I met the troop captain that was at my questioning later when I was out with Mira one day, and after introductions, we shared some drinks and swapped stories. Luckily, she didn't cause another "Erza" incident. Poor woman still hasn't been able to look at me or Mira the same way.
I remembered before Makarov took down Jose that he wanted to talk to me, but through all the crap that went on afterwards, we couldn't find time. Luckily, one sunny Sunday, everything was quiet for the first time in weeks. I approached Makarov and said "Sir, you wanted to see me about something?"
"Sir? You've been spending too much time in those interview rooms Mar. It's Master or Makarov to you. But yes, I did want to talk to you, come, let's get somewhere a bit...quieter." he said, looking on to Natsu and Grey's fighting.
He led me up to the S class floor, which was vacant at the time, and took a seat, beckoning for me to do the same. We sat facing the edge of the floor, looking down on the scene playing out between Grey and Natsu, then subsequently Erza pounding them both on the head.
"Mar, you've proven yourself to be one of the strongest members of Fairy Tail. Have you ever beat Erza in single combat?" Master asked.
"Only once, recently. But I'm pretty sure she was sick or holding back at the time. That or-uhhh, nevermind" I said, starting with modestly, then ending with a large touch of embaressment..
"Or what?" Makarov asked, generally intrigued.
"Uhhh, well damnit. I know you won't leave me alone until you get an answer now, so, lean in please." I said, before whispering that night's events into Makarov's ear. I left out the bit about me and Mira not bothering to lose our more demonic appearences beforehand. The situation was awkward enough.
Makarov's nose bled like a faucet to the thought, but he grabbed a Kleenex and stopped the flow, then calmly said "Well, that's definatly an option, but regardless. You still beat Erza once?"
"Yeah, I suppose I have. I had to use my full Demon Form, but yeah I did." I said, sticking with modestly only this time.
"I thought so. Erza has been acting differently around you recently. What you told me earlier may have something to do with it, but she has been treating you like an EQUAL. Possibly even a superior. She somehow gained an enormous amount of respect for you."
"I thought she was being a bit odd around me. I'll bring it up next time that she can drop her guard around me. I am, for the most part, only human."
Makarov replied with a hearty laugh, and continued, "You can make jokes about your situation, that's good Mar. A sign of a man who can roll with the punches well. But anyway, Erza's not why I called you up here, I was just curious as to what was happening in my guild is all."
"Alright." I replied, "How do the kids say it? Lay it on me, Master. What's up?"
Makarov chuckled at my poor youth imitation, then said, with a tone of pride in his voice, "Son, you held your own against Jose himself, might have even BEATEN him if I hadn't decided to use Fairy Law to end the conflict as fast as possible. You took out one of the Element 4 like he was nothing, all of whom are S class or near to it. Now I even know you're on par with Erza down there. I have made a decision."
"I'm liking where this is going." I said, smiling.
"Ha! You're going to like this next part even more. We have a big yearly event to decide on new S class wizards. It's a huge occasion, testing the limit's of one's magic power to prove oneself. If we hold it in town, we'll usually cause buisness to grind to a standstill for a day. Everyone comes and watches."
"Wow. Sounds like a hell of a party. Are you thinking of nominating me for S class next time?"
"I was, yes. Heck, I had basicly decided you were going to participate already."
"Well, what happened?"
"The next test is in a few months, and until then, your talent, and the talent of your team, would be going to waste on smaller jobs."
"Hang on Master, are you-"
"Yeah. Yeah, I've made up my mind about this. You'll stick with team Natsu, and with both you and Erza along, I can trust your team to do S class missions as well. But first, let's make it official." At this point, Makarov stood in front of the railing and bulked up to a normal sized, if not muscular, man. He then shouted, "Attention members of Fairy Tail!" causing all present members to turn out of curiosity. "I have an announcement to make! I will be deviating from the S class trials for a single person! He is a man who has done so much, and grown even more since he got here!"
Makarov turned to me and whispered "I'm blocking their view of you with this form, make your entrance flashy, wouldja? You can sneak out a door in the back."
He turned back to the crowd, now shocked and excited by the news as I slipped out of the building, then climbed to the roof and opened the sun roof we had installed quietly, waiting for my moment to enter again. He yelled "That's right! The S rank tests are still a ways away, and until then, this man's talents would be wasted!"
