"I don't get it, will this really work?" Lucy was doubtful as she walked with her guild mates and friends along the busy Magnolia roads back to the Hall. Her long fingers ran over the long piece of red silk ribbon curiously, feeling the slight warmth of magic it produced with every stroke. Enchantments were powerful things to be sure, but this was a lot of faith in a frail piece of cloth.
"Oh don't worry Luce." Levy smiled excitedly, linking her arms around both her friends. "I guarantee, if our theory is right this is bound, literally, to get them together." She laughs and Lucy feels her heart swell with contagious excitement.
The 3 of them had spent a good chunk of their afternoon in Levy's library like room at the female dorms, finding and writing this enchantment so it was perfect. It had to be perfect, this was a matter of love!
"Besides." Lisanna adds with a smile. "We all poured our magic into this, it's probably the strongest enchantment ever!"
The sun was setting over their beloved town, staining the sky in brilliant shades of pinks, orange and crimson. It was dinner time and the end of a hard working day for most Fairy Tail wizards; it was a safe bet they would find their quarry drinking away their sorrows in the bar.
"Were close, he's inside I can feel it." Lucy states, her smiling slipping from her lips as they round the street corner and lay eyes on the Fairy Tail guild's large doors. The fresh evening air had turned to sadness and regret around them, pulling on their hearts like an anchor plunging into the cold dark sea below. This had to stop, it was bumming everyone seriously out.
"Let's fix this."
...
"Good evening, welcome home" Mira smiles as the girls enter, but it is a weighted smile, forced through the heavy sorrow surrounding her.
They wave and set their eyes to the glum wizard sitting on a stool at the bar, back hunched over his ale; unmoving and solemnly staring at Mira's soft hands as they clean up the countertop around him.
"I gotta go now." Levy whispers before they begin their ambush. "If he sees me after we do this, he'll force me to undo it all." She states, her face scanning the large hall for her teammates. She finds them easily.
"Oh yeah! Good call." Lisanna agrees, skipping over to the request board and unpinning a mission. She hands it to her blue haired friend with a smile. "How about a nice week long mission? Team Shadowgear could use a break from all this negativity I'm sure."
Levy takes the flyer and nods. "Absolutely. Promise me you'll document everything, I want to see how this unfolds."
"Oh course!" Lucy smiles, giving a big thumbs up as reassurance. "I'll write it all down! Now get out of here you!" She laughs and accepts her blue friends hug of goodbye.
The solid script Mage gathers her team quickly and sets off out of the hall at a run, much to her recently found male teammates confusion and displeasure.
It left only the 2 of them to follow this plan through, and they would. For Levy...for love...for science and their own curiosity!
"Hey Mira!" Lisanna greets her sister kindly, pulling up a seat at the bar next to the disheartened S class Mage. "Evening Lorik, how are you?" She adds, gesturing for a drink.
He grunts a polite hello back to her, his sandy blond locks covering his bruised face. Lucy pulls up on a stool on the other side of him, patting his shoulder in hello. Mira gets them both a drink before she stands back curiously, her eyes scanning these girls up and down. They were up to something and she had a feeling it was not good, still, she would silently let it play out- it was not her place to interrupt...kinda.
"Still feeling low?" Lucy asks, taking a sip of her tea casually and holding the red ribbon tight and hidden in her grasp. She gives her white haired friend a look from behind his back and receives a nod in return. Mira fights back a smile.
The beautiful take over Mage grasps Lorik's right hand in hers suddenly and pulls it from the countertop to her lap, causing the male to turn to look at her. Her heart sunk as she forced herself to smile warmly. His face was still bruised and his hair was messy, his normally bright carefree honey eyes were dull with sorrow. Wow, ok he was feeling this hard. It made sense really, Lorik controlled the 5 sensors of his enemies and was extremely powerful at what he does. He was stuck in a loop of sadness, giving out negative emotion to others then feeding off that negativity, causing him to feel worse. It had been 2 weeks of constant feeding for him, he had to be almost suicidal by now, or at least extremely close- this scared her, but she smiled in its face nonetheless. She watches his eyes on her flicker away with guilt.
"Hey, now I want you to look at me, ok?" She states firmly, drawing his gaze once more. Lucy takes the ribbon and wraps it around the wrist of his other limp hand discreetly, not letting it touch his skin, which was easily done thanks to his many bracelets he already wears. Mira try's to look uninterested, it's hard!
