A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back! Sorry for making ya'll wait this long but I was really busy with school and I updated my other story. I'm back with this quick little update before I start the next chapter for Vendetta. I'm not abandoning Vendetta but my thought train for this story is on a roll at the moment so I think after I post the next chapter, I'll get right back to this.
I'm glad you liked the previous chapter and what I did with the whole Rave Master idea…along with my attempts at humor. I had a lot of fun writing that chapter (perhaps I'll do something like that similar for Vendetta...hmm…I'll think about it…oh, who am I kidding; of course I will!)* grabs convenient legal pad and starts to scribble down ideas*
My hours at work haven't improved (thanks to both the weather and the local sports teams sucking!) so I'm looking for another job that will allow me more hours, if only for a little bit. Plus, I've been busy with college so that's taking up my time as well. Have to focus on some group projects and service projects along with everything else.
So…yeah…busy, busy. What else is new?
Oh well…as I like to say, one bridge at a time.
This chapter takes the spot for the fourth side story; this one involving Gajeel, Levy and Saito.
So before we continue, here's a shout out to you patient guys!
-TabbyCatxoxo: Hello and welcome to the story. I'm glad you like this story, it's always good to hear someone say that…same goes for the side stories too! It's also nice to know that this story is on your favorites list!
-GammaDancer: Hello and welcome back! In regards to what you said about your English teacher…wow…just wow. Thank you. Seriously. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, you have no idea how much what you said means to me. It really means a lot. Oh! I hope you enjoyed the Fairy Tail x Rave Master episode; that was fun to watch on my part! :)
-Kazenoseiren: Hello and welcome back my reader from afar! I'm glad you liked the previous chapter and that you got a laugh out of it. Yeah, Sam is one of my favorite OC's to toy with. Yeah, I decided to add the Rave Master characters in after watching the FTxRave anime crossover. I had a case of writers block but that has since left my head. I'm just glad to know it worked out in the end. Sorry for not updating, but as much as I love working on this, I can't just abandon my other story willy-nilly! I have standards to uphold…or lack thereof (I'm kidding!)…but I digress! X)
-PitbullColin: Hello and welcome to the story, I'm glad you like it. Of course I will continue working on this story, I'd be crazy to totally abandon it…well I'm already crazy but that's beside the point.
So, now that's out of the way…let's roll!
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Side Story #4: Learning the ropes
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"My father was my teacher. But most importantly he was a great dad." –Beau Bridges
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THE FUTURE…SOME TIME FROM NOW
The air was crisp and the breeze was gently cool as the sun shone brightly for the warm autumn day. The trees were in full change as they flashed off their vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow while their leaves gently fluttered to the ground as they were carried away by the breeze.
All across Magnolia Town, the residents prepared for the coming season as they set out decorations ranging from smiling scarecrows to the cooking of warm meals that matched the time of year.
The air around the bakery's smelled of the wonderful combination of fresh apples and cinnamon.
But on this day, however, another kind of preparation was underway.
"Concentrate, let the magic gently flow through your body."
Or, the more correct word, would be training."
"That's right, let the magic take its course…remember to keep your breathing deep and even."
In a wooded area, on a hill that overlooked the town, a large oak tree that casted long shadows thanks to its large and leaf filled branches. The hill itself was rather large and had a small field to it that seamlessly blended together with a large rock outcropping of granite.
And occupying this space were three people…and a cat.
The first was a young woman who had her long and flowing blue hair tied in a ponytail, while two thick bangs framed her face with a hair band holding it in place. She sported a pair of dark framed glasses and had a small scar near her right temple. She wore a brown leather jacket with the sleeves rolled halfway up her forearms, a black-long sleeved undershirt and pair of fingerless gloves. A pair of form fitting denim jeans and black leather boots completed her look.
Her name was Levy…Levy Redfox.
With a book gently resting in her lap, Levy sat beneath the shade of the oak tree on a blanket. Taking in a deep breath of the cool air, Levy smiled as she watched her two most favorite boys in all the world; her husband Gajeel and her seven year old son, Saito. Curled up next to her into a small ball was Pantherlily; the longtime exceed partner to herself and Gajeel.
