Chapter 24: Magic Carpet-Ride Home
Midnight and Dreamer stood in line for tickets at the train station. Nearby, Syllest was running in circles around a pillar, singing something along the lines of "Syllest and Romeo sitting in a tree, who's Syllest? Oh yeah that's me!" Jezran had apologized on the way to the station and said that he had something he desperately needed to do before they left, before vanishing without explanation.
"Dreamer." Midnight spoke up for the first time since they'd been in the hotel room.
"Hm?" She glanced over to be caught in a way-too-intense red stare.
"When did you intend on telling me that the magic limiter had been deactivated?"
She gulped nervously. "Well, I…"
"When was it deactivated? And why? You didn't go behind the back of your Master, did you?" He smirked cruelly. "Good little Dream, breaking the rules like a common criminal."
"I didn't go behind anyone's back!" she snapped. "Except… Well, except yours…" She sighed and straightened the folds of her shirt. "Master called me to his office later, without you. He agreed with me that you were the strongest wizard out of the three of us and that limiting you was a bad idea when we would be so far from home… But it was also dangerous to just remove the limiter to your knowledge so…" She avoided his judging gaze. "So, we had Freed release the enchantment while you were sleeping, but we told him to keep the code there so that you would think you were still being limited. That way, you could still be controlled but if there was an emergency, like with what happened last night, you would be able to help us. With my discretion, of course…"
"I didn't know you could be so devious, Dreamer." To her relief, his tone was more amused than angry. "Will I be put in chains again once we return home?"
She did not miss the subtle fact that he said "home."
"I don't know," the honest response. "But if Master leaves that choice up to me… Then I'd like to have the limiter removed completely."
His plum-colored lips turned up in a satisfied smirk. "Are you sure that's the best idea?"
She nodded seriously—stubbornly. "I'm sure."
They were next up in line.
"How can I help you today?" The woman behind the glass asked.
"Four tickets to Magnolia, please," Dreamer held up her fingers and smiled sweetly.
"Two tickets," Midnight leaned forward to correct her. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"No, four tickets," she started to slide some cash through the hole in the glass but Midnight placed his hand harshly on top of hers and met her eyes dead on.
"Two tickets."
The woman behind the glass looked a bit stressed out. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the arguing couple. "So, um… Is that two tickets or four?" She uncertainly held up a handful of train tickets.
"Midnight, there's four of us! Jezran, Syllest, you, and me," Dreamer snapped under her breath. "What are you doing?"
"Only Jezran and Syllest need train tickets," he said coyly.
"What? Why?! We're not staying in Rose Garden!"
"Hey! Hurry it up will ya?!" Someone yelled in line behind them.
"Oh, Roger, let them be. This is probably their first lover's quarrel!"
Dreamer flushed and shook her head to ignore the chatter. She looked sternly at the lady at the counter. "Four tickets," she said through gritted teeth.
"Two tickets, unless you want your worst nightmares to come true," Midnight countered.
Dreamer willed up her magical energy and looked at the lady in the eyes. She smiled charmingly. "Four tickets, please. And you'll give them to us at a discounted price."
The lady looked both terrified and amazed.
"Kiss and make up, will you?!" Roger yelled.
"WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!" Dreamer shouted.
"I could kiss you," Midnight said suddenly, drawing his face close to hers. She turned red as a cherry instantly and froze to the spot. Midnight laughed and held up two fingers to the lady at the window, who quickly shoved the tickets through and pulled the curtain down to show she was now closed for business. Dreamer was so stunned that she didn't even register that she'd lost.
"Ah, dammit, now we gotta get in another line…"
"Have fun on your honeymoon, you two!"
Midnight tugged the paralyzed Dreamer by her wrist, back to where Syllest was playing. Dreamer suddenly shook her head violently and shoved him. "W-What the heck was that about?! And why didn't you get four tickets?!"
He grabbed her briskly by the chin and narrowed his eyes, which sparkled like flames. "You broke your promise. Or have you forgotten?" His voice was a low hiss, no longer light and teasing.
He couldn't be talking about last night in the park, when she'd promised not to say a word to him, could he?
"Not only that, but you also lied to me about the magic limiter." His grip tightened painfully on her chin and he drew his face closer—so close that she could feel his chamomile breath on her lips. "And do not think I've forgotten when you smacked me." Baring his teeth. "That makes three offenses, sweet Dream. Three strikes." His thumb slid along her jaw. "That's enough to warrant punishment."
"Punishment?" Her throat was dry. "Just what do you think you're going to do?" She kept her posture straight and strong, refusing to be threatened into submission. Finally, he smirked and ran his tongue hungrily along his lips, a sight that sent chills down her spine.
He released her chin and suddenly shoved her backward where she landed uncouthly on his floating magic carpet. When the heck did that get there?
"You and I will be taking a different means of transportation back to Magnolia." A toothy grin spread across his evil face.
"W-What?! We're FLYING?!" She squeaked in terror, drawing the attention of the entire crowd.
"What's wrong? Does that frighten you?" Those gleaming, hungry eyes—thrilled by her fear.
"We can't! No, Midnight, I'll die! I'll literally die! Please, no! Anything but that! Not the heights, for the love of Mavis! I'll do anything, I swear, just please have mercy! I'd rather face Erza's wrath! I'd rather punch Elfman in front of Mirajane! I'd rather kick Gildarts in the nuts, or go three weeks without food, or eat sixteen poisonous mushrooms, or sleep in a pit of snakes and spiders, just please don't make me fly!"
But the more she protested, the wider and more sinister his smile became.
"Mooom, where's Pops?" Syllest whined.
But Dreamer didn't hear her—she was too busy pleading for her life, hands clasped, trembling on a floating magical carpet.
