Secrets, part 46
Time passed and seemed like the nightmare of Noctis and dark church was just another nightmare. Kavi had patiently waited for three weeks and now he smiled sincerely as a pair of amber eyes fluttered open. Blythe yawned deeply. "Kavi-kun?", he murmured sleepily. He came to a firm wakefulness at the strength of the ensuing embrace. "Welcome back", whispered Kavi, his voice near breaking. A flourish of sweet, soft kisses washed over the blood mage's face. He shyly chuckled at the unusual amount of affection. "You're acting like you haven't seen me in days", he uttered, confused. It slowly dawned on him that someone else was close by. he blushed brightly as he glanced at his lover. Kavi never acted this way in front of others before.
Settling his eyes over Dubhan, Blythe slowly came to terms with reality. "It wasn't a dream, was it?", he said in a dismal tone. "You almost died. You've been out for three weeks now", stated Dubhan, avoiding eye contact. "We're home now", assured Kavi, squeezing his love's hand. Blythe sent Kavi a sad look and whispered, "Use your magic." Kavi nodded and adjusted the ambient sound waves to block their speech from Dubhan's prying ears.
"I'm really sorry", said Blythe, staring downward, near tears. "Don't ever sacrifice yourself again", said Kavi firmly, dragging him into atight hug. "He's watching", said Blythe shyly. "I don't care", replied Kavi calmly. As they pulled apart, Blythe saw something new in his lover's eyes. He wasn't afraid anymore. As if reading his thoughts, Kavi grinned faintly. "I don't care what anyone else thinks...The only thing I'm truly afraid of is losing you." Blythe swore his heart skipped a beat. He'd seen this side of Kavi in private, but he smiled serenely, glad to know the rest of world would get to know it, too. He then glanced at his annoyed brother's expression. "I can explain", he began. Kavi listened keenly, eager to hear about the broken deal. Dubhan watched at their seemingly silent conversation as Blythe explained frantically. Finally, the magic dissipated.
Kavi looked firmly at Dubhan. "I suppose we're stuck with you, then", he sighed. The shadow mage smirked. "For now", he taunted, confident Blythe had confirmed his story. His smug expression faltered as his brother smiled at him brightly. "What?", asked Dubhan stiffly. "You should really be yourself if you expect to make friends here", said Blythe. Kavi looked between them in confusion. Dubhan immediately turned bright red. Flustered, he yelled, "Shut up!". Kavi leaned toward Blythe. "Did I miss something?", he whispered. Dubhan eyes glared like daggers, daring his brother to explain.
Weeks ago, at the underground compound, Blythe was exhausted. He'd finally been left to rest from his torment. He glowered at the sound of a sliding lock. A single person slipped in and promptly sealed the room from the inside. Once they approached and lowered their hood, he realized he'd seen that face before. "Maria?" She nodded and shushed him. "The guards don't know I'm here...Neither does Dubhan...", she trailed. "What do you want?", he asked stiffly. She sighed at his distrust. "You two need to talk. This can't go on like this forever", she pleaded. "I don't think he wants to talk", said Blythe sullenly. "He's going to", said Maria resolutely.
Shackles were unlocked and he fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Maria helped him to sit upright. "I know you can't walk...This is for emergencies, but - ...", she said, holding up an unusual pendant. "It'll take us to him. Take a deep breath", she stated. Blythe's eyes went wide as the glass shattered between her fingers and everything went black. When his eyes adjusted to the low light of their new location, he slowly looked around the room. "Where are we?", he uttered. Blankets shifted nearby. A pale arm fell out. "Maria? Not now. I'm tired", grumbled a familiar voice. "Dubhan, please wake up. It's important...I've brought Blythe." The air rose in tension to near physically being there. "What?", said Dubhan stiffly and clearly annoyed. "Please! If you show him the real you, then maybe he'll understand!", she plead.
