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.
In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.
LAST TIME, on Fairy Adventure: ultra-popular Jeremy Carter AKA Aaron Gray came to Caracole Island, but apparently, this famed werewolf is nothing more than a shy cinnamon roll with a thing for gray eyes and avoiding his agent. Lupita and Jura visited Jasmine and Pacer to give them some news about their options, but with more and more precautions needed around Jasmine and her twins, tension is rising fast. Either way, it looks like things are ramping up with more secrets being revealed and spring break coming to a close soon enough.
'As long as I have Báihǔ's will, I know I'll be ready.'
At least Jaxton got to give some advice from one werewolf to another. And Pacer, how many times does Pearson have to remind you not to stress a pregnant lady?
Chibi-Nashi appears with a grin and a wave. "Hi, everyone! Ready for more Fairy Adventure? To keep your eyes safe, make sure you read with at least one light on in a low setting! Today's episode will one slightly mature that will have this marking when those scenes start and stop." She points at the board and says, "This is the symbol for when it starts."
X – X – X – X – X
"And this is the symbol for when it stops."
Y – Y – Y – Y – Y
"If you like reading mature scenes, go for it!" Chibi-Nashi encourages. "But you are more than welcome to skip them and view the rest of the episode! Do what makes you comfortable. And here is the time zone table!"
Abbreviations – Time Zone Name • — • — •— • — Location • — Offset
MCDT • — • — Melandian Central Daylight Time – Melandia • — • UTC +7
CST • — • — • – Cipangu Standard Time • — • — • — Cipangu • — • – UTC +5
SST • — • — • – Sīchóu Standard Time • — • — • — Zhōnguá • — • – UTC +3
CIT • — • — • – Central Ishgaran Time • — • — • — Bellum • — • – UTC +2
CMT • — • — • – Charring Mean Time • — • — • — Minstrel • — • – UTC +1
FST • — • – Fiore Standard Time • — • — • — • Fiore • — • — • – UTC - 0:00
ACT • — • — Arcticados Central Time • — • — • – Arcticados • — • — UTC – 1
CAST • — • — • — • — Caracole-Alicanto Standard Time – Fiore • — • UTC – 1
ADT • — • — • – Alvarez Daylight Time • — • — • – Alvarez • — • — UTC - 2
AT • — • — • – Amazone Time • — • — • — • — • — Valchestria • — UTC - 4
EST • — • — • – Eastern Standard Time • — • — • – Meidiland • — • UTC - 6
She winks. "And see you at the end of the episode!"
"And I expect you to interact with him, White Wolf."
A scowl. "Don't push your luck with me, Checkmate." Fingers gripped the Compact and canines showed when his teeth bared in a snarl. "I don't babysit." Furious yellow-ambers. "And I don't follow your orders, Your Majesty."
Dowsed in black like a widower and his white hair prominent in contrast, Jaxton stopped before an abandoned apartment building. Lake Sciliora's brushes of blues in the background and the foliage from the surrounding area made the apartment building a golden opportunity to rent from, but the landlord and tenants had evacuated for reasons uncertain.
This is the place? His lips parted to scent the air. Hmph. An unusual scent.
Checkmate sighed from the other end. "I understand you aren't fond of me, White Wolf, but nonetheless, you are part of this team."
"My job doesn't include babysitting another pet of yours, Your Majesty," Jaxton growled. "I'm surprised you decided on curating a Devil." His eyes narrowed. "You're no stranger to hating anything associated with darkness. I wonder how that will fare for you, considering your hjerta is—"
"My Half is not your concern," Checkmate said coolly. "Now. You are to meet with him at the penthouse and play nice, White Wolf." The edge in her voice dulled for sadness. "As I told you before, his suicide attempt prompted this. I had wanted to wait in approaching him, but that's not possible."
"So I'm being put on suicide watch," Jaxton deadpanned.
"You know that's not—"
"I told you I would meet with the kid, but I'm not making guarantees I'll stick around," Jaxton cut in. "I don't handle 'children', Checkmate."
"And yet, you personally situated your assignment with her new mother and you made sure to take the request from the Rogue Hunter so only you would have a grasp on your assignment's situation."
Jaxton stiffened, hackles raising, but he held back from saying more.
Checkmate sighed. "Just talk to him, White Wolf. Please. It won't be every day. But just…be nice to him. Not like you are with me."
Jaxton's throat flexed. "I am nice to you."
"You tolerate me—"
"Good. Then you know I'm being nice."
Jaxton ended the call and pocketed his Compact. Only a king would be arrogant enough to make me babysit. Shoulders squared, he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jackets. Let's get this over with.
The inside of the building was clearly under recent construction, but it did not look like renovations. It looked like everything was being ripped apart to make way for something new. The lift was in working order and the dust bothered his nose, but the trip was short. The top floor was sparse, but he found the doors to the penthouse had been stolen and he had a full view of what was inside.
Tilting his head, he approached the penthouse. The sharp scent of paint made his nose twitch, but he resisted pawing his nose to study his surroundings. Tarps thrown onto the floor, the walls had been primed as a canvas for all the work-in-progress pieces mapped against it. Some had been painted while others were in the draft phase. Art never phases him. He had little care to interpret what any of the pieces meant.
But his eyes singled one thing of interest. So. This is the kid.
An icy ladder had been built to reach the ceiling, but the one perched upon it was far more intriguing. A frail boy—he looked like he barely became a teenager—had taken up the latter with his feet calloused and dirtied, but he did not care. Unkept black hair banded out of his face to show such vivid blues that had not a scrap of emotion. Yet he painted over his ceiling-wide sketch like a man possessed.
Jaxton decided to lean against the wall, arms crossed, but he said not a word. So. This is the Devil named Gary Fullbuster. It's been quite some time since I've seen one, but I never saw a Devil so young. Spawns stay with their parents and the parents were protective. And they didn't look human. A new breed of Devil then. It makes sense Checkmate wants to collect him as another pet project.
Yellow-ambers darkened. What a farce. She—the king who ordered those born from darkness to die—wants to save a Devil. What is her motive in playing nice with him?
"Miss Sera said you were a friend."
Jaxton turned his head. "I am."
The Devil continued to paint like that was his only function in this life. "Okay."
A wide silence birthed between them.
Jaxton sighed and decided to sit against the wall. His gaze drifted to the windows and watched Lake Sciliora in all its beauty. I should've never agreed. I should be watching my assignment. His ear twitched and his indifference softened. She roped that God-touched child into ice-skating. Valkyrie should be watching her in my absence. Maybe I could convince her to send me a video.
A grouchiness glazed over him. Then again, I know she'll try to offload some of her casework onto me. He huffed through his nose. For someone of a proud warrior race with her own Pegasus, her laziness pisses me the fuck off.
The brushstrokes slowed to a stop. "Mister?"
Jaxton grunted."
A hush.
"Please…kill me."
Jaxton's eyes sharpened onto Gary at the request. What was that? He wants me to kill him? He crossed his arms. "As I understand it, Checkmate said you tried to commit suicide from the madness you endured being an experiment. You must have blood on your hands, which is natural for a Devil."
Gary gripped his paintbrush. "You know what I…he…we are?"
"I know what I need to know," Jaxton muttered. 'We'?
"And you're…" Gary's hand trembled. "You're not…afraid of me? Or disgusted with me?"
"I don't give a fuck about you, kid," Jaxton said point-black. "I'm here to babysit you. End of story. I don't give a damn about what you are or who you've killed—"
Gary's teeth gritted. "But you should!" Blues glittering in grief and anguish looked down at his palette. "You should…care. I'm…" His shoulders shook. "I'm…experiment six-six-six. I'm the Morningstar—a monster. And because of me…" Heat clouded his eyes as frost puffed from his nose. "Because of me, Angel is…"
Jaxton watched him. I read his file. 'Angel'… Checkmate said he called the daughter of the Etherious King that. Apparently, she was graced with divinity and a dying Agent surrendered his soul to her. But her wings were sawed off and her memories warped. And I guess this kid has survivor's guilt. His jaw ticked. What a pain.
Jaxton rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Look. I'm only here to make sure you don't try to kill yourself again and nothing more. Whatever you did beforehand has nothing to do with what's happening right now."
"But I…!" Gary clenched his palette. "I didn't mean to do it," he admitted in a split whisper and murmur. "I just… I want the orders to stop. I didn't want to kill anyone. I didn't want to be the Morningstar anymore. I just… I…" He hunched over as his winter spasmed, overwhelmed and agonized. "I just…want it to stop. I don't want to hear them in my head anymore. I don't want him in my head anymore."
That caught Jaxton's attention. 'Him'?
"I just… I want it to stop."
CLANG!
The brush broke onto the floor. The palette cracked, but the paint on it had nowhere to run.
"I can't… I can't keep living like this." His fingers dug into his hair as those blues widened and filled with crazed tears. "I keep hearing them in my head. I keep hearing him in my head. I k-k-k-keep… I keep seeing it."
DRIP.
An icy tear splashed onto the ground.
DROP.
"I keep seeing myself kill them over and over again, but it wasn't me—it was him," Gary whispered as though if he raised his voice, he would shatter. But his iced tears streaked his cheeks and flaked into ice crystals. "I just… I want it to stop. I want… I want…" His nails dragged down his cheeks. "I just want to be human. I don't want to be an experiment anymore. I don't want Angel to suffer because of me, but she's…!"
The ice ladder burst back into Ethernano, but Gary did not care. He crumbled onto his knees, curling in on himself, and his tears blazed ice onto the floor. He could not wipe them with how badly he shook and he could not stop exhaling frost. He could not stop. He could not stop.
"I'm a human," Gary whispered, chanted, believed. "I'm a human, so why…? Why am I the Devil? Why did he kill those people? Why did I…?" He clutched his head as he sobbed. "I keep seeing their faces. I keep hearing his orders. I deserve to die! I deserve to die!"
It was not that he could not control his powers, but his ice sprung up in jagged peaks like a cage. This was his prison. This was his grave. His winter could not stop the need to cage himself again. He was safe in the cage. As long as he was in his cage, he would not be near people.
I didn't mean to kill them, Gary whimpered as his own winter chilled him. I didn't mean to kill anyone. I didn't want to follow those orders.
Cold blues. "Morningstar."
Gary flinched back as his sorrow devoured him, ripped his soul to pieces and left him barren of all the good the world offered. "I'm a monster," he breathed. "I deserve to die. Please. Let me die. Please."
"Gary!" Warm hickories. Hair like cherry blossoms. White wings that seduced the breeze. "Gary!"
"Angel can't fly because of me." Gary was down on all floors with his fingers scraping the blossoming ice crawling on the ground. "She was tortured because of me. Because I'm not a human. I-If I died…I can't hurt Angel anymore."
White-knuckled fists.
"If I died"—lifeless blues—"maybe Angel could be happy again."
Gritted teeth.
BAKI!
Blank blues watched as a slow gleam of surprise brought them back to life when his ice—his cage of winter—exploded into mist and ice crystals. But Jaxton stood through the wintry mist with a cold glower aimed towards Gary and not a speck of ice could cling to him.
He looked like an Agent of Death.
"I don't like children," Jaxton groused. "But what I hate worse are useless tears cried for self-pity. And you, Devil"—his eyes narrowed in disgust—"are pissing me off with your pitiful attitude."
Gary could not move. What?
"You think you're the first one to have blood on your hands?" Jaxton challenged bitingly. "You think you're the first one to get someone you care about close to death? You're not special. But you are pathetic. Don't fucking cry because your actions led to someone else getting hurt. For you to cry"—his eyes glowed in cold fury—"means you're prioritizing your guilt over their pain."
"I…" Gary pressed his lips together and his gaze dropped to the ground. "I just want to die." A small confession, a plea, a mercy. "I don't… I can't keep hearing all their voices. I can't keep seeing what he did. I don't want to be the Morningstar anymore. But if I stay alive, I'll hear his orders again." He gritted his teeth as his tears turned into dry ice. "I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want Angel to get hurt. Please." His hands fisted. "Let me die."
A tense hush.
A step forward. "Is that truly what you want?" Jaxton tested, emotionless. "For me to kill you?"
"Yes," Gary breathed. "Please kill me."
Another quiet.
Gary did not expect fingers to grip his chin, but his blues were forced to look at yellow-ambers.
"You want me to kill you? Fine," Jaxton agreed without an emotional string attached. "I can kill you if that's what you truly wish. But I have one condition on it. And you have to make me promise on your life."
"I'll do anything," Gary quickly responded. "Anything."
"Then listen to me carefully, kid." Jaxton tightened the noose of a grip on Gary's jaw. "Because I won't repeat myself. This 'Angel' girl. You Bonded with her, right? And now her wings were taken because of you."
Gary's eyes slid to the side, ashamed. "I—"
"Look me in the eye."
Gary quickly bounced his blue gaze back, but he felt smaller than he already was having to stare into those daunting yellows. He harshly swallowed and whispered, "Angel is everything."
"And that painting," Jaxton grunted. "That painting is for her, isn't it?"
"H-How did you—?"
TICK!
Jaxton switched to gripping Gary's hair, agitated. "Answer the damn question, pissant. I don't have all day."
"S-S-Sorry, sir!" Gary squeaked. He's really scary! Licking his lips, he admitted, "Y-Y-Yes, but…" His eyes dropped. "She'll never see it. It's better…if she doesn't see me ever again. Angel…is better off without something like me in her life."
"Because you're a monster who's hurt her and countless others, right? "
Gary flinched.
"Ugh, children are so fucking naïve." Jaxton let him go with a huff, but he sat back on his haunches and observed Gary. "Your pathetic attitude makes me want to kill you right now."
"So you will then? You'll do it?"
Jaxton grimaced in disgust at how perky and sparkly Gary had become. Dammit. He's like a Dull but worse. "I told you I have a condition and a promise you have to make to me before I end your life, got it?"
Gary nodded quickly. "I'll do anything."
"Good. My condition." Jaxton pointed at the ceiling. "Finish your painting."
Question marks floated around Gary. "Huh? But… Why do you want me to finish my painting? Are you looking for a commission, sir, or—?"
TICK!
"I told you don't make me repeat myself!" an aggravated Jaxton barked, startling Gary to protect himself. He angrily scratched the back of his head. "Gods, I hate kids."
"But…" Gary blinked as he took in Jaxton. "Aren't you a kid too?"
TICK!
Jaxton gripped Gary's head and barked, "Do I look like a damn kid to you, pissant? I'm a lot older than you!"
Gary stammered in compliance, "Y-Yes, sir, sorry, sir—!"
"And don't fucking call me 'sir'!" Jaxton shoved him away with a sneer, no remorse for how Gary comically sniffled and tried to fix his hair. I need a fucking drink after this. I don't get paid enough for this bullshit.
"S-So, um…" Twiddling his thumb, Gary hesitantly asked, "What's the promise?"
Jaxton sobered. "And you're sure about this?"
Gary nodded.
"And you'll promise to anything?"
Gary tensed but nodded twice.
"All right then." A darkness touched Jaxton's features. "I'll kill you so long as you promise to me…that you will become a Devil."
"What?" Gary could not help the question, but bewilderment was too great within him. "But…" He slowly shook his head. "I… I don't understand, mister. I thought… I…" He looked at his hands, these calloused, scarred hands that had pinned down, clawed, and sliced his next order. "But I'm… I am that. I…"—he curled his fingers into his palms—"am a monster."
"Okay. You didn't tell me you're a Devil."
Gary whipped up his head. "But—"
"You've seen a fraction of the horrors of this world," Jaxton paved away. He would not be subtle or shy. His truths would be callous and cruel. "You've killed and slaughtered. You were an experiment—a project. And that will stay with you in your daydreams and your nightmares." His chin tipped down. "You will never be free from the blood on your hands. And I can assure you that just as you can't forget about the people you killed, so long as you were the last face they saw, they will never forget you."
Hard truths bulleted Gary's chest and speared his heart. His eyes widened the more Jaxton spoke, but the last sentence made his wide stare go to the ground, anguished and hopeless. "Yes… I know…" I'm a murderer. I kill everything I touch. I deserve to die. I deserve…to be killed just like how I killed those people.
"But in the end, those deaths weren't the result of you being a Devil… It was the result of you being the monster they wanted."
Gary stiffened.
"Women, children, elderly, animals, a god—I have killed them all based on someone else's orders."
Those blues painted an emotionless Jaxton with shock.
"You think you're the first one to receive a kill order?" Jaxton asked with no expectance of an answer. "You think you're the first one that day in and day out, you could only taste blood in your mouth and listen to endless screaming? That you had to tear out a woman's child from her stomach? That you had to kill someone innocent to protect someone you love? How arrogant of you." His yellows chilled those on the other side of him. "You're not the first to become a monster on someone else's orders. And you won't be the last."
"But…" Gary's bottom lip shook. "How did you…?"
"We become monsters because of orders," Jaxton continued. "We become murderers because of orders. We are given no choice but to follow orders." His hand fisted. "Because to disobey those orders will give us a Hell we've never known. And it would put at risk those we were weak enough to care about." He looked down at his fist. "How foolish of us to have such a weakness to be exploited." Which is why I can't afford another weakness for Mother to control me over. No more weaknesses.
Innocent steely grays.
His jaw went taut. Especially not her.
"I had to kill…for Angel."
His attention sprung back to Gary, trapped in his darkest memories.
"He said if I didn't kill my target, my target would kill her," Gary revealed in a rasp. "I couldn't let her die… I couldn't…"
Jaxton's nostrils flared as he sighed. "So far, all I've seen from you is that you fully believe you are still the monster taking orders. You might say you are a 'Devil' or a 'human', but in your eyes, they all mean 'monster'. They all mean 'orders'. Which is why I want you to promise me you will become a Devil. Because that is who you are. You are a Devil."
"But… What does that mean?" Gary looked so lost, so small, so helpless. "I… I'm a human. He's the Devil. I-I-I'm not… W-We're not…"
Ah. I see. Jaxton's head tilted as he scanned Gary. That was how he endured his time. He made some sort of system. He rubbed the back of his head. How annoying. "I'll amend the promise you need to keep to me," he decided. "And this will be the last time I do this, so listen to every word I say, got it?"
Gary nodded quickly. "Yes, Mister."
"All right then." Jaxton made sure Gary saw the unyielding solemnity in his stare. "Promise me, Gary Fullbuster"—he leaned forward—"that you will learn how to become you."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • — • — • —
kazoekire nai hodo no omoi wo
itsu made mo okuri tsuzuke te kun da zutto zutto sen mo
•
kurikaeshi gokoro ni chikau yo
te wo nigiri zutto soba ni iru n da soshite kesshite hanasa nai yo
— • — • — • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The hard-driving toccata refused to give up the chaotic chromatic climb up and down the piano.
The sun crested over the horizon, still exhausted now that he was slowly gaining more time in the sky over his ex-wife, the moon. The farmers and ranch hands woke with first light to begin their chores. The sleepy villages and towns prepared for another full day of tourists and vacationers.
Most would sleep in on a day like today where the mood felt right to lounge about in bed until mid-morning. But someone had jarringly awoken the piano with a horrific polymetric virtuoso that made it sound like the bells of Hell were being rung in a sinful cathedral. Sparse light poured into the sandstone room and dared to bathe the ivory grand piano, but it dared not touch the pianist.
No sheet music was needed for this hellish piece. This chaos was memorized for all that it was worth. The harried disharmonic ascension might have scrambled, but it never fumbled. This chaos was rehearsed with fingers remembering each and every dissonance like they had never heard of resolution. The peak had come with high minors sounding the bells the end was neigh.
The apocalyptic sound collapsed in a heap of ominous bass notes with a squeal of two upper keys that rubbed each other the wrong way. And that haunting sound sustained in echo for an impossible count afterward.
A deep frown. "You sustained in the middle when you should have dampened."
A smile. "You always have some sort of criticism on my playing." Gary let go of the keys to brush back his bangs from his face. "Don't you"—he cocked his head to observe the newcomer—"Jang-ta?"
Jaxton leaned against the wall of the circular piano room with a mug of tea in his hands and his eyes yellow-amber. "You don't sustain until the last chord. You dampen. I taught you better than to make such a stupid mistake."
Gary quietly chuckled as he closed the piano's fall-board with care. "You did," he admitted. "I remember slumming through all those etudes. You wouldn't let me move on until I played the piece by memory. And only when you were satisfied could I move on."
Jaxton tilted up his chin. "You never complained. Surprisingly."
Eyes closed, Gary hummed his mirth. "I didn't." Blue cracked open with fondness glistening within. "Because you understood the difference between orders and teaching. Under Invel, my choices were taken away, and I became what he molded me to become. Under you, I had all the choices in the world and I could become…whoever I wanted to be."
Jaxton sighed as he pushed off the wall. "I didn't want to teach you."
"I know that." A smile played on Gary's lips. "Everyone told me you were an asshole, Pandemonium especially. Valkyrie told me you were a slave driver. Undine never had much to say about you, though. And Checkmate always asked me if you treated me well."
Jaxton scoffed and stood beside the piano bench. "Checkmate has more pressing matters than to watch my every move."
"I know." Gary's smile fell for an impassive frown. "What do you think she's going to do about him?"
"I don't know." A dark agitation etched Jaxton's expression. "She sent her own people to live out their days in suffering, death, and disease. And the ones with mixed blood were forced into suicide squadrons for her kingdom. And yet her Half is none other than the aspiring prince to the same Black that her people were born into." Yellows narrowed. "How irritating."
Gary looked out the window to behold the rising sun. "I know." He leaned against the piano with his arms crossed atop the fall-board. "Selene told me Checkmate grows sicker by the day. But as long as she continues to send her people to their eventual end, I have no sympathy. And yet…she still saved me. You have to wonder why. Or maybe"—his gaze dipped—"I'm still a coward and I don't want the answer."
"Hmm."
Gary glanced at the tea and his mouth parted to scent the air. "Today's the last brew of that tea, isn't it?"
"Using your natural senses again, are you?" Jaxton arched an eyebrow and threw him a cursory glance. "You always told me such things were beneath you. Or should I say"—yellow flashed—"beneath a human."
"I know." Gary's smile turned sad and resigned. "But it seems…it's inevitable now, doesn't it?" The glow of the sun reflected in his deep blues. "I can't stop it. And he… He doesn't want to talk to me. He stays quiet. No matter how much I try to talk to him, I can't feel him. It's almost like he's—" He cut himself off with grounded teeth.
