment dizziness hit her from the strain, she let go of searching and tried not to give it away she felt faint. If I want to really look, I'll need to meditate. But every minute we're here, Luke could be in more danger. What would everyone else do? What's the next right thing to do?

"…which caused the Federation of the Mystic Arts…"

Luna blinked to attention. That name… The FMA… My vision… That's right. The king and…and the prince! She cleared her throat. "Excuse me—"

"Yes, Your Highness?" both women prompted, eager for her words.

Luna wanted to shy away from such rapt attention, but she felt Hemlock and Jay's eyes bore into her. "I know my sister, my brothers, and I are all here to…lead Alvarez," she began, "but what about the current king and the prince? What's going to happen to them?"

One of the women waved a dismissive hand. "Your Highness, if you fear King Ajeel and Prince Naseer will attempt to steal back the throne, you needn't worry," she assured.

"Yes. From what we understand, King Ajeel and Prince Naseer have been as eager for you to come home as your entire Empire has," the other tittered. "Once power has been placed back into the right hands, King Ajeel and Prince Naseer will most likely be relocated to a place of their choosing for a lap of luxury."

The first woman snorted and muttered in a foreign tongue, "Mgur aankeh shazdh kewchewlw s'ea kend ba a'elahdrt azdwaj kend."

"Mariem!" The second woman shot a confused Luna an apologetic smile and slight bow. "Forgive her, Your Highness. She does not mean to speak ill."

Luna frowned. What did she say? She turned to Hemlock and said, "I think I should be fine on my own. Can you wait for me outside?" Her eyes slid to Jay. "Both of you?"

Hemlock bowed low. "Of course, Your Highness." He opened the door and gestured. "Lord Jay, if you would be please…"

Luna ignored the look Jay had snuck her and waited until both men were away from the private chamber to look at her two teachers. "Can I ask what you said?" She added, "I promise this won't get back to anyone. I'm just really curious what will happen to the king and prince if Nashi becomes Empress here."

"It's just rumored, Your Highness," the second woman laughed nervously. "Nothing for you to concern yourself with. The transition will be smooth—"

"Salma, I believe Her Highness is right to worry for Her Majesty," Mariem butted in. She ignored Salma's harried look as she looked over at Luna. In a conspiratorial murmur, she confessed, "Your Highness, there have been rumors that Prince Naseer is not as eager for this power exchange as many were led to believe."

Luna remembered her vision and had to sympathize. "It must be hard for him to lose everything he had."

"And some say that rumor about Prince Naseer's engagement is about Her Majesty," Mariem filled her in.

Luna's eyebrow shot up. "What? But Nashi would never marry him!"

Salma tried to hush, "Mariem…!"

"Before Prince Naseer left for his impromptu vacation, apparently, some of the servants had heard Prince Naseer and King Ajeel have a rather violent argument," Mariem gossiped to her while Salma just put a cheek in her hand and shook her head. "They say Prince Naseer is livid about the power exchange and, to keep his lifestyle, he'll try to marry Her Majesty." She huffed. "The snake. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he'll try to manipulate Her Majesty if that's what it takes to turn that silver spoon into a gold spoon."

That… That didn't look like what happened in my vision. Luna thought back to it. So Naseer is his name… He didn't sound spoiled. He sounded…upset about everything. More upset about living a lie than money. But then again, my vision didn't show me everything. He could have been mean, I guess.

Salma sighed. "Well, in my opinion, while I wouldn't like Her Majesty to be wedded to him, I still worry…." She shook her head. "Oh, Your Highness, I apologize. I speak out of turn—"

"No, please! Please don't stop talking," Luna pleaded. "Really! I-I, um…" She tried to think of a good excuse. "As the, um…princess…I should listen to my people and all your concerns, shouldn't I? So, please"—she tried for a smile—"tell me what's on your mind."

Much to her dismay and relief, Mariem and Salma were on cloud nine. "The rumors were true!" Mariem happily cried. "Our Highness is most kind and compassionate just like His Late Majesty, Salma!"

"I know!" Salma crooned. "We have been blessed with such gracious rulers!"

Luna sweatdropped. I don't know if me asking you to finish your sentence is me being gracious…

"If Your Highness asks of it, your will be done," Salma said with a glance at Mariem. "I admit, Your Highness, when the rumors of His Late Majesty having heirs became known to our people, we were overjoyed. His Late Majesty was beloved among all of us and for him to leave us…" Her eyes were tainted in despair. "We all lost hope for our nation's future."

"But when His Royal Chief Invel confirmed to us at the castle that His Late Majesty's own blood and flesh would return to us, we were most happy," Mariem provided. "But many of us do have some concerns about what will happen with Her Majesty."

Luna frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"His Late Majesty never wedded," Salma remarked sadly. "And we have sincere condolences to you, Your Highness, for losing your own parents—"

'Losing my parents'? Luna echoed.

"—but because His Late Majesty never had a child of his own, it caused strife for many people within Alvarez," Salma went on. "We only hope Her Majesty will grace us with a little prince or princess." She waved a hand across her face as her eyes filled with tears and Mariem was kind enough to get her a tissue. "My apologies, Your Highness, for my outburst. But to know our Empire will be in the proper hands…" She trailed off as she dabbed the tissue under her eyes.

Mariem smiled as she rubbed Salma's back. "We have been waiting for Her Majesty to come home for quite some time now, Your Highness, as well as you and your brother," she told Luna. "You have no idea what your presence here means to all of us." Her eyes shined, watery and proud. "You have given us all hope."

"And we are honored to be of service to you," Salma added.

Luna's stomach churned as her tutors parted only to curtesy low to her and chorus, "You pledge our lives and our loyalty to you, Your Highness."

Luna swallowed and let her eyes go to the table. "Y-You don't need to do that." Please don't. I'm not your hope. We're not your hope. We just want to go home.

But Salma and Mariem refused to rise. "We might not have to, but it is our privilege and honor to teach you, Your Highness, about your home."

I want to tell them the truth—that this isn't my home and we were kidnapped—but… Luna chanced a look at the door in fear. I don't… I don't want another bath. Her hands gathered the material of her skirt as she tried to calm her breathing down. I can't use Magic and I can't tell them the truth yet, but… Hope fluttered when she came to a conclusion. But I can get more answers. "Miss Mariem, Miss Salma—"

"Oh, Your Highness, we have no need for titles," Mariem admonished.

Luna frowned. "But I was taught I should always call anyone older than me 'miss' or 'mister'," she argued. "It's respectful, isn't it? And you guys are my teachers, so I should be respectful." She reeled back when Salma burst into tears. "I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you—!"

"Her Highness is most kind!" Salma blubbered to Mariem. "How did we deserve her?"

Mariem patted Salma's shoulder in consolation as she eyed Luna in pride. "Just like His Late Majesty. Always humble." She wiped away a stray tear. "We are truly blessed, Salma."

Luna blinked, bewildered, "Um…"

"Yes, Your Highness." Salma dabbed away her tears. "How can we serve you?"

Luna flinched at the term "serve" and requested, "You could…tell me more about Zeref, maybe? I didn't know too much about him outside of what my papa had told me." Her eyes widened when Salma sobbed again. What did I say wrong now?

"And Her Highness takes an interest in His Late Majesty so she can be just like him!" Salma blew noisily into her tissue. "Oh, Mariem, blessed be the day!"

"His Royal Chief Invel was afraid you might grow emotional hearing about His Late Majesty," Mariem told a perplexed Luna. "But we are so thrilled you would bear the sadness to learn about His Late Majesty." She clapped her hands and said fast words to Salma in a foreign language.

Okay. This is good. Maybe something about Zeref will help me figure out more about us, Luna determined. Hopefully, they can tell me what Invel told them about us. He told them my parents are gone. Does that mean he told them our last names? Do they know we're from Fairy Tail? She looked at her naked hands. My guild mark was gone when I woke up this morning, so I guess he didn't. Still, the more they tell me, maybe I can figure something out. Chocolate steeled in resolve. I'm not going to cry anymore. I'll find out everything that I can so we can all leave this place together.

She meant those words. She really did.

So why did she feel a twinge of guilt when she looked at the enthralled Mariem and Salma?

---

The Magnolia Public Library was not too busy at this time and Mary Jane was grateful she had a padded study room all to herself. She had stepped out to grab more books to add onto her already growling pile while her PAL was open onto a loaded Goggle Search Results page. Igneel's scarf was wrapped around her as a faux infinity scarf and nestled her acorn button charm. She hummed to herself as she settled down with her new books. The common theme was all of them were historical nonfiction, but she did not mind that. She did her best to skim through the dates until she found what she was looking for. When she did, she swiped back to her ever-growing document list and typed what she saw.

And the common theme was everything she wrote was dates connected to August.

Each date has notes beside them about their significance and she had even attached links she had found or typed the book names to be able to come back, but still, it did not feel like enough for her.

Mary Jane poured over another book as she thumbed her acorn button charm.

"August! It will happen in August, girl, don't you see? You have until August! No one will survive after August!"

She sighed and rubbed her temples. But what did he mean? She looked at her document. Everything I've looked at with August dates isn't anything too bad, I don't think. Deaths and some are in the middle of the war, but…

"Don't let history repeat itself!"

Mary Jane huffed. But what in history? I can't find anything too worrying. She placed her hand on her fist and pouted. Maybe I've been looking at this wrong. Or maybe the library just doesn't have what I need. Should I check the guild library? It couldn't hurt… Mind made up, she stockpiled her gathered books and was about to take them out when she saw her Compact light up.

MINE

Mary Jane paused to answer the call. "Hi, Peter."

"Hey, Sweets," came Peter's warm greeting. "Sorry I'm calling a little earlier, but I have a break and I've missed your voice like crazy."

Mary Jane smiled as she cradled her Compact to her ear. "I've missed you too. Could you give me a minute to put back my books and we can talk or do you not have that much time?"

"No, I have time. Do what you need to do."

"Okay. I'll call you back when I'm done." Mary Jane ended the call and let out a breath. "Well, better get to it then." She grabbed her books again and decided to make headway in returning them to their proper places.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

20 minutes later…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mary Jane marched down the steps of the library wrapped in her winter coat and in Igneel's scarf with her Compact in hand and her headphones on and her backpack strapped to her. "Thanks for waiting. Sorry that took so long."

"Nah, it's fine. What have you been up to?"

"Studying and doing a side project," Mary Jane relayed. "Is it sad it's only January and I can't wait for spring break?"

Peter laughed. "I feel the same. Then, I'll be able to kiss you for real."

"Oh. Right." Mary Jane blinked at the realization and hid her guilt that she had not considered that at the moment. "How's everything at Alexandria? You don't normally have a break now, right?"

"Not really." Peter pulled away from the Compact to josh over at someone who snickered in the background. He came back onto the Compact to admit, "There was a little bit of an accident in lab today, so we got to leave early."

Mary Jane giggled. "Sounds bad but good at the same time."

"Yeah, it was." Peter sounded further away as he smacked someone and shouted, "Jackass!" Back on the Compact, he apologized laughingly, "Sorry. My roommate is getting on my last nerves."

"It's good you two are getting alone," Mary Jane said warmly. "Marek seems really nice."

Peter snorted. "You're just saying that because the first time you saw him, he came back to the room half-naked from MagiCross practice."

