Happy Holidays! My backlog of chapters isn't as far in as I would like, but I still felt I should give this a post before Christmas hits us. Special thanks and a Happy Birthday to phoenix-before-the-flame on tumblr who was my Beta for this and upcoming chapters. Check the end of the chapter for a Special Update Announcement!
"Nine of Swords, feeling torment at being separated from your partner?"
"I didn't ask for a reading about my relationship with Mirajane."
"Well, that's what my Cards are telling me so-"
"Check again."
Cana studied Laxus, incredulous. It wasn't the first time someone doubted her skill, but the sheer demand of his voice made her pause in reach of her ale. "... excuse me? That is not how this works -"
"Check. Again." His voice hardened, sparks sizzling along his shoulders.
"Oye… fine, as you wish. Whatever." She rolled her eyes and swiped her cards into a stack again, flipping through with practiced ease. She cut it in two, dexterously shifting through the cards at a speed most couldn't keep up with before straightening the deck against the table with a satisfying slap. She started again, repeating these motions a couple more times, digging at Laxus' impatience with every cut.
"Hrm… this is taking too long. Shuffle faster."
"Shut it, Sparky. I don't tell you how to stand like an intimidating, weather vane; you don't tell me how to handle my cards."
"A weather vane-?"
"Yes, a tall, demanding, blonde weather vane- oh here we are!" Cana's smirk dropped, eyes furrowing in scrutiny at the card she twirled between her fingers.
"... well?" He leaned closer, broad frame towering over her own, but she paid him no mind. "Uh, well, Five of Wands. Reversed. A challenge has been posed for you. You're wondering how you should act or what you should do. Probably in need of some serious mediation or help making decisions." "You're saying I'm incapable of choosing paths for myself?" He bristled, the taste of thunder and lightning growing in the air as he grew tense, ready to stand at any moment to overshadow her. Feeling the static of his magic at the tips of her hair, Cana huffed and popped the cap off her ale with her thumb and took a quick swig. "Look, we're all human. We can't always know what to do in our lives, even you. And from what these cards are telling me, there's one thing clear for you: and that's you're conflicted and need to take your time before making any rash decisions." "Ugh, typical. I wanted to get a read about this situation with the new blondie and all you're telling me is vague bull shit." "Hey, if that's what you take from it, that's your fault. If you don't like it, get yourself another fortune teller and leave me out of this."
The memories of her last card reading echoed in Cana's mind. A silent reminder for why she hated giving fortunes to some members of her clan. The more stubborn members of her family always expected clear-cut answers that went their way, never accepting how a reading really worked. It was exhausting to deal with.
Knowing she may end up giving a reading to this…Kage only made it worse. How was she supposed to get a guy to talk with her cards? Fake threats? Draw the Death card and tell him, 'you will die in 7 days!' If he didn't know much about Fortune readings, it might work, but the mere thought of misusing her death card like that was irritating. (It didn't even MEAN that. Ugh-) And her partner for this conversation wasn't much help either. Taking a final swig of her beer bottle, knowingly disappointed at her lack of foresight in bringing an extra, Cana eyed Erza. The redhead silently led the way, shoulders tense and aura oozing discipline. There would be no fun banter right now, not when Erza took her job entirely too seriously at times. Perhaps it was Erza who really needed a reading instead.. A good, 'learn to chill out and not be such a stickler for the rules!' lesson.
Cana rolled her eyes and sighed, as if that would ever work.
"Something troubling you?" Erza asked, interrupting Cana's thoughts, a terse voice echoing off the stone walls. "That's your third sigh now."
Cana resisted the roll of her eyes again and muttered, "Aren't you observant. Was I too obvious?"
The sarcasm bounced off Erza like oil to water, amusement filling her voice instead, "Only a little. Are you so against the Chief's orders?"
"I don't see the point in them." Cana answered with a shrug, "but I guess if it helps, then it was worth it."
"Good." Their footsteps paused, blocked by the barred door at the end. Erza rested a hand on the bar lock and cast a curious glance back towards Cana. "He's grown less antagonistic over the past weeks, perhaps we'll make progress today."
"Let's just get this over with," Cana urged, wishing she'd snuck another bottle in with her. This interrogation couldn't end quicker and it hadn't even started. Erza nodded, unlocking the latch and shoving the door open to the dim-lit, dusty dungeons. The drops of water trickling from an unknown corner echoed among the thick silence, revealing just how empty the cells were.
Except for the one occupied. The captured mage laid against his cot, whistling to the ceiling before he kicked his legs up, the momentum pulling him up to stare at the approaching girls. His lips curved into a smirk as he waved to them.