Jaxton passed his yellow regard back to the window. "He'll speak to you when the time is right for him to do so. Personally, though, I think he's waiting."
"For what?"
"What else could he be waiting for?"
Gary's mouth parted, but the words he meant to say did not come out. "Right." His lashes lowered, downcast. "I see…" It startled him slightly when he felt Jaxton's hand on his head. "Jang-ta…"
"Don't worry." Jaxton kept facing front like a captain ready to weather the incoming storm. "Nashi is a good woman. She will wait for you to keep your promise. As will I."
"For me to become me." Gary faltered. "I wish I knew what that meant. But…" His fingers twitched. "I… I…" He flinched when Jaxton shoved his head down. "Hey—!"
"Gary."
He paused when a rare soft expression crossed Jaxton's face as he gazed down at him.
"You are the one who can choose who you are," Jaxton reminded. "And that process is longitudinal and lifelong. You must make the effort to keep your promise to me. And you know what you have to do in order to do so. You swore on your life that you would keep that promise to me."
"I know." Blues swept to his lap. "I haven't forgotten. I'm just…afraid."
"The fear of the truth is worse than the truth," Jaxton murmured. "And fear and love cannot eat from the same table. It's your choice when you are ready to abandon fear so you can love freely and live with the truth. But the more you delay it…"
Gary did not have to hear Jaxton's unsaid words. Yes. I know. The more I keep fearing and denying… Blues shimmered. The more I lose everything I've strived for.
"So tell me, Gary… Are you ready?"
"Are you?" Gary looked up at Jaxton and questioned, "Are you ready?"
"Yes." Jaxton did not hesitate. "I've made my choice. Starting this spiritual tie with her means I accept what needs to be done. Complications must be eliminated. And I accept what I have to do to rid of those complications so I can officially tie myself to Tesla." His eyes steeled in fierce love with the contradiction of the will to kill. "She is worth it. And if that means I have to eventually kill my mother, I will not hesitate to eliminate her as a threat—or I will die trying."
Such a declaration warranted Gary's admiration. Jang-ta…
"So, I'll ask you again." Jaxton's stare slanted down at Gary. "Are you ready to keep your promise to me"—his grip on the mug tightened—"or will I kill you where you stand? The choice is yours…"
The sun hit Gary's eyes to show an icy-blue ring around his ceruleans as frost huffed from his mouth.
"…Ice Devil."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure 116
•
CONNECT
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Nashi had not meant to wake up, but something in her gut disturbed her into it.
Waking up alone was one thing she was used to, but after being so used to Gary's winter nestled against her, she vaguely felt through their connection like a loose handhold. He had taken care of her last night with her skin feeling refreshed, but a pinch of soreness remained between her legs and the phantom touches still made her sensitive.
The twinge in her gut came stronger.
Half-asleep, she reached for her Compact and saw Luna was calling her. With her pillow swept beneath her, she answered the call and mumbled, "Hello."
Staggering pants. "N-Nashi?"
She was wide awake in a hitch and sat up. "What's wrong, Luna? Where are you?" She threw off her covers as her powers blustered around her, her summer prepared for battle. Cael, Seraphim, get ready to fly. "I'll come get you—"
"No, no, i-i-it's—!" Luna sharply sniffled. "It's fine. I'm sorry. I-I-I just…! I…!" A sob. "I just needed to hear your voice…and kn-kn-know you were alive."
Nashi's summer's need to protect flatlined for shock, then sadness made her shoulders slouch. Luna… She gripped her Compact and tried to dulcet tones as she cooed, "I'm alive, Lu. Okay? I'm alive, I…" She broke off when Luna's hiccuping sobs pierced her chest.
Luna kept seeing my death when I faced against that Yuki-Onna on that snow planet. Over and over again…she watched me die. Her hand clenched into a fist as hickories filled with despair and frustration. I can't imagine that sort of pain, all she's had to endure. For every vision she has, all she sees is death. And for her to be in Caelum after everything she's been through…I couldn't be prouder.
Hickory glinted. But still…
"I'm s-s-s-sorry," Luna blubbered, and it sounded like she was trying her damned hardest to clear away her tears. "I just… I just needed to know…that you were okay," she croaked. "That you're alive and you're okay."
Nashi's grip forced her knuckles to turn white, but she made sure to soothe, "I'm alive. And I'm okay, Lu. I'm okay. Don't worry." Her lips curled. However… "Lu… Did you have a vision about me dying?"
Luna sniveled and coughed before breaking into another cry. She pieced together her voice to hoarsely confess, "Y-You were in a coffin, Nashi. You were dead."
Hickories narrowed.
"You were gone an-an-and…" Luna hiccupped. "We were all there. You were gone. And…Gary was…"
'Gary'? Nashi stepped forward and tried to not let her summer's harsh panic leak into her connection with Gary's winter. "What is it? What about Gary?"
Luna sniffed. "I-I-I don't know. I don't know—!" She broke into a heave.
Nashi closed her eyes when she heard frantic footsteps and the sounds of retching. This isn't good. She had a vision of my death. And something happened to Gary. But more than that… Her eyes open with her jaw locked. She's in this much strife…and I'm useless to help her through this.
It took a good minute for Luna to finish and spit before flushing the toilet. Choked pants fettered through the line for several moments and a harsh gulp until Luna could speak again. "Gary…looked different," she confessed, raw. "H-H-He didn't… He didn't look…human."
Shock froze Nashi. "What?"
"Yes, he…" A heavy pant. "H-He had horns…and wings and a tail. And he had…claws. And his skin… It was black."
He… He didn't look human? Nashi pressed, "Are sure it wasn't Skade? Remember what Skade looks like—"
"It wasn't Skade, Nashi."
Nashi's chin tipped down.
"I could tell. I could see it in his eyes. It was Gary."
Her teeth gritted. What…is this? He no longer…looked human? A thought crossed her. Is this the result of telling him the truth? No. No, it can't be. "What did Gary do in your vision?"
Silence.
"He… He saved me."
Nashi held her quiet.
"I was… I was in a laboratory… I was in a cage." Something detached was in Luna's tale. "A strange man was there, but… I think… I think I saw him before. He had these gold eyes. And he was getting hurt. They were trying to whip him, I think. He wasn't doing what he should've. I couldn't understand it. I think…he was trying to protect me. But he wasn't enough. A-A-And then…H-Hemlock was there."
Hickories widened in rage.
"They locked m-m-me in something…and H-H-Hemlock… He…"
"That's okay," Nashi shushed her. "You don't have to tell me this part." But still… The fact that that sick bastard was in her vision. I can only imagine why she threw up. It wasn't my death. It was him. Her summer burned like a vengeful sun.
"The strange man tried to get to H-Hemlock, but… They did something to him," Luna continued, pained. "And H-Hemlock…" Furious gagging and a cry came next. "G-Gary… He came. He saved m-m-me."
Nashi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I know this is just a possibility, but… Thank you, Gary…for saving her in the future…when I couldn't save her in the past.
"But then…I felt it. And he felt it."
Nashi did not understand. "'Felt' what?"
A long pause.
"We felt you die."
Nashi's breath hitched.
"W-We were leaving this place when we felt it. Gary…couldn't handle it. He looked different. Some of his hair was white and one of his eyes was different, but he still looked human. But when we felt you die… H-He… He didn't look human anymore. He couldn't control himself, Nashi."
"I see." Nashi faltered back to sit on the bed. So I died…and Gary felt our connection break. He succumbed to madness—that's the risk of making this connection in the first place. Her hand clenched her thigh. Just as Kyler warned me about.
• — • — • — • — •
"One thing you need to understand, little sister, is the commitment you've made."
The gaudiness of the room was too much to bear with all the wealth and vitality boasted in its porcelain and royal blues and the obvious dark wood that had been used by Traditionalist carpenters. No light needed to be flicked on, but they burned an oil lamp this time of night. It seemed appropriate for this time of night.
Nashi and Kyler sat across from each other on the lounges provided. Nashi's teapot had brewed a specialty tea to help with Kyler's recovery from the Leviathan blood in his system and his Staff of Miracles remained standing at attention without the need for assistance, as though contributing to the conversation.
"You should know that the Bond you and Gary share is contradicting," Kyler told her with his teacup raised. "As an Agent in the making, it is unheard of for someone of your standing to tie yourself to a Devil. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm saying that your conflicting powers should have never amounted to this Bond. But because you have, that makes it all the more stronger…and all the more dangerous to you both."
Nashi looked at her lap. "Yes, I know."
"Then you also know what would happen if they not only forced your hand to Bond with Naseer but if they forcibly took away your Bond from Gary. Or even worse"—turquoise darkened—"if they forced Gary to endure you Bonding with another…and consummating that Bond."
Nashi clenched the skirt of her dress and her throat flexed. "Naseer will come for me for a private meeting. I've been barred from seeing Gary. I know he's furious about this treatment, but with everyone's lines on the line, we don't have a choice. We have to do what needs to be done, but…" Her jaw ticked. "I don't know…how to fix this mess we're in. There's no way out except for me to accept the throne. And if I do that…" She could not say the words.
"Do you think Gary would let that happen?"
The question made Nashi flinch back. "What are you…?"
"Nashi." The flames painted the darkness on Kyler's face. "For you to accept the throne here as the Sylph Empress, it means you accept you will bear heirs to this empire with Naseer upon marriage. Gary might think he can accept your decision." He leaned forward. "But can he really go through with it with your Bond between you?"
Confounded, Nashi whispered, "I don't—"
"Do you want to know the reasons why even I was wary about your Bond to him?" Kyler plowed on without wanting an answer, "It's because, while Devils are monogamous creatures who take on one mate, they don't Bond to others for a reason. It's about balance. Devils are combined with Black and demonic energy. For all intents and purposes, that much madness should corrupt them…and yet it doesn't. They are given unfathomable power and yet a Devil without its handler is predominantly docile. They are peaceful creatures who refuse to provoke attacks if you leave them alone and, instead of starting harems to mass-procreate, they limit themselves to maybe one or two offspring."
Kyler's face lowered. "However… When they become provoked by their handler or from unspeakable and erratic tragedy, they have the power to destroy without issue. And their rampage will not stop at one world. Devils can eradicate an entire system if they are pushed hard enough. And once that madness is unleashed, there is no stopping it…except for death."
"What are you saying?" Nashi demanded to know. "Gary wouldn't do that. He wouldn't—"
"Did he not try to cause an eternal winter in Margaret Town when you were nearly killed?"
Nashi blinked like the question had whipped her. "But he…"
"In that moment, he became inconsolable, but he could still be talked down. Because you, Nashi, were still barely alive and it was your words who stopped him from bringing an entire nation into an ice age. Even though you had no knowledge about your Bond to him, it was his end of the Bond that gave him agency to stop when he needed to." Kyler turned to the flame. "But in the event you no longer walk this earth from an unnatural death, there would be nothing to stop him from freezing this planet's core and not stopping until his madness ended him…or something else killed him."
"But he… No…" Horrified, Nashi slowly shook his head. "He's not like that… He wouldn't… He would never…"
"You will be given a deal—an impossible deal that leaves our fates and the fate of this empire in your hand," Kyler went on. "You will have to weigh your options. No one will help you. And I'm sure they will back you into a corner where even if you choose the lesser of two evils, someone will get hurt. But I ask you this now, Nashi, that you need to be prepared for the fallout if you become empress and they go through with removing your Bond to Gary."
Nashi's hands trembled. "Kyler… But they said…he could stay—"
CLANG!
Kyler's teacup clattered onto the saucer. "Don't be naïve. Do you honestly think they will allow a threat like Gary to continue to coexist with you as you rule this empire? He won't live here as a consort. He will live here as Invel's slave and they will use you as temptation to keep him in check." Turquoise flickered. "Just as they have before."
Nashi swallowed and looked down for a moment. "Tell me what to do," she whispered. "What do I do…to stop this?"
Kyler hooked his fingers on his cup's handle. "Do not recklessly gamble your life, Nashi, not for our lives. Because once you do and you lose, it won't be solely our lives in danger. Because Gary's madness can only be stopped with your Bond or if someone can kill him. And without the Bond and you…"
Turquoise clashed with hickory.
"…the madness that lives in Gary will change him…and will slaughter us all."
• — • — • — • — •
"Luna." Nashi tightened her vice-grip on her Compact with a steel resolve in her regard. "If you can, don't share this vision with anyone else for right now."
"But—"
"I'm begging you." Her nails dug into her thigh before relaxing. "Tell no one of this. This part of the vision where Gary isn't human anymore… Keep this between us, okay? Please. I am…"—her shoulders squared—"asking you this as a Heartfilia…and as a Celestial Spirit Mage. Make me this promise."
Quiet.
"I promise you as a Celestial Spirit Mage and as a Heartfilia, Sissy," Luna softly vowed. "You know I'd do anything for you, right?"
"I know." I know it well. And it still haunts me how much you'll endure if it means I'm safe…while I easily condemned those people to the very thing you worried for. A gathered breath. "Outside of this vision, are you okay? How are you enjoying Caelum?"
"I am." A smile could be heard against the odds. "It's nice here. But…"
Nashi frowned hearing her sigh. "What is it?"
"Well, it's…it's Silver."
The sharp reminder of Galileo's slurred words came back. "Did you know Dad's worried about Silver? He has a look in his eyes too around Ena. I'm scared for her now. I know she's strong, but I'm scared for her when Silver has that look in his eyes."
A look in his eyes, Nashi thought. I still don't understand what that means. And Ena's strong. Even at her age, if she wanted to, she would try for S-Class. And it's not that Silver isn't strong, but… For Galileo to be worried about Ena when she's around Silver, what does that mean? Do I believe him? No, I should I stay calm. This could be nothing.
"What's the matter with him?" Nashi questioned.
"Well, it's…um…"
Nashi smiled over Luna's hemming and hawing. "I don't expect you to tell his secrets to me, Luna. So you don't have to worry about that."
"No, it's not that," Luna told her. "Well, it's just… I'm worried about him…and E."
Nashi stiffened.
"It feels like they're getting close, but… I don't know. E has something going on with that lord when summer comes and, well, Silver has his own things to work out too. I want them to be together, but…it's like more and more keeps them apart." She huffed. "And after all the trouble I went through to make sure I wasn't a third wheel. I wanted to kill E when she kept trying to push Silver away."
Oh. Nashi relaxed with an amused smile. This is what she's worried about. Twirling a lock of hair, she murmured, "These things take time, Lu. And you guys are still young. There's no need to rush anything."
"But they're so good together!" Luna whined. "E is just so dense when it comes to this! She's even worse than you!"
"Me?" Nashi chuffed her amusement as she laid back on the bed. "That's a little insulting. I was aware Gary was in love with me."
"Oh, please, what happened to all that 'Mama, I don't think he loves me, he's just chasing me around for a booty call' crap?"
Nashi laughed hearing her sister mimic her voice. "Do you even know what 'booty call' means?"
"I do," Luna sniffed. "Cane told me."
"Yeah, because Cane is the king of booty calls," Nashi sighed and thumbed the tail of her lock of hair. "I don't see why you're friends with him. He's a man-whore."
"He's sweet in his own way—Hey! You're making me lose my place! I'm trying to tell you that E and Silver are perfect for each other!"
Nashi's smile broadened. "Sorry. Please keep ranting about how bad you are at matchmaking."
"I'm not bad at it," Luna said in her defense. But she sighed out her vehement argument. "I just want them happy. I've never seen E…so alive, y'know? And Silver's so gentle and caring towards her… It's so amazing to watch. It's like…they're showing their true selves to each other. Silver even did E's throughout the trip. I've never been so happy."
Oh how Nashi's heart soared hearing that. "That's awesome!" Gary will be so happy to hear this. Hickories sparkled. Silver… There really isn't anything to worry about for you. Keep doing what you're doing. She blinked and cocked her head when Gary entered the bedroom with a loving smile.
"I know, right?" Luna cheered, excited. "I'm so hyped for their date tonight!"
"'Date'?" Nashi welcomed Gary back into bed and her lashes fluttered when he kissed her jaw.
"Well, it's more of a friend date," Luna admitted sheepishly. "But I made sure it would be romantic so Silver could confess! There's no way it can go wrong!"
Nashi chuckled. "Well, there's no need to rush them into anything." She cradled Gary's jaw and looked into those adoring blues. "You know Ena's had to endure a lot, considering Mystogan. It might be a little hard for her to trust anyone or expect anything in return."
"I know," Luna understood. "But… I also know that, thanks to Silver, E is understanding how to trust more." A sigh. "Some friend I've been to her, huh? If I couldn't even do that for her…"
"Don't say that," Nashi admonished. "You have been an amazing friend to Ena and Silver. But it's different when it comes to loving someone, Lu." She smiled when Gary kissed her wrist. "And Fullbuster men have a way of wearing women down."
Luna giggled. "Speaking from experience? You sayin' Gary wore you down?"
Gary's lips twitched. He heard her.
"Not exactly." Nashi slid her hand down his neck. "But I think Ena will come to her own realization that her own Fullbuster is determined to stay by her side no matter what."
"How can you be so sure?"
Nashi rested her palm against Gary's heart. "Because they really are good people, Lu."
"Yeah, Silver is a good person," Luna murmured in agreement. "Even after knowing Ena and Nora made their deal…he's willing to stay to support her and make sure she's happy. Yeah… He's a good person, but… I wish he was a little more selfish too, y'know?"
"I know," Nashi said. "Give him some time and he will be."
"Yeah, okay," Luna sighed. "Anyway—Oh! I guess I've got another call, so…"
Nashi's lips curled upwards. "Another call, huh? And do I know this person? A bit of an ass, red eyes, pants after you and can't take his hands off you—"
"I need to go," Luna blurted. "Love you, bye!"
Gary slid a hand up Nashi's side with a soft chortle. "Don't tease Looney, Angel."
"But it's so much fun," Nashi laughingly protested as her hands slipped onto his shoulders. "You should've seen them at the pachanga. Gale was seething when Tesla's cousins all wanted Lu for a dance." Hickories softened. "But he didn't interfere—much, anyway."
"He knows it's not his place to intercept," Gary murmured. "He's learning from his mistakes. In that, I'm happy for him." He trailed icy kisses down her neck.
Nashi closed her eyes and savored each of his touches. "But you still have reservations?"
"Let's just say if we were to ever have a teenaged daughter, I'd do the same as Uncle Natsu did to me when it comes to men wanting her."
She broke into a snicker. "You would, huh? You do realize she'll remain single if you do that?"
"You're not single."
"Yes, because you're crazy."
"Is it enough to say I'm crazy for Angel?"
"Don't get cute with me, dog."
Gary pulled back with a drunken grin and unadulterated passion in his stare. "No dating before seventeen."
"No."
"Twenty?"
"Gary."
"Twenty-five—"
"Gary!" Nashi rolled her eyes with a grin. "We don't even have kids and you're already like this. I don't see you being like how Igneel was with Luna's admirers and jumping down the throats of the men after Lady J."
Gary looked at her like she was insane. "Have you met Lady J? She scares me! She jumps down my throat. Why would I want to make her terrorize me more?" He pouted when Nashi laughed at him. "Angel…" He tackled her and pampered her face in wet kisses.
"Hey!" Nashi could not stop her mirth. "Gary…!" She lightly pushed him away to cup his cheek and fell in love all over again with those eyes and that smile. "You really are crazy, you know that? Honestly." She combed through his hair. "What am I going to do with you?" At Gary's flirty look, she smacked his chest. "Don't even think about it, dog."
Gary chuckled and nuzzled his nose against hers for a butterfly kiss. "Is everything okay with Looney and Ena and Silver in Caelum?"
"Other than her telling me how great Ena and Silver would be? Nothing much. Oh, but she mentioned Silver did Ena's make-up."
Pure pride and joy glowed about Gary. "That's wonderful. I'm so happy Ena is bringing back all of the hobbies Silver turned his back on." Blues glinted. "I agree with Looney, that Silver and Ena would do well together." His smile faded. "But, that being said, I know how Mystogan treated her for all those years. She's shouldered a lot."
"I know." Nashi tilted her head, admiring him. "But if Silver is anything like you, then he'll show her he can shoulder her burdens with her if she lets him. After all, you proved that to me time and time again. So Silver's had a good role model to look up to."
"I won't say that." The sudden weariness on Gary's face made him look like he aged ten years.
Nashi blinked when Gary pulled off her to sit on the edge of the bed. "Gary…"
"What sort of role model…"—Gary clenched his hands—"would still live in fear all this time? I mean… The truth is right there and yet I…" His jaw twinged. "I can't pull myself to stare it in the eye. I'm still…a coward after all this time. Silver shouldn't look to me for a role model…when I can't even look at myself."
A frown. And then…
It surprised Gary when Nashi draped over him. "Angel—"
"That's enough now." Nashi closed her eyes with a small smile. "That's enough."
Gary tried to stop her. "Angel, I—"
"You're no coward for being afraid of what you'll find, Gary," Nashi murmured. "It's you and you alone gave yourself the will to live and push past so much anger and sadness to live a life full of love. It was because you weren't a coward that you've come this far. And as for fearing the truth… It's okay. I was afraid of the truth too, but… You waited for me. You endured it all so I could learn the truth on my own. And now? I'll endure everything I can until you are ready for your truth. So, please. Let me shoulder this burden for you for as long as you need. And I promise you this."
Fingers tilted Gary's head so blues met browns.
"That even after it all"—Nashi branded a large smile with a flush on her cheeks—"you'll still be the Gary I've always known."
Blues widened. Angel…
And he was at her mercy when she pulled him into a deep kiss and laid them back on the bed.
"Maddox, you are godsent!"
Jasmine could not help but moan into her next bite of her omelet with her cheesy hash. Maddox took her exaggerated pleasure in stride as he rustled around the kitchen with his backpack and thanked, "I'm glad you like breakfast this morning."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Chateau Sharon
Gazania Town
Fiore, Ishgar
10:46 AM FST
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"Like it? Try love it." Jasmine licked her fork for emphasis. "What did you put in this?"
"I decided to go with muenster, provolone, and mozzarella cheese and spinach, but I took out the onions and yellow cheese and the mushrooms," Maddox explained as he double-checked he had everything. "And the hash is straight vegan since you had trouble with the lactose-free."
"Well, you are a master chef," Jasmine declared. "How about you come and work for me instead of my cranky aunt? I'll pay well."
"Stop trying to poach him." Sharon swept in with a generous fluffy robe and her hair still in rollers. She beamed when Maddox hurried to give her a cup of coffee. "You're my saving grace."
