Chapter Six: POV Evergreen
I groaned in frustration as I flopped onto my bed. It was only a few days until the Masquerade Ball, and not to mention Elfman and I are fighting. I lay there on my pink and lace comforter thinking about the day before. In the middle of replaying the events of the day before my phone vibrated. "Ugh." I said as I looked at the screen of my phone. The screen read: Elfman Strauss. "Yes?" I said answering the phone and I could hear the snap in my voice. "Evergreen, please. Can we talk? Please." Elfman's voice sounded hurt and sad. "Elfman, I so do not wanna deal with this right now." I said as I sat up in a hurry on my bed. "Ever, please. Please, I am outside your door." I sighed heavily and hung up on him. As I tossed my phone onto the pillow behind me the door was knocked on rather hard and loud. "Elfman, please. Do not do this. Not right now." I said as I peeked through my peep hole. I saw Elfman's face, I saw the tears running down his face. "Ever, please. Please, I just want to talk about this. It is not like your the only one that it is hurting!" He sounded mad, sad, and more. I clicked the locks and opened the door. "Come on in, Elfman." I said letting him into my house. "Thank you, Ever." He said on the sofa in my living room and I sat on the leather chair. Usually, it was us sitting together talking about little things, like futures and plans for work. "Ever, please. Why? Why did you do that?" He asked me leaning back into the sofa. "Elfman, please. I was not cheating on you." I said adjusting my pink glasses. "Freed and I are like family. The kiss on his cheek was not meant to offend anyone, Elfman." He leaned forward to look me in the eye. "Ever, if it wasn't meant to offend anyone then why did you do it?" He seemed confused. "Elfman, you know that the Thunder God Tribe has always been really close. It is not that I love Freed, not in the way that I love you." I said softly. That was definitely one of the most nerve wreaking moments in my life. It was then that I realized how nervous I was to tell him all of these things. "Evergreen, I love you too. I always have and it hurt me to see that. Not to mention that it killed Mira to see that. Freed had just asked her to accompany him to the ball and go steady with him." He seemed even sadder after having said that.
"Okay, look. I will call and talk with Mirajane. I know how you feel about your sister and I can understand that. So I am going to do right by you. Then I am going to the store. I have things to get before the dance on Friday." I said putting on my green heels. "Thank you, Ever." He had a smile on his face and I could not help it, I had to smile to. "Well, get ready to go then. We have to get our clothing and what not before the ball." I smiled with a light laugh. As I was locking my door I called Mira, he was always right when it came to her. "Hello?" Mira had answered the phone and she didn't seem to sound so cheerful like she always was. "Mira, I wanna apologize. I didn't know that you and Freed were going steady, I would also like to tell you to go to the ball with the man. I have heard more than my fair share of how he messed up with the only girl he ever really liked on day one." I sighed and took a breath. It was then that I realized Elfman was watching me. He was always to good for me, but I never could seem to leave him forever. "You-Your serious about the only girl he ever really liked aren't you? I accept your apology and hope that you work things out with Elfman too." I could hear the smile returning to her face. "Your brother and I are fine now. We worked it all out. Call him. Kiss. Make up. We will see you at the ball on Friday." I smiled as I Elfman and I began to walk the streets of Magnolia. "Good to hear, Evergreen. I will talk with him momentarily, and I look forward to seeing you and Elfman and the ball Friday night." She seemed a lot happier. "Good bye, Evergreen." "Good Bye, Mira." We hung up and I shoved my phone in my right coat pocket. Elfman and I walked in silence till we got the end of the street where he stopped and turn to look at me. His blue eyes sparkled in the setting sun and I felt myself gasp more than heard it. "Evergreen, won't you go to dinner with me after our shopping?" His voice sounded soft, sweet and loving. "I would love to, Elfman." I said as he took my hand in his. Elfman smiled at me as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me tenderly. I kissed him back and when the kiss broke, we smiled and crossed the street to head into the main part of town to get our ball clothes.