Gajeel himself was still tall and strong as ever. Instead of wearing his field jacket and grey and red, graphic t-shirt, Gajeel sat cross-legged and shirtless; his muscular arms, back, chest and torso glowed slightly in the daylight. His tri-colored bandana was wrapped around his forehead, causing his bangs to frame his face but his hair had been cut to where it was now shoulder length. He wore a pair of black cargo pants held in place by a leather belt and tucked into a pair of leather boots.
And last but not least was little Saito who sat cross-legged like his father. Well, not so little anymore, Levy mused. The boy seemed to grow with each passing day. His hair was cut short and spikey and his piercing red eyes, his father's eyes, were hidden behind closed lids as he listened to his father's every word. He too was shirtless but he wore his own pair of black cargo pants and little black boots.
Levy couldn't help but smile as she watched her son. He was simply adorable due to the way his brow slightly scrunched up in concentration.
Today was another day in which Gajeel was helping his young son learn to master his Dragon Skin magic.
Gajeel had started Saito's training shortly after he had turned six. Even though Saito was quick to master his agility and enhanced speed without his armor, progress with the armor itself was proving to be easier said than done. Saito still couldn't control the way his Dragon Skin formed and displaced its magic across his body
As of today, for this latest session of training, the two had been at it since earlier in the afternoon. Gajeel was teaching Saito how to control the strength of his armor enhanced punches.
In order to help Saito concentrate, Levy had suggested they come to the hill for this part of Saito's training.
Both Levy and Gajeel couldn't think of a better place for Saito to practice. He loved coming to this hill no matter the time of year. Whether it be rolling down the gentle slope or climbing the tree, which would be followed by a stern lecture from Levy, Saito loved the vast open space this part of the land presented.
The place also held a special place in Levy's heart. The tree she was sitting under was the spot where Gajeel had taken her out on their first date together all those years ago.
It was the spot where she and Gajeel had made love together for the first time-the night they had become mates.
It was the spot where Gajeel had dropped to one knee and asked Levy to marry him
It was the spot where Saito had been conceived and where, when he was still very young, Saito had taken his first steps.
Yes, this tree and the surrounding grassy and leaf covered ground, held a very special place in her heart.
It was her special spot…her family's special spot.
"Now focus only on my voice." The deep timbre of Gajeel's voice brought back Levy's attention.
Looking back to her boys, Levy saw Gajeel sitting across from their son.
"I want you to extend your hand and hold it levelly. Then, concentrate on the magic and focus it to your arm. All you have to do is concentrate…let your Dragon Skin do the heavy lifting."
Saito did as his father told him.
His brow kneading together in concentration, Saito focused on the warm sensation building deep in his chest. It was like the embers of a fire slowly being stoked back to life.
Slowly, the tattoo like runes he had ever since he was a baby began to glow. The evenly spread out markings across his arms, shoulders, chest and torso grew brighter and brighter before a charcoal black substance spread out from the runes on his left hand and arm. The sound it made reminded Levy of rock's hardening.
Slowly, the armor spread from the tips of his fingers to past his elbow.
The magic's immense power, however, was beginning to take its toll on the little boy. His teeth were barred and gritted, his eyes were closed tightly and sweat streamed down his forehead. His breathing was becoming quick and ragged.
"Hold it…" Gajeel said as he stood up before grabbing a large rock with his hands and holding it in front of him, "hold it…hold it just a little longer."
"I can't!" Saito said through gritted teeth.
"You can," Gajeel calmly assured his son, "just hold it."
Saito's arm was now fiercely trembling as the magic struggled in his arm.
"Wait for it," Gajeel thought, "wait for it."
The armor moved forward just a fraction of inch up Saito's arm.
"NOW!" Gajeel said.
Saito's eyes sprung open, now glowing a fierce red as he bolted forward with a war cry. His fist rearing back as he focused on the rock in his father's hands, Saito swung his arm forward…
…And cried out in pain as a loud "crack" was heard.
Levy gasped slightly and immediately sprinted from her spot with Lily close behind, having been awoken from the rise in magical energy he detected from Saito.
Gajeel tossed the rock aside as Saito held his wrist. The boy had tears streaming down his eyes as he whimpered in pain.
"M-my wrist…m-my wrist…" Saito said through a choked out sob.
"Oh dear," Levy said in a calm but concerned tone, "let me take a look sweetie." Levy said as she gently took her sons still armored hand into hers.
Levy frowned as she noted the odd angle Saito's wrist was bent at. Gently placing her hand on Saito's wrist, Levy quickly pulled it away when her son let out a sharp gasp.
