Fairy x Adventure Chapter 143: Adventure 143, a fairy tail fanfic

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: Fatimah's big stand up to Zayed leaves both her and Inayah in his grasp more so than before. Julia has a flashback to her traumatic surgery, and she gives a little advice to Chunhua that may be advice she has to take herself. Gale's entry into the tunnels goes awry when the Hatif drudges up the words he never wanted to hear. Yet he's saved by two unlikely people. Thirteen, Swan, and Vinyl decided to put on a united front, even if there are some cattish fights. But right now, everyone has to put aside their personal differences to keep one goal in mind: they will figure out how the Emira is connected to everything.

'Quoth the Raven—Nevermore!'

Seems like this Shamballan auction week is more of a mystery than our heroes thought. What was Maxim thinking sending Julia here?

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

WIT • — • – 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

SST • — • — Shamballa Standard Time • — • — Shamballa • — • — UTC – 2

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

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

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

Chibi-Nashi holds up a finger. "Please remember, this arc may have disturbing content that the author does not personally condone!" She winks with a thumbs up. "See you at the end of the episode!"

Playtime was fun with him in the basement.

Today, he got to learn all sorts of things about the Super Rangers since they were watching the dino-rangers saga while he rocked them on the rocker recliner. He liked watching Super Rangers with him. Apparently, the western Super Rangers were actually from Cipangu where they were called Super Sentai and he excitedly would show him when the Mellie cast dubbed over the original Cipanguese. The world was so cool.

Maybe because he made it sound so cool.

"Hey, we have to go."

She had come downstairs. He could see that Fairy Tail mark on her shoulder.

He quieted before mumbling, "I don't wanna go."

A sigh. "Stop being so lazy. C'mon. We have to go on a job—"

"It's not Wednesday. It's Tuesday," he replied with a hitch in his voice, rocking a little more on the recliner with him. "We don't do jobs on Tuesdays."

"Okay, well, now we do." Annoyance etched her words. "Look, it's just one day. And we'll be back on Thursdays, just like normal." She reached for the tablet he had brought to show him all the various differences between Super Sentai and Super Rangers. "So get up. C'mon. You need to pack—"

"It's not Wednesday," he repeated—no, insisted. But his voice sounded quieter now, like he could not bring himself to get loud. But his heartbeat stuttered and that scent—distress—wafted off him. "We do jobs on Wednesdays—"

"You can't seriously expect us to always do jobs on Wednesdays," she exasperatedly sighed. She pitched forward and haphazardly grabbed him from his lap. "Come on." Like she could not be bothered, she put him down and shooed him away. "Go play with the twins or something."

But he could. Not when that scent of distress triggered him. "He doesn't wanna go today."

"We have a job to do," she replied back rigidly, either ignoring that he was rocking more or simply not caring. "He can get over it. I already signed us up for the job—"

"Hey!" He was grown now, taller than her, bigger than her, and angrier than her. "He said he doesn't want to go!"

"And?" Somehow, even after he had grown, she could still loom over him, and all he could see was the complete apathy for him in those deep hazel eyes. The sounds of chains shot out from her wrist to shackle him and bring him to his knees. "What are you going to do about it?"

JJARA-JJARA!

The overwhelming smell of antiseptic and ozone fudged up his nose. The lights were few and far between as silhouettes danced around him, mocking him with their church mouse whispers that echoed offensively around him. He whimpered with his wings close, and his tail curled, but it made more panic gut him with chains around his wrists and ankles. No matter how much he clawed to get away, to escape, it all came down to those chains trapping him in this dark cage—

The fumes of the forest spoke to him.

This enchanting wood smelt of dryads—Fae Magic. It bothered his nose, but the druids and faefolk would not dare breach his impenetrable wards. If they yearned to speak with him, they would properly summon him from her dwelling.

The sound of someone walking up called to him.

The hoard looked arrogant and maybe a little too dense, but he had wanted to make a statement. Anything his Chosen wanted, he could provide. He needed to provide. The Wild refused to let his Chosen go without, even if it meant bargaining with those uppity unicorns, making nice with those grubby elves, and putting his teeth away when she was forced to interact with his precious Chosen's human friend (even if he quietly bared fang when that Male hinted arousal towards his Chosen).

It was all worth it when he saw his Chosen curled up in the nest of feathers and furs. He had done everything in his power to make the nest enticing, so nervous his Chosen would reject it. He knew little of human sensibilities and it stressed the Wild that his own little human would not like the nest and would abandon him to return to her tribe, or worse, go to that disgusting Male who had that hope in his eyes she would be in his bed on the morrow.

But there his Chosen roused herself with hair spun of sunlight. Blonde lashes parted to show deep eyes dipped in Heaven's light. And that smile—by the wind, that smile—that she reserved for him made him feel like the world was right and that this—their den, their lives, their Choices—were right.

A hand came up and he could not resist when his sweet little Chosen beckoned her over. Black scales rippled, glittering like obsidians, as he carefully curled into the nest and around his little Chosen. A deep inhale told him those herbs from the fertility goddess were working. Hints of aroused perfume made him purr happily and his tail flicked in anticipation. It would be time soon, time for them to start trying for their own horde. Never had he thought he would sire outside of The Season. He dearly hoped their hatchlings would turn out like his Chosen, sweet and smart and kind of heart.

His Chosen's little whine made him curl closer, purring deeper. How had this little human tempted him so? Was her scent of the moon and starlight so hypnotic that it made her irresistible—?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

BOCHI!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gale kept his pulse steady as he woke up. Someone breached the wards.

Keeping himself calm and collected was easier in the face of danger than it sounded. He had plenty of practice faking weakness while sparring and hunting. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing even, but his ears were on alert. I can't hear anything. No heartbeats or breathing or clothes rustling—nothing. But I know there's someone there. Dammit. Are they using a Mute Charm on themselves? An assassin? I need to be on the ground and feel the vibrations then. But it's too late for that. I just need to—

Gooseflesh bumped his skin.

His eyes shot open—

The figure that stood over him looked like someone out of a steampunk nightmare with his plague doctor mask with amber goggles embedded and that scrunched hat. His black cloak-like trench coat looked expensive and well-groomed, as did his gloves. He dared not wear a cross, but instead, a bird with wings spread acted as his pendant.

Gale's muscles coiled as his fingers exchanged for obsidian claws. There you are.

And that fight started without hesitation.

His launch off the bed to the plague doctor gave a millisecond of advantage, as though the plague doctor had not expected that fast of a reaction, but he adjusted all the same. Gale's lunge for the plague doctor's throat was avoided, but he did not back down, even with the size of the room against him. He took control of his offense and shifted his weight as the plague doctor dodged and blocked. It felt more like a dance than combat.

Rubies narrowed. You…

Gale spun around for a kick that got blocked, but rather than the plague doctor taking offense, he tried to increase the distance. But Gale would not let him.

I can't hear you. It's like you're completely silent—like your body is silent.

Gale's high kick missed as the plague doctor spun away.

However…

His foot slammed onto the ground—

FWOOSH!

The world blackened for a moment as shivers crawled up his spine. It felt overwhelming to feel all the footsteps and hands, like he was inside an anthill, but the vibrations from the plague doctor's dancing around were what kept him grounded.

You don't need sound to feel vibrations.

Gale kept up his power punches, the plague doctor jumping this way and twirling that to avoid them. But Gale's blows led them both to the ensuite bathroom. Vibrations racked up Gale's skin as he tried to get the plague doctor down. But the good doctor had a counter and dodge for every attack until—

The doctor hesitated—

Rubies glinted. There.

Gale overtook the doctor as his Wild tried to snap forward and kill the human who dared try to ambush him. Scales clumped on his skin as he clawed the doctor down and straddled him for good measure. His claws automatically went for the throat with his other hand fisting, itching to punch off that mask. But he refused to cave into the Wild's need for blood.

The doctor twitched—

Gale pressed his claws tighter, as if to warn what would happen if he showed a perfect effort. He looked at those amber goggles, searching. I can smell power coming off him, but it's conflicting. One minute, it's Curse Power, and the next minute, it's Magic. And the fact that he can be this silent means he's a trained assassin or a mercenary. I don't have a lot of enemies who want me dead.

Rubies gleamed in hatred. Except one.

He bared his teeth. So tell me… He made sure his fangs were out. "Who the fuck are you?"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

"Ame no youna kaze no youna

Dareka no koto jama suru youna

Hito ni nante naritaku wanai kara?

Hare no youna hikari no youna

Dareka no koto teraseru youna

Hito ni naritai!"

nante itai tte dareka no koe ga?

Kikoetara nanda

Nagutte kowashite sayonara DILEMMA!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The plague doctor left Gale's question open to interpretation as he cocked his head, almost like a curious bird.

Gale snarled and demanded to know, "Did Bluenote send you here to finish me off? Or are you in league with a Demon trying to kill me off? Answer me."

The plague doctor said nothing—

BURUBURU!

Vibrations set off.

Gale's hand came up to stop the doctor from surprising him with a syringe, but when another vibration set off, it was too late as whatever was in the plague doctor's hand exploded into gas. The time it took Gale to make a Bubble Mask Charm to cover his face was enough for the plague doctor to seek the upper hand. The power struggle felt primal at best, but Gale lost the fight and got thrown into the shower door with a harsh smack.

BURUBURU!

Gale latched onto the doctor's leg and did not care how many times they kicked him. He dragged the doctor under, only to get a shocking punch to the gut that loosened his grip. The doctor was quick to escape—

BURUBURU!

The plague doctor emerged from the gaseous bathroom and made a run for it to get out of the room and coast to the living room, but when he glanced back, Gale had sprinted after him. There was that bird-like head tilt again before he faced front—

FWIP!

Vines forced the plague doctor to stop as they wrapped around him in a tight harness and even a loose noose.

"I wasn't done talking to you!" Gale growled, claws clamped down on his vines and his mask gone. "Who sent you here? Who are you? What the Hell do you want from me?" Rubies narrowed. "Because that was a pretty fucking weak assassination attempt."

The plague doctor simply stared.

Gale did not lose his grip, but his thoughts were tunneling down his web of theories. I'm not wrong and we both know it. He was reacting quickly. I don't think he's here to kill me. If he really was an assassin, tricking my wards without my notice would've been child's play. That syringe—he could've injected me instead of punched me. And his kicks might've hurt, but they weren't terrible. He wanted me to know he was here. He's humoring me. Teeth gritted. No, that's not it.

"You." Gale figured it out with a scowl. "You're testing me—why? And for who?"

The plague doctor's head tilted again.

A crude grin drove up Gale's mouth. Yeah. Not like I expected him to actually tell me. When his vines constricted like snakes, he could feel their eager grip, like they truly were snakes hungry for dinner. So. What's my next test? Is this Bluenote's work?

The plague doctor righted his head.

Never did Gale expect the mask to open like a bird beak and—

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

That screeching—that super-sonic screech that made your ears bleed and your toes curl—instantly made Gale's vines loosen and disappear as he crumbled to his knees to box his ears and drown out the incomprehensible noise. The frequency, the vibrations—it was all too much!

The plague doctor's mask snapped shut again and he took off—

GASHAN!

Through the fog in his head and the ringing in his ears, Gale sluggishly looked up to see one window was smashed and the plague doctor leaped out of it. A grunt left him as he pulled himself together enough to stagger over, scales covering his feet so he could ignore the broken glass. Shit… My head and my ears… But I can't let him get away…

His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, sturdy gravity now like an unruly wave between him and making the world seem so unstable. The ringing of that screech would not leave his ears and shaking his head like a dog only made everything worse. Blearily, he looked down to see the plague doctor falling down all those stories of the hotel. What is he…?

A cane came out of the plague doctor's hand like he was about to go for a stroll. A winged hourglass topped the black cane, all gold and polished, but it seemed like when the doctor raised his cane, the wings on the hourglass expanded. They flapped and carried the plague doctor away from the building to…

Gale squinted with the fog in his mind receding. He saw those wings carry the plague doctor to the edge of the property and realized a speed boat awaited the good doctor with someone else already inside. They looked like a plague nurse with their nurse's hat, old-time smock atop their dress, and their own mask. They waited for the plague doctor to gracefully drop onto the speed boat and the wings on the hourglass retracted to be mere decorations.

The plague doctor looked up at Gale.

The nurse took the helm as she sped them off.

And Gale never even heard the boat dart across the water.

The ringing in his ears dulled a bit, but it was not gone. Still, the fog in his mind thinned, and he watched with unaccustomed eyes as the boat flitted back to the mainland of Shamballa. All right then.

He swung up to his feet and waited a moment for gravity to stabilize before looking at the sea and keeping his eyes on the boat. Let's look at the facts. It's obvious whoever that was came here as a test. And he wants me to follow him. He deliberately showed me that cane. He could've flown off, but he chose to take a boat. And that look back… He might've been hired to test out the waters and, if I passed, I was to follow him to the client. But why?

Rubies darkened. Do they know what I am? I didn't have my contacts in. If I had to hazard a guess, then they more than likely know who I am, but they might not know what I am unless they're under Bluenote. It's better for me to think they have all the cards than to not.

The boat made it across, and Gale's vision enhanced to show the plague doctor getting off onto solid land. His head turned and he looked into Gale's direct line of sight, cocked his head, then strolled away like nothing happened.

Gale pawed at his ears as the ringing died down. As smart as it would be to ignore this, he just showed me he could get into my room at any time. And more than that, something is bothering me…

He scratched under his jaw. Last night, that tunnel fucked me up. His face darkened at the phantom whispers that tunnel had fed him. I know I wasn't in the right mind to get out on my own. So someone had to have pulled me out. But there were no lingering scents around me. Almost like they deliberately scrubbed their scent from me.

Rubies stormed. Almost like they knew I would find them using my nose.

He stepped away only for something to catch his eye. What's this? He dipped down and picked up a thick, fur-like plumage a mixture of brown, black, and fraying gray. A feather? But why…?

He took a delicate sniff. Not poisoned. And I don't feel anything negative. He took a deeper sniff, and his brow came together. Huh… This smells like… Another scenting. Hints of sweat, booze, smoke, but… there are some aromatic scents too that sort of cover it. Hmm…

He turned away from the window and snapped his fingers while watching the feather. The glass pieced itself back together, but Gale held up the feather and tried to figure it out. I think…this feather is a clue on where to find that guy. But those scents… It's obvious those aromatic scents fused to mask booze and smoke. But where would a place like that be? A bar? No, the liquor would be more potent. A nightclub? No. Clubs have more of a stimulating and sharp scent to help heighten senses and hype shit up. These scents are made more to relax and daze you a bit… But this is a place where you can still smoke and drink. So where…?

This made little sense to Gale, even though he had the answer. "Why does he want me to go to a casino?"

The plumage jerked.

Gale dropped it and readied his defenses.

The plumage, however, did not threaten him. Like a QuickPad Quill, the feather dipped to write in beautiful calligraphy mid-air.

Twenty-One

And then the plumage withered and glided back to the ground.

Gale glanced at the feather before looking back at the sparkling calligraphy. 'Twenty-one'—casino—Blackjack. So. I'm to play Blackjack with this guy? Probably means he wants to talk over a private game. But the number is written out. I think Twenty-One is also the name of the casino.

Mind made, he walked through the words to make them disappear and headed straight for his room. His Compact woke up the moment it was swiped off the charger, and hesitance held Gale back when he saw Luna's texts, but he had to ignore them to start researching.

Shamballa relaxed its rules about drinking, but as far as I know, gambling and betting are still illegal, and everything has to be on online casinos. That's not to say underground casinos can't exist, but I'm betting they don't. But then again, the Black Auction shouldn't exist either. So how do you set up a casino that can't exist?