Blythe watched in disbelief as the blankets were cast aside. Lacrima lit up around the room. Huge plush animals decorated one wall, though most had been mangled. A vanity with several brushes and such stood off to one side. The figure that emerged from the bed was not what Blythe expected. Dubhan grinned at him, half amused and half angry. "So now you know", he said, sweeping his arms wide dramatically. His clothing ruffled as he moved down the steps. "Maria, we will discuss this later", he said, passing her with an eerie calm. Blythe looked over the man before him. Black velvet and silk, white frills and lace. It was definitely a dress.
"You...like loli?", ventured Blythe, unsure if he was awake or dreaming in delirium. Dubhan smirked. "There's a lot you don't know about me. Care to find out?", he grinned. he leaned close to stare his twin in the eyes. Dark tendrils crept out from him and reached toward Blythe, taking away his senses. Visions blurred his mind. He could see Dubhan, but younger. When it was over, both Sandrunner twins sat back on the floor gasping for air. "Damn thing always works both ways", sneered Dubhan. "You shared your memories?", asked Maria with hope. "Don't get excited about it", retorted Dubhan curtly. He looked at his brother's face. The eyes staring at him were not those of hate. "You should be yourself. You'll make more friends that way", beamed Blythe. Fighting off an eye twitch, Dubhan got to his feet. "As should you. Hate can be a powerful motivator. I've seen what you hinted at before...Why? Why don't you hate him?!", shouted the shadow mage.
His voice echoed through the room. Blythe's smile faded. "I probably should, but he's still our father...", he trailed. "I don't hate you, either, you know", he ventured. Dubhan stared back with mixed emotions. "I'd normally say you know nothing about me, but that point it now mute...Maria, take him back to his cell before the master realizes he's gone", he ordered. "No", she replied defiantly. He stared at her in shock. "Disobeying me?", he squinted. She shrank a step back before steeling her nerves. "Let him help you", she said softly. Despite himself, Dubhan ended up doing just that. He spoke with Blythe at length before returning him to his prison. A deal had been struck. In return for saving him from the flames, Blythe would ensure Dubhan got a fresh start in the real world, even if meant defending him against his own guild.
Back at present, Kavi gaped in awe at the descriptions of what he'd heard. Then Maria's words came back to him. "If you ever see his room, you'll understand." He sighed heavily. "I'll see what I can do", he ceded. Blythe hugged him in thanks. It would be a long road, but hopefully worth it.
Two months later, team one stood outside of a new building across from the guild. "Here it is", said Blythe happily. "You'll do a lot of good here", ventured Jasper. Yona yanked down a cloth covering the sign. It read, "Sandrunner Medical Center". "Isn't it exciting?", beamed Blythe, hugging his brother. Dubhan glared, but he still looked happy. "You can research and invent properly in the east wing while Blythe runs a clinic in the west", stated Kavi. "As long as it's for good causes", added Ronen. "Yeah, if you start going all crazed and evil again, I'm shutting you down...permanently", stated Yona. Rani chuckled to lighten the mood. She was looking forward a fresh start for everyone. Blythe took a deep breath and turned to face the crowd behind them. "We're open for business!", he called. Cheers roared through the street. Their first day was very busy, but everyone wanted a chance to see the miracle doctor. They'd heard of his success with Jasper and if he could replace an entire missing limb, there was surely nothing he couldn't heal.
Once they shut down for the day, twilight was settling over Primrose. Team one was once more outside of the building. Blythe stood at the front door, encouraging his brother to come out. "You promised!", he beamed. "No", argued Dubhan. "But you look adorable", said Blythe. "Go to hell!", emanated from the building. Yona kept her laughter in check from Kavi's firm gaze. She'd been warned not to laugh at any cost. "Just be yourself. This is you, so come out and greet the world", grinned Blythe. Jasper sighed as minutes of argument ticked by. Finally, Blythe stepped aside and the door creaked open. A body shyly stepped out into the setting sun. Everyone gaped at the sight of Dubhan in a girl's school uniform. He blushed deeply, but smiled wide. "W-well?...Laugh and I'll kill you!"
