Fairy x Adventure

by Magnafeana

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

132. Adventure 132

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.

---

PREVIOUSLY, on Fairy Adventure: while Atticus might've been Luna's white knight, Akamu, Ena, Silver, and mysterious woman Lani know something isn't right about Atticus' motives. Still, Luna is determined to make light of their last day in Caelum, even if her friends are acting like protective and lovable idiots. The luau was a success with Luna surprising her friends in participating in Kapa's hula routine. But the surprises keep coming when Akamu shows up to deliver a word of warning and maybe a word of advice too. Silver and Ena still haven't had the time to talk about where their feelings are headed, but one thing is for certain: the Prince of the Sea is smitten for his enchanting Mistress, and the Enchantress is more than fond of her faithful Diaval.

'Shall we see if you grow strong enough to meet me, sweet little granddaughter?'

Why did Gigi meet with Cajun? Is Lani's Tagaloa's God Child? And how long will it take for Ena to meet her grandmother? We still have a long way to go for those answers, but Luna is right. This world we live in is such a wonderful and strange place.

---

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! And here is the updated 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

WST • — • – Western Ishgaran Time • — • — • — • Caelum • — • – 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

EAT • — • — • – East Andüsa Time • — • — • – Andüsa • — • — • — UTC - 2

AT • — • — • – Amazone Time • — • — • — • — • — Valchestria • — UTC - 4

EST • — • — • – Eastern Standard Time • — • — • – Meidiland • — • UTC - 6

Chibi-Nashi cups her hand near her mouth like she's about to tell you a secret. "Today's episode sheds some light on politics within Earth Land. If that's not your speed, don't worry! We just hope you enjoy the episode, new characters, and stay tuned for the author's final message of the year!" She winks with a thumbs up. "See you at the end of the episode!"

---

"You're really doing this, aren't you?"

Spencer might have looked clean, but he felt grittier living within the cooling jungle of the Amazone. Fall had come down here, but the leaves would never show it. You felt it in the breeze and every time you stepped into the rivers and ponds. The tribespeople had lost two of the aspiring adolescents when they had wandered too far from the territory to have a night of fun and sin away from their parents' wandering eyes. The warfare of modern man and the aggression of rogue Wizards had other ideas and the two teens' night of sin had turned into screams of death.

And now it was time to send them into the afterlife.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Topétine Tribe

Amazone

Valchestria

Two months ago

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Spencer stood in his fall jacket with Tiger Lily beside him. Both watched the ceremony proceed as welcomed observers and as reassurance no disturbance would tarnish a sacred ritual. The tribal mourner wailed together a foreign story to account for the grief the families felt and the grief the entire tribe felt for the loss. Religious flowers and other offerings covered the beds of the fallen. The chief healer had stepped into the water with the help of his ward while two warriors helped guide the beds into the river.

The chief held up his rattled staff and started the prayer.

"I am." Tiger Lily forced an exhale through her nose. "You came into this jungle two months ago and yet your Council keeps you as a show of force instead of an action. I cannot allow these people to be tormented through this pointless civil war."

"I'm not disagreeing with you," murmured Spencer. "My team is aware that we're not being used in correct service. But we can't move without our orders."

"I'm not blaming you for that," Tiger Lily clipped. "But you haven't lived amongst these tribes for as long as I have. They don't deserve soldiers who come and go with false promises of relief, impregnating women, taking men, and cleaning out weapons they never use. They deserve peace."

Spencer glanced at her. "And you think they'll leave the jungle? This is their home."

"You think I don't know that?" Edge sliced her words. "I would never force those to abandon their home. That would make me a hypocrite. I have passed word of plans to escape the jungle for a temporary new home. Some have chosen to stay. Others have chosen to leave. The ones we will free from their prisons will come with us until they decide where they want to live."

It was time for the families of both teens to place their own offerings on the beds. They stepped into the water and had their healer wash their hands before adding on their blessings in the hopes their lost children or sibling would take it with them as a comfort in the afterlife.

"Our next contact with command is in three days." Spencer heaved a breath. "You have three days until I tell command them you are no longer in alliance with the Magic Council."

Tiger Lily flashed her teeth. "If you are saying that to scare me, you're sorely mistaken, Captain. Your Council is nothing more than children who want more than they can manage. And my allies think the same."

Spencer raised an eyebrow. "'Allies'?"

The families had said their appropriate goodbyes and last words. It was time for the final act of the ritual.

"It's been a pleasure, Captain." Tiger Lily spared him an unreadable yellow glance. "But your talent is wasted on the wrong side." She took a step—

"Will you find them?"

Tiger Lily paused.

Spencer continued: "Will you find the person you've been looking for? Your mentor…and him?"

"I'm not looking for my mentor, Captain Lates. But if I cross paths with traitor I used to know…" She turned to give him a piercing wild yellow eye. "Then I won't hold anything back." She gave him no more than that when she shifted into her sleek tigress form with her teeth bared and head high. The tribespeople bowed in her presence, brushing her fur and murmuring their prayers.

Spencer watched as she went into the water. Her simple gesture of breathing upon both corpses and touching noses with them had both sets of parents whispering their worship and reverence for such an auspicious honor. She waded to the opposite side of the river and pulled herself fluidly from the current and back onto land. And without a glance back, she clawed her way up a tree and disappeared into the thick of the jungle.

Gunmetal navies hardened. What are we going here? His jaw ticked as he watched the ceremony. What has all this been for? Is this what it means…to be a soldier of the Magic Council?

And the answer he received was the mourner's wailing as the parents did the honor of lighting the bodies of their children flame and adrift.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Tobase STAR TRAIN

Tsuki akari wo se ni FLY AWAY

Mada minu mirai he to kakedase

Yozora wo koete

•

Kimi mo Step Forward

Sono Yuma wo nosete Jump Around

Sekai wo hirogete hashirou

Shuuchakueki ha

Kimi no Wonderful World

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 132

•

A Spring Holiday Side Story

Lonely Soldier Boy

•

春の休日のサイドストーリー

ロンリーソルジャーボーイ

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Lieutenant, a word?"

Erik looked up from his work to see Spencer at this door. He put a pause on paperwork to gesture for him to come in. "What can I do for you, Captain?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Magic Council Sky Base

Feijoa City

Chayote, Valchestria

1:09 PM AT

Present Day

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Spencer was careful to close the door behind him. It was a power move to stay standing in front of your superior officer, but he had too much agitation to sit. He addressed without preamble, "Sir, we can't go through with our withdrawal order from the Council. The Faction has made it clear they don't back down and we still have not snuffed out the terrorists trafficking the Chimaera prides or the Independent Wizards."

"I see." Erik crossed his arms. "Tell me, Captain, what do you suggest we go? Go against Council orders and be targeted for treason? Go against the Valchestrian governments that made it clear if we interfere with their war tactics, they will open fire on us? Is that it?"

Spencer gripped his hands behind his back.

"I understand your concerns for the tribes you have protected and aided, Captain Lates," Erik continued. "But this is not your decision or mine. We follow what the Council has ordered. We are to withdraw and remain as idle reserves on standby until reinforcements have come."

"We have HAWKs, SEALs, and WOLF and even BETA, sir—"

"And the governments are telling us that they will not cooperate without nonmagical military allying with them." Erik lifted his chin. "Now normally, we wouldn't listen to their complaints, but the Council is on thin ice with its hold on a few of these countries agreeing to rally and flush out the terrorists and the Faction. Not only that, but our enemy is also not under the Magic Council. They are Independents who belong to these governments. We have no authority to ordain. So what they want? Goes."

He went into his drawer and plopped down a folded newspaper article. "And then there's this."

Spencer looked at the article. It was written in Valchestrian-standard Sinnish, but the photo printed had been in poor coloring to show rising flames and warfare.

"Accusations have been flying around that we are responsible for this," Erik informed him.

Spencer frowned as he took hold of the newspaper to better understand it. The headline read:

Guerra civil del amazones: el consejo mágico utiliza el fuego mágico para expulsar a nativos e ilegales de la zona de guerra

He skimmed through the article to understand the contents. "This doesn't make any sense. We didn't bring FIRE with us. All the teams we cleared aren't able to use magical fire and even if our spells result in a fire, it's non-magical."

"Try telling that to governments who blame us for saying the sky is blue," Erik grunted. "We've been in countless meetings to clear our name on the matter and explain to them it is more than likely the Independents either within or not within the Faction that is starting these fires. We've hit them with the serial arsonist that committed tragedies all over the world, but they refuse to listen."

"Or it's not that they won't listen." Spencer folded the newspaper. "But they want this as evidence to support slander against the Magic Council and pass more policies to prevent guilds forming and Mages registering with the Magic Council."

"And now you're thinking like a commanding officer." Erik stole back the newspaper with a shake of his head. "We had covert teams scope out the areas of these fires. But the jungle is intact. Whoever used this magical fire must've had some mastery over it. Not even the homes of the tribes and secret Chimaera prides were ruined."

"But with the natives gone and soldiers not returning, the worst is assumed," Spencer gathered.

"We don't have permission to aid in rescue parties. The Amazone has always been lawless." Erik scrubbed his face. "Even governments don't have technical rights to the Amazone. But these tribes don't live with all the advancements modern militaries carry and are forced to retreat deeper into the jungle. The ones that have tried for peace are never heard from again."

Almost as if these governments will benefit from civil unrest, Spencer darkly thought. The more driven out the tribes are, the organizations protecting these tribes won't have anything left to protect. And the bordering countries can keep pushing their luck by claiming more territory until the Amazone no longer belongs to the natives but to the greed of dictators.

His knuckles drew taut and white. And the Council has its part to play in this little charade.

"If your subordinates share your discontentment, I suggest you nip it in the bud, Captain," Erik warned him. "The higher-ups won't appreciate their dogs yanking on their leashes."

Spencer's shoulders bunched. "I understand, sir."

"Good." Erik gave him a long look before murmuring, "And I suggest you tell them not to speak a word about your guide into the jungle. I might look the other way, but you saw her skills. The Council won't be as lenient as me."

He's right. Had MCPs met her first, there would've been no question of recruitment and following for her skills and resources. Spencer nodded. "I understand, sir."

"Good." Erik nodded to the door. "Dismissed." He made sure Spencer closed the door before slumping in the back of his chair. So he finally had the balls to stare his commanding officer in the eye and bark back, huh? A weary chuckle. If I didn't know you planned to leave HAWKS…I would've started prepping you for a promotion, Captain Lates.

°•°•°•°

Training for "hatchlings", new soldiers, were underway since the time for battle was sidelined, but off-duty Spencer had nothing to do with their drills. They saluted seeing the HAWKS captain and he gave them a placating nod before continuing his stride. The building he closed in on looked like a three-story apartment building with a few commanding officers shooting the breeze outside and taking the time to relax.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« The officer quarters is called "The Captain's Roost" by aerial personnel and is reserved for commanding officers of the Magic Council Sky Division. Enlisted rankings live in the barracks, which personnel call "The Chicken's Nest". »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

He paid his casual respects to the higher-ranked officers before making his way inside. The second floor was a quick jog up and he had lucked out on having the door closest to the stairs. His studio apartment had all the basic furniture he could need with a kitchen, queen bed, an armchair, and even an LV (upon his request). Decorations were always encouraged to "make this place your home", but all he needed with him was his worn-down books and a few pictures of his friends and family. He worked to take off his shirt as he passed by a few famed photos.