"This is not your fault." Lisanna continues, her hand reaching to cup his ashen face lovingly. "You were only being friendly to me, because that's who you are. A kind, happy person that helps the people around you."
Lucy starts to tie the ribbon slowly, taking care not to touch him in any way, one slight brush of skin will ruin everything and set alarm bells off on his acutely sensitive body.
"...Lisanna, I'm sorry." He whispers, taking his hand from her grasp and using it to pull her hand from his face. "I want you to know, I didn't mean anything by it I swear...you know that, right? I love you like family..." His voice sounds pained in a way that you never want to hear from such a happy person.
His left hand jerks slightly and Lucy panics and starting tying faster, her brain fighting to stop her fingers from fumbling. So close now, just one more pull...!
There! She takes a silent breath of relief and leans away, as she does she watches the ribbon fall to touch the small patch of bare skin on his wrist. Her eyes widen in horror, oh no! He felt that for sure! She looks behind him at her white haired friend, giving her the same panicked expression.
Lisanna watches Lorik's eyebrow twitch and his head begin to turn away from her with curiosity. She acts as fast as she can and throws her arms around him in a tight, close hug where they sit. Pulling him into an embrace, his head resting on her chest.
"I know!" She exclaims, running her hand through his messy hair. "I know and I don't blame you, it was my fault for asking. I feel the same, I didn't mean and harm, I swear too!" She gives Lucy a look of relief as the male wizard returns her embrace with both arms and watches her friend give the thumbs up. Mira smiles at the show of affection, but keeps an eye on the sneaky blond Mage.
Mission complete! Now to activate this enchantment and let love guide this poor mans way.
They break apart and Lisanna smiles at him. "I'm happy that everything is ok between us." She is honest with her words and Lorik can feel it, he smiles his brilliant smile if only halfheartedly.
"Me too, I don't want my complications with another get between our friendship." He replies earnestly. Lucy pouts, they need him to say Natsu's name in order to active this thing! Come on Lisanna, you can do it!
"Oh, I thought I was the only person you were at odds with after 2 weeks..." She lies, trying to look confused. He raises an eyebrow at her.
It is not working she can tell, he can sense her lies. But still, he says nothing about catching her out.
"W-who...else are...are you ah...fighting with?" It's a dumb obvious lie, everyone knows who, but it's all she can think to say. She watches Lucy bang her head silently on the bar counter in agony and fights back a cringe. Lorik's expression softens from sorrow to something she can't read as he looks her up and down, confused.
"Did you hit your head? I'm...ah, well I'm currently 'fighting' with...ah, well Natsu...you know this." He states obviously before his head snaps down to look at his wrist.
Warmth spreads up his skin suddenly as the red ribbon starts snaking over his flesh, under his other bracelets. He looks shocked and confused as the red cloth bleeds to black on his pale flesh and wraps around him once...twice...three times. It starts to sting so he pulls at the ribbon with force, it tightens its' grip and he looks around at the girls for help. What us going on?!
"What the Fu-
Lorik's voice is cut short and all three girls yell in surprise as they watch the handsome hippie Mage suddenly get ripped from his barstool by a strong magical force. Lucy grabs for him but he is being dragged away by this wrist with overwhelming strength. She grabs his defiant wrist in panic and watches what's left of this red ribbon start to grab onto her own flesh. Looking to lock her into its spell.
She lets Lorik go and all 3 of them watch as he calls out for help and digs his heels into the floor in a vain attempt to stop this strange occurrence. It does little and they watch with open mouths as he is pulled faster then lighting out of guild, down the streets then out of sight. Oh no!
Lucy and Lisanna look at each other, faces mirroring the shocked expressions on everyone who watched this happen. Was this supposed to happen? They had no idea!
Murmurs start to dance around the hall as other Fairy Tail wizards start to discuss this strange turn of events.
"What on earth did you both do?!" Mira's voice cut though the distant whispers like a knife and both girls turn to face her. Her hands are on her hips now, face the picture of confusion and horror.
"It's ok sis..." Lisanna stumbles out, voice unsure.
"It's for love!"
...
The long return! I'm determined to finish this!