Secrets, part 5
Friendly conversation and mild banter went on for some time between the fairies and their hosts. Eventually, Yona needed to rest as her fever took hold. It was time to see just what the virus could do. Lucy took a deep breath and knocked on Kavi's door. "Come in", said Blythe. He sounded exhausted, but that much could be expected. The group stepped in quietly as not to disturb the fallen. Little did they know, it didn't matter how much noise they made. Blythe forced a smile for his friends, but his eyes seemed almost hollow. "I'm glad you could make it", he offered. Lucy and Wendy hugged him warmly, trying to help him feel a little better. Natsu stood at the foo of the bed and eyed his comrade. Kavi was unconscious. "Just like Sting", he thought. Rani hugged Happy and Wendy while Ronen nodded in greeting.
"How's Yona?", asked Blythe, turning his eyes back over his lover. "You heard?", inquired Lucy carefully. Blythe sighed and nodded. He didn't look so good, either. "She'll be all right. It's Yona", assured Natsu with a broad grin. Blythe smiled faintly for the first time in days. "Puck said she'd only experience bad flu symptoms. Something about sealing her magic before it took hold", ventured Lucy. "That's good...", trailed Blythe. he was clearly distraught over Kavi. "You don't look like you've been sleeping, niisan", said Wendy with concern. While touched at his earned title, he was also sad that his face showed so much of his exhaustion. "A few hours here and there", he said. A heavy quiet fell over the room as everyone wondered about Kavi's health.
Eventually, Lucy set a hand on Blythe's shoulder and asked for them all, "How is he?". She could feel Blythe tremble at the question. He put on a brave face, but he was obviously not handling things well. "He hasn't woken up in three days", he stated sullenly. Natsu's posture stiffened as he listened. He also noted how faded the ark on Kavi's forehead was, a bad sign. "Kavi-kun's always been fragile, but I've never seen him this bad...Jasper said he did once...He almost died back then...", said Blythe, his voice starting to crack. "He...almost died the other day, too", he uttered, tears pouring forth. He covered his mouth with hands and turned his face downward, trying not to concern the others. It didn't work. Even the usually detached Charle felt bad for him. Wendy embraced him and held on while he let it out. He'd been trying to be strong, but he couldn't hold it in anymore. Ronen shied his gaze and said nothing, but he was glad Blythe finally had an outlet. Rani, ever empathetic, cried with him.
Natsu walked to the far side of the bed and stared into Kavi's sweat-licked face. "Look what you're doing. You have to wake up", he said grimly. "Natsu", chided Lucy. She sent him a look that begged for him not make things worse. Natsu leaned close to Kavi's ear and whispered something only Wendy could pick up on with her sharpened senses. She started to fight her own tears in response. "Niisan, please let me help. Tell Puck to unseal my magic!", she pleaded. Sliding free from her arms, Blythe looked at her with mixed emotions. Part of him thought it sweet of her to offer, but another part was horrified at what could happen to her without the seal. "I won't", he stated firmly. With a softer tone, he said, "I can't loose both of you. Your magic will be like candy to this virus. I won't let you risk it." Charle grinned faintly to herself, glad he was being sensible.
"Isn't there anything we can do to help?", asked Lucy. Blythe wiped his face and shook his head. He apologized for his actions even though no one thought anything of them. Calming down, he took a deep breath. "I guess you got my letter", he ventured, trying to lighten the mood. "We were happy to hear the news", said Lucy. Blythe grinned lightly as he studied Kavi's face. "What did Jeel-kun say?" The fairies glanced among themselves. "He was out on a job when we got it. We left it at the guild for him", supplied Natsu. "The master put us all on lock-down that same day", he added. "Quarantine", nodded Blythe. "You've heard about the other guilds then?", inquired Lucy. Blythe sighed deeply, wondering if they knew about their own. "Yes...How long have you guys been gone?", he asked carefully. Lucy didn't like the dark undertone. She glanced at a letter that sat beside the blood mage on the night stand. "The virus hit Fairy Tail, didn't it?", she said grimly. All eyes settled on her in shock. It seemed no one really thought about that.
Natsu reached over Kavi and snatched the letter before Lucy could get her hands on it. The girls watched him anxiously as he read. Clenching the note in his fist, he wished he could burn it and the words it held, but his magic wouldn't respond thanks to Puck's seal. "Well?!", demanded Lucy. Wendy clutched Charle to her chest with worry. How bad was it? Natsu took a deep breath and held it in. Finally, he sighed. "Laxus, Erza, and Mira are all sick", he stated. "Oh no!", uttered Wendy. Lucy pressed her hands together, praying everyone would be all right. "There's more", said Natsu. Meeting Lucy's eyes, he said, "They got wind of Guildarts having it, too." Happy stared in panic. "Where is he?", asked the exceed. "It doesn't say, but he's not going anywhere for a while", said Natsu, both annoyed and depressed.
"I'm sorry", said Blythe sullenly. Lucy turned to his fallen face. Even with all of his own troubles, he was still able to feel the pain of others. "That explains why no one's followed us yet", ventured Charle. "I wish I could help", said Blythe sadly. "Your magic didn't work?", asked Natsu bluntly. Blythe shook his head. "Puck said it wasn't meant to...I tried once, but it just caused Kavi-kun more pain...I can only heal wounds...I feel so useless!" Wendy could barely stand seeing him this way. She wanted to help so badly. She doubted she could completely remove the virus, but at least she could ease the fever. If only she could use her magic!
