Hello everyone! I'm back with chapter 9!
Okay so I know the story is moving a little slow so I apologize. I'm going to make the chapters a little longer and hopefully that will help the pace. Believe me I want to get Saphira and Laxus together already lol.
Thank you stupidmaniac101 for your review! I appreciate it.
I do not own Fairy Tail, but I do own Saphira.
Chapter 9
The next day Saphira headed to the guild dressed in blue jeans, and a flowing white, off the shoulder bell sleeved top that stopped about two inches below her breasts and her black hair down and free. She entered the guild and sat down with Lucy and Levy; she had found these two to be great company and liked spending her days with them, shortly after Loke appeared as well, he had promised to be there after all.
Throughout the day Lucy told stories of her past adventures with Team Natsu and all their blunders that inevitably caused the paperwork to build up in the master's office. Everyone decided that the main culprits were Natsu, Gray, and Erza. Not that anyone present would ever tell the Titania that.
Looking around the guild, Saphira noticed that the Thunder God Tribe was all absent. 'Wonder where Laxus is… Did he take a job with his team?' She wondered.
(Line Break)
No… Laxus had not taken a job with his team. In fact, he was sitting on his couch… in his living room…staring at his blank lacrima television… waiting for his team to arrive. In his mind the only thing missing was his woman. Since yesterday, he hadn't thought about anything besides Saphira and who her mate might be. Every thought he had, every possibility seemed to just piss him off more and as a result he was a very grumpy dragon at the moment. Kami have mercy on the person who would inevitably piss him off.
'Why is this bothering me so much? Why should I care who her mate is anyway…'
To his surprise he got an answer to his internal question… but it wasn't from him.
'Because you want to be her mate.'
'Who the fuck are you?!'
'I'm part of you. I always have been… I'm your dragon half. Your inner dragon.'
'Inner dragon? How come I haven't heard you before?'
'Being around the elemental dragon's child has woken up instincts that have been buried for a long time.'
'Elemental dragon's child? You mean Saphira?'
'Yes as I said. Your emotions are a disastrous mess because you are jealous of Loke. You want to be her mate, and no other.'
'That is ridiculous.'
'Is it?'
The voice faded away back into the darkest part of his mind, leaving Laxus alone with his thoughts again.
"I'm losing my mind…" He muttered. A knock on his front door broke Laxus out of his thoughts and he said, "Dozo. (Come in)"
The dragon slayer had purposefully left his door unlocked so he wouldn't have to move to let in his team. Besides who in their right mind would enter the house of Laxus the Lightning Dragon Slayer without being invited in? Someone with a death wish, that's who.
Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen walked into the house and carefully approached their leader. Knowing full well he hadn't been himself since Loke showed up at the guild yesterday. Standing in front of him they waited for the blonde male to say something.
"…. Any more information on Saphira, Freed?"
"Yes Laxus-sama. It seems that during her travels she kept an extremely low profile. Only heading into town when absolutely necessary. The towns she was sighted in include, Oshibana, Shirotsume, the Desert Village, Oak Town, and lastly River Village. And near River Village there is a place called the Mysterious Canyon. Several months after her sighting in the River Village rumors of a dragon like monster inhabiting the canyon started to circulate. Many fearing the canyon and the surrounding forested area stayed away. Some say that in one night an entire section of the forest was decimated. Townspeople say they heard unearthly roars and mighty crashes that night. They still fear the forest even though there has been no activity recently."
"Hm… good work Freed. How about her relationships Evergreen?"
Evergreen paused for a moment to think about what to say. Both Freed and Bickslow had warned her not to say anything about Loke… but Laxus had ordered her to follow the pair after they left the guild yesterday. Would he be madder at her for telling him everything or leaving out the bit about the overly charming celestial spirit?
"Saphira has formed solid relationships with both Lucy and Levy. She seems to spend most of her time with them. She also seems close with Mira, Erza, Wendy, Natsu, Gajeel, and you. After arriving at the guild yesterday she had a long conversation on a strange lacrima phone. With who? I have no idea, but she obviously didn't want anyone to hear, she secluded herself at a table in the corner of the guild hall. After that she sat with Lucy, Levy, and Loke for the remainder of her stay… Upon your orders… I followed Saphira and Loke to her house, staying downwind and unnoticed. They did briefly stop and seem to argue but Loke seemed to have ended it and quelled whatever it was and placed his hand on her cheek…the pair seemed to be very affectionate… they then continued on to her house where he left her at the front door."
Evergreen finished her report, opting to include Loke in it. She held her breath hoping that she made the right call. But Laxus just let out a long sigh and leaned over placing his elbows on his knees and head in his hands.
That was certainly new for the three mages standing before him. Never had they seen their amazing, illustrious leader look so… defeated…
"Thank you both for your hard work…" Laxus muttered. "I think I'll stay home today though…"
Freed, Bickslow and Evergreen all looked at each other with equally determined faces. There was no way they were going to leave their leader alone to sulk in whatever hole he had managed to find himself in. He was going to the guild, even if they had to drag him there.
(Line Break)
Back at the Fairy Tail guild hall, Saphira had been called into Master Makarov's office.
'Finally! It's already12 o'clock. I was starting to think Lahar was going to actually fail this time.' She thought as she walked up the stairs and straight into the master's office.
"Are you going to tell me what my last phone call was about?" Asked the small master.
"Maybe… if you tell me what was said," Saphira smirked back.
Makarov sighed and said, "I got a phone call from Lahar. Saying that he would be sending transportation for you to come to the council and that all your requests have been met. Very cryptic… So what are you planning now?"