One photo had been taken when Morgan was starting as Jennababy and she had invited her brothers to support her at her first concert. Another was a wedding he attended as best man to one of his best friends. Preston in his football uniform holding the cup his team had won from last year had made it to Spencer's photo. And the final one was a holiday picture Misses Dreyar had slipped him of Ivan, and Lisa-Jane helping Veronika as they ice-skated in Greenheart.

He tossed his shirt in his laundry bin with his ankh cross dog tag against his chest and his honorary HAWKs tattoo on his right pectoral. A ragged sigh left him as he sat on his bed. Dammit. Part of me wishes I stopped Tiger Lily from leaving the jungle, but…

He took hold of his ankh cross. On the back was the carved-in wing to represent his HAWKs status. No, she was right to leave. We came here on the premise we would be protecting people—saving lives. But instead, all we became were birds in a bigger cage.

He dropped his cross to reach for the book he had planned on finishing. Thank goodness he had opened it when his bookmark fluttered to the floor. Scraping it up, he softened seeing the photo-strip gift he had been given.

My family…

He checked the time on his watch. It should be around snack time over there. I know we promised to call when it was closer to the kids' bedtime, but…

Unable to resist it, he plucked his Compact and quickly found Veronika's from his recent calls. The ringing only went around once before—

"Daddy!"

Spencer could not help it when his heart felt lighter than air hearing Lisa-Jane and her name for him. "Hi, Vanilla. What's going on?"

"We're at Babi and Děda's house," Lisa-Jane told him. "Mommy's been teaching us a lot more Gordost, and Děda has been helping us too. Dyadya Yura and Tyotenka Masha are good at it too and help me and Ivan practice."

Spencer blinked. Oh. Yura must be Lance's Giltenan name and Masha must be Mary Jane's Giltenan name. He smiled to himself. I should ask the colonel about enrolling in the Gordost course. I need to get better at speaking it if the kids are learning it.

"That sounds great, Vanilla—"

"Vasilisa, day mne moy telefon seychas zhe!"

Lisa-Jane complained, "But I want to talk some more! And I know Ivan wants to talk to him—Hey!" An annoyed stomp and a huff. "Zasranec!"

Veronika deeply groaned as little footsteps marched away. "I'm going to kill, Nikolai." Her Giltenan accent fell heavy enough in her words that Spencer subtly adjust. "I knew that asshat was teaching her swear words. Dedushka did the same thing to us." A sigh. "Hi, Captain."

"Hi, Lucky." Gunmetal navies tendered. "I know it's probably snack time and you'll be checking Ivan's blood soon, but I just wanted to call…" He added, amused, "I guess you're raising Lisa-Jane and Ivan to be bilingual after all. I remember you and Major Dreyar at the mandatory have-fun spoke in Gordost."

"Yeah, well." It sounded like Veronika had gotten away from all the craziness. "Our granddaddy spoke it half the time when he was going through an episode. And Dad—Laxus spoke it to us. There's a pretty good Giltenan community here in Fiore. They speak dialects of Gordost, but we all understand each other." She laughed a little. "Mom's pretty shy to try to speak it and practice, but she understands everything, including when Nik tried to get away with swearing."

Spencer put his book back on the nightstand, careful to mark his page with the photo strip. "Does the Major have a name like Lance and Mary Jane? Vanilla called them Yura and Masha."

"Our granddaddy calls Lance 'Yura' since his middle name is 'Yuri'." It sound like Veronika sat down. "Masha comes from Mary in Mary Jane. My dad and my siblings call me 'Ronya' when we speak Gordost, but Granddaddy is the only one who calls me 'Nika.' And Nikolai has his own names, but I'll keep that to myself."

Spencer chuckled and tucked away Veronika had slipped the tongue and called Laxus her father with no correction. "How are you liking spring break with your family? Has Pacer come back?"

"He has, but it's still a shock his…baby mama? I guess, that's what to call her now? I mean, she's having their twins. Not like any of us are judgmental—I'm certainly not—but it's definitely still a bit of shock. Aunt Liz and my mom are a little sad Jasmine doesn't want to meet them. I had to talk Esme from the ledge with that too. If she wants to meet us, she can. But she's probably going through a lot of shocks about Magic right now. And Pacer said they'll have joint custody, so it's not like I don't get to meet my cousins."

Spencer hummed as he closed his eyes. "Right, right."

Veronika went on: "From the LacriNet stalking Esme did, though, Jasmine seems pretty put-together. I honestly wouldn't have believed she'd be with Pacer. I love him but my gods. Evie and Ola are hoping he gives them a potential birth date for the twins, but I'm thinking she'll give birth in summer, maybe tail-end of it. But maybe…"

Spencer relaxed hearing Veronika go on with steady breaths. I could listen to her talk like this all day. I've missed this.

He had no notice that Veronika's fading words had exchanged for an amicable silence until Veronika's voice came through, stronger and worried. "You still there?"

"Yeah." Spencer laid his hand on his chest. "I'm here. I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired." A lengthy sigh. "It's been a long couple of months down here."

"I know you can't say much about it, but… Is everything going okay?"

Spencer gripped his Compact. "It's…going," was all he could lamely explain. Scrubbing his face, he grunted, "I have a lot of opinions about what's going on, but it is what it is. I'm just ready to be done here and come home."

Six beats.

"Come home…and then what?"

He smiled. "What do you think?"

Seven beats.

"Are you sure you want to give this up?" The question was soft-spoken and never accusatory. "I know this has been your life, Spencer. You should live your life the way you want it. You should think about your options."

"And I will and I am," Spencer promised her. "I know what I want, Lucky."

"I…" She trailed off, hesitant. "Just…think about this carefully. And take care of yourself. You sound so tired these days whenever we talk. That's nothing bad, but you know… The kids worry."

"Yeah?" Spencer's smile broadened. "No one else?"

"Miss Chelsea does."

"And no one else?"

"Well, I'm sure your parents worry too."

Spencer chuckled. Time to corner her. "And you, Lucky?"

Three beats.

"I thought that would've been obvious, Captain," mumbled Veronika, verecund.

Warmth touched Spencer's chest and his neck. "You know men are basically clueless," he told her in light jest. "Sometimes, we need a beautiful woman to spell out what's obvious."

Two beats.

"Then I'm worried about you and I miss you."

Gunmetal navies sparked with adoration. Lucky… He closed his eyes as he palmed his racing heart. "I miss you too," he told her. His lips twitched. "And the kids and Miss Chelsea."

"Of course." She sounded amused. "Take care of yourself out there, Captain. That's a command."

Spencer puffed a chuckle. "Yes, ma'am." He added, "Talk to you soon."

"Yeah. Talk to you soon."

A wide silence of unspoken words.

Spencer heard when the call ended after all that quiet and dropped his Compact beside him. I'm making the right call, Lucky. He hid his eyes with his arm. This war… It's not my war anymore.

---

The mountains comfy greens protected the valley bursting with life, color, music, and skyscrapers. A river cut through the modern city, but it did not take away from the charm and beauty this city could provide. A zeppelin lazed about overhead to give an aerial tour. But being on the ground was much more advantageous in seeing the sights. That cumbia beat bounced off the streets. Once you had the rhythm of this city, you saw it all with new eyes. With university and primary and secondary education out for the spring holiday, tourists had come with their fanny packs and sandals to immerse themselves in this wondrous culture. A few US tourists tried to use their rudimentary Sinnish for directions to the contemporary museum. One of the market districts had all hands on deck as swarms of locals and newcomers came by.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Jaboticaba, the capital city of Chayote. Jaboticaba holds all 33 agencies that make up the cabinet of Chayote as well as the Palacio Federal Legislativo for the National Assembly and National Constituent Assembly. It is the largest city Chayote and acts as the commercial and cultural hub of the country, but despite that, it has one of the highest per capita murder rates. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The campus hit all the right marks upon governmental standards with cut grass, the tricolor flag of Chayote, and all personnel were in uniform when they walked the pavement. Sandy stone had built an asymmetrical administrative building up to five floors. Citizens were more than welcome to loiter on the concrete court gardens in front of the main building with its own pompous fountain. Already, a regular loiterer had come to feed the birds with their son, and tourists came to take pictures.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This building is Chayote's Ministry of People's Power for Defense. When the old building imploded due to structural failure, politicians made a deal with a famous Chayoten Independent Alchemist and Architect who was arrested during an equal rights protest. The Independent and his family received freedom with probation in exchange for working for the Chayoten government. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

SLAM!

The assembly room dubbed the "war room" looked like utter chaos had sprung out as people in their uniforms and suits had their feathers ruffled and grew red in the face as aggression and open hostility poisoned the air. The circular war room had auditorium seating while main tables took front and center for those heading this atrocious meeting.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Ministry of Defense

Jaboticaba City

Chayote, Valchestria

3:43 PM AT

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

One commander—a pudgy sort of man who had to have his assistant keep him steady—had risen from his seat to point at the Magic Council delegation and insulted: "¿Cómo te atreves a sugerir que somos responsables de tu inacción? ¡Si hubieras hecho tu trabajo, nuestros hombres no habrían muerto y podrían estar en casa en lugar de morir junto a esos salvajes y chuchos!"

Others agreed in Sinnish, darkly muttering their insults at the delegation sent to negotiate. The Magic Council officers kept their cool under pressure and let the insults roll off them.

One gentleman dressed in his official uniform had taken the forefront with his cap respectfully on his desk, his four-star showing proudly, and his salt-and-pepper beard and hair with his strong jaw something people would go crazy for.

He kept a level tone as he responded, "Nuestra 'inacción', señor, es el resultado de que estamos en un punto muerto político entre el consejo mágico y los gobiernos que rodean al Amazones."

⌜MAGIC COUNCIL BETA FORCE – WEST VALCHESTRIA DIVISION

Name: Mauro Yatra

Age: 76

Magic: Polarity

Occupation: General of Beta Force – Western Valchestria Division

Likes: his wife's arepas Dislikes: his daughter's boyfriend

Special Note: Mauro is one of the four four-starred generals of the Valchestrian Beta Force! His Magic, Polarity, allows him to control magnetic fields and direction! ⌟

Mauro continued: "Comprendemos sus crecientes frustraciones debido al malestar entre los independientes y otros ciudadanos y su temor a que la rebelión de la Facción salga de la selva y se filtre a sus ciudades. Sin embargo, como hemos dicho a otros gobiernos, son ustedes los que nos han prohibido iniciar nuestra operación para eliminar a los terroristas y traer a sus líderes—"

Arguments started up as the politicians and administrators fired off rapid Sinnish to drown out Mauro's debate.

