"Lazy, impatient bastard..." Levy muttered to herself as she walked down the city streets towards the docks. " Since your going to see the wenches off, see if our ship is finished." He had said at breakfast that morning, his boots propped up on the table. Beside her, Happy laughed at her muttering, making her smile. " Well, at least I have good company." She said with a grin, holding the boys hand. " I know the captain can be a jerk sometimes, but he's a good man." Happy said once he finished laughing. " Is that right?" She asked, looking down at him.
He nodded,"He took my brother and I in when we were homeless, living on the streets and starving. He even paid for the doctor when I was sick." She smiled. "That is wonderful of him. Who's your brother?" "Natsu!" She stifled a gasp. " That pyro is your brother?" She asked in surprise. Not only was he the canon master on the ship, but he continuously caught things on fire on the tavern. Happy laughed. " That's right! Romeo is like my brother also, but he didn't join until later on. He really looks up to Natsu." She smiled and nodded as the boy talked so proudly of his brother.
They finally reached the deck just as the Magnolia was preparing to sail. The women were running about the deck, doing last minute checks. " Now Levy, if you ever get tired of the metal face, your more than welcome on our ship." Mira said once Levy had arrived beside her on the dock. She smiled sweetly at the woman,"I'll keep that in mind Mira. It was wonderful getting to meet you all." She said happily as she walked her to the boarding plank. " Please can we bring Grey-sama?!" She heard Juvia beg above her on deck. " No men on my ship!" Erza shouted, making the women and boy on the dock laugh.
" Well, we best be going." Mira said as she began to board. " My the winds favor your sails." Levy called as she and Happy waved to the women. They waited until the white ship was out in open water before turning towards theirs further down the dock. They made their way around crates, dock men, fisher men and other sailors. Many cast the little fae odds glances but never paused in their work. As they approached their ship, Levy heard hushed voices and she frowned, pulling Happy behind some crates. He looked up at her and she put her finger to her lips, telling him to be silent, and he nodded.
" Are you sure this is their ship?" A man asked. "Positive. I saw the captain myself. Sent a message to the navy I did, the reward will be a handsome one for finally getting Redfox of the seas." Another said, making the fae tense. " The navy will be arriving sooner than expected, within the day. Just gotta stall the rats." The same man snickered. Levy knelt down in front of Happy and grabbed his shoulders as he looked at her wide eyed, having heard the whole thing. " Happy, get to Gajeel and tell him. We have to leave now." She spoke quickly and quietly. He nodded and she gave him a small shove towards town before he took off sprinting.
Levy stood and took a deep breath, casually placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, giving the impression of just resting her hand, before she rounded the tower of crates. " Good morning gentlemen." She said with a sweet smile as she approached the three men. They tensed slightly but one, a tall slim man, smiled kindly at her. " How can we help you little lady?" He said, and she tried not to shudder as his gaze ran up and down her. " I'm part of the Iron Dragons crew," she gestured to the vessel behind them. She quickly gave it a once over, finding it was already repaired. " And I was wondering if she was ready to sail. We need to be shoving off." She stated.
She didn't miss the glance the man shared with his partners, but she pretended not to notice. " I'm sorry miss, but she isn't quite ready yet. Another two days and she will be ready." He said smiling. " Oh? But she looks just fine. Might I do a walk and see for myself?" She said, moving towards the ship, only to be stopped by the largest of the three, more fat than muscle and nearly as tall as Lily. " I'm sorry miss, but you cant." The slender man said as he stood behind her. " And why is that? Afraid we will leave before your navy gets here?" She smirked as they tensed. The fat man went to grab her but she lept back, letting her wings float her to the ground. The third, a moderately built man, drew his sword and swung for her.
She dove forward, tucking and rolling back to her feet before drawing her own sword. " Now now boys, be gentle. We could get a pretty penny for a fae like her." The first man sneered, making her skin crawl. The large man reached into a crate pulling out a set of iron manacles, and Levy tensed. Fairies were weak against iron, it burned their skin and if left in contact, they would get sick. Even as drunk as she was the night before, she made sure Gajeels iron studs didn't touch her bare skin. A wound from an iron weapon, like say a blade, would burn the skin and poison the blood before crippling the fairy. The poison was only fatal if the wound was but it was very painful, and required days to get over. Levys shoulder burned and her wing twitched just at the thought of another iron wound.
