A/N: Alright, guys. So, this chapter is solely filler. When I wrote this fic, I wanted to follow the theme and style of the Fairy Tail anime, so I added some silly filler chapters, fluff, and stuff that doesn't necessarily relate to the main plotline. You are not required to read this chapter, but if you're in the mood for some laughs, please do! I'll also let you guys know each time I post a filler. Thank you for your support of my Midnight Fic!
Chapter 14: The Surprise Concert!
No matter how many people she asked, or how many times she went back to the scene of her job with Jezran, Dreamer couldn't dig up any more information about the black diamond. In fact, the couple that had hired Derelict Heart was no longer even around. The house was abandoned. It didn't make sense. She racked her brains thinking about it. She expected him to make a move any day. He must be planning something… But days stretched on without any other sign or word of the man responsible for the black diamond.
She, Jezran, and Piper had begun to take normal jobs again. Master had loosened the supervision restrictions on Midnight. As long as he was in the guild hall, he wasn't required to have constant surveillance. So, finally, Team Derelict Heart was able to work as a three-person unit once more, which definitely seemed to help with Piper's attitude.
And as for Midnight… He had finally begun doing chores for the guild. He would never admit it, and vehemently denied it anytime Dreamer asked about it; but she couldn't help but notice that the railings no longer had dust, the weeds weren't overgrown in the garden, and the windows were looking exceptionally clear these days. He still rolled his eyes when she tried to give him a new task, but she noticed that those tasks were mysteriously being completed by someone. It was no surprise—she imagined he got bored sitting around and sleeping all the time.
He was also making more of an appearance in the guild. He still secluded himself away from everyone, but he would occasionally interject a snide remark into a conversation, accept food from Mirajane, and also seemed to enjoy sitting up front whenever a concert was happening.
Currently, he was at a table by himself, arms crossed, watching the guild members. Dreamer sat with Natsu's group, since she'd already been shooed away from him once today. The guild was full of activity, per the norm.
On the edge of the stage, Gajeel Redfox was sitting, eating a bologna sandwich, watching the Fairy Tail members in much the same fashion as Midnight. He felt eyes boring into his skull, and looked to find Midnight staring at him from a bench. He tried to ignore him, opting for focusing on eating his sandwich and watching Levy read across the room—but he couldn't shake the eerie feeling of red eyes on him.
Just as Gajeel was starting to get irritated, Midnight casually climbed onto the stage, a few feet away from him. He crossed his legs and sat there, silently, creating an awkward air between them.
A few seconds ticked by. Midnight was still staring, which was even creepier now.
"Got somethin' you wanna say to me?" Gajeel snapped. He'd never talked to this guy before, and didn't know much about him except that Master Jose had requested the services of the Oracion Seis a couple of times, to cover some crimes he'd committed. Phantom Lord hadn't been a dark guild, but there toward the end, they might as well have been. Either way, there was no telling what was going on in the freak's head at the moment.
Midnight cut his eyes sideways at Gajeel and stared harder, still not speaking.
"You're creepy as hell, you know that?" Gajeel shrugged his shoulders and took another bite of his sandwich. "If you acted normal, this guild might actually accept you."
"I don't want to be accepted by this pathetic guild," Midnight said under his breath.
"Hey, watch it. This is my guild too, you know." Gajeel's voice was threatening. The reflector mage smirked slightly.
Another awkward silence fell between them. Gajeel was getting sick of it real fast. He'd lost his appetite already. He was about to stand and walk off when Midnight finally spoke up.
"You… play guitar."
He raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I do. And I've got a damn good singing voice. But why do you care?"
Midnight didn't answer, instead looking away finally, his cheeks seeming to take a slight shade of pink.
Gajeel blinked. Was this guy blushing?
He narrowed his eyes and suddenly jumped off the stage to stand right in front of Midnight. He folded his arms over his chest and looked hard at him. The dual-haired wizard leaned back in surprise at the closeness, eyes flickering with some fear, painted lips parting nervously.
"Wait a sec… Do I know you from somewhere?" Gajeel narrowed his eyes more, thinking. He leaned forward.
"Doubtful," Midnight answered, instinctively leaning back and clearing his throat, as if trying to play cool.
"No, I know I've seen you before. And not from when I was with Phantom…" He tapped his fingers on the stage. There was something about him… "The lipstick, the creepy ass eyes, the hair… THAT'S IT!" He slammed a fist victoriously on the stage as the realization struck him.
Midnight grimaced at the loud outburst. "Why are you fairies so loud?"
"You!" Gajeel's face lit up, the studs in his skin seemed to catch light. "I've seen you perform before!"
Midnight quickly looked away. He scooted backward on the stage, away from the bigger man. "Tch. You must be dreaming."
"No, I'm sure it was you!" He pointed accusingly at him, a wide, fanged smirk stretching across his cheeks.
Gajeel's loud voice was drawing onlookers. Including a curious Dreamer. She leaned back in mid-conversation with Gray and Lucy, to look at Midnight on the stage. His lips were pinched tightly, face flushed, as if he were being highly harassed by the iron-dragon slayer looming in front of him.
"It was in a shady bar in Denizen Town!" Gajeel exclaimed.
"Nice to know he's spent time in shady bars…" Levy muttered, watching the conversation. It was clear she wasn't talking about Midnight.
"You're thinking of someone else." Midnight's cheeks still seemed to retain some color. He scurried to his feet and started to slink away, but Gajeel climbed onstage, grabbed him by the choker collar, and pulled him back.
"No way." He looked Midnight over again, "You've got the goth boy-band look. I definitely remember. You had some big blocky guy as a backup singer, with a real high opera voice. He always collected tips at the end of the night. There was some pointy nosed dude who played the drum—he looked like a penguin. The bassist was a hot chick with white hair, and the lead guitarist had a creepy snake wrapped around his neck. I'm sure of it!"