Nik crossed his arms as he sat with the other officers in uniform with his cap on his lap. Half these insults caught up with him, but he blocked them out. He tsked when opposing administrators ignored the moderator, who tried to regroup the meeting. "This is complete and utter chaos," he muttered. "And they wonder why Chayotens hate their politicians."

"Tell me about it." A young man sat beside Nik with a baby face and a build that made him look like he was in his teens and toeing the line of legality. Silver-blue hair had been freshly cut and the beauty mark near his right eye drew more attention than he wanted. But the depth of his voice did not match his boyish looks. "I wonder if they realize they begged Beta for their drug war."

⌜MAGIC COUNCIL BETA FORCE – FIORE DIVISION

Name: Just "Jailbait" Cause

Age: 27

Magic: Darwin

Occupation: Captain

Likes: Type-A older women Dislikes: cats

Special Note: Jailbait's powers let him instantly adapt to his surroundings or evolve! However, he committed a Taboo during a past military operation that turned his "Adonis body" into, um…well… ⌟

Just muttered under his breath, "Those goddamn—"

Nik's eyebrow twitched then a flurry of hard cuss words rumbled from Just's mouth. Son of a… When a colonel turned her head to glare at them, Nik flicked static at Just and snarled, "Shut up. And watch your mouth."

Just rubbed his arms with a scowl (but unfortunately, he could only cutely pout stuck in his form). "Don't tell me you're not thinking the same thing, Major," he grumbled. "This country's always had a corrupt government. But they're blaming us because more strikes and protests are happening. But it's not only the Independents wanting equal rights. This country is a shit-hole for anyone who isn't a man."

He glanced at Nik with calculating sun yellow eyes. "We all know what's going on here, Major. It's just a matter of time until the Council loses its patience."

Nik's pale greens darkened as he watched Mauro sit out from the in-fighting and keep his head high. Yeah, I know. Council special forces don't need to be involved in politicians throwing tantrums and swinging their dicks around.

Pale greens narrowed to see Maura's jaw lock as the fighting progressed. And I think the general has about had it with crating his dogs.

Maura got up and attention snapped to him. He said in perfect Minstrish, "I will not continue to sit through negotiations if the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot come to an affable agreement. Beta Force will not be relegated as your personal militia. We are here to aid against the Faction's descent, not to handle your personal matters of civilian uprising. We have been kind enough to extend our hand in your cold war."

His gaze iced over. "But we will rescind our forces if we are truly unwelcomed amongst your people."

Another business administrator stood up and spat, "Es como si los magís se retractaran de su contrato. Hemos cumplido con nuestra parte—"

"¿Y qué ha honrado, señor?" Maura asked, cool. "Porque desde mi punto de vista, se ha sentido demasiado cómodo confiando en la Fuerza Beta para ayudar con los crímenes de su país."

The administrator placed both hands on the table to lean forward and hiss, "And those crimes come from the unnatural magia that you people have been damned with. It is your council's responsibility to fix what you have cursed our people with."

"The Magic Council is responsible for the livelihoods and justice of legal Wizards, señor," Maura reminded. "It was Chayote's decision not to form a magical bureaucracy which is why the Council was gracious in negotiating with your government. In fact, if I remember correctly, the president of Chayote and her administration had planned for the addition of a Ministry of Magic, but the plan had not even made it past your congress, so you tell me…"

Mauro leaned forward as well. "For a government that abhors Magic…why do you come running to the very people you hate when it was your own choice not to have a division of your own to handle your problems, señor?"

The administrator shut his mouth.

Maura straightened and took hold of his cap. "I think we are done here. We will not continue negotiations in such disorderly conduct. We will revisit this issue at a later day." He flashed those cold eyes. "As well as Beta Force's assistance in Chayote's cold war." He put on his cap and tipped it. "Que esté muy bien, señores." He nodded back to the officers for them to rise.

Nik and Just rose, but Nik watched as all that riled up irritation exchanged for slight panic. A crooked smirk lit his face. Let's see them sweat it out.

°•°•°•°

Just yawned as he stretched his arms before locking them behind his head as Nik and he sat in the back of the jeep. The raised partition separated them from the enlisted soldier drove them through the packed streets of the capital and back to base.

"This is so fucking boring," Just complained. "I didn't join BETA for shit like this."

Nik had his arms crossed and his eyes closed. "And what did you join for? With you looking like that, you're not going to be drowning in tits and ass anymore when you tell women you're special forces. The last girl you took out ditched you when people thought you were her kid, Jailbait."

"I can still grow up into my adult body—"

"For one minute," Nik said, dry. "Then again, maybe that's all you need."

"Dick," grunted Just. He looked out the tinted window. "And you know what I meant. I didn't join this force just for us to get sidelined." Sun-yellows bounced back to Nik. "We should be out there on the field. I'm tired of waiting."

"You'll do what you're told, Captain," Nik reminded him, stern. "We sit on our asses until we're given our orders."

Just raised an eyebrow. "And you think Heathen's going to listen to that? She's going to be pissed when you tell her she's not allowed off her leash."

Nik cracked open his eyes as static popped off his arms. "She better fucking listen," he growled. "She knows better than to go AWOL after Operation Madmen. I'm not saving her ass again if she can't control herself."

"Yeah, well, you know her." Just looked back out the window. "She's called 'Heathen' for a reason."

Skyscrapers and cumbia were left behind as the parade of jeeps and trucks abandoned the city. However, the path they took was not one of the normal highway routes that crawled through the narrow gaps of the mountains. The first truck veered into a private drive to lead the rest of the party. But rather than the gate stopping them, the invisible protective wards allowed the brigade to pass through. When the last jeep disappeared, none of the cars could be seen from an outside eye.

But the caravan continued through the tropical forest that wound the mountains. It was no secret hidden magical detectors were scattered into the earth, trees, and sky to make sure no trespasser would make it far. But soon enough, the branch case came up. The main administrative building was a curved building with mirrored glasses taking up the exterior. Balls of water zigzagged mid-air in descending size to create a waterfall into a pond. The military barracks were a little ways away and beyond that was the gated community administrative personnel and soldiers with families could take for shelter and socializing. The tri-color Chayoten flag flew alongside the ankh cross flag of the Magic Council.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Chayoten branch of the Magic Council, which is different than the aerial base the Magic Council has in Feijoa. The reason for two bases was due to politicians refusing to give the Magic Council air-rights in Jaboticaba City. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Nik lifted his chin when the jeep pulled to the curb and Mauro was standing there with EADC (executive aide-de-camp) standing a little bit away.

Nik buzzed down the window. "General Yatra, sir."

"Major Nikolai Dreyar," Mauro said, "or as they call you in Ishgarra, Bio-Shock—the only Lightning Mage of your caliber with such tight control that you can manipulate bioelectricity without the organic life having any sort of mental damage. You were even offered medical scholarships to use your potential in advancing electrotherapy and neuropsychology with direct advisement from Doctor Scott Henney. You would have reaped benefits and had much more stability becoming a doctor. Lucky for us, you accepted our offer of BETA Force and climbed to major quicker than anyone after your exceptional service in Giltena. You single-handedly chose every person within your task force and out of all of BETA, your command has not lost a single Mage in any operation and has the most success rate in minimizing collateral and in interrogation."

Nik was not one to be intimidated nor flattered. "Your point, sir?"

Mauro studied him for a moment. "Every person in this force is an exceptional Wizard, Major, but your task force has more skill than most of these people will achieve during their time here. You were deployed here to end this civil war." His eyes darkened. "But these politicians think they control the Demon Dogs of the Council."

"You put pressure on them to decide on withdrawing their troops so we can carry out our operation by threatening to pull away BETA from their war," Nik understood. "Was that threat empty?"

"No." Mauro did not look disgruntled at Nik's blunt tone. Dare say it, he looked appreciative. "The three generals and I have met with the general of BETA. All branches will be putting pressure on Valchestrian governments simultaneously. The Council sees no benefit in interfering with Valchestrian corruption. There are other battles for us to fight. The Council sees no need to continue allegiances or further negotiations here. They'll revisit negotiations when this all settles."

Nik's eyes slightly narrowed. Oh, I get it. The Council will pull back all forces and will go back to concentrating its efforts on legal Wizards, guilds, and associations. Which means the false promises the politicians have been using to lure Independents will be exposed. More rebellion. More blood. We already dismantled fifteen assassination attempts on high-ranking politicians upon contract, but if we're gone…

He nodded. "I understand, sir."

Mauro nodded back and his eyes flickered at Just who picked his ear, bored. Mauro's eyebrow twitched. "And I will ask you once again to keep your subordinates in check. Might I remind you what happened when one of your subordinates gave quite…inappropriate outbursts during negotiations."

Just comically froze.

Nik's own eyebrow twitched as static clacked off his arms. "I understand, sir. It won't happen again. If it does"—his smile looked like death incarnate—"I'll be sure to use my exceptional abilities on them and make them an upstanding and obedient soldier who acts as old as they look."

Just sweated bullets.

Mauro smiled back, but it looked just as sinister. "I like the way you think, Major."

I don't! Just cried.

Mauro stepped back and, with a parting nod, he walked away with his EADC behind him.

The jeep pulled off the curb to take the path back to base while Nik buzzed up the window. He smirked. "Hear that, Jailbait? Keep running your mouth and you'll get what's coming to you."

"Oh, please, sir, don't." An aura of cuteness and angelic innocence came about Just as he played up his boyish charm. With his hands on his cheeks, he pouted and made his eyes shimmer. "I promise I'll behave if you treat me gently…!"

Nik's eyebrow twitched as his jaw ticked in utter revulsion. "You little…!"

"Oh, don't harm me, sir—Erk!"

Nik had slammed his hand on Just's face and—

PIKA-PIKA!

The jeep swerved as lightning stormed the inside and the chauffeuring soldier saw his soul for a moment.

Justin wriggled and finally pried Nik's hand off him, frazzled as his face had hardened into copper. "You asshole!" he cried. "You barely gave me time to adapt!"

Nik shook out the static from his hand, bored. "Then you would've died. Pity."

"Ugh!" Just turned his face back to normal and scowled (more like pouted). "You know what? I'm not helping you calm down Heathen when she goes barbarian on your ass!" He hmphed, but his ire and bristling died as he thought over Mauro's words. "They're not screwing around anymore. The mighty Magic Council pulling out from the aid we give Valchestria could mean a lot of world leaders dying."

Nik raised an eyebrow. "That bother you?"

"No." Just looked out the window. "This might be cold war, but as for me?" A jagged grin. "I'm getting all warmed up."

Nik glanced up at the sky to see a falcon taking to the winds. I wonder how Ronnie's Captain is taking this. After all—lightning streaked across pale greens as he watched the bird tilt into a turn—they say it's bad to clip a Hawk's wings.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Nik strode past the secretaries to get back to his office and offered them a nod in greeting. Had he been with his lieutenant colonel, an office close to his commanding officer would suffice. But with his own task force under his command for this portion of the tour, he had given an office with a view, its own bathroom, and even twin couches to host guests.