"No, I'm not!" Mary Jane assured with faux innocence. "No need to be jealous. There's only one person I want to see half-naked."

Vivid emerald eyes. Fangs exposed from a wide grin.

Mary Jane frowned and perished the thought. That was weird. "So what are you guys going to do with the break?"

"Probably head back to our dorm and chill for a bit before we have a theory lecture," Peter confessed. "Even if it was just for a few minutes, I wanted to hear your voice." His voice dropped considerably. "I really miss you, Sweets."

Mary Jane smiled as she waited at the cable train car stop with a few other boarders. "I miss you too," she cooed. "But I'm happy you like Alexandria and you have Marek with you already. You're learning so much and you'll keep learning to be an amazing Wizard." Her smile turned hesitant. "Have you talked to your mom?"

"No."

Mary Jane sighed when a hard edge took over Peter's tone. "Peter, she just wants what's best for you."

"She wanted me to not have my powers and, on top of that, she embarrasses you at the last dinner I was having with her and my dad and you." Peter clucked his tongue in disgust. "She doesn't have the right to judge you and I'm not going to let her do that to you, Sweets."

Mary Jane's smile took a sad turn. "She's your mom, Peter."

"And she was acting like a child," Peter said darkly. "She was supposed to be on her best behavior. I thought after the first time she met you and it went well that she had changed. I was wrong. Glad I know where she actually stands."

Mary Jane sighed as the cable train car dinged down the street to prepare everyone for its arrival. "Just keep an open mind if she calls you again, okay?" she beseeched. "I know you're not happy with her, but just be a little bit open to a conversation."

Peter sighed. "Only you would still encourage me to speak to her after the way she treated you." His words carried a teasing lilt to lighten the mood.

"I don't want to be a reason you and your mom stop talking. She was really nice to me up until then." Mary Jane watched the cable train car stop and she bowed back to allow the elders to go first.

Peter groaned. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Fine, fine." Mary Jane smiled when a man let her go before him and got out her MagID. "Are you sure you want to come home for your old school's dance? I mean it'll only be for a weekend. Are you allowed off-campus?" She swiped her ID and looked for a seat.

"Yeah, I'm coming home for the dance, Sweets. You think I'd miss an opportunity to take you out and see you drop-dead gorgeous in a dress?"

Mary Jane loftily laughed and found a window seat. "I'm just saying. A dance isn't worth a weekend and I'm sure you have more important things to do like studying—"

"Up-bup. Don't try it, Sweets," "I'm coming home, and I'm taking you to the dance, and we are going to dance and then…" He tailed off suggestively for dramatic effect.

Mary Jane felt her cheeks heat and whispered, "I can't believe you got us a hotel room."

Peter chortled. "If I'm going to be home for a weekend with you, I don't think what either of us wants to do is something we can do at our parents' house," he jested. Three beats. "But if you don't want us to have a hotel room, Sweets, I can cancel it—"

"No, no, it's okay," Mary Jane rushed to assure. "It'll be nice. I promise I'm fine with it."

"Okay, but just tell me if you're not comfortable. We don't have to do anything. We can just order food and watch movies—"

"Peter!" Mary Jane laughed. "It's okay!"

Peter let out a breath. "Sorry. I just don't want you uncomfortable."

"Thanks for being so sweet, but I'm okay," Mary Jane soothed. "And Bleu is taking Luna home right after the dance, right?" When Peter was silent for too long, she prompted, "Peter? He's taking her straight home, right?"

"Sweets…"

A hard frown overcame Mary Jane. "No."

"Sweets, it's not really our—"

"She is like a little sister to me. She's going straight home," Mary Jane commanded. "Her parents are trusting me to make sure she's okay." She shook her head. "Igneel could be spitting fire if anyone was going out with Luna period. Bleu's taking her home."

Peter sighed heavily. "You'll have to talk to him. He's a little hard to reach, though," he forewarned. "He barely responds to anything I send him."

"Really?" Mary Jane looked out the window. Luna hasn't said anything about that. I'll have to ask her about it. And make sure she understands she's going home after the dance. "Well, I'm sure he's working hard like the rest of us. And speaking of working hard, I'm sorry our calls are going to be short this weekend, but the job my mom and I are going to be on is going to be intense."

"Nah, it's fine, I get it. As long as you make sure you and your mom stay safe, okay?"

"We will," Mary Jane promised. "And make sure you stay safe too."

"Ah, shit, that reminds me actually," Peter suddenly said. "I'm actually going to be back in Fiore at the end of May."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, it was random though. I have a field trip to the Boundary Forest," Peter explained. "Apparently, the tectonic energy there is a phenomenal place for Alchemy and the pulse of the forest is great for Alkahestry."

"I have no idea what that means," Mary Jane chuckled. "But I do know the Boundary Forest is filled with a lot of Magic and a lot of monsters."

"We'll be careful," Peter promised. "We'll have guides and mentors with us the entire time. Though, I have to admit. One of my professors—Doctor Flammel?—he really is out to get me."

Mary Jane grimaced. "Is he trying to sabotage your grades or anything like that?"

"No, nothing like that." Peter's voice took a troubled turn. "I don't know. He just looks at me with this glare. When Doc gave me an introduction to him, I thought he was eager to meet me, but he just looks at me like he hates me." He made a noise of exasperation. "It doesn't help that Marek's dumbass gets me in more trouble than it should. But Doctor Flammel really has it out for me."

Mary Jane twisted her lips as she hummed. "I'd just be careful for now. The semester just started, so maybe your professor could be stressed? But if he really doesn't like you, then do everything you can not to give him a reason to dislike you even more."

"Easy for you to say," Peter grumbled. "I'd switch classes if I could, but I don't want to push my luck. I'm lucky enough I got to skip the entrance exam and I got an introduction to some of the professors."

"Then, you can just lay all your problems on me," Mary Jane teased him.

Peter guffawed. "I'll do that," he teased back. "Man, I've missed your laugh, Sweets."

"You're going to give me a complex soon enough," Mary Jane laughed. "I thought you were trying to get into extracurriculars and everything?"

Peter grunted. "Keyword is trying. It was easier in Spiritless high school when it came to clubs, but everything here is all about Magic Bloodlines and, well…"

"You can't give them anything about your own bloodline," Mary Jane filled in the gaps. "What about Marek? He didn't seem like the type to care about bloodlines. Couldn't he help you get into something?"

"He told me he would, but I don't want to seem like I'm using him…"

"Peter," Mary Jane firmly said. "He's doing this for you as your friend and roommate. He probably sees you're struggling and trying to fit in. It couldn't hurt to use the help."

There was a huff of a laugh as an answer. "Ugh. Even from miles away, you still boss me around."

"And don't you forget it." Mary Jane peeked to see the guild hall was coming up. "My stop is coming up soon and I'll have to go. But please make sure you're taking care of yourself. And wash your sheets every week, not every month."

A new voice whistled and called, "You tell him, girlfriend!"

"Marek, shut the Hell up," Peter shouted back. "You're one to talk! I got here and the room was a mess!" He chuckled into the line. "Can you boss him around too? I think he didn't get the memo we're supposed to keep our room clean over his month-old laundry."

Mary Jane wrinkled her nose as Marek cursed in an unfamiliar language. "Boys are gross."

"Yes, yes we are," Peter agreed in high amusement. "But I've been around Jin and Jazz and I know girls are equally gross if not more so with all your…lady stuff."

Mary Jane snorted into her hand. "Really? 'Lady stuff'?" The cable train car dinged as it pulled to its stop and Mary Jane got up. "You are such a goofball."

"A lovable goofball."

"Mmm, debatable." Mary Jane shot the driver a wide smile before disembarking for the car. "Speaking of Jasmine, how's she doing? I haven't heard any big announcements in the family, so…"

Peter sighed. "She's doing okay. She says the symptoms aren't as bad, she's just exhausted. She told me she had planned to tell Pacer then she caught him with a new girl, so she's reconsidering her options at the moment." He sounded like he was shaking her head. "I really does hope she tells him."

"I do too. Aunt Liz and Uncle Bix will be so ecstatic to have a grandbaby," Mary Jane remarked. "But, well, Pace is sort of a…"

"Manwhore? Womanizer? Gigolo? Those are just a few of Jazz's more tame names for him."

Mary Jane giggled. "Pretty much." Her giggle died. "I don't know how he's going to take it Pearse went to the exams with her rather than him, though. But I get where Jasmine is coming from. He's not exactly stable, but I really do hope she tells him."

"You and me both."

Mary Jane hummed as she approached the guild hall. "I have to go. But are we still on for our FaceCall again?" Coyly, she added, "And will Marek be joining us?"

"I will!"

"No, he won't." Peter made an exasperated noise. "Don't give him ideas, Sweets. He's too gullible." Lower, he added, "I miss you, okay?"

"I miss you too," Mary Jane said. "Have a good day."

"You too. Love you."

Mary Jane cringed. "Talk to you later." She quickly ended the call as she got closer to the guild hall doors. She was about to put her Compact away when she hesitated and, instead, decided to send a text message to Ellie.

« I know you're busy, but whenever you get a chance, could I ask you something?»

She put her Compact away after that and opened the guild doors. Business was per usual with the drunks and the regular patrons. Since it was midday, Kinana was manning the bar with a few seasonal waiters and bartenders while Orochi was in class. Guild mates were left and right as they ate and swapped stories and came by to simply socialize. She did her fair share of smiles and helloes until she got to the doors leading down to the first floor of the basement. Much to her surprise, she saw Penelope.

"Hi, Penelope," Mary Jane greeted.

"Mary Jane." Penelope landed on her feet and regarded her cousin in that emotionless stare.

Mary Jane smiled as she saw the pile of books Penelope had floating next to her. "Are you still working on something for Master?"

"Yes. It seems this will take me a while." Penelope flicked her hair behind her shoulder. "Are you looking for something in specific?"

"Actually, I was hoping to check out the guild reserves," Mary Jane confessed. "I'm looking for something that I don't think the library has, so I thought to come here."

"I see." Penelope cocked her head. "I will help you."

Mary Jane's mismatched eyes widened. "Oh, no, that's oh…" She sighed when Penelope was already drifting back down the hall and followed after her cousin.

The doors to the library were large and inscribed with protective runes to prevent anyone outside of Fairy Tail personnel from entering. Penelope held out a hand and the doors opened for her. The Fairy Tail Guild Archive, or the guild reserves, were impressive enough to have three floors full of knowledge of every single guild mate that had been since the birth of Fairy Tail, significant events the entire guild had taken part in, every war, every fight—everything was cataloged and stored here and only the guild and the Magic Council had access to the records.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Fairy Tail guild Archive or the guild reserves. Each guild has its own archive with every detail of the guild catalog from its origin to the most recent guild initiation. However, when it comes to any guild reserves, the information must remain within the guild hall at all times. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mary Jane felt in awe of being in a place of such knowledge, but she put a pep in her step to follow after Penelope. She tried to assure, "Really, Penelope, I'm okay."

"I insist." Penelope floated down the steps with her books trailing for her. "What are you looking for?"

"O-Oh! Um, well, it's silly really," Mary Jane downplayed. "I'm just looking for historical events that happened in the months of August. More specifically, any events that started in August."

