A/N I'm really sorry if you find this chapter less interesting than any previous chapters. I also left you a cliffy right there. Hoho! Will end this mission on the next chapter. :) want to guess what'll happen? And to compensate for my late update, I promise a 3,500+ word count for the next chapter. :) Oh, oh. And of course, lots of thanks to Bareerah123 for this beta'd chapter, to those who listed this story on their alerts and fav's, to the reviewers (Oh dear, you don't know how much your reviews mean to me), to the silent readers and to those who PM'ed me. ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU *bows* I'd like to inform you that I'll have to get my laptop fixed first (the LCD's blinking, I nearly broke it wah!) so it might take a while for me to update again. This is my first time getting my laptop fixed – will it take long?
Notice: All review responses are removed from this chapter. :)
Chapter 9: LOOKING AHEAD
"Are you okay, Wendy?" Natsu asked as he walked towards the shocked Wendy, plates scattered all around her.
Gray and Mira froze, a bit surprised and nervous…
Wendy blinked innocently as she stared at Mira and Gray, and then to Natsu and Happy who was happily shouting for Charle's name in the background.
"Uh… Natsu-san… Yes, I'm sorry. My hands slipped, I was careless…" she crouched down to pick up the broken pieces of plates but ended up wounding herself.
Her ever loyal exceed, Charle, appeared behind her back with eyes almost bulging out of her head, "Wendy… Why were you so careless?" she immediately ran towards the blue-haired girl and pulled her hand, "Don't touch that…"
Mira quickly came out of the bar and looked down at Wendy, "Wendy, I'll take care of this," she smiled and turned to look at Gray, "Why don't you take Wendy to Polyushka-san, Gray? Maybe she could help…"
"No, it's–" Wendy tried to protest but was cut off by Natsu.
"You don't have the ability to treat your own wounds, right?" Natsu asked worriedly as he crouched down and tapped Wendy's head. The sky dragon slayer could only nod. "I'll take you to–"
"I'll do that, Natsu… You have a job to do, right?" Gray interrupted.
"Gray makes sense, Natsu… Let's take that job request to Master!" Happy sang as he munched a blue fish, "Would you like one of these, Charle? I have tons in my bag…"
"Maybe when you come back, Happy…" Charle retorted, still worried for Wendy.
Wendy looked at Gray and diverted her gaze to the worried Natsu. I heard something I shouldn't have heard and the worried expression that Mira-san and Gray-san were wearing says that Natsu-san doesn't have any idea about it… Wendy realized. "A-ano… Natsu-san, Mira-san and Gray-san… I don't even have to go to Polyushka-san to treat this wound… It's just a small cut. Charle and I will be able to treat this with a first-aid kit. I'm sorry for worrying you…" she apologized.
Natsu eyed Gray and Mira suspiciously but didn't say anything. He then looked at Wendy and gave her his signature smile, "Why are we over reacting? Sorry, Wendy…" he then turned to look at Happy, "Come on, Happy. Let's take this job to jii-chan. See you later, Mira! Ice stripper!" he walked towards the stairs without looking back.
Mira and Gray watched Natsu's back as he took his flight upstairs with Happy flying above his head.
Back at Freesia...
Sting and the rest watched Lucy as she let out deep sigh for the umpteenth time. She insisted on staying until she could convince Yumi to come home of her own accord, which of course, just like a domino effect, had caused the other Sabertooth mages to stay as well.
"Oi, dorei…" Sting grabbed Lucy's wrist just before they entered the couple's little house just beside the seaside. "Don't be stubborn and let's go back to the client, what are you trying to do?"
She yanked his hand, "I want to confirm if Yumi's really in love with him… That guy is dangerous," she turned to look at Kain who was now seated at the couch inside the house where Yumi was treating a wound he had obtained from Sting's punch.
"That is not your business anymore… Your job is to take her home and to nullify the love spell. Now that you confirmed she's neither under a spell nor a curse, just take her home by force." He advocated impatiently. He was running out of patience with the fairy tail mage.