A thoughtful frown. "It didn't go well, did it? I didn't hit a window with a baseball bat, so I assume we're still at a standstill."

"No." Nik loosened his coat. "And yes." He turned around as hands came to help him out of his formal officer coat. His dress shirt felt stuffy, but now was not the time for a change. "Anything, Havok?" He turned around as he fixed his cuffs and faced a slim man with his bangs falling over his forehead headband and studs on his ears.

"Havok" tilted his head and showed twinkling dark eyes. "The Occultist hasn't sent anything yet. You have a few unimportant calls and a message from your sister Veronika to call her back."

⌜MAGIC COUNCIL BETA FORCE – FIORE DIVISION

Name: Rick Havok

Age: N/A

Magic: Mariposa

Occupation: Military Assistant

Likes: doing nothing Dislikes: anything that requires exercise

Special Note: Rick's ability comes from "The Butterfly Effect", similar to Coeus' Chain Reaction! However, while Coeus' Magic acts as a catalyst for similar events, Rick's ability lets him confuse his enemies due to how random the catalyst is for the desired outcome!⌟

Nik sighed as he sat at his desk. "Can't you use your powers to make that damn Occultist bring me some news?"

Havok tilted his head to the other side. "No. That would mean I have to eat cilantro. And I don't like cilantro."

"Well aren't you a team player," Nik muttered.

Havok said point-black, "You said if I followed you, you wouldn't make me use my powers for others' stupidity. And your question was stupid."

TICK!

Static clacked off Nik as he glared at Havok. "You litt—!"

CHOMP!

While Nik covered his mouth and stomped his foot for biting his tongue, Havok went to one of the couches and dug out a pillow and a blanket. "Now that you're back, I'm going back to sleep."

Nik got his tongue to stop throbbing, but a tick mark twinged his temple as he saw Havok dead asleep with a snot bubble already going. That lazy ass fucker. He sighed and combed back his hair with his fingers. Well, it's not like I can kick him out anyway.

Pale greens examined the sleeping Havok. I still need him when that day comes.

He unlocked one of his office drawers to take out his personal Compact. He found Veronika's contact and called her on ⟪ Speaker ⟫ while he logged into the Magic Council system. When the call came in, he greeted, "What do you want?"

"Maybe answer your Com for once," Veronika snarked back. "Znayesh', mama o tebe volnuyetsya, osobenno potomu chto ty zagranitsey. Zvoni pochashche, blin."

Nik's brow furrowed. "Ladno. Tol'ko pochemu ty na gordom govorish'? Yesli chtoby mama ne ponyala, o chem ty govorish', tak ona uzhe dostatochno khorosho znayet gorody—"

"Ya prosto khotela sprosit', kak tam dela, no ne khotela, chtoby moi deti uznali." A few beats of hesitation before Veronika asked him, low and concerned, "Chto proiskhodit? U kapitana byl ustavshiy i rasstroyennyy golos, kogda ya s nim govorila."

Nik sighed. "Ronnie…"

Veronika murmured, "Chto proiskhodit, Kolya?"

Nik softened hearing that name and murmured back, "Ronya… Ty slishkom mnogo bespokoish'sya, ty eto znayesh'?"

"Kolya…"

Nik sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Things aren't looking good here, Ronnie," he admitted to her in Minstrish. "We're at a standstill. That's all I can legally tell you, but…" Pale greens slipped onto the snoozing Havok. He told her lowly, "If everything goes well, we'll be back in the thick of it and home in August at the earliest, I promise."

Silence.

Veronika asked, small, "Ty uveren?"

Nik could not afford to hesitate. "Yeah. Da. Ya uverena, Ronya, okay?"

Veronika gave a loud breath. "Ladno, khorosho, Vse khorosho... prosto... ty beregi tam sebya, sebya i svoyu komandu. U tebya zhe syn yest',tak chto, pozhaluysta, bud' ostorozhen, Kolya." She whispered, voice cracking, "Ya tebya lyublyu."

The smile that touched Nik's lips was feint. "Mm. Ya tebya lyublyu." He added, "Go fix your face or Ivan will chew me out for making him cry."

Veronika gave a watery laugh to that and it broke the tension between them. "Whatever, you dick." A few warm beats shared of chuckles before she said, "Sorry. I'll let you go—"

"Hey, wait, before you do, where's Janey?" His smile fell when Veronika did not answer him. "Ronnie?"

"It's, ah… It's a bit of a sore topic right now," was all Veronika revealed, reticent.

But that put Nik on edge. "What happened?"

"Dad and her got into it." Veronika spilled without sparing a second thought. "I mean, honestly, she was fine the days I saw her. She wanted to stay at home, but she'd still come down and everything. But then last night… I-I-I-I don't know, Nik, I really don't. It was like…" An anticipating beat. "It was like…she wasn't herself."

PIKA-PIKA!

Static clacked off Nik.

Havok cracked his eyes open.

"Veronika." Voice rough. Greens deadly. "Where is she?"

Six beats.

"We…don't know."

Nik gripped the arm of his office chair.

Veronika murmured, "She did text and say she was safe. I know her boyfriend's back home for his break. I'm sure she's with him. But it was like… Her eyes, Nik."

"Were they red?" Nik demanded to know.

Silence.

Nik said harshly, "Ne molchite. Ya dolzhen znat', Veronika."

More silence.

A heavy exhale. "Just come home soon, Nik," Veronika told him, tired. "I think she's going to need us now more than ever." A distant voice shouted and she had to give a reply. "Look, I need to go. I'll talk to you soon." A beat. "Keep watch of the Captain for me, please?"

Nik grunted.

He could hear Veronika's smile. "Thanks. Bye, stupid." And she hung up.

Nik laid his Compact on the desk before moving back to cover his hands with his face. "Blyad," he cursed. I should be home. I should be there for Janie, not fucking leagues away. If her eyes turn red… He called, "Havok."

"I heard," said Havok, faint, with his eyes half-lidded. Not from sleep or listlessness—he was more awake than he had been in weeks—but in thought.

Nik pulled his hands from his face. "And?"

"She'll be fine," Havok assured him in a murmur. "The cause I put in place is still in motion. The effect will still happen." Darkness sparked. But because of how big of the effect…the cause will be much greater. But…

Sun-bleached blond tussled in the wind. A white toga. A gentle beam.

His fingers gripped his blanket. If it's for Master…then nothing else matters. He peeked over the edge of the couch. "By the way, I took a nap for exactly seven minutes and thirty-two seconds."

Nik furrowed his brow. "Why the Hell does that—?"

BOOM!

His face went flat when both of his doors were kicked in. Goddammit. Static clacked off him when he saw Havok give him a half-hearted wave of farewell as he went back to sleep. I should've never taken your ass in, ya damn psychopath! Do you want me dead?

He ruffled his hair and addressed the problem at hand. "I can see you got impatient, but you should really learn to use your manners. We aren't on a no man's island anymore, y'know? You're a soldier now, not a barbarian."

Shoulders slouching, he lifted his head at the intruder without a scrap of alarm. "So what is it this time, Heathen?"

And thin lips stretched to show teeth and fangs.

---

Thursdays would not normally strike too much luck on the party scene, considering it was a workweek, but spring break had brought many gringos locos to the city. A local discoteca was having a fun ladies' night with eleven-hundred peseta drinks. The traffic was horrendous as motorcyclists and moped riders squeezed between beaters and compact cars and trucks. The restaurants carried a steady crowd with streams of Chayoleño passed around with some Minstrish thrown in. Currulao music swept around with its striking Andüsan rhythm and a small band of young Ando-Chayotens had busted out their balafons, cununos, and shakers and had a beautiful ebony couple dancing to the music. Clubs pumped the popular cumbia and salsa genres, though the salsa here was different since most movements from the dancers came from their hips and legs.

The port was dry tonight with docked boats and tours done for the night. But the outdoor eateries were lively with good music and good food. One café in particular was a rooftop café that rested on the border of the port. The scent of the sea breezed over anyone who settled at the tables with a square bar taking the center. You could come dressed up or dressed down and feel comfortable here. The menu might have looked expensive (the priciest item—outside the bottles of alcohol—was the picada rubí del mar) but the food was impeccable and the service something you could not get anywhere else. Pollera skirts flashed about as the waitresses came around.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Rubí Del Mar, the Ruby of the Sea outdoor café named because of the sunsets always looking like a flaming ruby. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Spencer decided sitting by the stone edge was his best bet tonight, haggard and exhausted. Aguardiente was the unofficial national alcoholic drink of inland Chayote (the outlanders would prefer rum to guaro and those on the coast would brag about their moonshine). Aguardiente Antioqueño was a popular brand, but for the uninitiated, it was certainly a taste that felt like a slap with some sweetness there.

With a recommendation from his waitress, he had decided on the filete de tilapia a la menier con camarones con la adición de porción de pan y la papas. He had no regrets the entire meal, but he could not help feeling tired and done.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Rubí Del Mar

Feijoa City

Chayote, Valchestria

9:35 PM AT

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Going native now, Captain Lates?"

Spencer stopped sipping his guaro as Nik joined him with a tight t-shirt and some shorts on and sunglasses in his hair. Spencer set aside his drink for a disbelieving grin. "If I know I'd be on a date with you, Major, I would've put on my make-up."

Nik snorted. "I like my dates natural, Captain." They shook hands. "Thought you'd be back on base… Maybe celebrating with your team?"

"And what would we be celebrating, Major?" Spencer looked out at the sea, darkness on his face. "A lot of people died—and we didn't do a damn thing to fight for their lives before they left."

Nik looked at Spencer for that. A waitress came over and without even perusing the menu, Nik gave her his order in Sinnish. She smiled and nodded before bouncing away.

Nik went back to Spencer with something going on in those greens of his. "Don't tell me you're going defective, Captain?"

"No," Spencer grunted. "But I'm not stupid, Major."

Nik had to concede as he, too, looked out to the sea. "Negotiations are a fucking joke," he rumbled in a low tone. "We can't sit through one meeting without these so-called 'politicians' throwing a goddamn temper tantrum. The heat might be on now, but it's fucking disgusting how this country is being run by pigs like that." Venom dripped in his words.

"We saw those camps." Hoarseness raked Spencer's words. "And we…we couldn't do a damn thing." His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. "All we were told was to scout and secure." He shook his head and took a long drink. "Those kids in there could've been Ivan or Lisa-Jane's ages, and we couldn't do a fucking thing—!" He rubbed his mouth, shaking his head at the hard truths of this disaster.

Nik's drink came—a nice, cold chela—and he cracked it open before taking a swig and studying Spencer's profile. Ronnie's right. Looks like Lates is getting fucked in the head with this. HAWKs might be special forces, but I can already tell looking at him. Another gulp of his drink. He wouldn't survive my task force.

Setting down his drink, Nik told Spencer, "The Council is well-aware of how deep-rooted Valchestria's corruption goes and the mistreatment of its people. But when we committed The Oath to the Council, that was it. They controlled everything we did—everything we stood for."