Maddox chuckled. "Your plate is in the microwave. Make sure you eat every bite."
"Honestly, Maddox, I could stand to lose some weight," Sharon muttered. But her self-deprecation cut into a surprised gasp when Maddox's tail wrapped around her waist. "Maddox—"
"You're perfect the way you are, Miss Sharon," Maddox murmured and made sure she saw how much he appreciated her thickness. "I had a nice time last night."
"I, um…" Sharon's cheeks heated. "I…did as well."
"Good." Maddox slipped his tail with a lingering touch to her lower back and a glint in his eyes. "I'll be back later today." He sent a grinning Jasmine an innocent smile. "Have fun today. Don't stress yourself."
"We won't," Jasmine promised. "I'm sure Aunt Share is sore enough as is."
Sharon split the difference between her face coloring and her scowl. "Jasmine!" Embarrassed, she turned to Maddox and said, "I'm sorry for her—"
"It's okay, Miss Sharon. You don't have to explain." He gave her a fangy beam, but his gaze was all predatorial. "But still don't stress yourself. I wouldn't want you tired."
Sharon gulped. "A-All right."
"Great." Maddox passed her, but he made sure his hand danced around her waist. "I'll be home later." And he abandoned the kitchen grabbing his keys.
Feeling Jasmine's eyes, Sharon raised her coffee cup and warned, "Don't you start with me."
"I wasn't going to say a word," Jasmine teased before taking a bite of her omelet. Her stare snapped to Pacer when he rushed into the kitchen. "Hey—Whoa." She did not expect Pacer to crowd her nor the kiss on her cheek. "What the Hell—?"
"Sorry, good morning, can I have some—?"
"No." Jasmine guarded her plate with a menacing glare. "Don't touch my breakfast if you want to live."
"I could've devoured you for breakfast," Pacer muttered.
Jasmine clutched her knife. "I'm going to give you until the count of three."
"All right, I take it back." The frazzled look on Pacer's face exchanged for his normal relaxed amusement. "Sorry. I feel like a chicken with its head cut off. Just got a text from my mom about some family stuff, so I have to bounce earlier than I thought. But I'll be back." He puckered his lips. "A kiss for the road?" To his surprise, she pressed a piece of omelet against his lips.
Jasmine looked at him, irked. "You really do manage to make me want to check myself into a unit."
Pacer took the morsel with a grin. "Delicious. But not as delicious as you."
"Ugh." Jasmine rolled her eyes. "I should've known all you can think is with your dick and not your mind. What a shame both of them are tiny."
"Hey, objection!"
"Sustained." Jasmine shooed him. "Out. Bye." She wriggled when Pacer hugged her and she knew he purposefully meant to graze her breasts. "You asshole—!"
"I need my daily dose of baby mama." But Pacer made sure to quickly dart out of the stabbing zone the second he released her and saw her gunning for her fork. "Slugger, you're breaking my heart over here."
"Oh, I wish. I wish I could shatter that and so much more of you," Jasmine darkly muttered.
Pacer winked. "Then who would be your eye candy?"
"She doesn't need 'eye candy'," Sharon piped up, leveling Pacer with an annoyed look. "What she needs is a caring and friendly co-parent to her children. Not a flirting man-child who can't understand consent."
All of Pacer's good mood deteriorated for instant anger. "I don't like what you're implying."
"This is my house. You are a guest. If you don't like it, you're free to leave," Sharon hissed.
"And he is leaving," Jasmine spoke over whatever Pacer's rebuttal would have been. She pressed Pacer's chest and told him, "I'll see you later. Have fun doing whatever family stuff you're doing, okay?"
"Yeah. I will." It took some time for Pacer to pull his glare away from Sharon to smile down at Jasmine. He told his twins, "Take it easy on your mommy today, you two." He leaned down to ask, "May I kiss you on the cheek, Slugger? As a friend?" he added with a bite and a glaring glance at Sharon.
Jasmine sighed. "Fine. It'll cost you later."
"Deal." Pacer swooped down to kiss her cheek, but he wanted her to see the smoldering heat in his red gaze. "I'll look forward to later." He ignored Sharon's agitated scowl to leave both women in the kitchen.
Jasmine timed her warning until she heard the mudroom door close. "Aunt Sharon, I love you, but that was low and you know it."
"And I know his type," Sharon insisted, adjusting her robe. "Sweetie, I'm sorry, but I really wish you would let me hire the lawyer as an impartial third-party for your custody agreement—"
"Aunt Sharon—"
"It's obvious he's using your vulnerability against you," Sharon persisted. "I don't appreciate his flirting when we have clearly outlined you are to be friends and co-parents—"
"And that hasn't changed," Jasmine defended. "Nothing has changed." Before Sharon could speak her mind, Jasmine emphasized, "Listen, his personality is just flirty. I don't give a shit about that. I slipped up before, but that won't happen again. But I need to be on friendly terms with him and so do you."
"Jasmine—"
"Aunt Sharon, I love you, but I'm not having you stress me out picking a fight with him when he's the father," Jasmine laid down. "You're my family and I'm so grateful you're here for me, and same to Maddox, but you need to drop the attitude around Pacer and trust me when it comes to the life of my kids and me."
Sharon huffed and took a few sips of her coffee. "Well we all know why you're a barrister," she muttered. Sighing, she reluctantly agreed, "Fine. As long as he behaves, I'll tone it down."
If Jasmine was not sitting, she felt she would have for her relief. "Thank you."
Sharon studied her before sweeping forward. "I just want you safe, Jasmine. You and your kids," she murmured.
Right. Jasmine's gaze fell. 'Safe'.
Pacer's snarl bit her ears. "The fact that a 'hard truth' is you think Jasmine is about to become a human broodmare to pump out more alleged God Slayers makes me fucking sick—!"
Jasmine's nails scraped against the counter as she tried to hide her warring fear and anguish. 'God Slayers'. That's what they said my twins are. But…how is that possible? Those are just myths, right? Her hand slid to cup her stomach. How can that be true? How is…this okay? I'm giving birth to God Slayers and not only that, but people will think I can just…be bred to give birth to more like an animal...
Worry slammed Sharon when Jasmine lurched, nauseous. "Jasmine?"
"I'm fine," Jasmine croaked. "I'm—!" Her shoulders shook.
"Okay, baby, you aren't fine. Let's go." Sharon was quick to help Jasmine and forced her to rely on her for each step to the bathroom. She rubbed her niece's back when Jasmine made it to the toilet to wretch out her breakfast. "These damn pregnancy symptoms," she sighed. "I guess we'll have to tell Maddox to make your omelets bland."
Jasmine coughed and hacked with tears pressing her eyes. "Right," she rasped. This can't be true, but…
Strong grayed emeralds.
But the look in his eyes, Jasmine remembered as she weakly flushed the toilet. I know…he was telling the truth. Pacer wouldn't have gotten angry over it, but it all seems so far-fetched. And yet, this is real. This is my reality. I'm… I'm…
Sharon tucked in when Jasmine wretched again. "I've got you, baby, don't you worry."
"S-S-Sorry," Jasmine coughed with some drool running down the corner of her lips.
I need to get a hold of myself. I need to look into Magic Law. I have to protect my twins. All her fear washed away for fierce resolve that would never be battered down. I might be Spiritless, but I have to find a way to make sure my twins aren't harmed. She clutched her stomach. But what power do I have in a world of Magic?
• — • — • — • — •
"You need to leave." Jasmine held strong within her aunt's home with her focus directly on Lance. "I'm sorry, but you're not welcome here if they're afraid of you. And frankly, I don't trust you either."
Pacer gazed at her. "Slugger…"
"I see." A self-deprecating smile did not fit Lance, but it was the only smile he could drum up. "It's fine. I understand that." He nodded at Jasmine. "I'm sorry to disrupt your evening like this. I respect your wishes to not get to know our family. Because right now, you need to think about your own family.
"Whether you believe me or not, you can turn to genetics and research for facts," Lance continued. "You being Spiritless and having magical children makes you high-risk and to have twins puts you in an even more precarious position."
Pacer glared at him. "Watch it, Lance."
"Pace, please," Pearson hissed.
Lance continued with his eyes only on Jasmine: "I know what I'm saying isn't something you want to hear. And you have no obligation to believe me. You don't know me. And you have every reason not to get to know me. But if you do want to get to know me and listen to what I have to say about protecting you and your twins, please don't hesitate to contact me."
Lighting zapped between his fingers and created a card. He came forward—Pacer tensed as though wanting to block him—but he dared not come too close to Jasmine. He showed her the card at a reasonable distance. "This is my business card with my contact information. Please take it."
Jasmine accepted the offering and took a look at it. 'Lance Dreyar the Railgun?'
"Like I said, if you never want to speak to me, I understand," Lance assured. "But I'm willing to help make sure you and your family are protected at all costs."
"Why?" Jasmine asked him. "Why help me? My twins are your family, not me."
"I respectfully disagree," Lance countered calmly. "But even more than that, you are just as important as the twins to a lot of people, both good and bad. But unlike the twins, you don't have powers to protect yourself. I'm not saying Spiritless are helpless, but I am saying with all you might face, the second people know you have no powers and you're alone in this"—his stare darkened—"is the second that you will find yourself backed in a corner with people who will go through every length in taking you and your twins—and they won't release you alive."
• — • — • — • — •
Jasmine shakily got to her feet, coughing, and blocked out Sharon's worried coos. Weakness broke her knees and made her fall against her aunt, but she could see a haggard woman staring at her in the mirror.
Even as an attorney, I know better than most crime and punishment aren't symbiotic. But Magic Law… It's like a different world. Their regulations are obscure at best and the news depicts all the chaos happening in the Magic community…and yet I know nothing about the truth behind it. I'm going in blind. And I can't afford to go through blind for my sake—her hand protectively splayed on her stomach—and for the sake of my twins.
"Aunt Sharon?" started Jasmine. "I need a favor. Can you get my bag from upstairs?"
Sharon nodded. "Of course. But why?"
"Because"—burnt umbers held a strong resolve that would not be shaken—"I have to make a call."
PU-PU…!
The ferry honked its goodbye from the dock and left the tourists stranded on a glorious little island with whistling Alicantos aflurry and the sea tame enough for a leisurely swim.
"This is so fresh!" Justin enthused. He did not care he looked like one of those tourists with his large sunhat, tropical button-down open wide to show his Fairy Tail tattoo, and his selfie stick. The large grin could not leave his face. "Estrelmar is beautiful!"
Alicantos blustered by with their adorable whistles and singsong screeches. Broadleaf trees loomed overhead with their vines and bushes and evergreens. The muggy humidity stuffed up a bit of steam that made you work up a sweat, but it was nothing that made you stay away from venturing further. Cabanas swollen with tourist traps and souvenirs and stone paths were everywhere as the citizens on this little island eagerly took in the tourist rush. Adventure tours gathered in little clusters. Some would be touring the beaten paths for an up-close and personal look at the beautiful flora and fauna while others might take the busses or even do an overnight camp.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
« This is Estrelmar, one of the three islands in the Gran Alicanto Islands. It is the nesting and mating grounds to various sub-species of Alicantos, Salamanders that can produce fire, and legends say a Curupira—a type of Guardian Spirit—resides here to help protect the island from hunters and poachers. That is why this village is called Curupira Village. Most of the natives are natural-born Tamers. »
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Gary handed Nashi her water as he explained to Justin, "Our scheduled adventure tour will be on foot with a lot of rest stops since the layout is really gorgeous." He sighed. "Though this humidity makes my skin crawl."
"Being an Ice Mage isn't easy," Nashi quipped. "I wish I could pass on some of my resistance to you."
"Being connected to Angel is the reason I can stay here without getting dehydrated easily," Gary assured her. "I might like being in snow and ice more so, but I've always been able to enjoy the island because of Angel."
Nashi smiled. "Then you're welcome."
Gary laughed. "Thanks, Angel."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Curupira Village
Estrelmar, Gran Alicanto Isles
Fiore, Ishgar
11:09 AM CAST
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Ellie could not help it when she crafted a crown of local flora around her and was in awe seeing the various Alicantos and colorful normal birds living in peace to eat from the feeders or stop by one of the Tamers.
"Tres magnifique!" she breathed. "The land feels so…alive here."
"So does that make you want to—?"
"Justin, if you ask me to make weed plants for you encore une fois, I won't hesitate to cocoon you in poison ivy," Ellie saccharinely threatened.
Justin flourished out his fan and muttered to Tesla, "I need to get her drunk so we can finally live large." He snuck an amused look at a flushed Tesla and a smirk grew on his face seeing her heated gaze focus on Jaxton and whatever he was speaking about to Ace. "You okay there, sweetie, because, um, I don't think the humidity is getting your thong damp."
"Hell no it isn't," Tesla sighed. "I just feel so…wired. Y'know? Like I want to run or something."
"Or jump his bones seven different ways?"
Tesla simpered. "That too."
She winced when she shifted on her feet when her nipples rubbed against her top. It's like PMSing. My breasts feel heavy and sensitive. And I'm just a mess practically twenty-four-seven. Jang-ta said the tea I've been drinking helps 'prepare' my body, but… Something pierced her gut and pooled down between her legs, making her stagger.
Justin caught her, his humor trading for concern. "You okay? Do you need to sit?" He checked his MilchiaWatch for the time. "We should have a couple until our adventure tour starts if you want to sit."
Tesla felt her skin burn having Justin's hand on her, but her legs felt weak. "M-Maybe sitting my help." What's wrong with me?
"I got her."
Justin and Tesla looked to see Jaxton had abandoned his conversation with Ace, but his heated gaze was tethered to Tesla. For some reason, his lips parted as he took in a lungful of air, and that was all he needed to gather Tesla in his arms. "Here. I've got you."
Tesla shivered when his hand fluttered down her side. "Thanks." Her nostrils flared on instinct with her skin prickling. The sweltering scent of earth was not what bothered her, but Jaxton's natural smell with hints of his body wash intoxicated her. She pressed closer, body curving into his, molding—a Female wanting skin to skin with her Male.
"Tesla," Jaxton rumbled in warning, but he pulled her closer and let her feel his desire. "Don't tempt me."
"I'm sorry," Tesla told him, half meaning it. She wanted to pull away from him, but her hands had better ideas to stroke his chest, his arms, then his jaw. "I guess I'm a little clingy." She winced when another wave of heat pooled between her legs.
"Jang-ta?" Gary sang with a hint of warning. "Would you mind explaining something to me? Now? Angel can keep Tesla company." He pressed a hand on Jaxton's shoulder for his attention, but when yellow-ambers glared back at him, icy-blue rose to meet the challenge. "Now, Jang-ta."
It took Jaxton a moment until his yellow-ambers faded for darkness. "Right." He chastely pecked Tesla's lips and avoided when she pressed him for more. "Baby girl—"
"Estoy tan cachondo," Tesla whispered to him in a plea, gathering his cheeks in her hands. "Si somos rapidos—"
"We'll be right back," Gary said sweetly as he forcibly pried Jaxton from Tesla. "Come on, Jang-ta, let's go now. Could Angel stay here?"
Nashi's brow knitted together, but she agreed, "Yeah, sure." She traded with Jaxton to stay at Tesla's side, but she put two and two together with Tesla's trailing look of hunger and the way Jaxton was rigid all around. "Please don't have sex during our adventure tour."
"Keep him away from me and I won't," Tesla muttered. "I, like, really want to just have one quickie—"
"No," Nashi shot down. "Keep it in your pants."
"I'm not wearing pants," Tesla smartly rebuked.
Nashi gave her a long-suffering look.
Tesla sighed out her frustration. "I'll keep it in my pants." She chewed on her thumbnail and did not hide how much she enjoyed appraising her boyfriend. This damn tea is going to make me jump him or die from frustration.
• — • — • — • — •
"So it's like that 'heat' thing wolves go into."
Tesla laid on Jaxton's bed in one of his shirts and some panties as he packed for the pair of them for Caracole. She grinned when he threw her a dark look. "What? You kept saying this 'tea' stuff is going to basically send my hormones into overdrive and—?" She gasped and sat up. "Oh my god, please tell me this is like ABO shit?"
Jaxton carefully placed one of her dresses in her suitcase with such a I-want-to-spank-you look on his face. "No. I told you—"
"Everything I read in paranormal books is a lie. I got it." Tesla fell back into bed with a groan and kicked her feet. "Still, though. Those books make it sound so hot and spicy, y'know? Like a cool fantasy to live out and, like, hello? You're a Lycan. It'd be so fucking sexy to actually live those fantasies."
Jaxton sighed. "The tea is an ancient one Cultivators used, but I had to modify it with Icarus' suggestions. It helps boost your spirituality and heightens your body, so when the time comes for us to commit a Spiritual Tie, you're more receptive to my Qi. And." He paused and added, "It does help prepare your body when I tie my Lycan Spirit to you, yes."
Tesla squealed, excited. "So it's like heat—"
"No."
Tesla pouted. "Well, you could be a little nicer about letting my fantasies go down the drain, Daddy."
"I am showing you nice," Jaxton muttered as he went to finish off his suitcase. "If I didn't want to be nice, you would be tied down, gagged, and used." He shot her a warning look. "No ideas about it either."
"Then don't give me such a nice visual," Tesla mumbled. When it looked like Jaxton would follow through with his threat, she quickly questioned, "So what exactly does this tea help accomplish? I'm still confused about all this."
Jaxton did his best to explain. "Cultivators choose different paths of Cultivation upon our Guardian's blessing. My path allows Dual Cultivation, which means my power doesn't diminish if I commit a Spiritual Tie. In a normal ceremony, we'd go to the temple to have Báihǔ approve and bless our union and he would accept you as a Daughter of Báihǔ. He would be tying us together. But"—his gaze darkened—"my mother committed a Spiritual Tie without Báihǔ's approval since she has an enormous amount of Qi. That's what I'll be doing."
Tesla frowned. "And that's legal in the Cultivation world?"
"I've taken care of any complications," Jaxton assured. "On my father's side, wolves could mate with wolves and if the couple was into bestiality, that's where human-wolf pairing happened, but from my father's stories—outside my uncle Sirius—it was almost always Lycans fucking as humans and most of them weren't spiritually-inclined to tie anyone else to them. But Icarus explained I could tie my Lycan Spirit with you."
"Without you turning into a wolf," Tesla wanted to clarify.
Jaxton chuckled. "Yes. Without me turning into a wolf." His amusement faded for sobriety. "All in all, he warned me and I still warn you now. Your books romanticize a lot of things about my culture. But this part of the ceremony isn't romantic or caring."
Tesla failed to understand. "What do you mean?"
"I won't be turning into a wolf," Jaxton told her, "but I also won't be fully human. I'll be channeling my Lycan Spirit through me while I'm human. I won't have human instincts when it comes to pleasure. After we've completed the tie the first time, I'll start regaining my human side. And so will you."
"You said the tea 'prepares' my body," Tesla remembered. "So it prepares me for that?"
Jaxton nodded. "If we did this without the tea, it wouldn't be pleasurable for you. That was my biggest concern. But Icarus advised as long as you drink the tea twice a day for a week, it'll give your body time to prepare what's coming so you can match my mindset."
Tesla gave him a suspicious look. "And I'm not about to be drinking fertility tea or anything, right?"
"No." Jaxton shook his head. "But you will feel different." He abandoned packing to overtake her on the bed with his yellow-ambers alive with pure desire. "The last day will be challenging for both of us but especially you. Your body will be receptive and ready for what's to come." He kissed her jaw. "Male wolves can only successfully mate with receptive females. You have all the power if you'll let me take you or not."
Tesla hummed, her body abuzz from Jaxton's featherlight kisses and nips. "And here I thought you'd go 'alpha wolf' on me, but I guess wolves were more consensual than I thought."
Jaxton laughed against her flesh before giving her neck a sweet kiss. "Your werewolf media doesn't understand that Lycans act the same as wolves. Sure, we're smarter than normal wolves, and not every Lycan was a good person, but we have to hope the female we want is receptive to all our flirting. And if you're not…" He nipped up to her lips and teased her, "I'll have to find someone else who is." He broke into guffaws when Tesla smacked his shoulder.
"Oh, you asshole!" Tesla half-heartedly tried to shove him off her, but he battened down his hold on her. "Get off me, you horny, knock off Aaron Gray—Ah…!" The aggressive grope to her best made her eyes flutter.
"Don't say another person's name in bed with me," Jaxton growled and teethed the juncture between her shoulder and neck. "You should only be saying my name."
"Wait, I-I-I didn't mean… Oh… Oh, yes…"
• — • — • — • — •
"Hey!"
SMACK!
Tesla rubbed her arm with a sour pout. "The Hell was that for?"
"I know what's going on in your head," Nashi said dryly. "I had to snap you out of it before you thought it was time to get on all-fours."
Tesla grumbled, "I'm tempted."
Justin cackled. "If your man is giving you a drought, I'm always available."
Nashi raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you want to have sex with a lady?"
"I don't know." Justin shrugged followed with a thoughtful look. "I'm always curious about it. It just seems so…squishy, y'know? Like, I love ass and cock, but it's always that curiosity thing about what it feels like to have boring het missionary sex. Gay sex is fucking trigonometry."
Tesla snorted. "Well if you ever want to experiment, you let me know."
"Aw…!" Justin blew her a kiss. "I knew you'd be my new favorite." He nudged Nashi. "Also, four-one-one alert." He plucked his Compact off his selfie stick to start tapping away. "So I'm like ninety-nine percent sure Ena and Silver are a thing but look for yourself."
Nashi stole the Compact to look at the Instagraph post and had to grin. "Oh my gods."
The post was on Luna's profile (Princess_PokoTheThird), but it was a series of shots she had done in one of the floating cities of Caelum that featured Silver and Ena. Even without Ena or Silver tagged, it was obvious to those in the guild that the silhouettes dining together and huddling close together in a glass look-out. Another one had a fantastic starry shot with their silhouettes sitting together. You could see Ena was focused on the stars, but Silver was focused on her.
Nashi snickered when she read Luna's caption:
So this is love?
Mmmm, so this is love?
#Princess #Prince #OnceUponATime
"I'm liking this." Nashi double-tapped each photo before passing the Compact back to Justin. "How are they so cute?"
"I know, right?" Justin sighed as he scrolled through some more photos. "Your sister is so good at photography, though. All her photos she's been posting look absolutely bomb."