Natsu started chanting under his breath, "Please be me, please be me..."
"I have decided to give him an advance, so to speak! I have great faith that he would have aced this year's S class anyway! Mirajane! Hit the lights!"
Mira smiled, then dimmed the lights, leaving only a single ray of sun moving into the room from the glass sun roof above. The room was dark enough that that no one could see their own hands.
"Sons and daughters of Fairy Tail! I present to you your new S class brother! You know who you are! Come on out and take a bow!"
My que, I took my physical demon form, complete with wings and jumped through the roof. As I neared the floor, I used my wings to steady myself while my dark electricity extruded from my body. It was then I realised; only Mira, Elfman, and Erza had seen my full metamorphasis. Everyone scremed in terror, and I nearly caught a flaming fist from Natsu. I grabbed his arm instead, and dispelled my form in a wave of dark electricity that covered the room, grabbing everyone's attention again with a minor shock.
"Too flashy Master?" I asked, while letting go of Natsu's arm and shrugging.
Makarov was too busy laughing his ass off to care. Somehow, he knew that would happen. He recovered, then started talking again, "Yes! Your new S rank brother is the Archivist Demon! Mar of Team Natsu! He marks the second user of Demon Magic to be promoted to S class!"
That statement hit me by surprise. I turned to Mira, still by the lights, and calmly asked, "You're S class? When was I going to hear about this?"
Mira laughed and replied, "My Magic was sealed, technically I wasn't much of a wizard anymore, let alone an S class one." Mira then turned the lights back on, and slipped behind the bar.
I shrugged once more and said, "Fair enough." Then, realising I had landed on a table and was still standing on it, jumped into a handstand on the seat, then completed a front flip over the bar, landing beside Mira. I turned to face the rest of the guild and wrapped my right arm around her waist. I then took my left hand, and set it across my midsection, and took a bow, still holding on to Mira with my spare arm.
A great party was held, once again because of me. I decided to keep my team sober for this one, I remembered Lucy needed to get some money quick to pay her rent, and I decided the team would go on an easier job the next day. I wasn't going to deprive them of ALL the fun, after all. S class requests could wait.
The next day Lucy and I were sitting at the bar, and I beckoned Mira over. I told her about Lucy's situation, and she handed the woman an odd request we recieved the previous day. Someone needed a few people to help advertise a play.
Erza dashed across the guild at the mention of the word "Play" and yelled "We'll take it!" Just like that, we grabbed Grey, Natsu, and some supplies, then we headed out by train.
On the way, I found myself in the bathroom, realising my hair was at least down to my shoulders. "God, how long has it been since I bothered to cut my hair?" I wondered. I thought of cutting it with Yamato, but stopped, realising my hair might NEVER grow back if I did. White or not, i still loved my mane, regardless of how much of a pain it could be. I opened the door and walked back to our seat, leaving my shirt in the bathroom. I opened the door into our small room, noticing Grey was gone, and said, "Erza, throw me a sword please."
The scarlet haired woman noticed I wasn't wearing a shirt, causing her to blush slightly, but threw me a simple blade regardless, then asked, "What are you going to do with it?"
I replied, "Im going to cut my hair, why?"
Lucy turned away from the window at that, and said excitedly, "Oh! I bet Cancer could help!"
"Uhh, I prefer doing it myself." I said, half lying, and causing Erza to giggle.
I walked back to the bathroom and shut the door. For the record, I would have gladly had someone cut it for me, it's just that last time I let Cancer do it, I was wearing a hat for half a month to hide the orange highlights. Yeah, I know.
I cut my hair in one clean stroke, leaving my hair at the same length and style as the man I modelled it after. A personal favourite video game character of mine actually, Devil May Cry's Dante. As I was getting ready to walk out after cleaning off Erza's sword, I remembered something. I had kept my hair in the same style for years, because it was easy honestly. I also remembered Dante's brother, Vergil had the same amount of hair, he just slicked it back. Finally, I remembered that actually looked pretty good on him too. I put the sword lying down on the sink, then placed my hand on my face, concentrating just a little Magic in it, just to keep the style in place should I succeed. In one motion, I ran my hand through my hair, pushing it backwards and down the back of my neck. I opened my eyes to a delightful sight. It worked. My hair was spiked backwards perfectly. A blue trenchcoat, a god complex, and a different voice and no one could tell the difference between me and Vergil.