He circled his drink's rim. "Crazy journalists have been sneaking into the jungle to write stories about this atrocity only to be killed by their own soldiers who claim the journalists were terrorists with no evidence presented until weeks later…and a dead body is charged with terrorism. Civvies are fed-up with how conservative and malevolent their politicians are and the fight between the Faction and the Council is convenient for them to point fingers.

"And when they're not pointing fingers at us, they're pointing fingers at each other. And all that glory the Council promised—a purpose of protecting the peace—we are beating a dead horse every day we sit in our ass while the real enemy that looks just like us, that bleeds just like us, kills and slaughters and pillages because they know we won't do anything to stop them."

He looked over at Spencer. "Tell me, Major… Is this what you've been fighting for this entire time? Is this the glory the Council promised you as long as you gave them your leash?"

Spencer gripped his glass.

As silence rolled over both men, Nik's food came—langostino a la criolla con pan y puré de papas—but he ignored it to serve the silent Spencer an unreadable look. "Spoke to Ronnie before I left base," he mentioned. "You want to know what she said?"

"No." Nik did not bat an eye or a grin. "That you sounded tired and frustrated of all this shit. And that she wanted me to keep an eye on her 'captain'."

Spencer tensed, but he offered no barbed retort.

Nik sat back, but he watched Spencer closely. "At the end of this contract, you're going to be faced with a choice. I'm not talking about taking on another contract or leaving. I know where your head is at. But when you leave this place and you got back to my niece and nephew and Ronnie, you have a choice. When you pledged your life to the Council, you knew you would die with their secrets. You knew your hands would get dirty. But are you going to go home to your family and put gloves on your dirty hands until the smell of rot and blood consumes you…or are you at least going to wash your hands as best as you can before you let those kids call you their dad?"

Gunmetal blues widened before weakening half-mast. Spencer's shoulders slackened and his gaze fell to his drinks. "I'm not going to lie and say this isn't what signed up for. I know what I signed up for."

He knew they were nothing but tools meant to be stained.

"Those camps… Those…kids…" His shaking fingers wound tight around his drink. "Magic was once the answer. And now? It's the Devil. Independents and Aberrants are being snatched from the streets and hidden or killed or worse. And the kids…" He gritted his teeth. "I know that the mission comes first, but what mission is this? How can we call this a mission at all if we never do our jobs? How do I just look at Lisa-Jane and Ivan and not see all the children I let die? How that could have been them in another world?"

Nik and Spencer let that question stink up the air with no answer.

A band that had set up shop at the café had decided things needed a cool down. A retro sound that made anyone nostalgic started with predominant baseline, lazy drumming, and the electric keyboards building up chords. The familiar opening raised some heads and relaxed some shoulders.

Nik took in food to chew and swallow and chased it was his chela. "I have a son." Words wound tight in his throat. "And that could've been him too in another world. I have a son." He raked his hair. "And that could've been him."

Spencer sat back, understanding in his eyes. "I know."

The singer of this band had abandoned gender and cultural norms with their stellar outfit and painted nails, but no one minded. They crooned in a raspy tenor, "After all of the battles are over… After all of the fighting is done… Will you be the one…to find yourself alone with your heart…?"

The keyboardist and the bassist chorused, "Looking for the answers…"

"I met her on tour, the mom," Nik narrated. The beginnings of the story made a lost look peek in those jades, neither pleasantly wistful nor horribly nostalgic. He was remembering. "Archaeology Society was going something in Valchestria. From what I got from the PI, they're still going at it." Another swig. "Shit." A pathetic chuckle. "I was such a dick back then."

The singer crooned in the chorus, "You're out here on your own…!"

The keyboardist and bassist carried, "Lonely soldier boy…"

Nik studied his bottle. "I came out of a meeting when I met her. It wasn't anything fancy, but we had shit to do. I thought I had recognized her from somewhere, but I couldn't put my finger on it. And just when I wanted to ask her, she said I smelled like an ashtray."

A couple who had come out of one of the battles that raged Valchestria back in the day had gotten up to dance to the despairing song.

"Without the glory," the singer caroled, "without the joy… A lonely soldier boy…!"

"I hadn't lit one up before the meeting. Took a shower. Thought I smelled fine," Nik continued. He decided to inhale another mouthful of his food. "But she's all high and mighty and told me I smelled like an ashtray and then goes even farther to dig at me for being in the military and how typical it is I'd be a smoker since soldiers are known for bad choices."

A ghost of a smile touched Spencer. "Might've heard that myself once or twice."

Nik allowed a little amusement from that remark. "Ronnie's got a tongue on her and so did this lady. She was part of the team for the site. But she had a damn stick up her ass." Those jades were touched with something, but it was hard to decipher positivity or negativity. "Not like I didn't like the chase. She had that stone-cold ice queen act down packed. But I was stupid and horny."

"You're all alone…!" the singer carried.

"Lonely soldier boy…" the keyboardist and bassist sang.

"My pick-up lines didn't faze her—not like it surprised me with the way she looked down on me," Nik remembered. "But I was immature and kept goading her for a date. She told me the moment I stopped smelling like an ashtray was the moment she'd consider giving me the privilege of sex. I told her fine. It's not like I smelled like cigarettes to begin with and not like I was a chain smoker. I could cut it down and do my gum. But she was a bloodhound."

"What do you mean?" Spencer questioned.

"She had a crazy nose," Nik elaborated. "Wouldn't even say, 'hello' or anything if I approached. She'd tell me I still smelled and brushed me off."

Spencer's eyebrows raised. "And she wasn't just doing that to get you away from her?"

"Considering she slept with me after I smelled decent to her, I doubt that," Nik said dryly.

Spencer shifted. "And I'm guessing this was a one-night stand?"

"Woke up to an empty hotel room, so that spelled it out for me." Nik looked bothered by it, but not as bothered as he had been before. More confused than put-out. "By the time I tried to scout for her, she pulled the disappearing act. And the Archaeology Society protects their own, so I wasn't going to get information about her. But I didn't really mind it and went about my business."

Spencer hummed. "So, what made you so sure you have a son with her? You mentioned the PI, but why go through all that trouble for a one-night stand?"

"At first, I had done so since we'd gone out for a little bit before we fucked," Nik put it bluntly. "When she just up and left, I was pissed. I thought we were getting somewhere. But that feeling died off until I realized the condom broke."

Spencer winced. "Ah. I see."

"Yeah. I see too," Nik deadpanned. "It's not like I would've stopped her if she aborted. But if she needed support, I'd help out. So finding out I had a kid all this time? And then the confirmation from the paternity test?" He shook his head as he drank more.

"And you reached out to her?" Spencer wanted to confirm.

Nik grimaced as he pulled the bottle away. "Yeah, I did, but I've gotten a wall of silence." Two beats. "But the more Ronnie and I talked, and I even showed Ronnie what she looked like… She said the same thing. Both of us find her familiar."

"You have the picture with you now?"

"Yeah." Nik wedged out his Compact and tapped a few times. "Here." He placed the Compact on the table and slid it over. "She look familiar?"

Spencer's brow furrowed as he looked at the woman with her pale complexion and pale red eyes. Her black hair was neat and pulled into a bun. She looked like the pinnacle of professionalism. "Huh…" He pushed the Compact back, confused himself. "Yeah, she looks familiar, but I don't know where. What is your PI pulling in?"

"I only recently had him ask for her background," Nik grunted. "She had a Minstrish accent, but that's all I could do off."

Spencer lifted a brow. "She didn't say anything about her past to you while you guys were dating?"

"No." Nik shook his head, a frustrated taut to his jaw. "She didn't. Normally, I don't ask about crap like that when I'm breaking the ice, but I wish I did. All she told me was that her brother passed away and she went to a boarding school."

Spencer considered this. "Are you rethinking taking her to court?"

"I am," Nik confessed. "Ronnie doesn't like where this is headed either. She was all for me not pursuing it until the photo of my baby mama got her suspicious." He sighed and tipped back his head to finish another fourth of his drink. "I can't believe I have a son. Always knew I'd have a mini-me, but I thought I'd be there for my kid, not finding out by private investigation."

Thinking about John made Nik homicidal. If the Occultist wasn't so necessary, I would've fried him.

Spencer asked the question, "Have you thought about what your next move with the military will be with everything going on with your son? Or what you'll do if you're awarded custody? Do you think you'll be able to manage things peacefully?"

"Fuck if I know," Nik muttered. "My time will be coming up if I want to re-enlist after this tour. I have a nice nest egg set up and not like I can't transfer to civilian life and get a good job with my two degrees. Maybe actually take a crack at neuropsychology with that Doctor Scott Henney guy."

"You'd go civilian?"

"Fuck yeah I would," Nik said with certainty. "My son is about a year old. I'm not about to be deployed and miss out on those special moments. Paternity leave is like, what, a month after your kid arrives?" He shook his head. "Screw that. I joined the Council and did my time. My next assignment is making sure my son has someone there to support him and love him. Maybe if the Council asks me nicely, I'd stay in reserves."

Spencer grinned and softly teased, "Didn't know you had such a soft side, Major."

"Say a word about it and I guarantee you'll be buried in Giltena," Nik threatened.

Spencer chuckled.

Nik cocked his head and jerked his chin, tipping his chela in Spencer's direction. "You figure out what you're doing once you leave? Because I hope you know, LJ is totally riding your ass to take the family to Magia World in the US."

Spencer's laughter faded into a sigh. "I know I'm not Lisa-Jane's or Ivan's father." He tugged back his hair with his fingers. "But I love them like they were mine. And if Lucky lets me, I want to make sure my job lets me see those kids grow up."

"They need a dad after the shitty blood fathers they got stuck with," Nik muttered. "LJ's father was a fucking scumbag. And Ivan's father…" Pure, unfiltered rage filled Nik's face. "Bastard's fucking lucky he's alive right now."

"I know." Spencer's jaw clenched.

"Forced both fuckers to sign over their parental rights," Nik confessed, proud of that. "Ronnie begged me not to do anything stupid. She didn't want me to get in trouble, but I didn't give a fuck. I couldn't stand how much she cried when Lisa-Jane's bastard father made Ronnie feel cheap when he manipulated her at her lowest for one last fuck before he went on tour. And Ivan's fucker of a father had a choice—his ass would be in jail for ten to twenty years if he was lucky or he signed away his rights and signed a contract that made damn sure he would never contact our family again."

"Good." Spencer's face darkened. "But I'd prefer he be in jail."

"You think that's not what I wanted?" Nik growled. "But when your sister is crying, begging you to not do the one thing a bitch like him deserves, you can't just ignore her."

Spencer's heart constricted when he thought about Morgan. He felt sickened imagining such a devastating scenario where she begged him to defend her abuser. "I get it."

Both men took a swig of their drinks as the keyboardist led into an improvisation.

"I've been known to get ahead of myself," Spencer solemnly admitted. "My sister handed me my ass about that. And maybe it's too soon to say it now, but if Lucky let me, I'd adopt her kids as mine in a heartbeat."