Nashi wanted to puff her chest at such praise. "I love she's back into photography. It was her passion since she was little. And all her scrapbooking—it's so adorable."
"I just needed to hear your voice…and kn-kn-know you were alive."
'Alive', huh? Nashi remembered the frigid death she would have faced on Morozko. Several times, I should've died…but I've always gotten lucky. Mama and Papa would always told stories about how much they defied death, but once they had us, they knew they had to be careful. But…
"Gary…looked different. H-H-He didn't… He didn't look…human."
Because Gary's madness can only be stopped with your Bond. And without it and you…"—hard turquoise with hints of sympathy—"…the madness that lives in Gary will change him…and will slaughter us all."
"But she didn't come to thank me." Gary's terrified words. "She came to warn me about a future she'd seen. She wasn't supposed to warn me about it, but she had to. She said our relationship would be…tested."
Her fist clenched. Mozah saying 'Death' is chasing me… My own grandmother warning Gary about him and me… And then Luna's vision. It can't be a coincidence, but… Hickory glinted, frustrated. I don't know what to do. Luna's vision just confirms this sort of future, but… It also means she gets kidnapped. And a golden-eyed man… I don't know how to make sense of that, but I do know if I let death catch up to me…
Her stare drew onto Gary as he spoke with Ace and Jaxton. What can I do to prevent this? Not die? But that's impossible. So…what do I do? How can I change things so something like that never happens? Is it even possible to change anything?
"I might have been your second, but I had your first."
Nashi shut her eyes, jaw locked. No. Don't think about that. Not now.
The squall of a creature caught many's attention. Shifts and shuffles and huffs darted around until two silhouettes jumped off the roof of a cabana to land in style on the stone road.
They looked like quite the pair, to be honest, and a little outlandish. Tiny but mighty, the bronze-skinned woman wore her standard polo and rolled up khaki hiking shorts and boots and posed like a superhero. Her magical creature—a human-sized primate with the features and general body of a baboon, yet it walked on its knuckles like an ape and had gorgeous blue fur and oversized tusks—stood proudly beside his mistress. But it made things more amusing to see both of them had sunglass on.
"All right, tourists!" the young woman boomed. "I'm your guide for your adventure tour, Laurette! Are you ready to see Estrelmar, Yumas?"
⌜CURUPIRA VILLAGE
Name: Laurette
Age: 26
Magic: Tamer
Occupation: Tour Guide, Tamer at Alicanto and Exotic Animal Sanctuary
Likes: romcoms Dislikes: soft mattress
Special Note: Laurette is a fresh graduate and her coworkers say she has a knack for acting like a monkey sometimes! ⌟
As her group gathered, Laurette gestured to the magical primate and introduced her friend. "And this is one of my trusty assistants, Pretzel!"
Pretzel hooted before Magic cloaked him and he shifted into a young adult Terumiho and fanned his nine tails for everyone to ooh and aah over the spectacle. He transformed again to become a large and winged snake, flicking his tongue to tease a young woman who grew startled and ran into her boyfriend. He settled on transforming into a whistling Alicanto with his exotic wings catching ablaze when the sun hit him just right. He perched on Nashi's shoulder, ruffling his wings, before fluttering over to sit on Gary's arm and decided to settle in and preen his feathers.
Laurette beamed. "Pretzel is my peuchen," she educated. "He can shapeshift into any animal he wants to and copy their powers too if he learns the spells. But a peuchen's true form is still unknown to this day. Researchers have tried to get a peuchen to show its true form, but even with all our efforts, it's still a mystery."
A little girl wondered, "How come he's named 'Pretzel'?"
Laurette's beam widened. "Because he likes pretzels." She brought around her fanny pack and held up a knotted pretzel before whistling.
Pretzel squawked and flew off Gary's arm to turn into an eager golden retriever. When Laurette threw the pretzel, Pretzel jumped to catch it with his mouth and munched on it happily.
Laurette looked around and frowned. "I do have a volunteer assistant with me today who should've checked everyone in for the tour and collected your waivers." She nodded at her partner. "Pretzel? Could you find him?"
Pretzel barked and comically put his nose to the ground to sniff out the other assistant. Everyone watched in amusement as Pretzel let his nose guide him until he was somehow coming to an invisible spot and put his paws up in mid-air to start wildly licking.
"Pretzel!" The air distorted, and Jemaine appeared with a green polo and khakis. He flinched back and weakly tried to find for himself when Pretzel was dead-set on giving him affection. "L-L-Laurette, please!"
Laurette laughed alongside some of the other tourists. She whistled.
Pretzel got off Jemaine to transition back into an Alicanto and landed on Laurette's shoulder to grab the pretzel she offered him.
"This is Jemaine," Laurette introduced. "He's my number one volunteer assistant who can answer any questions you have about our wonderful bugs and insects you'll be seeing today! Isn't that right, Jemaine?"
Jemaine gulped when attention poured onto him and the air started to distort around him, but he held it together to not disappear. "Mmm-hmm." I want to go home.
Laurette was back in her power pose with her hands on her hips. "All right, everyone, we'll get our tour started in just a moment!" She held up a bird whistle alongside an orange bracelet and told them, "If you didn't receive your whistle and your group band, please come and see me. Once everyone has them, we'll head out to the forest and get this tour started!"
A few people swarmed Laurette to get their whistles and bands while the rest broke into smaller congregations.
Jemaine looked at his feet. I wish I had my blanket. Or I could make myself disappear. He blinked when a pair of sandals came into his line of vision. What…? He looked up to see Gary softly smiling down at him. "Gary…"
"Hey, Jemaine," Gary greeted. "I didn't know you were volunteering today."
Jemaine nodded with his visible eye darting to the side as he grimaced. "I didn't want to, but I have to put in volunteer hours for my program," he explained. "I wasn't planning to volunteer today until I got a call one of the regular assistants was sick." He mumbled, "And it's nice to have a break from Windel."
Gary gave him a half-amused half-sympathetic look. "That bad, huh?"
"He's just so high energy," Jemaine muttered, irately remembering his goofy boyfriend who startled him when he was trying to have a quiet breakfast or made him want to faint when he would rip open the shower door, raving about a new volleyball technique, and he made himself disappear under the spray. "And he has no sense of privacy."
"Yeah. That's Windel," Gary chuckled. "He just gets so excitable."
"It's exhausting," Jemaine sighed. His naked eye glanced around at all the people before he deflated. "And this will be tiring too."
"You'll do fine," Gary cheered. "You'll be in your natural habitat. Think of it like that. Just like how you'd show me all the bugs and insects, just show more people. I know you can handle this—and so does Windel."
Jemaine deflated even more with a dreary aura hanging over him. "You both are too much of optimists for me."
Laurette hollered to her group, "All right, everyone! It seems like we're all set, so let's get this adventure tour started! Just remember, you can ask Jemaine or myself if you need a break, so don't stress yourself, keep yourself hydrated, and we ask that you don't veer off our path or feed the local wildlife! Now!" She raised a hand. "Let's get touring!"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
And then…
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
On foot, traversing through the humid forest was something out of Tarzan. It felt surreal seeing such exotic plants and catching a glimpse of the creatures that lived on the island. Magical creatures and regular beasts lived in peace and kept to themselves whenever the humans pillaged through. Now that it was spring, many offspring, curious about the humans, trekked closer to the paths to scent and see what was so interesting about the twolegs.
The tourists were happy enough to get photos whenever they could and murmur to themselves about all the beauty they discovered. One couple asked one of the group members to take a picture with them standing in front of a tree home to a multi-colored sloth. Amazement sparkled within a little brother and sister when they saw a few flying squirrels with twin tails.
Laurette explained: "Estrelmar is within the World-Wide Conservation Organization as it labeled as a 'sanctuary', but it didn't start that way. Before the Gran Alicanto Isles became the isles under the Kingdom of Fiore, an Alakitasian conqueror trying to gain power from the Alvarez Empire attempted to control Caracole, Tejocote, and Estrelmar for its sea trading rights and due to the Alicantos flocking the islands.
"Curupira Village was originally offered to relocate during the time the conqueror sent his envoys. But the Curupira people, or Curupiransé in Cráole, defended their land with the help of their partners and the legendary Curupira that watches over us."
One of the tourists asked, "What's a…'Curupira'?"
"It's a Spirit," Laurette told. "From what our local Wiccans tell us, Curupira is a type of Elemental."
Tesla whispered, "'Elemental'?"
"A Spirit tied to an element," Nashi explained. "But she's using it wrong. Curupiras are more than likely a type of Guardian Spirit. Elementals, however, are Spirits that were fae-related. Occults, Alchemists, and Alkahests normally appealed to them, but my granny Anna says our clan could interact with them."
Justin had them pose for a selfie before he murmured, "It's honestly amazing that your family was basically the entire movie of Spirited Away."
"It is a little funny," Nashi admitted. She could feel her silver key in her pocket and thumbed it. "Whenever my granny Anna would watch us, she'd tell us bedtime stories about the Heartfilia Clan that gets passed down from generation to generation. She's still a little salty my papa never took on the Heartfilia name and she always brings it up."
She sweatdropped remembering how terrified her father got whenever her grandmother set the ball rolling over how honorable the Heartfilia name was and how he had the audacity to strip her descendant from it (and turned a deaf ear to Lucy trying to remind she hyphenated her name and her kids' last names legally). She can really hold a grudge, huh?
"So then…your family is a Magic Bloodline?" Tesla presumed.
Justin dropped back to show Ace his picture while Nashi nodded. "Mm-hmm! The Heartfilia Clan founded Celestial Spirit Magic, which makes us a huge bloodline. Our clan died off generations back, but my mama said Granny Anna still had some debts people owed her and her connections plus my mama's connections really helped with Saint Layla's."
"Which your sister is going to." Tesla smirked. "Which Gale is going to."
"For the summer," Nashi laughed. "But I don't think anyone's told her yet about it."
"Oh, shit, she's in for a surprise."
"Right?" Nashi shook her head with a smile on her face. "I'm just worried she'll think Gale being there is like her being babysat. She's come so far, but I know she's not ready to be on her own just yet. Having someone familiar with her will be good for her if something happens."
"I agree." Tesla added quietly, "I'm very proud of her for enduring all this."
"Yeah." Hickories glistened. "So am I."
The group walked a little more with their pictures and comments before Laurette had them stop. Curiosity and questions buzzed around, but Jemaine had slipped quietly to the front and looked like he would rather look anywhere but. Silence held as everyone gave him their full attention.
Oh, the horror for Jemaine.
"So." Jemaine cleared his throat and gestured to the tree and upwards. "This might look like a regular Scarab beetle, but this isn't a normal beetle."
Gazes went in surprise to the scarab beetle they had not noticed until now, but the beetle looked far too big than its normal stout-bodied brethren and something about its structure did not look as natural as others in its species.
"This is a Khaji beetle," Jemaine explained, "an extremely intelligent magical beetle that, when provoked, can latch and possess its prey." Even as he said that, he cupped his hands under the beetle. Gasps and fear spread like wildfire when the beetle scuttled into his hands with its inhuman clinks and slosh noises, but Jemaine smiled at the beetle.
"Unprovoked, Khaji beetles act as very astute creatures and are very kind and affectionate," Jemaine assured the group. "Khaji beetles were not naturally born on Earth Land. Long ago, in Andüsa, scarab beetles were taken from a sacred ground of one of the gods and illegally experimented on to see if the beetles truly did have spiritual power. Legends say the goddess blessed those beetles with powers and intelligence so they could understand their situation and plot their escape.
"One researcher, sympathetic to their cause, helped them come to the isles. And they've lived here ever since," Jemaine went on. "And some say, one of the Khaji beetles bonded with the researcher, but no one knows where he is now."
The beetle clicked again and Jemaine helped it go back to its tree.
"How do you know if that beetle is provoked or not?" someone asked.
"Khaji beetles come in blue, red, green, and black and normally have black eyes. But if their eyes turn orange, it means the Khaji beetle is feeling threatened and will attempt to attach itself to its provoker," Jemaine advised. "Khaji beetles have a ninety-seven-percent success rate of possessing their predator, which means it's never wise to provoke them. Most Khaji beetles give up their hosts' bodies after a few hours to a few days, but because of this, Khaji beetles don't have too many predators outside of the Alicantos and Salamanders and larger spiders."
"He really knows his stuff," Ace commented, impressed.
"Entomology is his major," Gary pointed out, proud. "He might not be that outgoing, but he's definitely someone to travel with if you go into unchartered territory. He's not Tamer, but he has a way with bugs and insects."
"Maybe he'll become a Tamer," Justin suggested.
Ines could not hold back her surprise. "That's a thing?"
Justin shrugged. "It happens, albeit rarely. If the bond between a magical creature and a person is that strong, sometimes—and very rarely—people are gifted with the power to be a Tamer. But that's a one in a million chance of happening." He made a duck face as he took a picture of him and Ace. "Still, though. It could happen." He squeaked when Ace shocked him pinching his ass. "Don't be such a man."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Ace laughed. He pried the selfie stick from his boyfriend—
"Hey!" Justin scowled when Ace held it high and crackling translucent kinetic blue energy warped between his hands. "Give me my selfie stick and no one gets hurt."
"JJ, don't use your powers on the innocent," Ellie reminded in singsong.
Justin growled when Ellie's vines slithered to wrap around his arms and pried his hands apart to dissipate his kinetic energy. "Ugh. I hate it when you do that."
Ace snickered. "I'll help take some pictures, so you can enjoy the tour," he offered.
"Oh, you have never been hotter to me than you are right now," Justin purred, giddy. He linked arms with Ace and pointed forward. "Onward, photographer! We have a lot to take pictures of!"
Nashi laughed behind her hand. JJ truly never changes. The wind fluttered around her and she longingly look at the sky. The phantom presence of her wings expanded, hopeful to ride the breeze. But she fondly caught Gary feeling the breeze with that hopeful glint in his eyes and his back flexing as though feeling his wings. And neither does he.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Aketa mado no soto kara kaze ga maikonde kimi no senaka wo oshita
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Laurette led the charge with Pretzel deciding to become a Babi—the blue primate form he took before—to swing from the vines and climb trees. Ace and Justin had taken turns taking pictures to post on Insta with Ellie blossoming in excitement when she saw mandrakes who gave her gnarly smiles for meeting someone inclined with plants. Another picture was a series of Jemaine handing off a Salamander to Gary and Gary's vivid reaction of wincing and twitching when the Salamander cooled itself off, stomping and rolling in his hands.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Kanaetai koto ga aru nara wasurerarenai nara oikakete goran yo
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The group had been told to lay low and pray when a leshy—a giant made of moss and leaves with a Lilypad hat and a long beard—drudged through the forest. He inspected the group through glazed green eyes and took out his pipe to bless them with a mist that smelled like pine and eyed Ellie in fascination. He held out his hand to her and created a bouquet of wildflowers.
Ellie could not hold back her surprise, but she cupped her hands and created a replicate of those flowers to offer him.
The leshy, satisfied, skulked back on his path.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Itsu no manika bokura otona ni naru
Nanimo wakaranai mama
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
More pictures were taken as Laurette, Pretzel, and Jemaine helped guide everyone across one of the bridges that connected over a deep gauge in the earth with rapids below and a white-water rafting tour in the process. The view from the bridge gave them a wide scope of all the vines and trees and flowers that populated Estrelmar, but down the way, you could see the river spewed over the edge to craft a small waterfall.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Nayami nagara mo ashita wo egaku yo
Massugu na jounetsu de ima wo hitotsu hitotsu tsunagou
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Coos and aw's circled the group as Laurette showed them a burrow where a receptive female jackalope and her young lived. The mother was never once concerned as her little ones hopped outside the burrow to greet the mass of humans. But when the curious kits hopped closer to Jaxton, his cold look down towards them and a show of his incisors had them scampering back to their burrow with little squeaks.
And Jaxton feigned indifference when Tesla and Gary shot him an accusing look.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Itsuka miageta sora ni tobidashite
Kaze wo tsukamaete habataite yukeru
Dare datte jiyuu sa
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Everyone was encouraged to smell the flower when they came across a quaint grove. Jemaine felt at ease with all the insects and bugs he educated people about while others wandered for their romantic photos with their significant other or taking nature shots.
Gary had squatted down to sniff a few of the flowers, so pleased about the relaxing quality of his smell that he closed his eyes. But a tickle to his nose made his nose twitch and when the tickle did not go away, he opened his eyes and went cross-eyed.
A harmless butterfly was on his nose, stretching her beautiful twin wings—
"AAAAAAH!"
Nashi blinked in shock when all she caught was a shrieking Gary running away and frantically swatting around his face, but her eyes narrowed on Jaxton and Justin, who looked around as though they were oblivious Gary was screaming his head off about a "monster" attacking him.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Akirameru koto wo shiranakute
Ano koro to kawaranai manazashi no mama de
Yume no ato wo tadotte iku yo
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
More pictures of their adventure had been taken and covered on Justin's Insta. The group had the honor of zip lining or taking the bridge to get a part of the forest too thick to walk on the ground, and almost everyone had decided to take the zipline except for Jemaine. He had tried to make himself invisible to skate out of doing it, but Pretzel had sussed him out and the poor Mage neatly had his soul taken from the ride.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Umaku ikanai koto ga kimi wo komarasete iya ni naru koto mo aru kedo
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Laurette and Jemaine obliged to introduce everyone to more creatures and insects, and Pretzel was more than happy to transform into whatever animal that needed to be mimicked so the tourists could have an up-close and personal shot of the creature.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Tomaccha ikenai'n da to shinjitai'n da to mune no oku ga sakebu yo
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The breaks had been roughly outlined in the itinerary to be held at small outposts with a wide gazebo, a water fountain, and small bathroom stalls. Most had taken the time to break open the snacks and drinks they kept well-hidden in their bags and munched quickly. Some shared their pictures and gossiped about the tour. Justin decided to vlog part of the experience with Ace acting as a dedicated cameraman. Ines had to take a picture as Ellie made "grass angels", one with nature.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Kurikaeshiteku machigai no naka ni
Kotae wa aru hazusa
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Jaxton finished his swig of water to look on fondly at the landscape. He could remember all those degrading moments he shifted into his wolf to act like a common house dog with a wagging tail and high-pitched yips to chase around and bowl over the irritating boy he had to look after on the islands. But even in those moments when he huffed about why the Hell am I doing this, all his self-loathing for acting like a puppy washed away seeing the normally recluse Devil light up with laughter.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Mayoi nagara mo kibou wo sagasu yo
Massugu na jounetsu de kono natsu no hikari no naka de
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Nashi found a peak that allowed him to oversee the ocean and look down at the island. Tucking back a lock of hair, she smiled at the scenery and decided to take a picture when caws caught her attention. Her Compact camera shifted upwards.
Hickories sparkled.
Nashi pulled down her camera to watch a Shadow Bird perform a routine flirtatious call for his cherished mate of such crisp white feathers. They flapped and circled each other in the wind and she sung back her reciprocated affections.
She never flinched when Gary slid his arms around her waist from behind since both their gazes were on those two birds, admiring how free and beautiful they were.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Takaku tsumareta kabe wo tobikoete
Kaze wo tsukamaete habataite yukeru
Itsu datte jiyuu sa
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Nashi did not care for it when her Devil of a partner clung to her, half-hanging on her and terrified, when Pretzel turned into a butterfly to spook him (only to quickly shifted back when Laurette gave her peuchen a look). Another photo snapped the exact moment Justin accidentally walked into a spiderweb and in his panic, he forcibly expanded a kinetic bubble that had everyone around him throttled away.
A little video showed Tesla twerking to whatever Justin was singing and Ellie laughingly chimed in. The video went shaky when Gary covered Jaxton's eyes which ended up with a frustrated Jaxton wringing his neck to distract him from his tempting girlfriend.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Hajimari wo chikau sono koe wa
Ano koro to kawaranai kagayaki no mama de
Tooi sora ni hibiite iku yo
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
A final video had been taken of the flock of Alicantos they stumbled upon. Justin scoped the area as the friendly Alicantos took to all the tourists with whistles and bobbing heads. Tesla snort-laughed when a grumpy Jaxton sat down, arms crossed, and had a variety of Alicantos perched on him, preening and grooming his hair like they had become his parents. Ellie looked like a certified hippie as she wowed the Alicantos with her flowers and they flapped their wings in excitement for her to produce more.
But Justin ended his video when he caught Nashi and Gary together. Nashi had earned the affection of a juvenile bird who willingly went on his back and closed his eyes as she stroked his feathers. Other juveniles perched upon Nashi as she whistled to them. Gary whistled as well with his arm extended, and two adult Alicantos whistled back as they landed on his arm. They greeted him cordially with a bow of their head, and Gary laughed when a juvenile on the edge of his hand decided to hang upside down.
Ending the video on that frame, Justin sighed as he looked at the happy couple as they exchanged a sweet kiss. She really is growing up, isn't she—his blues looked up at the sky with a sad smile—Orochi?
°•°•°•°
The next break had broken out amicably and everyone had a second wind about completing their path. Sandwiches and crackers tucked in quickly with everyone eager to jump back in exploring this exquisite island filled with nature's hidden gems.
Jemaine huddled close to Gary as he nibbled on his meal—a few crackers and his water bottle still had enough left for the rest of the trip. Compact laid out on the grass, Windel's contact name popped up. He planned to ignore it—
"Aren't you going to answer it?" Gary asked, curious.
Jemaine sighed and declined the call. "I told him not to disturb me while I'm volunteering." It was rare for annoyance to set in him, but it was prominent when Windel persisted in calling. "He doesn't follow rules well."
Gary chuckled. "No, he doesn't." He nudged Jemaine. "But he's always been concerned about you, y'know."
"I know." A quiet sparkle lit Jemaine's eye.
Gary finished his sandwich in a few bites. I remember when Jemaine and Windel got together. It was certainly a shock, but I'm happy they're happy. Windel can be such a handful…remember, Skade? Blues shimmered. Remember? Don't you remember Windel and Jemaine?
Silence.
Please. Gary balled his hands into fists. Please. Just answer me once. Please. The deeper the silence, the harder his heart beat and hysteria fueled him. Skade, please, I know you're there, just answer me!
Silence.
Gary sighed as his head fell with a pathetic smile on his face. Right. You won't answer me anymore. Like always… His ear twitched and his dejection faded for the need to protect. His body moved in a subtle forward to bring Nashi close to him with his winter hardened and preparing for the enemy.
Nashi noticed and whispered, "Gary?"
