Chapter 2: Paristole

Lisanna zipped her duffelbag closed, glancing at the time. She had 5 minutes to meet Bixlow at the train station. If she walked, it would take more than that, but if she flew, she'd be there early. Slinging her duffelbag over her shoulder, Lisanna used her animal take-over to sprout wings and perched on the window sill.

She leapt off with practiced skill, soaring through the air and landing in the station about 2 minutes before Bixlow gets there. She looked up at him with a bright smile, hands clasped behind her back. "Mornin' Bixlow!"

He grunts, ruffling her hair. "Wuzup'."

"Wuzup Lisa, Wuzup Lisa, Wuzup, Lisa!" Pappa, Peppe, Pippi, Poppo, and Puppu all chanted cheerfully, flying around Lisanna's head, some bumping into her. She giggled again, petting them.

"Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!" The tiki dolls chanted.

"They really like ya' huh..." Bixlow muttered, chuckling. "Let's go, everybody."

They all boarded the next train to Paristole. "I've always wanted to go to Paristole!" Lisanna confided excitedly as they sat down in an empty compartment. She gazed out the window in anticipation.

"Sure are eager, aren't you," Bixlow smirked.

"Well, truth be told, besides in Edolas, I've never been out of Magnolia, much less across the country!"

"And how old are you?"

"Seventeen. Why?"

"Just wonderin'...It's strange that you ain't ever been out of the city, even before you disappeared to Edolas. Haven't you taken missions before? And you did go to Tenrou Island."

"Yeah, but there wasn't much of the city or out of the city's port that I could see and all of my missions were close to home. In fact... I'm surprised that Mira-nee even let me out of Magnolia..." Maybe she's trying to match-make Bixlow and me? Hmmm...but he's so much older. Yeah, I really really like him, but would Mira-nee and Elf-nii allow it?

o0o

Bixlow gently awakened Lisanna, who'd fallen asleep on his shoulder. She sat up, yawning and looking around. "We're here, Kid."

"Don't call me 'Kid'. I'm only 5 years younger than you," Lisanna argued. Bixlow snorted, handing her her bag, which she threw over her shoulder. Bixlow grabbed his own bag and they both disembarked the train.

As she walked behind him, Lisanna pulled out a map that was practically bigger than she was. "Okay, Mira-nee gave me a map of Paristole. She set up reservations for us at the Verulian Hotel and said that everything is already payed for..."

"Verulian, huh?" Bixlow backtracked until he was beside Lisanna peered over her shoulder. "That's the best hotel in this entire town. Your sister's got class."

"Of course she does! She's a model, isnt' she?!"

"Well, yeah, but this is the Verulian we're talking about. Get within a 100 foot radius from that place without a reservation or room key and see if you don't get your *** kicked by the bouncers. Been there, done that, don't wanna' go back..."

Lisanna regarded him with big blue eyes that would melt anyone's heart. "What happened?"

"Well, we were chasing a monkeybat that escaped from the zoo and it decided to be a jack *** and fly to the hotel for refuge. Yes, I got my *** kicked, but hey. That monkeybat wasn't too well off either."

Lisanna giggled. "I can't imagine you losing to anybody...not after seeing you and Freed battle Rustyrose."

Bixlow smirked. "Because we're awesome. Even though Cana and Lucy and Loke have defeated me before...I'm still not a pushover."

Bixlow had a lot of pride, but one of his prides was his honesty. It often led him to being blunt and a bit harsh, but hey. The truth is better than a lie and besides. If somebody comes along and throws the truth in his face, it won't hit as hard as a lie would and it wouldn't be nearly as embarassing. Yeah, that's right. Despite all pretenses, Bixlow is actually pretty d*** smart...most of the time.

"So how many times have you been to Paristole?"

"I grew up here."

"Really?!"

"Yeah." Bixlow didn't really want to dwell on that. He hadn't really liked what he did have of a childhood and he didn't want to put a damper on Lisanna's hopes and dreams by revealing just how s***** the people of Paristole could be. Of course, Lisanna might not have any trouble fitting in, and Bixlow probably wouldn't be recognized with his helmet, but still. People here were stuck up b****** who didn't know a d*** thing about the world except for what was inside the guilded walls that they hid behind. But Lisanna? She didn't need to know all that.

"What was it like?"

She had to ask. "Uh, well...there was a lot of variety..." Bixlow chose his words carefully. He wasn't above omitting information, as honest as he was. "Ya' never get bored here, that's for sure..."

They walked along the sidewalk. The stores were bright as ever, the smiles fake as ever, and the problems as dramatized as ever. Who cared that Jenny from Blue f****** Pegasus had been caught in bed with Jason the reporter for the guilds? Big deal. She was probably caught in bed with Ichiya what's-his-ugly-***-face from Blue Pegasus too. Bixlow wouldn't doubt it if the entire guild had tapped that.