Elfman held the door for the formal shop open like a true gentleman. "Thank you, Elfman." I said with a smile. We decided to go and look at gowns first when we ran into Wendy Marvell, Carla, and a blond girl that I had not met before. "Hello Wendy, Carla. How are yall?" I was working on not being so snooty anymore and it was always with females that I was worst with. "Hello Evergreen, Elfman." Carla said with her head held high. She and I had a lot of arguments in the past. Wendy had grown over the years. She had gotten into Fairy Tail High last year and was taking some lessons with Professor Grandeeney from Fairy Tail University. Wendy was originally about five foot two, but now she was standing at five foot five and had the one thing she was always worried about. Boobs. The Sky Sorceress smiled at me and instantly I was taken back to when she was five foot two and in middle school. "Hey there Evergreen, Elfman. It is nice to see you both again. The blond stood there looking at the gowns on the racks. "We are good Wendy, who is your friend there?" Elfman asked calmly as he gestured towards the blond. "Oh! Lucy, come here." Wendy said as she whirled around and almost smacked us with her thick, waist length, dark blue hair. The girl, Lucy's wrist was in Wendy's grip as she was led over to us. Elfman and I looked at each other, I think he was a little worried about what may happen with the girl and I. "Evergreen, Elfman. This is Lucy." Wendy said as she shoved her lightly towards us. "Hi" Lucy said rather hyperly. The small, blond ponytail on top of her head bounced as she bounced around. Elfman chuckled lightly. She was so childlike. "Hello Lucy, I am Evergreen. This is my boyfriend, Elfman. I see that Wendy has found a friend that might be able to keep up with her." I said with a smile and a wink. Lucy chuckled lightly as she tilted her head slightly to her left with a large smile on her face. Wendy giggled almost silently when I mentioned a friend to keep up with her. Carla stood there for a moment and then tilted her head slightly. "Carla? Are you alright?" Lucy asked looking a bit worried. I frowned, a worried face would only increase her chances of wrinkles. I watched Carla, trying not to stare her down. "Carla, what's the matter?" Wendy asked calmly, a bit of concern worn on her young face. I slipped my hand into Elfman's and squeezed. I was not always one to be worried about others, but I was trying to be more like others and care.
Carla passed out after a minute and a half of looking scared to death. As she laid on the cool linoleum she wiggled a lot and was sweating a lot too. The poor Exceed sat up ten minutes later in a rush. The way she wobbled and put her hand on the floor to steady her, said that she had sit up to fast. "I-I-I have to see Master." Her voice was shaky and worry seemed to be written all over her face. "Carla?" I raised an eyebrow at her. "What's wrong?" She looked down at the beige linoleum and sighed at her shaky hands. "Something is going to happen and I have got to prevent it." That was all she said. Her eyes seemed to be a little red from the amount of stress that she had just under gone. Elfman and I stared at each other for a moment and I pulled out my phone. It was the newest invention that had been made by magic users without telepathy for communication. While on your phone it would use bits of your magic power. Everyone in a magic guild has one. Even out own telepathic companion has one. I dialed Master's number and handed Carla the phone. We sat on the floor and waited while she quickly, and quietly described what happened to him. Apparently something so bad was soon to happen that she was uncomfortable sharing such information with us. I waited on my phone and to make sure she would be okay before Elfman and I went on to look at gowns. "I wonder what it is that has Carla so terrified." I thought to myself. It was no often that Carla was scared out of her mind. I was just shoving gowns aside and not really looking when Elfman's voice scared me. "Ever, maybe we should get food now and just shop tomorrow. I can tell by the way you are flipping through the clothes that the scene back there is really bothering you." He wrapped his arms around me from behind and put his chin on my right shoulder. I sighed softly "Your right. It is bothering me, but I am curious too." I was trying to think clearly when he began kissing my neck. "Elfman, come on now. I am trying to think." I chuckled as he spun me around. "I know, and that is what I am trying to prevent." I looked at him shocked through my pink frames. "Why?" I asked as he leaned in to kiss me. "Because you are so worried and I am glad that you are trying to be friendly with others so much that you are worrying yourself silly." He kissed me. His lips were different than any other man's. They were soft and comforting, yet hard and protective. I knew that everything would be okay in the end and that he was right once again. I was worrying myself silly. I giggled lightly as he began to be silly and tickle me. "Elfman, come on. We can get this done and then walk across the street for dinner, then we can take a nice long walk home and just enjoy the scenery and enjoy the company that we have tonight." I said as I picked out a green gown. He smiled at me with pure happiness as he picked out a suit that would match my green. My gown was a tub dress with a sweetheart cut, waist length, with a thigh high slit on my right leg. Elfman chose a basic black tux with a green bow tie and cumber bun. "That is going to look really good, Elfman." I said smiled at him. He grinned back at me and took my gown from my hands and together we talked up to the register to pay for our attire. "Wow, these are some pretty nice clothes." The young woman at the register smiled at us. Her light green eyes seemed to glow as the sun finally sunk behind our guild hall. "Thank you. We are attending a rather nice event at the University on Friday." Elfman said handing her the amount of jewels needed to cover our outfits. "Oh, how nice. I am sure that the two of you will look absolutely amazing. Yall have a good evening and come back and see us soon." The woman smiled as she locked the door behind us. "Hmm. She seemed a lot nicer than the clerk that had checked out my shoes and jewels the other day. He was a really butt-head." I said as we crossed the street to get some food.
"Ever, there are good people and bad people. We all know that. She was a good one and he was a bad one." He always had a way of making me smile. I laughed lightly at his statement. "Your right, love." I said as I kissed his cheek leaving behind a lip gloss mark. He took my hand and together we entered an amazing restaurant. The restaurant was themed in heavy rain forest and the food there was rather amazing. The man there sat us down in a romantic corner and took our drink order. "I have a question for you, Ever." He said as he sipped on his water. "Oh damn, he is gonna propose already? We aren't ready yet! Okay, he is I am not." The thought rushed so fast that I did not hear his question. "Say that again for me?" I asked as heat and color rushed to my cheeks. He chuckled at me. "Have you ever thought about settling down? You know, kids?" He said waving a chip around as he spoke to me. I sighed a heavy sigh of relief. Then it hit me square in the face. KIDS? "Uh-uh. We-we-well once. I uh, I never thought that I would uh, find the one that would ever be there long enough for children." I lied through my teeth, being lucky enough that we never talked about the past. I sipped on my Coke and tried to cool down. He nodded in response as the waiter came out with our meals. Elfman had ordered a medium rare steak, a baked potato with butter and bacon bits, and steamed broccoli. I on the other hand wanted nothing more than a simple hamburger with lettuce, tomato, mustard, ketchup, onions and cheese. I was one of those people who was not to worried about her figure, but was in some ways. "What about you, Elfman?" I said sipping on my drink again. "What about me what?" He said looking at me confused as he cut his steak. "Babe, kids. Children. What about you? You ever want any?" I asked curiously as I played with my straw. "Kids?" He mumbled after swallowing a bite of steak. "Yea, kids would be awesome. I only want like two or three really, but the mother always has a say too." He smiled as he chewed on another piece of steak. I nodded picking at the last little bit of my burger. It was weird to sit there at dinner with a boyfriend and talk about kids. I felt like I was reliving my past.