Eyes icy-blue, Gary's featured steeled as all the abundance of colors faded for a zone of contrasting blues. His gaze darted around, neglecting the humans and animals, until he found a man in the distance, buried behind multitudes of flora and fauna. There. Ice crystals sprinkled around his hand. I can freeze him—
"I'm heading to the bathroom."
Gary's icy-blues faded for cerulean when a hand landed on his head. He looked up to see Jaxton's warning stare. "Jang-ta…"
Tesla wrinkled her nose. "Have fun peeing in the woods like a typical man."
"Not our fault you got shafted with complex equipment and we got shafts," Justin quipped with a grin.
Jaxton ignored Tesla and Justin's banter to make sure Gary saw the look in his eyes. Don't get up. Leave this to me.
Gary blinked before his gaze dropped. He offered a subtle nod.
Jaxton let him go and strode away from the group with one ear seeking Tesla's voice and the other ear present and taking inventory of every twitch of a leaf, pitter-patter of mouse feet, and flap of a wing. He stepped through the dense forest like it was in his lifeblood, wading through the brush, but his jaw set and his body tensed with every next step.
He's been lurking, but he kept his distance. Jaxton's hands clenched as a white energy leeched off his fists. But this is too close to comfort.
Where Jaxton stormed to looked nothing out of the ordinary. Plants mixed with moss and mushrooms were nothing to be concerned about. But Jaxton's arm shot out to clutch something in mid-air as his eyes lightened to yellow-amber. He snarled as he raised his arm, "Come out, come out, wherever you are."
Mason appeared in his grim attire and unsettling features as he pawed at Jaxton's fingers digging into his throat and wheezed, "Wait, wait! Please! I have intel!"
Jaxton dropped Mason and watched without a care as the Dull coughed and sputtered, massaging his neck. "For someone so eager to die, you certainly have a strong will to live."
Mason sputtered and hacked. "You can't kill me," he rasped. "Only she can." He glanced over Jaxton's shoulder in hope—
Jaxton zipped forward and made Mason flinch when his fingers were only millimeters from his throat once more. "Start talking, Dull," he hissed lowly, "before I get impatient." He took a step back as Mason shakily gathered himself. "Talk. Why are you this close?"
Mason adjusted the bandage on his arm as burgundy-opal gunned Jaxton with a serious look. "You met with that Tamer, Shikoba Bravebird. Two people were tailing him after he met with Tesla. And they have connections to Miya Matsumoto."
"I see." Jaxton crossed his arms. Miya Matsumoto. He's tried to poke and prod at my mother's territory when he was a newborn Shadow Charmer, but he knows Mother is too powerful for someone like him. And not even he can use my father against her. But…
His hands clenched. He can use Tesla. He knows he can't get close to her without warranting the talisman I placed on her to rebound. Not only that. But I would notice him and his dogs' movements through reflections.
His eyes narrowed in thought. So why would he have that Tamer followed? Because he spoke to her? But she has other friends, so why—?
It clicked.
"Hey, Dull," Jaxton grumbled. "You're going to do me a favor."
"Then I need to see her," Mason negotiated. "It's only fair—" He stepped back when Jaxton stepped forward. "Please. Please," he begged. "She's the only one who can finally kill me—"
"I need you to follow that Tamer," Jaxton commanded over Mason's plea. "Keep your distance. And don't interfere if Matsumoto's dogs approach him. Let it happen."
Confusion muddled in Mason's burgundy-opal stare. "But why?"
"It's obvious Matsumoto wants to know why I would have Tesla as my girlfriend," Jaxton reasoned. "More than likely, he wants to exploit why she's dating me and why my mother has allowed it to happen. And her gray eyes…"
Mason did not understand. "What about them?"
"Gray eyes like hers were only found in Anti-Ether wilders," Jaxton explained with half his mind in the conversation. "Lighter gray is rare, but it happens in anyone. But stark gray eyes like Tesla's were only found with her people, no matter the skin tone." Matsumoto is too young to know about Anti-Ether wielders and their looks. But with his background, he must know Hunters.
"Dull."
Mason tried, "My name is 'Mason'—"
"Dull," Jaxton started again as he worked out his thoughts, "follow the Tamer but don't interfere. And on top of that, I have a second job for you to do." He made his point clear. "And you will get it done. I will make no guarantees Tesla will ever want to speak to you and I support her decisions whatever they may be. But if you do this job right, I will bring you up in conversation."
"Really?" Sparkles of hopes glinted off Mason as he transcended from a suicidal maniac to eager puppy. "Th-Th-Thank you, kind sir!"
A tick mark battered against Jaxton's hands. Goddammit, now I have another fucking pissant to deal with. This was a mistake. He sighed out his agitation. "I'm going to need the help of someone I crossed paths with long ago. She roams dimensions, but I know she isn't on Earth Land at this present time. Track her down for me."
Curiosity piqued within Mason. "Who is she?"
"She's someone very unique," Jaxton named as the plan was set in motion. "And someone very reliable that not even my mother could hope to kill. And she is the very first of your kind—the first Dull."
Mason's stare widened. "What?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Elsewhere…
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Hover cars, hover cycles, and jet-boards zipped and zagged through the aerial traffic. Floating skyscrapers amassed hundreds of sky bridges interconnected. A sky mall paraded about a new hologram form that people could take if they used their Ether Watch. An eccentric restaurant with lovely entertainment brought out people in their slink dresses and high-profile suits and their AIE (Artificial Intelligence Ether) as they conducted business and pleasure with Lacroids serving them. A drug trade between two gangs went down in a parking garage with the underbosses talking normal smack as their seconds confirmed the deal. Such a sky city, bubbled from gravity, lived a good life.
And yet, everyone blatantly ignored the cold war on the land below with multiple explosions bombarding the ground.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"She's called 'Smierc the Wanderer', but she goes by another name…"
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
KA… KA… KA…
Dirtied and abused, the alley was the hideout spot for her. Sweat and blooded marred her and she gritted her teeth as she plucked out a needle and chucked it far. Scales and feathered caressed half her body while a Curse spread on her right arm in its swirling obsidian patterns. Bloody tears leaked from her eyes as she crumbled amongst the garage bags.
KA… KA… KA…
Shakily panted, she forced open her eyes to witness the person in front of her. Barefoot and hidden with a pure-white robe, the newcomer looked too clean for a dirty place such as this. And in a slender hand was an alabaster handgun cocked and pointed at the forehead of her next victim.
The girl panted and panted and panted before closing her eyes. And when she opened them, pure relief was there. And she could finally smile.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"She's also called…"
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
GA-GA-GA!
It was a matter of seconds when the life in the girl's eyes faded away with bullet holes in her forehead, in her throat, and through her heart. But her smile—that carefree and happy smile—stayed on as she fell in the garbage.
The cloaked newcomer pulled back their gun into their cloak and did not watch as the girl disintegrate into white particles. They had better things to do and their bare feet made no noise as they slapped against the wet pavement.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"…Experiment Zero-Zero-One…"
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
White lips curled and quivered before they calmed and broke into a sad smile.
Level Up was the place where kids and adults could go wild unsupervised.
The game part of the barcade brought in droves of families to settle their affairs over Ping-Pong and Band Hero and Just Move. The prize counter and ATM used to load coins onto the game cards were overflowing with eager players hopeful to have enough tickets for a prize or load up on coins to keep playing.
Lisa-Jane and Elouise had linked up to win and pool together their tickets for a grand prize while Ivan and the triplets swamped Liberty with their tickets. But the triplets were betrayed when Liberty decided Ivan would be her game-partner and Ivan was blushing all over.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Level Up
Greenheart Park
Fiore, Ishgar
1:56 PM FST
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The entire Strauss-Dreyar clan had decided on sitting in one of the platformed booths to give them an overview of the game area with eyes on the kids at all times.
Pacer smiled into his next drink as he watched Liberty's perfect score break the game into spouting off droves of tickets. "There she goes."
Freed noticed and sighed. "I need to register James as a magical-support animal as soon as possible."
"That's a thing?" Bixslow questioned.
"It's more common for magical creatures with the same Magic type as their owner," Freed explained. "But it's hard to do so. Since Lupita is Liberty's PCH—Primary Care Healer—you'd think they'd have the authority. But to have an MSA, you have to go through additional hoops since you have to register your MSA through the Council for licensing. And they want a whole slew of magical necessity documentation." He looked at his daughter. "And unfortunately, rationalizing why James would be Liberty's MSA isn't possible."
Laxus questioned, "You thought about asking Draculos?"
"He's done enough in securing the adoption, but even he has limitations of how much he can intervene." Freed looked down at his drink. "There's already talk about a new election to strategically vote him out of office."
"That's always been talked about," Laxus grunted. "And Draculos won't be stepping down as Chairman any time soon. Don't believe that talk."
Freed sighed again. "Yes, but you know as well as I that many eyes are keeping tabs on what Draculos is involved in. If any wind caught word he approved for Liberty's MSA, a discrete investigation would be taken about the nature of her powers. And I just can't afford that. Not with the lawsuits I'm facing."
The lawsuits… Pacer set down his drink, burdened with tension. That's right. Liberty's Luck is still being settled in court. Thankfully, those after her power keep this all under wraps. I think they're afraid their competitors will hear about Liberty's Luck and try to get to her first. But still…
He clenched his glass. It's no secret Wizards with incredibly rare powers have a legal battle, especially those who emigrate from poor and militant countries. With the US as it stands, could that happen to my kids?
"How's the mom doing, Pacer?"
He looked up to see all three men paying him mind. "She's doing better," he answered, honest. "Thanks to Lupita and Libby's Lucky Charm, she's where she should be in her second trimester." He painted Freed an apologetic smile. "Sorry."
Freed dismissed it. "I can't stop Liberty once she creates a Lucky Charm. And I'm happy a member of our family can feel better with it."
At Pacer's grimace, Bixslow chuckled, "She doesn't consider herself one of us, huh? Of course your ass would have a stubborn one."
"Yeah, well, if she wasn't stubborn, I don't know if we'd click as well." When the server came by with a refill for him, he thanked her with a faint nod and ignored her lingering look on his ink. "And I respect her decision."
"You let me know when you want to talk a custody arrangement, kid," Laxus told him. "If you need any help—"
"I'm okay but thanks." A twisted smile warped Pacer's expression. "Trust me when I saw the agreement is one-hundred-percent fair and fifty-fifty split between us. She'll make sure of that." Yeah… Slugger will make sure we're the perfect co-parents and friends. A pinch of sadness made his stare fall. And nothing more.
Enviously, he stole a glance at Esmeralda and Guil and how happy the pair was. Ever silent, Guil doted on his wife while she FaceCalled Ye-ji to update her on a new craving their little one had her try. In his heart of hearts, he remembered the look of surprise on Jasmine's face whenever she tried a new recipe due to the twins' influence.
He cut his eyes away.
Freed, Laxus, and Bixslow exchanged looks before Freed soothed, "It's not easy, what you and that young lady are going through. But from what you explained about her decision, I think it's the right one for now. Children alter relationships in ways you never know until they come along."
"Fuck yes to that," Bixslow cackled with a smirk. "Lizzy was a Hellcat in bed and then you and your brother came along—"
"I don't need to hear this," Pacer groused.
Bixslow laughed. "Point is, shit changes when kids are on the table." He nodded towards Lisanna and Evergreen dousing Ola and Evie in their wedding knowledge while Veronika was caught being an in-between. "Your mom and I thought we were ready for anything when we had you guys. We read all the books, we'd been around the other kids in this family—but we weren't prepared for twins.
"We'd dealt with watching Nik and Veronika when they were babies, so we knew about the possible crying at night, but we gave them back at the end of babysitting. Dealing with that day in and day out?" Bixslow snorted. "You were all nightmares."
"Thanks, Dad," Pacer said dryly.
Freed smiled watching Liberty and Ivan scurry into the line to collect a prize. "I was extremely lucky with Liberty, as ironic as it sounds. She could self-soothe and she rarely cried for attention. I was worried at first, but Porlyusica told me Liberty was healthy and naturally born to not cry as much."
"Nik was a fucking screamer," Laxus grumbled darkly. "I could see it in his eyes that he knew he was being an asshole. He'd start crying right when Mira and I were actually not tired for once for adult time. Bastard."
"He was a baby, Laxus," Freed reminded, exasperated and amused.
"Yeah, and he's still a bastard." Even with the insult, Laxus said it with a hint of pride. "And now he's the biggest bastard in the force. Couldn't be prouder of him even if he pissed me off his entire life." He pointed his drink at Pacer. "See, this is the sort of thing you have to keep in mind. Your kid might turn out to be something special."
Bisxlow muttered, "Or a serial killer."
Laxus whacked upside Bixslow head so hard, his shades nearly fell off. "Quit bringing that shit up, you psychopath. Not every kid is born as horrifying as you."
"Hey. I'm not a serial killer," Bixslow said in his defense.
"No, but you certainly made us all want to murder you," Freed muttered.
Bixslow smirked and you could tell he winked at Freed. "Sorry I wasn't as uptight and prissy as you, pretty boy. Tell me how you fanboyed over a certain someone to Ever and me religiously all those years ago?"
Pink colored Freed's cheeks. "At least I'm not some uncouth marauder who bedded half the city once upon a time and had the gall to be a philanderer on our jobs."
"Oh, Laxus, pretty boy is bringing out the fancy words," Bixslow mocked. "All that Shakespeare and you still can't get a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Your flirting must be crap."
"My flirting is just fine, thank you," Freed bit back. "I'm surprised Lisanna would marry someone with your dirty mouth."
Bixslow flicked his tongue to show his Fairy Tail stamp. "Hate to break it to you, virgin, but she married me because of my dirty mouth."
"I am not a virgin!" Freed barked, red-faced. "Stop calling me that!"
"Stop acting like one and I'll stop calling you that."
Pacer took a few gulps of his drink as his father and his uncle bickered with Laxus wisely staying out of it. Why does Dad have to rile up Uncle Freed? Pale reds flicked around at all the siblings and small families and something tugged his gut seeing an adorable young couple helping their six-year-old play Bugbear Smash. That'll be Slugger and I one day with our twins. Our twins.
How could such two words make his heart beat a little faster? He could not calm down the smile on his face. Maybe it's selfish of me. She's going through so much. Her whole perception is being violently changed. And right now, she is in danger carrying our twins. But… I'm happy she kept our twins. If she hadn't, I would've been sad, but… I'm happy she's carrying them now.
His smile faltered. And as happy as I am… I could never ignore that she's carrying God Slayers.
• — • — • — • — •
"What do you need to tell me?"
He stepped out onto the porch and let the door close save for a tiny crack. He lifted his chin towards Lance and took note of his and Pearson's glance exchange. "What's going on here?"
"I thought you needed to know the truth about something," Lance confessed to Pacer. "And I know it'll sound outlandish and crazy, but I ask that you hear me out, Pacer."
Pacer nodded, cautious. "Of course. What's up?"
Lance widened his stance. "Last December, I learned something important about myself," he explained to Pacer. "Through a series of events, I learned I'm not just a Lightning Mage but a Lightning God Slayer."
"Holy shit," Pacer dropped, shocked. "Are you for real?"
"I wouldn't lie about something like this," Lance confirmed. He wound his lightning around his arm for emphasis. "I didn't know I was a Slayer before. Even now, I barely notice a change in my power. But an Old God named Baracles chose me as a Lightning God Slayer. And it's my responsibility to learn everything I can about this new power and put it to use."
"I understand that," Pacer murmured. "That's fucking incredible, though, man. Have you told anyone else?"
"Master Erza and my parents are the only ones aware of my ability," Lance told him. "And now, you, Penelope, and Pearson are the next aware of my power. But I'd appreciate if we could keep this between us as a need-to-know basis."
"For sure," Pacer agreed, rubbing his jaw. "Slayers in any capacity are no joke. They were practically wiped out, right? Your ability is labeled a 'Lost Art', I thought?"
"You're right and it is," Lance agreed. "As you know, we have the seven Dragon Slayers of today. Monster Slayers are completely wiped from the Current Era. And those who called themselves 'God Slayers' never earned their ability from a god or goddess. They stole their powers by stealing texts and relics from the God Realm. And now, those God Slayers no longer have their abilities."
"I see." 'But why is he telling me this?'
Lance continued: "Baracles was labeled as the leaders of all gods. He was similar to an All-Father. And through that, because I've been granted his ability, it's also my duty to find the God Slayers of the Current Era and defend them. Dragon Slayers might be too publicly recognized, but without any regulations in place for actual God Slayers, they're in more danger than ever to be exploited and used for political warfare."
"And how are you going to find them?" Pacer questioned.
"With this." Lance held out a golden compass with a unique design imprinted on its cover. "A friend within the Archaeology Society told me this that this is called a divusiometer. Only Custodians who were chosen by the gods, gods, demigods, and God Slayers could use this similar to a roadmap and a compass. It locates other Slayers within a wide radius."
He looked at the divusiometer. "Insofar, I was able to find a Slayer on my trip with Aine for Heart's Day weekend. However, they disappeared outside my radius before I could personally locate them and speak to them. Even so, in my eyes, it confirms that this can find Slayers. And I'll have to keep it on me at all times when I travel to hopefully find more Slayers. But it wasn't just one Slayer I found."
He gripped the divusiometer before looking at Pacer. "I've found two more."
"You have? Well that's great, I mean, yeah, sure, but…" Pacer's expression shifted into apprehension when Parson looked away. "Why are you telling me all this, Lance?"
"Because, Pacer." Steady grayed emeralds. "Your twins are God Slayers…and they're in danger."
• — • — • — • — •
Pacer's jaw ticked. We're lucky to have Lupita to help guide us and Fiore is a relatively safe country…but Pearson was right. The USM might be safe now, but it won't always be that way. States are trying to overturn some fundamental cases won for Independent Wizards there that set an agency precedent. And the MC won't even bat a lash since all of us without a guild are called 'illegals' now.
He gripped his glass. But what can I do? USM guilds aren't like other guilds. It's a heroism farce. And the rare guilds that do good over there are so niche and exclusive or they're states away. Pearson got an exemption since he's a private contractor with contacts in the Council. But I…
Pale reds glinted in frustration. I'm useless at protecting my family where I stand now. As an Illegal, I don't get the same protection as Guild Wizards. Not unless the Council recognizes me. This needs to change. I need to get stronger for my family.
Bixslow guffawed over a fuming Freed and teased back—
"Hey, Dad?"
Bixslow turned his head and meet the iron-blooded stare of his son. "Yeah?"
"I need your help." Pacer straightened up. "I'm ready to continue the next part of my training."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
HOOOOOOOOO!
The ferry docked and made sure the priority passengers—the disabled and anyone else who qualified—went down the ramp first. Onboarding passengers waited as they shared photos and trinkets, positively glowing from the experience they had for all their adventure tours.
One ungrateful fiancée upturned her nose on the surprise matching keychains her fiancé bought her. A few children scuttled around, giggling, while an older brother chased after them in a tribal mask. A gaggle of ladies compromised of a bachelorette party was over-the-moon for their next adventure. The bride-to-be's sister looked like she might be a little worse for the wear, but that could be because she thought wearing brands was better than comfortability.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Curupira Village
Estrelmar, Gran Alicanto Isles
Fiore, Ishgar
1:17 PM CAST
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"Trop mignon! I love this!" Ellie had hunkered down in a tourist cabana and fawned over the floral knickknacks the natives had carved from wood by hand. "I want to buy them all!"
"You already bought another suitcase for all the stuff you bought," Ines reminded.
Ellie pouted. "But I could totally fit this in my suitcase…or your suitcase."
Ines sweatdropped over the pleading puppy eyes her girlfriend gave her. She's really that determined, huh?
The others had settled at one of the outdoor round tables beneath an umbrella. Jemaine stuck close to Gary with his cheek pressed against the table, deflated, while Gary did his due diligence as a friend and fanned him.
Sweaty, Jemaine bemoaned, "So exhausting…"
"Cheer up, Jemaine!" Gary encouraged. "You only have one more tour to do and then you're done!"
Jemaine deflated even more and gave a strangled moan.
Justin busied himself editing a few of the pictures he took. "If it makes you feel better, you look like a total catch in some of the photos I got of you." He showed one photo of a bright-eyed Jemaine introducing the group to a group of friendly pollinators. "Look at this? Adorable."
Gary beamed. "Jemaine's pretty cute when he gets excited about his passions."
"Don't call my boyfriend 'cute', Snow Boy!"
Jemaine withered and the air distorted around him so he could disappear while Gary swiveled his head to address a charging Windel. His beam never faltered. "Hi, Windel. Did you come to support Jemaine?"
"Of course I came to support him," Windel barked, cheeks heated. He pointed an accusing finger at Gary. "So stay away from him Snow Boy, you got that? He's my boyfriend!"
Gary cocked his head. "So I can't support a friend?"
"Yes! I mean, no! W-W-Well!" Windel huffed and snapped, flustered, "Don't turn this on me, Snow Boy! I know what game you're playing and it won't work! He's my boyfriend, so back off!"
Justin muttered to an amused Nashi, "This one took too many volleyballs to the head, didn't he?"
Jemaine let himself reappear to mumble, "Windel, stop being so noisy. You're bringing us unnecessary attention."
"Oh, right!" Windel obediently sat beside Jemaine with a look of excitement on his face and set down his bag. "I brought you some extra water and some protein shake powder and a lot of snacks, so you could be ready for your last tour!" He puffed his chest. "Didn't I do well?"
Jemaine mumbled, "I never asked you for that. You're being too loud. And I told you not to visit me during tours. You always bring attention on to me."
Lightning struck Windel. S-So cruel!
"But…"
Windel perked seeing an awkward look cross Jemaine's face.
"I guess the water and snacks are still nice." Jemaine flashed his visible eye at Windel with such a small smile, you might have missed it. "So thank you." He flinched when Windel's large hand brushed back the locs covering the right side of his face and wide yellows looked into pleased dark browns.
"You're welcome," Windel murmured. "I don't mind doing it, though. So there's no need to thank me, okay? It's just another one of my duties as your boyfriend."
"O-Oh. Um." Pink dabbled on Jemaine's cheeks as his gaze dropped. "Well, um… Th-Thank you anyway, I guess."