Natsu's group looked back and forth at each other. It sounded like Gajeel was talking about the members of Oracion Seis, for sure.
"He's a performer, Dreamer?" Lucy asked.
Dreamer's cheeks took some color. "How should I know? He hasn't said anything to me about it!"
Midnight's arms tightened around his chest. "…It was for a job," he said nonchalantly, finally admitting to it. "We were getting close to the bar owner so we could find a target. No big deal."
"No big deal? Yeah right." Gajeel laughed out loud. "Lead singer of a kickass band and he says it's no big deal."
"Lead singer?" Everyone sitting at Dreamer's table spoke up simultaneously.
Gajeel's grin seemed to grow wider and wider, eyes gleaming like an excited child. "That why you asked if I can play guitar? You wanna put on a show with me?"
"In your dreams!" Midnight snapped back. He flailed in Gajeel's firm grip on his collar.
"Aw come on, I'm your biggest fan!"
"Yeah, I remember you," Midnight scoffed. "You're the idiot who got drunk and tried to kidnap Cubellios."
"I did that?" Gajeel chuckled, remembering some nights from his apparent past. "Come on, man! Let's give Fairy Tail some real entertainment!" He yanked Midnight to center-stage and slammed a microphone stand in front of him.
"Woohoo! Go Macbeth!" Dreamer cheered from the gathering audience.
"Go Gajeel!" Levy cheered next to her.
The lights in the guild hall dimmed as if on cue, spotlights on the stage. The tables were quickly moved out of the way to create a floor for the audience.
"Bixlow! Get your ass up here, we need a drummer!" Gajeel ordered.
"You got it, baby!" A tattooed tongue lolled out of his mouth as he appeared on stage behind a random drum-set.
Midnight scowled, as rigid as a board in front of the crowd.
"Can anyone play bass?!"
"I'm not putting on a performance for you losers," Midnight hissed, but nobody seemed to be listening.
"Wakaba can do it!"
"Man, I haven't played bass for years, Macao…"
"Get up there!"
Gajeel was suddenly wearing his sunglasses, hair slicked back, sporting a red electric guitar. He took left-stage, up front with Midnight.
Natsu stood in the crowd with his arms crossed. "No way that jerk can sing!"
"Get off the stage!" Gray yelled.
"Be nice!" Lucy elbowed him in the ribs and gestured toward Dreamer, whose hands were clasped in front of her, eyes wide toward the stage, in awe.
"Don't let 'em get you down, Midnight," Gajeel said. "Same thing happened to me when I first joined the guild. You gotta blow 'em away and they'll change their tune real fast, trust me."
Midnight glanced at Gajeel, then at the band, then at the audience. Dreamer waved her hands frantically and cheered. "You can do it!" He caught sight of her pink eyes and a sudden wave of confidence rolled over him.
"I saw what you did there," Levy whispered next to her. "I thought you weren't going to use your magic on him."
Dreamer blushed. "It's a special occasion…"
Gajeel began to strum the guitar. Bixlow picked up a beat. Wakaba introduced a throbbing bass. Midnight closed his eyes and clutched the microphone. The music jammed on behind him and he didn't move an inch. After a few moments, the crowd grew restless.
"Did he fall asleep?" Mirajane asked.
"Wake up and be a real man!" Elfman shouted.
Someone threw a tomato.
Lucy smacked Natsu in the back of the head.
Suddenly, Midnight's eyes shot open, gleaming red and serious. He clutched the mic in both hands, tensed, and began to sing. Or rather… scream.
Jaws dropped. Along with mugs of beer.
"H-He screams metal?!" Dreamer shouted over the ear-shattering sound.
"Sounds like it!" Levy shouted back.
A sound like grating metal, demon roaring, and explosions was making the walls shake.
Natsu's jaw dropped and then he started jumping up and down. "Woo! It sounds like Igneel's roar!"
"Weren't you just insulting him?" Gray shouted.
"Wow! So manly!" Elfman raised a fist to the sky.
"I didn't know humans could make sounds like that!"
"This makes me want to punch something!"
"Bring it on, old man!"
Fists started to fly. People were tackled to the ground. Tables broke. Fires started and alcohol sloshed on the ground.
"MOSH PIT!"
"Oh my god…" Dreamer and every other woman in the crowd—save Cana—ran for the sidelines. Wild chaos ensued, egged on by the impressive vocal range of the unexpected performer in the spotlight.
"What's going on here!" The only sound that could possibly be louder than Midnight's screaming, suddenly silenced the crowd.
Erza.
She looked at the bundle of fighting people on the floor. Who all stopped at the sound of her voice. She gave Midnight a death glare. He was frozen in terror, face pale. Bixlow dropped a drumstick. It clattered loudly on the stage, echoing in the tense silence.
"Keep singing," she said in a low threat, to everyone's total surprise.
Midnight swallowed hard and glanced at Gajeel, who gave him an encouraging nod before digging into the guitar again. Taking his lead, Midnight burst into an exceptionally low, guttural roar. Immediately, Erza jumped into the center of the moshpit and punched Elfman in the face.
"Who knew Erza was into metal?" Lucy said, covering her ears, as the room exploded to life again.
Dreamer giggled, eyes drawn back to the man center-stage. His eyes scanned the crowd til he found her. It might have just been her imagination, but it seemed like after they'd made eye contact, he worked even harder to perform…
From the streets outside, Fairy Tail looked like a big thrumming house of lights.
"That Fairy Tail," a man walking his dog said with a shake of the head. "I swear, they're all insane."
"Word," said a guy walking on the other side of the street.
Insane was an understatement.