Author's note: I realize that every time I write, I'm turning Gajeel more and more into a sexual deviant XD. Reviews are welcome as always and a possible lemon in the next chapter! Enjoy my pretties!
It was around noon when the team pulled into Onibus Station. Levy looked out train window, admiring the white stone architecture with brightly tiled roofs. Lucy had told Levy previously, that the town was known for its outrageous performing arts theatre and notorious bar that was mostly directed toward magical clientele.
The train came to its final stop, the back engine letting out billows of white smoke. The threesome gathered their belongings and departed, giving Lily a chance to spread his wings. He flew through the air, flying in circles and low dips with perfect aerial ability. Lily eventually came down to Levy and Gajeel's level, stretching out his back.
"Ah, it feels good to stretch after being cooped up in a box" said Lily. "Now, which way to the heiress' house?"
Gajeel pulled out the flyer from his pocket. "Says here that Miss Rosaline Montgomery lives on 888 Diamond St. Psh, how stereotypical can ya get?"
"So much that they are willing to pay the stereotypical amount of 180,000 jewels" said Levy. "I've already memorized the entire layout of this town, including the trails in the eastern forests. Let's drop our stuff off at the hotel first, it's on the way."
The group walked through the city of Onibus, gazing at all the people milling about. Vendors and merchants lined the streets with their flashy tents, alluring crowds with their foreign fragrances and savory meats on a stick. Levy's stomach made a low growl, not eating anything since the morning. The cinnamon rolls and coffee seem so long ago, she thought.
"Do you guys want to grab something to eat before we go? I'm getting kinda hungry…" Levy sweat-dropped as her stomach made anther blatant growl. Lily gave her a smile.
"That sounds perfect. Let's try one of those beef kabobs over there. I also want kiwi juice."
"You just had kiwi juice this morning, why do ya need more?" asked Gajeel.
"Because it tastes delicious that's why. Excuse me for having a more refined taste you do." Gajeel's eye twitched in annoyance.
"I have perfect taste! I bet my dragon senses outdo your cat ones any day!"
"Says the guy who eats only iron 24/7" countered Lily. Levy laughed at their silly argument. Lily is such a great match for him, she thought. She walked up to the meat vendor and paid for two beef kabobs. The stick included three big chunks of beef with grilled onions, mushrooms and bell peppers. She took a huge bite, relishing in the spicy flavors that filled her mouth.
"You guys have to try these, they're delicious!" Gajeel and Lily stopped their fight and looked at her.
"Those look good, I would like to have one with a kiwi juice" Lily turned toward his partner. "Gajeel, pay up."
"The hell!? I ain't paying shit cat! Buy your own dam food!" yelled Gajeel.
Lily shook his head pitifully at Gajeel. "After everything I have done for you, you won't even buy me a decent meal."
"Gajeel don't be mean" scolded Levy. "He's your best friend, start treating him like it."
"Yeah Gajeel, don't be mean" mocked Lily, smirking at his friend. Gajeel sneered at the two, eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"You win this time, but don't expect it to happen again!" He whirled around and confronted the vendor, demanding one beef kabob with a box of kiwi juice. The man quickly prepared his food, nervously handing him is meal.
"P-please come again" he yelped. Gajeel grabbed his food, throwing it at Lily. He caught it with the greatest of ease, pulling out his kabob and juice box.
"He's such a softie" Lily murmured quietly. Levy gave a tiny laugh in agreement.
"Oi, are we leaving or what!? I wanna get my 180,000 reward already" grumbled Gajeel, already heading off toward the direction of the hotel. Levy and Lily followed him swiftly, enjoying the last of their lunch, while Gajeel munched on some nuts and bolts that he brought with him.
After walking for a few blocks, they finally reached the hotel: it reached five stories with a bright coral roof and window shutters. Levy made her way through the glass doors with Gajeel and Levy behind her. She walked up to the female receptionist: a fairly young woman with brown hair slicked back into a bun. Her white name tag in black letters read Holly.