"It's not that bad, actually", said Ronen. "It's adorable", beamed Rani. "Damn it, he's prettier than me!", whined Yona. Blythe chuckled at his team mate. "It's just a little rouge", he stated. Dubhan shyly looked to Kavi for approval, tugging his skirt down. After a long pause, Kavi grinned faintly. "It suits you", he said. "Come on. It's time to go or we'll miss the party", ventured Jasper. Blythe happily took his brother's hand and led the way home. The guild was fully decked out. Cheers rang out as the mages made their entrance. Kavi shyly glanced around. "She overdid it...", he trailed. "Did you expect anything less from mom?", grinned Jasper.
Kavi and Blythe had agreed on a private ceremony despite Veda's urgings. So, as a compromise, they let her hold a huge party for their marriage. Every major guild was invited. Team Natsu eagerly waved down their friends. Gajeel sent Dubhan an odd look, but smirked and shook his head, saying nothing on his attire. Pax was living it up, popping champagne bottles and laughing loudly. Eadmund calmly smiled to himself as he hung back from the main festivities. Nefeli perched on his shoulder to calm nerves.
Nearby, several celestial spirits were getting in on the fun. Yona was surprised to see Van show up with his old look. "What happened to you?", she laughed. "Loke showed me a few tricks. Turns out I can manipulate my appearance", he explained. "Too bad you still have that face", she snorted. He smirked at her barb. "You know you want me", he teased. "Get a room", taunted Draco, sitting on the table beside them. "Love to", grinned Van, offering his hand. "Drop dead!", spat Yona. She immediately froze at her choice of words. The banter had turned sour. "I already did that...", trailed Van darkly. He quickly flashed his trademark smile. "Should I do it again?", he asked. Yona was flustered. She didn't mean to say that or bring up his sacrifice at all, but he just played it off, easing her guilt. Still, did he always smile like that? It was almost charming. Shaking her head, she cleared her thoughts. "I'll dance with you, but that's all you get", she smirked.
At a short distance, Jasper was keeping close to his brothers. He watched Yona and Van go to the dance floor with a faint sigh. "Jealous?", inquired Pax, surprising him. "N-no", he said abruptly. Pax giggled. "Liar. Come on", she said dragging him to the dance floor. His tension eased a little as he gave in to the festivities. He was still amazed to have his arm back, but that didn't mean he could get Yona back just as easily. He tried not to think about it. After all, it would be a long trip to Nocte Regni and he didn't want that tension hanging over him the entire way. He set his focus toward his kin, watching the sheer joy on Kavi's face and the light in Blythe's eyes. They would be happy together and that comforted him.
Several more days passed, the party consuming the guild for most of them. Finally, things settled down. Kavi was inspecting something in the sanctum. Eadmund had put his stone magic to use and crafted a massive statue of Puck out of one of the stone pillars. It was breathtakingly accurate. Veda held Durga up to see while the others conversed nearby. "Nice work", said Yona. "Eadmund's pretty good at sculpting", agreed Pax. The succubus dropped the joyful demeanor as her attention shifted to Jasper. he was walking toward them. "About ready?", she asked. Jasper sighed deeply. he really didn't want to leave home, but a promise was a promise. "We'll set out tomorrow morning", he replied somewhat distantly. "Are you sure you want to come? We don't many humans down under", asked Pax. "I'm sure", nodded Yona. Pax tauntingly leaned toward her. "Are you just babysitting so I won't play with Jasper?", she teased. Yona calmly shoved her away. "What you two do isn't my business...Just don't do it in front of me", she said. Pax chuckled while Yona sighed to herself.