"I see." Penelope stopped on the second floor and moved to a bookshelf. Books moved and adjusted themselves without the need for a physical helping hand and even the carts had been enchanted to do their tasks. Without lifting a finger, Penelope looked up at the shelf and mentally pulled out books.

Mary Jane stood close, a little awkward and unsure.

To her surprise, Penelope spoke first. "How is your current partner?"

"Peter? He's fine," Mary Jane chirped, rocking on the balls of her feet. "He's doing well in school. He'll actually be coming back to Fiore in February."

"I see." Penelope shifted and, thus, Mary Jane followed. "Do you miss him?"

"Of course I do!" Maybe not as much as I should… "I'm his girlfriend. Shouldn't I miss him?"

Penelope continued to pull books off the shelves and commented, "Are you asking me or asking yourself?"

Mary Jane stayed quiet.

Penelope did not let her bask in silence for long. "I see you still wear Igneel's scarf." Her pale red eyes slid to Mary Jane. "Do you miss him?"

"Every day," Mary Jane confessed in a small voice. "Is that weird?"

"I don't find such a term necessary to define nor should it matter whether my opinion validates or invalidates your feelings." Penelope finished her scan for this shelf and moved on with Mary Jane trailing after her. "However, I do want to see you happy."

Mary Jane shot her cousin a confused look. "I am happy."

"Are you happy?"

Pale red clashed with cerulean-scarlet.

"Or is your power happy?"

Mary Jane was taken back at the question. "I… I don't understand what you mean."

Penelope swept her eyes back to the shelf before she decided to keep moving. "Power in any form—be it Magic or Curses or otherwise—requires a certain level of satisfaction and emotional input to function. It's subconscious manipulation of the mind and body. People who possess Curses and Black Magic are more susceptible to following those selfish satisfactions their powers require. The users are almost never aware that their desires differ from the power. The ones that are carefully monitor themselves like your mother and Gary Fullbuster and my father. They keep themselves in check. But sometimes, the manipulation is so subtle and slow that it's too late for the user to realize their own power is using them."

Mary Jane blinked. "I never knew…"

"Which is fair. Most people consider what I said to be mere theory over fact," Penelope told her. "Whether they like it or not, the powers influence them in the littlest ways. For example, a Dragon Slayer eats their element. That desire is due to the power's manipulation of their body. But without that power, a Slayer naturally would not eat flames or metal. It would be lethal to them."

Mary Jane agreed. "I understand that." Her eyes widened when Penelope had brought them to a section that she had never seen that had a glass door and she could feel strong Magic coming from it. "Um, Penelope?"

"Please wait here. This section is only for S-Class Mages." Penelope did not wait as she held out a hand and the glass door opened for her. She floated inside.

Mary Jane thought on Penelope's words. Powers manipulating their users… It's not like Mom hasn't ever told me that. It's why some good Mages might suddenly go crazy. They can't control their power's urges. But I guess I never thought about it that deeply.

"Here we are." Penelope came out with an old book in her hands and closed the glass door behind her. She looked up at her cousin. "Any power can manipulate their user without the user ever knowing," she went on. "It makes you wonder whether your desires, your thoughts, your feelings are your own or if it's your power influencing you to make those decisions." She handed Mary Jane the book. "Try reading this."

Mary Jane took the book and saw a jewel was in the center of it. "What is it?"

"Part of Mavis Vermillion's memoir," Penelope revealed. "She was Cursed with a power that should have influenced her choices. However, she was a contradiction. The more her power pushed for an outcome in her mind, the more her heart resisted." She tilted her head. "I think you will find it an interesting read."

Mary Jane hugged the book to her chest. "Thank you, Penelope, but this isn't…"

"Mary Jane." Pale reds darkened just a shade. "Do the feelings you have lie with you or with your powers?"

Mary Jane's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

"You will." Penelope lifted her chin. "One day, you will be faced with a choice. Will your powers take that choice away from you or will you make the choice for yourself?"

"A 'choice'?" Mary Jane asked, her head spinning.

Penelope nodded. "Just remember, Mary Jane." She came in close. "You are not your powers and your powers are not you. You are your own person." She breezed past Mary Jane. "So make a choice you want to make."

Mary Jane opened her mouth, but the perplexity of Penelope's cryptic words made it hard to form a sentence. "Penelope—"

"Your books will be on a table on the first floor," Penelope told her as she drifted away. "Have a nice day, Mary Jane." Then, she vanished.

Mary Jane sighed. "More and more warnings. Wonderful." She adjusted the old book in her hands and decided to make it down to the first floor. Lo and behold, books had been neatly stacked on a table where the desk lamp was lit for her already and she had even been given a candle.

My powers…and me…

Mary Jane gently put down the book before she took off her backpack and her winter coat. Like she had done so dozens of times, she let her powers flow through her and watched as a ball of cerulean and a ball of scarlet appeared. My powers and me… I'm not my powers… And my powers aren't me… She dismissed the orbs and settled herself in the chair. "Why can't anyone just tell me anything?"

Sighing, Mary Jane thumbed the ancient book before her. "Well, if Penelope recommended me to read this, then I'd better get started." She buried her nose into the scarf for a moment. Keep me company? Her eyes sparkled when the flame of the candle burst for a moment then went back to its dull light. Feeling lighter, she opened the book and started to read.

---

Ena stirred little by little. Her eyes felt dry and stung a bit and her nose felt an uncomfortable cold, but she blinked away the sleep from her eyes and took not she was in a hotel room. Right. I'm in New Rosemary. She rubbed her face with a hand and sniffed. I hope I don't get a cold. She yawned and was set to move—

SHHT.

Ena paused. Something was curled around her back and entrapped her. Her eyes traveled downwards to see arms were around her midsection. For a moment, her eyes widened when she heard a foreign sigh. Then, they darkened and she let her fingers twitch. Her sword appeared within her hand.

Silver thought he was having a pretty nice dream. He had dreamt of owning a little retriever puppy then being able to bounce around on clouds and the last of his dreams that were concluding was him having a meal with Ena and being able to make her laugh with him on purpose for a prolonged amount of time. But he was pulled from his dream when he felt something on his nose. He lifted a hand to scratch it—

His hand came into contact with something cool and metal.

On alert, his eyes tore open and he screamed when he saw a sword was pointed at his face. "Oh my god!" He backed away and covered himself with the comforter as he cried, "What are you doing?!"

Ena did not let up with her sword aimed for him. "Why were you trying to kill me?" she demanded to know in return.

"'Kill' you?" Silver looked at her like she was crazy (and felt like he needed to ask himself why he had feelings for her). "I wasn't trying to kill you! I was comforting you and you fell asleep—!" He swallowed when her blade went under his chin and he could feel the tingle of Magic the steel had.

Ena's eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you release me when I fell asleep?"

Silver opened his mouth, but all he could respond with was a blush. If I tell her she felt really nice and I fell asleep too, I feel like she'll kill me. But what am I supposed to say? He began to sweat. Some wake-up call this is.

Much to his surprise, Ena sighed and banished her blade back to her other dimension of arsenals. "It doesn't matter. You seem like the clingy type." She turned around and failed to notice the gobsmacked look on Silver's face. "I'd better start getting my stuff to head back home."

"W-Wait." Silver crawled out of bed and miscalculated, tangling himself in the sheets as he fell onto the floor. He violently struggled against the comforter as Ena made a grab for her belongings. "You're going to leave just like that? I thought you wanted a day to relax?"

"Not someplace I'm not wanted." Ena shut down her L-Pad and missed Silver wriggling like a worm out of the comforter. "It's fine. There's always work to do anyways." She turned around to find Silver sitting on the floor, but she raised an eyebrow when she saw how messy the bed had gotten. "But, as I said before, you're free to stay here free of charge."

Silver frowned. "But why would I want to be somewhere you're not?" His face enflamed when he realized the meaning behind his words and he waved his hands. "I-I-I just mean it's not really that fun being all alone, you know? There's no point in me staying here alone."

Ena shrugged. "Well, you have the day off, so choose to spend it however you wish." She went back to get her bag.

"But… I want to spend it with you."

Ena sighed. "Silver, I appreciate the concern you have for my well-being, but I'm okay. I just had a momentary lapse in strength, but as you can see, I am perfectly fine." She settled her L-Pad in her bag. "Now, if you wouldn't mind—"

"You said…you wouldn't go."

Ena stilled for a moment, confused. "What?" She turned around—

Determined mayan blues clashed with perplexed dark chocolate.

Silver had gotten to his feet and stood before her now with a resolve in his spine. "You said you wouldn't go," he remembered. "And that you'd come with me. You'd stay."

"Silver, I said that to calm you down," Ena reminded, exasperated.

"I don't believe that," Silver refuted. "You don't say what you don't mean." He stepped towards her. "You said you'd stay. So stay."

Ena rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip. "I'm not exactly welcome here—"

"By a few assholes?" Silver challenged. "Who cares what they think? They aren't important. They don't speak for everyone. You deserve to be here and relax just like you planned. No one should be chasing you out. You're the one normally doing that."

Ena blinked. "Well…"

"So stay," Silver repeated firmly. "Show those assholes they don't matter and stay."

Ena held his eyes for a few moments before she let out a long exhale. Amusement shone in her gaze. "Aren't you the bold one today?" Silver flushed and wanted to sputter apologies, but Ena continued: "You're right. I don't let people push me around. So, I'll stay. But I'm not too sure what to do—"

"Oh, I have that covered!" Silver went for his Compact and started typing. "While you fell asleep and before I fell asleep, I looked up a bunch of stuff on what to do in New Rosemary at this time of year. I wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood before, but I have some restaurant options if you want to eat. If you don't, there's the indoor rose garden that we could go to—" His eyes widened and his mouth hung up when he heard Ena's tinkling laughter.

She shook her head with a smile. "You really don't need to be my assistant right now," she tried to remind him. "We're here to relax outside of work."

Silver grew confused. "But I'm not being your assistant. I wasn't when I was doing all this."

"Oh." Ena came over to his side and inspected his Compact (and failed to notice Silver's swallow and flushed neck). "Wow, you're thorough. You and L must have an itinerary everywhere you go."

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, you said you didn't do this as my assistant," Ena filled in, pitching up an eyebrow as she looked at him. "So I assumed you do this for your friends."

No, I did it for you because I wanted to make this day perfect for you so you could keep smiling. Instead, Silver scratched his cheek and nervously laughed, "Y-Yeah! It drives Lulu crazy with me being so detailed and everything when we hang out. Ha-ha…"

"I don't understand why." Ena gave the Compact a look of approval. "I love itineraries and planning. It makes everything so easy and organized." She patted his cheek. "Well done. You always manage to surprise me." She went back to looking at the screen and scrolled it all whilst Silver held his cheek in sheer bliss. "Very thorough. You even broke down the times into a schedule." She had to laugh. "Here I thought you were a bumbling idiot when you were actually organized this whole time." She nudged his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me you were this detailed sooner? I might have liked you a lot more if you had."

"I can be even more detailed!" Silver blurted. "I'll be the most detailed you've ever seen!" Then he slapped a hand over this mouth. Shut up, stupid. She probably didn't mean it like that.