"Hello can I help you?" she asked.
"Yes I have a room booked for three. It should be under the name Levy McGarden or Gajeel Redfox." Holly typed furiously onto her computer, her nails click-clacking against the keyboard.
"So for Levy McGarden, I have you for three days and two nights in two rooms: one suite and one single. Here are your hotel keys." She grabbed two key cards from the drawer behind her and handed them to Levy. "Both rooms are located on the fourth floor, each with a perfect view of the town. Your luggage that you imported earlier should arrive no later than five o'clock this afternoon. If you need anything, just let us know."
"Thank you very much" said Levy. When she turned to leave, Holly made a startled noise.
"Excuse me, miss! I forgot to mention, your friend Mirajane Strauss called. She just wanted to remind you that Pantherlily needs to sleep in his own room due to his claustrophobia." Holly peered down at the exceed. "Sounds intense! You must be a special little guy to get a room all to yourself!" she said. Levy heard Gajeel trying to smother his laughter behind her.
"Oh I see. Well um, thank you!" said Levy. She quickly walked away toward the elevators, pushing the up button frantically. Gajeel sided up next to her, watching her panic.
"I know why you're worried, but it's all good. Lily's fear is all under control as long as he doesn't sleep with anyone else in the room. Something about people's breath being too loud. Right, Lily?" Gajeel gave him an obvious look. Lily raised a questioning eyebrow at this as they entered the elevator.
"Uh, yeah…I get hives" said Lily. Levy gave a snort.
"You and I are not sharing a room together Gajeel, you are way too unpredictable" she said.
"Aw come on Shrimp, I ain't that bad. Besides, if anyone here is unpredictable, it's you." Levy gaped at his smug face. Before she could get a word out, he raised a hand to silence her. "I'm not the one who randomly attacked an innocent bystander this morning."
Levy stuttered at his excuse. "Innocent? Far from it! You thrive on creating drama, I merely reacted to it! If you weren't my friend, I wouldn't have gone easy on you." Gajeel barked out a laugh as they exited the elevator and walked down the hallway to their rooms.
"You're funny Shrimp, thinking you're all tough. It's getting me kinda excited" he said, stroking her arm with his tantalizing fingers. Levy shuddered in pleasure at his touch, goose bumps spreading across her body.
"S-stop that!" she said, swatting his hand away. Lily looked at both of them as if he were watching a tennis match. He cleared his throat awkwardly at the sexual tension.
"I'm going to my room now. I'll meet you guys downstairs in the lobby" he said, swiping the key card from Levy's hand. He spread his wings once more and flew down the hall out of the couple's sight.
"Wait Lily, we haven't completely decided on room situations…"Levy trailed off as she let out an exasperated sigh. She pointed a finger at Gajeel suspiciously.
"This does not mean you're off the hook" she said. Gajeel grinned in amusement.
They arrived at room 425 as Levy swiped the key card, generatingthe door to open by itself. The room included a king-sized bed, a blue-tiled kitchen, a white couch and a doorway that led to the bathroom. Gajeel dumped himself on the couch as he watched Levy put her duffel onto the bed, rifling through her its contents. She pulled out her smaller, red purse and a couple of maps of the surrounding forests and trails. Levy put all her necessary materials in her bag, glad that she came so prepared.
"Ready to go, Gajeel?" she asked. He cracked his knuckles in anticipation. Despite his earlier actions, he knew that a job was still a job. Plus, there was always the chance of beating some assholes to a pulp. Gajeel grinned evilly at the thought, his dragon instincts kicking in.
"Ready whenever you are" Levy gave him a curt nod. They made their way downstairs as Levy pulled out the city map to confirm their destination.
"It's only a 20 minute walk from here to the heiress' house. Look, there's Lily, let's go" The black exceed joined them, this time walking on two legs instead of using his wings.