"It looks like it's broken." Lily said as he gently patted Saito's back in order to comfort the boy.
Gajeel sighed as he looked back to the rock. The thing hadn't shattered like he hoped but it was missing a large chunk out of it.
However…
"He didn't put enough power into it," Gajeel said as he looked back to his son, "the armor couldn't compensate for the lack of power behind the punch."
Saito sniffled as Gajeel gently ran his fingers through his son's hair.
"I…I…tired…dad…I really did…" Saito whimpered.
"I know buddy, I know." Gajeel said.
"But you need to concentrate harder… you need to focus more on the force of the punch and not the act of doing it."
"But I did concentrate!" Saito protested back only for his mother to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"No one is saying you didn't Saito. But you can't expect it to work the first time…these things take practice."
"But I was able to do it once!" Saito said as he recalled the Halloween of two years prior.
"That's only because your father used his own magic to help you hold it." Lily added.
"Saito, you were too young back then to control your powers. That is why your father awakened it for you." Levy said.
Saito lowered his head as he still clutched his wrist.
Gajeel sighed before he stood up.
"Let your arm return back…I think we've done enough for one day."
"But…but I can still do it!" Saito protested as he stood up slowly.
"And run the risk of you breaking something else?" Gajeel asked as he place his hands on his hips, "No, Saito, we're done for today. We'll come back sometime later in the week and continue working on this."
"But I-"
"Saito." Gajeel said in a tone that made his son freeze where he stood.
Saito recognized that tone in his father's voice. It was the tone he used when he didn't want to argue with people.
Saito lowered his head in defeat as he tried to fight back his tears.
"Yes daddy." Saito mumbled as he let his armor disappear back into his body but not before his wrist snapped back in place with an audible "pop" thanks to his body's fast healing property.
Gajeel took a calming breathe before kneeling before his son again.
"Saito look at me." Gajeel said gently.
When Saito didn't respond, Gajeel used his finger to turn his son's head. Gajeel gave a small smile.
"Saito…these things take time. You have to be patient with your powers. Do you think I learned all of mine in one day?"
Saito shook his head slowly.
"That's right. I wasn't born with the Dragon Skin. It was given to me by someone else who had that power but they died before I could learn how to use it. I had to practice day after day after day in order to fully get a hold on just the basic things."
Gajeel let his armor form around his hand.
"The same way you are."
Gajeel stood and let his Iron Dragon Sword, or as it was called now, Dragon Skin Sword, form in his arm.
Saito looked at the blade in awe. He then pointed to a nearby rock and Saito's gaze followed.
It was a rather large chunk of stone that was about the size of a small cart. It had been severely weathered down over the ages as the smooth texture of the rock indicated and moss was growing in the cracks here and there. There was one prominent thing that stood out on the rock. In the center, a large "X" had been carved into the rock's surface.
"That mark has been there for a long time. No one knows how it got there. It has no special properties, no hidden magic…it's just a marking. When the time comes you will be able to shatter that rock by simply punching that "X"… like this."
Gajeel suddenly dashed towards the rock with his sword raised. But when he reached the rock, instead of cutting it, he cut the one next to it. The rock evenly broke in two as the upper half smoothly slid off the bottom.
Gajeel looked back at Saito as his arm returned to normal.
"It'll be a while before you can do anything like that. So just take things slowly for now…okay?"
Saito's awe filled look slowly turned to one of disappointment as he lowered his head and looked at his hands.
"Okay." Saito mumble, a little disheartened as his father walked up to him.
Gajeel ruffled his son's hair.
"C'mon, let's go home." Gajeel said as Lily hopped up onto his shoulder while he took his sons hand before joining his other with Levy's awaiting one.
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Later that night…
"Do you think I was too hard on him?" Gajeel asked.
"Hmm?" Levy said as she set her book down on the bedside table.
"Saito…do you think I was too hard on him?"
The husband and wife lay in bed together. Gajeel lay on the right side with his bedside lamp off, while Levy sat with a pillow propped against her back so she could read. The Solid Script mage had just finished reading and had just taken her glasses off.
Levy paused for a moment before she smiled gently and shook her head.
"No…of course not."
Levy put her pillow back in place.
"You were doing what every father does; teaching their child a lesson. Saito is eager to learn how to use his power and at the same time, he wants to emulate you."
"Emulate?" Gajeel asked.