Elfman stood as we got ready to go and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. "Dammit." He mumbled. "A man is not a man unless he buys his girl dinner. That's a real man." I laughed sneakily and paid the waiter his tip and handed the man at the register our bill and paid. "Ever, what are you doing?" he asked when he noticed that I had snuck off. ""Paying for dinner, why?" I asked with a smile. He looked at me like I was in trouble all over again. I raised an eyebrow at him. He seemed disappointed in himself now. "Elfman, what's the matter?" I asked as I took his large tan hand in mine to leave the building. "I-I-I just was taught to treat women with love, respect, dignity and always pay for everything when you are going steady." He said holding tightly to my hand as if I might pull away and leave. "Elfman, you haven't had a job in a couple weeks and you just bought the attire for Friday. I do not think it will kill me to spend a little on dinner and tip." He got in front of me and stopped, looking me in the face. "Ever, really. I feel like a failure." My hair blew around in the wind as he said it. "Elfman, please. You're not. You are not a failure, my love." I replied pulling him into an embrace. "I love you, and I will help you with anything and everything. Okay?" The embrace tightened as I felt his head nod up and down.
I stood on my front porch step and fought to find the key that was hidden in the bottom of my purse. "Dammit." I mumbled holding a light in my free hand while I dug with the other hand. Elfman seemed to be a little tense as I dug for the key. "You okay?" I asked with concern on my face. "Do you have an alarm system for break ins?" He asked, his voice was low and quiet. Not trusting my own voice I nodded that I did not have a system. He nodded just once and tried to twist the doorknob. I was hoping so hard that it would still be locked, but my hopes let me down. The doorknob turned and with a gentle push the door opened. Elfman stepped in and looked around. To say I was afraid was a lie. I was ready to hurt someone for breaking into my house. I zipped everything back into my purse and kicked off my heels and threw them on the couch. Elfman stared at me with a hint of anger and concern. I rolled my eyes at him and walked over to the stairs towards the back of my living room. As I approached the stares I could barely see the light on in one of the rooms or maybe the hall, as I went to turn to look for Elfman I nearly screamed. As I was turning he had covered my mouth, apparently he was trying to think ahead of the game. At least one of us was, that's a plus. With my head I gestured to the light upstairs. His eyes followed the gesture of my head and looked to see what I meant. He nodded once and moved his hand from my face. I slipped up the stairs trying to be as quiet as possible. When we reached the top of the stairs all of the lights were on upstairs. "Are they trying to make my life hell right now?" I mumbled going to start turning off the lights. Elfman tapped my hand and pulled it back to us. I turned to look at him and he shook his head no. I sighed deeply. "Now, now." A voice called from the only dark room on the second floor. "We mustn't play with the switches in the house." I looked at Elfman a little worried. "Who are you and what do you want?" I asked with a fierce voice. I was not about to be made afraid of coming home in the middle of the night, come on I do it all the time. "Now my dear girl. I know you. I know you rather well." The voice seemed so sure, so understanding. I shook my head to try and clear it, the last thing I wanted was to go in that room outside of my mind. The voice laughed lightly. "You are trying to hard to avoid what you really want. Why don't you and the boy just get in here and we will discuss things like civilized people." The voice came from a paper doll hovering in front of my face. "Who are you?" I said closing my eyes. I did not want to think about the fact that I was talking to a piece of paper. "Miss Evergreen, get in here. NOW!" I shuddered at the way the voice called me Miss Evergreen. That means it has to be someone I know, or someone who knows me by way of mouth.