But he was once again rewarded with Ena's chortle. "I think this is a good starting point," she assured and squeezed his bicep (and Silver wanted to die of happiness inside). "With your list, I have good faith this day will go well. So take care of me, okay? I'm counting on you." She squeezed his bicep once more before she let him go. "Let me go freshen up and we can get going." She did not wait for an answer as she left him behind to lock herself in the bathroom.

Silver promptly fell on all fours, clutching his chest as steam erupted from his ears and his eyes felt swirly. She's trying to kill me. This is a murder plot, I just know it. She's trying to kill me with cuteness overload. I'm going to die of happiness. She's sneaky. She changed her tactics. Oh, she's good. She's really good.

"So take care of me, okay?" Fantasy-Ena winked at him as she laid a hand on his cheek tenderly. "I'm counting on you."

But if this is how she plans to kill me…—Silver was in too much of a blissful state to realize the high levels of steam wafting off his person—then please let her murder me a thousand times over!

The bathroom door opened. "Hey, Silver, did you—?"

Ena immediately coughed and waved her hands over the layers of steam that hit her. "Why is it a sauna in here?" she croaked as her eyes watered. But then she knew the answer and growled, "Silver…!"

°•°•°•°

From outside the room, a cleaning lady came down with her trolley after finishing with another room. She went to knock on the door—

CRASH!

"Stop making it humid in here! My hair is going to frizz!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But I mean… Your hair would still look nice even if it was a little frizzy—"

"Are you making fun of me?!"

"N-N-No! No, I wasn't—! Gah! Ena! Ack! I'm sorry…!"

"What are you doing? Don't touch me—! Stop crying, you imbecile, I'm not going to kill you—! Stop clinging to me; it's creepy!"

"You can't kill me if I'm stuck to you!"

"I said I wasn't—! Oh my god, you're like a leech! Stop clinging to my—! No, that's not an excuse for you to—! Don't climb—! DON'T YOU HUG ME—!"

She had to smile and laugh behind a hand as she moved onto the next room. "Ah," she sighed, "young love these days." And she chose to ignore the girlish scream that came from a boy and the sound of a sword being swung.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

And then…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"I really do feel relaxed. This place is nice." Ena blew on her tea as she looked out the window to the slow-paced street. The bistro was slow, but it was a weekday after all and in the middle of the day at that. For the most part, the patrons were workers on late breaks, university students, and the occasional straggler.

"Hmph."

Ena took a sip of her tea before she said, "And stop sulking. It's unbecoming."

Silver grumpily chewed on his muffin. "You tried to kill me."

"I apologized."

A tick mark raged against Silver's temple. "No," he huffed, "you didn't."

"Oh." Ena took a sip of her tea. "Well, it's too late now."

"No, it isn't!"

"Anyways." Ena set down the cup onto the saucer and placed her hair behind her ears. "What's next on the itinerary? And you were right. This bistro was an excellent choice."

Silver tore into his muffin and turned away from her. "Giving me compliments isn't going to make me forgive you," he mumbled even if his cheeks felt warm. "I don't even know if I want to hang out with someone so violent anymore."

"Oh, that's fine."

Silver choked as Ena brought out her Compact. "H-H-Huh?!"

"I'm sure I can entertain myself." Ena waved him off as she scrolled through her Compact. "You enjoy your time off. I should be okay on my own—"

"Wait, wait, no, I was kidding!" Silver insisted with a nervous laugh. "Let me just get my Com." As he fished in his pockets, internally, his face was sunken. She didn't even hesitate to let me off the hook. I just wanted her to beg a little bit… Sighing, he unlocked his Compact and went to the carefully constructed schedule he had mapped out for every mood he could think of Ena going through in the span of a few hours. "The gardens are next up, if you still want to go."

"Oh, yes!"

Silver looked up and was dazzled when he saw Ena do a little happy dance in her seat, beaming. "Oh, I haven't been to those gardens since I was little!" She let out an eager squeal. "I'm so excited and…!" Her smile faded as she caught Silver's dreamy expression. "What is that face for?"

Silver snapped out of it to pay attention to his Compact with a slight cough. "O-Oh, um, nothing." I thought I was going to have a heart attack. It should be illegal to be that cute. "A-Anyways, I'll buy the tickets—"

"Oh, no, Silver, you don't have to—"

"I want to," Silver insisted.

Ena frowned. "And that's nice of you," she said slowly, "but I do have my own money."

"I know you do," Silver affirmed, "but guys are supposed to pay for girls, right?" He froze when he saw the dark look on Ena's face. Oh, no. I messed up. Well, if she kills me, Lulu, don't reveal at my funeral that I—

Ena took a deep, cleansing breath and looked like she was counting backward. "Silver."

He flinched back.

"I will…allow you to pay for the tickets," Ena supposed stiffly, "but not because men are 'supposed' to pay for women. I don't expect anyone to pay for me. Even with L, we pay for each other and we're fair about it. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Silver hesitantly nodded. "I think so?"

"Good." Ena decided to add another sugar cube to her tea. "You know," she started conversationally, "this would be an excellent place to bring a date."

Silver felt his heart stopped. Does she know? Does she…consider this a date? Now his heart was beating erratically and he forced himself to take a swig of his drink before he rasped, "Yes. This would be a really good spot for a date."

"And especially the gardens," Ena cited. "Very romantic. You can hold her hand and lead her down the trails. And, if I remember correctly, there's a little fountain there that's perfect for first kisses."

Is she trying to tell me something? Silver eyed his Compact. Maybe I should take notes. Is this what she wants me to do? He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants when he felt his Magic simmer. Please don't burst into steam. Please keep it together. Don't freak out. "Yeah," he squeaked. "It sounds really romantic!"

Ena hummed with a small smile. "Then, I'm sure you know what I'm thinking."

"O-Oh! Right! Definitely!" As inconspicuous as he could be, Silver checked his breath. Did I put on deodorant this morning? Oh god, what if I didn't? She's not going to want to kiss me if I'm smelly. Panickily, his eyes searched for the bathrooms. Maybe I could—

"Right then. So." Ena looked at Silver over the rim of her teacup. "When are you going to bring Paige here?"

Silver stopped.

Ena took a swallow of her tea and sighed. "Though, it might be a little too cold for her taste," she reasoned. "I personally find winter a lovely season, but maybe she's more of a summer person." Fondness twinkled in her eyes. "I'm sure once you bring her here, she'll soften up. How could she not? It's beautiful here. And if you have all your activities planned, well, an organized date sounds pretty romantic to me." She set down her teacup after another gulp. "So, in the future, did you want to take a day of to—?"

SCREEEEECH!

Ena blinked up at Silver who had gotten up and turned away from her. "Silver?"

"I'll be right back." Silver fled from the table and could feel Ena's confusion until he hid within the bathroom. He went straight to the sink and gripped the counter to steady himself.

SNIFF.

Silver furiously rubbed his cheeks and wanted to ignore the stinging in his eyes. "I guess I didn't know what you were thinking." He took another swipe under his eyes. "Who am I kidding? She's amazing and I'm just…me." He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror, eyes watery and sad. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up anyways. She'd never see me like that. She doesn't want anything like that. He turned on the faucet for cold water and sprinkled some onto his cheeks. All these feelings… I never felt like this with Paige. I guess I didn't really care. But I feel so much with Ena…

Silver looked down at his traitorous heart. "Is this what I'm supposed to feel?" he murmured to himself. He shook his head. "No point in thinking about it. She doesn't want anything and I have to respect that." He grimaced as he looked at the door. And now she's going to think I've lost it. Way to go, Silver. He took a breath and straightened his shoulders. No use getting upset. I just have to go back out there and pretend everything is fine even if I like her and not Paige—

Mayan blues widened.

I like her and not Paige…but she doesn't know I don't like Paige anymore. He stopped himself with a resigned smile before he could get his hopes up again. But what does it matter telling her anyway? She'd probably cheer me up over my 'heartbreak' even if she's the one breaking my heart. He moved to exit the bathroom.

I guess Elvin was right…

He came out and his eyes instantly sought Ena who looked so interested in the outside world and beautiful when the light hit her scarlet hair just right and the way she absently fingered the rim of her teacup while she was in thought… His heart swelled.

Love is hard…

Ena looked up when Silver returned to the table with concern in her eyes. "Is everything okay? Did I say something or—?"

"No, you didn't," Silver soothed with a shake of his head and a tired smile. "You said…everything right." His eyes took a slow roam of the bistro. "This place—this town—would be perfect for a date." He nodded at Ena. "I'll remember that."

Ena smiled, eyes lighting up. "Really?" She patted his hand. "Then, you better thank me when she agrees to a second date after seeing New Rosemary," she teased.

"Sure," Silver laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I will." He jerked a thumb over to the counter. "Did you want anything else?"

Ena shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm fine, thank you."

"Okay. Then, let's finish up and we can head to the gardens."

"Sounds great!" Ena shifted in her seat and leaned forward to whisper, "While you were gone, someone passed by with the ugliest bright orange scarf I have ever seen." She snorted. "Who on Earth Land wears a bright orange scarf in the middle of winter?"

As Ena ranted about what color combinations were more appropriate for the snowy season, Silver sat back and listened to her every word. She's going to go far. I just know it. And she'll be amazing. Maybe I can't be like my mom and Gary and get a happily-ever-after, but… He took a sip of his drink and his eyes softened when Ena began gesturing with her hands. I can like her from afar. And as long as she wants me around, maybe that's enough for me.

°•°•°•°

The walk from the bistro to the Gardens was not that bad, even in brisk winter weather. Considering most people were still at school or work, it was a great time to go. The gardens were in a rather large greenhouse with ideal temperatures for the evergreen herb and the most romantic flower. Their petals came in a myriad of colors like no one had ever seen. A troupe of senior citizens had come by today to graze the garden and relax while a few couples had swung by to go through the trails, hand-in-hand, eyes full of love. A grandmother had brought her science-oriented grandchildren to learn about how rosemary and roses grow and the special conditions needed to raise them in a greenhouse.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the New Rosemary Gardens often nicknamed by locals as the Rosie Posie. Roses and rosemary were the first plants to regrow from the old Rosemary Town and the townspeople had voted on a greenhouse to show off their prized flowers. In fact, Rainbow Rose is revered as it first bloomed in New Rosemary! »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Silver and Ena had taken their time within the garden. Silver was content to watch Ena frolic like a little girl as she adored the flora around her and had to stop and read every single plague by a new subspecies of the flower and herb. Since visitors were encouraged to "stop and smell the roses", she did so and often encouraged Silver to do the same. Several times, she had him stop and take a picture for Luna's sake until he began snapping unsuspecting ones and smiled when Ena blushed, embarrassed, and insisted she was not to be the muse but the flowers were.

Personally, Silver found her and the flowers beautiful.

"Excuse me?"

Silver and Ena looked up from inspecting a black rose to see an older man had come up to him with his sketch pad clipped to a wooden board, large glasses, and a smile that was missing a few teeth. "Would you mind if I drew you kids?" he requested. "Your expressions are lovely and I'd like to capture young love for my art class at the center."

Silver was set to reject on his and Ena's behalf when she surprised him and agreed, "Sure! How do you need us to pose?"

"The way you both are now is perfect," the elder assured. "If you wouldn't mind…" He gestured to Ena. "Can I have you staring at the flower?" He looked at Silver. "And would you mind staring at your lovely lady for me?"