Nik cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"

Spencer nodded and made sure Nik could see he meant every word. "I know Lisa-Jane and Ivan aren't my blood. But you don't understand how much I loved hearing them call me 'dad', even if it was on accident."

"You know Ronnie hates it," Nik pointed out.

"I know." Spencer looked aptly guilty as he winced. "I never encourage it. I told them they can keep calling me what Lucky finds appropriate. But I'll be talking to them and they're so into the conversation, they go back to calling me 'Dad' and it goes over my head too until later."

Gunmetal navies softened with affection. "I know Lucky feels uneasy about it. She never hid it from them they had different fathers or why their fathers weren't around. I could chalk up them calling me 'Dad' because they see I'm always around and they feel like I could be a dad to them. But hearing them call me that…"

He let out a low exhale. "It steals my breath away they trust me and care about me enough for that type of honor. I've done a lot of shit in HAWKS. I have my medals. I was awarded Phoenix Wings for my service back in Alakitasia. But hearing Lisa-Jane and Ivan call me 'Daddy'?" He shook his head as he raised his glass. "That is the highest honor I have ever gotten in my life."

Nik smirked. "Damn, Lates. Who knew you were this poetic?"

"Your sister."

Nik scowled. "Watch that fucking mouth before I—Fuck!"

Spencer snickered when Nik curled over after biting his tongue.

Nik recovered with a wince and a disgruntled look, drifting his gaze to the night-glazed sea. "Do you want kids?" he asked. "After you and Ronnie work things out… Do you want kids of your own?"

"I never thought about it." Spencer perplexed himself when he realized his words were true. "I always wanted kids, but I was open to any method. I don't have the heart and soul that goes into fostering. I watched a good buddy of mine and his wife try fostering and witnessing how their hearts were always broken when those useless birth parents pretended to have it together to get their kids back… I don't think I could take that sort of agony. But private adoption or having biological kids…"

He shrugged. "I never leaned either way," he confessed. "If Lucky wants more kids in either direction, I'm on board. If she doesn't, we have a lot of love to give Lisa-Jane and Ivan." He caught Nik's strange look and frowned. "What?"

"Nothing." Nik chuckled. "You better start learning Gordost quick then. Ronnie is making sure Ivan and LJ grow up bilingual like the rest of us and they'll start talking shit in Gordost before you know it."

Spencer shook his head. "Great."

Nik observed Spencer. "The personality difference between you and Preston makes it seem like you don't have the same parents."

Spencer genuinely laughed. "Yeah. Preston certainly likes to fuck around and got himself a few pregnancy scares from it." He grinned. "He…experimented a little last year."

"Seriously?"

"Yup." Spencer shook his head. "Guess his frat brother has a younger brother. Preston was high as hell and mistook the guy for a girl since he had long hair. Had a full-blown make-out session and had to text me about it." He rolled his eyes. "Next day, the girl he was bragging he made out with and was planning to fuck turned out to be his frat brother's younger brother. You'd think he'd stop running his mouth at that, but he said, apparently, 'it's just a hole'."

Nik low-whistled. "That would make me fry him."

Spencer smirked. "His frat brother thought the same. When I came to get him from campus for holiday break, he had a black eye, a lot of bruises, and a busted lip and got kicked out of his room."

Nik threw back his head to laugh. "And they say frat boys have no honor."

"Christophe—Preston's frat brother—is a typical dick. Never met his younger brother, but I guess he's a famous athlete," Spencer supposed. "When I brought Cal—Preston's other frat brother—home when I got Preston, Cal told me Christophe's brother would visit on occasion and Christophe would spew fire to make it clear his brother was not to be touched." He shrugged. "He doesn't seem like the type of guy to give a fuck, but he fucked up Preston thoroughly once he put it together the 'girl' Preston made out with and bragged about eventually getting into her pants was actually his brother."

"Jesus." Nik simpered, shoulders shaking. "Ronnie never needed my help. We had a system. We shut the fuck up about whoever the other was seeing. We never worried about Lance." He scowled. "But I worried about Mary Jane the most. I still do. Her childhood sweetheart was a kleptomaniac-borderline-psycho." He made a noise of disgust. "Thank god I don't have a daughter. I'd lose my mind."

"I honestly more worried about Ivan than Lisa-Jane," Spencer confessed. "She beats up anyone she doesn't like and doesn't care about the consequences."

"Good girl," Nik chuckled.

Spencer chortled with him. "Ivan's the shier one. He's bold around Lisa-Jane, and he mothers Lucky. But Miss Chelsea and Lucky told me he's quiet in class." He thought back to the conversations he had with both women. "I think he has a protector, but I forget the kid's name. Tanner, I think?" That sounded right. "I guess Tanner staked his claim on Ivan. From what Lucky and Miss Chelsea said, Tanner is pretty big for his age and popular, but he's always around Ivan."

"Huh." Nik rolled his lips. "You okay with that?"

Spencer frowned. "Why wouldn't I be? As long as Ivan's happy. He games with the kid often enough. I don't care if they're friends or if it's a crush—as long as Ivan's happy. And he talks about Tanner the most, so…" He shrugged and took another gulp of guaro.

"How do you do that?"

Spencer finished his next gulp. "Do what?"

"Just…" Nik struggled for the wording. "That. You sound all…fatherly and supportive."

Spencer softened. "I don't know," he answered, meaning it. "It's easy to think about it. Maybe because of my own parents? I don't know. They were with me for all my heartbreaks and uplifted me back when I looked all skinny with pimples and braces." He shrugged. "I want Lisa-Jane and Ivan to get that same sort of support. My parents didn't give a shit about what I did—within reason—as long as I was happy."

He could read Nik's confliction and murmured, "For some people, it's natural. For other people, it's a learning curve. I know my parents didn't do everything right, but the fact that they tried meant the most to me. Just try."

Nik took a deep and shuttering breath. "I've had to stop missiles from blowing up a refugee camp," he mumbled. "Had to stay behind to take on tanks by myself. I've been dropped in countries that don't appear on maps. But knowing I have a son and knowing I might screw-up…" He exhaled. "Even scarier."

Amusement danced in Spencer's gaze. "Now who's poetic?"

Nik huffed in mirth. "Don't start, Captain." He bobbed his head. "You know, we're going to be seeing Hell for these next few months."

"I know." A grim determination set through Spencer. "But we have people waiting for us on the other side." He lifted his drink. "So, let's drink to them."

The singer serenaded, "With all the glory…! Without the joy… A lonely soldier boy…!"

Nik's lips twitched. "Yeah." He held up his chela. "To them."

CLINK!

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Do you believe in the causes you're fighting for?

You used to believe yesterday

Now what can you say

Now that you're so far from home?

•

You're out here on your own! (Lonely soldier boy)

You're all alone (Lonely soldier boy)

But are you really alone? Oh! (Lonely soldier boy)

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

---

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Two months ago…

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Arunima lifted her nose and scented ice blustering. She broke free from the curtain of vines covering the entrance as a large shadow blocked the falling sun with its wings flapping and shaking the leaves.

She was not all that impressed.

It took a moment for the large shadow to shift back and—

THUD!

Wander landed on the ground and shook the ice crystals from his hair only to see his icy claws were still intact. "Ah, dammit, every time," he complained. Shaking out claws back into human skin and bone, he nodded at the covered cave entrance. "Is he ready?"

"What do you think?" Arunima did not care that she sounded cold. "He is resting as he should be. He will need every moment of rest for this."

"Tell me you don't approve without telling me you don't approve," Wander said dryly. He balked when he realized icy scales were on his legs and scrubbed them off. "We don't really have a choice in this, Rooney. He decided. We'll circle back for Heathen."

Arunima gave him a glimpse of the teeth she kept hidden. "I will prioritize his health over this." Not a warning—a statement. "I'm his Healer. I don't listen to commands like you do. My job is to keep him healthy and alive."

That challenge did not sit well with Wander as he flashed his teeth, the Wild prowling his eyes. "I don't like what you're saying, Arunima. Why don't you speak clearly for once?"

CAW!

A Phoenix circled into his descent before his flames burned to reveal Majerle in his sailor schoolboy uniform. He gave both of them an unimpressed look. "Y'know, we all have a job we should be doing, so maybe knock it off with the in-fighting." He shuffled around his sucker. His appearance might have looked like an angelic little boy, but his eyes were as sharp as ever. "Are we clear?"

Wander and Arunima both backed down.

CRUNCH!

A tigress leaped from branch to branch with ease until abandoning the trees for the jungle floor. Tiger Lily shifted back into her human form without losing a step. She looked battle-ready with her headpiece and its moonstone. Twin guns holstered around her hips as a last resort, but the broadsword on her back was her weapon of choice. "Well?"

Arunima, Wander, and Majerle looked at the covered cave entrance and waited.

The jungle held its breath.

Within the darkness of the cave, he sat against the wall with his smokey breath and steady pulse. His fingers curled around a glistening thimble charm he kept around his neck before bringing it up for a kiss. A grunt left him as he forced himself to stagger back onto his bare feet. The wound on his abdomen was something fierce, but he pushed past the pain and kept his head up as he made the journey to the entrance.

It was instinct for Wander and Arunima to scent the air. Heady smoke and ember and spice waved from the cave, potent even with the vines and moss curtaining the entrance. Heat rolled out in waves that warped the air.

The vines and moss ruffled. A scarred hand parted through them. "My uncle?"

"He adjusted the barrier," Majerle informed. "But he won't help you any more than that. And there's a time limit, but he said you would understand how long he'll wait until he's done showing kindness."

"I understand." A ruff pant. "Then we don't have any time to lose." Feet stepped out—

The golden thimble shimmered in the sunlight.

Flames danced off his skin, innocent and clingy. The tattered shorts would do for now as clothing—he did not need to impress anyone—but he did need a haircut. Blame his mother for giving him fast-growing hair and his father for the thickness of it all. Messy blond with black underneath had trailed down to his mid-back, but when the wind caught it, a large, jagged scare cut across his back. Rough fingers absently touched his bare shoulder.

A deep breath in. His mouth opened to show two sets of fans as he breathed out fire. I've healed enough.

Warm winds swirled around him as embers carried themselves. The blond of his hair darkened and darkened until his hair became fire itself. No one moved as the swirling winds fanned the embers into an abrupt hurricane of flames with him as the center. The flames were not snappish and angry. No, they were empowered and pleased and alive as they made a torrid tornado.

His hands clenched into fists. I can hear the flames.

HAA…

The flames constricted.

FUU…

The flames expanded.

And I know what they want.

Glowing emerald eyes speared through the hurricane of fire.

A fanged grin.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Let's make everything burn.

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

---

•

•

•

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Bonus Story

"I respect you."

「わたしは あなたを 尊敬しています」

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

•

•

•

---

Camping out in the woods was nothing new for a Guild Mage.

Autumn had rolled into Fiore, but fall in this country was nothing to be too concerned about. Sure, sweaters could be worn, and the temperature dipped, but it felt like a summer night than an autumn night.