"Yes. Saito looks up to you so much that he wants to be like you. And the only way he can do that is if he learns his powers as quickly as possible. But in his haste…he isn't thinking this through."
"Thinking things through…he's only seven shrimp." Gajeel said and received a tap on the nose for his choice of works.
"Seven he may be but he's very perceptive and smart for his age. You're doing the right thing by telling him he needs to slow down and take things one step at a time."
Gajeel was silent as he let his wife's words sink in. Levy sighed gently and rested her head on Gajeel's broad, muscular chest.
A comfortable silence formed between the two.
"…I don't want him to be like me." Gajeel said after a while.
Levy looked back up to her husband.
"I don't want Saito to want to be me."
Levy could sense the concern in his voice.
"I've done so many horrible things in my life Levy…things I'm not proud of…"
Gajeel took a slow deep breathe.
"To know that my son wants to be like me…it makes me scarred."
Levy sighed before slowly inching her way up Gajeel's chest and using her hands to frame his face. She looked deeply into his eyes.
"Gajeel…that all happened a long time ago. What's done is done; you can't change that. But this is the here and now. Look at yourself…look at us. We're together and we have a beautiful son who wants nothing more than to make his parents smile."
Levy used her thumbs to gently massage Gajeel's cheek bones.
"Just because your son wants to learn how to be like you doesn't mean he will become you."
"How can you be so sure?" Gajeel asked.
Levy smiled and leaned closer to Gajeel as her long tresses framed his face. Gajeel took a strand into his fingers and gently rubbed it between this thumb and index finger.
"Because he has us…he has a family who loves him and will do anything to make sure he stays in the light. You had Metalicana for a father…but he didn't stay with you the way a father should have. But you are here for Saito. You have the chance to make things right for him instead of where things went wrong for you."
Levy gently placed a kiss in Gajeel's lips.
"I love you and Saito loves you…you have nothing to fear so long as we are together."
Gajeel smirked slightly.
"Is that the truth?"
"The one and only." Levy said as she slid off Gajeel, turned off her lamp, before snuggling back up with Gajeel.
Gajeel chuckled before kissing his wife goodnight.
"You always know the right thing to say, don't you shrimp."
Levy giggled.
"You know it." And with that, the two mages held each other close as they let sleep come over them.
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Saito couldn't sleep.
He didn't know how long he had been awake but he knew it must be very late seeing as how high the moon was in the sky and how the stars glowed brilliantly.
Saito turned onto his side and let out an irritated but quiet groan.
He didn't want to wake Pantherlily.
Said aforementioned cat was currently curled up at the foot of Saito's bed as he gently purred in his sleep.
Saito remembered that ever since he was a baby, Lily had moved from sleeping in his father's room to his room so he could watch over Saito. He had watched Saito from inside his crib, to the rocking chair Levy had used when Saito was nursing or crying and now the warm mattress that he now slept on. Levy said Lily had always been fond of children and Saito had proven to be no exception.
If anything, Lily doted on Saito from the moment he saw Saito wrapped up as a baby in the hospital nursery.
Saito turned again.
"It's not fair." Saito thought.
"I work hard with my magic and dad didn't even give me a second chance to prove myself…how am I to become strong like him if he doesn't let me do anything?"
Saito had understood what his father told him.
He knew he had to be patient and gradually learn his powers.
He knew he had to wait.
But alas, with all seven year old children, there is one critical aspect that likes to throw a wrench into things…
…They don't want to wait.
For a seven year old, Saito was brighter than most children his age. His family at the Guild Hall said he got that from his mother.
"Dad said I need to practice," Saito mused in his mind, "so why don't I do that!"
Saito felt excitement rush through his veins at the sound of his foolproof plan.
Slowly crawling out bed so he didn't disturb Lily, Saito threw on his pants and boots before making his way out the front door of his family's apartment. Closing the door behind him, Saito ran for the hill or "the special spot" as it known by his mother.
He knew the way by heart and was there in about twenty minutes.
His boots becoming damp from the dew as they crunched the leaves beneath them, Saito soon found himself at the hill, his gaze fixed on the rock with the "X".
He would start to break that rock one way or another.
Taking a rigid stance, Saito closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Soon enough, the familiar sensation the Dragon Skin created flowed through his body.
After five minutes, Saito felt the armor form around his hand and forearm.
Opening his eyes, Saito bolted forward and punched the rock.