Satisfied, I slipped my shirt back on and walked back to my cabin, grinning like a moron. I opened the door and sat down, waiting for Erza and Lucy to notice me. Realising I had slipped in rather silently and they were both entranced with nature, I decided to just announce myself.
"Erza? Your sword." I said, causing Lucy to jump in surprise of the new voice in the cabin.
Erza turned around and thanked me, then said, "Wow. That haircut actually looks really good on you Mar. Handsome even."
This peaked Lucy's interest as well, so she looked as well and said, "Oh wow, you're not kidding Erza. Mirajane is a lucky woman."
This got an awkward smile out of me, and I tried to change the subject. "Where is Grey anyways?"
Erza sighed, then said, "Top of the train. Idiot wanted the best view."
I slipped inbetween the two women, making sure not to touch Natsu on the way. Poor bugger was motion sick as soon as the train left the station. I opened the window to peek out, and while looking up I said out loud, "Well, he's right, that WOULD be the best view."
Erza facepalmed while Lucy said with a shocked voice, and a face to match, "W-wait! You're not thinking of-" before she could finish, I had already used the windowsil to flip up to the top of the train. I landed right next Grey, and sat down where I landed.
"Glad you could join me! Nice haircut, it fits." Grey yelled through the wind. Grey and I looked out to the rolling grassy plains before us. The sun was still rising into the sky, and the light was reflecting off of the grass' morning dew in a hypnotic way. "Beutifal, isn't it?" Grey said to me.
"Yeah, it is." I replied. "Reminds me of what I fight for."
"Oh? What would that be?"
"Several things actually. I fight to redeem my name and my Archive, as you could imagine. I fight for the people I love and care about. Most of all though, I fight to gurantee a future for our children. Maybe even for my children."
"You have kids?" Grey replied, shocked.
"Ha! Sorry about that Grey, I got a little tangled in the moment. No, I have no kids, hell, I was a virgin before I met Mira. I HAVE been thinking about it though."
"You mean, you think you're going to tie the knot with Mirajane?"
"I've thought on that even further. I think it's almost time."
"Woah, are you serious? That's great news Mar! You should tell the others!"
"I should, but I imagine getting back into that window would be a bit more difficult then getting out."
"True that! Although, I can help there."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, they have ladders that lead to the roof inbetween cars, dumbass! I climbed up the one not ten feet over there!"
I wandered over and looked. "Son of a bitch! You're right! I feel like an idiot now. I'll be back soon! And for god's sake, put your pants back on!"
Grey was startled at this statement, especially when he looked down and realised he was holding his pants. In his hand. On top of a moving train.
I made my way back to our cabin, and opened the door, a look of joy on my face. I noticed Natsu was out cold, Erza probably put him under. Poor guy, I should look into pills for his motion sickness later.
Lucy and Erza turned to face me, both shooting me their innocent smiles. I returned it, then sat down next to the door. "Ladies, I have a bit of an announcement to make."
Lucy perked up, interest obviously being shown, Erza acknowledged me, but stuck to petting Natsu while his head was on her lap.
"I-...I think I'm going to propose to Mirajane." I said, turning red out of embarassment.
Lucy passed out right there, and Erza slid out from under Natsu with a huge smile on her face to give me a hug. She broke it off and gave me a big "Way to go! I knew you two would end up getting hitched!"
"Haha...Hey, is Natsu going to be okay?"
"Don't worry about him, we're close enough to the station now that he'll be asleep the rest of the way."
"Good, then you and Lucy are coming topside. The view is gorgeous."
"Alright, but you have to haul Lucy up lover boy, I want to try your way!"
"Wait, wha-" was all I could get out before Erza had exited the window in the same mannor I had a few minutes ago. "Oh well." I said to myself, before picking up Lucy and headed back out.
Lucy awoke shortly thereafter, and we enjoyed the rest of the ride. As we arrived at the station, I grabbed Natsu and his stuff and got them out of the train, then shook him awake. With him on his feet, we proceeded onwards to the theatre. On the way, I spotted a store that peaked my interest, so I told the rest of my team to go on, and I'd catch up later. I got what I needed and got out as quickly as I entered, then tracked my team's collective Magic Power to find the theatre.
