disclaimer. I do not own fairy tail, just Alex and Verna.
They climbed higher when Alex spotted what he thought to be the new testing site. "That's it?"
"Yes, what you expected something bigger?"
Alex shook his head "I just thought it would be farther up."
Tichus laughed "as if I could go farther up this blasted mountain. Okay now we're here I have to check the magic measurement and reading device, you do whatever until I am ready."
Alex started some warmup exercises, then he was called over by tichus "if you're ready you can run the course."
"Wait, are you supposed to attach the machine to me first?"
"No, not yet at least, the first part of this is just a measure of your body and if there were any physical changes, the second part will have the machine."
Alex ran through the course. "I see you're as agile as ever." Tichus noted when he was finished
"The joys of being young."
Tichus ignored him "stand there, and we can begin part two."
Alex stood where the old man wanted. "Okay, now, see that target."
"Yeah."
"That is rigged to this." The old man stated tapping the machine he was next to. "Hit it with your magic."
Alex raised his arm, lightning streamed out, and ground out an arm's length away from his hand. Alex walked right up to the target and struck it again.
"Alright keep it going, and stop."
Alex walked over, weary from the exertion "what's the verdict on the magic."
"It will take a few more times to fully analyze your magic, but from right now, it looks like your lightning has a low voltage, meaning…"
"That the lightning couldn't shock a fly."
"It could, and it's your lightning." Tichus stated
"Are we done?"
Tichus nodded "for today." With that Alex left
Alex heard a knock at his door "it's open."
Verna walked in to see Alex playing with a padlock. "What are you doing?"
"Was practicing." Alex put away the lock and his picks. "But now we're talking."
"So, what are we talking about?" Verna questioned
"It's now a guild secret."
"Oh, so you shouldn't, or can't tell me."
Alex snorted "like hell I can't, it's about me and I trust you." And with that he told her about the change in magic, and the new testing he was taking.
"So, that's why you haven't been taking any jobs."
"Yeah, is there anything you want to talk about?"
She pondered and then giggled.
Alex gave a questioning look. "What's that about?"
"I've just thought of a nickname." And she told him the new name.
Alex dragged his hand crossed his face. "is there any way convince you to not say that."
She walked out "nope."
Alex got up, went down to get something to eat. There Verna spotted him, but didn't call out. She had work to do, or more importantly she had to find work. She stood in front of an empty board with another member. One day she is going to find a fun job offer, like being a mage for some kid's birthday. She sighed, but today is not that day.
"Yeah, you and me both." The guild member next to her said "the damn fairies are taking our work,"
"Fairies?"
"You don't know about the Fairy tail guild? They're a rival guild that has been trying to gain supremacy over us for years."
"The name sound familiar, years?" Verna questioned. The veteran member nodded."But they are a guild like us. Right?"
"A legal guild yes, like us." He snorted "hardly."
"So what's the problem?"
"The problem? The problem is that they have been targeting our guild, taking our work and clients that have been loyal to this guild."
Verna frowned, doubting that was the whole story. She left the board now intent on discovering how evil this rival guild was before passing her own judgement.
Days passed as each of the mages worked at their assigned tasks, eventually Verna was able to get a job.
Alex sighed as he watched her leave for the job
"That bad?"
Alex turned to Gajeel, who was actually eating some real food for once. "A person without work is a person without money, anyway how did your job went?"
"Like anyone could trust you with a jewel. The job went well, although the guild is still intact."
Alex's eyes widened "I thought people were saying that Basilisk altar was destroyed?!"
Gajeel shook his head "pushed on, but not broken."
"I see, we'll have you heard the rumors, about how tenuous thing have become."
"The guild has seen worse." the S class assured
"you don't have to tell that me, tell that to the guys that left when rumor said there was a dark guild forming on our front door." Alex said referring to oak town.
Gajeel snorted "if they're afraid of some wannabe trash, then they don't deserve to be here."