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In another part of the sanctum, Veda studied her egg with interest. "There's something special about this one. I just know it", she said. Puck could sense it, too, but he really didn't want to see her get her hopes up only to be crushed. He watched his wife carefully. He could no longer sense any trace of the strange blue potion in her body. Gently grasping her shoulders, he sighed. She already knew what he was going to say, but she didn't care. She really wanted to be right this time. "Please", she prayed.
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Above ground, in the main guild, Van was getting bored. He didn't see the point in being quarantined. It hadn't done anyone else any good. Besides, he missed Yona and was worried she might have caught that damn virus, too. It wasn't long before Acheron confirmed his fears. "Damn it!", snapped Van. Acheron said nothing. After all, he was only the messenger. Yung-Li thanked him for his time and sent him on his way. "Try not to worry too much. You know better than the rest of us how stubborn that girl is. There's no way she'll give in to something like germs", he said, trying to make his friend feel better. In an attempt to draw out a smile, Koko created an illusion of a tiny Yona karate kicking giant germs. It worked well enough. Van smirked to himself. They were right; Yona would definitely beat this thing.
"Isn't there some kind of medicine we can get? There has to be something we can do besides sit around and wait", said Van. "You know what Master Veda said", chided Yung-Li, knowing he was being promptly ignored. Koko pointed to the doors and crossed her arms in an 'x'. "I know!", sighed Van. Glancing around, eh noticed a few less faces in the hall. Nearby Acheron was chewing out Grem for not stopping Hantu's escape. Van grinned. "See? We let a group of people in and we already have one out. What's the harm in someone going to look for her?", he asked innocently. Acheron sent him a glare like flying daggers. He was trying to maintain some level of control, but he was no mach for Kavi. Ahiru sighed, "Can you stop being so angry, please? It's giving me a headache." Acheron apologized. Ahiru and Teresa shared a common problem. Neither of them could 'turn off' their powers. So, as an empath, Ahiru felt everyone's emotions, only amplified, all of the time. She was struggling between Van's worry and annoyance and Acheron's anger at his missing cousin.
Speaking of the seeress, she sat silently across the hall, boredly listening to Dalia ramble about the coven. How did she get stuck baby sitting anyway? That only added to Ahiru getting overloaded. Finally, the empath stated she was going to lie down and headed upstairs, away from the raging emotional storm or the guild hall. She paused halfway up the stairs. Darting a look toward Teresa, she confirmed her suspicions. "Did you feel that?", inquired Teresa. "Yes, but who is it?", replied Ahiru. "Either of you two going to let the rest of us in on it?", asked Van flatly. "Someone very powerful is approaching the city", stated Teresa. "A friend?", ventured Yung-Li. "I'm not sure. I've never felt this presence before...I can't see their fate threads, either", said the seeress. All eyes turned to Ahiru. She was holding onto the railing, trying to steady herself. Rushing to her aid, Grem asked if she was all right. "This person...whoever it is...I've never felt so much sadness", she said, clutching her chest. "Come on. You need to rest", said the chaos mage, assisting his love to her room.
"See? You can't tell me that we can just ignore that! It could be Zeref for all we know!", argued Van, dying to get some fresh air. Teresa called his name almost angrily. "What?!" She concentrated deeply as she sorted out the possible paths of the future. "You can't go. You must stay here", she stated. "She's always right, Van", said Yung-Li. Acheron nodded in agreement. "I can always enhance my luck while I'm out. I'll be fine", sighed Van. "I'm uncertain that will be enough this time", stated Teresa. Dalia seemed to smirk. She had such a dark sense of humor. The thought of one of her new guild mates falling to ill luck amused her, especially one as annoying as Van. "I say we let him go. It's not like you can stop him. Just like the blonde, he'll sneak out in time", said the sassy child. Acheron looked at her skeptically. "You saw Hantu leave?", he inquired. Dalia sat with a smug grin. "What if I did? It's not she would have listened to me even I told her not to go", she replied. Everyone wondered why Puck ever brought the kid home. She was always a pest. It seemed only he and Teresa knew the reason. After all, the seeress almost seemed to guard the girl in his absence.
"Fine. Go, but please be careful", said Acheron. "Yes!", said Van with a fist pump of victory. "You can't be serious", argued Yung-Li, "You heard what Teresa said." Van's victory jig was cut short by his wiser team mate. "So what happens if I leave the guild, then? Go ahead. Tell me", he said. Teresa shook her head. "You know I can't give you exact details. Doing so could only make you change your fate to something worse trying to avoid it", she replied. "You mean you don't know. Your spidey senses tell you something bad will befall me, but you don't really know, do you?", said Van, somewhat cocky. Dalia grinned as she listened to the older mages argue. Eventually, Acheron's decision stuck and Van headed out. He needed to get his mind off Yona, find Hantu, and see if he could something about this powerhouse that headed straight toward them. Who knew? Maybe enhancing his luck would be just enough to thwart fate's plans.
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To be continued...