Not five minutes after I arrived I was shoved into a costume. Turns out the actors turned tail and ran. Instead of advertising, we ended being the stars of the show! I almost immediatly confronted the director, not about the whole idea, but because I can't act worth squat. He let me go out and advertise instead, it turns out I was just an extra anyway. The next week was spent getting the rest of my team ready for the play, and me causing quite a few public incidents. Turns out the "Demon dropping flyers, then getting shot down by the town guard" approach may be painful, but it works.
The day for the play finally came, and I took my complimentary front row seat and brought out the copy of the script I was givin. Unfortunatly, the script proved to be rather useless, the play went south in a hurry. Erza had a massive stage fright attack, rendering her almost immobile, Happy dropped Natsu in his dragon costume, causing him to hit Grey and the two of them to get into a fight, and finally Lucy's clothes caught fire, making Erza have to cut them clean off. Everyone in that theatre witnessed the day Lucy decided to start wearing undergarments at all times. I eventually had to jump on stage in full demon form to calm everyone down, but all I accomplished was destroying the rest of the set.
The play, hoowever, recieved EXTREMELY positive reviews, and the manager asked us to do several more plays. That day. Everyone wanted to go home except Erza, so naturally we ended up staying.
We accepted another job almost immediatly on return to Fairy Tail. I noticed a request needing a team to wipe out some thieves, and I brought it forward to my team. We accepted, and finished the job far too early. We ended up taking a day off.
We saw Loke in the streets that day, but before we could really talk, he freaked out and ran away, saying something about Celestial Wizards.
That night, we stayed at a nice hotel, and sure enough a pillow fight broke out between Natsu, Grey, and Erza before I could finish my tea. I decided not to interfere, and walked out the door into the garden to drink in peace, just as Lucy got sent flying through the wall. She decided to go out for a walk to pass the time. After I was done, I realised something. It was late, and very dark. Lucy had gone out alone. She wasn't dressed very apropriatly either. Shit. I booked it toward Lucy's presence, forgetting I even had the ability to grow wings. As I drew nearer I counted more presences around her. One...two...three...but why did that third one feel familiar? And why was Lucy's getting weaker? It hit me then. Oh shit, they were putting her to sleep somehow! They were going to kidnap MY friend! As that thought crossed my mind, I subconciously went full demon and started flying. Scared the hell out of a poor old lady on my way up.
By the time I got there, there were only two active presences left, and one was fading. I guessed that the weaker one was probably Lucy, but who is this other guy? The really weird thing is, he had the same sort of presence that Lucy's Zodiac Spirits do. I DID know a couple Zodiac spirits back in my time, but I doubt any of them are still kicking. The Zodiacs get replaced every few hundred years when their power wanes or they become too old. I landed on a roof and spotted Lucy's golden hair immediatly. She was slumped over a man's arm, but I couldn't make him out too well in the dark. I decided to ditch my demon form, keep the wings, and follow them like a creature of the night. To my surprise, they actually ended up in a bar, chatting and laughing away. From the way they were acting, mystery man actually saved her from the other two.
Here is where it gets interesting. Mystery Man's Magic Power changed in it's essence after what I assume was combat. It morphed into a familiar feel. It morphed into Loke's wavelength. I decided to "Overhear the conversation accidentally", and perched near a window. Luckily, the bar was all but desserted short of Lucy and her accomplice. Peeking in through the window into the lit bar, I got a glimpse of the man's face. It was Loke alright. Good thing too, I have extreme trouble holding back when angered, and endangering my friends is a fast track way to get me livid. I likely would have killed at least one of the kidnappers, and worse still, woken up the entire block.
At the same time, it got me thinking. I don't know much about Loke. He's afraid of Celestial Mages, that much is certain. He's a playboy, so he needs a distraction from something that's troubling him. What was his magic though...I remember him using it once...Ring Magic, riiiight. Similar to the Leo of my time, he used Regulus, a modified Ring Magic. Yes...Leo. Could it be?