"Oh am I getting more company? How generous of the Fairies." He said, voice full of mockery. "Can we make this one quick? I wasn't done counting the cracks in the ceiling."
"That would depend entirely on you, Kage." Erza replied, voice returning to its earlier, strict undertones. Cana took a seat on a nearby stool and leaned against the wall.
"Sounds like fun," She said, her own smirk creeping on her face, "meanwhile I'm wanting more booze. Looks like we're both in a hurry. I think my plan sounds better than yours though."
He snorted. "I've got limited options, so thanks for rubbing that in." "Aw, no problem. Glad to be of service!"
Kage's expression soured and Erza cleared her throat, casting a reproaching glance towards Cana. "I'd prefer us not to get off topic here."
"Ugh, fine." Cana waved, reflexively pulling her deck of cards out to begin shuffling them. Not for a reading, but as a way to calm her own nerves. "Go ahead, I'll just watch."
Erza nodded and made a point of standing directly in front of Kage's view. "Excellent, let's get started then."
Kage groaned and Cana, amusedly, couldn't blame him. She wondered if a card or two might fall out for him, but shrugged and kept on shuffling.
Halfway across the cove, Lucy struggled to walk up a winding path, wincing as loose gravel and dirt impeded her steps. She did not know the conversations in the keep, or Cana's current banter with the man incarcerated. Although he was never far from Lucy's mind when she thought too much on the circumstances of her being here. This morning, the trek along the worn path served as her distraction. And Levy stood beside her, ushering her with each step right along with Wendy who clicked her tongue and kept stopping to check on Lucy's knee. It wasn't the easiest of paths to travel, and she wished they had chosen to do it when Lucy wasn't so exhausted, but Lucy…
Lucy insisted.
She would never improve if she kept taking the easy way out. Leaving behind a little note in her small hut, she knew Natsu would come across it eventually (or Mira) and no one would worry too much about her whereabouts. She wasn't alone after all and despite the cold of winter, Lucy desperately wanted to see what else was in this small town. Levy, especially, wanted to show her, now that they had met.
"It's okay if you need a break," Wendy coaxed, magic emanating from her hand as she ran her fingers upon Lucy's knee, easing the sore nerves that complained, "In fact, I insist on taking one the moment we find a place for you to sit. Uhm, It's just, I get that you've been feeling better, but you don't want to make it bad again, right?"
"Of course I don't." Lucy said, sighing as she looked down, watching Wendy nibble her lip in worry. "I just really want to see this archive Levy was telling me about. Is it true? The idea that you all have this huge building full of books, but rarely use it just astounds me!" "Oh, we- we use it!" Wendy said, pouting, "just not everyone." "Yeah, Natsu being one of them." Levy giggled, skipping ahead to find a place to possibly sit, "But Wendy makes a good point. I'd feel so bad if you hurt yourself just to see books with me! Especially since we've barely met!"
"All right, all right," Lucy conceded, a small smile splitting her cheeks. "I swear, I'm fine! But if it'll make you both feel better, then I guess I'll humor you."
Lucy had felt endeared to Levy almost instantly. Once she'd grown more comfortable (and less confused) by their meeting, the two learned they had plenty in common: when it came to sharing tales and hearing them. When the smaller Romni admitted she lived and tended to all the books in their archive, gathering tales (and taking note of oral tradition in the clans) to keep them safe and unforgettable, Lucy couldn't hold back her excitement. Stories were passed down from person to person in her clan. She had never heard of them being saved in thick tomes and she wanted to see it for herself. Perhaps, she could learn of other places, other myths- and even add her own to it. Levy certainly liked the idea of adding the Celestial Tribe tales to her collection and Lucy felt a need too strong to resist. Her clan could be remembered in more than just memory…
Isn't that wonderful?
Wouldn't it have been better if they had lived to see it themselves?
The intrusive thought was swept away with Lucy's tight smile.
It wasn't long after that they found a small stump for Lucy to rest at. Wendy clicked her tongue and tutted about, checking on Lucy's knee (only a scar remained) and tested her reflexes and muscle strength. The pain was mild, offset by the chill in the air and Lucy's inability to overwork herself without someone intervening. She didn't allow them to fret long about her, wanting to make it to the archive before the day was over with. ( "Oh stop exaggerating, it won't take that Long, Lucy!" Levy exclaimed in amusement, but allowed them to follow the trail despite her reservations. )
Lucy didn't care, the smile never leaving her face even as her muscles cramped from the force. She knew it wasn't a true smile, not with the thoughts that shouted in her head, but Lucy refused to give her inner turmoil away. With an almost desperation in her steps, she urged them to continue onward, wanting to see these protected tomes for herself.