The thought of Jasper with Pax didn't seem to bother her like it used to. Jasper had no obvious inclination toward the succubus, but Yona felt it would happen eventually. She kept thinking to herself why it didn't bother her. Then she always ended up seeing someone else's smile when she closed her eyes and that was the thing that really annoyed her. That casual grin, that stupid mustache, that adorable sparkle...No! She shook her head. "I'm gonna check on the twins", she said, excusing herself. Pax shrugged, not really caring as long as she got to hang on her prince's arm.
Preparations went on for hours that night. When everyone finally turned in, Yona turned her eyes to the exceeds. Rani hadn't said much all much and she was sure she knew why. It was time to set her free.
The next morning, team one was leaving the sanctum. Veda hugged her son and smiled softly as he held his baby sister. Kavi and Blythe watched with soft smiles, knowing Jasper had to do this, but not wanting him to go. "At least Yona and Van will keep him safe", thought Kavi. True enough, the spirit carried a bag of supplies on his back, looking as human as ever with an odd pendant. He briefly explained that it allowed him to borrow Draco's power to stay in the physical world near indefinitely. Honestly, he was just happy to be by Yona's side.
Rani was tearfully hugging the guys goodbye. She sadly caught up to Yona and the others as they waved. Yona stopped in her tracks. "Rani?", she ventured. The exceed looked up with moist eyes. "I almost forgot something important", laughed the dragon slayer. She knelt in front her life long companion and pat her head. "I should have asked sooner, but I have a favor to ask", she grinned. Pointing at Kavi and Blythe, she said, "Do you mind keeping an eye on those two for me? I don't trust the cross-dresser and someone has to be my eyes here at home." Tears streamed down the cat's face. Ronen smiled softly to himself. He knew Rani wanted to stay, but couldn't bring herself to ask. They'd been with Yona their while lives. There was no choosing sides from that.
Van grinned at the exceed as it all sunk in. "S-stay?", Rani uttered in disbelief. "Sure. You're the only one I can trust with this", stated Yona. "A grave responsibility", offered Eadmund. Rani looked around. Everyone was smiling at her and she was crying like a baby. "Yona!", she yelled, launching herself into the ultimate hug. "Don't make a scene. I'll be back", said Yona, fighting her own tears. "Will you do it? Stay for me?", she asked, putting on a brave act. The exceed nodded and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you", she whispered. She hugged her brother goodbye and watched as her friends left. Van was proudly grinning toward Yona. He always said she was amazing. She made the sacrifice for her friend's happiness.
Once the group was out of sight, Kavi knelt down beside Rani. "Are you sure about this?", he inquired with concern. The exceed wiped her face and smiled brightly despite her tears. "It's a mission from Yona. I won't fail", she said, smiling. Blythe grinned and lifted her to his chest. "To be honest, I could use the help watching Dubhan", he ceded. Rani nodded. "Nurse Rani is on the job! I won't abandon the clinic", she said resolutely. Thus, she was set free to stay with her friends without guilt. Jasper's group headed for his long lost home and Kavi still pondered Gita's words as well as Puck's. He'd never gotten a chance to talk to Pax about it. The timing never seemed right. Even so, he watched heavy hearted as his brother walked away. There was no telling how long they would be gone. He simply prayed for his safety and success.
Blythe warmly gripped his hand, bringing him back to reality. "Come on, there will be a line if we wait to open much longer", he grinned. He knew Kavi was hurting, so offered a distraction. Kavi nodded with a soft grin. "All right...What would your filing system look like without me?", he wondered aloud. "Dismal", chuckled Rani. Blythe sighed. They were right. he may literally have the magic touch, but paper work was definitely Kavi's forte, not his. Still, the clinic gave hope to the guild and town and more importantly, gave purpose to those who ran it. It would serve to keep them occupied while their friends were away. Maybe one day, they, too, would see Jasper's homeland, but for now, they had one another and that was good enough. And as for Wink, Tomas, and Maria? Well, that's a tale for another time.
The End