I took a steady step towards the room that was dark. My room. "Shit. It has to be in my room. My room of all places. God dammit all to hell and back." Floated through my mind. "Do not make me wait, Evergreen. I am not a patient person." As I got closer, taking one step at a time, I was able to tell more and more that it was a male hiding out in my room. Elfman took a step toward me and stopped. "No, no. I have decided. Only you Ever." I shuddered when he used Elfman's nickname for me. I took the steps quickly and stepped just inside the door. I was a little worried at this point, anyone in the right mind would have been. Unless your Natsu, but then there is no right mind when you are Natsu. "Evergreen, how nice of you to join me." The man spoke as the door slammed shut behind me. I jumped what seemed like three feet in the air. "Who are you and what do you want?" My voice was trembling ever so slightly. "Ha! Evergreen, my dear child you know me. You know me only by tales of horror and tales of lies." I wanted to scream, but I didn't. I was able to keep myself together. He laughed, and not just any laugh. It was a laugh of pure evil. "Now, Evergreen. It is going to be okay. I can at least promise that much. Look, you know my family. Well, my family is a bunch of two faced liars. I am here to set the record straight and get some work done on them for me." I could see the extremely white teeth in the blackness of my room. "Who is your family? Where do they live and why would they lie about their own family?" I figured that I might as well get it over with. "Evergreen, you have to understand. My father and my son, are not so loving towards me. I want you to tell me everything that comes out of their mouths. Especially when it involves me." I heard paper ripe apart in the scary darkness and silence. "Your name?" I asked trying to remain calm. In the deepest part of my heart and of my being, I felt that I knew who this man's family was. If I was right I was going to loose my life and maybe my mind trying to save their lives as well as many others. If I was wrong, well, we would see what happened then. "You can call me Master I." He spoke sure, and powerful. "Master I? Okay. Who is your family?" I asked as I rubbed my hands up and down my upper arms. "Hm. They are in Fairy Tail. Those mages! Ugh! They would not know power and truth if it bit them on the tail." Master I spoke with anger and frustration. "Master I, does this have anything to do with a blond boy all grown up in Fairy Tail?" I asked almost wishing that those words had never left my mouth.
"My, my, He did tell me that you were the smart one. Hm, or was it that book nerd. Ah, oh well. Maybe it does. What's it to you?" His voice held a lot of venom and I could tell that there was more where that came from. That I think is the only thing that did not scare me about this issue. "Master I, it is not just the book WORM, that is smart. In Fairy Tail, we are all smart." I said trying to be calm and not sound scared shitless. "Huh. I thought that Fairy Tail was a sorry excuse for a mage guild." He laughed. "Dammit! I thought to myself. This is going to get really bad really fast." It was then that thought ran through that I wished Warren were near by. At least I could warn someone then. "Hehe. You just tell me anything that is mentioned in the guild hall. Anything that is worth my knowing. I will be back in a week to take your report. Either by force or not." He laughed as the room became fully lite.
"Evergreen! Evergreen!" Elfman's voice sounded worried. "Ugh! I hate the smell of humans. There are only a few reasons that I am doing this, Macky." Professor Porlyusica grumbled. "I know, and I thank you for it." Macky replied. I blinked rather hard to clear my vision and that is when I saw an eighty some year old man about four feet tall standing on a stool by my bed, Elfman on my other side, sitting on the bed and Porlyusica mixing something near the sink in my bathroom. "Master?" I tried to say weakly. "Master, what happened to me?" Elfman helped me sit up and lean against the headboard as I spoke. "You were walking up the stairs with your fiance, Elfman when you collapsed. He called us immediately from you phone." Master Makarov spoke softly. I smiled as his mustache moved humorously as he spoke. "Don't you start talking or laughing yet. You need to heal if you are determined to go to the ball on Friday like Elfman says you are." Porlyusica said as she handed me a glass with something in it. It looked like a dog had thrown up spinach and water in a blender and pureed. Bleck! I sighed and began to down the glass. I may not like what it tasted like, but I did like that it gave me some relief from what I was hoping was a nightmare, but it wasn't looking that way. "Tell me what happened, Evergreen." Porlyusica said as she sat on the edge of my bed with a notebook and a pen. "Well, I remember someone had gotten into my house and we walked up the stairs. The lights were all on upstairs, except one room. It was weird. Then there was this paper doll thing that was talking to me. It told me to come in here. The room was dark and I could not see. Elfman was outside, I don't know why he was so worried." I stopped to take a quick breath and continue. "The door slammed shut and he began telling me that his family was a bunch of-AHHH!" I grabbed my stomach in pain. I had never felt so much pain in all of my life. "Evergreen!" Elfman said as he tried to hold me. "Stop!" Porlyusica said firmly, and viciously. "Let her get through this. What is happening is not something that anyone would wish on anyone." Tears ran quickly like speeding rivers down my cheeks as another wave of pain hit me harder than the one before and all I remember is falling into a pit of darkness.