Lucy planted both hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow, "I could've considered that suggestion a moment ago but…" she paused and thought about what Yumi said, "There's no way uncle Yun had missed the part that Kain Hikaru is a wanted man… if so, why didn't he just take him over to the Magic Council? He's very capable of that…" she reasoned.
Sting felt a vein popping out of his forehead, how can she be so stubborn? "Are you forgetting our conditions, dorei?"
"I am not, Sting-dono–"
"I told you not to call me that!" Sting grabbed her wrist again and squeezed it tightly.
Lucy blinked, "Sting-kun?"
That's it! The white dragon slayer threw her hand with such force that she thought her hand was about to break. "Are you really testing my patience, blondie?" Sting roared, alarming the couple inside and the two exceeds behind them. Well, Rogue was the same as usual… cold and expressionless.
Lucy impulsively gripped on her wrist, it was painful… but not that much. Getting involved in the usual brawl in her guild was much more painful than this… not to mention some sleeping dragon slayer's punch that sent her flying and made her face swollen for a week or so. Exhausted, she face palmed herself, "You can count on my word when I said I agreed to your conditions, I am a stellar spirit mage after all… And I value my words. I don't remember you taking this job… so let me do this my way."
"I am still your master… I don't understand why you keep butting your nose into other people's business and you're just making everything complicated with your foolishness," he grabbed her wrist again, this time, tighter. Lucy flinched, "That guy was one of those people who almost got you and your nakamas annihilated seven years ago… if you don't have the ability to kill him, I can… Just ask. Don't you feel any anger towards him? The Donel daughter doesn't even acknowledge you as an ally here… therefore, she can't be considered your friend or even someone related to you. She's merely a job for you to take care of." Sting said in irritation.
The fairy tail mage shot him an unfaltering stare straight in the eyes, "If that's the case… aren't you doing the same thing?"
Sting's grip loosened and let go, leaving a red mark on Lucy's arms, his eyes widening, a bit taken aback.
"You are butting your nose in my business. I'm quite impressed you know a thing or two about what happened in the past… but I don't live in the past anymore. If I have seen him a few months ago, I would have never hesitated to kill him right on the spot," even though you say I look like someone who has no ability to kill him. "If I take his life now, that's just it, right? He can't return the seven years that was taken away from us even if he's dead. And I am not here for a personal reason." Lucy retorted, she dragged her eyes towards Yumi again who was now assisting Kain lovingly, "I, of all people, know exactly how it feels like to be forced to leave someone very important to me…" she looked back at Sting, "And it was the most painful thing that almost happened to me…" Memories of the Phantom Lord incident flooded her thoughts and unconsciously, she placed a hand on her forehead, a smile lined her lips when she remembered how Fairy Tail fought for her, how the guild was destroyed because of her, and how they stood back up and never once blamed her… "And right now… Yumi only has that bad guy…"
Damn it, Lucy! You'll get killed later. Why are you getting your courage to talk back at a time like this? Lucy's inner self was yelling at her. She wouldn't deny it but she still feel scared whenever her eyes would meet that cold eyes of her marker.
With that, she entered the lovers' house and left the dumbfounded dragon slayer outside. The two exceeds trailing after her as Rogue soon followed.
Sting found himself irritated yet amused at the same time. She really knows how to piss me off.
"I apologize for what I did, Yumi but I won't apologize to Kain. I still think he deserves it." Lucy said straightforwardly.
Yumi shook her head gently, "You don't have to apologize. I would have done the same if I was rejected by the sexiest man on Earthland years ago…" Yumi exclaimed making Lucy sweat drop.
"Did she really believe that nonsense?" she murmured to herself and heard a light chuckle shortly. She dragged her eyes to the source and found out it was Rogue's, he's enjoying it… She concluded, while Sting looked like he was about to burst out laughing any moment. "Anyway… aren't you considering talking this out with your father?"
Yumi's eyes saddened, "I have tried countless times to make him reconsider but he insisted that I was just under some sick love spell, as he told you…" she glanced at the door leading to the room where Kain was sleeping, "My father had hired Kain sometime years ago as my personal body guard…" she explained.