The group wandered through the town, occasionally making small talk. Once they made a right turn onto Diamond Street, the whole layout of the neighborhood seemed to change dramatically. The marble houses were bigger, with huge glass windows with half round balconies. The gates that surrounded them protected the radiant gardens and fanciful water fountains. They came to the heiress's house, a mansion made of tawny colored stone with a navy blue tiled roof with a yellow trim. Levy walked up to the gate and rang the buzzer.
"Hi we're mages from Fairy Tail; we got a request from Miss Montgomery." The buzzer rang back, opening the gates for them. The troupe walked in, gazing at the garden that lay before them. Magenta lilacs, blue tulips and golden roses stood out like iridescent jewels against the lush greenery. They approached the white double doors, with door handles shaped like peacocks. Before Levy could raise her hand to knock, the door opened to reveal an old man wearing a butler's uniform.
"Good day mages of Fairy Tail, my name is Archer; I am the head butler of the Montgomery Manor. And your names?"
"I'm Levy McGarden, and this is Gajeel Redfox and Pantherlily" spoke Levy, gesturing toward her teammates.
Archer blinked his eyes slowly, talking in a monotonous tone. "Smashing. And your guild marks...?" They each showed them their signature Fairy Tail trademarks. Archer gave a long sigh.
"Miss Montgomery will meet you in the parlor. Follow me, please."
After letting everyone in, Archerlead the way through a magnificent foyer, revealing a spiraling grand staircase. He led them past the stairs and down a hall that was filled with self-portraits of the Montgomery family. The family resemblance was striking, as everyone had blonde hair and blue eyes. Levy spotted a painting that read Rosaline Montgomery in cursive lettering near the bottom. She couldn't help but gaze at her striking beauty: long golden locks, cobalt blue eyes, porcelain skin and ski-slop nose that screamed royalty.
"Wow, she's beautiful" commented Levy. Gajeel whistled in agreement.
"It is a stunning picture of Miss Rosaline indeed" said Archer. He came to an abrupt stop at a door decorated with golden vines, knocking three times before entering.
"Miss Montgomery, I would like to announce the arrival of the Fairy Tail wizards: Ms. McGarden, Mr. Redfox and Mr. Pantherlily." Instead of meeting the regal beauty that Levy saw in the portrait, she was faced with an old woman covered in wrinkles and gaudy jewelry. Her clothes were similar to that of a flowered couch, with a matching hair net and loafers. She sat on a queenly couch with a cup of tea placed in front of her. She peered her beady eyes at them, gripping her jeweled encrusted cane.
"Let's see, it seems they have sent a child, an oaf, and a cat. I must say Archer, are we really that desperate?" Levy felt a twinge of irritation. Did she just call me a child?
"Madame, they were the only ones willing to take the job" droned Archer. Miss Montgomery stomped her cane in frustration.
"Oh very well, it seems my reputation precedes me. Back to business" she faced the trio and gave them a stern look.
"The jewelry collection you are looking for was a gift given to me by my dear sister, now passed. It's in a magical jewelry box that always sits on my dresser. No matter what you do, it will never open without this key" She pulled out a hidden key that hung from her neck.
"Now I know what you are thinking that technically I have been robbed, but that is impossible. I have magical sensors all around the house, including the doors and windows. If anyone was to come in, Archer or I would have been alerted immediately."
"So where were you when the box went missing, Archer?" asked Lily, folding his arms.
"I was on vacation over in Hargeon Town for the weekend" said Archer, his eyes unblinking.
"Right" said Gajeel. "Did ya talk to the rest of your staff?"
"Archer is the only one that lives here besides me. I can assure you that even if he was present, he would never steal from me!" said Miss Montgomery.
"We didn't mean to offend" assured Levy. "We just need a little more information. Do you know anyone who would want to steal from you?" Miss Montgomery let out a cackle.
"Oh my dear if you're asking for enemies, the list is endless. However, they would rather destroy my image and reputation than my personal items."
"I see" said Levy. "We would like to inspect you room, if you don't mind." The old woman nodded her head.
