"You let her go off alone again didn't you?" Lily asked as his impatient captain drummed his fingers on top of the bar. " She's got Happy and Romeo with her." He muttered. Levy had wanted to get some fresh clothes to replace her bloody and torn ones. Gajeel refused to let her go alone and demanded she take the boys. " Why didn't you go with her?" Lily asked, deciding whether or not to cut off his drumming fingers. " I still had things to do with Salamander and she wouldn't let me." He grumbled and Lily burst into laughter. " That little faes got you wrapped around her finger!" He spat out between laughs. Gajeel growled at his partner before turning his attention back to the door.
His eyes narrowed as two cloaked figures entered the tavern, taking a table across the room. Figures like them were not uncommon in a place like Tortuga, but they were different. Their cloaks too clean, boots too polished, and the tip of a rapier could be seen at one man's hip, not a cutlass. Beside Gajeel, Lily had stopped laughing and was now eying the men warily, in fact the tavern had gone quiet as everyone stared at the new comers. One of Mavis' barmaids walked up to the men to take their order, they asked her a question in such a quiet tone she had to lean down to hear it. She answered and pointed in the direction of the bar and bother men glanced over, catching the rough captains glare. " I want everyone ready to leave." Gajeel said quietly to Lily who nodded and stood, moving upstairs to gather their crew.
Natsu took the empty seat after a few moments when noise began to fill the tavern again. Neither spoke as they sat, their crew slowly filing out of the tavern after retrieving their things. Before they could leave themselves, the two cloaked men made their way to the bar, standing behind the pirates. " Captain Gajeel?" The one closest asked and Gajeel turned to him, giving him a bored look."What of it?" He grumbled. " We have a proposition for you." He said, gesturing to his companion. " Not interested." He said, turning back to his beer. Some of his men that were in the middle of leaving stopped, watching the strange men warily.
" Won't you at least hear us out?" The man asked in strained politeness. Gajeel quickly turned, his cutlass in hand in the blink of an eye, and he cut away the man's cloak. Beneath he wore the uniform of a Navy officer, one of the higher rank ones at that. Every pirate suddenly had their weapon drawn, aimed at the two men who now had their hands held high. "Why the hell would I listen to Navy scum like you?" He snarled, glaring at them. The first man had the guts to smirk. " Because we have somethings that belong to you." Gajeel cursed under his breath as a small group made their way into the tavern then. More Navy officers struggling with three small fighting figures. " Let me go you pigs!" Levy screeched, trying to aim her deadly kick at one of them. Natsu was on his feet snarling when he saw his brothers, his youngest crying to be released.
Levy managed to land a kick into the back of the one holding Happy, making him drop the boy who ran to his older brother. The man cursed and turned, landing a punch right into Levys wounded side causing her to gasp and double over. Gajeel growled as he got to his feet, pressing his blade to the officers throat. " Your picking a really shitty way of asking for help." He snarled and the man back up slightly. " Agree to help us and we will let them go." He said simply. " Don't do it!" Romeo and Levy shouted, though Levys came out as a wheeze. Gajeel glanced over to them before looking back at the officer. " What do you want?" He snapped.
The officer smiled."I'm sure you've heard the rumors about your kind-" "He aint my king." Gajeel barked, making the officer jump slightly. " Is that so. Anyway, about Acnolgia. We would like you to hunt him down and kill him." He said simply, as if he was just saying the sky was blue or the sun rose from the east. " Your asking for the impossible." Gajeel said. The officer shook his head. "No not impossible. Not for another pirate anyway. Do this, and not only will we let your friends go, but we will also give you a years pardon." The officer offered, glancing around the tavern. Gajeel was quiet for a moment, his eyes wandering to his crew, to the blue haired woman who had resumed her struggling and finally landing on a certain scarlet haired captain. " If we asked assistance of another crew, would you grant them pardon as well?" His eyes were back to the officer who nodded. " Of course. "
Gajeel was quiet for another minute efore nodding. "I request the help of the Magnolia ladies. Grant our pardon, release my crew, and get out." He growled, glaring at the man. He made a gesture with his hand and his men release Romeo and Levy. As soon as they were free Levy turned and punched the man who hit her, completely laying him out on the floor. The pirates laughed as the Navy left, dragging their unconscious comrade with them. " You knew I was gonna hit him didn't you?" She asked as she walked up to him. " I was hopin you'd kill em." Gajeel said with a smirk as he carefully wrapped an arm around her. It looked casual, but his hand was gently checking the wound at her side. " I'm fine." She said with a soft smile.
He frowned slightly but his gaze was dragged to an angry red head in front of him. " What? I got you guys pardoned for a year!" He snapped at the glaring woman. " I don't care about that, are you trying to get yourself AND your crew killed?" Erza snapped back as she stepped closer. "Erza dear..." Mirajane said but Erza held out her hand. " I don't plan on us dying woman so relax." Gajeel said as he rolled his eyes. " Don't you roll your eyes at me Redfox!" Erza snarled but she was held back by Mira, "Come on dear, let's get ready to leave." She said as she pulled her fuming lover upstairs. " So, Acnolgia huh?" Levy asked as she hopped up onto a barstool. " What did he do this time to get the Navy's panties in a wad?"
Gajeel sighed at sat beside her, slinging his arm around her again. " Rumor is he found the location of the fountain of youth." She nearly choked on the beer Mavis had handed her. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He chuckled as she glared at him. " So we have to stop him fast then." She said thoughtfully and he sighed. " Yeah but we don't know where he's heading." They were quiet for a moment before someone clearing their throats made them look up. Mavis was smiling and she slid a rolled up map across the counter to them and, without a word, walked back down the bar. Levy raised an eyebrow as she unrolled the map,"She's a scary woman." Gajeel grumbled while Levy murmured in agreement.