Silver flushed while Ena chirped, "Of course! How long do you need us to pose for?"

"Not that long," the man promised as he got his sketch pad and board in position and aimed his pencil. "A few minutes. I'm a quick sketcher."

"Okay." Ena looked over at Silver. "Ready?"

Silver swallowed. "Yeah. Ready."

"Good." Ena looked at the flower from under her lashes. "We're ready when you are, Sir."

"I'll start now."

Silver wanted to fidget, but he held himself back and took in the view. Even when she was admiring the flower, she was mesmerizing to him. When I see Lulu again, I'll have to tell her about today. I wonder… If I felt anything for Paige and she was here, what would I be doing? He snickered within his mind. Probably overdoing it with gifts or complimenting her all the time. If I tried to pull anything like that with Ena, she'd probably gut me or turn me into a mirror just for fun. She might make all these outfits that cost thousands to millions of jewel, but she'd never want anything like that spent on her.

His eyes trailed each of her lashes. She's so independent, it's scary, but it's so admirable. She'll go toe to toe with people three times her age if they mess up. She could've just focused her Magic on fighting and training, but she didn't. She chose fashion. She might have her flaws, but… She's just…really amazing.

"I'm finished."

Ena pulled away first, eager. "Can we see?"

The old man laughed. "Of course." He flipped around his board. "What do you think?"

"Wow!" Ena gasped. "You're an amazing artist! Silver, look at this!"

Silver was slow to rise, but he examined the picture. "That's awesome," he praised and he meant it. The sketch even had some shading. It had focused predominantly on Silver and Ena from the shoulders up as she looked down at the rose like a shy school girl or maybe just an oblivious maiden. But he was looking at her with soft eyes and a smile to match.

"You captured young lovers really well," Ena commended. "How did you manage to get the expressions like that?"

"Oh…" The old man looked over to Silver and winked. "Just some inspiration.' His gaze swung back to Ena. "Thank you for allowing me to sketch you. Did you want to be recognized in the sketch?"

"No, that's okay," Silver answered for the both of them. "I hope everyone in your art class likes it."

"I hope they do too." The old man came closer to Silver and murmured, "Would you like a copy?"

Silver reddened and glanced at a curious Ena. He fibbed, "You should go ahead. We're just going to talk about art."

"Oh. Okay then." Ena smiled at the old man. "It's very nice to meet you. Enjoy the gardens." And she wandered off.

"So she is Titania's daughter."

Silver looked back at the old man in surprise. "You knew?"

The old man chuckled. "I've had the privilege of meeting her twice in my home country and your lady is the spitting image. The Fairy Princess." He winked at Silver. "You're a lucky man."

"We aren't, um…" Silver swallowed. "We're aren't…dating or anything like that. So…"

"I understand." The old man observed Ena as she was stopped by a fan of her fashion and was thrilled to have a discussion about her summer line. "But your feelings for her go as deep as the sea and as up and down as the breeze on a sail."

Silver's ears were tipped in pink. "Is it that obvious?"

"To me? It was still a guess," the old man told him. "You had that look in your eye any man could recognize. The Fairy Princess is one to admire just like her mother." He nudged Silver. "But so are you, Prince of the Sea."

Silver gave the old man a weak smile. "I'm nothing special. I'm still B-Class." He glanced at Ena and watched her laugh behind a hand. "She's the real amazing one."

"Don't sell yourself short. You have quite the journey ahead of you and much to learn about yourself and the world."

"Yeah. I guess I do." Silver cleared his throat and gestured to the sketchpad. "And, um, yes, I'll take a copy, if that's okay. I'd like to paint it with water colors."

The old man's eyes twinkled in knowing amusement. "Of course, Prince of the Sea." He put a hand on the sketch and it was covered in a deep blue before he peeled it back and a perfect copy of the sketch was made. "Here you are."

"Thank you." Silver took the sketch but not before he noticed the man's wrist. "Your bracelet…"

"Oh, this?" The old man looked fondly at the bracelet of shiny teal chips banded together. "Yes. It's customary for my culture to wear this when we travel from our home. It brings us protection and guides us home if we've lost our way."

"My best friend has a bracelet like yours, but she never said where she got it, just that it was a gift," Silver admitted. "Where is your home?"

"Giltena."

Silver hummed. "That's really cool. What brought you all the way to Fiore?"

"A favor to an old friend," the old man told. "He's grown worried for someone and, with his responsibilities, he can't see them except for the occasional glimpse. So he asks some of us at home to check-in when we can."

Silver smiled. "That's really nice of you!"

"We're happy to help." The old man tipped his head to Silver. "It was nice to meet the Fairy Princess and the Prince of the Sea."

"It was nice to meet you too!"

"And, before I take my leave…" The old man went into his jacket pocket to retrieve a pouch, and he placed it in Silver's hand. "They're selling a Rainbow Rose for the right price and the rarest of beauties deserve to go to the rarest of beauties."

Silver turned beet red and tried to hand back the pouch. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept this—"

"Nonsense," the old man refused. "That money would just sit with me until I went home, anyways. Please take it."

Silver bit inside his cheek and he once again looked at Ena and the way she happily signed an autograph. "You should give this to the person you're checking in with or, please, use it on yourself."

"I gave it to the right person."

"But—!" Silver turned back around, but the old man had vanished. It was not like he was on the other trails or that he was a little farther away. He was gone. "Hello?" Silver looked around wildly then back at the pouch. An intricate tribal design labeled it, but he could not make out what the symbol was supposed to be. "I should take this to the lost and found."

Silver hazarded another look at Ena before he left the gardens to go to the front lobby which was engrained in beautiful greens with paintings and colorings down by children and adult art classes framed left and right and letters people had written to those who take care of the gardens. When it was his turn at the desk, he aimed an uneasy smile at him and said, "Hi, um, an old man tried to give me this"—he put the pouch on the desk—"but he just suddenly disappeared, so I was wondering—"

"Oh! Why, yes, sir, we have your Rainbow Rose waiting for you."

Silver's eyes widened when the man left the desk to go to the background. "Um, wait, that wasn't what I was—"

"Here we are." The man came out with a large grin with a glass cloche pillar and its wooden base that had a healthy amount of dirt and grass inside. Alone, a Rainbow Rose grew with its multicolor petals looking like they had been painted on with watercolors like it came from a fairy tale. "You're quite lucky, young man. We don't normally sell our Rainbow Roses in winter, but the man before me assured you had the funds and the right person to give it to."

"Wait, I didn't—"

"Now, Rainbow Roses are different than average roses," the man instructed. "You'll need to make sure the rose is in here at all times and water it twice a week in light sprinkles. The loam soil doesn't need to be waterlogged. Rainbow Roses can handle a higher nitrogen count than their relatives, so you're welcome to use coffee beans. And more than anything, please make sure the Rainbow Rose is around positive energy. I hear these roses can last years alone as long as their surrounded by positive energy. Very rare and a little high maintenance, but they are the perfect gift."

Silver's eyes were swirling at all the information. "But… I didn't…"

The man pushed the glass cloche pillar into Silver's hands and took the pouch of money. "Thank you for your business! Have a nice day!"

Dazed, Silver bowed and murmured his own gratitude, but it was not until he was ten steps away that he realized what had happened and he looked down at the Rainbow Rose. "I guess I'm stuck with this now," he sighed. I could give it to Ena, but I don't even know if she'd want something like this. Maybe before, I would have just given gifts at random, but if I'm going to give her something, I want her to like it. He adjusted the cloche and patted the glass. I'll ask her and see what she says.

He loped back through the garden door and his eyes sought out Ena. He caught her standing against a group of three, two boys and a girl. Maybe I should wait until she's done… But those thoughts changed when he witnessed one of the boys say something that had Ena looked down and almost try to look smaller.

To Ena's credit, she did her best to keep herself back from bringing out her Magic, but she flinched when the boy grabbed her wrist and tried to tug out of his grasp, "Let me go—"

"Let her go."

All four sets of eyes looked up when Silver came storming over and did not wait for the boy to do so on his own volition. Silver shoved the boy back and pushed Ena behind him, mayan blues glaring at the trio. "What's going on here?"

"Just a friendly conversation with the daughter of the great Titania," the girl placated with a smirk. "We just wanted to get to know her better."

Silver's eyes narrowed as he gifted Ena the glass cloche while keeping his eyes on the three unknowns. "Doesn't look like it to me," he snapped. "It looks like you're ganging up on her."

"Relax, man, we weren't." The other boy looked a little uncomfortable at the confrontation.

"Yeah, she was just all alone and we didn't want her to be lonely." The first boy leered at Ena. "But I bet she's used to that with her dad gone."

Ena flinched and Silver grew enraged. "Her dad's on an important assignment—"

"For the past fourteen years?" the girl snorted. "She said the same thing, but let's be real. Mages look for any excuse to up and run away from their kids. 'Assignment'? Try abandonment." Her smirk looked even more satisfied when Ena gripped the glass cloche. "Aw. Even the little Fairy Princess knows I'm right."

"No, you're not," Silver retorted. "She wasn't abandoned. And what does it matter to you what her life is like?"

"Silver," Ena whispered, "let's just leave—"

"No, don't leave," the first boy soothed. "We wouldn't want you to be lonely in a town like this. What do they say about girls with daddy issues?" His lips twitched. "They like to latch onto the first man they see." His eyes lazily drew to Silver. "I guess you're her replacement 'Daddy' then, huh? Good luck with that."

"Shut up." Silver could feel his Magic bellow within him like agitated waves and a brewing storm. "Don't disrespect her ever. You have no right and no idea what you're talking about."

The girl laughed with the first boy while the second boy looked even more nervous. "And what are you going to do about it?" she mocked. "Use Magic on us to make us listen to you?" Disgust glinted in her eyes. "Just like Magi to want to use their powers on the powerless."

"I'm warning you one last time."

The water from the nearby manmade streams gurgled and shivered as they felt a pull to a greater power. The water from the little fountains and the main fountains stopped flowing, much to the confusion of the garden-goers.

The trio stopped dead when they saw Silver's eyes aglow in a foamy blue tinged in green. And his teeth… Something was wrong with them.

"Get the Hell away from her and out of our sights," Silver hissed. "An apology from you is worthless just like you are."

The second boy needed no other prompting and quickly went away. The first boy and the girl were slow to leave, but the girl found Ena's eyes and opened her mouth—

A throaty growl.

The first boy and the girl muttered a few slurs, but they, too, hurried away.

Ena hung the glass cloche on her two fingers by the ring on the top of the glass pillar as she watched the trio exit the gardens. "You probably shouldn't have done that," she murmured. "They might tell the Guard we were threatening them with Magic."

"I don't care." Silver whirled around—

Glowing blues ensnared shocked dark chocolate.

"They shouldn't be talking about anyone like that," Silver sneered and his eyes drifted back to the exit as though contemplating following the trio. "People like that make me sick."

"Silver…"

Silver glared at the exit even harder. "What."

"Your teeth…"

Maybe that was a large enough dosage of confusion for the glow in his eyes to relinquish. "What—? Ow." A sharp ache hit his temple and burned his gums and he shook his head. "Ah, no… I think I might have another headache coming on," he lamented.

