Here's the next chapter, guys! I would like to thank lordsoftheRoses for writing half of this chapter. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!
April 9, X791
In a forest cave, Jellal, Ultear, Meredy, Foster and Morticia were all having breakfast. However, there seemed to be an awkward silence among them all and the one feeling the most awkward was Morticia.
"… Oh, for God's sake, someone speak!" Morticia said. "Why has everyone been so quiet this morning?"
"Jellal's just eager to see Erza again." Ultear said.
Jellal simply looked away.
"I'm so glad to hear that they found them." Meredy said.
"About time the atmosphere lightened!" Morticia said. "I thought I was going to choke on the awkward!"
Somewhat out of nowhere, Foster slammed his empty bowl on the ground and stood up.
"I'm done." Foster said. "I'm going to patrol the area before we set off again."
Foster walked outside, leaving everyone else to finish their breakfast.
"Geez, what's wrong with him?" Morticia rhetorically asked.
Meredy just looked at him with a worried look on her face.
A few minutes later as Foster was walking through the forest he heard the sound of someone running toward him from behind.
"Foster!"
Foster turned around to see Meredy running up to him.
"Meredy?" He asked.
"Foster, is something wrong?" She asked.
"Why would you think that?"
"You just ate your breakfast and took off without saying another word. You're usually more talkative when we eat and I couldn't help but get worried."
"Well, there's no need to worry, Meredy. I'm fine."
"No, you're not. You don't have to deal with your problems alone, you know. You can always look to me for help."
Foster looked at Meredy's smiling face and sighed. "You make it so hard."
"Hm?"
"There's something I've been asking Ultear of for a few months now, but each time she refused. It's something that's very important to me and I'll never give up on it."
"Maybe I can talk to Ultear about it. Tell me what it is you want and I'll do my best to help you out. I want you to be happy, Foster."
"I want you to be happy too, Meredy."
The two looked into each other's eyes for several long minutes and they started to lean in toward each other. Their lips were about to meet…
"Excuse Me."
They were interrupted by a wandering old man with a walking stick and using the stick to separate Foster from Merdy.
"I'm looking for Crime Salsa." He said. "Are you them?"
"We were in the MIDDLE of something, OLD MAN!" Foster snapped.
Foster's shout caught the attention of the rest of the team and they came to investigate.
"Foster, Merdy." Ultear spoke up. "What's going on here?"
"Are you Crime Salsa?" The old man asked.
"Do you mean Crime Sorcière, sir?" Jellal asked. "Why are you looking for them?"
The old man pulled out an envelope with fancy cursive writing on the front and a heart sticker on the back.
"I was told to deliver this letter to the young, beautiful AND sexy woman I found with the Crime Salsa." He said. "I think it's a love letter."
He hands the letter to Meredy.
"Here you go."
"Oh um…." Meredy stuttered, not sure how to respond. "Th-thank you?"
Foster started rubbing his forehead and groaned in disgust as Meredy stared at the letter.
"Wait a sec." Meredy said, reading the writing on the front. "This is addressed to Ultear."
"To me?" Ultear asked, taking it from her.
"Looks like you got a secret admirer." Meredy cheered with a smile.
Foster breathed a sigh of relief, *Oh, thank God* He thought.
Ultear opened the letter and began to read its contents to herself. The color drained from her face and sweat surrounded her face.
"Well?" Mortica asked. "What's it say?"
"Oh, it's not important." Ultear said, moving her hands away. "Nothing to worry about."
"Oh?" Jellal asked, taking the letter out of Ultear's hand. "Let me read it then."
"NO! GIVE ME THAT!" Ultear tried to attack Jellal, but Meredy held her back.
"My dearest sweetheart Ultear 3,
I know we've had a fight, but what fight can stand in the way of our love? There is nothing more important than the two of us together. We shall grow old and grey together…well not you. You'll stay young and beautiful forever. 3
I know that your life of crime keeps you from me, but I shall always forgive you, you raven haired beauty. Once you decide the life is not for you, we shall meet and be married! And we'll have 33 babies together! 3
I cannot wait for that day. The temptation of a hundred hot, curvy-bodied babes will not take me away from you. My heart is for you and you alone! 3
I promise the wait will be worth it. I shall plummet a large steel body onto you and engulf you with my LOVE 3
I look forward to your next letter. 3
With my love, your Master Hunk Machine,
Kyo 3"
The amazing part is Jellal kept a straight face and tone throughout the whole reading. He looked over at Ultear who looked like she was ready to die.
"Wow, Kyo, you master wordsmith you…" Meredy said sarcastically.
"I really hate that man." Ultear muttered to herself.
Jellal gave her the letter back. "So when are you going to write him back?"
"WHY WOULD I DO THAT?!" Ultear screamed.
"It would be rude not to." Jellal explained. "This man poured his heart out to you. The least you could do is express your love back."
"I DON'T LOVE THAT MAN!"
"Oh come on, you don't fool us." Morticia interjected . "I know you've had secret hook ups with him before. Don't deny it."
"So when is the wedding?" Foster joked. "I can't wait to be introduced to you as 'Mrs. Kyo Vigil'."
"WATCH YOUR MOUTH, PUNK!"
"Ultear, can I please be your maid of honor?" Meredy asked, clasping her hands and with stars in her eyes.
"I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED!"
At the Roseshade train station, Jayden was about to set foot on a train and took a deep breath.
"Being a Dragon Slayer means I'll end up motion-sick on moving vehicles." Jayden said to himself. "Here goes nothing."
Jayden stepped onto the train and he was completely fine.
"… Heh, guess my lack of being on vehicles makes me immune!" Jayden said.
The train then started moving.