BO… BO…

The fire was nothing more than a courtesy. When you traveled with a seasoned Fire Mage, they emitted enough natural heat to keep their party comfortably toasty. But Ena enjoyed the fire's light as she kept watch of the camp. The clearing chosen felt like no-man's-land that nature had healthily maintained. The hot springs the Mages had found were not too far and a river was a five-minute walk if that.

She turned her page and glanced around. Silver, Luna, and Luke slept around the fire in their sleeping bags. In the trick of the light, Luke looked like an Angel without his glasses and his soft pink hair. Luna snuggled deep in her sleeping bag with only her hair played out. And Silver had rolled onto his stomach and seemed to be having a good dream, if that blush had anything to do with it.

Ena looked back at her book, but she murmured, "I sense you."

Hostile heat came close to her. "Because I wanted you to, Bambi."

Agitation strung Ena along for a moment. "Have fun hunting down prey like a common animal"—she looked up at his cold emeralds—"Igneel?" Her eyes flicked to his hunt for the evening, two large hares. "Oh, look. The dog brought dead things."

Igneel's lips curled as he growled at her. "I'm only feeding you because you're Luna's friend." He moved past her to get out his knives and cleaning supplies to prep both hares.

"Oh, well, I'm so grateful someone makes you use human decency," Ena remarked, sardonic, as she went back to her book. "It's amazing how two-faced you are."

Igneel did not bristle, but something in his voice set off warnings. "Is it now?"

Ena flinched when the warmth of the fire stung her with the threat to burn.

Igneel caught Ena's expression and offered a grin that spelled curses rather than calmness. "Relax, Bambi, I'm not going to burn you." Emerald flirted with the thrill of playing with prey. "Lu wouldn't be happy with me if I did." And he started the bloody process of prepping the hares to be used for meat in the morning.

Ena went back to reading, warning received.

The fire cackled, amused.

The novella had consumed Ena so much so that she was startled when she heard—

"You never told him."

She blinked, confused, and went to turn. "What do you—?"

"Don't."

Ena froze.

Igneel carried with his work. "Unless you want to see animal blood, don't look at me."

And so Ena did not, her stomach souring. "I didn't think you cared."

"I don't, but Lu would blame me if you got sick in the middle of the night," Igneel muttered. He glanced at her, rubbing his cheek on his shoulder. "You never smell jealous when he's drooling all over his 'savior'."

Ena sighed, weary. "Am I supposed to be?"

"You tell me," Igneel shot back. "Are you supposed to be jealous he got the wrong girl?"

Ena bristled for a moment, but she forced her aggression to simmer into controlled annoyance. "Would you be jealous if Mary Jane was genuinely happy with another man?"

Quiet.

"Yeah, I would."

Smirking, Ena taunted, "Well now." She turned to lecture him, "You wouldn't—!" She froze.

Igneel paused with the hare carcasses open and blood dabbing his hands and wrists.

"Hrk!"

Shocked, Igneel whisper-shouted at a sickly-green-puffy-cheeked Ena, "I told you not to look at me! Turn around, turn around!" He sighed when Ena did, shaking. "Idiot." He watched her under a critical eye as her shoulders trembled before looking at his hares. Dammit.

Tears pressed the corner of Ena's eyes as she tried to keep herself from spilling out her dinner—

"Here."

She braved opening her eyes to see a cold-water bottle had been offered to her. Igneel was the culprit, unhappy about it, but his hands were sanitized without a speck of blood. He offered it to her again when she stared at him. "Take it," he tiredly insisted. "Coldwater helps when you're nauseous, so here, take it before I change my mind—"

He looked none-too-impressed when Ena swiped it from him. She could say 'thank you'.

Ena took a few sips at a time until her rolling stomach settled down. Relieved the nausea dissipated, she took one glance at an expectant Igneel and raised an eyebrow. "Well? You think I'm going to give you gratitude when you're the reason I nearly threw up?"

"I told you not to look at me. You're the one who did like a dumbass," Igneel deadpanned.

Ena gritted her teeth, a tick mark twinging her cheek. He's…not wrong. Reluctantly, she muttered, "Fine. Thank you."

Igneel combed back his bangs. "Whatever. I didn't do it to help you. You vomiting would stink up my nose and wake up Lu."

TICK!

Ena gripped the water bottle with bruising force. He is such a—

"So why?"

Ena gave him a wary look. "'Why' what?"

"Why not tell him you saved his life?" Emerald sparked slight curiosity. "You never asked for anything in return that day. You could shut him down for good with that. And with how weak he is, you could make him your little lapdog if you wanted. So why?"

Ena closed her eyes, done with this inquiry. "And why does it matter to you? You don't care about me anyway. What I do or do not do shouldn't be something you concern yourself with."

Browns cracked half-mast as she looked at the water bottle. And besides… You wouldn't understand anything anyway.

She forced an irked exhaled when she felt Igneel crouch beside her. "Anyhow, I don't appreciate this interrogation—"

"I saved Mary Jane's life."

That shut Ena up and made her stare ricochet toward Igneel. "What?"

"It was a long time ago," Igneel recounted, with those calm emeralds taking in the stars and the galaxy. "We were young. I was stupid."

Ena blinked at this information. "I…see." She glanced away before bringing her browns back to him, careful. "What happened that made you…?"

"Save her?" Igneel felt the breeze comb his hair. "Things had gotten out of hand." He would share a piece of his past tonight. "I cared about a lot. And she cared about me too. Every day, I learned something new about her that made me care about her more. She wasn't just MJ to me—she was my Wendy." The second star to the right imprinted in his eyes. "And I was her Peter Pan."

A wild wind circled them.

"There were things about her we didn't understand—couldn't understand at the time." Igneel let the star's beauty bewitch him. "I knew the risks…and I didn't care. All I wanted was to take her to Neverland."

His fingers touched his chest in a phantom movement. "But…it wasn't meant to be, in the end. I knew she wanted to come with me no matter the cost. She fought against everything…for me. But I could see it wasn't enough. I was being selfish. What we wanted… It wasn't what she needed. And I had to make a choice: save her life and I lost everything…or she loses her life and we lose everything. There wasn't really a choice when I hear myself say it out loud. I chose to save her…and I lost."

His hand fell limp.

A cloud blocked his view of the stars.

"I've never regretted that choice," confessed Igneel, low and calm. "I'll see through my choice until the end."

"Then why be this close to her if it hurts?" Ena asked, hushed.

Igneel needed no time to find a proper answer. "Because I'm still a little lost boy who can't grow up."

Ena could feel that his words carried a weight she would never be burdened with, never be able to carry. Looking away with him, she half-focused on the water bottle within her grasp. "I never want to care about a person like that—like how my mother cares for my father." It was her turn to share. "And I don't want someone to care for me like that. It only leads to pain and misery. It's ironic that love can make you the loneliest person in the world. It's always shown as something that intimately connects you to people—that it should complete you—but it leaves you even emptier than you were before."

And I won't let myself be ruined by such emotions… Browns glinted. I won't myself be weak.

"Wow." Igneel gave Ena flat look. "You're super depressing to be around. Thinking like that is the reason you'll be a cranky spinster at twenty."

TICK!

Ena's hands trembled with rage. I will not stab him for L's sake. I will not stab him for L's sake.

"But you're pretty off-base about one thing."

Ena huffed. "And what is that, pray tell?"

"I never said anything about 'love'."

Taken aback, Ena tried to find words to counter with and failed, all while Igneel dusted off his knees and stood up.

"You don't have to love someone to care about them, y'know," Igneel said. The clouds had sailed away so he could look at the Heavens. "And yeah, maybe you're right that love leaves you emptier than you had been before. When you love someone and you lose them, it's like there's a hole in your heart." His palm touched his chest. "You can't see the colors anymore. You can't dream anymore. And in some cases"—his lips tilted into a frown—"you can't live in this world anymore."

That startled Ena. Igneel… She looked back at her hands. "If love leads to that much tragedy, then I'm sparing myself from an ill-fate."

"Now I wouldn't say that."

Ena frowned up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Life's what you make of it, right?" He aimed his hand into an L and mapped the second star to the right. "It's all about the experiences. If you don't go out and live, then all you're doing is surviving. But you should always live your life with no regrets and experience everything you can. Because we're all on this grand adventure. And loving someone…"

His lips threatened to buck down until they tilted up into a sad smile.

"It's an awfully big adventure," Igneel murmured with starlight twinkling the resignation in those greens. "And even if that adventure ends, what could be better than knowing you went on one of the biggest adventures you could have in this world?"

Ena looked at him before staring up at the night-sky herself. To love someone…is an adventure, is it? With the heavens in her eyes, she quietly confessed, "I can't tell him the truth. It wouldn't change anything. And he wouldn't believe me. He's in love with Paige."

Igneel lowered his hand. "Is that what he's in, huh?"

Ena knew Igneel mocked her words, but it did not feel like a dig at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rather than answer Ena's question, Igneel said, "It's fine if you don't want to tell him. But you're wrong."

Ena hummed with a mirthless smile. "I don't want him to suddenly stop his incessant barking over something as trivial as this. If you think I want power over him, you're mistaken."

"I never thought you did," Igneel said. "You're not the type to want to have a hold over people even when you have the means to do so. I can respect that." He turned with his head tilted and greens abuzz in dark mischief. "But I never told you what you're wrong about, did I now?"

Ena glared at him. "Are you doing to tell me?"

Igneel shrugged. "Nah. There's nothing in it for me."

TICK!

On the inside, Chibi-Ena was flaming with her sword ready. On the outside, her cheek twinged as she sent an unbothered Igneel murderous vibes. I should've known he still doesn't have a kind bone in his body.

Sighing out her frustration, she flicked her hair. "Fine, don't tell me. I don't even care."

"Hmm?" Igneel gave a Cheshire grin. "Are you sure? It's pretty good…!"

"No." Ena held firm. "I don't care."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Not even a little bit curious?"

"No."

"So I can tell Luke then?"

"Yes, fine—wait, why him and not me!"

Igneel raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you didn't care?"

"I…!" Flushed and peeved she had been caught, she turned away, fidgeting. "I…don't."

Igneel watched Ena with greens intrigued. Hm. What a nasty temper. He crossed back to restart cleaning and prepping the hares. Greens flicked to the snoozing Silver, unreadable. You're in love with her, huh? Contempt blew through his stare. You don't know the meaning of the word, runt.

"Thank you."

Igneel cocked his head at Ena's back. "What?"

"Thank you…for telling me that story," Ena said, soft. "You didn't have to. And I am…sincerely sorry for your loss." She toyed with the water bottle lid. "I respect your tenacity, you and my mother. You were burdened with such a fickle feeling, both of you." Browns faded. "And now you're suffering because of that—"

"I'm not suffering."

Ena froze.

Igneel continued his work. "A heart's a heavy burden. But when you share it with the right people, then you're all carrying that burden together. You don't have to love someone romantically for that to happen. It can be anyone you care about who can shoulder some of the weight of your heart. So then—would you say that's suffering?"

Ena looked down. "I suppose…it wouldn't be." Shoulders hunched. But still… Her lips quivered. I can't… I… She calmed herself down to mutter, "While I appreciate the words and you have acted decently, I still can't call you a friend."