Fondness caressed Gary's stare as he watched how gentle and quiet Windel could be around Jemaine. Windel is pretty much an overexcited husky half the time. And Jemaine's like a quiet cat who hides all the time. But even so… His smile quirked seeing Jemaine quietly tuck in the snack Windel provided with his shy gaze swept to the ground while Windel doted on him and dabbed a wetted cloth against his sweaty brow. No one would ever think how considerate Windel can be for the people he cares about.
Blues glistened. Don't you agree…Skade?
Silence.
His lashes lowered with a deep exhale. Yeah. That's what I thought you would say. It surprised him when Nashi slid a hand over his thigh with a look of concern on her face. Ah. I'm projecting again.
He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I'm okay, Angel."
Nashi was not convinced. "Maybe we should go."
Gary shook his head with a half-hearted smile. "No. I'm okay, really." He got up. "I just need to stretch my legs for a moment. And then I'll be ready for us to explore some more and head home."
"Gary…"
He silenced her with a sweet kiss on her lips, winter feeding summer his love and soothes. Slowly, he pulled away, but he did not have the heart to catch a large remainder of worry in her eyes. With a murmur of pardon, he abandoned the table. He caught Jaxton's stare, but he avoided it like the plague to wander into an art shop. The paintings were gorgeous with their landscape work, as were the photography collection, but he felt disrespectful he could not admire them as always.
Instead, he grazed over a painting of two silhouetted birds sailing over the horizon and let his mind run away with his thoughts.
"Promise me, Gary Fullbuster"—those cold yellow-ambers—"that you will learn how to become you."
'Become you', huh? Gary shucked his hands in his pockets as those ceruleans dimmed. Who am I? Skade? Gary? Which one of them…is the real me? One hand slid against his heart. Which heartbeat is mine? Which name is mine?
"That even after it all"—loving hickories—"you'll still be the Gary I've always known."
His lips pressed together. But… Which version of me is the 'Gary' Angel has known? Skade's the Devil and…I'm a human, but… No. He clutched his cross necklace. I don't know…where the line is drawn anymore. I don't know…which part of me is real anymore. No, that's not it either. I do know. Blues shimmered. But I…
Hands slipping around his waist crumbled his melancholy and he could feel that smirk against his ear. "You've been hiding from me now, Snow Boy."
A coolness washed over Gary's features as he stepped out of the hands and took a deep breath. "Hello"—he turned around for blank blues to meet with gray-blues—"Elis."
Elis had shown up in a tropical shirt that exposed his mid-section and some shorts, and yet no woman hung off his arm. "You always say my name like that, so cold and detached." Chin in his thumb and pointer, his smirk broadened. "I'm so curious how my name would sound if you said it sweetly, Snow Boy."
Gary said nothing.
"No response?" Elis came forward to make them toe-to-toe. Gary might have been tall in comparison to many Fioren men, but Elis still stared down at him. "What happened to those lovely eyes you made for me those other eyes? So lovely. So…full of hatred. And now, you look so docile. I know. What if I bring up that little girlfriend of yours—?"
"What do you want, Elis?"
Elis chuckled over Gary's flat question. "Temper, temper, Snow Boy. I wouldn't want such a gorgeous Ice Devil to lose his cool over one question. What would the people think?" He leaned in to whisper, "If people knew your real identity …"
Gary's nostrils flared with flecks of frost to exhale out.
"Don't you want to know if I'll tell your secret or not? Know more about who you are?" Elis purred as he cupped Gary's chin. "I could tell you…for a price, anyway. A very, very simple price that could give you a lifetime of pleasure."
Gary kept quiet.
Elis hmphed with his smirk in place, but he let go of Gary's chin. "That girl must mean an awful lot to you. You don't even bat an eye when people come for you, but you would kill if it came to her, wouldn't you, Snow Boy? How interesting. And how jealous it makes me."
He took a step back, but he held Gary's blank stare. "I thought you'd be interested to know I'm going to pay my bastard of a father a visit. Do you have any messages for him? I know he's such a dear friend to you."
Gary's eyes slightly narrowed.
Elis puffed a laugh and patted Gary's shoulder. "I'll let him know his favorite replacement says hello. After all"—gray-blues spun a lethal tale of lust, both in blood and in seduction—"he's the one who sold you out to the Hunters."
Ice climbed onto Gary's knuckles.
Elis retreated his hand with a mink. "You should stop by to see him again. It's been such a long time." He added in a chilling murmur and those gray-blues glinting in dark mirth, "You should've killed him when you had the chance."
Icy-blue filled Gary's eyes, but he kept his head down with shuddered frost expelling from his mouth. He ignored Elis leaving as the howls of winter and blood poured in his ears and his shoulders shook. Frantic bouts of frost and ice came from his mouth. The tropical air that promised warmth cooled drastically and all the happiness in the world darkened. The few patrons in the shop had their smiles killed as their elation drained out of them.
• — • — • — • — •
KRRRRRRRRRR!
The memory fleeted like an old LV as it rolled and stuttered. But it showed a lab coat outside the cage bars and a damned smile with a diamond tooth with gleaming glasses that never showed his eyes. It was him—The Doctor.
KRRRRRRRRRR!
The Doctor shook hands with another man there, but every time the memory reeled, the face was obscured behind static and blurs. But another man was there dressed like a new person as he shook the doctor's hand.
KRRRRRRRRRR!
The tape played over and over again to show this man dressed in his snazzy suit as he turned towards the cage. His features obscure and smile obstructed, his hand palmed the money and papers passed onto him.
KRRRRRRRRR!
The man turned towards the cage—
KRRRRRRRRR!
• — • — • — • — •
"Gary?"
Icy-blues were forced to meet hickory.
"Gary?"
The frost slowed until it fizzled out.
Summer warmed the raging cold of winter.
Gary's focus from his eternal winter slid back to coveting Nashi before him with all her warmth and light and good. His shoulders shook and his hands trembled, but the freeze his body spread about snapped back into his chest so hard that it made him stagger. "A-Angel?"
"Gary," Nashi whispered, pained.
"I…" Gary tried to find an excuse. "I'm okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—" But all his excuses cut off when Nashi hugged him and buried her head into the crook of his neck. Shoulders dropped, he hugged her back and shut his eyes to eradicate the pain of old scars being cut into fresh wounds.
Jaxton watched the two of them with a somberness in his gaze. Well, Checkmate. He looked in his hand at a unique snowflake sitting in his palm. You did tell me to be nice. And he watched as the snowflake dissipated into Ethernano.
DING-DONG!
Jasmine did not know what to expect as she looked around the ranch house with her bladder pressuring her and her mind frazzled. But she certainly did not expect a woman to answer the door. "Oh. Hello," she haltingly greeted. "I must have the wrong house—"
"No, this is the right one," the woman assured. "I'm sorry. Lance is in the study and making sure he has everything prepped for you. I'm his girlfriend, Aine. I didn't want you to have to wait for him to finish."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Lance's Ranch House
Magnolia Town
Fiore, Ishgar
3:37 PM FST
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Jasmine shot her a harried smile. "It's nice to meet you, Aine. I'm—"
"Jasmine Strother," Aine named and her gaze flicked to Jasmine's protruding stomach. "I've heard about you."
Those words set Jasmine on edge. "I can do this another time—"
"Oh, no, I'm sorry!" Aine's smile turned awkward. "I'm sorry. I guess I've yet to master saying what I mean." Her dark browns wavered. "I seem to never say the right things toward people." She stepped aside, widening the door. "Come inside."
"Thank you." Jasmine waddled in, but the pressure was too much to bear. "Could you point me to the bathroom, please and thank you? I'm so sorry to ask—"
"Third door on your right."
"Thank you!"
Aine watched as Jasmine jetted off to the bathroom, curiosity at the forefront. She's the one carrying Pacer's twins. Her gaze softened. And also the woman carrying God Slayers. I don't envy her. Her gaze lowered with a melancholic glint. What a burden to bear.
°•°•°•°
Lance finished shuffling papers around when he heard a knock. He rose up and offered, "Come in."
Jasmine entered with hesitancy in her smile and stance. "Mister Dreyar… Thank you for taking my call and agreeing to meet up with me."
"Thank you for calling me. But please, 'Lance' is just fine." Lance gestured to the armchair he had brought into his study. "Please take a seat and get comfortable. I'm sorry for making you come out all this way."
"I needed to get out of the house," Jasmine sighed and took a seat on the armchair. "My aunt means well, but all I want to do is relax. Our mani-pedis were fun to get, sure, but the twins are making it pretty clear that they don't want to be carnivores or near meat and are aggressive about it." She glared at her stomach. "Jerks."
Lance laughed as he settled back in his chair. As Jasmine declined the water and tea he offered, he said, "To be fair, Pacer was a horribly picky-eater growing up. I suppose it runs in the family."
Jasmine scowled. "Great. Another fun Pacer-gene to deal with." She massaged her temples. "Anything else I should know about him?"
A beat. "Only that he's sincere in every way that matters…and that when he cares about someone, he can't stop caring for them no matter what happens."
Jasmine snorted, rolling her eyes. "Wonderful. A man who clings to his exes is a man I'll happily avoid."
"That's not what I meant."
Burnt umbers connected with soft grayed emeralds.
Jasmine cleared her throat. "I called you today because I realized a few things, as you know."
Lance took the transition of the subject in smooth stride. "Yes. You told me you wanted to know more of my story."
"Yes." Her stare darkened. "I had last night and this morning to think about things." Her hand circled her stomach. "About them…and me." Burnt umbers flickered downward. "Having magical twins would be one thing, but having twins with such abilities… I couldn't imagine it. And even now, it's hard to believe all this gods and monsters mythology."
"Jasmine—"
She held a hand up for his silence. "I know gods are a proven fact. That's not what I'm saying. But it's just…" Her hand flexed on her stomach. "I mean… I'm not like you. I'm not a Wizard. I'm not even a Dim or anything. I can't understand why this happened to me. No one in my family has ever been a Wizard or anything. I triple-checked my family tree and there's…nothing that would warrant this."
"Being a Slayer isn't an inherited gene," Lance said gently.
"Are you sure?" Jasmine pressed. "I know Magic can be inherited, can't it?"
Lance inclined his head. "It can." He bounced lightning between his hands. "For example, for myself and my older siblings, we naturally inherited our father's Lightning Magic. However, none of us inherited our mother's Take-Over ability. That's not to say we aren't capable of using her power. But the opportunity never presented itself for us to do so. And none of us directly inherited just my father's lightning. We each were gifted with different strands that have different abilities."
"But…" Jasmine tried to make heads or tails of this. "There had to be a reason my kids are Slayers, right? Maybe Pacer's grandparents or…or an aunt, maybe? I mean, my family is religious, sure, but we never did anything to make some god want to bless us or anything."
"I can't explain why your twins were chosen to become God Slayers, Jasmine," informed Lance, regrettably. "I wish I had those answers for you, but there are too many variables."
"Right." Jasmine looked down at her lap. "I understand." Her hand clenched. "Even so…"
Steeled burnt umbers crashed into grayed emeralds.
"I need to learn everything about what you know," Jasmine determined. "I might not be a Wizard, but these are my children and this is my life. I'm a damn good attorney. But I'm ignorant when it comes to this world you live in. I know I have my flight home tomorrow. So for now, teach me everything you can about God Slayers. I refuse to keep living in this ignorance. And if you were sincere in anything you said the other day, then I know you'll help me."
Lance sat back, impressed, and admired her for a moment. "Not too many Spiritless adapt well to the truth surrounding Wizard-kind."
"I have around eighteen weeks until the twins come, if that," Jasmine said. "And if what you're saying is true—that I'm also in danger—then I don't get those eighteen weeks to adjust to all of this. I don't have the luxury of time anymore." Teeth gritted. I was naïve to think I ever had time to adjust. So foolish.
Lance took her words into consideration. "I understand. And I'm more than happy to tell you everything and help set up protections to keep you and your twins safe. But don't you think Pacer should be here too?"
Jasmine opened her mouth only to falter.
Lance blinked before softening. "I understand. There's no need to explain. Either way, I'll have to have a separate conversation with Pacer." He looked out the window. "Though I'm sure, knowing him, he'll want to continue his training."
That surprised Jasmine and she echoed, "'Training'?"
"That's right." Lance watched a chirping mother bird and her nest. "Pacer is a Black Mage and is called a 'Seith'. He specializes in possession. However, while he was in Fiore, Pacer wasn't interested in training or in becoming a Guild Mage. He trained, but he wasn't as vigorous in his training like the rest of us."
"He… He could do that?" Jasmine checked. "Aren't Wizards supposed to be in guilds here?" At Lance's chuckled, she scowled. "I don't see what's so funny."
"Forgive me. My apologies for laughing." But Lance could not cloak his smile. "We don't force Wizards to enter guilds or use their powers. Everything we do is a choice we have to make. At least"—a sadness caught his eyes—"that's how it should be for the most part."
He closed his eyes for a few beats. But…that's not the case anymore. And many Independent Wizards around the world are suffering from the countless mandates being placed in the face of the Faction.
Opening his eyes, he turned back to face Jasmine. "Pacer, as a Seith, isn't powerful enough like Pearson to be a Soul Meister."
"A 'Soul…Meister'?"
"Yes." Lance nodded. "Pearson has an incredible ability that allows him to use his soul as an ability. By using various soul wavelengths, he can read and see souls, travel to other dimensions, and other things. Soul Meisters are rare Mages, though, since it's considered a Taboo in some circles and can backfire. Not even Penelope can use her soul to the same ability as Pearson. I'm sure Pacer knows if he wants to get stronger to protect his family, he'll need to get close to Pearson's level."
Lance's words circled around Jasmine. How exactly do Mages train to all these levels? How can they use their abilities? Is it painful? She perished her questions. Now's not the time to ask.
"You told me you can protect my twins, right?"
A heavy air thickened between them, and Lance nodded. "I can't say that my plan is complete. But I believe I've found a method to ensure your twins and other God Slayers I encounter will have a safe haven away from those who want to use them for their abilities."
"And who would that be?" Jasmine pressed. "Your Magic Council? This 'Faction' I hear about on the news? The terrorists?"
Lance refused to lie. "Yes to both." A darkness came over him. "While the Magic Council is the governing body of all Wizard-kind, their rules apply strictly to Wizards of recognized and registered guilds. All other Independents, or Illegals, are not protected by the Magic Council. That's not to say that there aren't checks and balances for those unregistered in guilds.
"The Magical Bureau of Investigation, or MBI, acts as the legal authority over anyone who can use Ether," Lance went on. "They can't offer the same protective rights as the Council, but they can dole out punishment to Ether-users. And even then, not every country has an MBI. They might have something similar, but they don't necessarily have to work in compliance with the Council when it comes to Independents."
"If it's so dangerous to be alone, why not join a guild?" Jasmine questioned.
"If only it were that easy," Lance sighed. "For the past three decades, after the fall of the Black Mage and multiple cults associated with him, there was a power imbalance. Spiritless had begun to see that Wizards were dangerous once again. As such, they began trying to balance out things, but their methods were magist at best and inhumane at worst.
"But that was when Independents and Aberrants realized that Guild Wizards were saved from this unjust reformation. In their anger the Council wouldn't help them, a group called the Faction took it upon themselves to turn against the Council that never acknowledged them and the Spiritless-driven governments that set out to upend their entire livelihoods."
Lance shifted, but his stare was unyielding. "What you see on the news is a fraction of the truth. The Faction has been branded a terrorist group across multiple countries. However, not all of the Faction believes such extremes for reformations are necessary. Many branches of the Faction provide shelter for Independents and Aberrants and advocate for inclusion into the Council bylaws. But with the Faction's heads aggressive in their want for change, peaceful advocacy using the Faction name is warped into everyone being riddled as murderers."
"I…" Jasmine did not know the precise response. I…didn't know…
Maddox's soft murmur haunted her. "Wizards outside of guilds don't have the Council's protection." She remembered seeing that somber smile on his face as he tended to dishes. "Like us, they are bought and sold to Spiritless since we're 'exotic'."
"You know… It would seem like I owe him an apology."
Lance grew curious at the forlorn smile on Jasmine's face and the glint in her eyes. "Who?"
"Pacer," Jasmine named. "I told him…being involved with him and your guys' family was a mistake. I was just…so stressed about this. So much has happened during my break that I don't have a moment to process all these new changes. But that doesn't excuse what I said."
"My parents tried to sell me." Maddox's warm smile. "It's not as tragic as you think. It's very common for this to happen to Aberrant children."
"There's someone close to me who had to endure unspeakable tragedy as a child," Jasmine murmured. "And yet, he smiled the entire time he spoke about it. I've been ignorant and naïve in my beliefs about the world. As an attorney, it's my job to gather the facts and uphold justice for the innocent. But all I've been doing is living in a world where Wizards are villainized and Aberrants are pets…and I was okay with it."
Now Lance understood and soothed, "It's not your fault. The media depicts us how they will. My brother Nik is in the military for the Magic Council as special forces. He's visited countries that use propaganda to encourage Aberrants and Independents to join the government and their militia with false promises of free meals and honor and glory and a salary.
"But it's nothing like that when they've signed the contract. And because a ten-year-old Guild Wizard is considered an adult, these countries who recruit Independents lowered their age barrier to ten as well. And unlike Guild Wizards at that age, these children haven't been training to use their abilities." Static clacked off him. "They're being sent off to die."
Eyes wide, Jasmine felt sick to her stomach. "Oh god." She pressed both hands on her stomach. "How…? How is that legal?"
"It shouldn't be. The Magic Council passed an international law that guilds cannot be drafted into war. But the Council doesn't protect Independents. And so, governments can do as they wish with their Independents." Lightning passed through his eyes as he clenched his hands. "It's inconceivable, but this is the world we live in."
"Oh my god." A shaky breath left Jasmine light-headed. "And I'm…bringing my twins into this world. I…" A heavy swallow.
Lance held strong. "Jasmine Strother. I give you my solemn word that while I'm still breathing, I will devote every ounce of power I have in making sure you and your children never see that side of the world."
"How?" Jasmine rasped. "How can you swear to that?"
"Because I plan to give them a place where this world of exploitation and needless bloodshed doesn't exist," Lance vowed. "You and your twins have made that clear to me. And if you allow me, I'll take you to that place."
My path is clear now. I can't hesitate anymore. His eyes cut to his DAL and looked at the symbol taking up one of his monitors—of a horned gateway. I'll do whatever it takes to re-open the God Realm. And to do that—lightning raged in his eyes—I need to track down The Hearth.
The end of spring break was nigh and Caracole preferred to go out with a bang.
Parties of grandeur were thrown on every block with thumping music, solo cups, and everyone was at least half-naked. It was incredible how the bigger cities looked like spectacles and festivals with the lights and actions springing about.
And yet, in the calmer villages and countryside, most who resided there had little care in partying like the world was ending. They cracked open beers or made star mango cocktails and paired their drinks with scrumptious recipes that electrified the taste buds, but they did not lead loud music and strangers to have a good time. Gary's Caracole house had a few of its lights on, but the energy had dulled into something comfortable and quaint.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
Casa de Gary
Caracole Island
Fiore, Ishgar
9:47 PM CAST
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.
"Come in."
Gary poked his head into the bedroom and an instant smile graced his features. "You look beautiful, Tesla."
"Do I really?" Tesla could not peel herself away from the mirror as she checked her ceremonial hanfu from every angle. Gifted a stark red with gold embroidering, the symbol of Báihǔ stamped onto the train of her hanfu and the blue-green broach of western Zhōnguá hung honorably from her right breast. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. You're gorgeous." He came inside and closed the door. "How are you feeling?"
"Honestly?" Tesla fiddled with her oversized sleeves. "Wired. Nervous. Horny. Did I mention horny?"
Gary sighed. "You're as bad as your boyfriend," he muttered.
"I'd like to hope so." Tesla released a shuttering breath and checked out her ass in the mirror, tugging at the hanfu. "Do you think Báihǔ will like me? Y'know, considering I'm the daughter of an evil Magic Hunter and everything."
Gary chuckled and came closer to stop Tesla's fidgeting. "I think he already does like you," he assured her. "The Great White Tiger of the West works in mysterious ways. He's quiet towards the public, but…he shares a special connection with Jang-ta. If he didn't approve of you being with someone he holds dearly, you'd know." His lips quirked into a grin. "But Jang-ta would probably go against his Guardian if Báihǔ thought of disapproving."
"I wouldn't want him to do that," Tesla nervously laughed. "I mean, it'd suck if he and Báihǔ got into a fight over some insignificant human who dies in eighty years and all that, right?"
Gary softened. "Tesla…"
"I know, I know," Tesla mumbled, playing with her hanfu again. "I know it's not like that. I'm just…nervous. I'm nervous. Like really, really nervous and also really, really horny—"
"Please don't say anymore," Gary begged of her. "Jang-ta is standing on his last legs and I'm going to die by his hand if you tell me how, um…excited you are right now."
Tesla burst into a genuine laugh. "That bad, huh?"
"Yes." Gary grimaced. "He shows restraint around everyone else yet I'm the one who gets subjected to all his abuse and mood swings." He pouted. "And all this work I've gone to the trouble of becoming his friend and he treats me like a kid again."
"You are younger than him."
"Yeah, well, I'm taller!" Gary vehemently protested. "And I'm a man now too! And he treats me the same as always!" Fumes puffed from the top of his head as he raved, "I should demand better treatment from that slave driver! I'm an adult too! He can't just hit me whenever he wants! One of these days, I swear I—!" He paused over Tesla's tittering.
"I'm sorry. This time, I really don't mean to laugh." Grays soft and smile infectious, she looked up at Gary. "It's just… It's funny how close the two of you are. I know it may not seem like it to you because he treats you like a child, but I know that he cares about you."
Gary sobered hearing that with blues sparkling. "Yeah. I know he does." He showed Tesla his cross necklace. "He's the one that gave me this."
"What does it too?" Tesla questioned, intrigued.
"It's similar to a talisman," Gary explained. "It alerts me in the event of harmful enchantments, glamours, projections, drugs—you name it. It warms to let me know I'm close to something that doesn't look like it seems." Blues fondly gazed at the silver cross. "Apparently, this was in his personal treasury at Te Gōng. And yet…he still gifted it to me."
Tesla could feel the weight of Gary's memories and her grin softened into knowing. "He does care, Gary," she murmured. "Just as you do."
"Yeah." Gary clutched his cross necklace. "I know." Blues connected with grays. "And he adores you, Tesla. More than you could ever know. When I met him, he couldn't even conceive being with another person. For assignments, he did what he had to do, but—"
"Wait a second," Tesla halted him, narrow-eyed. "Rewind and freeze on that. What do you mean 'he did what he had to do'?"