He kept entering variations of Twenty-One until he typed in ⟨ ⟩ and waited for his search to turn up—

His lips twitched before he broke into a grin. There you are.

An animation played out to show grandiose doors that parted. A concierge waited for him behind a desk, a pretty thing in a professional black. "Welcome"—her smile broadened—"Geo-Dragon."

Rubies widened.

She extended a hand to her right. "Your party has been waiting for you. The game has already been selected. The currency is in Jewel. The language is in Minstrish. Would you like to change the settings before joining your party?"

Options flooded down like he was playing a lacrimagame:

⟪ YES ⟫

⟪ NO ⟫

⟪ REPEAT THE QUESTION ⟫

Gale blinked. No way… He tapped ⟪ NO ⟫.

The concierge nodded. "Player « Geo-Dragon » has accepted all settings. This game's settings are now locked in and cannot be changed mid-game. Player « Geo-Dragon », are you ready to join your party?"

Options came down and listed:

⟪ YES ⟫

⟪ NO ⟫

⟪ REPEAT THE QUESTION ⟫

He sat back, thinking. So. That was a test too. Had I not noticed the feather, I would've followed that guy. And if I'd done that, I'm sure I would've been put through more tests to see if I was the real deal or would've been pushed aside as not worth the trouble. They were banking I'd figure this out. And now, they've got me where they want me.

The options mocked him.

⟪ YES ⟫

⟪ NO ⟫

⟪ REPEAT THE QUESTION ⟫

It was then he had to mirthlessly chuckle at his screen. I can't even exit out. The Magic on this site probably locked down my Com and will probably intercept any messages or calls on my behalf. He rubbed his face. I played into their trap. And with Lady J out there…

He looked back at the screen. Someone pulled me out of those tunnels. Someone knows who I am and, potentially, who Lady J is. And they want to talk. Could it be Yara was onto me? Maybe, but if she knew who I was, she'd know not to get violent to get my attention.

He closed his eyes. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. Do I walk into a trap without backup…or do I stay here and have to wait it out for that plague doctor to come back for me?

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

He reopened his eyes, reds clear and resolved. His finger pressed the screen—

PLINK!

The concierge's beam widened. "Player « Geo-Dragon » has accepted the game and will now join the waiting party. Please standby for departure."

Gale jolted when he could feel foreign Magic integrate with his own. Nothing about it felt hostile or wrong, but it broke him down into zeroes and ones and Ethernano. This Magic… He frowned. I've… I've felt this before…

The concierge continued: "Please note we advise you not to gamble if you are heavily intoxicated or abusing illegal substances. All wagers must be made prior to the next dealing and cannot be made with cash. All players will be provided with protected casino chips that may be cashed out once you are finished with your time. We ask that you enjoy your time here at Twenty-One. And please remember…"

As the Magic claimed most of Gale's body, he saw something darken in the concierge's smile in his last moments, but whatever she said was lost on him. The Magic sucked Gale into his Compact with a vengeance before the theatrical display was gone, and his Compact dropped on the bed. The screen no longer showed the concierge for the online casino. Instead, it blinked words:

THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS

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Fairy Adventure 143

•

Twenty-one

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The public had the time of their lives visiting all the flowers and plants. Color sprouted everywhere, which was unusual for such a place surrounded by nothing but dirt and sand. But royal reds and majestic magentas to vibrant violets and badgering blacks popped everywhere in beautiful harmony. All had been arranged in such creative ways, from a floral replica of the iconic Nicky-nyan and Nina-nyan holding a heart to the infamous (albeit cowardly) Great Sorcerer Howl's moving castle complete with a replicated hearth where he bound the Fire Demon Calcifer and an enchanted scarecrow who welcomed visitors.

One path was a tunnel of vines and flowers, but these flowers were the social sort, blooming for those they liked and puckering up for those they deemed ugly. The maze was popular this time of year for those on holidays. Everyone wanted to make it to the center to collect the prize. Not to mention the cute flower carts people could charter to tour them around the gardens and the magical creatures who lived on the property and were more than happy to say their helloes. Legends say that nymphs would visit you if you pleased them enough by showering the plants with compliments.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Shamballa Botanical Garden, located in Al-Muejiza, an affordable shopping district popular for young adults. A talented horticultural group of Wizards maintains the botanical gardens, where people can see flower sculptures, try their hand at the flower maze, or go into biomes filled with hundreds of butterflies or dozens of birds. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

On second thought, I should've bet I would murder on this trip.

"But with a body like yours, I know I would've seen you around."

Julia tried to keep the murder out of her smile at the disgusting backhanded compliment this young (not) gentleman gifted her with a smug little grin. "Oh, yes. I'm sure." Not. She ignored his next misogynistic compliments to gulp some more wine and take a look around.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Shamballa Botanical Gardens

Al-Muejiza

Shamballa, Alakitasia

1:21 PM SST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Garden parties felt posh because they were posh, but that did not mean everyone and their mother had a Lincoln-Minstrish accent with opera glasses, played croquet with golf applause, and said things like "Well, on my yacht…" or "Did you know so-so is the vice president? We were uni-friends back in the day…", or all that sort of nonsense.

Well. Maybe not all of them had the accent…

An all-white garden party meant—as you would shockingly guess—everyone came in white attire with their best foot forward and stopping to smell the roses was highly encouraged. How could stains exist in an all-white garden party when the hosts themselves shelved out a substantial amount of money in their party package to have spells placed about so everyone's clothes would always be pristine.

Servants had come with their employers, holding parasols and sun umbrellas. Little ones came with their nannies—yes, nannies—and had been graciously forked over to the dirt and potting set up where children learned how to plant seeds and could mess all they want without fear of dirtying their clothes. Fruits, jams, and nectars straight from the flora had been canned for sale and were easily being snapped up. But the real money-maker of this fundraiser was the pledges. You could, of course, set your own limit, but there were tiers to choose from that made a person feel important. But the truly wealthy stripped off blank checks with a dismissive wave, like it would not put a dent in their billions.

Some people had all the luck.

"But, y'know, if you wanna hit up the maze with me, we could, ah…" The young man's onceover was positively predatorial with his smirk more and more irritating by the second.

Julia had to keep both hands on her glass. Do not reach for your knives. Let him run his mouth. Don't make a scene. Don't give Gary the satisfaction of winning the damn bet. The image alone of Gary making it rain because she lost her temper was enough to keep her in check.

She forced a giggle and purred, "How about later? I need a refill."

"I'll get you one," the young man eagerly offered and, without even asking her what she wanted, he pivoted away to bring her a new glass.

Julia kept her posture, but she was throwing daggers at him in her mind (all of them hit their mark, too). I owe Cane so many sorries. At least he respects women.

"Like, there you are!"

Julia laughed when Cher clobbered her in a side-hug. "Here I am."

"Like, I literally was about to step in until you handle that asshole yourself," Cher said with admiration. She looked like a little girl in her frilly white dress, but it worked for her. "You're, like, literally so much better than me for keeping your cool. I would've, like, lost it and texted Daddy."

"Always running to Daddy-kins," Lorraine snubbed. So Perench, this one, with her chic white ensemble and painted white lips. Though, over yonder, Elias looked like he had a little white peeking from his collar. Coincidentally, Lorraine's lipstick needed a retouch. "You could stand to be a little more independent, y'know."

Cher giggled and whispered loudly to Julia, "Like, don't listen to her. She literally is such a daddy's girl, but, like, she gets totes embarrassed about it."

Lorraine flushed. "I am not!" She flickered her hair and linked her arm with Julia's other arm. "Don't listen to her. C'mon. Let's go walk." She eyed her boyfriend a bit moodily as he joshed around with some adults. "Elias already abandoned me." She upturned his nose. "So I should abandon him."

Julia sweatdropped seeing right through Lorraine's. She really is like a cat, isn't she? The imagery was comical with Lorraine as a pedigree kitty, pretending not to like it as Elias doted on her. "Sure. I could use the walk."

"Yay!" Cher cheered as she and Lorraine guided Julia away. "Like, garden parties are literally not my thing, but it's, like, totes for a good cause. All the money here gets poured back into the Horticultural Society to help bring more flowers and plants and nurseries here."

"That sounds incredible," Julia confessed.

Lorraine sniffed. "It's an okay cause," she supposed. "My daddy already pledged seventy-five-k." She checked her nails. "And I donated two-grand. It was nothing for some of my standing."

Shadows covered Julia's eyes as she remembered how effortlessly rich Ena was and compared her to Lorraine. I feel déjà vu.

"My daddy did a tier-three pledge," Cher rambled, merry, "and he wants me to, like, pick out a floral statute and I literally get my own donation plaque. Isn't he the best?"

Nothing in Cher's tone signified arrogancy or smugness, but Lorrain quietly fumed she had been outdone and hmphed. "Whatever."

"Haha…" Julia sweated a bit between Cher's airheaded cheeriness and Lorraine's prissy cattishness. It's like being with a dog and a cat.

"Hey, so, like, where's your totes hot bodyguard?"

Cher's sneaky question sputtered a laugh out of Julia. "What? You think he's hot?"

"Um, like, yeah?" Cher answered with Lorraine subtly nodding her agreement like she could not believe she was agreeing with her frenemy. "Like, oh-my gods, when I saw him, I was like woah, I totes need to talk to him. Like, all the girls literally kept their eyes on him."

Julia could not believe it. "Seriously?"

"Like, as totes serious as Queen B's Lemonade album," Cher told her.

"O-Oh. Right." Lightning struck Julia. But what does that mean! She shook her head. "Sorry, but he had prior engagements he and my uncle agreed on, so he had to dip, but he'll be back tomorrow. And he's a little spoken for."

Cher pouted. "Like, no way."

"Way," Julia said sympathetically. "Trust me, I've tried to climb that tree and never made it to the top." She patted Cher's arm in consolation. "He's horribly in love. Take it from me. You don't want to go there."

Cher's pout furthered. "Is he, like, super seriously in love?"

"As serious as Young Nation's Spring Day."

Cher's eyes widened. "Like…woah. That's like…sorority sister serious."

"I know." Julia sweated a bit. Oh, thank gods I remembered that. Silver was a wreck when he listened to that song.

• — • — • — • — •

"It speaks to me so much!"

Silver hiccupped as he bawled on his bedroom floor with Luna sniffling with him and so many tissues between them. They just cried in each other's arms in their weird YN21 pajamas. "Why are they so amazing, Lulu!"

• — • — • — • — •

A dreary aura took Julia. He's just so damn sensitive. We all should've drowned in his ocean of tears by now. A sobering thought came to her. No one had been able to reach him all day yesterday. Gary's message came back to her. Is he…really okay? Are any of us okay?

She let Lorraine and Cher's back and forth fly over her head as she swept around. Her contacts lazily picked up IDs on every presence. Now's not the time to think about it. I should still be scanning and watching. Gale managed to ID Yara into our linked system. Now, I just need to find her and figure out if she really wants to free the queen or if she has an ulterior motive not even the second princess can see.

She slipped her arm from Cher to sip her drink. The girls were speaking about a celebrity now. It's still hard to put all the pieces together. Noko hinted the queen has some sort of powers revolving around fertility, but that's already a Lost Art. If it's true she has that, she'd be under Council protection. But I'm assuming, given her history, nothing like that happened. And her being married to the king of Bellum?

She suppressed a sigh. We might be in over our heads with this one, Gale. Her contact scanners picked up more IDs further out—

BEI CHUNHUA

Julia stiffened and realized the identification came from one of the butterfly domes. Chunhua? Another ID popped up:

BEI LUO (DYLAN)

And her brother? Her eyebrows scrunched together. What are they doing? There was something weird about them last night too.

With a quick excuse, she left Cher and Lorraine to casually wander closer to the butterfly biome. Her perfunctory smiles came in handy as she passed others attending the all-white garden party, but she got to the biome doors and tried to look inconspicuous as possible as she quietly opened the first set of doors—

"我告诉你，你要和我一起去。这是我们的安排，当时你求我带你走."

Zhōnguánese? Julia fumbled to mess with her watch. All right. Let's translate. Once she was finished with the target language selection, she confirmed, and she watched through her contacts as a translation was provided for the angry Zhōnguánese.

CHUNHUA: But you promised I'd have some time to be with my friends—

DYLAN: And I also told you you are to prioritize my business deals, should I need you, over your so-called friends. Don't forget, [little sister], if it wasn't for me, you'd still be locked in your room like a bird in a cage. And it would be so easy for me to tell Ma and Ba how their daughter turned their backs on our Guardians so they could send you to—

C: You promised!

D: I promised to keep my word if you kept yours. I'm not letting you [fuck] this up for me, understand? This is the deal of a lifetime for me and you. And I know you know it. You won't be Ma and Ba's unwanted daughter and I don't have to put up with our brothers' shit. Remember that?

C: I…remember.

D: Good. Say your goodbyes now and [untranslatable]. We can't keep Zayed waiting. Pull any tricks and betray me and I'll guarantee your handover to our parents. And you know where they'll send you—the camps.

Julia suppressed her bewilderment. 'Zayed'? As in the prince?

C: I won't betray you, [big brother].

D: I know you won't.

Julia could hear the telltale sounds of movements and made her mood, pushing through the inner doors. The biome smelled like water, dirt, and nectar with kaleidoscopes of butterflies all around, fat and happy. She slipped out her Compact to feign picture-taking, and surprise slapped her when she saw Chunhua in a white qipao with a lacy overlay while Dylan had worn a white button-up with the sleeves rolled up and white slacks.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Julia profusely apologized. "Lorraine and Cher told me some of these biomes had birds and butterflies and I just wanted to take some pictures…"

Dylan straightened up with a poised smile. "As you should." He waved his hand all around him. "The biomes are beautiful and, rarely, they aren't swamped with people." He aimed his smile at his sister. "I'll wait for you outside." And with that, he left the biome with a friendly nod to Julia.

Julia made sure to listen for him to leave before turning back to Chunhua. Her hands we covered in white lace opera gloves, though her palms with silkily protected. "Hey." She sidled closer to Chunhua. "Um, thanks for the water last night. Sorry I was acting like a bit of a bitch."

"You weren't at all," Chunhua assured with a vague smile. "You actually"—dark eyes flickered—"gave me a lot to think about."

"I did?"

"Mmm." Chunhua squeezed her hands together. "Perhaps…you were right the other day. And I was being foolish." Darkness sparked. "Perhaps all this power does is give you endless despair."

Julia placed Chunhua's thin expression under watch.

Chunhua forced her smile to lighten up. "I'm sorry, but it would seem I have to cut today's fundraiser event short. My brother and I are actually attending another event, so we'll need to get leaving. He told me to say my goodbyes."

"But we'll see each other later," Julia reminded. She added when she saw a shadow of dismay stroke Chunhua's face. "Right?"

But that shadow was gone, and Chunhua kept her smile. "Of course. I look forward to seeing everyone this time of year. I'll rejoin everyone after the second auction, I'm sure."

Julia took note that Chunhua's hands trembled.

"Well." Chunhua nodded politely. "Enjoy the fundraiser, Nightingale." She bowed and left the biome.

Julia kept her movements delayed as she abandoned the butterfly biome as well, but she stayed near the doors to watch Chunhua go back to the heart of the party. Cher and Lorraine crowded her, but it would seem Chunhua wasted no time with the bad news and had both her friends upset.

