Hi guys...sorry for being late.
I have a valid explanation! I had surgery on Monday. I've been trying to write, I really have, but I've been in a lot of pain. Now I'm feeling better. But seriously. Surgery SUCKS. Anyway, here is a chapter for you today, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
A few hours before...
"Are you two done yet?"
The question was far from innocent: it was an accusation, and both Amber and Zeroth knew it. The golden haired girl gulped down her discomfort, green eyes staring at the dirt filled grown below.
"We're sorry, Val-chan!" she responded, giggling. "Zeroth and I are just so excited to rough up those bad guys!" Amber threw a few fake punches in the air and Vala Maria, who bore no protection to the ten year old's charming measures, ruffled her hair with affection.
"I'm sure you'll want to have a little fun with them," the older woman said, "but I suggest we do things thoroughly. Those fairies are notoriously stubborn." Zeroth laughed in disbelief. He ran a hand through his spiky blue hair, putting his hand on the neighboring vines. They exploded at his touch. Worn and weary from their expedition, the team of five journeyed into the light.
"This is Crocus," Amber said, and, for a moment, she was too in awe to breathe. "Isn't it, Mercury-san?" The muscular figure in the back grinned. His body, tanned from many hours of training, was lined with tattoos and battle scars that hadn't healed all that well; and yet, the way he grinned burned like the fire of a thousand embers.
"Hell yeah."
The charm of Crocus was unmistakable. Mercury's eyes drifted over the crimson roofed houses and the magic arena, and, for a second, he almost regretted ever trying to poison its beauty. However, this flash of doubt was replaced by bitterness, and, deep down in his heart, something twisted viciously.
"This'll be a good thing to destroy," he said. "Right, Seraphim?" The girl in question smiled, her turquoise eyes dancing in a mixture of elegance and excitement. The party of five continued to maneuver the infamous Crocus crowds, yet none acknowledged the suspicious glances they drew from the residents they passed.
"Certainly, Mercury-san," was her reply. "I wonder which fairies they sent to the slaughter." Amber laughed, and Zeroth let out a wry grin.
"I'm eager to find out," Vala Maria said. "Not that it matter much. All of them will be dead by tomorrow." Mercury chuckled, and Amber, who had been standing at the sidelines, did not fail to catch the small bit of love in his voice. For Rose Ward was not so much a guild than a family.
A family that was determined to destroy the world.
"Um, Lucy...I think I got us lost again," Natsu said, scanning the streets for any signs of remembrance. "This has got to be the most confusing city ever...Lucy?"
His companion was no longer walking happily by his side; in fact, she wasn't walking by his side at all. She had lagged further behind, and the warm brown in her eyes, which were shining with amusement moments before, were weighed down with worry. He waited for her to catch up, yet, even when she did, she didn't speak immediately.
"Hey...," she said, not meeting his eyes. "Do you think this will turn out alright?" Natsu stopped in his steps, turning towards her. Over the years he had become so accustomed to the usual hospitalizations and guild scares that to him, avoiding these foreboding thoughts was his preferred method of coping (of course, he would fret inside, but he wouldn't tell anybody that).
"What?" he asked her. "Are you worried someone's gonna die?"
"It's not that I don't believe in them," she said. "I'm just a bit scared. It's...it's okay to be scared, right?" It seems an eternity until Natsu can really breathe again; the question takes him off guard, and the morose inquisition of her tone makes him twitch.
"It's like," she started, "like. When Gray tried to do Iced Shell. That guy would probably find any way to sacrifice himself. What would you have done if he died?" Memories of Aquarius had flooded her mind earlier that day, and, right then, she was drowning. Natsu stood still for a moment, thinking hard about that how he should answer.
First he thought about how horribly irritating Gray had always been. He had been of constant attendance in his life: a sneering, stripping IDIOT. But then, out of nowhere, these memories crumbled into dust and he was thinking about how Gray almost used Iced Shell, and how Gray had protected him from Memento Mori, and how Gray had almost DIED.
Something horribly stiff about Natsu relaxed, and he didn't realize that he was trembling.
"Um, Natsu...," Lucy said, shaking him slightly. "It's okay. You don't need to answer that, it's just that I was thinking about Aquarius, and I was worried something stupid like that would happen again, and...Natsu?"
"If Gray died," he said, "Then I'd follow him."
To hell and back.
"I'm just a bit worried about them, that's all."
The words were hanging in the air before Makarov could stop himself, and he sealed his lips before anything else could slip out. Cana chugged down the rest of her beer, wiping her mouth.