Gary blinked before he sweated and his smile turned weak. "D-D-Did I say that? I mean, he was repulsed on any assignments where he had to deal with women and couldn't tolerate it when they'd touch him—"
"Excuse me?"
Gary sweated even more. I don't know what's worse. Facing Tesla or—a dark wrath oozed from the closed door—having to face Jang-ta after exposing him like this. He scrambled to rectify the situation, "W-W-Well, um, I, uh, know that Jang-ta never felt much for anyone before you came into his life." The memories of Jaxton's indifference seared before him. "He was just…blank."
Tesla blinked, taken back.
"You should know by now Jang-ta isn't anyone normal," Gary said. "He's been alive since the cresting end of the Second Black War. He's sacrificed so much to be where he is today. He never had friends. He always had subordinates or coworkers, but friendship?"
A broad back and blank yellow-ambers.
"He never…had that," Gary murmured. "Weiwei is his sister. And he loves her. He'll protect her until the end, but… She wasn't his home. They were fine not seeing each other for years at a time. He always worked. He was always working. He never had the thought of stopping. He wasn't necessarily content with his life. He just had no feelings towards it." He lifted his gaze to capture hers. "And then you came along. And he had a home to protect—a person he cared for. Someone he could trust and emote with. And I can't thank you enough for that."
Tesla fell quiet. And then I came along, huh? The mission. The assignment. I know that's not what he thinks of me now. But… I'm not arrogant enough to think it was just me. Steely grays sparkled. Because…
A light smile. "You couldn't be more wrong."
Gary blinked, puzzled at Tesla's sad smile. "Tesla…"
"Because…it was never just me who gave him a home." Tesla took Gary's hands into his own. "It was you too. You gave him so much more than you think. Yes, he loves me. I'm thankful for that every day. But I've never seen him become so alive around anyone else other than you."
Solemn yellows. "Is my son…happy…with his life in Fiore?"
Mister Yang asked me that question…but there are too many answers to give, she thought. Jang-ta sacrificed his entire life to fit the cruel wants of his parents. He must've been so alone. But then…he wasn't alone anymore because…
Worry filled Gary when warm teals cupped Tesla's cheeks. "Tesla? Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Tesla brushed away her tears. "I'm fine. I'm sorry. Guess this tea really is making me get hormonal, huh? And Jang-ta's not really into the whole crying kink, so I better knock it off."
Gary sighed through his nose with his lips twitching. "Yeah. He's not into that." As he watched Tesla clear her face, he murmured, "I know tonight is something you both want and I'm not discouraging you both from creating something absolutely beautiful. But I want you to know, as Jang-ta's chosen witness for this, I'll be with you both for the first part to make sure things don't get out of control. This will be a new experience for you. Jang-ta would never hurt you and you never would hurt him. But the tea you've been drinking will heighten your basal instincts and lower anything human about you."
"I know. Jang-ta warned me." She touched Gary's cheek. "But I want to do this, Gary. And I want your permission and approval for this too."
"But…" Gary did not comprehend. "Why me? I-I'm not…"
"Because, while Jang-ta's parents are still with him"—Tesla touched his heart—"you are one of the most important people to him. You are his family. And your opinion matters to him and to me."
Gary could not hold back his shock. Tesla… He quietly hmphed, part amused and part honored. "Our family isn't human," he playfully warned her with a sad twinge. "We've…" He clenched his hand. "We've never…been human." And I've…never been…
"And? So what?"
Blues widened at Tesla's nonchalant question.
"Being human or a Lycan or a Devil… What does it matter?" She made a show of making her chains claw her fingers. "Some would argue I'm not human for having Anti-Ether. And in the end…it's hard for me to understand just how human I am with all I am and all I've been through." She dispersed her chains. "But then… There are humans in this world who are awful people, y'know? Rapists and murderers and pedophiles and psychopaths can all be human.
"So tell me," Tesla continued quietly. "What does 'being human' mean? Is the world that black and white that anything inhuman is already bad? Or is the world grayscale and a human can be a horrible villain in a fairy tale as much as a Hunter, a Lycan, and a Devil…can be the heroes?"
Blues widened, then lowered in anguish. "I… I just…"
Tesla's soft beam took an understanding turn. "I'm honored to be part of your family," she shushed him. "Because not once have I judged you for what's out here. I've only ever seen you"—she tapped his heart—"for what's in there. But ultimately, it's your choice how you represent yourself. Devil, Human—that's your choice. Just don't stop being you."
"But…" Gary visibly struggled. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know," Tesla murmured. "But…you do. Because every day that you're living as yourself, loving yourself, learning about yourself…that's you being you, Gary."
"I've killed so many," Gary whispered. "Their blood…" He looked down at his hands and vividly remembered the hallucination of red splotching his flesh as he stood knee-deep in the bloodshed he had initiated. "My hands…are so dirty." He blinked when Tesla's hands cupped his.
"My hands are dirty too," she told him. "As is Jang-ta's. Dirty with blood and expectations and nightmares. But in the end, your hands were made for more than just destruction. After all"—her smile widened—"these are the hands that hold your Angel, aren't they?"
Gary's lips parted only to press together, trembling. Yes. His fingers curled into his palm. These hands…get to hold Angel…and never let her go. Right—blues glimmered—Skade?
"Now." Tesla slowly released his hands to grab a red shoebox. "Help me put on my veil?"
Gary lowered his hands as he cleared away everything outside his soft brotherly affection. "Of course I will." He took the box in his hands, but he paused before opening it. "And just so you know, Tesla… I've always approved of you. So welcome to the family."
Eyes aglow, Tesla did not dare hold back her beam. "Glad to be here…nephew."
°•°•°•°
It was not that Jaxton meant to pace back and forth, but it could not help it. His stark-red Zhongshan suit with the embroidered symbol of Báihǔ would not fit well for this occasion nor would a qun kwa. For once, his age preceded him.
Traditional regalia draped over his body in the form of his imperial hanfu. The white looked the same as the fur of his Lycan Form and gold embroidered and twisted with the traditional art of the dragon. But the blue-green embroidered outlined the symbol of Báihǔ on his robe. His hair had been tied back with his traditional hairpin crown he had brought from his home.
A bridegroom Cultivator waiting for his Chosen.
His pacing stopped when the door open with yellow-ambers at the forefront. Awe and wonder brushed his face as he saw Tesla slowly step out with a lace red veil covering her face and her hands tucked into her sleeves. He could not wait a second more and ate up the distance at inhuman speed to be before her.
Tesla laughed. "Eager, are we?"
"For you? Always." Jaxton meant every word and cataloged every centimeter of her. "You look like…everything I could've dreamed of and more."
"You look like my fantasy," Tesla teased him. "I'm going to remember this for years."
Jaxton's lips quirked upwards. "You better. This is the ceremonial hanfu my grandfather wore when he went to the temple to marry my grandmother. Just as your hanfu is from my grandmother."
"Your parents—"
"My grandmother left these robes to me within my treasury," Jaxton eased. "I never understood the reason. My mother was never offended. And she'll never know I have these robes." He touched the edges of Tesla's veil. "The next time you wear this, we'll be in Zhōnguá."
"Bold of you to assume we'll last that long," Tesla quipped with a hint of anxiety.
"I have no intentions of letting you go, tian xin," Jaxton rumbled. "You shouldn't have agreed to let me get a taste of you if you planned on running from me."
Tesla hummed her laughter as her hand came up to rake his jaw. "I do love it when you chase me."
"Good." Jaxton took hold of her wrist to kiss her palm whilst staring her down with hungry eyes. "Then don't make tonight easy for you. Once I find you, I won't stop until we're satisfied."
Tesla's shoulders heaved with her steady exhale. "Oh, how I want that so much."
"I'm right here," Gary said dryly as he held Tesla's train. "Please don't start your intimacy in my presence." He hid behind Tesla when Jaxton gave him a filthy glare. "Well, you'd kill me if I watched," he pointedly reminded. "Anyway, can we get to the boat now? We should start the ceremony soon before the final symptoms of the tea give way."
Jaxton nodded and fell to Tesla's side with her hand tucked into his arm. "Are you ready?"
"Mmm." Tesla leaned against him. "Always."
°•°•°•°
"You'll just show the pictures to JJ and Ellie. No."
"You're such a bitch sometimes."
Nashi lazed about in her and Gary's bed with one of his shirts on and put on a J-drama up on the flat screen. Olivia took up her ⟪ FaceCall Audio ⟫ while she kicked back on her gathered pillows.
Olivia snickered. "Don't give me that. Sorry I'm not like you and post about my boy toy every fifteen minutes. My social media manager does all that stuff for me so I can keep training."
"Or getting naked," Nashi teased.
Olivia gave an exasperated sigh. "Okay, who are you and what has JJ done to you?"
Nashi giggled, crossing her legs. "I'm not JJ-fied quite yet," she quipped. "But this trip has certainly been an experience. That's for sure."
"It's nice that Justin and Gary are getting along again," Olivia admitted. "I know Oreo was pretty happy to hear about it."
Nashi's amusement faded. "And how's he doing?"
"He said Ezra's not looking that great," Olivia confessed in a murmur. "But…he did consent to setting up a meeting with Saudade in the summer. So I guess that's something, y'know."
"Yeah. That's something." Nashi twisted onto her side and toyed with a lock of hair. "It's just so weird, what happened between Ezra and Daddy, y'know? They were so…good together. Not to say she isn't good with Majime or anything, but I just… I really thought Ezra loved her."
"We all did," Olivia sighed. "But Oreo says there's more to the story than we know."
"Gary says that too," Nashi grimly put. "I know it's not our place to know but I wish we did."
"Yeah, same." Some shuffling. "But it's between exes. Honestly, I'm surprised Majime is so chill with a lot of this. It's not like Daddy has feelings for him or anything, but Ezra and her are still pretty complicated. It doesn't help about him getting drunk and basically leaving messages he's still in love with her.
"I meant it when I said I love you." Galileo's slurred truths. "I might be your second, but I had you first."
A haze of thoughts drowned Nashi. Is this what Saudade had to deal with? This type of ruin? Does Erza tell her that he still wishes he was her only?
Olivia's voice faded back in. "…but the chief is thinking about me coming to some dinner she's having with Immortal Yang, the western leader of Zhōnguá. She's not happy about the dinner, but she has to oblige since Wu Xing remains in a blood debt to her. I don't know why—"
"Hey, Liv?" Nashi haltingly called. "Have you…? Have you heard from Leo in a while?"
"Not really," Olivia answered, a bit distracted. "Well, I guess a little the other day. He was just asking about Wu Xing and if he could visit, but that was it."
"Oh… I see." Nashi closed her eyes with a silent exhale through her nose. What was I thinking? That he would've told his own sister about what happened?
"She's a good woman, Nashi. She wanted me as her first." The ramblings of a drunk in the past were haunts of the present. "So why do I still want you when I could be her first? Can I still earn my way to be your first?"
Teeth grounding together, she tightened her grip on her Com like her fingers were a noose.
"Nashi? Is everything okay?" Olivia asked with a note of caution. "Did my stupid brother do something?"
"No." Lies, lies, lies. "I just…" Hemming and hawing would not fly. She had to think of something. "Were you…ever afraid of Gale?"
"What?"
"I just mean… His eyes," Nashi said. "That he had a look in his eyes around Luna. Did that ever scare you?"
Five beats.
"Not as much as Igneel's eyes."
That startled Nashi. "What?"
"Yeah. Igneel was someone I always worried about," Olivia confessed. "His eyes… I couldn't describe it. Even though he was younger, he was powerful. Had I stayed behind instead of taken my first S-Class assignment, I wouldn't have sparred with him. His eyes… Sometimes he'd look at me and I couldn't tell if a human was looking at me or something else." A beat. "Lady J feels the same about Silver."
Nashi's gut twitched. "Really?"
"She told me she feels like something is going on with him, but she doesn't know what," Olivia explained. "But at the Family Day event, I guess Silver looked at her in some type of way that she felt cautious of." A long yawn. "Which is pretty weird. Silver isn't that big of a fighter or a threatening person to begin with. Honestly, I'd get worried about how soft-hearted he is. It's not that he can't fight back, but…"
Nashi prompted. "'But'…?"
"Well, it's not like I didn't want Lady J and Gale, but I know Silver was hurt listening to some of their comments," Olivia revealed. "That's why I'm happy to see him back to his old self more and more. When Gary told me Silver was back at knitting and make-up, I was super proud of him. But I know he changed a lot for his friends because of all the times Lady J and Gale poked fun back then."
"Yeah, well, Gale can be an asshole."
Olivia snorted. "You're right about that. It's a miracle someone as sweet as your sister could remotely stand him."
"Well, she does have a lot of prospects these days," Nashi admitted in singsong.
The pair shared a brief laugh.
Nashi's eyes shut with a hint of a smile on her lips—
"Why did you ask about Galileo?"
A hint of panic hit Nashi as she flailed for a natural-sounding answer. But when nothing whipped out sounded remotely believable, the hard truth was the only acceptable answer to give. "He called me," she confided like it was a great secret. "He was drunk and he was…saying something things."
"Like…?"
"Like—!" Nashi splayed an arm over her eyes. "Like…how he cared about me, among other things."
Six beats.
"I see."
Nashi sat up with her jaw ajar. "You 'see'?"
"Nashi—" Olivia broke into a loud breath. "I've known that something has been bothering him. Ever since you both ended things, he just seemed so…out of it. He wasn't interested in jobs or training. He just sort of laid around. He was depressed."
That rankled. "And you're blaming me?"
"No," Olivia soothed, no offense taken. "What you two had was and is your business. Was I disappointed in you when you kept sleeping with him after Gary? Yeah, I was, for both Gary's sake and Galileo's sake. I felt horrible for Gary because I could see how withdrawn he was becoming in those months you avoided him when you could have talked to him. And I felt horrible watching my brother want to cling to you and basically backstab his own friend because he fell in love with you and was just hopeful you'd stay."
Self-loathing curdled in Nashi's stomach as she drew up her news. Her sins—her ruin—weighed on her mind and shoulders like a scarlet letter. Weakly, she asked, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"All of us did," Olivia gently put. "You just didn't want to hear it. I'm severely happy you and Gary are together now, but we kept telling you to talk to him, especially Justin. You were processing things. We understood that. And Gary's… He's such a nice guy when it comes to things like this, Nashi. If you avoided him for the rest of your life, he'd never chase after you or hunt you down. He's a good person."
"Gary is a better man than me." The night of ruin plundered on inside Nashi's head. "He isn't selfish. He isn't greedy. He wants you happy and doesn't care if your happiness isn't with me. He would never force his way to be your first."
Olivia murmured, "I love you like you're my sister, but you broke his heart, Nashi. And it's so worrying how okay he was with that. He wasn't okay, not really, but he was content to let things happen. And my twin is an idiot who deserved Gary's anger, but you know what? Gary held it in. I know he did. Because he's that type of guy, Nashi."
"I know." A tear squinted out of Nashi's eyes, but she refused to cry now. Not when Gary's pain needed more attention than her guilt. "I know I hurt him. And I know I hurt Leo too."
"You were all hurting," Olivia consoled. "I understand you needed time after you and Gary slept together because you felt something and it was so new and overwhelming. But I wish you hadn't gone back to Leo. And I wish he had turned you down. None of that needed to happen."
"I know." That was all she could say, right? I know I know I know. "I'm sorry."
"You don't owe me or Ellie or JJ an apology," Olivia promised her. "I'm not telling you this to be a bitch. It's talked about and done for you and for Gary, but it might not be for my brother. I don't want you and hm to be the next Saudade and Ezra. But…"
Nashi gulped, throat scratchy yet her cheeks were wet. "'But'…?"
"Maybe…it's time for you to let each other go."
Hickories widened, breath hitched, before she shut her eyes.
°•°•°•°
The lighthouse kept its watchful eye out for boats tonight with the stars out and about to witness this auspicious evening. The pocket cruiser docked at the secret port was prepped with an efficient crew. But they were all saluting and smiling when they saw Gary come down. With the pocket cruiser ready to set sail and the diagnostics complete, Gary could only watch with a soft smile on his face as he watched them glide their way down.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"I know all about Galileo liking you when you guys were younger. I know you guys were each other's first kiss, first times—a lot of firsts. But you have a first now."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Island-hopping was relaxing when you went in comfort.
Gary headed the boat with his destination insight of Tejocote. But in the reflection of the glass, he could see a veiled Tesla leaning against Jaxton. Yellow-ambers met blues in the reflection for a brief moment before Jaxton turned his attention back to his Chosen.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"I wish you and Galileo could go back to being friends. I truly do. But right now, becoming friends would take a tremendous effort that neither one of you can put in, not with how everything is so fresh and raw."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Huang Chun was there at the discrete dock to receive them. He made sure the boat was tied down before stepping back. Jaxton exited the boat first, but he was delicate in helping Tesla make it onto the dock and kept lingering hands on her waist. The couple looked up when Gary made it off the boat, but all three of them looked up the stone stairwell indented into the island that they could need to climb.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"That's not to say it won't happen in the future. But right now, Nashi… Ask yourself this. After hearing what Galileo said, even though he was drunk…do you think it's wise to keep being close friends to him, knowing what you know?"
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The clearing they had chosen was one of the ledges of the island. In another life, in another time, this would have made for a perfect destination wedding.
Satin cushions of a plush red were all Tesla and Jaxton had to kneel on, but they kowtowed to the miniature altar of Báihǔ with incense and offerings presented to the Great White Tiger of the West. Once their prayer and submission had passed, they took turns pouring each other tea into their chawan (tea bowl). But they together served Gary his chawan, much to his surprise.
But he smiled and drank from his cup.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"I… Livy, I…"
"You don't have to answer now. It's just something to think about, okay?"
"I… Yeah, okay."
"And one more thing."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The tea ceremony over and done, Jaxton rose to his feet and made sure to help Tesla to hers. With a tremored breath, his fingers danced along her lace veil before lifting it from her face.
Glistening steely grays matched glowing yellow-ambers.
It was time.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"Galileo might have had you first…but Gary will have you always."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
It was excruciating for Jaxton to watch Tesla strip each piece of her ceremonial regalia. Every inch of her inviting curves and watching her nipples peak thanks to a sudden breeze had him fighting to keep himself in place. But she played a dangerous game when she sauntered to him, a Female teasing her Male. Her feathered kisses and touches cemented retribution for this pleasure-pain he endured. She could feel all he had to offer her and her hands wandered to stroke him through his robes, but his heavy pant made her dart away with a teasing grin on her lips.
Jaxton bared his teeth in warning. He did not appreciate his Chosen's teases if it did not lead to indescribable pleasure.
Gary stepped in without looking at either of them. "Tesla, you have a thirty-minute head-start before Jang-ta comes for you," he reminded her. "You don't have to worry about any animals. You're free to run without reservation."
"I understand." Grays shyly glanced at Jaxton. "I'll be waiting for you to catch me."
"Don't make it easy for me," Jaxton growled at her as he itched to be on four paws and sniff his Chosen to see if she was prepared.
Tesla's grin broadened and she lifted her chin in challenge. "Oh, Jang-ta, you know I won't make it easy for you." She crooked a tempting finger at him. "Catch me."
Instinct won in the end when Tesla sprinted into the trees. Jaxton's body moved to give chase and satisfy Nature's Intent, but the rabid snarl that tore through his throat aimed for the one who stopped him. The change was fluid as Jaxton snapped his jaws as a wolf at Gary and made sure to show his teeth. He did not appreciate this Male keeping him from Nature's Intent. Another misstep and he would make sure to take out the threat against his Female.
Gary never batted an eye and spoke in dulcet tones, "Jang-ta, lěngjìng ba."
Jaxton snapped his teeth at him, snarling, before spearing a heated stare into the forest. His tongue flicked out, hopeful to catch a sign his Chosen was prepared for him—
"Jang-ta."
Jaxton growled, but he fell back into his human form with his white hair and glowing eyes. He warned Gary, "Don't try that again."
"I won't." Gary sat down, crisscrossed, and poured himself more tea. "You have twenty-nine minutes, Jang-ta. Why don't you sit and have some more tea?"
Jaxton prowled back and forth, but he ultimately chose to sit down, even if he declined tea. "I feel restless," he bit. "How did you manage this?"
"I'm not a Lycan for one." Gary wafted the scent of his tea. "My experience was very different." Blues glinted in a wistful affection. "I was a child when Angel invoked my Devil name that cemented it. And when her memories returned and her feelings as well… Everything felt like a dream."
Jaxton tossed aside his agitation to examine Gary. "You've loved her for a long time."
"Yes." Gary would not deny that. "I have."
Jaxton hummed and decided to pour his own tea. "And she's seen the painting?"
"Yes, she has."
"Good."
A comfortable hush.
"I never did thank you."
Jaxton lifted his chawan to his lips and muttered, "For what?"
"Your condition. For me to finish my painting." Gary looked down at his chawan to see his reflection. "I never intended for Angel to see it. But painting… It helped ground me to everything. It helped remind me…of who I am and what I've been through."
Jaxton glanced at him before looking at the trees and sipping his tea.
"You told me…I had to become me, right?" Gary fingered the edges of his chawan. "That was the promise we made that day."
• — • — • — • — •
"But…what does that mean?"
Jaxton looked down at a lost barely-teenaged Gary with all the seriousness in the world. "It means there will come a day when you will have to face something incredibly difficult, even more so than what you've faced. And at that moment, I'll come for you and ask you who you are. And if you can't answer that question honestly, then I…"
Gary's breath hitched when power glowed from Jaxton's palm as he aimed at Gary's heart.
"…will kill you where you stand right here." Yellow-ambers flamed. "And you won't have to worry about who you are anymore. Because I will answer that question for you." He showed his teeth. "Permanently."
• — • — • — • — •
A sad little thing of a smile cupped Gary's features as his finger dragged around the chawan. "A day will come when I can't answer who I am. But I've always struggled with it. Gary… Skade… I'm not them but I am and still… After all this time, you've never killed me."
"I see no reason to," Jaxton said honestly. "I have no intention of killing you now, not when you're struggling. But the way I see it, you're not struggling in a negative way. You're struggling in a positive way."
"But…" Gary looked at Jaxton in puzzlement. "Jang-ta…"
"You aren't the only one with identity issues that I've sworn to kill," Jaxton told him with the ghosts of his pasts coming back to plague him. "Many people don't know who they are. Some built systems. Others dissociated from reality and can't accept their past to move on in their future. But even if it seems like you aren't' making progress, by you saying 'I don't know' is progress."