I don't understand. Why would Dylan Bei need to see the second prince? Julia bounced her stare to Dylan as he made his rounds, shaking hands and saying all the right things. He's a politician, so I suppose it makes sense he has an audience with Zayed—unless the Zayed he mentioned is someone else. I doubt it though. But more importantly, he has something over Chunhua. To be specific, Chunhua is useful to him in these negotiations. But why? Is he trying to marry her off? No. He mentioned something about her turning her back on the Guardians, and that frightened her. So why…?

She shifted her weight. "Kore?"

The Hellhound emerged, brushing against her dress.

"It's going to take me a bit to make my escape," Julia told her Hellhound. "Can you follow Dylan and Chunhua?"

The Hellhound imprinted confirmation before slinking away.

Julia downed the rest of her drink. A prince obsessed with his mysterious stepmother… A Black Auction… And now this. Maxim—she clenched her glass—what the Hell were you thinking inviting me here?

The ultramodern city looked like something out of a science fiction anime with Wind Lacrima and Solar Lacrima poised throughout the glistening city to soak up all the wind and sun for power. With all the reflecting glass and high technology, there was a substantial amount of flora growing everywhere, healthy and happy. A few people movers went back and forth, shuffling through all the tall buildings to deposit students of all kinds. A healthy mixture of uniformed and casual-clothes students walked around, talking shop and laughing over gossip. Machias, man, Chimaera, Aberrants—they all walked side by side here with their briefcases and laptop bags. The twisted triangular building with the horned spire brought all sorts of attention.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Shamballa's Academy City, a satellite city from the Tower of Learning's own Academy City—a college town filled with prestigious educational facilities seldom open to the public. Shamballa's Academy City even has a smaller version of the Tower of Learning's Garden of Knowledge, located in the central building with the spire. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Performances came in spade as secondary and collegiate students in their civil servant uniforms tended to the masses. Dorms had been cleaned and every student had pitched in to make their campus shine the brightest and the best. Shifts were taken as some students acted as servers and others gave tours. Some helped out with the events. Five stages were a lot to maintain, but with every student participating in the showcase, now was the chance for these students to understand organization and management. Their guests did come all this way, after all.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is the Zainab al-Nafzawiyya College, one of the first Shamballan colleges to integrate magical studies into their curriculum. This college works with its secondary school and is known to be the top college to attend in all of Shamballa. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

I'm not mad. I'm not jealous. I'm not mad. I'm not jealous.

Vinyl thought she was doing well as she snacked on her smoked salmon and cream cheese hors d'oeuvres with a healthy sip of her drink. Right now, one of the lower choirs was singing Welcome to the Family Madrigal with some instrument accompaniment and the crowd enjoyed it, especially a few Sinnish and Valchestrian guests. The music teacher in Vinyl would be slightly critiquing the placements of the instrumentalists and perhaps she would mentally advise that the choir teacher should have taught his students how to know how close to get to the Microphone Lacrima, but…

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Zainab al-Nafzawiyya College

Academy City

Shamballa, Alakitasia

1:59 PM SST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

I'm not mad. I'm not jealous. I'm not mad. I'm not jealous.

"Viñella!"

Vinyl wanted to give a curse when Vespers spotted her with a solemn Salentino with him. I'm not mad. I'm not jealous. She turned a stiff smile to Vespers. "Hi."

"I see you came to the fundraiser too. I figured you would since it's an art fundraiser," Vespers let her know. "I already put down my pledge. Have you?"

"Of course I have," Vinyl sniffed.

"I'm sure. And, um…" Vespers' smile widened. "Is that where your date went? To put in his pledge? Or are you alone?"

I'm not mad. I'm not jealous. I'm not mad. I'm not jealous. Even so, she remembered Swan happily on a mentally checked-out Thirteen's arm as they cooed, "Have fun at the kid's table, baby screech! I'll take good care of him!"

TICK!

An aura of death radiated from Vinyl. I'm not mad. I'm not jealous. I'm not mad. I'm not jealous.

She took a forceful exhale. "I'm alone." She quickly followed up with, "But for good reason. He ran into an old friend and wanted to catch up. I wanted to come to the fundraiser. He'll be along shortly."

"That's great news!" Vespers cheered. "It'd be a shame if your date ditched you just like how you ditched my brother at the altar, wouldn't it?"

Vinyl seethed underneath Vespers' laughter. I'm starting to understand why Master carries her sword with her everywhere.

She hmphed and turned her head away. "Ha-ha. Very funny." She glanced around. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're at the other stages," Vespers told her, dismissive. "Since your date abandoned you, why don't you join Salentino and I? It would be the perfect solution. We can meet up with the group and catch up like old friends."

"'Like' being the operative word," Vinyl muttered. She eyed Vespers. He's giving me the in I need to closely monitor him and trace his power. I can't be petty and blow him off. She slapped on another smile. "But I'd be delighted."

"Wonderful!" Vespers offered his arm to her. "Then shall we—?" His smile faded for a frown, and he dropped his arm to take out his vibrating Compact. "Actually…my charming escort will have to wait. I need to take this call. Salentino, could you watch over my friend for me? We wouldn't want her to get swept up while she was waiting for her date."

Salentino nodded.

Vespers kissed his cheek and walked off to answer the call.

Vinyl bit back her grin. I'm sure he's not worried about us being alone because his control on Salentino is airtight and my Magic was never used for battle. I know I should follow him, but I can't let this opportunity go to waste. If he took that call and left Salentino here, then that means—aquamarines glinted—even in Salentino's state, he doesn't want to risk him overhearing.

She thanked a student who collected her empty recyclable plate and drink before slipping her arm around Salentino. "Would you mind if we went for a walk instead? I'm feeling a bit restless and this is a new country and all."

Salentino did not respond.

That worried Vinyl a little. Will he not respond to any of my suggestions or even move without Vespers' permission? Time to test it. She moved into a walk…

…and Salentino moved with her.

All right. So he's like a doll right now. I can guide him, but that's the extent. Vinyl looked around. I need to isolate him before Vespers gets back. Since Vespers is possessing him, I'm sure he's got a Tag on him, so Vespers always knows his general location. But if I could get through to him for a minute.

She pulled Salentino into one of the campus buildings. People were pushing in and out, raving about the students and all the events and raffles and prizes. Of course, the students nodded to greet Vinyl and Salentino, but since neither one of them was waving their checkbooks and credit cards, they received little attention. Vinyl subtly turned Salentino down an emptier hallway, but she kept them walking.

All right. A deep breath. Now or never. Her fingers twitched like she was holding a conductor's wand. One-two-three-four…

"It really is nice to meet you, Salentino," Vinyl chirped. She could hear the replica of the soprano aria she had heard before start. "I've known Vespers since we were in nappies. It's good to see him with a reliable and nice man." She flashed her blues downward. "I've never really had the same luck. But then again, Vespers and I were different. He didn't really have cousins and he didn't have his brother around all the time, so he's always been…eager for a relationship. I had a lot of family around, especially all my cousins. Maybe that's why I'm hesitant."

Salentino's cheek twitched.

Vinyl hid her smile as she heard the soft hum of Salentino's soundtrack underneath the ugly melody around him. I knew it. She continued, "You spoke about your cousin when we first met. I could tell how much you cared about him. That's sweet." A rueful smile tapped her lips. "My cousins weren't all that caring, I'm afraid," she confessed. "But I'm sure you were much more involved with your cousin's life. Or, at least, you sounded like you were."

Salentino's throat flexed.

Aquamarines narrowed as she could hear the aria crescendo beneath Vespers' seductive waltz. Just a little more… If I could just… Her hand moved to conduct a build up into a high note for the soprano to hold—

"Yes… I was." Salentino's words came out a bit hoarse, like he had not used his voice in a little while. "Chace was… He was like a brother to me."

Vinyl softened, hiding her conducting hand. "He meant a great deal to you."

"He did." A touch of wistfulness burdened his face. "I have many sisters. When he came along, it finally felt like I wasn't outnumbered. When his mother was sick and couldn't fly with him to Pergrande to be with him on his first day of secondary…he asked me to come with him. And we talked almost every day."

Vinyl let Salentino stew in his memories for a few breaths. "I see. So then"—she encouraged the song to crescendo from mezzo-forte to forte—"what made him study abroad…and not call anymore?"

Salentino's mouth twitched. "H-He…" His brow furrowed, pained. "He…"

Vinyl stiffened when she heard Vespers' waltz rushing to drown her out. No, no, I'm so close! She tried her hand at gathering the melody and fighting back, but Vespers' waltz dominated with a heavier brass section. Frustration bit her when she saw all the signs of emotions riding Salentino fade away into that listless withdrawal. Dammit! We need to know what's going on here. And if Vespers is trying to override me, he'll be aware someone is trying to break Salentino—and he'll come running. But I can't lose this opportunity.

She brought over her hand to chew on her thumbnail. But what do I do? If I go too aggressive, Vespers will be too quick and might overdose Salentino on his power. So what do I…?

"La-lala… La-lala-lala…"

Vinyl blinked when Salentino stopped, but she did as well. What was that?

"La-lala… La-lala-lala…"

Vinyl looked up at the stairwell. It's coming…from up there. She glanced at Salentino to see him looking up the stairs. And he's…showing interest? I might not have lost him yet, but I need to act fast.

She smiled and gestured to the steps. "Want to see what the noise is about?"

Salentino said nothing.

"All right." Vinyl was gentle in guiding Salentino up the steps, both of them hearing the faint echoes of a song that had yet to find its lyrical genius.

Once they arrived on the floor, Vinyl got them walking, but she noticed as she passed by some of the doors and spared a glance at an open door leading to a carpeted room filled with stands, a board, and a grand piano. Are these…practice rooms?

"La-lala… La-lala-lala…"

Vinyl looked around to better understand it, and it all clicked. That's right. This must be the music building. She simpered to herself at the irony. I must've been drawn to it. But this voice…

"La-lala… La-lala-lala…"

Vinyl and Salentino ended up closing in on the harmless melody, but it was in one of the practice rooms at the end of the corridor. The grandiose door was cracked open, and Vinyl stepped away from Salentino to peek inside—

Aquamarines widened. It's her.

The woman Vinyl befriended in the bathroom—Key stood in the carpeted room as she leaned against the slightly open window and looked outside. She looked like the pinnacle of grace and grief with her hair curled to cover one side of her face, but her outfit for the day shimmered in the light, a slim dress soused in a mellow blue. She pressed her hand against the glass and listlessly sang, "La-lala… La-lala-lala…"

Vinyl watched her in amazement as she heard a piano. She's the one with the song that sounds so…enticing. Like you want to stop and listen to her and do nothing else. She glanced back at Salentino, who also looked at the door. He must feel it too. She turned back to watch the woman. Who is she?

Honestly, she had not meant to put more weight on the door, but—

CREAK!

Key abruptly stopped and looked startled at the noise. "Wh-What—?"

"Ah, wait, wait!" Vinyl gave herself up as she opened the door with a sheepish smile. "Um, hi again, bathroom best friend. I'm so sorry about that. We just heard singing and, uh…" She internally sweated. Crap, crap, crap, how am I supposed to explain this?

"You have a beautiful voice."

It surprised Vinyl that Salentino had spoken with a bit of wonder in his voice, looking at Key. Salentino…

"O-Oh." Key looked horribly flustered and humbled, or perhaps awkward. "It's… I don't really, um…" She looked to the side with a self-conscious smile. "I don't…really have that good of a voice." Heather gray dimmed. "At least"—she cupped her elbows beneath her chest—"not a voice people will ever truly hear."

"What do you mean?" Vinyl came forward in earnest. "You have a fantastic voice. I know we only heard a few seconds of it, but still. Your song sounds amazing." She winked. "And take it from me. I have a really good taste."

Key chuckled. "Well, thank you. I appreciate it."

Vinyl suppressed her sigh hearing Key's sad lullaby. I can tell she doesn't believe me. But she does have a gorgeous voice. It was enough for Vespers' hold on Salentino to weaken. Aquamarines widened. Wait, that's it!

Key pushed off the glass. "I-I'd better go. I only snuck up here to have a moment to myself—"

"E-Excuse me!"

Key blinked, taken aback, when Vinyl cornered her. "Y-Yes—?"

"That melody you were singing." Vinyl tipped her chin down, serious. "Can you sing that song for me?"

Heather gray widened before blinking down. "I, um…" Key's hold on herself tightened. "That…wasn't really a song. I-I'm sorry." At least—heather gray flickered in sorrow—it's not something I'm allowed to sing.

"No, it was a song."

Key swallowed when Vinyl took hold of her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

"I can hear it," Vinyl told her. "I can hear your song. And I need you to sing it for me, please. I can tell that's been a song in your heart for a while now. Don't worry about anything else for the moment. I know what I'm asking is ridiculous, but please… I need you to sing."

A glint flashed in exposed gray.

Vinyl locked her jaw. I know I probably sound crazy to her. But her music… If I could use it to free Salentino, then we could know what Vespers wants with Chace Duchenne and how it all connects to him coming here. So, please. She watched Key look down in thought. I just need you to sing.

Key's hands hesitated, but she slowly released herself. "It's… It will sound horrible. I-I haven't really…considered all the words." She looked to Vinyl, gray to blue, but a fair bit of pink pinched her cheeks. "Do you…still want to hear me sing it?"

Vinyl nodded and let her go. "Yes." She eyed the grand piano before moving towards it—

Puzzlement fixed on Key. "Wh-What are you—?"

"Ah, hold on." Vinyl sat at the bench and adjusted it before opening up the piano. She played a quick glissando and a warm-up etude before smiling at Key. "There. Now you have an official accompaniment. And don't worry. I'm very well-trained."

That made Key curl in on herself. "B-But—"

"Don't worry." Blues softened. "Just sing your song. And I'll join in."

Key wanted to say more, but the look on Vinyl's face made her chase away her words of protest. Her hand came up and curled over her beating heart.

Deep breath in.

FU…

Deep breath out.

HA…

Vinyl poised her fingers over the keys like she was a conductor awaiting her orchestra and closed her eyes. The noise of the fundraiser—all the merriment and conversation—faded away from her. All she could hear was Key's breathing and their heartbeats fell into sync.

"La-lala… La-lala-lala…"

Vinyl could see them—the notes glowing before her, holding on their clef, before fading. That's it. Sing.

"La-lala… La-lala-lala…" Another brave breath. "Gales of song… Guide me through the storm…"

Vinyl could feel her fingers move to sustain the chords, but the piano did not speak to her. She could hear the subtle strings warm around her.

Key's lips moved. "On—the wings of a small…simple melody… Words—take flight and they soar; they carry me… A world will see. Looking for a farewell, I pull the threads…" Her hands clasped together. "A life without you, I cannot accept—I can't tell that lie…! I can't let go!"

Vinyl could see the notes around her as her fingers kept moving. She could feel the presence of the orchestra surrounding her, leaning on her to guide them. Every note and word sung stained onto sheet music, like it had always been there before. There it is. Sing.

"But now that you're gone, I have to move on! Seems like everyone…just smiles, staring at the sun!"

Salentino's minute wonder burrowed more and more as he watched and listened. What…? What is…happening to me? He flinched away when an arrogant waltz tried to play over the song before him. My head… Why do I…?

"But—what about me? Tell me how I will know…where I should go…?"

Vinyl's eyes fluttered with Magic as her hands lifted.

The sun blinked into the room and a gust of wind blew.

The breeze bristled Key's hair around her as she crooned, "Oh gales, you sing and guide…me!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

LUB-DUB!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Salentino's eyes widened. What…?

The practice room, the piano, the women—they all disappeared, and, in their place, a healthy vineyard stood with luscious grapes ready to be picked. The sky looked as blue as ever and the grass was somehow greener than ever before. The rolling mountains of Stella could not look more picturesque if they tried with the Stellanium bright and starry.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

"I walk alone! There's more to life I have to know…!