"I brought some headache pills with me," Ena told him, still a little shaken. "But, Silver, your teeth…"

"Yeah, they hurt." Silver opened his mouth and ran his tongue over his teeth. "Am I bleeding?"

To Ena's bewilderment, Silver's teeth were just…pearly white human teeth. "No…" She shook her head. Maybe I was just imaging things. "Let's get out of here."

"Ena, no," Silver stopped her. "We can't just leave—"

"And we're not," Ena soothed. "We're just leaving the gardens and I'll get out my pills for you to take." She aimed a smile at him. "Besides, we have to stick to your schedule remember. I'm putting myself in your hands." She gestured to the lobby doors. "Come on. Let's go."

"Oh, um. Sure." Silver fell into step with her as they headed up the trail to the lobby.

"For what it's worth…"—Ena kept her eyes on the Rainbow Rose—"thank you for sticking up for me. Ever since…" She licked her lips. "Ever since back then…when someone confronts me about my dad, I keep thinking about that memory. I'm sorry if I came off as weak."

Silver rubbed his temple. "No, you didn't," he pacified. "I understand. Really." He beamed. "Guess that just means I'll have to protect you."

Ena narrowed her eyes. "No, that is not what it means," she cut sharply. "Do you know what would have happened if you had used your Magic, you reckless idiot? We could have been kicked out and arrested! Have you not been reading the news? We can't just…!"

Silver laughed off Ena's annoyed lecture as the headache faded little by little. She thanks me and then yells at me when I defend her, the crazy woman. His beam widened as Ena started making gestures again to show how passionate she was laying into him. But I guess I'm crazier for liking her.

---

Rose Garden was a place where Mages felt safe and Gale could see the appeal in living here as he tried to find the Hills Hotel. Magic lived and breathed within this expanse of city. Brooms and Magic Carpets were a common mode of transportations outside the cable cars like the ones in Magnolia. It was not to say that Lacrima Cars and motorcycles were not available but considering everyone who lived in Rose Garden was a Wizard of some sort, be it Magician or a Mage with limited Ether capabilities, they preferred to use the Magic they were born with to get by. Since it was winter, it had already gotten darker by the time Gale and the Tamers had departed, but that did not stop the natives of the vast city from living life. The theme part was open for business thanks to a Weather Lacrima that had domed the entire amusement park to give it the same atmosphere as spring and summer. Outdoor shows when on with puppets made of snow and ice, to the enjoyment of the crowd. The Magic Council Guards were much easier to deal with, in Gale's opinion, and the Spiritless that did live here were happy to be side-by-side with their magical neighbors and customers.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Rose Garden, a southeastern city of Fiore that is known for being fueled with Magic and a popular sanctuary city for Mages. It is the stop most people have to make before they can reach Infiorata Town and the Boundary Forest. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Hills Hotel came at the recommendation of Master when she told him the train to Infiorata Town required an overnight stop. It was luxurious, too much so for his taste, but he checked in, got his key, laid down his belongings, and he decided it was time to explore a little bit and find some food.

Gale took the streets with a lackadaisical air. He had nowhere in specific he needed to be nor wanted to be. He watched with a lopsided smile at the joys Magic brought to the people, from children to the seniors. I don't know how anyone could look at Magic and think all it does is destroy, but, then again, if I was a Spiritless and all I saw were Magic Battles, maybe I'd think differently.

He paid a few jewel to a riveting performance a Snow Mage was putting on and a Magician and stopped to watch as a Tamer had his magical creatures perform an assortment of tricks. He nodded along to a fully Magic-powered band playing a Christmas rock cover before he was hungry and decided to duck into a bar. Nothing about it was too seedy and it was not like he could not enter. He noted some of the looks passed over to him in interest, but his jacket hid his guild mark. He settled at the counter and, within seconds, a gorgeous twenty-something came over with a grin and dazzling eyes to give him a menu and water. He spouted off his drink order while he leafed through the menu. Conversations flooded into his ears, but he had spent enough time being able to mute out what he cared little about.

"…Emma…"

His ears pricked.

"…I just don't know. She hasn't responded to anything I've sent her."

His eyes carefully slid over and he could pick out that a large man had said those words further down the counter. White hair in a crew cut and pale greens that looked lethal, he sat in a large coat as he knocked back his liquor. Another man sat behind him, noticeably drunker and in a trench coat.

The drunker man slapped the larger man on the back. "All's in good time, mate," he assured with nary a slur. "Prob'ly ain't ready to see your mug any time soon."

"Yeah." The larger man finished his beer just shots were poofed before him. "But that's my kid, Winters. I should be there for him."

Gale's bartender came by and he gave his order and thanked her for the drink. As he took a swallow, he listened for this "Winters" reply.

"It's been—what?—a little over a month since I found out for ya?" Winters took the larger man's shots like they were water. "Just take the lass to court. Easy peasy lemon squeezy."

The larger man shook his head as he helped himself to his fries. "Nah. Think that fucker Lates is right. My old man said he'd hitch me up with the same custody lawyer my uncle got when he had to fight against my little cousin's captor for her, but…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I just don't want her to hate me any more than she probably does."

Winters raised an eyebrow. "Mate, if ya want to see the nipper and she's not letting you in, you might have to take her to court." He downed another shot. "Parents are off their rocker at times."

The larger man snorted. "Yeah. Like you're one to talk, you crazy bastard. Fuck are you doing here, Winters? Last I checked, you were overseas on a witch hunt."

"Bunny got pissed at me." Winters offered a smirk full of swagger and a wink at Gale's bartender who much enjoyed the appreciation.

"Then stop fucking and flirting with everything on sight," the larger man suggested dryly. "Keep it in your pants for once. The Hell do I have a kid but you don't?"

Winters chuckled. "You don't want to know the secret I have to not having a little blighter nippin' at my heels. Not one a method I recommend to even my worst enemies." He got handed another drink and he took a swig before his eyes went contemplative. Finally, he fessed up, "Might've gone off the deep end when I caught her makin' a pass at an old friend we needed to talk to for the gen."

"Dude." The larger man shot Winters a flat stare.

Winters groaned. "Yeah, I know, I know. She just drives me crazy. Damn minx. Drove me crazy back in academy too. Such a tease."

The larger man smirked as he lifted his drink to his lips. "Ah, I get it. Poor little snowflake ain't gettin' any, but she's probably lapping it up flirting in front of you." He took a gulp of his drink. "Not like you don't deserve it. You're a petri dish for disease."

"Fuck off," Winters grumbled. "I don't have to help you, arsehole. You just say the word and I'll snap myself away."

The larger man chuckle. "Yeah, sure, Winters. Your heart would break if I sent you away. Admit it."

Winters mockingly leered at the larger man. "If you wanna fuck, Major, just say so."

Gale tuned back out of the conversation when his food poofed in front of him—a rare steak with mashed potatoes and rice. He unrolled his silverware from his napkin and tried to shake off the tension. Even someone having her name makes me tense. He cut into his steak and licked his lips at the smell of rare meat.

One day, her name will not bring you such fear, Sycaña promised. Do your sire and dam know about your past with her?

Gale's lips twisted into a frown. They don't know all of it. I'm sure the old man suspected it. I just…didn't want to tell Mom about much of it since she was going through a lot. She knows Emma never liked me, she just…doesn't know how far it went.

You must tell her.

Sycaña—

She is your mother, Sycaña argued. A mother should know when her drake has been hurt, even by her own horde.

Gale tucked in a piece of steak and some mashed potatoes. Let me get through my own problems, okay? Please?

Sycaña sighed and feathered the feeling of nurture against his mind. He could feel the comfort of her scales and her warmth. Well, I am your mother as well, Little Gem. I am here for you. And, when you will it, you can show me what you went through if telling it is too much.

Like how Doc O does his weird dream scaping thing?

Yes but different. He is able to tap into your subconscious thoughts and bring them forward, have them manifest into something understandable. You would guide me to see what you want me to see of your memories. You would lead and I would follow.

Gale stilled and it felt hard to swallow. I'll think about it.

Take your time, Little Gem. I am always here for you. Sycaña offered him one more nuzzle and a hum before she receded and her hum was a pleasant buzz in the back of his head.

Gale decided to look at one of the LV screens hanging in the bar and sneered in disgust when a few magical sorority sisters had come to the bar in a lewd state of dress and over-the-top giggles that caught the attention of many men within the facility. It looked like the LVs were split between the news and the ISPN. He chose the news and read the subtitles about the Faction's actions in Valchestria and had to cringe when he saw footage of civilians caught in the crossfire. From the broadcast, some Spiritless took a stand against the Mages who had lived beside them and teamed with the Faction to drive out the Magic Council and Wizards alike while other Spiritless was attempting to diffuse the fighting only to be killed for their "betrayal".

This 'Faction' stuff is getting out of hand, Gale remarked. We really don't see it as much with all the violence, but… To think what would happen in Fiore did get to that point. I mean there's even unrest from Spiritless with Queen Hisui being a Mage too, but I don't think Fiorens would ever push it to that extreme. Then again, people can shock you.

As he tore into his food, he caught a commercial about the Sanctuary and it's linked even for the Tamer even in Rose Garden called the Rose Cup. He brought out his Compact as he chewed. He had messages from his friends. His mother, of course, had left little messages wanting to check-in and sent him a picture of her with a wide smile and her class behind her. He smiled at that. But he did not see anything from the one person he wanted to hear from. He checked the time. She's probably on a date right now.

Still, he eyed her contact.

Fuck it.

Gale set down his silverware to take a picture of his bloody steak and sent it to Luna with the message of:

« Rare steaks are better. »

He was set to put down his Compact and try to ignore what he had done, but it surprised him when the typing bubble came up and she texted him back:

« You're going to get sick like that. »

He grinned.

« Since when do you care? »

She instantly wrote back:

« I've always cared about you. »

Gale froze. Is she…? Warily, he replied:

« Don't you have a date tonight? »

« No. I'm at home. »

Asshole must have canceled on her. Gale fought down his agitated growl. How the Hell do you just cancel on her? His brow furrowed when she typed to him again.

« Can you come over? »

Gale blinked in surprise at the request. So is she…? He shook his head. No. She probably just is feeling down.

« You know I can't. Your old man and your dog would kill me. »

« I won't tell them if you won't. »

Gale felt the Wild rear up in interest, but he gritted his teeth to shove it down. Rapidly, he fired back:

« That's not a good idea. And I'm on a job. »

It took Luna few moments to reply:

« I see. It's just that…I miss you, you know? »

Gale closed his eyes when the Wild purred, pleased at the admittance. Calm down. She's just sad and lonely right now and needs a friend. Then, another message poured in.

« I need you »

Gale smothered the rumble in his chest with an emergency swallow of his drink. The Wild flicked its tail and Gale nearly broke his glass trying to muzzle it from controlling his next actions.

« I know you're upset and unhappy. Why not get Red to come over? »

« She's not you, Gale. »

"Fuck," curse Gale under his breath. He cracked his neck when the Wild itched for scales. "Calm down, jackass," he told himself.

Another message came.