Midnight's red eyes swirled with sadistic intent. "I am going to enjoy this immensely…"
Jezran was bowed so low that his mustache was brushing the ground below him.
"My deepest apologies, dear me."
In front of him stood a mother, father, and a little boy. They were pale with eyes almost as wide as their faces.
"Um… We forgive you, sir, but isn't all of this a little unnecessary?"
Behind them was a giant, luxurious new mansion—sparkling white in the sunlight. Three brand new magi-vehicles were parked in the circular driveway, next to a giant fountain of Aquarius. A company of about fifteen servants and butlers and chefs were all bowed politely at the door of the estate. Trumpets and angelic harps sounded in the distance. And in front of the little boy was a brand new magic bicycle, with a dazzling gold—14 karat—bow on it.
"I should never have stolen the lads bike without permission, dear me. Please, allow me to make amends."
"A new bike would have sufficed…"
"The Excalibur estate will be sending you payments of 500,000 jule every month until the lad is of age, along with a new magic bicycle each month, dear me."
The family all sweated nervously and gave each other forced smiles.
"Ah… Thank you… Sir Excalibur…"
The Fairy Tail Guild Hall:
"Another Shirley-Temple, Piper?" Mirajane smiled warmly at the blue-haired man.
"I'd prefer a damn shot of whiskey, honestly," he grumbled, a cloud of gloom over his head.
"I'll take that for him, Mira," Cana slurred, sitting next to him. "I'll tell ya how it tastes."
"Ain't you's ever thought of soberin' up, Cana?" Piper snapped at her, showing some envy.
"Nah. I can hold my liquor and it doesn't turn me into a douche."
"T'anks for the words of encouragement." He mumbled a word beginning with "B" under his breath.
"What's your problem today anyway, Pipe?" The brunette slammed the shot and slid the glass back to Mira. "You mad you didn't win the race yesterday?"
"Nah, at least I didn't get stuck cross-dressin' for Sorcerer Weekly like Natsu and the others."
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"Then why the stick up the butt?" She leaned her elbow on the table and looked at him. "Is it because Dumbledore is off on vacation with Midnight?"
"Her name's Dreamer and no, I don't give a damn what those two do or don't do wit each other! …MJ GIVE ME THAT SHIRLEY TEMPLE!"
"You're such a bad liar," Cana drawled. "Everyone in the guild can see you're jealous, you know."
"Everyone in the guild can suck my—"
"Shirley Temple!" Mira passed the cup in front of Piper with a cheery hop. Piper gave the glass a hateful glare before sipping on it with a straw. Man he missed alcohol.
"Can I ask you something?" Cana ran her finger around the rim of her beer glass and kept her eyes on his. "Have you ever even told Donna how you feel about her?"
"Dreamer," he corrected. His cheeks took on some color and he avoided her gaze. "I don't really need ta, you know. It ain't like she can't read emotions."
"Even if she couldn't, it is pretty obvious," she shrugged.
"Then why the hell'd you ask me that?!"
"I think you'd feel a lot better if you just told her," she answered. She turned and leaned with her back and elbows against the counter, observing the guild hall with serious amethyst eyes.
"You're one to talk…" Piper said quietly. He caught Cana glance at him from the corner of his eye. "Why ain't you's told your old man the truth?" He said this low enough that no one could hear besides her, not even Mirajane, who was trying her darndest to eavesdrop while wiping down the counter.
Piper and Cana were actually fairly good friends. They'd spent a number of lonely nights playing cards in the guild hall while silently burying their individual regrets and fears. And though he craved alcohol like no other when he was around her, she kept him in check and she understood the way a good buzz could kill the pain. She'd opened up to him about her father last year, just before the S-class trial, while she was drunk and crying on the floor under a table in the guild hall at 2 AM. Piper had listened. He had sympathized. And he'd joined her under the table until she passed out cold and he carried her to a bed.
"I'm scared of rejection," she answered, uncharacteristically honest in her expression. Quiet and sad. "Especially after all these years hoping and waiting…"
"Well then you knows exactly how I feel." He scratched a mark on the counter.
"Yeah, I do." She sighed heavily. "I guess I'm a hypocrite." Long swig of beer.
"Hey, Cana…" Piper turned in his seat and offered a gentle smile. Her eyes widened a bit at the unusual softness in his emerald eyes. He lifted his Shirley-Temple. "To hypocrites."
She laughed and lifted her beer mug. "Alright. I'll drink to that." They cheered, sloshing beer froth and sprite between them. "To hypocrites."
Midnight's red eyes gleamed. After a half hour of screaming, crying, and even trying to strangle him at one point, Dreamer had terrified herself to sleep. Even still, her arms were like a vice grip around his waist.
Now would be a good time to end this. He could land the carpet and ditch her somewhere, and find a way to bust the Seis out of prison. He could do whatever he wanted. No magic limiter to hold him down. No threat of Syllest's life demanding action. He could do what he'd planned to from his first day stuck with all these Fairies. He could finally be free.
Dreamer mumbled and nuzzled deeper into his coat, which had long ago been wrapped around her to protect from both the cold and the sight of rooftops far below.
He gave a silent chuckle and fixed his eyes ahead, toward Magnolia.
He'd leave. He'd cast off Fairy Tail and Derelict Heart and talk of light and goodness. He'd return to the darkness where he belonged.
But… you know… One more night couldn't hurt.
A/N: Hey guys! I hope you've enjoyed this little arc! Your reviews and messages are overwhelmingly kind and encouraging. It's truly a privilege to be able to write for people who legitimately love a story that has grown so close to my heart!
There's much more of this story ahead for you! In fact, I just got done writing chapter 61. ;) Rest assured knowing you will have plenty to keep you occupied for weeks to come.