It's just me—lost so far away from home! Alone, I shut myself in…!"

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

He stood in a vineyard aisle, lost in the sights and smells of his home, but he noticed someone else stood there with him on the other end. He was just a boy with all that hair and large green eyes and a shy smile.

Chace?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

"Still, the winds howl; they call…! And their voices lead me!"

Gales of song, guide me through the storm…"

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Salentino blinked and the world stood still. Gone was the vineyard. Gone was that fleeting memory of his cousin as a young and quiet boy. And instead…

Darkness sparked.

The woman before him—never had he seen such a beautiful woman with the voice of an angel, but… He could see her wings spread out, like she truly was an angel singing to him. It felt religious, almost, to be in such a whimsical presence and hear a voice that warmed you all the way to your core, your soul.

LUB-DUB!

Her hand reached out as she sang, "Let the melody lift me high…! I'll be me…!"

And the world felt like it stayed still as her Bb4 echoed in the atmosphere, her chest heaving. In-out-in-out-in-out… Until her hands slowly came down and hung at her side.

Vinyl relinquished her breath and the Magic around her faded. When she opened her eyes, nothing but pure admiration and pride gleamed in those blues as she looked at Key, with her chin lifted and her eyes closed, taking it in. That…is your song.

Key could feel every breath shake her and her throat felt raw, as though she had been singing for hours rather than for a minute. That felt… Her fingers flexed before curling into her palm. That felt…

"You truly do have a beautiful voice."

It felt jarring someone spoke, even though the voice was low in timbre, and her eyes opened to look at Salentino staring at her in pure amazement. "A-Ah…" She looked away, more pink darkening her cheeks. "I-It was nothing. Please. I-I shouldn't have sung it—"

"No." Salentino gentled his smile and his eyes. "I'm glad you did. Because you helped remind…of someone very important to me—someone I haven't seen in a long time."

Key blinked before her flush faded and her smile turned understanding in that melancholic sort of tint. "Yes. I…understand what you mean. There's also someone I don't get to see often. But"—grays half-lidded—"even when they're gone…we have to move on."

"We do," Salentino murmured in agreement.

Vinyl hated to break up the warm moment of kinship, but she had to. "Salentino—"

"Key."

Eyes fled to the open door to see a well-dressed man standing there with yellow aviators and his hair a bit of a mess. His taste looked expensive, but he did not ooze sophistication and class like the rest of his people. His eyes were only on Key like some sort of sad revelation smote him. "I…" He wanted to say more, but he restrained himself and started anew. "I'm sorry I'm late, I…" He looked away, ashamed.

Key lips curled into words, but she let whatever she wanted to say go. "Jiro."

He looked up—

HYU…!

The rogue wind shuffled her skirt and those curled red-orange locks fluttered to show the twinkle in her gray eyes. Her smile came from the heart as she tucked hair behind her ear. "I missed you."

He had little words to say as those unusual golds glistened. But he straightened, the remorse baldly splattered across him fading for something more intimately affectionate. "Yeah." He smiled back at her. "I missed you too. I didn't mean to keep you waiting. I'm sorry."

"Your work is important," Key softly said back.

"And you're more important than that."

The wind swept away, and her hair curled back into place, covering her right eye. But even so, anyone could see the sparkles in those grays. Fusajiro…

"So." He extended his hand to her. "I won't waste any more time than we have."

She crossed the room to slip her hand in his like it was the most natural thing to do. But before either could leave, she turned her smile onto Vinyl. "Thank you, Vinyl. For helping me sing something I was always too afraid to sing."

It took Vinyl a beat before she smiled back. "You have a beautiful voice. I hope you let more people hear it."

"She will." Fusajiro looked down at his shy girlfriend with all the adoration in the world. "She already does." He switched his gaze back to Vinyl then to Salentino. "I heard your date. Looks like he'll be on the Com for a while." Golds twinkled. "I'm sure of that." And he pulled Key out of the practice room with the last image of him pressing a kiss on her hair.

Vinyl got up from the bench and closed the piano. "Salentino—" She stopped and processed her next words. What am I supposed to tell him? That Vespers has been brainwashing him for the duration of their relationship?

"Miss Vinyl."

She looked up at Salentino's staid expression.

"I'm no Wizard, but my cousin is, and I can recognize the aftereffects of a spell." He grinned, grim. "After many, many times being target practice, I'm aware of what this magical hangover is like." His grin faded. "What just…happened to me?"

Vinyl took a step towards him and decided bare-boned honesty was best. "Vespers' interest in you has been nothing more than a ploy to potentially get closer to your cousin, Chace Duchenne, and his Perench side of the family, I'd take it. He approached you with that goal in mind. And when you temporarily broke from his spell when we first met, he put you under a stronger one. You'll be feeling a bit dizzy for a bit, but nothing permanent."

Salentino sighed and rubbed his jaw. "That's why something always felt wrong whenever he was close to me."

"Probably, yes." Vinyl examined Salentino. He's taking this well, but Chace Duchenne is a talented Magician. From the information we were given, he's one of the few Magicians who absorbed a raw grimoire and can use his abilities without verbal spells, which is an incredibly rare skill among Wizardkind. But still…

She hesitated to ask this. "Mister Negroamaro, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but… Do you know why Vespers wanted you here? Or even why he wanted to be involved with Chace and his paternal family? I understand family secrecy, but this is extremely important."

"There could be a million reasons…" He tapered his words with a grunt as he rubbed his temple.

"Oh! Here, let's sit!" Vinyl guided Salentino to one of the observation chairs. "Would you like me to get you some water?"

"Please," Salentino rasped.

Vinyl quickly nodded and went off on her hunt.

Salentino sat forward with his head in his hands. Chace… So, he used me to get to Chace and to his father's family. I had suspicions about him, but it must've been his hold on me that kept me from voicing them and pulling away from him. Vespers Vivaldi—the second son of the Vivaldi family, a musical family. They have low titles since they are one of the families who bought their titles and aren't related to the crown.

His eyes hardened in thought. What business does someone like that have with Chace? Did he say anything to me? Did he say anything around me? I feel like he was careful and watched what he said.

He closed his eyes. There had to have been a reason he wanted me to take him here. I always decline my invitation and pass it on to my subordinate. And I haven't spoken to Chace frequently since he said he'd never return to Stella. So why…?

Vinyl came back with bottled water. "All right. I'm back." She sat beside Salentino and offered him the water. "Here you—"

"Connections."

Vinyl froze. What?

"That's what Vespers wanted." Salentino muttered a thanks in Stellian as he took the water bottle. "Chace's father… The Stellian mafia aren't saints by any means, but his father's family… I remember the things my nonna would tell Chace's mother. She didn't like Chace's father since she heard he and his family dealt with shady business deals. Chace's paternal family is well-connected to the magical community. But I'm not sure why."

Vinyl nodded. "We expected as much when we researched into Chace's family." Her fingers clenched into fists. "Vespers always targeted his partners for what they could do for him. You were the closest in he would have to Chace and, as such, his family." Aquamarines narrowed. "But that doesn't explain why he'd want you to bring him here. And how it all connects."

I don't understand. It's not like the Vivaldi family couldn't afford to come here, but then again, that right would've gone to Vespers' older brother since he's the new head of the family. Thirteen said Vespers hadn't placed any bets in the Black Auction. So then why…?

"I think…he's searching for something."

She looked at Salentino. "He's…searching for something?"

Salentino nodded, frowning. "I can't remember everything through the fog he put me under. I think he made sure to be careful around me. But I distinctly remember he wanted to come to the auction with me because he was searching for something rare and invaluable."

'Rare and invaluable'? Vinyl questioned, "Did he say anything else?"

Salentino thought hard. "I'm…not sure. I guess, whatever it is, this thing is the only one left. All the others were destroyed, so what he wants is the last one left." He sighed. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't be," Vinyl quickly hushed. "You've been more than helpful, Mister Negroamaro—"

"'Salentino' is fine," he promised her

Vinyl hummed. "You've been helpful on my case, Salentino. Truly. Thank you." She ruminated over all the words he said and filled in the gaps. If Vespers is searching for something that rare, then the Shamballa Spring Auction is the place to be. Is the item above ground or below? I'll need to fill in Thirteen about this. She asked, "What else are you and Vespers supposed to do this week?"

"The other two auctions," Salentino replied, "and a couple of fundraisers. But we'll be attending the Friday luncheon at one of the royal residencies."

That took Vinyl back. "A 'luncheon'?"

He nodded and took a drink of his water. "Yes. The luncheon followed by a tour of the residence and some special acts and then we'll sit with the royal family for the dome concert on Friday night, I believe."

"That's…impressive." Vinyl warily questioned, "Is this…normal for you to be invited?"

Salentino's mouth twisted, troubled. "No. The president of Stella might have me sit at his table, but unless I'm with my partners, this sort of invitation doesn't happen. It's not like I don't have clients here, but…"

"Interesting," murmured Vinyl. It's obvious Vespers had a hand in this. But how? Who would help him get into a royal luncheon and sit with the royal family unless…? It felt like a chill shimmied down her back. Unless…he has a connection to the royal family.

Her mind moved a mile a minute. I think I'm piecing it together. Vespers couldn't just come to Shamballa for the auction and saying he was going for spring holiday would make his family too suspicious of him since he hates traveling, especially alone. Salentino checked off both boxes—he had his own ticket for the auction, and he was close to Chace. But Vespers pulled strings with his connection to the royal family to get into some of the more exclusive activities under the guise it was for Salentino. If Vespers was invited, people would ask too many questions about why the second son came, but Salentino provides a cover.

Aquamarines weathered. But the question is—why would Vespers go through all the trouble? Who is he working with? What is he searching for? If he pulled strings to go to the royal luncheon and tour, then it has to deal with something within the royal residencies. No, wait. Maybe the royal family themselves? I doubt he's interested in the princesses. And considering his status, the Emir wouldn't listen to him. So…is the prince his in? But then…why? What do they have in common? What would the prince be interested in—?

Her stomach churned. "The Emira."

Salentino did not understand. "Huh?"

"I-I…" Vinyl stood up. "I have to go. I'm so sorry." She turned to him and quickly instructed, "Vespers is going to try and possess you again. I'm sure he's realized his spell on you is gone. The easiest thing to do right now is stay how you were before. Listen to him. Observe him. And get back to me about anything suspicious. Here." She took out her Compact. "I'll send you my contact information."

"Ah, right." Salentino wriggled out his Compact and accepted Vinyl's request to send information. But he asked her, "What happens if he possesses me?"

"Possession can be countered with extreme focus," Vinyl told him. "If you can focus on a single memory or a really strong thought, any control he has on you is diminished. But you should still play along for now. We need to understand what he's after."

"Right." Salentino shared his information with her before pocketing his Compact. "Thank you, Vinyl…for giving me back myself."

Vinyl smiled. "Of course. It's just what Fairy Tail Wizards do. Don't hesitate to call me for anything. Now, if you're okay here, I'm going to slip out before Vespers catches us."

"Go."

Vinyl hurried away, but her thoughts were too much for her. I might be running off speculation, but… If Vespers has a connection to the royal family, it would be through the prince. And Thirteen mentioned he didn't like how the prince looked at his stepmother. There could be other reasons, but it's no question everyone is curious about the Emira under her veil. If Vespers also wants her, then why? Why would he want her?

Magic sparked in those blues. We need more clues. Because if Vespers is in league with the prince or any member of the royal court—that could mean his contact…is also a Warlock.

_Reading ⟪ biometric information ⟫…

_Reading ⟪ somatic scan ⟫…

_Reading ⟪ Ether print ⟫…

_Synching ⟪ Vision ⟫

_Synching ⟪ Audition ⟫

_Synching ⟪ Olfaction ⟫

_Synching ⟪ Gustation ⟫

_Synching ⟪ Somatosensation ⟫

_Sensory Synchronization Complete.

_Initiating ⟪ Cognitive Function Parameter Scan ⟫

_Scan Complete. ⟪ Cognitive Functions ⟫ Synchronized

_Initiating ⟪ Avatar Sequence ⟫

_Adjusting…

_Adjustments Complete. ⟪ Avatar Sequence ⟫ Complete

_⟪ Pre-registration⟫ Complete

_⟪ Server Activation ⟫ Initiating

_Requesting administrative approval from ⟪ Games Master ⟫

_Waiting for approval from ⟪ Games Master ⟫

_Waiting…

_Approval received from ⟪ Games Master ⟫

_Server is now loading…

_Loading…

•

「 Please standby, Player « Geo-Dragon »

And welcome to Twenty-One Casino. 」

•

Where…am I?

Gale opened his eyes and flashed them around—

KIRAKIRA!

HAKIHAKI!

Gale took a step back. Woah…

Casinos—they were an overwhelming affair meant to pull you in a hundred different directions. Bum a smoke, knock back a drink, and ease into a comfy chair to keep chancing your luck for that pot of honey, never knowing how many hours or even days you had been doing the same thing. The lights felt like they were tampered with, not too bright to turn you away, but they were just enough to pique your curiosity and bring your closer to the game.

What…the Hell is this?

The people who stormed the casino were not necessarily people, or, if they were, they were an odd mixture of Chimera that Gale had never seen. Some looked like Chimaera with fancy suits and dresses while others looked like a meshed character you could make in a lacrimagame, some floating around, some flitting on impossibly small wings, and others looked almost comical as they bumped from place to place. Others blipped into existence in the lobby, excited, confused, overwhelmed, or all three, but they, too, looked outlandish.

It hit Gale. I'm… I'm in the casino. I get it now. Shamballa doesn't permit gambling and you could be in serious trouble for being outted for it. So everyone here has an avatar. Then that means…

He looked down and saw his hand were blackened scales and claws. Wait… He scouted about and witnessed a mirror in the lobby. Going over to it, he checked out his avatar—

Holy shit.

He no longer looked human. Rather, he looked more draconic than ever with his body all hardened black scales and his red eyes reptilian. Even his head was shaped like a Dragon's noble head. Horns, a tail, envious wings—had it not been for the bespoke suit on his person, he would have assumed he had become a full-fledged Dragon, or, perhaps, half of one.

What the…? He touched his new person and confirmed, yes, this was his body. I'm… I'm a Dragon? Sycaña, are you seeing this?

Nothing.

Gale paused. Sycaña?

He felt nothing.

That made Gale tense. Why can't I hear her? Or feel her? Was she not allowed to make the journey over here?

He looked back around. Gold and cream tones spoiled the lobby with dark wood for the concierge and registration. The people behind the desks all had VR goggles concealing their eyes, but most people were stunned at the giant aquarium on the wall, not to mention how the center of the statue paid homage to an angelic woman. Made of rare material, her wings expanded as she reached for the sky, and her hair curled over the right side of her face.

I can't panic. I have to remain calm here. His brow furrowed as he watched the other players move either their left or right hand and a screen popped up before them. He tried his dominant right hand and fluttered it down—

RIN-RIN!

A screen popped up.

It took him back seeing the Lacrima Screen appear. Spatial Magic? He examined his options:

⟪ MY ACCOUNT ⟫

⟪ MAP & INFO ⟫

⟪ MY GAMES ⟫

⟪ MY CHIPS ⟫

⟪ MY MESSAGES ⟫

⟪ HELP ⟫

❮ SIGN OUT ❯

Gale tapped My Account to see a profile picture in his Dragon Form alongside worthless analytics. As he had played no games, he had no status. It confirmed his language was MIN and his currency was JWL, but nothing else personal was around. Going to the Map & Info, the screen showed him a very lacrimagame-esque aerial view of the entire casino, all pixelated. He saw where he could hit the slots and where he could play card games, but some games truly intrigued him.