« Can you come see me after your job? »

Gale instantly answered:

« I don't think I should. I want to respect your dad's rules. Just talk to your boyfriend. I'm sure it'll be okay. »

« He's never here. YOU are. Please, Gale? I just really need you. »

The Wild kneaded and burred and gave Gale no choice when pure yearning spurned his fingers and blinded him to the consequences:

« Can you wait until I come home? »

« Does this mean you'll come see me? »

Gale's fingers danced over his keyboard when someone had hopped up on the stool beside him and murmured, "Wouldn't do that if I were you, mate."

Gale looked up to see Winters had sidled up to him. "Do what?"

"Recognize that look on your face there," Winters told him. "Ex calling you for a quick romp?"

Gale blushed even as he scowled. "Hell no." He hesitated as he looked at the message he had typed out. "She's just…lonely."

Winters snorted as a few shots poofed in front of him. "'Course she is. That's while she'll call the one guy she knows won't turn her down."

"She isn't like that," Gale snapped, but he deleted his message and locked his Compact. "And you can't be exes if you never dated."

Winters knuckled over a shot to Gale. "Ain't that a bitch. Almost like forbidden fruit. Could've had her, lost the chance, and now you want a taste." Pale eyes filled with mirth when Gale felt hot all over. "Young love," he crooned. "Don't miss those days of inconvenient erections and panting after my crush."

"Fuck off," Gale grunted. "Why are you even over here?" He gestured to the other end of the bar that was now empty. "Thought you had company?"

"I did. Then he broke my heart and left me." Winters gestured to the shot before lifting up his own. "So I thought why not be miserable with someone else?"

Gale eyed the shot and took a quick sniff to realize it was straight tequila and had not been tampered. Begrudgingly, he picked up the shot. "Gale."

"John."

The two clinked glasses before downing their shots.

John smacked his lips a few times as he eyed his empty shot glass. "So what's a kid like you doing here with all that Magic?"

Gale raised an eyebrow. "You've probably drunk everyone here under the table and you can still sense my Magic?"

"Kinda hard not to." John gestured to Gale. "You've got this energy around you that's hard to miss. Surprised you'd be traveling alone."

Gale snorted. "I can handle myself." He smirked. "Don't tell me you're trying to shoot your shot with a minor."

John threw back his head and laughed. "I have limited morals, but there're still morals, lad," he chortled. "And those morals include anyone over twenty." He eyed Gale over the rim of his next shot. "Just interested in whatever the Hell about you has such power. You're not one I come across often."

"Yup." Gale helped himself to more of his food. "I'm a special snowflake."

John hummed. "Don't blame ya for not wanting to lay out your dirty gen in public," he had to give. He lowered his head to murmur quietly, "Just thought you might want a heads up. Not sayin' it's anyone here, but some Mages think the Faction has a point of getting rid of the Magic Council and they're looking for special snowflakes to help with the cause."

Gale waited for the Wild to rear its head at the warning and misconstrue it at a threat, but he did not feel that bristle, only quiet consideration. "I'll keep that in mind." He wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"You do that." John reached into his trench coat to pass Gale a business card. "Ya might want this just in case."

Gale looked at the business card, but there was a problem… "It's blank."

"Easy there, kid. It's supposed to be blank." John waved his hand to a bartender who nodded at him and went to the register. "Not exactly something prying eyes shot be lookin' at but keep it on you."

"What's it for?"

John's receipt and closed tab poofed before him and he took the bill to stuff in his pocket. "I've got some good people who are special snowflakes like you, lad, but they come with their own set of protection." He nodded at the business card. "They'll serve you well if you find yourself in a corner." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Now I'm off. Bunny will have my ass for drinking, but maybe she'll let me be a lucky bastard and crawl into bed with her." He inclined his chin to Gale. "Nice to meet ya, kid. Let's hope we don't meet again."

Gale nodded and watched as John left the bar and noted a few eyes followed John as well. His attention turned back to the blank business card in curiosity. "Huh." He put the business card in his inside jacket pocket. Shit gets weirder and weirder. He went back to enjoy his dinner and missed the late news about the rumblings of what was happening on Tamamoro Island.

---

The Council Room felt more intimate than it was. Dressed in dark woods, yellowed lighting from the chandeliers, and the curtains closed, 63 council members had come from the 63 districts alongside with consuls from the FMA and the highest-ranking officers from both the magical and spiritless branches of the military. They had taken their seats in the chambers at a circular table in which the speaker was expected to be in the middle to present. Some had brought along their assistants for this matter who were seated against the wall in their professional wear and eager looks for legal work. Surprisingly, the Alvarez Council was a healthy mixture of all genders and races within the Empire, but everyone spoke Minstrish for the sake of common understanding.

Nashi rigidly sat on the throne with her veil in place and her eyes hollow. Each member before her had come before her knelt with their fist crossing to their opposite shoulder, and pledged their loyalty to her again and again, some almost in tears due to happiness. Some had asked to kiss her hand and, when Invel inclined his head, she acquiesced the request with a nod. But what made no sense to her was the man on her left and in a lower seating than her.

King Ajeel.

He looked amazing for his age with his mane of sandy brown hair and smooth skin and rippling muscles, but he simply sat beside her, eyes blank, and none of the council bared to acknowledge him or give him the proper respect. It was like he was invisible to them all.

Once the introductions had been made, Invel came forward and announced, "As Her Majesty will be understanding foreign affairs via her tutors, our discussions will be kept to light business." His eyes swept to a roguishly dressed woman who left little to the imagination and yet no one leered or batted an eye. "We will begin with a brief overview of district affairs."

Nashi could not hear as the woman approached the center podium to begin her summary. She could barely hear anything. Her eyes kept going to the side to watch for King Ajeel's expression, but it never broke from that blank slate. He's not even paying attention to his own country. It's not like he's disinterested. It's like…nothing's there. She cursed. If I could just fell my Magic, I'd be able to feel out his emotions. Her hands wound to fists. How can he be okay with this? This is his country. I shouldn't be here. Why isn't he fighting back? Why isn't he getting upset like me?

Nashi stiffened when a touch of winter panged within her chest.

"Your Majesty."

Nashi swallowed at Invel's voice.

Invel continued, "Unless your care for Her Highness to join us after working so diligently in her studies, I suggest you pay attention to the matters of your country."

"Of course." Nashi dipped her head and tried to focus. Council members came in went as they gave minor reports that overviewed the influx of foreigners, any atypical crimes, any outstanding accomplishments, and thus fourth. But she noticed how each council member acted. All of them are just looking at me and addressing me like they want my approval or something. They probably think I came here willingly with Luna and Luke.

Once the council members were finished, the war lords had risen for their turn and talked about martial affairs that Nashi did not want to care for. But then, one of them said, "Once again, the Faction has attempted to make contact on the northern front and request an audience with the true ruler of Alvarez." Their eyes fleeted to Nashi expectantly. "Since our Empress has returned, what are your thoughts?"

Nashi spoke out of confusion, "The Faction? The terrorist group?" She blanched when a round of laughter went about.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty," came amused apology from one of the members that came from the FMA. "We forget you are still quite young and politics might be new to you."

Nashi frowned. "I'm not young enough to not know what the Faction is," she argued. "They're a hate group that terrorizes Spiritless and they're the reason Spiritless have magist reviews about Wizards." She grew largely irate when the council members passed entertained looks.

Invel stepped in and suggested, "Perhaps someone should explain to Her Majesty the Faction's true nature."

"And I would be happy to." Someone representing the FMA stood up, a beautiful man but you could tell he was Machias from the sleek bolts layered into his jaw. He came to the center and bowed before he explained: "Your Majesty, the Faction is not a terrorist group but rather a group fighting for equality. Ever since the Witch Trials of the Old Times, the Magic Council has governed witches and wizards, but at what cost?"

The question seemed to be one needing an answer, so Nashi responded, "The Magic Council protects Wizards and magical creatures from an unfair judgment in the Spiritless society."

The Machias man laughed with his colleagues. "I'm sure that was rhetoric fed to you as you learned Magic, Your Majesty, but that is a common misconception.' His eyes glowed with data as he opened his hand, palm up, and displayed a holographic globe with dots littering the sea and the continents. "Did you know the Magic Council possesses a Worldwide Archive that processes the data of anyone that exceeds the Ether count?"

Nashi's brow furrowed. "I've heard the rumors…"

"And those rumors are true," the Machias man affirmed. "The Magic Council possesses a real-time database for every single person who possesses a high enough Ether count. With their satellites, they can catalog every Ether-related incident and battle. Every crime, every rogue, every students—the Magic Council cannot only see it, but they can predict the likelihood of incidents arising."

Nashi tried to wrap her head around the implications of that statement and the gears began to turn. "They can see everything and predict it…" She started to shake her head. "Well, that can't be possible," she refused. "If that was possible then—"

Hickories widened.

The Machias man nodded. "Your assumptions are correct, Your Majesty. It would mean not only is the Magic Council privy to the atrocities rogues have caused, but they have no interest in stopping those atrocities."

"That's…" Nashi shook her head. "No… No, the Council… No, they wouldn't… That's not possible."

Teary ceruleans. "They had us kill innocent p-p-p-p-people."

"No." Nashi slowly stood up as more things contradicted the ideal. "No, that's not possible." She shook her head violently. "No, no, there have been wars. There have been—"

The epiphany struck her cold. Demons. There have been Demons. And if the Magic Council was aware…

Anger burned through the chill and Nashi glared at the Machias man. "You're wrong," she spat at him. "Of course you would say that about the Council if you're working with the Faction. The Faction! They've killed thousands of Spiritless! They've wrecked homes and lives—!"

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," came one of the war lords, "Spiritless have done much worse to us. In the times of old, they stripped us from our homes, made us slaves for entertainment, used us for power struggles. And now, they seek to restrict us from our families. They give curfews to Wizards where there shouldn't be. They have burned children at the stake for thinking they were telepathic."

"And those are horrible things to do to any person," Nashi insisted. "I'm not saying no one is guilty, but I'm always saying no one is innocent! It's not right! None of it is right! None of this is right!" She wildly gestured to everything around her. "Just like you said Spiritless did, you took me from my home! You took my brother and sister away from my home and you're dangling them over my head! You are terrifying my sister and god knows what you're doing to my brother and I am here, shackled to a throne just to be used for politics I never wanted to get involved in!"

Nashi turned to King Ajeel out of desperation and cried, "How are you okay with this! This is your kingdom—your Empire! Why are you just sitting there while they talk about us partnering with terrorists!"

King Ajeel said nothing. He did not even blink.

Nashi flinched when a freezing cold hand touched her shoulder and bared down. Her eyes fled around the room for help. Someone had to see this was wrong. But the entire council room held still and there was no concern for her in their eyes. No sympathy.

"Blanche," Invel called, "please send a servant to tell Hemlock Her Highness will be pulled from her studies. I believe it is time for another bath."

Blanche bowed. "Of course, Royal Chief."

"No!" Nashi screamed and she lurched to grab Blanche only for screech when a sudden invasion of winter clutched her from the inside and she grabbed her neck as she puffed frost and felt nothing but the cold. Her knees gave out under the strain and she was left awkwardly on all fours as she coughed and her eyes burned with tears. "N-N-No… Please don't…!" She cast her pleading eyes to the council members, but no one gave her any pity. "Help me," she begged. "Not my…sister… Please…"

STEP… STEP…

"Your Majesty, we encourage for you to have strong opinions during your sessions with the council," Invel advised, "but we would prefer your opinion be rational and educational-based rather than personal opinion. You are in charge of millions of lives. Your words will reflect in which direction their lives change. Just as your words now affect Her Highness."