"Hah?" Igneel's face scrunched up as his head tilted. "Why the Hell would I care about that? I don't give a shit what you think of me. I still don't like you."

TICK!

DING-DING-DING!

In Ena's mind, gladiator Chibi-Ena had impaled Chibi-Igneel with her swords as the crowd sitting in the theatre cheered (and Chibi-Luna was cheering the loudest over her brother's death in this fantasy).

"And I didn't say all this crap to play nice," Igneel grunted as he gutted one of the hares. "Like I would want to be friends with someone as annoying as you."

Ena upturned her nose. "Hmph! Then why even bother saying all you did if you had no intentions of being kind?" She pursed her lips and muttered, "I can assure you if you ask for me to speak highly of you in front of Mary Jane, I refuse."

Comically agitated, Igneel barked, "Well I wasn't gonna ask you that anyway, stupid Bambi!"

"That is not my name, you impudent arsonist!"

Igneel huffed smoke, a tad more aggressive in his work until he slowed down.

Ena reached for her book—

"I…respect you."

She froze.

Igneel continued prepping the hares, dedicated to the craft. "I didn't tell you any of that to change anything between us. I see you and that weak prince argue all the time. You have the upper hand. You have the means to make him submit to you. But you don't abuse that sort of power. It's good to know Luna has a friend like you to watch over here."

"So this was some sort of test?" Ena questioned moodily. "And I passed?"

A phantom grin flirted with his mouth. "Sure, Bambi. Let's go with that." With the hares properly skinned and gutted, he cleaned his hands, selected his next knife, and got to work twisting the hares' feet so they were easier to cleave. Beyond the flames, he glanced at the sleeping Luna. As much as I want to, I can't protect Luna. But as long as she's surrounded by people we can trust, then when the time comes…I'll be okay leaving her.

He paused, greens drifting to the heaven's design, and he found the second star to the right. Because one day, I'm going to grow up too. If I grow up, will you still choose me? Could I still mean something to you—greens twinkled—my Wendy?

The second star to the right winked at him.

Ena murmured, "You're never going to like me. And I'm never going to like you. But I respect you as well. So let's keep it that way."

Igneel closed his eyes and could feel his breath expand the campfire. "Yeah." Eyes open and onyx prominent, he set back to work. "Sure, Bambi."

Ena got to her feet. "Well, if you're set to take watch"—she turned around—"I'm going to—" The words died when she saw Igneel about to cut the skinned and decapitated hares' feet.

Silence.

Ena turned green with her cheeks puffed. "Hrk!"

With panicked sparks around him, Igneel shielded the hares and whisper-shouted, "Dammit, Bambi, I told you not to look over here—!"

"Ergh!"

"Shit, shit, don't throw up—!"

"Blerg!"

"Quick, drink the water! Drink the water!"

As a panicked Igneel tried to coach a sickly Ena into sipping her ice water, a phenomenon passed in the gothic night-sky. The second star to the right that had glowed brilliantly next to its big brother, the North Star…

It wavered.

---

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

— • — • — • —

Spencer Lates – Christopher Wehkamp

Tiger Lily - Patricia Duran

Erik Cragnoline -

Vasilisa "Lisa" Jane Strauss – Laura Woodhull

Veronika Strauss – Hilary Haag

Mauro Yatra -

Nikolai Dreyar – Jason Liebrecht

Just "Jailbait" Cause – Bryan Massey

Rick Havok – Clint Bickham

Wander Albright – James Napier

Arunima – Anjali Kunanpaneni

Majerle – Ry McKeand

Igneel Dragneel – Bryce Papenbrook

• — • — •

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

⌜OPENING SONG

⟪ Star Train ⟫

Hi-Fi CAMP

Lyrics by

Hi-Fi CAMP⌟

•

⌜INSERT SONG

⟪ Lonely Soldier Boy ⟫

Michael Bradley

Lyrics by

Michael Bradley & Steve Wittmack⌟

---

•

•

•

•

— • — • — • —

Next time, on Fairy Adventure

•

Episode 133

•

GALUNA ISLAND PART ONE

— • — • — • —

•

•

•

•

SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR, FAIRIES

---

Chibi-Luna is in front of her class today. "Good day, class!"

"Good day, Teacher," the students greet back. "What's our Fairy Lesson of the day?"

"Today's Fairy Lesson is…"—Chibi-Luna pushed back one slat of the blackboard to reveal her chalk drawing of an ankh cross—"about the Magic Council crosses! In some militaries, soldiers are identified using 'dog tags'. But the ankh cross is used as a 'tagging system' for Magic Council soldiers."

A student raises their hand. "But how can people identify another person with a tag that small?"

"I'm glad you asked," Chibi-Luna chirps. "What's special about these crosses is that they are embedded with Magic and have a Spiritless failsafe just in case. The ankh cross will have the symbol of what unit the soldier was in as well as their name, number, and date of birth. But in the presence of another Mage, the ankh cross can be activated to show the soldier's profile on a Lacrima Screen and turn on the locator help is needed. The profile will include a picture of the soldier, their full name, date of birth, health records, marital status, contact information, and other things. A few non-magical militaries have also used this system."

Chibi-Luna faces the class. "This is our last Fairy Lesson of the year, but we'll have brand-new lessons come the brand-new year!" She bows. "So thank you for being a wonderful student in my class." She straightens out with a smile. "Don't forget to take care of yourself. And I'll see you in class again new year!"

---

•

Final Afterword

I was hesitant to show the political and militant side to Fairy Adventure, but I am pleased with the result. This level of politicking will not be a constant, but I wanted to give a glimpse of what life is like outside of Ishgar.

Nik being Bio-Shock and the rundown of how his lightning works will be fundamental in the future. I am also excited to show more about Heathen and Rick Havok (Wreak Havoc). Heathen was the confirmed Dragon Wander had mentioned, and she has been an interesting character to write about. Havok

It is a head-cannon of mine that the Dreyar family would know Gordost (Russian) and speak it. The Dreyar children have Giltenan given names and patronymics. I cannot speak or write Russian, so I will try to make sure the Russian is accurately translated with all its nuances when those scenes happen. I would like to thank kind Russian Redditors for their assistance.

I was worried I would not be able to edit and revamp the episode before the New Year, but I am happy I did. I can welcome the new year with the new arc. Luke's visit to Galuna Island, which will be a two-parter—Gale, Julia, Thirteen, and Vinyl's journey in Shamballa—Igneel's training under Ignia—Inter-Guild Training Camp—there is so much more to see.

I will be starting a new series in the DC Comics fandom—The Bat and the Cat: Masks of Gotham—but it will not affect Fairy Adventure's updating. It's a project to try a different writing style in contrast to Fairy Adventure's style, but it will always remain a work-in-progress.

I deeply appreciate all of your support and am happy to have you all on this journey with me and these little misfits of Fairy Tail and all their friends, allies, and enemies. Thank you to those who comment and those who simply read. You are all wonderful. And I hope your winter holiday endeavors have been, are, or will be a delight to you and anyone you care for.

みんなさん、来年も引き続き応援よろしくお願いします。

ありがとうございます。

良いお年を

End of speech.

•

---

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

TRANSLATIONS

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

GORDOST → FIOREN-MINSTRISH

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Babi and Děda

Grandma and Grandpa

• — • — •

Dyadya

Uncle

• — • — •

Tyotenka

Aunty

• — • — •

Vasilisa, day mne moy telefon seychas zhe!

Give me my phone back!

• — • — •

Zasranec!

Asshole

• — • — •

Dedushka

Grandfather

• — • — •

Znayesh', mama o tebe volnuyetsya, osobenno potomu chto ty zagranitsey. Zvoni pochashche, blin.

You know, Mom is worried about you, especially because you are abroad. Call more often, damn it.

• — • — •

Ladno. Tol'ko pochemu ty na gordom govorish'? Yesli chtoby mama ne ponyala, o chem ty govorish', tak ona uzhe dostatochno khorosho znayet gorody—

Okay. But why do you speak Gordost? If you think Mom doesn't understand what you are talking about, she already knows Gordost well enough—

• — • — •

Ya prosto khotela sprosit', kak tam dela, no ne khotela, chtoby moi deti uznali. Chto proiskhodit? U kapitana byl ustavshiy i rasstroyennyy golos, kogda ya s nim govorila.

I just wanted to ask how things were going, but I didn't want my children to know. What's happening? The captain had a tired and frustrated voice when I spoke to him.

• — • — •

Chto proiskhodit, Kolya?

Are you okay, *Kolya?

In Russian, given names can be given diminutive names for signs of familiarity, affection, or derision. Kolya is the Russian diminutive form of Nikolai.

• — • — •

Ronya… Ty slishkom mnogo bespokoish'sya, ty eto znayesh'?

*Ronya… Don't worry too much, alright?

Ronya and Nika are Russian diminutives of Veronika.

• — • — •

Ty uveren?

Are you sure?

• — • — •

Da. Ya uverena, Ronya, okay?

Yes. I'm sure, Ronya, okay?

• — • — •

Ladno, khorosho, Vse khorosho... prosto... ty beregi tam sebya, sebya i svoyu komandu. U tebya zhe syn yest',tak chto, pozhaluysta, bud' ostorozhen, Kolya

Okay, okay, It's fine…just… Take care of yourself, yourself and your team over there. You have a son, so please be careful.

• — • — •

Ya tebya lyublyu

I love you

• — • — •

Ne molchite. Ya dolzhen znat'

Do not keep quiet. I need to know.

• — • — •

Blyad

Fuck

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

SINNISH → FIOREN-MINSTRISH

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Guerra civil del amazones: el consejo mágico utiliza el fuego mágico para expulsar a nativos e ilegales de la zona de guerra

Amazon civil war: magic council uses magic fire to drive natives and illegals out of war zone

• — • — •

¿Cómo te atreves a sugerir que somos responsables de tu inacción? ¡Si hubieras hecho tu trabajo, nuestros hombres no habrían muerto y podrían estar en casa en lugar de morir junto a esos salvajes y chuchos!

How dare you suggest we are responsible for your inaction. Had you done your jobs, our men wouldn't have died and could be home instead of dying alongside those savages and mutts!

• — • — •

Nuestra 'inacción', señor, es el resultado de que estamos en un punto muerto político entre el consejo mágico y los gobiernos que rodean al amazones

Our 'inaction', sir, is the result of us at a political standstill between the Magic Council and the governments surrounding the Amazone.

• — • — •

Es como si los magos se retractaran de su contrato. Hemos cumplido con nuestra parte—

It's just like you magi to go back on your contract. We have honored our part—

• — • — •

¿Y qué ha honrado, señor? Porque desde mi punto de vista, se ha sentido demasiado cómodo confiando en la Fuerza Beta para ayudar con los crímenes de su país.

And what have you honored, sir? Because from my point of view, you have been too comfortable relying on Beta Force to help with your country's crimes.

• — • — •

Que esté muy bien, señores.

Have a good day / Be will, gentlemen (formal)