There's racing here, chess, checkers, even some old-school stuff… He clicked on the ❨ i ❩ icons for blurbs about the games alongside any tables available. This casino isn't something ordinary, that's for sure. He blinked when he had a notification for a new message. He opened it up, and it read:

WELCOME TO THE TWENTY-ONE CASINO, « Geo-Dragon »

Congratulations on a successful registration!

This licensed online casino is for anyone over the legal age of 18 to feel the highs and lows of chance. You'll find that there is a game here for everyone, so please don't hesitate to explore the casino. Check out our in-house restaurants and bars if you're hungry. We have specials going on 24/7, so don't feel like you will miss a beat.

If you'd like to invite a player to join your game, please use ⟪ My Messages ⟫ to DM them. Due to the nature of Twenty-One, all real identities are verified by our administration, but they cannot be spoken about between players unless you are in one of the designated areas. We apologize for this inconvenience, but we are proud to allow all gamblers the honor of utmost privacy.

Any signs of cheating, bribery, stealing, or prostitution will cause your immediate eviction from the server and a permanent ban that cannot be appealed. For more information on what is a bannable offense, please re-read the Terms of Service here.

The house is not held liable for any personal financial loss and will not refund players, as stated in the ToS. While the house gives every player 100 casino chips as a compliment to using our server, please be aware that to prevent players from using fraudulent money to pay, we have linked your bank number and routing information to your profile. You will have access to your bill and will be charged immediately for every purchase.

Thank you for choosing the Twenty-One hotel for your leisure.

Luck be a lady tonight,

Games Master and Staff

The message made sense except for one part…

The gambling age is eighteen… Then why am I even here? Gale wondered. If the admins verified my age, then that means—his eyes darkened—someone here… They're in on this. But why?

Another message came up labeled RE: WALKTHROUGH popped up. It read:

Player « Geo-Dragon »

Congratulations on completing pre-registration and welcome to the server!

You have selected ⟪ Casino Companion ⟫ during your pre-registration to aid in a walkthrough of the casino and to help you with tips and tricks on how to be a good gambler. Would you like to activate your ⟪ Casino Companion ⟫?

⟪ ACCEPT ⟫

⟪ DECLINE ⟫

⟪ IGNORE ⟫

Gale frowned. What are they trying to do? He hesitated before pressing the button.

RIN-RIN!

Data and Magic teamed together to bring alive this Casino Companion in a humble butler suit and Cipanguese features—phoenix eyes, long black hair, and dough-white skin. He bowed to Gale and greeted, "Player Geo-Dragon. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am your Casino Companion"—he lifted his head—"Tadashi."

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Fairy Adventure

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gale recited, "Tadashi?" Something about the in-game guide and their name tried to tickle his hindbrain. 'Tadashi', huh?

"Before we begin, Player, you may select your preference now or we may proceed."

Gale blinked at the screen that popped up with options listed:

⟪ OVERVIEW ⟫

⟪ HOW TO ⟫

⟪ TIPS & TRICKS ⟫

"Ah…" Gale asked Tadashi directly, "Why am I here? I thought I was already here to play a game with…someone—whoever invited me here."

Tadashi nodded. "Your invitation will appear once you have selected an option."

What's this guy's deal? Gale held back a growl. "Fine." He decided on the first option.

Tadashi nodded again. "Excellent choice, sir." He gestured around them. "Welcome to the Twenty-One Casino, where Luck be a lady tonight."

Gale pointed at the fountain statute of the angelic woman. "Do you mean her?"

"Yes." Tadashi guided them over to the statue. "This statue is our Lady Luck. Every hour, she bestows a riddle on all players. Whoever solves the riddles is granted a Lucky Charm to increase their probability of winning. Are you interested in this hour's riddle?"

Gale sighed. "Sure."

"Very well." Tadashi cited, "'I see no color, but I see white and black. I feel no touch, but I feel my heart. I hear silence, but I hear my breath. What am I'?" He looked expectantly at Gale. "Would you care to wager a guess?"

Gale repeated the riddle. She sees no color but white and black… She feels nothing but her own heart. And she hears nothing but her own breath… What is she? Well, that sounds like… He looked up at the statue."You're alone."

Nothing happened.

Then, the lady statute moved her head to smile sadly down at Gale. "I am."

RIN-RIN!

A new screen dropped with a casino chip patterned with red with black polka dots.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have successfully answered the riddle of the hour!

You have been awarded 1 « Lucky Charm » to increase your chances of winning any game you desire.

Games Master and Staff

Gale frowned. "Hold on." As the screen disappeared, he looked up at Tadashi. "It doesn't tell me how to use it."

"Luck is something we cannot predict will come for us," Tadashi told him. "Like all luck, your Lucky Charm will be used when you need it the most." He gestured for the casino. "Shall we begin the overview, sir?"

"I… Sure." Gale kept pace with Tadashi. A Lucky Charm. He smiled to himself. I wonder how Liberty is doing. She might be given a run for her money if this place is offering Lucky Charms.

They entered the carpeted path. A roulette game had a few interesting avatars, like someone in an iron suit and a cartoon woman with a seductive little black dress. Almost every slot machine had someone wailing away on the screens in the hopes they would get the jackpot. A penguin, a polar bear, and a walrus sounded like the introduction to a bad joke, yet there they all sat, smoking in their international suits and playing poker. The servers never wavered from their VR headsets and humble black attire, almost as though they did not want to be noticed. Even security and the dealers had VR headsets on.

"The Games Master invented the Twenty-One Casino as the answer for gambling and betting bans across countries and religious organizations," Tadashi informed. "Twenty-One Casino is available in every language for optimized inclusivity and offers mental health services to any player who fails to meet our psychosomatic coefficient. The Games Master also provides pods for players to sleep in if they so choose to stay the night."

"Wait." Gale questioned, "Isn't this an online game? Or is this a pocket dimension?"

"You could say this is both and neither at all," Tadashi said. If the question was unusual, he did not show it. "The Games Master's goal is to provide safe spaces for people to play games, be it with or without gambling. But his methods on how he provides these safe restricted to the public as a 'trade secret'."

"Hm." Gale glanced around and caught a foxy woman in a kimono with nine tails cheering on her friend, a man with a chainsaw for a head. "Well, however he pulled this off, he's a genius."

"Yes." Tadashi looked ahead, but perhaps there was some amusement in his eyes. "He is known to be called that."

They walked a little further with Gale surveying the floor. There's no doubt about it. For this GM to circumvent gambling restrictions and provide people with a place like this… He either has way too much time on his hands or way too much money. But it still stands. I'm not eighteen, but I was allowed in here and I'm not being flagged or banned or anything. And it's not like I jacked my age when I didn't even pre-register. So, this 'genius' GM might not be on my side after all.

He murmured, "Tadashi… Be honest with me." He seared his Casino Companion with a look. "Why am I here? And why are you here with me? Whose side are you on?"

"I am on my master's side." Again, for an unusual question, Tadashi came well-prepared.

"And what side is your 'master' on?" Gale pressed, on edge.

Tadashi did not blink or ponder the question. "His own side, sir."

Gale narrowed his eyes. I don't like the sound of that. But I have a feeling if I press anymore, we'll talk in circles. He let go of all his queries. "All right. Let's get this over with. Where am I supposed to play this game?"

Tadashi veered them down a different path that led to an elevator. "This way, sir. The host of your event has requested a private table. We hope it is to your satisfaction."

The all-glass elevator impressed Gale, even if he was reluctant to admit it. Feeling the glass beneath his hands made him think as they went upwards. "For your master to have built something like this, he must be pretty rich. So what does a rich guy with his head in the clouds doing smuggling in a sixteen-year-old into an eighteen and up casino?"

"Master has his own reasons," Tadashi said, cryptic. "Although, I suppose you could say"—the elevator doors parted on the next floor—"perhaps he's fond of you." He gestured with a gloved hand. "This way, sir."

"All right." Gale followed, a bit taken aback. He likes me? Do I even know this guy? If he knows my actual identity, is he a fan or just some creepy staler?

The floor contained more private sectors, but all the staff wore their sleek VR goggles no matter what. Smooth jazz filled up the silence, like they had dipped into the roaring days of jazz and prohibition over in the USM. Opaque windows showed silhouetted dancers, but something about the shadows made it seem they did not have a physical host.

Tadashi had guided Gale to one of the curtained and guarded rooms. "This is where your host requested your private game."

"Thank you," Gale appreciated. He moved in—

"Please remember one thing."

Gale looked back, meeting Tadashi's serious gaze.

"The house always wins."

To Gale's bewilderment, Tadashi disappeared in particles of data and Magic, like he was never there to begin with. What the—? He had little time to think when the suited guard pulled back the curtain. Bracing himself, Gale could feel his tail flicking back and forth. Well. Let's hope this wasn't a mistake that'll cost me.

He broke into the private room. Low lighting cloaked the room with leather seats and the smell of smoke and whiskey tantalizing the senses. They had stationed a personal bar over on one side with a waiting bartender cleaning out his glass, VR goggles on. His repetitive movements almost made him look like an NPC. Huh… So this is it. He turned his head—

Reds obscured. And you're the one who brought me here.

The blackjack table looked too expensive to be real with a dealer already waiting with their vest, armbands, and VR goggles. A man in a trench coat waited at the table with a brimmed hat that shielded most of his face.

Gale's tail flicked, but he walked over and claimed the only other chair available. He profiled the man, but no matter how much he tried, he only saw the bottom half of the man's face and angelic silvery hair. His eyes were cloaked in shadows like a mask. A black feather decorated his brimmed hat.

Who the Hell is this person? Gale wondered.

The man's hand moved to his pocket.

Gale tensed.

The man smiled and pulled out a circular candy. He unwrapped it to show a red sweetie, then popped it in his mouth. Pocketing the wrapper, he signed to Gale, Thank you for coming.

Gale blinked. Is he deaf? Tentatively, he signed back: I didn't appreciate how you gave me the invite.

The man chuckled and replied: My apologies for the scare. But also, my compliments to you for understanding how to come here. I was worried you wouldn't receive my message. Should we celebrate your intellect has no bounds? He signaled, and a server came by to present some finely aged whiskey already poured. He signed to Gale: Though I suppose you got those smarts more from your mother than your father.

Gale growled.

The man signed: I suppose I touched a nerve with your growling? There's no need for you to sign. I can hear you just fine.

Gale snapped back, "Who the fuck are you? And how do you know me?" His tail lashed and his reds burned. "Do you work for Bluenote?"

The man replied: We don't travel in similar circles, but yes, I know him. And no, I don't work for him. I don't work with him, either. Now. Shall we play?

Gale sneered as the dealer started shuffling the cards. "All right." His wings ruffled, and he tried to keep his aggression to himself. I can't just fight this guy. This isn't a battle of strength—this is a battle of wits. "How much to start?"

RIN-RIN!

The man summoned two chips and put them down as his bet.

Gale lifted his hand to pull up his screen and take out two coins. He set them as well.

After sliding out the hole card, the dealer put Gale as their automatic first base and slid out two cards face-up, a nine and a ten, then moved onto the mysterious man to gift him a queen and a nine. The dealer received an eight.

And the game began.

Blackjack was one of those casino games with a low edge for the house to win, unless the payout was unfair. Sitting, standing, splitting, double down—the decisions were all in the player's hands. A professional would know the strategies and employ them several hours a day, several days per week, and had perfected card counting with their arithmetic. An amateur would shift around, hope for signs of deceit, flip a coin with their choices, and buy insurance upon the dealer's casino slick mumbo jumbo.

Good thing neither were amateurs.

The first round had the dealer bust and a three-to-two payout for both players was met.

The bet was raised.

Gale double-downed and won the second round while the stranger lost to the dealer.

The man signed: You have a question for me?

"Is that how we're doing this?" Gale muttered. "I win, I get a question answered. You win, you get a question answered?"

The man pitched a smile and signed: I never said answers were a requirement.

Gale narrowed his eyes. So, in other words, I need to watch my questions and not waste them. He rolled his head. "Fine." And he laid down his question. "Were you the one who pulled me out of the tunnels? Or was that your little silent plague doctor?"

This stranger hummed his amusement and signed: I gave him the order. He complied. Had you stayed in there, you would have died.

"And I'm supposed to say, 'thank you'?" Gale asked scathingly. "We both know you didn't pull me out for a gesture of goodwill or some New Year's resolution. You pulled me out for your own selfishness."

The man cocked his head and asked: Is that a second question?

"No," Gale grumbled.

The man, then, nodded at the dealer.

The second round was a bit more interesting. Gale was forced to split up his eights, but the man ran with a natural 21.

Gale took a healthy swig of his whiskey before rumbling, "Ask away, my savior."

You have such a smart mouth, the man remarked. All right. I'll ask.

Gale tensed. Here we go.

The man questioned: What would you like for your birthday?

Out of every question Gale prepared for this… This was not one of them. He echoed, "My 'birthday'?"

Well, yes, the stranger signed. Turning seventeen—a legal adult—is something to celebrate. Of course, you've been an adult since you were ten as you are a promising Wizard, but seventeen, well, you're becoming a man. Surely you want to celebrate with something special?"

"I-I…" Gale's gaze lowered, bombarded with such an innocent question. "I don't… Well, I…" He rubbed his neck. "I don't celebrate my birthday, actually, um…" All his strategy and wit disabled with one simple question. "I'm…" He shook his head and turned back to the man. "I don't—"

I apologize, the man quickly signed. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Of course you wouldn't want to celebrate your birthday with someone you just met.

Gale tried to explain, "That's not what I—"

"You did kill your brother after all."

What was more stunning—that the man spoke or he spoke the words that could murder?

Gale was frozen.

The stranger signaled for a new hand to be dealt. "I apologize. I don't like to use my Voice often." He took out another candy and popped it in his mouth. "Especially since you exhausted me last night. Now." He gestured to the table. "Shall we play another round, Mister Redfox?"

Words could not push past Gale's lips. All he could do was absently nod.

The next round had more tension outside of the game than in it. The bet raised; the dealer won.

No questions were asked.

The next one, Gale would have split, but—

"I think you can push."

That murmur broke into Gale's mind when he saw he and the dealer both had 19s. "Ah. R-Right."

And so, the bet was returned.

The stranger, however, ended up staying, and since the dealer was forced to hit, they bounced over 21. The man received his payout, and it was time for the next round.

"I'd say that put us at a tie," the stranger decided. "Have a question for me?"

Gale kept quiet.

The dealer went about setting up for the next round.

Gale eventually asked, "How do you know my family and me?"

The stranger popped in another candy, a dark blue one this time. "Doctor Levy Redfox, once a McGarden, is your mother. And what a royal line she comes from—though the McGarden Clan died out and so did the Krauss family line. Your mother's a smart woman—very impressive with her credentials. I'd heard of the Iron Twins. Big fans. Same to you. You're a rising star. Commendable."

Gale waited as the man took a healthy dose of whiskey.

"Your dad…"

Gale's tail curled around his chair.

The stranger put forth, "I'd never seen eyes the color of blood unless they were Vampires and, even then, Daywalkers had deeper red eyes and Nightwalkers had that uncanny red that looked too bright to be blood. I always liked to think his color looked so bloody because of all the blood on his hands."

"He never killed anyone," Gale bit.

"Your dad was in two wars and once called to Magic Court for a trial, but you're naïve enough to think he never killed anyone?"