Lucy's ears perked up, "So that's why he never considered taking him to the Magic Council…" she noted, "Taking in or hiring wanted criminals is punishable by death."
Yumi nodded bitterly, "Sadly, yes… Papa was so protective of me that he wanted a strong mage to always be by my side. And since my love is a very honest person, Papa learned that he was one of the strongest mages in one of the legendary dark guilds." She continued, "And that's when our true love blossomed."
Lucy felt like she was about to puke. So nauseous, really gross. Goosebumps crawled underneath her skin. "Y-you're really in love with him, huh?"
The green-haired girl clasped her hands and sighed dreamily, her eyes animatedly turning heart-shaped, "Isn't he sexy?"
Sweat drops formed on Lucy's and the Sabertooth members' heads.
"When do you plan to come home?" the blonde girl asked, worried about Yun and Yumi's relationship as father and child, "He was really worried about you… your father."
Sadness crossed Yumi's eyes as she fidgeted her fingers, "Until Papa approves of my love, I will no–"
"Isn't that selfish, Donel ojou-san?" Sting intervened, his elbow rested on the arm chair. "You must be thankful we didn't accept this mission…" a dangerous stare was thrown Yumi's way, "…because if we did, under a spell or not, your lover would be dead by now and you…" he pointed an index finger at her and smirked smugly, "…would have no other choice but come back home."
A shiver crawled up and down Yumi's spine. She wasn't familiar with the mages in front of her but she could tell, they are strong… and the softest among them was the blonde girl. She was so scared that she couldn't even say anything, until she felt a comforting tap on her shoulder. As she looked up, she saw Lucy looking down at her.
A bright smile was plastered on the blonde girl's face, "Don't mind him, I took this job so I assure you that'll never happen. But we will never leave this place unless you decide to come back and see your father. At least fight for your love head on. Not in this cowardly way…"
"I-I'll talk to Kain… uhm?" Yumi stuttered.
"Lucy… Just call me Lucy." The fairy tail mage lent her hand as she introduced herself.
The green-haired girl nodded cheerfully, "Lucy-san."
Rogue found himself almost smirking while Sting was almost fuming in both anger and embarrassment. The two exceeds watching the fairy tail mage in awe.
"She's good…" Rogue said bluntly, too inaudible for the others to hear except for Sting.
Sting unconsciously gnashed his teeth, "Did this thick-faced blondie just ignore me?"
Rogue's eyes smiled, "This is very entertaining…"
"Damn it!"
After some time...
Lector's eyes twitched at the sight of the shivering snow-man like little thing as it followed Lucy around yelling something like "Pu-puuuun!", while she lay three futons in the living room. The lovers' house had unfortunately, only one room and even though Yumi was willing to lend them the room, Lucy halfheartedly declined the offer. It wasn't appropriate for them to invade their privacy.
And with Lucy's wild imagination about what had probably occurred inside that room when the two lovers were alone, the room felt filthy and gross.
As she set out the last futon, she pushed the wooden couch slightly, giving her a little more space. She sighed, "Sleep with me tonight, ne, Plue?" she chimed absentmindedly as she stood upright and set a line of pillows in the middle of the third and the second futon.
"Pu-puuuun!" the shaking spirit pumped his – the exceeds assumed – hands in the air as she wobbled towards the celestial spirit mage who instantly picked him up and took it into her arms.
She squealed, "Thanks, Plue."
Frosch was unconsciously following the spirit around too, and Lector couldn't hold in his curiosity any longer, "W-what is that thing, Fairy-san?"
Lucy snapped out, realizing that it wasn't just her and Plue in the room. She grinned, "This is Plue, a Canis Minor, Nicola…" she placed the spirit down and yet again, Plue struggled to keep his balance. "Isn't he cute? He's a dog…"
Frosch poked the white spirit hesitantly, making Plue lose his balance and struggled to stand up again saying, "Pu-puuun, puuuun!"
The exceeds cocked their heads to the side.