Alex looked at the time "yeah, I have to head up to training now, nice talking."
Gajeel snorted
Alex stood as tichus delivered their first monthly report to the master about his magic "… we have also notice that if Alex experiences certain emotions in the extreme his magic becomes … agitated and will leak until he is exhausted or regains control, which we have been working on."
"So after a month all you learned is your magic" Jose said looking at Alex "is weaker and unstable. Is that correct?"
Tichus grinned "no, I have also discovered that Alex's magic can neutralize other magical energies. Although this is just preliminary, with your permission I would like to continue this evaluation of his magic."
"okay." Tichus strode to the door. Alex still stood "master, if I may there's something I would like."
"Hm, and what would that be?"
"Work. I would like to be able to take jobs again."
"Fine but you probably know there are no available jobs" Master Jose shifted some papers on his desk "although I am looking for someone to assist in a task. Interested?" Alex nodded.
Sitting in a carriage with another member named Douglas "hope you remember what to do." He spat
Alex looked at him before turning his gaze back out the window, their job was to recover money loaned out to a merchant. That merchant had a party of sorts, and he invited guild member Douglas, who was supposed to convince him to hand back the money.
Alex was just there for insurance. "Tell me again what plan B was?" Alex asked the fop across from him.
"Well if negotiations broke down, we'll kidnap the daughter."
They were nearing the manor, Alex opened the door and jumped out, and he rolled and stood, brushing the dirt off he made his way to the manor. The man only invited one guild member and only one member would arrive at his gate.
Alex crept up to the manor, there was some lattice work that stopped at the second floor. Alex shook it and immediately let go, it was too weak to hold him. Then he notice a cellar entrance, he picked the lock hoping it had an entrance that lead inside. It did.
He flipped his hood back and started going making his way up stairs. If he got caught he would pose as a personal messenger of a guest, thankfully encountered nobody as he checked the rooms until he heard a woman's voice on the other side of the last door he was going to check.
Without hesitation Alex darted into an adjacent room just as the other room opened. Five minutes past before Alex dared to lookout into the hall. Seeing it empty he entered the room the women left.
It was a nursery, the daughter's room. The daughter was an infant that was adopted. Alex frowned, it's not that he had a problem with plan B, but just thinking about it left a bad taste in his mouth. And if the magic council found out that the guild is willing to abduct children.
Alex shook his, dismissing the dark thought. He gently lifted the child out of the crib when he had an idea. The girl stirred and Alex carried her out of the room.
Alex snuck into what he thinks is the man's study/office, there he hide behind the desk and kept the infant quite. Waiting, eventually he heard the door open "what is it you want to talk to me about Douglas?"
"It's about the money, the guild is not in the best of condition and getting our funds back will save the guild."
Alex heard the man turn "look I want to help, but I already spent it to start up the business. If I give you the money I'll have to close everything."
"It's better to lose a business than to lose something more precious." Douglas responded, Alex could hear the arrogance in his voice.
"is that a threat."
Alex pulled his hood up and stood "no." he turned to the man showing him his daughter and something glittering near her throat.
The look of horror and dread on the man's face "I-I look I will get you the money, just don't hurt her!"
Alex nodded "and you will not speak of this to anyone."
He nodded and was handed his child back "of course and who are you?" he said with a tremble.
"a shade" and Alex left with Douglas in tow. Once they were outside Douglas spoke up "you know he'll tell someone."
"He won't, he's smart enough to realize if we can do once we can do it again. And besides it's nothing personal." Alex opened the carriage door and gestured for Douglas to get in.
"Anyway how did you get into there?"
Alex entered the carriage and pounded on the roof, the carriage started moving. "I told you I have certain skills." Alex pulled out a pick, it glittered as he twirled around his fingers.
"You're a thief." Douglas said half in awe half is disgust.
Alex snorted "I'm a professional. Thieves get caught, I don't." he said quoting what his brother told him years ago.