That froze Gale's heart.

The stranger did not look amused or agitated. It was as though this conversation had little consequence to him. "You looked up to him, respect him—I understand that. And I'm not here to displace your feelings toward him. In fact, I encourage you to take after him." He turned his head, but those shadows still obscured the top part of his face. "You look and act much more like him than your brother did—"

SCRAPE!

The stranger remained unfazed Gale had his claws around his throat, ashen and shaking, but still ready for a fight.

The bartender and the dealer really were like NPCs, ignoring what the players were doing as they continued with their repetitive movements.

Gale's pupils constricted, breathing labored, but his claws refused to let go of the man's neck. "How?" A breathless ask, not even a demand. He was trembling too much for his rage to fuel his words. "H-How do you…?"

The stranger had the audacity to cock his head like an inquisitive bird. He broke into his pocket—

JJARA-JJARA!

Gale snatched back his claws and backed up, looking more like a scared animal than a frightened person.

The man pulled out chains, but he watched as Gale looked at them like they were the most dangerous thing in the room. Glancing at the chains, he slipped them back into his pocket, then held up his gloved hands in surrender. "I have no intention of using them on you. And I have no intention of kidnapping you and forcing what certainly would be a touching reunion between siblings."

"Then why did you want me here?" Gale rasped.

"Maybe because I was curious," the stranger suggested. "Maybe because I wanted to look into those red eyes. Maybe because I'm insane. Or maybe because I'm not. But in any way you put it, I got what I needed." He collected his ships and drew up his screen to select a button.

Gale blinked when a screen blipped before him and read:

The host has ended your game of ⟪ Blackjack ⟫.

Would you like to continue your session individually?

The stranger rose to his feet, a staggering, impressive height. He would not give Gajeel a run for his money, but for him to be comparable was an accomplishment. "I'm not sure why you're here. And frankly, I don't care. What you do above and below this country is of no concern to me." He plucked the black feather. "Now, I think it's time for my question for you."

Gale looked at the black feather presented to him.

"Will you accept this as a birthday gift? I apologize I'm early, but I don't think I'll be able to give it to you on your actual birthday," the stranger explained. "Consider his a belated one or an early one. As the son of Gajeel, you deserve one of my loose feathers."

Gale did not take it. "Who was my old man to you?"

The man smiled. "I wouldn't say we were friends. But we weren't enemies either. Let's just say…we both considered each other a means to an end."

"Is that what I am to you right now?" Gale gathered the courage to look up at the man's shadowed stare. "Another means to an end? You want me to replace my dad in whatever the fuck scheme you're running?"

The stranger chuckled. "No. Right now, you don't have the stomach to be half as great as your dad was."

Gale pretended that did not sting and he would not flinch. "Then what is this for? A calling card or something?"

"You truly have inherited Doctor Redfox's intelligence." The man presented the feather again. "I suppose you could say that, yes. This loose feather will provide you with anything your guild can't. No one else but you can use it. And you can use it for anything with no questions asked."

"At what cost?" The bite came back into Gale's question. "Hammurabi's code one oh one. An eye for an eye. I use this and then what? You want me to join you? Do a 'favor' for you? You don't expect me to take this and think you'll ask for nothing in return."

"Of course I want something in return," the stranger breezily agreed. "And to even the playing field, I'll tell you what I want now." He toyed with the loose feather. "I have a son of my own, you see, around your age. He's very prickly, and he needs good allies on his side. Should you ever use this feather, all I want you to do is help him."

"With what?" Gale flatly asked. "Drug runs? Human trafficking? Weapons smuggling? Defending your little hideout?"

"No." The man shook his head. "Perhaps I should put it another way. I am making an official request of the Fairy Tail Guild and specifically want you, Gale Redfox—the Geo-Dragon. And my request is"—he showed the feather again—"be the Red Eye your dad was to me."

Gale narrowed his eyes. "You want us to use each other." What an absurd request.

"Yes." The stranger did not yield. "Use him as a means to an end. And he'll use you as a means to an end. You will be his Red Eye when the time comes."

Gale jutted his chin. "And what makes you so confident I would even consider such a backward fucking offer?"

The man smiled. "Because I'll give you the location of the man who raped your girlfriend."

The fear was gone—the rage was back.

Gale's claws shot out to dig into the man's trench coat and it was only because of thread-bare restraint he did not sink his claws and his teeth in the man's exposed throat. "Who the fuck are you?"

The stranger kept calm. "He'll be at the auction tomorrow, underground. He was sent here for a mission, though I can't share what that is. But here's a warning: Necromancers don't die so easily. They have a…relationship with Death. But that makes them all the more fascinated with Life. And your girlfriend smells like an aphrodisiac to any Necromancer."

Gale shoved him away, snarling, and his tail lashed so hard, it broke his chair. "Don't say that shit around me. How did you even know? You've been watching her? Spying on her? Are you trying to—?"

"You are all out of questions," the man lightly reminded. "So then." He showed the black father one more time. "Do we have ourselves an agreement?"

Gale smirked, cold. "Why should we? You already gave me information. I already have the advantage here to walk away."

"You do," the man conceded. "Now that I've laid all my cards on the table, you don't have to take the feather. But you will."

Gale spat, "Why?"

"Because if I know about the man who raped your girlfriend—if I know about your father—if I know about Emma and your family's loss"—the stranger leaned forward—"I'm sure you want to know what else I know."

Gale bared his teeth, tail whipping back and forth, but he did not pull another aggressive stunt.

The stranger merely smiled.

Gale wanted to snarl and pace, but he held his ground. It would be stupid to take that feather. He's just baiting me with information. But I know he wasn't lying about the Necromancer. The fact that he knew Dad and he…knows Emma… He could threaten my family. He could threaten to drag me to her. But he's not. And he's not being smug about it either. We both know he has more power here than me. But he's not talking to me like he's playing a game. Is he really that desperate to have protection for his son? What's so special about him?

His heart pounded

LUB-DUB-LUB-DUB-LUB-DUB-LUB-DUB.

Gale stared at the stranger.

The stranger stared back through the shadows on his face.

Gale closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them. His claws reached for the feather, hesitating for a moment, before stealing it.

The man's smile broadened as he stood up straight. He brought out another candy and quickly took it in. "I'll be counting on you. I hope you use that feather soon. My son will be in need of a Red Eye."

"What exactly is so special about your son that you'd come after me?" Gale finally asked. "Take offense, but you don't seem like a family guy."

"I'm not." The stranger feathered the brim of his hat. "But did you think, perhaps, I'm also using you as a means to an end?"

Gale scoffed. "And what 'end' can I provide?"

"I'm not sure yet." The man's smile looked more like a grin now. "To be honest, I'm also interested in what 'end' you'll be a means to." He tipped his hat. "The game was fun. But I doubt we'll see each other soon. It takes a lot for me to speak around you. So this is goodbye for now." He shoved his hands in his trench coat pocket and stepped aside to leave.

Gale snapped—

Just as they were shoulder to shoulder, the stranger said, "You haven't visited his grave. Don't you think it's time you do so? After all"—he walked away—"some dead men can still tell tales."

LUB-DUB-LUB-DUB-LUB-DUB-LUB-DUB.

Gale's mouth moved, but he could not say a word for a few moments. When he gathered the courage, he pushed out in a croak. "H-Hey!" He whirled around. "W-Wait, a—!"

But the man was gone.

And Gale was left alone.

Everything in him depleted and he staggered, just barely catching himself on the table to stay upright. "Shit," he cursed, one clawed hand on his temple. He knew what Emma did to me. He knows her. And now look at me. He looked at the offensive black feather. I'm now a lapdog. Rubies hardened. Just like my old man, apparently.

He pushed off the table and had the gall to glare at the black feather. Fan-fucking-tastic. First, I'm shackled to Blondie's ex. And now, I'm shackled to my old man's old acquaintance. Just what the Hell were you to this guy? He mentioned your trial before the Council and the blood on your hands.

His grip on the feather switched to his left hand as he brought out the screen with his right. You've got some explaining to do, Old Man. Starting with who this guy is. He pressed ❮ SIGN OUT ❯. And ending with why he knows so much about our family.

Normal tinted windows would be nothing for normal espionage.

Enchanted tinted windows were another story.

The SUV was held up at a stoplight, enduring the crazed traffic of Shamballa. No matter what investigated the blackened windows, no one would know what or who was inside. But the license plate was more than enough to go off.

Where are you running off to now? Julia stood atop a roof in her stealth suit set to be invisible. Her contacts kept trying to penetrate the inside of the car, but, to her dismay, she received no information. The fact that this SUV is warded is already suspicious enough. In Fiore, you have to get special permits, but in Shamballa, it's legal. But they can't ward license plates.

Instead of focusing on the windows, she focused on the car and found a match with data streaming before her. It says this car is from some luxury car service too—which isn't a stretch. But Dylan rented out some sports car. So why the sudden change?

The vehicle was on the move again, and Julia tailed it. More data streamed as her contacts picked up multiple locations. Finding fundraiser locations is easy by cross-referencing all the SNS posts. But if Dylan said 'Zayed', then there's only one place we could go, I think.

Her contacts focused on the great mass of buildings with their outlandish styles with a replica of the Champion Tower from Pergrande. Information popped up, but so did a fundraising event. They're headed to the Cosmotroplis.

And her prediction came true as the SUV did not have to wade through civilian lines and went through a luxury valet to arrive as Cosmotroplis. Dozens to hundreds of people came through in different shades and sizes and wonder to approach the park. A smaller rendition of the Lincoln Eye existed in the Minstrel section. The Champion Tower replica had a restaurant people could eat at. The Meidiland portion taught about the indigenous people accurately. Alakitasian and Selan countries had their own landmarks and pavilions with plenty of people streaming in and out to get authentic food, drink, and splurge on gifts.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Cosmotroplis, a showcase of nations from around the world and financially backed by those nations and modeled after Magia's Global Showcase. There are 3- themed rides, 15 "experience zones", and 5 adventure zones, with multiple interactive shows and events, like celebrating Pindorama Carnaval and the Ramadan Wonders. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Julia could see Dylan and Chunhua exiting their SUV, but it looked like they had already purchased their tickets and did not have to wait at the main entrance when they were ushered through an express line. The royal family is here as a children's fundraiser—rich enough that they're going to match the revenue from today to donate to a children's organization. You can't say they aren't generous.

She checked her watch. All right. Ena said she doesn't know how long I can be invisible. She huffed. If there was ever a time I regretted not having Magic, now would be the time. I can't use Transformation Magic, but… She went into her utility pouch and found the purity ring from her suitcase. Her contacts debriefed her on it:

⟪ Glamour Ring ⟫

Julia sighed as she slipped on the ring and took herself off invisible. All right, Noko. Let's hope this works. Her reflection still looked like her in her black stealth suit, but she maintained her cool as she came around the car. Looks like this park isn't warded to detect Glamours. Not surprising. Glamour is way too advanced. She twisted her ring. Lucky me.

Getting through the entrance was a matter of forking over money for a wristband, and she was in. Her contacts identified anyone she glanced over, but when she spotted Dylan and Chunhua, she casually made her way to her mark. Dylan acted as an escort to her sister, speaking to her, but Chunhua did not look all that enthusiastic to respond to his conversational cues.

Dylan Bei… Julia narrowed her eyes. Where are you meeting the prince?

Dylan and Chunhua looked like a regular brother-sister duo exploring Cosmotroplis, but it was apparent Dylan took the lead, gallivanting them over this way and that and taking pictures. But whatever Dylan said made Chunhua pop a strained smile and laugh at his jokes. They strolled into the Cipangu pavilion with Julia closing in on them, but all they did was get something to eat. She quickly loaded in samples and sat down a ways away to eat and casually peruse.

What are they doing? Are they trying to cover all their bases? With all the pictures, I'm guessing geotagging them. She finished her potsticker and frowned when Chunhua picked at her rice and took small bites. She seems nervous. But why is she needed to meet with the prince?

The sit-down was over, and Dylan and Chunhua were on the move again. No one would question them heading to the Zhōnguá pavilion, a Zhōnguátown with a bunch of small shops and eateries. But as Julia was jostled through the crowd with Compacts and selfie sticks, it was hard to keep up with Dylan and Chunhua and their purposeful strides.

Julia gritted her teeth. Dammit. I'm losing them. They must be coming here for the spot then. I need to get invisible and quick. She glanced around to see a small alleyway and ducked into it, getting out her Compact and edging into the shadows to take it. When she was certain she was shaded, she pressed her Fairy Tail insignia and took off the ring to pocket it.

Gaining a running start, she kicked off one all and onto the next until she could catch the roof's edge and hall herself up. All right… She narrowed her eyes and her scanners ticked off multiple IDs. Where did you go? It pinged when she found the duo spearing for one corner of the pavilion. There you are.

She darted across the roofs and kept locked on her mark. Now, what are you hiding? She spurred into a leap across the aisle to get to the next row of aisles and kept going until she was at the edge. Darting closer, she found Chunhua and Dylan approaching the corner stall, a wider selection that was dived with rarer collector's items in the higher up stall with a counter to keep the staff and customers separate, and the ground stall.

Julia stopped a few stalls over. Hold on. Her eyes darted around as IDs popped up. That lady with the stroller. That man over there in the hat. And that couple over there. She cataloged them all. I'm getting signatures from them—Ether signatures. No wonder this place is empty. They're deterring people from coming over here.

She smirked. On second thought, I love not having Magic.

She kept it quiet as she closed in and hunkered down when Dylan and Chunhua approached the stall. All right. Touching her earpiece, she twisted it and saw the recording dot in her vision. Let's figure out what's happening here, shall we?

Dylan and Chunhua came over with Dylan pursuing the guides listed on the board above the raised stall. He asked, "我在为我妹妹找东西。你有什么建议?"

Julia saw the instant recognition of Zhōnguánese, and a translation popped up:

Dylan: I'm looking for something for my sister. What do you recommend?

The stall owner replied in Zhōnguánese, but it was translated:

Step over there. I'll show you our selections.

Julia narrowed her eyes. A code? She dug into her utility pocket and pulled out the small metallic ball. All right, spiders. She tapped the button and watched as the ball disintegrated into small spiders that instantly started to crawl around. Go do your work.

°•°•°•°

The ground stall looked the same as every tourist stall with trinkets and clothes outfitted to Shamballa and Zhōnguá. The little stall owner—an old man with sunspots and a hunch—met brother and sister with what looked to be red articles of clothing. He handed one to Chunhua with a smile and told them, "我认为这将很适合这个年轻女孩。你为什么不使用我们的一个更衣室呢？" He turned to Dylan. "而你也是如此。"

Dylan bowed with a friendly smile while Chunhua's bow was slower and not as deep. "谢谢。"

Chunhua winced when Dylan grabbed her elbow and guided her to the changing rooms. Heart pounding, she blurted in a whisper, "哥哥，等等—!"

Dylan's abrupt stop and pivot into her personal space made her flinch, but she kept her eyes down as he hissed, "不要把事情搞砸了." He pushed her to the changing room. "现在就去."

Chunhua timidly nodded and tried to keep her shaking hands holding the cloth. She grabbed the curtain and would have hesitated, but one glance told her Dylan would not get in until she did. Gulping down a breath, she shut her eyes, opened the curtain, quickly stepped in, and shut it again. She could feel Magic burn her skin and the noise from the pavilion died down for a silence that terrified her.

"So. This is here."

Chunhua kept her eyes down as she heard her brother come to her side. "Yes." She flinched when she felt Dylan's heavy hand on her shoulder. "This is her."

"Wonderful."