He did his best to stifle the scream created by his wrist breaking…again.
Sinking to his knees, Saito bit his lip as tears welled up in his eyes.
It hurt…it hurt so much!
Taking a shuddering breath, Saito got back to his feet and forced his arm to heal itself.
Closing his eyes once again, Saito steeled himself.
He couldn't give up.
He wouldn't give up.
Concentrating and then charging, Saito attacked the rock again…
And again.
And again.
By his twelfth time, Saito's wrist was starting to pulsate in pain hand he felt his arm and knuckles start to become numb.
"Why isn't it working? I'm concentrating so why wasn't it working?" Saito said through panted breathe.
He didn't understand.
He was doing everything his father told him to do…so why couldn't he land a descent hit?
Saito frowned.
"Maybe…maybe I should give up and go home." Saito muttered.
His father was right…he should have waited longer.
…But something deep within Saito refused to believe that. Something stubbornly refused to accept defeat.
Saito shook his head in protest.
"There has to be another way." Saito said, determined.
It was then that Saito remembered something his father had said earlier in the day.
"You need to focus more on the force of the punch and not the act of doing it."
The force…
The force!
"That's it!" Saito said in triumphant realization.
He had been so focused on actually landing a hit that he didn't think of what kind of force he needed to use.
Grinning in a way that would remind anyone who saw it of Gajeel's trademark grin, Saito concentrated his magic into his fist, reared it back and launched himself forward.
CRACK!
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Pantherlily's eyes flew open.
"The hell was that?" the black exceed muttered as he sat up.
He had been peacefully asleep and had been dreaming of chasing a butterfly through an open field when he felt a surge of magic. It would normally have gone unnoticed by anyone else, but Lily had years of experience when it came to judging one's magical signature. The sound that had followed the surge was what had really woken him up.
Pantherlily looked out the bedroom window.
He didn't see anything noticeable and no one really seemed to be up and about.
Looking around the room, Lily shrugged before curling back up…
…Only to bolt awake within the fraction of a second.
Eyes wide with fear, Lily's panic stemmed from one simple and glaringly obvious fact; Saito was not in his bed.
"Saito!?" Lily whispered as he looked around the room in his panic. Ducking his head under the bed, which in hindsight was probably one of the most cliché places for a child to hide, Lily hopped down from the mattress having not found Saito.
Running to Gajeel and Levy's room, Lily pushed through the door before roughly hoping on the bed. He then began to frantically shake both Levy and Gajeel awake.
Levy was the first to wake with a yawn before she realized it was Lily who was shaking her. With half lidded eyes, she looked at her bedside clock.
"Lily…it's one in the morning, what's wrong?"
"This had better be important." Gajeel growled. He did not like to be disturbed when he slept.
"Saito's gone!" Lily said.
Those simple words instantly brought the two mages out of their haze.
"WHAT!" Gajeel and Levy said in panic.
"Some sound outside woke me up and when I looked over to check on Saito, he wasn't there!"
"How could he be gone!?" Levy said frantically as every worst possible scenario ran through her mind. This was literally a parent's worst nightmare.
Before Lily could respond, the sound of a loud "crack" reached their ears as it echoed from outside along with an almost unnoticeable trace of magic.
"That's the sound, that's what woke me up!" Lily said.
"Did you feel that…it almost feels as if there was a burst of magic along with that noise?" Levy said as she looked at Gajeel only to find him starring with wide eyes out the window.
"Gajeel?" Levy asked.
There was another sharp "crack" and the magic became more noticeable.
"That magic…"Levy said. She had felt this magic before. Levy made a small gasp in realization.
"It's…it's…"
Another "crack." Another surge of magic.
"Saito's." Lily finished in awe.
Gajeel was in his feet in an instant as he ran for the front door.
"Stay here!" Gajeel hollered, "I'll be back!"
Slamming the front door behind him, Gajeel activated his own dragon's skin and let his enhanced speed carry him across the rooftops of nearby buildings.
"Damn it Saito, what the hell are you thinking!?" Gajeel thought.
It wasn't long before Gajeel found himself bounding up the hill to the Special Spot. Just as he leaped atop the crest of the hill, Gajeel found himself freezing in place as he watched Saito charge the rock in front of him; his fist reared back and ready to strike.
"Saito stop!" Gajeel yelled.
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Saito pushed his legs forward as he ran as fast as he could towards the rock.