Her smile wouldn't reach her eyes again until Lucy found herself entering the modestly sized building that smelled of old parchment with dust tickling at her nose. There were no lights upon entry, but Levy made quick work of that, fingers forming odd symbols glowed in soft magic that sent a burst of flames to each candle in the room, lighting them almost instantly. The illumination of book after book and spare papers littered over nearby tables sent Lucy's heart jumping into her throat.
Wendy coughed and waved in front of her nose, "I think we need to dust more."
"Erm," Levy muttered something unintelligibly for a second, her eyes sheepishly dodging Wendy's before she skirted about the room, grabbing a rag, "It's a little hard to keep this place clean when I'm not around you know- Oh! "She paused, staring at one of the books with a smile, "But my enchantments to keep the books safe are still intact. Perfect!"
This was a new Magic Lucy knew nothing about, but she almost missed the chance to ask about it, so enamored by the books before her. Many looked old, torn at the edges, worn on their cracked spines. Some looked completely new and written in an inky scrawl that she assumed was Levy's own writing. The girl had stated she wasn't much of a writer, but transcription and translation were her favorite pastimes. Trailing her fingers along one of the shelves, Lucy took in a deep breath and glanced back towards the two girls currently fussing over the cleanliness of the room.
"How do you cast enchantments?" She asked, eyes brimming with curiosity. "Is that particular to the tribe you're originally from or is it something anyone can learn?"
Levy grew silent, brows knit together as she considered the question, moving the rag with an absentminded swipe. "Uhm, a little bit of both? Maybe?"
Alarm bells sounded in Lucy's head and she frowned, "You… don't know?"
Levy shrugged and her ears turned pink, "Oh! It's not like that. It's just.. Erm, well-"
"Levy didn't come from a former clan." Wendy answered, voice falling quiet as she looked at the other girl, "Oh, i'm sorry! I should have let you answer."
"Don't worry about it." Levy said fondly as she patted Wendy's head with a bright smile. "I was more concerned with making Lu over there feel awkward for asking."
"Oh!" Wendy gasped, "I hadn't thought about that!"
Levy hit the nail on the head. Lucy stood, mouth agape as her face turned three shades of red. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude, I was just-"
"No, No, Noooo…" Levy soothed, dusting off the nearest table to them, "You didn't know, and it's not a big deal. I was just, well- like everyone else, sort of orphaned? One of the fishermen in this village found me as a baby and took me in. You can imagine our surprise when I suddenly came into magic. Proof I must have been from some clan, but no idea where! You don't have to worry about that. My script magic isn't something just anyone can do, but the enchantments aren't part of it."
"It.. it's not?" Lucy asked. Her teeth bit into her lip enough to make her wince, but she urged Levy to continue while Wendy busied herself at a different table.
"Not at all!" Levy confirmed, ushering Lucy over to the nearest chair next to her. She took a seat and pulled some papers together, fingers skillfully binding them with string left over on the table. "Have you met Freed yet? Or heard about him? He can do it too, though he's way more skilled than me with it."
The memory of the Erza's caravan having their shadow attacker locked away in one of the wagons came to mind. Lucy hadn't met him face to face, but she did recall the name being passed around. He'd been the one to create the barrier that kept the man enclosed. She nodded and nervously tapped her fingers on the table.
There were so many books to examine, she didn't know where to start!
Satisfied with her work, Levy opened the bundle of paper's she'd gathered and quickly pulled quills and an inkwell from her pouch. They tapped against the wood and echoed through the room. It took Lucy a few seconds to realize Levy was looking at her expectantly after that.
"What? Did you say something?" She asked when Levy's expectant gaze refused to move away.
"Heh, not yet!" She beamed and pointed to the stack, "If you don't mind, would you want to maybe share one of your stories from your clan? I'd love to keep them safe here for you."
Lucy flushed, unprepared for such a request. "Oh I don't.. They can't possibly be that good to-"
Wendy interrupted, unseen, but voice heard behind the shelves, "the one you told us was GREAT! And wouldn't you like to have your history saved?"
"Well yes, but-" Was it right to spread those when the people who told them were no more?
"It's entirely up to you, Lu," Levy's hand grasped the top of Lucy's, pulling her from her uncertain thoughts just in time to realize she'd been grinding her teeth. " - but, if there really were no other survivors… wouldn't you like their memories to live on?"