Footsteps broke into the edge of Chunhua's vision.

"Look at me."

Chunhua's bottom lip trembled, but she did her best not to crumble as she lifted her head—

"Well, now." Zayed looked down at Chunhua with dark amusement gleaming across his eyes and smile. "You're fortunate to have such an obedient sister."

The space that held the three of them looked like a simple room—almost like a cabin room or a hotel room. A nice lounge and coffee table with a liquor cart. One door served as the entrance and exit, but it had some sort of circle above it, divvied up into four colors—black, red, white, and blue. Currently, a pointer showed black."

Zayed straightened his suit jacket. "Haya is a bitch. Fatimah is, well…difficult being sick in the head." He leaned down, smile widening when Chunhua shied away. "You're not sick in the head too, are you? Going against your precious Guardians to do the one thing that would put you down in Hell with the murderers, the rapists, and the like?"

Chunhua could not answer.

Dylan chuckled. "Don't be rude, Chunhua. His Highness is complimenting you."

"It's all right. I know my humor can be twisted," Zayed said, keeping his eyes on Chunhua. "Now, I'm told you have something important—something only you're capable of doing without losing your mind. And that's quite a rare ability to have, Miss Bei, I promise you. And by helping me, I'll make sure you can be there for my child's Akikah. You see, my queen will be expecting soon."

"Are premature congratulations in order?" Dylan asked.

Zayed turned his attention to Dylan and laughed. "Not yet, but thank you. I've been a bit worried about how hard we've been trying and she's still barren. But the physician assured me both of us are healthy. And she's been getting nauseous lately. I'm hoping that's the result of our weekend together without my bastard father around…"

Chunhua tried to keep listening, but it felt like a muffled sound boxed her ears. She could hear every erratic breath and every pump of blood to her heart. No matter how much she tried to stop her, her body kept shaking and less and less did she feel like her body was her own—

"Chunhua."

That made her freeze, torn between being startled and wanting to scream.

Dylan gave his sister a cursory glance. "I'm sorry about her—"

"It's fine." Zayed waved a hand. "Fatimah gets like that too, the little panic attacks. But unlike your sister, she's completely useless outside of trying to fuck over the family. She had the nerve to hit me the other day." He laughed to himself as he touched his healed cheek. "But thanks to her, I had a long night with my queen. It's almost sad how much Inayah defends that insane bitch. But enough of my relationship troubles."

He gestured to Chunhua. "Can she show me?"

"Yes, of course." Dylan stole the cloth from Chunhua's hand and pulled her close to snarl in her ear, "如果你搞砸了，你就会被送进集中营." And he shoved her away.

Chunhua stumbled, but she caught herself, breathing hard. Her heartbeat drummed into her ears, and all she could look at were her gloved hands. With a swallow, she did her best to take off her gloves and made a complete show about putting them aside to try and stave off the inevitable. But it was too late when she looked at her hands.

And the demonic sigils on her palms.

"Chunhua." Dylan's whipped instruction sneered, "现在就去做吧."

Chunhua rigidly nodded and licked her lips. She put her hands before and her lips moved, but the words coming out of her mouth sounded too dirty and cruel for this world, borderlining animalistic.

And her sigils glowed.

A maelstrom of shadows burst around her, drawing out a wordless scream. The demonic energy whipped and blustered, bleeding out of her now inky eyes and crawling over her skin to form more summoning characters that looked almost like chains. Her body twitched and spasmed as though she was in the middle of a seizure and the way her head rolled and jerked would be heavily upsetting to someone with a more sensitive stomach. But that haze of shadows died and left Chunhua with her head tipped back.

Quiet.

A smile. "于是那女孩又召见了我."

Chunhua's head tipped down—

—and showed steely-gray eyes.

Whereas Chunhua was humble in her chastity, now she looked much more like a courtesan with her hair tussled, her lips showing much more of a seductive pout, and confidence came off her in ways. Even her nails looked longer, almost like deceiving claws. She brushed her hair to the side and eyed Dylan. "你好，孩子."

Dylan respectfully bowed. "你好，姑妈。谢谢你同意出来。我们能不能为我的朋友讲明斯特尔语?"

"Ah. Of course." Chunhua looked at Zayed in interest, giving him a dressing down. "Your heart looks delicious. But you aren't the one for me. You just have business with me. The girl said so."

Zayed bowed as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you, and, might I say, this body suits you."

"Spare me the compliments." Even as she said that, she smirked, showing a killer's smile. "She explained to me you are allegedly royalty?"

"Yes." Zayed extended his hand, and she took it. "I am Prince Zayed bin Kamir Al Marwan, the first prince of the Emirate of Shamballa." He lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles, eyes locked on hers. "And it is a pleasure to meet you…"

She raised an eyebrow, humored. "Mogwai do not have names like you humans do. But the girl was insistent upon names to help differentiate who controls this body. I believe I am called 'Mara', meaning 'demon' or 'evil'. How…original." She tugged back her hand. "What business do you require of me?"

"I'm going to need much of your help," Zayed conditioned. "So, before I list what I need, name your price—anything—and it's yours."

Mara-Chunhua simpered, tapping a finger to her jaw. "How amusing. Well. Dylan is already paying me a fair salary, so I can enjoy my time in Diyu. The girl giving me her body is already quite the trade. But there is one more thing I would like…"

"Name it," Zayed urged, stepping closer, "and I will do everything in my power to acquire it."

"It might be difficult." Mara-Chunhua's smirk tugged into a broader one. "He's quite powerful. Even now, I remember his power. And how cold those eyes of his were when he banished me." She lifted her chin. "I'll assist you. But in turn"—steely-grays flickered—"I want you to bring me the son of Báihǔ and his little Chosen, should he have one. It's been eight hundred years since we last saw each other."

Her teeth bared in a terrifying grin. "I think it's time to follow through with my Curse."

Sunset in Alakitasia somehow felt whimsical, but perhaps that was because of all the movies romanticizing that glowing sunset and magenta sky over the dunes of the Wastes. By no means did the sun going down mean Shamballa would be ready for proper sleep. Spring holiday was in full swing, and people would be damned to fritter it away just because the sky closed up shop.

Vinyl did not care how rude she was when she ignored the hotel staff's murmured greetings. She moved like a woman on a mission to get back to her hotel room.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Burj Al'umi Hotel

Shamballa City

Shamballa, Alakitasia

6:51 PM SST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mind reeling, Vinyl prepped her keycard for her room as she briskly walked to get back to her suite. All right, okay, keep it together. I have to keep it together. She got to her suite and unlocked it, but she caught her breath. Okay. Once we talk this through, everything will be fine. I can be calm. She opened the door—

Somehow, a shirtless Thirteen was on the ground, looking more enraged than anything, while Swan somehow sat on his face with a towel wrapped around their body and their hair completely damp.

Vinyl had shadows over her eyes as her hands clenched into shaking fists.

Swan cheerily grinned seeing Vinyl, "Oh my, you can home early, baby screech. I was just getting to the fun part." They winked down at Thirteen. "Right, Vulture?"

Whatever curses Thirteen was saying were muffled given his…unfortunate position.

A tick mark twinged Vinyl's cheek.

Swan kept rocking back and forth—they ignored Thirteen struggling to breathe—and cooed to Vinyl, "You know, if you're ever in need of a lesson on how to please a man, you can always come to me, baby screech. Vulture likes someone a tad more aggressive and—what's the word? An adult."

TICK!

Vinyl gritted her teeth for a second. "You…"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

BAKI!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Chibi-Swan and their trophies found themselves flying out of the hotel room all thanks to Vinyl's killer kick.

"GET OUT!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

And so…

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Thirteen returned to the living room with his shirt firmly on, but he sweatdropped at the dichotomy of the room. On onside was a wintry Vinyl with her arms folded, her legs crossed, and she looked ready to kill. But on the other side, Swan minded their business with a springy, flowery aura and their trophies looked pleased to dote on their master.

I knew letting them meet was a bad idea.

He cautiously approached the loveseat—

"Thirteen."

He shivered feeling Vinyl's lethal aura fuming.

"Why don't you sit next to me?"

"Ah, er, right." He sat down when a stark realization hit him. Wait. Why does it feel like I cheated or something? He cleared his throat. "So, I think it's time for a debrief, don't you think?"

Vinyl tightened her arms. "Sur. But first…" She pointed a finger at Swan, who sipped their tea. "You! Don't even think about coming one step closer over here! So keep to your side, got it?"

"You're so adorable, baby screech," Swan tittered. "So possessive. So cute."

TICK!

Vinyl growled, "I am not cute! And I am not a baby screech!"

"Oh, of course you're not." But the aura radiating from Swan made it sound like they were indulging in baby talk. "You're a big screech, aren't you? Yes, you are! Yes, you are…!"

"I'm a screech!"

Thirteen rubbed his temples. I'd rather take Coeus crushing on his therapist. He loudly cut in, "All right. We all had a big day and we're tired as shit. So let's do this check-in and exchange quickly, so we can get some sleep. All right?"

Vinyl hmphed and upturned her nose. "I'll behave if they do."

"I always behave." Swan winked at Thirteen. "Unless I'm asked to be a brat."

Vinyl fumed, but she could not say a word when Thirteen intervened, "Great. Then let's get to it." He turned to Vinyl. "All right, kid." Murky oranges darkened. "What did you find out about Vespers?"

Vinyl's anger diminished to uneasiness. "I confirmed his power was demonic. And, thanks to some help, I was able to get Salentino out of his spell, at least for a little while. I'm sure Vespers will try the spell again, but I gave Salentino the means to escape the brunt of it for no long-term damage. However…" Blues flickered. "I think I discovered what Vespers is after. And I think I know who's helping him."

"Who?" Thirteen prompted.

Vinyl looked at him. "I believe Vespers came to Shamballa with help from the royal family—namely the prince. And his goal—"

"Is the Emira." Both looked at Swan as they sat down their cup and their trophies handed them their prepped long-stemmed pipe. Once they lit it up, Swan took a few puffs to get the steam. Sighing out smoke, they looked at Thirteen, sober. "So. It's happening then."

Vinyl looked between them. "What's happening? What did you find out?"

Thirteen shifted., jaw clenched.

Swan took another puff. "We learned something vital today from our colleague, Cassowary. Your old friend Vespers isn't the only one after the Emira. Tell me something. How much do you know about Alakitasia's history and politics?"

Vinyl's brow furrowed, glancing at Thirteen. "Not much…"

"Hm." Swan took a longer drag with the smoke foaming at their mouth. "Alakitasia once was dominated by the Wastes. And the Wastes are…sentient, almost. Some call the Wastes a Demon or even a Spirit or maybe a God. They control every desert to exist on this planet and are so potent and dangerous that Warrod Sequen came up with a program to deploy Green Mage and those similar to maintain deserts and keep them at bay. But they can only do so much."

"Okay…" Vinyl still did not understand.

Swan crossed their legs with their silken robe and smoking all the more alluring. "Emperor Zeref—back when he was alive—managed to devise plans to use the Wastes to their advantage, especially when the Gods did not answer the people's prayers. He's a prominent figure on this continent since the Wastes are stronger here. Andüsa has the Wastes too, but their rituals to keep it at bay are different. But when Emperor Zeref died in his fight against the Black Wizard and alliances started fraying"—dark blues flickered—"the Wastes started expanding."

"What?" Vinyl could not handle her surprise. "You mean the desert is—"

"Yes." Swan side-puffed. "Alakitasian leaders are keeping this quiet. The Wastes are slow-moving, like a slow-acting disease. Green Mages are, well, rare in a continent full of sand and the ones who do live here aren't powerful enough to keep the Wastes back. And considering the threat of a Holy War, any recruitment to legal and official Green Mages is, well, nonexistent. And it's not just that. The power of the Wastes has rippled over this country. There was a subtle drop in the birthrate too. So the leaders have been trying to find solutions. Luckily, Emperor Zeref left behind his plans of what he wanted for Alakitasia."

"A Fertility God."

Vinyl looked at Thirteen, perplexed. "A 'Fertility God'?"

"Yeah." Thirteen looked too tense for comfort. "Fertility Gods aren't as common as you'd think. They were often agricultural gods who could bless a farmer's crops and the maiden goddesses might have guided mothers, but a true Fertility God could control fertility itself. They could make the land barren. They could turn an infertile person fertile again. But those true Fertility Gods…" He sighed. "There were just…too little. And none of them had proper temples—at least, not to the public."

"Then why would Emperor Zeref have a Fertility God in his plans if one couldn't exist, especially when the Gods abandoned us?" Vinyl questioned. "That doesn't make any sense. Was he just playing a game or something?"

"'Or something'." Swan breathed smoke. "Emperor Zeref wasn't a fool. He had powerful allies to his side that he recruited from around the world. Thirty years after his death and people sing praises of him. If his plan included a Fertility God, then everyone believed he knew of one. But Emperor Zeref was slightly off, or maybe he knew what he was hiding and wanted someone to figure it out. The Gods won't return to us."

"But then…" Vinyl tried to piece it together.

"You remember what happened to the Dragons, baby screech?"

It came together for Vinyl. "He meant a Fertility God Slayer."

"Exactly." Thirteen had to get up and pace. "I should've never done that job."

Swan softened their look at Thirteen. "You didn't know it'd spiral into this. And we're not ones to regret our jobs, remember?"

"I'm not like that anymore," Thirteen spat, shaking his head. "Goddammit. I should have never taken that fucking job."

Vinyl watched Thirteen with heavy concern before glancing at Swan. "What's going on? What 'job'? What does this have to do with the Emira—?" She blinked, taken aback. "But… That's not possible…" Blues shifted back and forth. Because if she is…

Swan propped her head on a fist, elbow on the back of the couch. "The UAA is gathering here in Shamballa to discuss more about the expired emperor's missing heirs. And I've confirmed that part is true. This continent needs those heirs on the throne. It's a general consensus that even non-AE citizens would feel more at ease knowing Emperor Zeref's bloodline has reclaimed their seat and can restore peace. But controlling the Wastes and the declining birthrate are important too."

"I…" This was a lot to process. "Oh… Okay, but—" She pinched her eyes closed. "Wait a minute, wait a minute—you said something about a job." She peered at Thirteen. "What 'job'? And why does it relate to this?"

Thirteen and Swan shared a glance before he turned his gaze to Vinyl. "I…took a job when I was younger. And that job"—the vein on his neck throbbed—"cost people their lives. But you don't ask questions on a job. And you don't regret the blood on your hands. But recently, my past actions have been coming back to haunt me…in many, many ways."

"You're scaring me," Vinyl confessed, quiet. "What was the job?"

"I can't…say it exactly," Thirteen told her. "When we take a job, we use Contractual Magic to bind us from not sharing the details of the job outside of anyone other than someone in the organization. But one of my victims is here in Shamballa. She's also a priority. She's hunting for something and…" He sat down. "I need to help her find it. That job…" His tone wavered.

Vinyl wanted to touch his hand in consolation, but her hesitancy won out. "H-How does that connect to…?"

"It connects to the Raven," Swan took over. "Raven isn't just here for revenge. He's here on a job—to kill Thirteen's victim. But I think he took the job as his last act of revenge on our man here."

Vinyl tried to make sense of this all. "But… I just… I don't understand. How does this all connect? Your victim—who is she?"

Thirteen put his head in his hands to take a deep breath for a moment before lifting himself and looking at Vinyl with dead eyes. "She's the ex-physician of the family I killed."

CLICK!

RIN-RIN!