Levy put her back to the ship, keeping all three men in her sight but their twisted grins made her stomach turn. She gasped as a pair of hands grabbed her arms, pinning them to her sides and she began struggling in the fourth man's grasp. " Let go!" She screamed as the fat man approached with the deadly iron.
"What's taking that woman so long?" Gajeel grumbled, drumming his fingers on the table he sat at. " If you were gonna get so worked up, you should have gone with her." Lily said with a knowing smirk. Gajeel snorted and stopped his drumming to cross his arms over his chest. " I ain't gettin worked up." He muttered, making Lily laugh. " Sure your not big guy." He said with a grin. Gajeel snorted again as the door to the tavern burst open, a tired and winded Happy running towards their table.
" There you are brat. Where's the shrimp? Our ship ready yet?" Gajeel asked, scowling down at the panting boy. " Captain... bad news..." He said between pants. " Well spit it out!" He demanded, moving his feet from the table to the floor so he could look the boy in the eye. Once Happy told them of what he and Levy heard, and that she stayed behind to confront them, Gajeel lept to his feet and was out the door. Lily instructed the boy to round up the crew and send them for the ship before taking off after his captain.
As they rounded onto the docks they shoved passed the workers, earning curses and threats as the ran."Let go!" An all too familiar voice screamed, sending the pair running faster until they rounded on their ship. Levy was struggling in the grip of a large man, while another approach her with a set of iron manacles. Gajeel drew his sword, charging the man with the iron as he grabbed one of her slender wrists. Her scream ripped the air as the iron made contact with her skin and she kicked out, but the man was so large it was like kicking a building, and her wrist began to smoke and her face went pale. Before he could lock it onto her squirming arm, Gajeel brought his blade down and lopped off one of the man's hands. Lily was close behind, slashing the back of the man who held the tiny fae and forcing him to let go.
The now one handed and screaming man lunged at Gajeel, who easily stepped aside and brought his sword down on the man's neck. His head landed with a sickening thud followed by his body that shook the dock under their feet. Lily had run his sword through Levys previous captor and was now standing beside his captain, shielding the small fae. "You alright Shrimp?" Gajeel asked over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the men before them.
" I will be, but we don't have time. You sent Happy to collect them men yeah?" She asked and he nodded. Before she could say more, their crew came rumbling down the dock and began boarding the ship, knowing their captain had the men under control. " Go on Levy, get on the ship." Gajeel grunted, flicking his head back to the ship. She stared at him in mild shock, it was the first time in nearly twenty years he had said her name, and she could have cried. Instead she nodded and retrieved her cutlass from where she dropped it before hurrying up the plank to the ship.
Gajeel stared at the now quaking men before him and snorted in disgust. " Captain!" Grey shouted, causing Gajeel to glance back at him."Navy on the horizon! We gotta go now!" Gajeel growled but nodded for Lily to board, and once he was on board, he rushed up the plank, kicking it away from his ship. " Full sail ahead boys!" He called and the sails were dropped, catching the strong breeze and pulling the ship away from the port. Once they were on their way, Gajeel stomped over to the fae who was sitting on a crate and trying to wrap her wrist. He knelt in front of her and gently grabbed her hand, making her jump slightly.
" You shouldn't have taken them on by yourself." He grumbled, gently wrapping the burn that circled her wrist. " I would have been fine." She muttered, pouting slightly. " You should have flown away." He retorted while tying off the bandage. "I... I can't fly." She muttered and he looked up to her saddened eyes. He frowned slightly as something tugged at the back of his mind. " But... you used to fly all the time." She looked up at him with wide eyes. " You remember?!" She gasped.
He frowned again,"Nothing specific, but I faintly remember chasing something in a garden. I'm guessing it was you." He muttered as he stood. A large grin spread across her face while she stood."That's right! You used to chase me after you finished your chores and I would pluck berries out of trees for you." Her smile turned slightly sad as she watched him. " But... I got hurt. And I haven't flown since." Twenty years without flying. She thought sadly. Before he could question her about his past, the bell in the crows nest began to ring. " Navy!"