The night before...
"Gray. Get out of my bed."
A deep groan was heard behind her, and a tall figure propped himself up on his elbows. Cana turned on the lights next to her bed, not sure how to react. The ice mage wasn't looking at her; he seemed more interested in the pattern of her comforter, she noticed with a smile. With a sigh, she moved closer to him.
"What's up with you?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be resting up for your mission?"
"I couldn't sleep," he replied. They didn't speak for a moment, but the card mage had already interpreted the silence. "I guess I'm...just worried about the mission."
"Hmm...you've never been worried about something like that before."
"I'm paired with Erza," he explained. "It's not like fighting along Natsu. It's like...I'm pretty sure I'm going to be too slow, too weak, or too stupid, and she's going to get hurt because of it. Because of me."
"What, you don't believe in her?" Cana asked, getting out of bed to uncork one of her midnight wines. She took a swig from her drink, offering some of it to Gray. He made a face.
"Water, please."
"And?"
"You have any ramen?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes. She started cooking, muttering insults about "stupid ice mages who break into your house only to complain". Gray slid back into bed, closing his eyes.
"Geez, sometimes I feel like I'm your wife," she said. "From the way I'm always looking out for you."
"You're hilarious, Cana," Gray responded sarcastically, yet sleep had already started to dull his senses. When Cana had returned with his meal, he was already sound asleep. She smiled, finishing her drink before clambering into bed herself.
"Sleep well, Gray," she said, kissing him on the forehead before going to sleep herself.
"I'm just worried about them, that's all."
It had been five full minutes since Makarov has spoken, and yet Cana had been too consumed in her reverie to notice. She stared into her copper colored beverage, spinning in lightly.
"Geez, Gramps," she said. "Have a little faith in them, will you?" He grunted, yet still wasn't convinced of their safety.
"If you're so worried, then why don't you just send some people to check up on them?" she asked, and Makarov's eyes widened at her comment. A wide grin spread across his face, for, easy while the solution was, in his worry he had failed to see it.
"You're absolutely right, Cana," he said, turning towards the guild members. "Gajeel! Mira! Laxus! Juvia! Elfman! Lisanna! Levy!" The members turned towards him, approaching the table he and Cana were sitting at. He cleared his throat.
"I'm sure you've heard of the threat of Roseward," he said. "And I'm also sure you know of Team Natsu's involvement in the matter." The members looked at each other, and nodded in unision.
"I want you all to check up on them," he said. "While I believe in them, I'm sure Rose Ward has a few aces up their sleeves that we, as well as the Magic Council, have yet to predict."
"Whatever I can do to help Gray-sama and the others!" Juvia said, determination shining in her navy blue orbs. Gajeel slung an arm around her, a slightly scary grin dawning on his lips.
"I suppose you're also sending us over to make sure that Natsu and Gray don't destroy too much of the Royal Palace, aren't you, Master?" Mirajane asked, and Makarov blushed at the truth of her statement. Lisanna laughed, for she, more than anyone present, knew of Natsu's destructive abilities.
"The job's a man!"
"I'll be sure to bring a few books along."
"Make sure to pack those amazing metal pots too, Levy."
"I'll bring my best wine to share with Gray after the mission!"
"...Lay off the beer for a while, Cana."
"Aww, Laxus, you're no fun," Cana said, letting out a huge laugh.
"And you, Cana, are utterly drunk," he responded, and despite himself, Makarov let out a grin. With a monstrous team like that around, Rose Ward could not win.
"I can't believe Master made you go by yourself," Carla complained.
"Well, I can't complain," Wendy said, smiling. She opened another door, sighing as it too, was empty. "It is the weakest one, after all." Carla muttered something below her breath. Wendy opened another door, closing it again before moving onto the next one. This one was a little hard to open, yet, even without looking inside, the smell of a powerful dark magic filled Wendy's senses.
"This is the one," she said. With a big thrust of her hands, she flung open the door. A green haired woman was leaning against the magic bomb. When she noticed Wendy, she smiled.
"So the fairy has arrived," she said. Her eyes softened. "I'm getting excited."
Can we talk about the latest episode?
It was sad moment after sad moment after DEPRESSING MOMENT (aka Gray and Juvia's moment) after sad moment after sad moment...it may have been the best episode so far. Seriously. I cried so hard. Especially Gray's moment...like, the way he said "I'm sorry...," made my heart break.
Updates will go back to usual from now on (haha, don't believe me). See ya next Wednesday! ~Hiraethe