Nashi sobbed as winter made her violently shake and she could feel Luna's incoming terror. "Please!" she beseeched. "Please don't!" She dragged herself as her hand shot to Invel's leg and she did not care how pathetic she looked, at his feet, his mercy. Every time she blinked, she could just imagine Luna screaming and sobbing while within Hemlock's hold. "Please, not my sister!" she sobbed. "Punish me! Just me!"

Her head bowed when winter crawled up her spine and she felt its claws sink into her head. She could see her breath spew ice crystals and her throat clogged. "Please," she rasped like she was creating her dying wish. "P-P-Punish m-m-me…" She let go of Invel when the winter chilled her from the inside out and she laid on her side, shivering and gasping for air.

"I'm afraid, Your Majesty, that Blanche is out of reach," came Invel's mention, casual and uncaring. "However, if you wish for your punishment in addition to Her Highness' bath…"—he reached into his jacket—"I will obey the crown's wish by all means."

Nashi could barely see past her tears and the fuzziness as winter choked her and held her captive in its icy clutches. She hiccupped, anguished. N-N-Not…Luna… Someone…please…

Invel pulled out what looked like to be the tip of a feather—

Hickories burst wide as Nashi screamed. Her entire body convulsed as unfathomable pain shackled her and she could feel it in every fiber of her being. The cold meant nothing against this torment with her eyes blinded from the tears and from the agony. In her disturbing distress, she could not even feel that the scars on her back had reopened and bled out, soiling her dress with each second passing. She could only think pain pain pain and she wailed and shrieked.

Invel looked down upon her with unforgiving eyes. "You will learn to be the leader you were destined to be, Your Majesty," he promised over her screams. "Zeref's vision will not be broken because of childish insolence." His eyes swept to the room and he saw respect and pride in the eyes of the council. "I assure you all, Her Majesty will become Empress." He placed a fist over his opposite shoulder. "Hail, Zeref."

The entire council room stood as they placed their fist over their opposite shoulder. "Hail, Zeref."

As the cold and the pain blackened Nashi's vision and her throat could not bear the weight of her screams, she could feel herself go under as though her mind was trying to save her from any more torture. Her eyes rolled and she caught one last thing before she sunk into the darkness.

The ceiling.

There was an upside-down pentagram.

---

Todoke kiseki ja nakute ii

Utsukushikunakute ii

Ikigai tte yatsu ga hikari kagayaku kara

•

Kirenai batterii

Tamashii no kagiri

Shukumei tte yatsu o

Moyashite Abaredasu dake nanda

---

TO BE CONTINUED…

Oh my… It just seems like this new year is really turning out to be the worst one for everyone. Who was that man that Silver spoke to? And what will happen to Nashi, Luna, and Luke? Where is Luke? Did Cullen find him? To find out, tune into the next episode of Fairy Adventure!

---

Magic Carpets and brooms sailed above as they did below. The streets were amuck in the traffic of old-time EMP-cars and older models of Lacrima Cars. Some were brought along their old steeds, but some of them had magical breeds that were load-bearers. The streets would go from stone to dirt just from turning down a corner. One EMP-taxi driver yelled in Thambiyyah at a daring teen and her little brother as they zigzagged through traffic on a motorcycle with their deliveries. The shops were as busy as ever with people of all kinds busying the streets as they represented their cultures and heritage proudly. Foreigners were easy to pick out on the streets with their jeans, bigger eyes, some with braids, or maybe their accents, but the natives were all the happier to accept them into their Empire. A few had come to a local language school and were a blend of Meidilandian, Sevenian, and Andüsan as they tried out their intermediate Alkyztik at a café. One native mother in her sherwal apologized profusely about her daughter who had come up to an Andüsan woman and asked to touch her braids.

He gathered back into the swing of things with relative ease. The natives were used to a life of partial nudity or full conservation, fair skin or dark, so for him to show his own loose pants, sandals, and his upper body unrestricted was fine. The bicep bands he wore with the crest of the Alvarez Empire was enough alongside his cloak, a fairly common article of clothing here. He had picked up some groceries from the local market and did not mind the pedestrian traffic. He weaved through it and stopped a few times to give from spare dhrans to beggars which were few and far between, but he made his way regardless.

The little boarding house he was staying at was a little worse for the wear, but it had its delicate charm to it. The other boarders were a healthy blend of natives and foreigners and the friendly old woman who owned the lovely abode like to be present as she cleaned the main room where her boarders came in and out. He left his sandals at the entryway in exchange for slippers as he murmured, "Yiyecekleri geri getirdim, Ragna Hanım."

The older woman smiled. She had an elderly beauty to her with her salwar kameez in a healthy green and her eyes full of life and love. "Çok tatlısın çocuk. Ama olmana gerek yok. Yeterince yaptın."

"Bana sığınak verdin," he responded in kind. "Karşılığında size yardım etmeme izin verin." He gestured to the groceries. "Bunları kaldıracağ—"

"Oh, hayır anlamıyorsun." Ragna came over to him and steal the groceries and gestured for him to come closer. When he did, she murmured in Minstrish, "You have guests. Yabancılar." She offered him a meaningful look.

He nodded at her. "Teşekkür ederim." He left her to go up the steps and to his room. He had met a few boarders and he ignored the foreigner who came out of her room to clearly go study, but she eyed him appreciatively. He went to his room and stilled. The moment the foreign girl was gone, he pulled out his key, but he did not unlock the door just yet. He put a hand behind his back and his hand twitched. Frosted mist and crystals puffed from his skin to fashion a handgun and he gripped it. Carefully, he unlocked his door and pushed it open.

A smile. "No need for weapons. We're here as friends."

He did not stop until he was in the room and closed the door behind him. His room was nothing special. It had a bed, a dresser, a closet, a desk and chair, and a mini-LV and radio. Ragna had been kind enough to give him a room with an outlook of the streets below. But the two visitors in his room proved to be an even bigger surprise. He diffused his gun to pull his hood back and reveal black locks and cerulean eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Gary demanded to know in a low voice. "You shouldn't be here."

STEP… STEP…

"She is now and is forever tied to me as my little sister-in-wings."

Turquoise clashed with cerulean.

"I will always come when she's in trouble."

Gary sighed at Kyler who was dressed fashionably in a nice tunic with his turquoise hair stuffed into a low hanging ponytail. "But how did you know she was here? And me?" His stare faltered. "Even I didn't know until yesterday."

"I suspected you would be here," Kyler presumed. He answered when Gary gave him a questioning look, "You were the first person I tried to reach when I felt something wrong. But when I visited your home, no one was there."

Gary nodded. "Yeah. I arrived here yesterday with some help."

"I see." Kyler noticed the edge in Gary's eyes. "If it felt horrible for me, it must have felt worse for you."

Gary clenched his jaw. "Someone messed with the connection we have," he explained. "I can't explain it so much as I can feel it." He placed a hand on his chest. "Before, there was like a hook inside me. But then something…dark interrupted the connection. It was…ice, but it was more than that. I felt extreme panic and then it was cold." He shakily exhaled frost. "I had to come."

"I understand," Kyler soothed. "We all did."

Gary's eyes flickered to Kyler's companion who stood away from all the action. Dark grays staring at him like a hawk, her face and hair were covered and she wore a colorful sherwal for their outing. "And who is 'we'?"

Kyler nodded and gestured to his companion. "She said you might know her."

Gary arched an eyebrow as the female companion undid her veil and his eyes widened when she drew back her scarf. He would recognize that face from the countless pictures he was shown of her. "Tesla?"

Tesla offered him a shy smile as she drew her braids to one side. "Nice to finally meet you in person, Gary."

---

Chibi-Luna waves to the class. "Good day, class!"

"Good day, Teacher!" the entire classroom helloes back. "What's our Fairy Lesson today?"

"I'm so happy you asked!" Chibi-Luna pulls down a chart. "Today, we'll be learning about Taming!" She shots off List Galan alongside several magical creatures. "Taming comes in three forms: Monster Taming, Animal Taming, and Beast Taming. While you would think both of them are the same, they require different levels of control. Monster Taming only pertains to controlling listed monsters. Animal Taming is for Spiritless animals while Beast Taming is for regular magical creatures."

Chibi-Luna scrambles to turn on the projector and a view pops up of List Galan as her Magic flares while she tries to soothe an angered creature. "Some people argue that Taming is instilling your will upon an innocent creature, but Tamers generally use their abilities for better purposes. List Galan uses her Taming abilities to help with magical creature hospitals when it comes to agitated creatures. Other Tamers…"

Chibi-Luna goes to pull down another chart to show off a poster for the Rose Cup. "…like to use their abilities in contests!"

The entire classes oohs and aahs over the poster.

"Being a Tamer is very different than simply owning a magical creature. Tamers—specifically Beast and Monster Tamers—require intimate knowledge of the powers of the creature because they share Magic Power and something similar to a bond," Chibi-Luna explains. "Tamers are able to use their creatures in battling contests, beauty contests, or otherwise. Most Tamers can regularly Tame a one or two creatures for their lifetime, but Tamers like List Galan can Tame various creatures for a short amount of time."

Chibi-Luna raises her finger. "Actually, years ago, there was a debate if Celestial Spirit Mages count of Tamers, but my mama was the one to dispute that. Celestial Spirit Mages and Tamers differ because of the contracts that we make and because our Celestial Spirits have to be summoned. Unlike Tamers who can approach any magical creature and Tame them, a Celestial Spirit Mage not only has to find a key, but they have to have enough Magic Power to bring the Spirit through the gate and create a contract."

She looks around the classroom. "But that's enough for Taming today! Next time, on Fairy Adventure: BEHAVE!"

---

Voices in Character in Order of Appearance

Nashi Dragneel – Lauren Landa

Galileo Redfox – Josh Grelle

Gary Fullbuster – Griffin Burns

Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill

Blanche Corday - Felecia Angelle

Kyler – Ray Chase

Dante Princeton-O'Neill – Adrian Petriw

Carlisle Justino – Eric Scott Kimerer

Muta the Exceed – Jason Douglas

Tesla Greer – Galena White

Aphtan Ángel – Adam Gibbs

Invel Yura – Clay Wheeler

Silver Fullbuster – Yuri Lowenthal

Aine Fernandes – Carrie Kernanen

Ena Fernandes – Xanthe Huynth

Hemlock – Alex Organ

Jay -

Levy Redfox – Kristi Kang

Gajeel Redfox – David Wald

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Mariem –

Salma –

Makarov Dreyar (voice only) -

Mary Jane Dreyar – Erica Lindbeck

Peter Shuusei-Thompson – Joe Zieja

Penelope Strauss – Christina V

Nikolai Dreyar – Jason Liebricht

Jonathon "John" Winters – Matt Ryan

Ragna –

• — • — •

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

⌜OPENING THEME

⟪ Your Hands Grasping Even Yourself ⟫

Noisycell

Lyrics by

Noisycell⌟

•

⌜ENDING THEME

⟪ Shukumei ⟫

Official HIGE DANdism

Lyrics by & Composed by

Satoshi Fujiwara⌟