"I've recently learned of another dragon slayer who has taken the wrong path it seems. I am going to the council to visit with him in prison. I wish to see if he is savable and hopefully bring him under my supervision. If all goes well I would like you to welcome him into the guild."
Makarov opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Saphira.
"I am very much so aware of all the trouble he caused and of the fact that he might not be accepted into the guild by the others. But as I said I have a plan and I just need you to trust me."
Makarov stared at the woman in front of him. 'Is she crazy? Wanting to bring Cobra into the guild… She has never done anything to put us in danger and she is incredibly smart and cunning. If anyone could do something it would be Saphira.'
"Alright I will believe in you… But! You have to bring Laxus with you."
"Nani?! No way! More than likely Lahar will send a carriage to pick me up. I am not going to be in a confined space with him, alone for two hours! You are out of your mind!"
"My dear, I know you had lunch with him yesterday. It's only a matter of time before he finds out. And I'm not sending you there alone."
"Fine. If that was your only worry, Gajeel can come with me." Saphira countered.
"….Both or you don't go at all."
"You can't stop me."
"You won't fight me."
He was right. There was no way Saphira could bring herself to even think about hurting Makarov. 'He has me there…but that was very underhanded.'
"…You win… call them up here."
"I'm glad you see it my way child."
(Line Break)
Laxus wasn't happy with his so called team at all! After listening to their reports he had told them he was staying home! And what happened? Well Freed and his god damn ruins is what happened. He had built a box around him and enclosed him in. No matter what he hit the fucking walls with they held solid. 'This is fucking humiliating…. At least they are taking the back streets and not having me float through town in this fucking box.'
They group arrived at the back entrance to the guild and Freed disabled the ruins surrounding the livid lightning dragon slayer.
"Come on man! You can't stay mad forever! This is for your own good." Bickslow said as his dolls echoed 'own good' behind him.
Laxus entered the guild just in time to see Saphira disappear up the stairs.
'At least she isn't with Loke…' he thought.
At the bar he ordered a lager from Mira and then sat down at his table to drink it, Freed of course instantly staying that drinking so early in the day isn't good for him.
"Damn! If I have to be here, I'm going to have a fucking drink!" Laxus replied while taking several large gulps.
Twenty minutes later, his grandfather called both him and Gajeel up to his office. Thinking that's where Saphira was, Laxus quickly rose out of his seat, leaving his beer behind and headed for the stairs.
Once everyone was in the office Makarov said,
"Saphira has put together a plan without consulting me… So as a result the only way I would let her go was if she had someone with her. It was decided that both of you should accompany her on her errand. Any objections? No? Brilliant! You can use the office next to mine to brief them Saphira."
"Thanks master. Come on lets go." She said as she got up and walked out of the office. She walked into the next room and sat behind the desk and propped her feet up on the desk. The other two slayers sat in the chairs in front of her.
She sighed and said, "Honestly I'm not thrilled that it ended up like this. But I didn't think the master would resort to such underhanded tactics to get his way… I underestimated him." Saphira brought her hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to ward off a headache.
"So what is this errand that we've been roped into?" Gajeel asked.
"We will be heading to the council to see a prisoner they have there… the dragon slayer named Cobra. I'm interested in him and thanks to my connections within the council I was able to call in a favor. We will be leaving when the transportation he sent arrives. We should only be gone for the day so no need to pack. Questions?"
"Yea… who is your contact?" Asked Laxus.
"Lahar," anything else.
"What are you hoping to accomplish? Cobra isn't exactly known for being an angel." Laxus continued.
"That you don't need to know yet. I haven't made a final decision about him. I will when I meet him."
Everyone in the room was silent for a minute after Saphira answered Laxus's question. "Well if that's all…"
"No wait! I uh… have more questions…but I would like to talk to you alone Saphira."
She had her full attention on Laxus now. 'What could he possibly want to say in private?'
She looked over at the iron dragon slayer and had another silent conversation with him. 'They seem to be good at that,' Laxus thought sourly.
Shortly Gajeel nodded his head and got up to leave. "I will let you two know when the transportation arrives."
"Thank you Gajeel." Saphira said as he left and shut the door behind him.
Turning her attention back to Laxus she asked, "Now what are you concerned about?" Laxus opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off. "And don't lie to me; I can see it in your eyes."
"… It's completely fucking ridiculous but why do you call Loke, Leo?... I heard most of your conversation with Lucy and Levy and it seemed odd to me."
'If he caught that… he definitely heard all of the conversation not just most…. He's been watching me…' She thought.
"I guess it would seem weird to you but you have always known him as Loke. You didn't actually know he was a celestial spirit. When I met him he was Leo, and that is what he will always be to me."
"Simple answer for a stupid question…" He mumbled.
"It wasn't a stupid question. I'm sure you had your reasons. Anything else?"
"Do you know who your mate is? …I don't think I've ever seen you without those gloves on. Are you hiding the mark?"
Laxus watched her reaction closely. They way her shoulders tensed, and her hands clenched were dead give a ways. "You do know… I won't ask who he is; you must have a good reason for hiding it. But I have one more question that I would like you to answer honestly."
"Okay…"
"Do you wish Loke was your mate instead?" Laxus asked as he held her gaze. He wanted to know. No he needed to know. Whatever it was that was driving him to ask this question felt that it was extremely important to the future. 'How will she answer?'
A.N. (Cliffhanger! I know! Don't hate me! Next chapter we get Saphira's answer and meet Cobra!)