"Right down this street is the Verulian. We should be able to get in no problem if what you say is true."

"Yep. I got it all right here! Say, Bixlow?'

"Hn?"

"What is the Verulian most known for?"

"It's mainly for couples. I suppose Mirajane thought that we'd have better luck finding answers there than anywhere else since so many couples take up lodging there."

"Oh. I see! Come on, then!" Lisanna grabbed his hand, tugging him along. Bixlow liked the feeling of her hand in his. It felt nice; like it belonged there. He could get used to this...Holding her hand felt quite nice. No, stop thinking like that...Lisanna's too young for you, he told himself. And yet...it was hard to think of Lisanna as only 17...She was so intelligent and mature. Much like her older sister, Mirajane.

Unlike Mirajane however, Lisanna had this aura of pure innocence around her; something that Bixlow didn't want to taint. He wasn't an angel or a hero; he'd done things that he wasn't proud of and he didn't want to be the one to drag Lisanna down.

o0o

Lisanna looked around the room; apparently, it was the honeymoon suite...Classic Mira-nee...

"Your sister may have style, but her little 'habit' can get really annoy_"

A letter fluttered through the window. This is the new postal system that Laki and Mira-nee developed! Lisanna hurried to catch it and it molded into a mini Mira in her hand. I forgot how cool this is! The new postal system allowed the sender and receiver to talk and interact instead of just relaying a recorded message like the holograms did. Mira-nee smiled up at her.

"Hello, Lisanna, Bixlow!" The Fairy Tail's famous 'demon' beamed brightly up at them.

"Dude, Mira. What the h*** is this? Honeymoon sui_"

"Oh, settle down Bixlow. You two are supposed to pretend to be a couple, remember? So I got you the honeymoon suite!"

"And how does Elfman feel about this?" Bixlow crossed his arms.

"Oh don't tell me you're scared of Elf-nii!" Lisanna teased.

"Can it, kiddo," Bixlow growled, shaking his head. "I ain't scared of your brother if he gets his *** kicked by everybody and still calls himself a man."

Lisanna smacked his arm, rolling her eyes. "Don't be mean, Bixlow. You got beaten by Cana, Lucy, and Aquarius."

"Because Fried can't look at women in bakinis; how's that goin' for ya' anyway, Mira?"

"Well...No, I think I'll let you figure out the things that can change a man's mind in a heartbeat when you get married, Bixlow." She winked. "Anyway, I just wanted to check in on you two, make sure you made it safely, so I'm gonna' let you go. I need to take care of something." With a smirk, Mira waved and turned back to paper, which turned into dust that evaporated around Bixlow and Lisanna.

"She could've at least given us a lead..." Bixlow muttered.

"But the hotel manager did give us one..." Lisanna pulled out a small piece of notebook paper. "It says here that a popular place for the kidnapper to appear is at the theme park; easy to hide and easy for victims not to be missed."

"No description or anything?"

"Well if there were a description to go by, they'd probably have already caught the culprit, don't you think? There have also been kidnappings in the club, the theatre, and a lot of popular, fancy resturaunts."

"Sounds more like a honeymoon than ever..." Bixlow muttered, sighing and taking his helmet off and rubbing his eyes, tongue lolling out in exasperation.

"Did you get implanted with snake genes or something? Your tongue is freakishly long," Lisanna inquired randomly.

"Focus, kiddo."

"Right, right! Um, anyway, we'll try a resturaunt first...maybe the clu_" Bixlow snatches the notebook paper out of her hands.

"I am not taking you to a club. You're barely even 17. You don't need to be exposed to all the sex drive and testosterone and estrogen. It's on a rampage, especially in the clubs that are on the paper."

"Have you ever been to any of them?"

"Yeah and they suck. It stinks there too. These are like the worst clubs in town. Paristole ain't all fluffy bunnies and rainbows like you seem to think it is." Bixlow shook his head. "Anyway, I'm gettin' a shower." He grabbed his things, storming into the bathroom.

He must really hate it here...and I was going on and on about it this whole time...I can't believe it. That was so insensitive of me. Lisanna got ready for bed, having taken a shower earlier that morning. What did you go through, Bixlow?

(A/N: Sorry it took so long, guys! I was really busy with working on my own book, Fantasy Wars, homework, and stuff like that, not to mention a band clinic at PRCC. WE PLAYED JOURNEY'S "DON'T STOP BELIEVING"! Lol, still psyched about that hehehehe. But anyway, I really hope you enjoyed because I haven't gotten that many reviews lately. So pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeease R&R?! Please? Shagotte kitty face please?)