It made sense. Lucy's heart screamed to share them. Screamed to make them permanent in a world that was soon to forget they had ever existed. The idea was a beautifully painful one and telling her favorite story had been easy enough, right? She could do it again.
Her mind, however, warred against her heart; clashed and beat upon it like tidal waves threatening to drown her. They aren't here to see it. Aren't here to share it. What right do you have to -
"...Lu-?" Levy prodded while concern turned her lips down at the edges. "It's okay to say no-"
Lucy snapped, "No!"
Levy jumped and a thud further behind the bookcases followed as Wendy yelped in surprise. Her fists clenched tight together and she took in a deep breath, "Sorry, that's not- I don't mind. I do want to. Really!"
The words were honest, but Lucy struggled with the nagging thoughts bouncing in her head. Levy glanced to where Lucy assumed Wendy was currently cleaning, shrugged her shoulders and waited quietly. A silence Lucy appreciated as she struggled to regain her thoughts. She could do this. The tightness in her heart and lungs was nothing. It didn't belong there. She'd told this story before, she could do it again. She took a deep breath.
Just when it looked as if Levy was about to call the whole thing off, Lucy's shoulders relaxed and the faint memory of the night on the trail, surrounded by flames and the others listening to her, filled her mind. She was safe and comfortable then, ready to give them a chance and try her best to fit in.
"I'll start with my favorite, and the oldest story told by my clan," She said, motioning for Levy to start writing. The quill was dipped quickly as Levy put the point to paper, waiting with bated breath. Lucy inhaled deeply and was surprised when Natsu's words entered her mind:
'The story was great, you know, but sad.'
"It has been said that the stars in our sky were once like us: beings who lived and breathed as they walked the cosmos…."
'Do you know any happy ones?'
Lucy began her retelling and Levy's pen danced across the paper, diligently writing.
The 'discussion' with Kage was taking too long.
Cana's bottle had long been emptied and her stomach rumbled with the need to sustain herself with something more than liquid, but still she sat, shuffling her cards. How much time had passed? The entire morning? No sunlight reached the cells and her sense of time was thrown off. Deciding to follow the timing of her stomach, Cana assumed it had already passed noon.
Long passed lunch, and all Erza had earned was frustration and Kage stone walling.
"Come now, Kage," Erza coaxed, "I'm sure you realize I want you gone just as much as you wish to be. Answer my questions and this will end far quicker than you're making it." It wasn't the first time Erza had implied they would set the Shadow Mage free. Cana wasn't altogether positive it was the truth, but knew one of their strongest warriors wasn't the type to lie.
So what other plans did they have?
"Right," he rolled his eyes, fingers pointing to one of the many cracks on the wall, "That makes five hundred. You Flies really need to focus on rebuilding this dump. If I was anyone else, I could have broken out of these walls, easily."
"Don't be ridiculous, those are reinforced with a barrier."
"Tch, yeah, yeah- I know. Damn bastard already took the air from me twice now." Kage rolled his eyes, words tumbling off his tongue lazily as he finally met Erza's gaze from the corner of his eyes, "You ever wonder how someone like that didn't end up in my clan? He'd fit right in."
A rumble of frustration escaped Erza and Cana fidgeted with her deck. It felt as if a message was trying to get through, but something was blocking it. She couldn't feel the right time to draw a card. Cana frowned and watched the others, one eyebrow raised in consternation.
"Besides," He rolled his shoulders and sighed, "do you take me for some kind of fool? What sort of group just lets a man leave after he tried to kill some of your members?" Erza's eyes narrowed and he smirked, "See? Even you know it's ridiculous. So what's the plan? Cut off my tongue? Curse me? I'm dying to know."
"Gee, he's cheery." Cana commented, practically growling herself. "Why am I here again?"
Erza's fist shook in barely withheld rage and she sighed, brushing strands of her red hair out of her face. "We are not the type to …" She paused to consider her words, "treat others as your people would."
"Hah, yeah right."
The strange message in the back of Cana's head began to feel like a pulsing headache. The message in her cards practically thrummed with the need to pass it to her. Fingers flicked through the cards and the hunger pains worsened her mood by the second. Erza and Kage's back and forth continued. Short of torture, the fortune teller wasn't sure how they'd get anything out of him.
No way would we resort to their level. Cana frowned. The pressure lifted as one card finally slipped from the deck, falling to her lap. Her lips twitched at the sight of it, the magic in her veins shouted the message to her and a snicker slipped from her. Cana held it tightly between two fingers, pressed to her lips in a failed attempt to keep her laughter quiet. She slammed her hands on the table, failing as her voice trilled in laughter.