"But then…" Gary tried to piece together the secrecy of Jaxton's words. "But I…"
"I still struggle with it too, little Devil."
Gary blinked seeing such raw emotion twisted on Jaxton's face. Jang-ta…
"I've served as Immortal Yang's weapon more than her son," Jaxton murmured. "My work keeps me busy from the truths of what I've been through, the lives I've taken. But in those moments of quiet where I should find solace…all it does is bring me pain. Because that quiet becomes filled with every memory I have of every atrocity they ordered me to commit." His hand clenched. "And if Tesla knew what I've done—"
"But you didn't want to do it," Gary quickly inserted, distraught. "You would never—!"
"I know I would never," Jaxton interrupted. "But even so… That doesn't mean I'm not scared that one day, I could revert back to who I was before."
"But… You're you," Gary reasoned with quiet disbelief. "You don't get scared."
A mirthless chuckle made Jaxton bow his head. "You really are such a foolish kid." He sighed and let his gaze take to the stars. "I get scared too, Gary, all the time. I'm confident when I need to be, but at the end of the day, I'm still a person. The amount of fear I had when Tesla fell sick in my own home… The amount of fear I have for her when something triggers her past… The amount of fear I have for myself that this could all be a dream too good to be true." He sipped his tea. "And the amount of fear I have for you too."
"Me?" Gary echoed.
Jaxton tilted his head. "Is that so hard to believe?"
"Ah…" Gary looked down at his chawan. "Well, I just… I just thought…" A rough swallow. "I just never thought you'd feel that way when it came to me."
Quiet.
"Damn pissant."
Gary flinched when Jaxton's head landed on his hand. "But—" All his words were gone when he felt Jaxton rub his head with a softness washing away his normal passiveness. He…
"I was always worried about you," Jaxton revealed quietly. "You were young—you're still young—and you were put in an era where it's harder and harder to be discrete. I was worried about the Hunters that would come for you. I was worried when you had a nightmare or when you wouldn't eat. I was worried you'd never find your true will to live. And that you would turn your pain into hatred and use that hatred for revenge.
"But you never did," he continued. "You struggled and you suffered, but in some miracle, you didn't turn jaded. You were kind. You had heart. And those became your biggest strengths. You didn't attack; you protected. You grew into someone strong and compassionate. Uki could not have a better teacher in guiding her away from her black and white views from the world and to learn about acceptance."
The small smiles Jaxton made towards others were infrequent. Tesla reserved his genuine beams and laughter. But his lips spread into an affectionate smile for this Ice Devil he watched grow up. "I'm always going to worry about you. But that doesn't take away from the fact that you've become someone great." He added in tempered tenderness, "I am proud of you for all that you've become, all that you have become, and all that you will become. I have always been proud of you. As Skade, as Gary—as you."
Blues widened hearing such praise before they watered.
Jaxton's face went flat. "Don't cry, Gary."
It was too late as Gary sniffled and withheld all his crocodile tears.
Jaxton sighed and rubbed his neck with a bit of pink on his cheeks. "Why are children so emotional?"
Gary sniffled and mumbled petulantly, "I'm not a child. I'm a man now."
Jaxton sighed, but the familial affection would not be shaken off. I guess you are. But to me…—the memories of Gary as a barely-teenager as he painted on the ceiling held such fondness—you're still just a kid I want to protect.
The relaxed hush that folded over them lasted until half an hour dwindled into sparing minutes. Upon mutual agreement, Gary and Jaxton got to their feet. Jaxton went through the delicate process of removing each part of his ceremonial hanfu with Gary there to collect them.
"She's amazing." Gary said this as he watched the wilderness. "Tesla, I mean. She really is amazing."
"Even after knowing who her father is?"
Gary chuckled before exhaling his humor. "Even that. Because…she's not her father. She's not a Magic Hunter. She never asked for Anti-Ether. She was born with it. And even with her hands being dirty, that doesn't mean she can't do something wonderful with her powers."
"What does 'being human' mean?" Tesla's soft question throttled back at him "Is the world that black and white that anything inhuman is already bad? Or is the world grayscale and a human can be a horrible villain in a fairy tale as much as a Hunter, a Lycan, and a Devil…can be the heroes?"
Wind tussled his hair and his back flexed as though his wings were adjusting.
His own words to Uki scolded him. "People associate Curses and Devils and Demons with negativity and death and hatred. But that's not true at all. Anyone can have humanity and anyone can not have it."
The heavens imprinted in his eyes as his lashes fell half-mast. For the longest time, I preached to others about how there is beauty in every living thing. The world is not creation and destruction. When given the chance, anyone can create something beautiful. But I never applied it to me. How hypocritical of me. Frost exhaled. But now…maybe…I could try learning it too.
Tesla's soft croon, "Because every day that you're living as yourself, loving yourself, learning about yourself…that's you being you, Gary."
Me being me, huh? His shoulders relaxed with the next breeze. I see…
Jaxton finished the last garment of his hanfu and did not wait. He shifted into a white wolf and shook out his fur. Kneading the grass, his nose was on high alert for his Chosen. Instinct fed him new sensations and urges to comply. Nature's Intent would not be ignored once he smelt his Chosen was ready—
"Jang-ta?"
Jaxton swished his tail, but he turned his head to fixate a questioning look at Gary.
Gary stepped forward and his hand stroked Jaxton's muzzle. "I… Well, you've been through a lot too. You didn't have to obey Checkmate and look out for me, but you did. You worked hard to become the person you are now. And I'm honored to have you as my family…and Tesla as my new family. What I mean to say is"—pink touched his cheeks as he beamed—"I'm really proud of you too, Mister Yang. Thank you…for everything."
Yellows glinted.
Jaxton snorted before he stepped closer and bowed his head, nuzzling and scenting this Male—his family. The moment was abandoned when Jaxton stepped back with one last lingering look. His nose tilted up as he howled to the heavens of his intentions for the night, his intent to claim his Chosen and give into instinct.
Gary could only watch as Jaxton finished his song to turn tail and hard-sprinted towards the tree line. Go get her, Jang-ta. His black wings stretched and flexed out. And I'll do the same.
°•°•°•°
Jaxton's paws pounded against the forest floor as he scented the air. Nature's Intent heightened with each step he took. Mount mate breed clam cycled through his head and nothing would detract from that urge. His tongue caught the alluring scent of her preparations, but his little Chosen was smart to try and confuse him as she zigzagged and looped back, even traveling up some of the streams to make his hunt difficult.
A growl worked his throat.
He would catch his Chosen.
A softer set of paws made his ears flick and his growl turned into a full-blown snarl. But it died in his throat when he saw who was running through the trees.
Unblinking yellow-ambers.
A white tiger grappled the land with graceful paws and glowing eyes. He rushed through the trees to keep shoulder to shoulder and offered chuffs of encouragement. With a bow of his head, every dash he made gradually faded his form until the white tiger was nothing more than a memory.
Jaxton slowed for a moment before he ran with renewed vigor through the woods. Thank you, Báihǔ…for accepting my Chosen as your daughter.
°•°•°•°
It did not bother Nashi that someone had knocked on the door, but it surprised her when Gary was the culprit. "You don't have to knock."
"I know." Gary made it to the side of the bed. "But I felt like I should." He searched her eyes. "You've been crying."
Nashi could not deny it. "A little…"
Gary cupped her cheek, thumbing it, but he did not press for the reason behind her tears. Instead, he asked her a fatal question. "Would Angel like to take a walk with me?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • — • — • —
And then
— • — • — • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And their walk was never a walk on the ground, restricted to two feet. That was how both of them had dressed in comfortable clothes with their wings stretched as they glided through the air. The cold of the nighttime was more of a brisk cool. It was the wind that made you cold. But between an Ice Devil and an Angel gifted her Devil's immunity, the cold never bothered them anyway.
Their flight path took them over stretches of farmland where the streetlights and the stars were all that was left to guide those rooted to the ground. Their gazes split between the skyline and below, cataloging like it was natural for them to do. But Nashi focused when she witnessed the secret union of two lovers. Sweet, it was, watching the pair make a giddy getaway from her home and onto her girlfriend's bike down the way to adventure into the night.
Gary glanced over and caught where Nashi's gaze lingered, but he said nothing more.
The extinct volcano of Caracole had become home to the rich and home to the mountain-lovers of Caracole, yes, but it had patches of crested perches perfect for a romantic night, as long as you were careful.
Gary took point to circle one of the rocky perches carpeted with grass and some mossy stones. He landed first, but his wings simply folded against his back, and Nashi let hers do the same. He helped her sit on the ledge and his wing automatically cupped her side.
Nostalgia crept up on Nashi in a chuckle. "You always do that."
"It's instinct," Gary reasoned. "I've been dying to do it since we've got here." He slid his fingers between hers. "It's like I'm holding you. It's hard to explain, I guess."
Nashi hummed, and the conversation diminished for a moment. But she sparked a new topic only moments later. "How did everything go with Jax and Tesla?"
"Good." The view the ledge gifted them showed Estrelmar and Tejocote, and his blue regard befell Tejocote. "I'm happy for them both."
"Yeah?"
"Mmm."
Nashi glanced up at him. "You and Jaxton really are that close, huh? What did you think of his relationship with Tesla before?"
What a loaded question to answer for Gary to sift his thoughts. "Well…"
X – X – X – X - X
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"When Jang-ta first told me about Tesla…I was worried."
"What? Why?"
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
She would not make this easy, as promised.
The moment the white wolf slunk from the shadows with the moon saturating his pelt, she did not care he kept his head low. A Male reeking of hope for a future. His attempt to sniff her sex to see if she was prepared was met with a swipe of her nails and the attempt to run. But he blocked her path to run as he whined for her to give him a chance for a future.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"Jang-ta's culture… It's hard for many people to adjust. But in the end, it never mattered. Seeing how Tesla wholeheartedly accepted every part of him made me happier than I ever could have been."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The dance between them was full of subtleties and sensual nuance. She went still and when he edged closer, she did not dare to attack him—a Female examining the worthiness of this Male.
Crawling, he whined his submission. Too eager and she would attack. Too slow and she would move on. He had to keep himself as an in-between. But his nose picked up on her offerings that slickened between her legs and he could not be shy about his intentions. He risked her wrath stealing a taste for himself, of his Chosen's offerings, but she shivered in his presence instead of running him off and showing him her teeth.
The heat wafting from her to allure, to attract, to push forward Nature's intent thickened with another rivet between her legs. This was her offer. This was her preparing for a future.
Fur exchanged for skin as he knelt at her feet and pushed his intentions through his eyes before he greedily took another taste.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"And…the fact that she accepted me too. And that she even wanted my approval—"
"She did? How come?"
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
She shuddered and whined when his tongue lapped for more. More of her. More of her body's offerings. Her twitches made him growl to be still. Big hands claimed her ass as he dragged his tongue to her sex and selfishly tasted what she had to offer him.
A Male preparing his Female.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"She told me I'm Jang-ta's family. Hearing her say that… I guess while I had it in the background of my thoughts…it still made me happy to hear it."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Overridden with a clawing pressure, she aimed for his head, but he dodged in time. Her teeth showed. He had tasted her offerings enough. But the noise from her throat contradicted her agitation and the raked onceover she fed him in his naked glory, especially seeing what he had to offer.
An impressive Male.
His growl questioned her motive and his stare sought hope she would give him a future. He circled her, his Chosen, not willing to let his one chance of a future flee.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"Jang-ta has always been somewhat of a brother to me. No, that's not right. He's been family to me this whole time."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Her pace to get on all fours and Present to him what she offered was timed and calculated. If he rushed and tried to take what was not his, he would suffer and leave with blood scratched on him and his hope for a future gone. She might be his Chosen, but she held the power to give him what his nature craved for.
But her back bowed in her submission and tempted him with a heat he could not deny. Gushes of her offerings made drops hit the grass and lathered her thighs, but her body was prepared for him in every way. And she would give him a future.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"He's taught me so much. He was there for me when I couldn't even be there for me. And he's been through so much."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Pleasure was not part of this, not part of Nature's Intent.
He was on her in an instant and mounted her, spurned to secure his future. But the moment his cock lined up with her sex and he thrust—
She wailed.
Her nails dug into the grass as she writhed from the brute force of his rutting, but her ass lifted for more of him, more of what he had to offer. The slick her body prepared eased their coupling into her drenched sex as though Nature did her best to soften the brutality of this—a Male rutting his Female.
Possessed with the tightness of her pussy, he gave her no respite as he gripped her hips and served her every ounce of his intentions. Even in this unspeakable desire of caving to Nature's Intent, one eye glared at his surroundings with a snarl to ward any threat that dared stop him from having a future.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"But I see him with Tesla and it's like watching his word light up."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The climax snuck up on her and had her howl to the stars as she clamped down on him. Any pain that needled her was forgone as her back arched and she shoved back against him, rocking him, feeding herself into her next sweet, mind-shattering ecstasy. The wound-up tightness that cocooned him as he rutted loosened as her body surrendered to him.
His harsh pant and fried nerves did him no favors as he felt blood rush down with whispers to secure his future turning into aggressive snarls.
Her surrender was not enough.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"He loves her to the point of no return."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Her ecstasy withered when she felt a subtle stretch hurt her. She was not used to this. She was not used to a Male doing this. This hurt. All the pleasure humming within her could not compare to something bigger trying to batter her depths.
She whined to her Chosen in the hopes his rutting would ease, but he stroked her like a man possessed and chased to complete the final part to claim his future.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"He's shown her sides the world will never see."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
A stir pierced her chest and she could feel glimpses of him threading through her own emotions. She felt his need to mate through her bones. She felt pulsations of his Nature. Part of her wanted to curl into feeling him within the hook tethered within her chest, but she could not when she yelped at the swollen knot trying to push past her resistance.
The stretching grew and grew no matter her wines. She wriggled and shifted when his grinding thrusts plowed this swelling deeper inside her. He growled with his teeth aching as he whittled away her resistance. His base had swollen to prepare for his future and with each push, he was closer to committing his claim.
SMACK-SMACK-SMACK!
One-two-three thrusts in until he forced his knot inside her—
She cried out in a hitch-pitched yip as he held her still to keep their lock in place. Slick gifted them an easier mating and made her pussy yawn to accommodate his knot, their lock, their connection. But he was not finished.
Firmer strokes ground mercilessly within her as he filled every inch of her and could feel his instincts rear their head. He was sporadic as his hips flexed and he steadied her with an arm around her waist and another keeping them both from collapsing on the ground, but he was close. He was so, so close—
A burst of an orgasm rocked through her and it was their undoing when he hit home and released.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
— • —
"And I really hope that he and Tesla remain each other's onlys for the rest of their lives."
— • —
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
At first, she whined.
She meant to get away, but she flinched when he snapped his teeth at her to be still and rocked into her to remind her of their future. His low growl did not promise aggression towards his Chosen, but it warned her this was not over.
Shaky, raw, and exposed, she whimpered.
His praising croons matched her whimpers as he released everything he had to offer and sealed their future. Their lock made sure they would not part until all was satisfied. Like a good Male, he nuzzled his Female, skin to skin, praising her for her effort and her consent to a future. Less anguished, she sank into his warmth lazily and hummed for him, and he cloaked her with his body heavy on her back.
A Male protecting his newly-claimed Female.
Thin threads sparked between them with spikes of their high-strung emotions giving them away. It was like skimming your fingers along the water—the sensation was staggering, jolting, unexpected, before it became subtle and it did not consume you. Each little pulse sent between them solidified the threads. No words could describe their emotions. Their humanity was too out of reach for them to understand speech. But his croons and coddles and how deeply he was nestled in her did not need to be ruined with words. And her languid hums and rocking needed no description.
They were connected.
With the moon's eyes squinting down at them, they stayed locked together as they explored these thin threads that connected them both, as they accepted their future.
Y – Y – Y – Y – Y
°•°•°•°
Gary scratched his cheek, flushed. "Silly, huh?"
"I don't think that at all," Nashi said, thumbing his knuckles. "I think it's sweet and endearing you want that for your friends. And that's the same as me." Her gaze went to the stars. "It's so strange how all of this happens. How relationships become relationships. We start from becoming strangers and for some, it can take five minutes to be friends or lovers. And for others, it can take days at a time to years."
Hickories dimmed. "And just like that, those same relationships can dissolve either over time or through words or…maybe they were supposed to dissolve this entire time."
Gary hummed his contemplation. "The death of a relationship is something that's okay to mourn over, Angel."
"What?" Nashi looked at him, surprised. "But how—?"
"I don't know all of it. But I could tell something weighed on Ange's mind when it came to Galileo," Gary told her. "I know you're both friends, but I know our relationship and Angel's past one with him could make him uncomfortable or shift a balance."
Nashi shook her head and sighed, "You're too smart and nice for your own good, you know that?" She jabbed a finger at him. "I told you to be more mean and selfish."
"I can be mean." Gary brightly showed ice handcuffs and chirped, "I can restrain Angel and edge her until she cries for mercy."
"That's not what I meant!"
Gary chuckled while Nashi fumed, and he dismissed the cuffs. If you knew how mean and selfish I am, you wouldn't want me anymore. If you knew how much I never wanted you to leave—how I'd do anything to stay by your side—you'd leave. Blues sparked with grim resignation. I'm not the good man you think I am. I've been cruel and horrible. And I'm…still afraid.
Nashi felt winter dampen and tightened her hold on Gary's hand. "Hey," she soothed. "It's okay."
"It's not okay," Gary whispered. "I'm… I'm a coward."
"Gary—"
"I've been afraid. For so long, I've been afraid," Gary persevered, trembling. "Because… Because I didn't want to face the truth. But it's so hard now. And I'm still scared."
Nashi saddened. "Gary…"
"But I… I don't want to be scared anymore," Gary told her in choked confession. "I want to… I… I want…"
Nashi stroked Gary's cheek as summer blanketed winter. "What do you want, Gary?"
Inhale. Exhale. In. Out. Gary controlled his wintry breaths and chained down his rapidly beating heart. A swallow made him taste metal and he felt like he would be sick, but he forced his words past his lips. "I want to know the truth. I want…Angel to know the truth. And I want Angel to look at my soul." His tongue thickened and twisted at the request. "And I want Angel to tell me what she sees because…"
Pained blues met soft hickories.
His admission came in soft breath. "Because Skade was never real."
— • — • — • —
Come on now, dance tonight
We can boogie till the morning
There's no plans tonight
We gonna have a Good One
Mizugiwa no playground
Konna kyouku wo play
And we can dance tonight
Hey we gonna have a Good One
•
Wanna see you move like this
I like it, you like it
Side to side, front to back
He likes it, she likes it
Wanna see you move like this
We like it, they like it
Upside-down, inside-out
And it's gonna be a good one!
— • — • — • —
Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance
— • — • — • —
Checkmate / Sera – Jeannie Tirado
Jang-ta" Jaxton" Yang – Eddy Yeong
Gary Fullbuster (Young) -
Gary Fullbuster – Griffin Burns
Nashi Dragneel – Laura Landa
Luna Dragneel – Brynn Apprill
Kyler Wilson – Ray Chase
Galileo Redfox – Josh Grelle
Jasmine Strother – Jasmine Brown
Pacer Strauss – Josh Keaton
Sharon Shuusei – Aja Naomi King
Lance Dreyar – Johnny Young Bosch
Justin Justine – Ian Sinclair
Ellie Strauss – Alexis Tipton
Hylia Lynk / Tesla Greer – Galena White
Layla Heartfilia – Wendee Lee
Laurette –
Jemaine Froth –
Ines Sharabi – Michelle Hendley
Mason – Jonah Scott
Freed Justine – John Burgmeier
Bixslow – Tyler Walker
Laxus Dreyar – Patrick Seitz
Pearson Strauss – David Matranga
Windel Lawrence – Dyllón Burnside
Elis Capellán – Ty Mahany
Aine Fernandes – Carrie Kernanen
Olivia Redfox – Laura Bailey
• — • — •
Additional Voices
Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn
— • — • — • —
⌜ OPENING SONG
⟪ Walking with You ⟫
Novelbright
Lyrics by
雄大 / 勇太朗⌟
•
⌜ INSERT SONG
⟪ Fly ⟫
Seven oops
Lyrics by
Michiru⌟
•
⌜ENDING SONG
⟪ Good One ⟫
HIRAIDAI
Lyrics by
EIGO, Dai Hirai⌟
•
•
•
•
— • — • — • —
Next time, on Fairy Adventure
•
Episode 117
•
IT'S OVER, ISN'T IT?
— • — • — • —
•
•
•
•
TO BE CONTINUED…
Chibi-Luna skids into the classroom, all perky and flowery. "Hi, cla—! Oh my gosh!" She panics seeing a dreary aura dose all her students as they moan and groan, and she frets, "What happened!"
"Teacher," one student bemoans, "this episode is throwing us through the ringer."
"Please tell me it gets happy next episode, Teacher," a student pleas.
"Um…" Chibi-Luna sweats with a twitchy smile. "Actually, it, um…get a little worse since there's a warning about child abuse, domestic abuse, assault, blood and gore, and, um…" She shrinks when the dreary aura intensifies. "B-But it's international mental health day! And I'll make sure to put in resources at the top for students—!"
"Teacher," her students groan, "why do you hate us so much?"
"U-U-Um! Well, I…!" Chibi-Luna clears her throat and weakly says, "Today's Fairy Lesson was supposed to be about Caracole Island's extinct volcano Mount Íbice, but, um, we can continue that on another day." She perks. "Oh! Here's an after forward! That should cheer you all up!"
She wriggles to get down the screens and turns on the projector to show the message:
『 In the next episode of Fairy Adventure: It's Over, Isn't It?, it will feature controversial and explicit topics of child abuse, blood, torture, and mental illness. Warnings with resources will be mentioned at the top of the episode by chibi-Nashi. It is your choice to read about the nature of Gary's trauma and the reason Skade came into existence. This will hold as the last episode of the Caracole Island Arc. If you are uncomfortable with those themes, you can either skim the episode to when the insert song comes in or please feel free to wait for the following episode Teacher. 』
Chibi-Luna gawks when her students look even worse than before. "I made it worse!" She hangs her head. "Well… I guess we can wait until the next Fairy Lesson to talk about the volcano."
And now the students and teachers are in lamenting moods.