"This is it!" Saito thought, "This has to be it!"
The last two hits had proven to be successful to Saito. Having focused his power into his hand and adding a slight leap to his punch, Saito found himself leaving deep cracks in the boulder where he struck. Despite the fact that he was losing feeling in his arm, Saito had pushed himself for one more hit.
With determination in his heart and all of his focus on the rock and his fist, Saito had charged up his Dragon powers and charged forward with a battle cry.
Sprinting forward and leaping at the last second, Saito did not hear his father call out to him or even realize he was there for that matter. He also did not notice his Dragon Skin rapidly cover the rest of his right arm, his shoulder and the right side of his face and neck.
Soon enough, Saito's fist connected with the rock, smack dab in the middle of the "X'. And he was not ready for what happened next.
As soon as his fist met the rock, a small but brilliantly glowing blue magical circle appeared when his knuckles met the rock. In the fraction of an instant, the magic circle flared before the rock, in all its entirety, blasted to pieces behind it as the ground shook slightly.
Stunned by what had occurred Saito found himself rolling sideways before coming to a stop. With his mouth hanging slack jaw and his eyes wide, Saito rose to his knees and starred at the now demolished rock which now had a large plume of dust spiraling out where it had been. But with a gentle whisper of the wind, the dust disappeared and left a rather sizeable hole in its wake.
Saito looked at his hand, then back to the hole and then back to his hand.
Soon, a wide smile formed on his face as laughter rumbled from his chest, shaking his body slightly.
With renewed energy, Saito leapt to his feet and tossed his hands into the air.
"I did it!" Saito cried out gleefully, "I did it!"
"Indeed you did." Came the deep rumble of a voice.
Saito paled.
He knew that voice.
Turning slowly, his body now slightly shaking in fear, Saito swallowed hard.
Sanding, with his arms crossed and Dragon Skin shining brilliantly in the moonlight, was his father.
"H-hi d-daddy." Saito said.
Lowering his arms, Gajeel stalked forward towards his son as his Dragon Skin disappeared.
And he did not look happy. Not in the least.
Saito was frozen in place.
He had been caught…and knew he was in serious trouble.
Gajeel was soon upon him and Saito closed his eyes tightly out of fear.
Instead of getting yelled at or receiving a harsh spanking, Saito was surprised when Gajeel spun him fully around…and took him into a tight hug.
"D-dad?" Saito whispered as his father pulled back.
He still did not look happy.
"What were you thinking!?" Gajeel said in a mix of anger and concern as he shook his sons shoulders, "Saito, what the hell were you thinking!?"
Saito's mouth opened and closed, unable to form a response.
"Don't you ever; ever pull a stunt like this again young man, do you understand me!?" Gajeel asked. Saito could only nod his head out of fear of speaking.
"Do you realize what you could have done!?" Gajeel said.
"Do you realize you could have killed yourself with all that magic you were using!?"
Saito's face instantly paled once more as his pupils shrunk to needle like points.
"K-k-killed?" Saito stuttered.
"Yes; you're still learning to control your magic. Forcing it out like that could have ended violently. Your luck your arm isn't a mess…let alone blown clean off."
Saito began to shake at the thought of losing his arm.
"I told you to wait…I told you we would learn this at a steady pace…why did you do this?"
Saito began to tear up.
"I just…I just wanted to become strong like you." Saito said as he began to cry.
Gajeel paused at that statement…it reminded him of what he and Levy had said earlier. Gajeel let out a sigh and pulled his sin into a hug.
"I know buddy…I know. But the thing is…I don't want you to be like me. I can understand why you want to…but that's not fair to you."
Saito looked at his father with tear stained eyes.
"I want you to become who you want to be. I want you to develop your powers in your own unique way. I want you to set yourself apart from me…do you understand?"
Saito shook his head.
Gajeel sighed but with a smile.
"You will eventually…for now I'm just glad you're okay."
"…You're not mad at me?" Saito asked.
"Mad; no," Gajeel said, "I was scared and upset, still am, but mad? No."
"…I'm sorry." Saito said as he lowered his head.
Gajeel's smile widened slightly.
"And…I'm a little proud."
Saito's head snapped up to look at his father.
"…Really?"
"Yes…do you know why?" Gajeel said.
Saito searched for an answer, but finding none, he decided to guess and point at the now demolished rock.
Gajeel let out a hearty chuckle.