"If it will help you, please do so. Archer, escort these mages to my room…and keep an eye on the big one" she added quietly. Gajeel's nostrils flared in anger.
The group walked out of the parlor and up the staircase, coming to a pair of double doors. Archer pushed one open, letting the trio in. There was a grand canopy bed to the right, a walk in closet across from it, and a vanity with a matching dresser. Levy walked over to the vanity which was filled with drawers of valuable necklaces and bracelets.
"Doesn't it seem odd that a robber only stole the box and not everything else here?" she asked.
"It is strange" agreed Lily. "That must mean that there must be something worth more in that box than her treasures. The thief must know her on a personal level."
"Whoever stole it probably didn't realize that it was a magical box. If he's smart, he'll probably come back" said Gajeel. He gave one long whiff of the room, taking in the heiress's scent.
"Let's go, I know where to start." The team followed Gajeel out of the mansion. Levy turned toward Archer and waved.
"We'll see what we can find today and meet up tomorrow! Thanks again!" Archer nodded his head goodbye, closing the gates behind them. Levy caught up to her friends in time to hear part of their conversation.
"…have to play the waiting game for now. It 's the only chance we have of catching this guy" said Gajeel. Levy gave him a confused look.
"I thought you said you had a lead." she asked. Gajeel looked back at her.
"Whoever stole this is a mage, how else would he get into the house without triggering the alarms? He's probably already figured out by now that he needs a key. So for now, we wait till he comes back. I pick up his scent, track the sorry bastard down and get our 180,000 reward. Piece of cake."
"You make it sound so easy. What if he doesn't show up? Or what if he plans on harming Miss Montgomery?" asked Levy.
"Trust me, he'll show up. As for the old hag, worst case scenario she ends up with a broken nail. Murders are messy and take a lot more time than ya think." said Gajeel.
"But what about Archer?" asked Levy. "We're just going to write him off our suspect list despite his absence?"
"He wouldn't have let it gotten as far as a job request if he did" spoke up Lily. "I'm going to ask around town about any recent robberies, see if I can get any information. You two should head back to the hotel, just in case something happens to Miss Montgomery." Lily gave them a nod of confirmation and flew away.
"I guess we have no choice but to head back" said Levy. As they walked back toward the direction of their hotel, Gajeel placed an arm on Levy's shoulder.
"Let's stop here real quick, I need to pick up a few things" he said as he gestured toward an open mini mart. She followed after him, spotting an issue of the weekly Sorcerer Magazine. Mirajane just so happened to be on the front page, posed in a green and white bikini. Levy gazed at the picture wishing she could be confident enough to model for a magazine cover. She put the magazine back and spotted a flash of familiar blonde hair in the corner of her eye. Levy turned her head to get a better look at the figure in front of the store. Is that…
"Oi, let's go, I got everything we needed" interrupted Gajeel, holding a couple of plastic bags. Levy looked at him and back to the front of the store. Whoever was standing there previously had vanished. It's just my imagination, she thought.
"Aye" said Levy, as they walked out. Her mind was lost in her own thoughts as they arrived back to the hotel. She didn't even notice that they had already made it to their room. Once inside, Levy noticed the items that Gajeel had bought earlier. He pulled out a couple of cracker snacks, two liters of water, fruit punch and one bottle of Vixen's Vodka. Levy gave a dubious look at his purchases.
"What's with the alcohol?" she asked. Gajeel gave her a mischievous look at her reaction.
"If we're just going to sit here all day we might as well have some fun" he said. He pulled out a couple of glasses from one of the kitchen cabinets and began to mix the punch and vodka. Levy looked at him in disapproval as he poured it into two glasses.
"Gajeel, we can't drink on the job. What if something bad happens?" she asked. Gajeel took a sip, testing it to make sure he put in just enough alcohol.
"You worry too much Shrimp. Here, have a drink" He handed her a glass, taking a huge gulp from his own. Despite her own conscience, Levy gave a hesitant sip, drinking till her glass was half-way full. One little drink can't hurt, she thought. Just don't go overboard…