I heard a loud slap and some angry yelling from inside the bar. Apperently Loke had tried to do something stupid, like saying he was going to die soon to pick up Lucy. Die soon...Oh hell.
There was an article I had read some time back, about a Celestial Mage who died because a spirit of hers refused to leave the human world because his master was...well, a bitch to everyone around her. Including her spirits. She went on a job and found herself unable to summon, and was murdered by god knows what kind of beast. Karen was her name. Famous a few years back, she unfortunatly died while I was still wandering the world aimlessly in my own selfish grief, so I didn't get alot of the details fresh.
Now, this spirit was Leo, the leader of the Twelve Zodiacs. For his crime, he was banished to the human world, a place no spirit can exist in forever. Leo was sentanced to death. Slow death. He dropped off the radar after that, and no one has heard from him since.
My conclusion was that Loke and Leo were one in the same. Loke...Leo...whoever just tried to confide in Lucy in his own way, or the way that was possible for the personality he had taken on. I decided to confront him on his way out of the bar.
As Loke walked out of the bar, I stepped out of the shadows and said, "So, how long were you going to hide it?"
Loke nearly jumped out of his skin at my sudden presence. "Who the fuck are you!"
"Oh, right, sorry about that pal." I said, while stepping into clear light.
"Oh, you're one of Lucy's teammates, Mar right?"
"The one and only, also I prefer friend. Now, are you going to answer my question?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, I don't have anything to hide."
"True, Loke, you don't. Leo, on the other hand, does."
"Wait...Leo? As in the Zodiac Spirit? What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you. I know who you are Leo."
"How-WHY would you assume something like that?"
"Your magic. You don't use Ring Magic, not really. It IS a form of Holder Magic though, does the name REGULUS ring a bell?"
"How would you-"
"You used it to save Lucy tonight. I was nearby, and as you may know, thanks to my Archive, I can tell what a spell is just from it's presence, or it's wavelength. Yours is Regulus."
"How would you know what Regulus feels like?"
"Because you taught me. Almost two hundred years ago."
"WHAAAAAAAAAAA?"
"Leo, we were good friends a couple of centuries ago. Don't you remember me? We were absolute shit rats in our adolesence! I learned Regulus from you that time we fought over your dating Mavis, less then a week before I vanished. Archive, quite literally, never lets me forget a Magic Wavelength."
"...Amazing."
"What?"
"I had my thoughts that it was you who came into Fairy Tail that day, but I dismissed them. I thought, KNEW you were gone for good. You not only survived, but deduced my identity as well. You have grown since I last saw you. Oh, and yes, I admit it. I am Leo."
"Hey, don't go all elder on me, technically we're near the same age. Technically anyway."
"What do you mean by that? Now that I think on it, HOW did you survive all this time?"
"You weren't actually THERE for my recruitment, were you?"
"Uhh, no, unfortunatly."
"I caused a hell of a scene. Revealed how I am locked in this body for the rest of my days because I decided time travel was a good idea."
"Wait, you actually figured it out?"
"You knew? Damnit Mavis...I MEANT classified when I said it..."
"Ha! Don't worry, she only mentioned that you were working on a way, nothing else. Why did you jump forward anyway?"
"My magic was responsible for the creation of many others. Destructive ones. Ones used for war. I was responsible for Mavis having to develop Fairy Law. Our Mavis, developed a magic designed to KILL. I couldn't bear the burden. I ran. I ran through time and space itself, hoping to die in an age I was no longer remembered. Mavis' words and the tattoo she got me saved me."
"Holy shit...if I had known, I would have stopped hitting you and gave you a hug instead! Also, tattoo? Can I see?"
I lifted my shirt, exposing the Fairy Tail emblem I had on my chest, placed there two centuries ago.
"Hang on...when did you get that ink?"
"Around two years before I left. Mavis liked it so much that she made the guild emblem into the same symbol. I imagine she didn't change it to remember me."
"Wow, that's kind of heavy."
"Yeah. Anyway, that's not why I'm here tonight Leo, I want to know, and I want to know now. How long do you have left in the Human World? Don't try to deny it, I know about Karen."
"Shit, I was hoping this wouldn't come up. Honestly Mar? It isn't looking good. I will fade away within a week."
"Leo, your tells havn't changed through two hundred years and two identities. Tell me the truth. Please."