"Stop, Erza, stop," She managed through gasping giggles, "you're not going to like this, but we're not getting anything out of him today." Cana snorted, missing the look of agitation that crossed Erza's face while their prisoner stared blankly from his cell, expressionless.
"Is that not what you're here for?" Erza demanded, hands clenching into tight fists. "I thought you'd take this more seriously. You don't need to drink that much!"
"Calm down, that's not what I'm saying at all." Though Cana would have loved to have more to drink in that moment, she chose to keep that statement to herself. Fingers danced along her cards, shuffling them quickly in a search for more answers. "If what I just pulled is right, he's still convinced he's getting out of here.."
"Are you implying Freed's runes will fail?"
"I'm implying that he thinks they will." Cana pressed. She slammed the cards down and rubbed her temples with an exhausted sigh.
Erza's shoulders sagged, defeated, but the look lasted for only a moment until she whirled back to face Kage. One hand raised to touch the bars, but pressed against a wall that could not be seen. The barrier Freed had created was strong, still warm and buzzing with magic. It would hold. For now, but her eyes went through the barrier, through the bars, and into the dark pupils of her enemy. Kage had the good grace to flinch, inching back against the wall as his bed shifted and echoed through the prison.
She sighed. If Cana was right (and Erza had to quietly admit that Cana rarely was wrong when it came to her readings.), then they would need to be cautious." We should make preparations just in case, then."
Cana didn't bother hiding her jubilation, whooping as she jumped from her chair and prepared to leave. Sweet freedom! If she had bothered to look back as she and Erza closed the doors behind them, she would have seen Kage's expression fall from fear to outrage.
When Lucy finished her retelling, she couldn't help, but feel self-conscious. Though she had heard the story already, Wendy had her mouth covered, eyes glistening from emotion as she held back tears. Levy, had an altogether different expression lighting her features. Brows were knit together in concentration as her quill did the final touches to her parchment. Her lips pulled back into a frown as she examined her work, glancing to Lucy and back again over and over. Lucy couldn't resist the urge to squirm in her seat, wondering if she'd said something wrong.
Levy blinked, realization striking her when Lucy asked timidly. "Huh? Oh-! Oh, I'm sorry!" chuckling, Levy pushed the papers aside and grinned, hoping to ease Lucy's worries. "There's nothing wrong. Not at all! I just… well, it's a very sad story…"
Lucy gnawed on her lip, fingers twitching as she thought back on it, "Well, yes… but not all myths have happy endings."
"No, I know!" Levy exclaimed, muting herself a second later as her cheeks burned red. "Oops, didn't mean to shout that. It's just-" She fell silent, expression fading to concern yet again.
Wendy and Lucy both now waited for Levy to explain herself, but after a few more, tense moments, she shook her head and waved them off. "No, nevermind. I think I'm just stuck in the story is all. Thanks for telling it to me. I'll make sure it gets a nice binding and fits nicely on my shelves here."
In all honesty, Lucy felt Levy was avoiding the subject. That something was wrong, but the words couldn't be tactful enough to speak. It made her mind whirl into theories of what could possibly be bothering her new friend, but the answers just weren't there. Rather than press for further answers, the conversation derailed to Lucy drinking water, easing her throat after the time she'd spoke. The chatter was low, but amiable. When it was time to go, Lucy's concerns weighed very little in the back of her mind, settled safely in the security of her new friendship and the promise to see Levy again by dinner time.
"You're going back down to see Natsu and the others right?" Wendy had asked, holding the door open for her when they left. "I'll go with you! The gravel is still very loose here. I'd feel terrible if you slipped. Um… oh, see you later Levy!"
If Levy heard the farewells shouted by the two, she didn't respond with more than a distracted wave, her attention back on the story she'd written down. A sad story about the stars, the moon and the sun. Sad and romantic, but also… something was bothering her. "I don't get it." she mused out loud, grabbing nearby thread to start binding the pages together. "Where have I heard this before? Or.. or did I hear something similar? This is going to be bothering me for the rest of the season…."
Perhaps she would do some digging through more of her books today.
"Hmm, I'm sure I have time to look around before dinner."
While she may be late for dinner, or even skip it, the rest of the Clan would assure Lucy and Wendy both that it was a natural occurrence with her, but that never stopped the strange sense of foreboding that settled in the depths of all their stomachs.
Read It? Love It? Review it!
Update Notice: Chapter 16 coming on January 16th, 2023. Look forward to it! :)