"Is that a dog?" Sting blinked multiple times, his eyes fixed on Plue. "A deformed dog?" His eyebrows met, torn in between the urge to laugh and get irritated. Despite having a stellar spirit mage in their guild, this was still his first time to see a creature like that, and he couldn't see why the blonde Fairy Tail mage seemed so fond of it.
Lucy almost stumbled out of shock. She didn't notice that both the dragon slayers were back. A little while ago, the two excused themselves saying that they would eat dinner – since they didn't really eat normal foods like her. Lector and Frosch jumped a little, but weren't all that surprised.
As soon as the celestial mage recovered from shock, she rolled her eyes, "Says the deformed dragon slayer?"
Sting smirked, placing one hand on his hips as he leaned his back against the wall and stared at the girl smugly, "With this body, you think I'm deformed?"
Rogue sat down on the wooden couch, looking at Lucy as if he was waiting for her come back. Yes, he found her entertaining.
His stare made Lucy a bit uneasy. Ignoring him, she faced Sting, her lips forming into a straight line as she fixed her gawk towards the white dragon slayer, a sweat drop developing on her forehead. "Whatever."
"Pu-puuun!" piped Plue, his butt swaying side to side as his little hands were placed at his hips. "Pu-puuuun…"
The gesture made Lucy and Frosch squeal, "Kawaiiiii!"
"Pu-puuuun…"
As soon as Lector threw a killer dagger look at Frosch, he immediately pursed his lips, but was still blushing while staring at the spirit dog.
Lucy could almost swear, behind that uninterested mask Rogue was wearing, he was at the verge of snatching Plue from her.
Eyes never lie.
That's something she learned from Fairy Tail and right now, the shadow dragon slayer's eyes were saying that he finds Plue cute and cuddly. The blonde girl could only smirk inwardly.
"Was that a bark?" Lector asked curiously, his eyebrows raised.
"Is that how a dog barks? Fro thought a bark sounds like arf, arf, ribbit!" Frosch croaked, now sitting frog-like beside the canis minor and looked at it like it was some kind of an idiot. He poked the spirit's carrot-shaped nose timidly.
Lucy dropped her jaw, "It's not like you say meow either, you even say ribbit which is weirder." She picked Plue up into her arms and slipped her body under the blanket on the third futon. "I set up your two futons, this is the divider," she said as she looked at the two dragon slayers and then to the pillows lined in between the third and the second futons, "Do not – I repeat – do not cross this line!" she warned, her eyes a bit groggy already.
Rouge tilted his head as Sting let out a sinister smirk.
"Why aren't there futons for us, Fairy-san?" Lector asked firmly, as if demanding an immediate explanation.
"You cats sleep beside your masters!" she said, uninterested.
Frosch crawled inside Lucy's blanket which made the blonde girl twitch, "H-hey…"
"Fro likes to sleep with the dog that doesn't say arf-arf, ribbit!" he pouted as he hugged Lucy's arms.
"Pu-puuun!" Plue chimed in.
Lucy blinked at the sweet exceed and raised her blanket, giving Frosch a space to transfer to her other side, "B-but…" she was about to protest until…
The exceed dressed in a frog costume scuttled in between her and Plue, he placed his head on Lucy's arms and hugged Plue. Lucy's expression turned soft,he's so cute! She mused to herself and dropped the blanket. "Fro wishes you and doggy-that-doesn't-say-arf-arf a good night…" the exceed faintly snored as he fell asleep.
Just like that? Lucy sweat dropped again and then smiled, "His name is Plue and uh, good night…"
Lector shook his head stiffly, "Fro is really an idiot!"
Sting and Rouge could only blink, a little amused at what just happened. They watched the fairy tail mage as she fell into deep slumber.
Rouge spoke, "You can take my futon, Lector. I'll be on guard tonight."
"Thanks Rouge-kun." Lector answered as he hopped in the first futon.
Sting smirked as he walked towards the futon in the middle, throwing the pillows Lucy claimed as the line that should never be crossed, he slid his body inside the blanket and faced his dragon slayer partner. "You sure it's alright with you? They're weak, no challenge at all."
Rouge nodded, expressionless.
.
to be continued...