"...I will fade in thirty hours."
"Good god..."
"How?"
"How what, Mar?"
"HOW CAN I STOP THIS?"
"I don't want you too."
"WHAT?"
"It pleases me greatly that I could see you again before I die, my friend. I don't deserve life. I murdered my master with my negligence, this is my attonement."
"FUCK YOUR ATTONEMENT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my emotions flaring, and my demon form taking shape. "I will NOT let you die! Now come here!"
I reached out to grab Leo, intent on transferring Regeration to him as well, but he stepped to the side and struck me on the neck, putting me under.
"I'm sorry friend, but this is something I can't escape. It's something I must do. Please, forgive me."
Leo had struck me rather hard, by the time I had awoken, it was nearly noon the next day, and I was back at Mira's place. My friends must have found and carried me back.
I arrived at Fairy Tail just in time to see Lucy get chased out by Leo's exes, who I learned from Mira had all been broken up with the night before. I chased down Lucy when she ducked into an alley to avoid the mob, and carried her away.
"Where are we going?" She asked.
"To get Loke back. I won't let that bastard do what he's about to."
"What!"
I explained everything to her while we were flying at my top speed. Loke being Leo, his relationship to Karen, the cause of Karen's death, and finally Leo's plan to just fade away and die.
Lucy then asked me "How do you know where he is?"
"I don't. Pray that I'm right though, Leo is likely blocking out all his Magic Power, so I won't be able to track him. We're headed to Karen's grave."
We arrived shortly after nightfall. I knew Leo wasn't long for this world, he had maybe twenty minutes left.
We ran up the cliff to the headstone, and sure enough, Leo was sitting there, likely mourning. I ran straight up to him and socked him in the head, then pinned him to the ground and started yelling. "You bastard! Why can't I get through to you! DYING IS NOT THE WAY! YOU ARE TAKING THE ROUTE OF A COWARD! A COWARD AFRAID TO FACE UP TO HIS GUILT!"
"Like you're any different!" He replied, coldly.
"You...you've givin up. You don't care! Absolutely pathetic! You're not the god damn Lion I used to know!" I yelled at him while dismounting, standing up, and walking away. "I can't help. That much is clear. Lucy, you can come out now."
"Lucy?" Leo yelled.
Lucy walked forward while I slipped into the trees nearby. It was going to be a moment between them, I wasn't going to intrude. Even if Leo dissapears, at least his last moments would be that of love.
I did listen, however, I heard Leo recount Karen's fall from his point of view, then I heard him start struggling to breathe. He was dying.
Lucy started to struggle to save him, even trying to forcefully open his gate. Leo only replied that it was a rule that stated that he had to die, a law even. Lucy went over the edge at that, proclaiming that she would change the Spirit World for his sake.
Even I didn't see what was coming. The Spirit King himself showed his face, saying the same thing Leo did. Leo had to die for his crimes. I began to walk out of the woods towards them as Lucy let out a terrific yell, and succesfully summoned every one of her spirits. Every one of them supported Lucy's resolve to save Leo.
Lucy couldn't maintain it for long, and collapsed from Magic Overuse. The King was so moved by the sight, that he made an exception right there. Leo was to live. Lucy was right, the law belonged in the past, and was only causing misery today.
Leo at first refused, but was convinced by the King, and myself, saying he will continue living for his friends, and atone for his sin where and when he can. I got Lucy back on her feet with a quick jolt of magic, just as Leo's gate opened. Leo faded away that night, but not to his demise. He made a pact with Lucy, and became her personal spirit.
Lucy summoned Leo the next day, who had switched to a black tuxedo with a red tie, closer to what I remember him wearing in my time. He explained to everyone who and what he was, then presented my team with tickets to a five star resort, as a way of saying thanks. I hugged my friend for the first time in two centuries, and apologised for my attitude the previous two nights. Leo waved it off, saying "You were right though. I was using it as an escape. Thank you for making me see that. I'm sorry I mentioned 'that'"
"Don't treat it like it was a taboo, you were right too."
Leo hugged me back, causing a collective Aww from everyone present. We broke apart and Erza came up in a Haiwaiian getup and her usual oversized luggage. We set out right then and there.
Team Natsu's much needed vacation started now!