"… Crap."
Jayden keeled over and became incredibly ill.
"Ugh… Please let this be a quick ride…"
Jayden opened his eyes and saw an Exceed standing in front of him. He was a night blue tomcat with blue eyes, a white tip on his left paw and wearing black headphones, a grey hoodie and pants.
"… Excuse me, can you tell one of the waiters or waitresses for a glass of ginger ale, please?" Jayden asked. "If it's too inconvenient you don't have to do it."
The Exceed simply remained silent and the awkwardness made Jayden shift his eyes back and forth. After a few seconds the Exceed walked away.
"Wait, where are you going?" Jayden asked. "Should I just take that as a 'no'? Urp, here it comes again…"
Jayden lied on the ground and groaned in agony for the next minute or two until the Exceed came back with a can of soda. He looked up to see that it was ginger ale.
"Oh, sweet elixir!" Jayden exclaimed as he snagged the soda out of his hand, opened it and started guzzling it down until he drank at least half of it. "Ah! Thanks a bunch! I'm still motion-sick, but at least the pain is eased. Let me pay you back for the drink."
He was about to pet the Exceed on the head, but it slowly stepped back a little bit. Jayden then reached into his pocket (A/N: He's still lying down, by the way.), took out some money and placed it in front of the Exceed.
"There." Jayden said. "That should be enough to reimburse you."
The Exceed took the money, but he still didn't leave the cart where Jayden was.
"… Is there something else you need?" Jayden asked.
The Exceed didn't respond at all and there was an unbelievably awkward silence for the rest of the train ride.
When the train finally arrived at Jayden's destination, he wobbled off the train and stopped to try and regain his balance.
"Thanks again for the ginger ale." Jayden said as he turned to face the Exceed. "I should remember to get some to keep on hand for future rides."
Jayden walked off and the Exceed continued to remain quiet.
Jayden made his way through the town and arrived at the Mermaid Heel guild hall. He knocked on the door a couple of times and waited for someone to answer the door. There was a slit on the door and he saw a pair of eyes leering at him.
"Is Kagura here?" Jayden asked. "Tell her it's Jayden."
"Sorry, bud." The girl on the other end spoke in a country dialect. "We don't know anyone by that name."
"She should know me." He said. "Did she not tell any of you?"
"Beth, what is it?" A voice asked from behind the girl at the door.
"Some guy's here ta see ya." Beth replied. "He says his name is Jayden."
"Then let him in." Kagura said.
Beth turned back to look at Jayden. "Looks like it's your lucky day."
Beth closed the slit and opened the door. Jayden smiled when he was finally able to see Kagura.
"It's good to see you again, Kagura." He said.
"Likewise." Kagura said. "I'm sorry about what happened to your family."
"There's no need to apologize." He said. "Alexander was the one responsible."
Beth just looked back and forth between the two as they talked.
"Uh, excuse me?" Beth asked. "Mind tellin' me how you know each other?"
"Well, technically I'm Jason." Jayden answered. "It's a long story."
"I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to tell everyone." Kagura said. "Don't worry, Beth, I'll tell you later."
"Alright." Beth said before walking away.
Kagura was about to speak, but something on the ground caught her attention. Jayden noticed this and looked behind him to see the Exceed that helped him on the train earlier.
"What brings you here, little guy?" Jayden asked as he leaned down and was about to pet the Exceed on the head.
Just as his hand touched the Exceed's hand, it calmly smacked his hand away.
"Don't touch me." The Exceed said.
Jayden just blankly stared at the Exceed and blinked a few times.
"And don't call me little." The Exceed blushed.
"Jayden, do you know this cat?" Kagura asked.
"Yeah, he must have followed me from the train station." Jayden answered. "But he never spoke a word until just now."
"Wait, you took a train to get here?" Kagura asked. "Don't you have motion sickness?"
"Don't remind me." Jayden sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "It can be a pain to be a Dragon Slayer sometimes." Jayden then looked at the Exceed. "What's your name?"
"… It's Wilbur." The Exceed answered.
"Do you have a home, Wilbur?" Jayden asked.
"… Not really." Wilbur looked down at the ground.
"Then how about you come with me to Phoenix Dawn?" Jayden suggested. "I'm the only Dragon Slayer there without an Exceed and you need a home. So why not?"
"Hmm…" Wilbur looked away, but glanced back at Jayden with a blush on his face and he held his paw out. "I guess that'd be okay."
"Then welcome to the guild!" Jayden exclaimed.
Jayden picked up Wilbur and hugged him close.
"This isn't cool at all!" Wilbur said.
"Jayden, is there a reason you came over?" Kagura asked.
Jayden let Wilbur down and looked back at Kagura.
"Oh, that's right." Jayden said. "I just wanted to come by and chat with you."
"Men aren't allowed in our guild hall." Kagura said.
"Oh…" Jayden lowered his head with a look of disappointment.
Kagura then smiled. "But we can head to the tea shop and chat there."
Jayden looked back up and smiled. "Thanks."
As Kagura walked off, Wilbur climbed onto Jayden's shoulders and started whispering in his ear.
"You're just trying to ask her out on a date without actually asking her out on a date." Wilbur said.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Jayden whispered back.
"Yes, you do." Wilbur said. "I can read your mind with telepathy magic."
"… What a talented little scamp you are." Jayden said as he rubbed Wilbur's head again, much to his embarrassment. "By the way, don't tell me what's on her mind. I want it to be a surprise."
"Jayden, what are you and Wilbur talking about over there?" Kagura asked.
"Oh, don't worry about it." Jayden answered.
A/N: The character of Wilbur was created by TailGatomonX3, so thank you for submitting your OC. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!