Julia laid her head against the closed doors of her hotel suite with her stealth suit packed away and food from some steakhouse ordered to-go and nestled in a recyclable bag. The hotel suite was dark, but she paid it no mind as she just stayed there, head to the doors, existing.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Burj Al'umi Hotel

Shamballa City

Shamballa, Alakitasia

8:39 PM SST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

I… I can't believe it. Julia's grip on the to-go bag tightened. Chunhua's not just a Warlock… But she agreed to let a Demon possess her body? And that motherfucker prince… He's been… The words made her throat flex.

"Yo." Gale came out of his room, exhausted, but he woke up a little more seeing Julia. "Lady J? Everything all right?"

"I…" Julia closed her mouth to turn around. She tried hard to push out the words, but her lips trembled and she could not force herself to speak.

"Hey." Gale took the to-go bag, delicate. "Why don't you shower up or take a bubble bath or some shit? Take a minute to relax and then we can talk, all right?" He rubbed her head. "Yeah?"

"I…" Julia swallowed. "Okay."

"Okay." Gale nudged her to her room. "Go on then." He looked at his dinner—

"Gale, I—"

He looked up to see a tortured expression across Julia's face.

"Gale…" She looked at him, blues sad. "You know I love you, right? You're my family. And I'd ride or die for you, no questions asked."

"I love you too." Though he sounded more concerned than sincere. "Go take a shower and relax. I'll order up some drinks. Bar doesn't close for a good few hours." He examined her. "You want me to order a hookah? Or, ah, shisha? Whatever they call it. We have a balcony, so it's on the menu. We can even do non-tobacco and hit it with straight Cloud. And you look like you need it."

"Can your nose handle it?"

Gale faintly snorted. "I'm smoking it with you. I'll live."

"All right then." Julia went to turn, but she hesitated. "I really do love you."

Gale softened. "I know, Lady J."

She nodded and woodenly went to her room, gently shutting the door after her.

Gale sighed and fingered his bangs. What are we doing here?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

SU… SU…

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Smoking Cloud and drinking good liquor should always be accompanied by a great view and great food. Gale had demolished his monster steak, but he and Julia indulged in the garlic-parmesan fries together. Gale kept to beer, but Julia had decided on a nice cognac. With the hotel on a manmade island, the balcony gifted them a few of the nightlife in Shamballa.

Julia took the hookah and puffed a literal small cumulus cloud that drifted off and disappeared. The change into her pajamas—one of Dash's shirts and old athletic shorts—and letting her hair down was enough. And as long as the wards were up, she did not need to worry about her contacts.

Gale sipped his beer in his shorts and a tank top, stretched out and mulling over his thoughts. "So." He glanced at Julia. "What happened?"

Julia tipped back her head and closed her eyes. Then, she said, "The prince has been raping the queen."

Gale nearly broke his bottle. "Are you fucking with me?"

"I wish I was." Julia came forward to take another gulp of her cognac before shaking her head. "He just…admitted it like that. He sounded so fucking proud of himself for hoping she was pregnant. I just…" She shakily took another hit of Cloud from the hookah.

Gale had to put down his beer to rub his eyes with the butt of his wrists. "Fuck…" A deep exhale. "I knew she was afraid of him, but now I know why. And if he's still doing it, it either means she told her husband, but he doesn't care. Or she hasn't told her husband because His Royal Fucking Highness has something over her. Shit."

"There's more," Julia rasped. "You remember Chunhua?"

Gale dropped his hands, guarded. "Yeah?"

Julia took a deep breath. "Gale." She looked at him. "She's part of this."

Gale hardened. "How?"

"She's a Warlock—no, she's more than that." Julia tried to get her words in order. "She's contracted to a Demon and she lets that Demon take over her body."

That made Gale's eyebrows jump up. "No shit."

She nodded and took another hit.

He looked ahead of him, mind churning, and mused aloud, "She's able to retain her sanity with a Demon possessing her body. That's… That's not normal. When it comes to Demonic Possession, it leaves traces and causes a person to get mad. I mean, look at Lance."

Julia flinched before carefully regarding Gale. "What about Lance?"

"Well, you know, about his cleansing therapy," Gale told her absently. "He has to visit Aunt Wen once a week to make sure any traces from Forneus are still benign. It fucked him up bad, Lady J."

"Did it now?" Julia's voice pitched upwards with her grip on the hookah tighter.

Gale nodded, but he did not notice Julia's behavior, too in his thoughts. I'll have to give Luke a call about this, but… I was around Chunhua. I couldn't feel any demonic energy around her or madness. But if she's not showing any symptoms and she's able to switch consciousnesses with her Demon, that makes her an extremely powerful ally or, well, in this case, an enemy. That's incredible she's retained her sanity. But that makes her more dangerous than ever. And the fact that she's helping the prince…

"The question still remained—why would the prince want the Emira?" Gale asked. "I mean, we know she's being used and abused, but why? I'm not saying Alakitasia is picture-perfect and a feminist manifesto, but you said from your info she might have Fertility Magic?"

Julia nodded, a bit distant. "Yeah."

Gale debated the option. Fertility Magic in the desert might be great to maintain gardens and shit, but there's not much she can do. Anyone wielding Fertility Magic in the past couldn't do much outside of farming and gardening in unideal locations. Are they trying to bring her to the desert to somehow make the desert more hospitable? But that's impossible. A Wizard can't do that. But besides that, she is the wife of the king of Bellum. Is she also here as a hostage? And the thing with Yara…

"Did Lance—?"

Gale looked up at Julia. "Did he what?"

"Did he—?" Julia let go of her question. "Never mind." She drew up her legs. "I… I think I'm wiped out. And we have the next auction tomorrow. I just… I need to be alone."

Gale opened his mouth, but he aborted what he originally wanted to say. "All right. Come in when you're ready. We can brainstorm in the morning. I think we're both tired from a long day." He got up and started cleaning their mess—

"Did sleeping it off help a little?"

Gale paused. He did not let Julia see the bitter smile on his face. "Yeah. It did." He finished trashing what needed to go before turning back to her and rubbing her shoulder. "Night, Lady J?"

She only hummed.

Gale went back into the suite to throw out his garbage before retiring into his room with a large flop onto his bed. But his hand tucked under his pillow to bring out what he had hidden—that damned black feather.

"I am making an official request of the Fairy Tail Guild and specifically want you, Gale Redfox—the Geo-Dragon. And my request is, be the Red Eye your dad was to me."

Rubies narrowed as Gale turned onto his back. He used his teeth to take off one of his gloves. Who the Hell are you to my old man, creep? He touched the feather and disbanded his earthen sorcery to feel for that river of Time running in his veins—

• — • — • — • — •

An aviary was around them—that was for certain. Rare beauties of birds were everywhere in the foliage, healthy and happy. The ground had been carpeted in grass with stone paths, but a small set up of circular outdoor garden table and chairs was here. The tea and snacks were made, but it looked like this person was more interested in candy. Feathers ruffled on either side of the focus. A bird. He was a bird.

"My dearest friend."

The focus turned to watch as a man popped in another candy to suck on before the man's fingers came up, and Gale could feel someone scratching the top of his head the bird felt immense satisfaction from it.

"It's time." A warm smile. "Let's see which side will win—and who the Black Dragon will fight for."

• — • — • — • — •

Gale snapped out of the past with a jerk of his head. It felt dissociating to be in a human body with skin instead of a bird body with feathers, but he accommodated the best he could. He looked at the black feather with more questions than answers.

He said 'which side will win', but… I think he said something like that before…

"To be honest, I'm also interested in what 'end' you'll be a means to."

And then he mentioned…the Black Dragon. Something stirred in Gale's gut. Sycaña?

A beat.

I am here.

Gale turned on his side and looked at the feather. You said…Black Dragons are only for Dragons with black hearts, right? So Dragons with black scales… were common, like me?

Two beats.

Not…exactly.

Gale's heartbeat ramped up. What do you mean?

Sycaña sighed. You are tired—

I am not a fucking child, Gale snapped, fed up. All these secrets! You keep keeping secrets from me and for what? What are you trying to do?

Sycaña tightly answered, I am protecting you.

Yeah, and you're doing a shit job, Gale retorted. Why can't you just be straight with me for once, Sycaña? For once? What do I have to do to prove to you I'm not a snowflake bound to break at the first sign of danger? I thought I'd shown you that.

Quiet.

JJARA-JJARA!

Gale's pupils shrunk and on instinct, he curled into a ball, whimpering.

There are no chains, Little Gem, Sycaña soothed, feeding him a mother's love through their connection. You are safe here. But this is why I have the need for secrets. You are not fragile. You have the strength of a diamond. And while diamonds do not break easily, it takes an extremely accurate and harsh movement to break them. And these secrets will break your diamond. She surrounded him in nature and lavender.

Gale peeked to look at the black feather. Is this why parents keep secrets from their children? He put the feather in his draw and took off his other glove.

Sometimes, it is to protect our young. But other times, it is to protect ourselves.

From what?

Two beats.

From watching our children look at us differently.

Gale softly snorted. Right. He checked his personal Compact and saw a few messages from Luna. That man… He said that guy who raped Blondie—he'll be underground from the auction site tomorrow. I can't miss this chance.

I know.

Gale put his Compact down to turn onto his back and look at the ceiling. My old man killed people.

I know.

Gale clenched his hands. I'm going to kill that Necromancer who hurt Blondie.

I know.

Gale squeezed his eyes shut. I'm still mad at you for keeping things from me. I…understand, somewhat…but I'm still mad, Sycaña. He turned onto his side as though he was curling away from her.

I…know.

Gale sucked in a breath. I want to get over this so fucking badly. I hate being like this, Mom.

And in time, she sadly responded, I know.

— • — • — • —

Starry Sky nemurenai yoru nee aitai yo aitai yo

Kirameita ittousei osaekirenai kimi e no omoi wo

•

Gyutto dakishimete mou hanasanaide

"aishiteru" dake ga zutto kagayaki tsuzukeru

— • — • — • —

"You called, Your Highness?"

Naseer looked up from reading reports in the drawing room attached to his guest apartments. Night had come like an ice-cold bitch, but the fire had been stoked, and he still had a mountain of work to do. "Right." He straightened up. "Tomorrow will be the only opportunity we have while we're inside that old mosque. We need this operation to go smoothly. A lot is riding on you. Most with your abilities can't revive a dead Ether User. So if you fail, then that's it. Do you understand?"

"I do, Your Highness. I'll be able to get the job done while the auction is in progress. You have my word."

Naseer nodded. "See that you do…"

A broad-shouldered man stood with a bandage over his eyes and the scent of living death wafting around him.

"…Hemlock."

Hemlock nodded. "Of course."

"Good. You may go."

"Yes, Your Highness." Hemlock left the guest apartments and broke into a darkened corridor with guards on either side of Naseer's doors to keep him well-protected. He nodded to them and strode down the hall. But at one point, the moon caught his face, and he could no longer ignore it. What a beautiful moon…

His fingers dug into one of his pockets and pulled out, what looked to be, a woman's panties with white flecks still on the crotch. With no shame, he took a deep scent of the underwear and could feel electricity beneath his skin.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

'How I've missed you so much…'

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The fire had long since died.

Even without the fire, even without the lava, this abandoned chamber carried a warmth for its inhabitance. Ariel the Kelpie remained awake and comfortable as she looked after Silver, asleep on the tufts of fur and feathers and leaves Kāne used to nest in her burrow. The worst was almost over for him, but the Water Horse would not leave his side. Ena snorted before going back to her chainsaw snoring, the Lost in Time: Fae Edition book close to her.

Icarus' ear twitched.

Kāne rose back to all fours, but she did not move straight away. She watched and she waited.

Luna shifted.

The blanket slipped from her like silk, and her movements to rise were fluid and silent. She needed no support from Icarus as he got to his paws.

She turned around—

—and showed glowing white eyes.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

'…my precious Luna.'

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

— • — • — • —

Emma Redfox -

Gale Redfox (child) -

Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes

Julia Fullbuster – Michelle Ruff

Cher Woods – Hayden Daviau

Lorraine Dior -

Dylan Bei -

Chunhua Bei – Kelsye Asbille

Aoide Viñella "Vinyl" de la Muse – Alison Viktorin

Vespers Vivaldi -

Salentino Negroamaro – Antonio Cupo

Key / Kyary – Raye Boyce

Fusajiro – Derrick Snow

Tadashi -

The Stranger -

Zayed bin Kamir Al Marwan – Fady el-Sayed

Mara the Mogwai -

Swan – Kayleigh McKee

Thirteen – Matthew Mercer

Sycaña – Christen Auten

Hemlock – Alex Organ

Naseer Raml – Faris Al-Raqqad

— • — • — • —

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

⌜OPENING SONG

⟪ SAYONARA DILEMMA ⟫

Vivid undress

Lyrics by

yu-ya⌟

•

⌜INSERT SONG

⟪ Gales of Song ⟫

Belle

Lyrics by

Kaho Nakamura, Ludvig Forssell⌟

•

⌜ENDING SONG

⟪ Starry ⟫

ClariS

Lyrics by

丸山真由子⌟

•

— • — • — • —

Next time, on Fairy Adventure

•

Episode 144

•

THE MOSQUE

— • — • — • —

•

TO BE CONTINUED…

Chibi-Luna blusters in, flustered. "G-Good day, class!"

"Good day, Teacher!" her students chirp back as she hurriedly set up. "What's our Fairy Lesson of the day?"

"Today's lesson is"—Chibi-Luna scrambles to take the cap off the dry erase marker and quickly draws a picture of a potion and a person—"potions! Specifically, the Vox Machina Elixir!" She caps her marker and uses it as a lecture wand. "Vox Machina is a potion that alters that sound of someone's voice to make the sound completely like someone else. When this potion was first created, jesters used it to help with their shows. But they have banned this potion in voice-acting work after aspiring voice actors took the potion to unfairly secure voice roles. Nowadays, to drink the potion, it needs to be medically necessary!"

She draws more faces. "Those who are transitioning can have this potion if they want to change their voice to match their gender. But protective necessity can be used for this potion too. Vinyl comes from Minstrel, but she talks like she's from Fiore. She uses the Vox Machina potion monthly to get rid of her Minstrish accent and slang to help her better blend in!"

"Wow…" the students ooh and aah.

Chibi-Luna beams. "Isn't it neat? But that's all we have time for today! And now, a quick word from the author!"

•

The Disappearance of Igneel Dragneel is wrapping up, so if you are interested in what Igneel has been doing until April, check it out! It features the Dragons, Ignia's brutality and tough love, Anna, and a few characters who will one day appear or have already appeared in the main story. Because they have appeared in DID, I will not be giving them introductions, only foreshadowing.

My health is picking up and I'm home sweet home! Sorry for this chapter's delay.

I hope all the clues I left/am leaving are being picked up!

Would you prefer to read this story on AO3? Should I continue it on Fanfiction,net? Perhaps do both?

UPDATE 04/25/2022

Fairy Adventure and The Disappearance of Igneel Dragneel will be officially posted to AO3 with FA posted tonight!

However, AO3 will be receiving a revised edition of Fairy Adventure up until Episode 4. Once all four episodes are up and revised, both AO3 and FFN Fairy Adventure will receive edited versions of all the episodes.

Reading my beginning work was…difficult to say the least, so I'm much happier with the revised opening chapters. If you are on AO3 (Archive of Your Own), I hope to see your opinions on the revised episodes! But don't worry! FFN Fairy Adventure will continue to be updated. AO3 will receive weekly to bi-weekly updates until I catch up with FNN Fairy Adventure, then both platforms will have simultaneous chapter releases.

And thank you for your support.

よろしくお願いします。

•

Chibi-Luna winks. "See you in the next episode!"