"That's right…that attack, The Dragon Force Punch, is a beginner's level attack. I didn't learn that attack for a solid year and a half and that was a long time ago. It seems like you've beaten me at something." Gajeel said with a pride but cheeky smirk of his lips.
Saito beamed as he wiped away his tears.
"R-really!?" Saito asked excitedly.
"Yep...it seems like you've learned your fist attack…without any help from me."
Gajeel picked up his son in his arms as the young boy began to laugh in a triumphant sort of way that only children can do.
However…
"You do know you will have to explain all of this to your mother though…right?" Gajeel said.
He gave a wicked smirk as he heard his son's laughter slowly die down…before being replaced with a nervous and hard swallow.
"Oops…" Saito thought.
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NOW…THE PRESENT DAY
Saito Redfox, now seventeen years of age, stood with his hands in his jacket pockets at the crest of the hill that would one day become his family's Special Spot as he looked out over Magnolia Town and onto the lake. The water shimmered brightly as the sun set.
Saito smiled as the memory of that night from long ago slowly faded into the back of his mind.
He had so many fond memories of this place…despite the fact that it hadn't changed much since he last saw it.
He had come to the hill to have some time to himself.
Some time to think and just let his mind sort itself out. Feeling satisfied that he had accomplished said task, Saito thought it best to return back to the Guild. The others would start to wonder where he had gone off to if he was gone for too long.
Turning on his heel, Saito made to go back the way he had come…but stopped when he saw something out of place.
Frowning slightly, Saito made his way over to the rock that he would one day shatter with a single blow.
Running his hand over the smooth surface, Saito's brow quirked in confusion.
"Where is it…?" Saito said, "Where's the X?"
The spot where the mark should have been was vacant. Saito thought the "X" should have been there by now. His father had told him the mark had been on the rock for a long time…but nobody knew how it got there.
Saito frowned again.
This simply wouldn't do.
If the mark wasn't there on the rock, his future self would never get the inspiration to push himself to his limits. He would never get the chance to make his father proud of him.
Raising his right index finger, Saito let his Dragon Skin turn the appendage into a razor sharp blade. Cutting through the rock with ease, Saito dragged his finger across the rock's surface in two diagonal motions…thus making the "X".
Stepping back to admire his handiwork, Saito gave a satisfied smile with a nod of approval.
"There we go…just as I remember." Saito said.
The mark was right where it should be, just as he remember.
In fact…it was exactly as he remembered.
Saito's smile slowly faded as a feeling like ice cold water slowly trickling down his spine made itself known.
His arms fell limply at his sides.
"No way…" Saito whispered.
"No...It can't be."
But it was.
Saito quickly came to the shocking realization that he was the one who made the mark that would one day inspire his future self…not someone else.
It seemed unreal…improbable even.
But it was true. His eyes did not deceive him.
Saito was quiet for a moment, before slowly, he began to laugh.
It wasn't the chuckle he was known for…it was full blown, straight from the gut laughter. Saito threw his head back and continued to laugh until he began to cry tears of joy.
He was laughing at the fact that this was actually happening…that he was inadvertently helping his future self-become stronger.
His laughter dying down, Saito wiped the tears from his eyes and gave the rock two solid pats with his fist before turning around and going back home.
"An unexpected but welcomed surprise…Dear Mavis, what else has changed?" Saito mused.
Even though he continued to walk forward with a bit of a spring in his step, Saito paused as he mused that simple fact over in his mind.
"If I was the one who made that mark by coming back in time…what else have the others and I changed by coming back here?"
That thought, for whatever reason, made Saito just a little bit on edge.
XX-END-XX
A/N: And there you have it folks, another side story has been told. I hope you enjoyed it!
Yes, I mellowed out Gajeel a bit for this chapter but I think raising a son and trying to teach him how to not blow his arm off tends to do that to people. I had fun writing this…seeing as how a couple of you guys really like Saito as a character.
Next time; Side Story 5: New Light. After this side story, I'll get right back to the main plot.
Anywho, like I said, I'm going to write up the next chapter for my other story and then hop back on the bandwagon for this one. I have some stuff planned for this that I'm getting eager to share with you. I do hope I won't take that long to crank out these chapters though…my schedule is still a little hectic so I'm not sure when I'll be able to have time to write. If I do take long, please be patient with me.
As per my usual outro, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter.
Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING!