Chapter Sixty-One
Laxus snarled as he pulled himself off of the floor of the Magi-Hover he was in; looking down at the dribble of blood on his chest from the device he'd allowed Alfie to convince him to attach to himself. His head thrummed as the electricity in his body interacted with the device; and as the device worked at protecting itself from the continuous surges of energy. He had questioned that but Alfie had been sure it wouldn't be an issue. Now he was questioning his sanity at trusting the AI so easily.
He sat on the edge of the bed and took in a deep breath. He grabbed the sheet off of the bed and wiped this chest. Vaguely aware that there was a communications call appearing on the screen across from him. He flicked his wrist and the call picked up as he growled, "What?"
"Sorry to disturb you." Mira's voice was soft and he immediately tensed and looked ups and into her eyes. He saw them very briefly travel down his neck and shoulders to his chest and then immediately raced back up.
"Alfie's device?" She asked and he nodded…then realization dawned.
"You too?" He asked and she nodded.
"It was harder to place mine because of the remnants of the box." She said and touched her sternum. He had overheard her mentioning to her sister that there was still a sensation of the box being there; even though it didn't appear so. Almost like it was invisible to the naked eye.
"Do you need healing? I'm sure those guys…"
"No…I'm fine." She shook her head again and looked at him. "I just…I didn't want to wake up Elfman or Evergreen and ask if they feel weirded out by it or not, or if it was possibly more of a…"
"You thought it was a monster tracker." He nearly growled out the word monster and she nodded. "How many times do we gotta go over it woman? Yer not a monster just because you have demon Takeover powers."
"Laxus…you don't know how hard it is to believe that anyone is okay with someone who is in possession of so many demons."
"Right…it's not like I didn't know. I wasn't ever the odd Dragis out; different from everyone else while carrying a chip the size of Old Edolas on my shoulder and scaring everyone with a look."
"Laxus…" He shook his head and sighed, scrubbing his hands over his face. He dropped them and shook his head looking at her ruefully.
"I was known as the demon of Fairy Tail for a long time because I was always so angry. I almost turned evil once…tried to ensnare most of the Guild Station into a deadly game."
"What?" She looked horrified and he shook his head.
"Natsu knocked some sense into me…used his head. Hell of a headbutt that was." He chuckled warily. "I was angry, and tired of being angry and tired of losing to Mard Geer all the time. I wasn't a good Dragis, or a good Guildmate. I don't think I was could even be called a good being."
"But you changed."
"With a lot of help." He looked at her. "I ain't smart enough to help you like I was helped. But I can promise to listen if you need to just talk about how you feel. As long as it's not during the middle of a battle."
"Thank you." She said and bit her lip.
"What?"
"Before…before our parents died…I was a bad kid."
"You? Not possible." He shook his head and she nodded.
"I was." She leaned back and he saw her look down at her feet which were out of view. "I ran with a bad bunch of older kids. I wore all dark colors and I was always angry. Demon Mira…that was my nickname."
"Yer kidding?"
"No." She shook her head and rubbed a hand absentmindedly over her chest. "Which is why when I learned what that box was…I thought it was meant to be…that my darkness called to the box's darkness. But then Lucy told me it was too much of a risk to try and use the box to grant me magic because…she didn't want to risk me."
"Of course she didn't. Blondie wants to protect everyone she loves." He said and she nodded.
"Then the bomb went off and I saw the box breaking. I felt the coldness and the darkness of the demons coming from the box."
"And you were scared and realized that…"
"I wasn't scared." She looked up. "I…recognized the familiar feelings that the demons had. The anger. The rage. The pain. The sorrow"
"You embraced it all." He whispered after a moment as her confession hung between them.
"Yes." Tears ran down her face. "I did. I wanted to protect everyone from the dangers of the demons; and I did beg the universe to let me be a vessel for them…but I embraced the familiar without hesitating."
"Oye! Woman. Look at me." Her eyes jumped to his, and he leaned closer to the screen, his bright eyes holding hers.
"You may embrace every dark feeling surrounding those demons…but you turned that darkness around so yer light could cage it. So you could take every one of those demons and make them your willing slaves. It takes a strong person to embrace their flaws and still be a light for others who may not be able to fight the demons that surround them."
"You don't think it's…wrong?" She asked and he shook his head.
"No. I embrace my anger every day too. We all do." He held his hands out. "Do you think Lucy doesn't let her anger fuel her? She thought she'd lost her parents two years ago; then she found them; and then Mard Geer murdered them. Do you think that anger and various degrees of depravity don't gnaw at her like they do us?"
"She can't fall…"
"She won't fall into darkness." He shook his head and she looked at him. "You can embrace the darkness while ensuring it doesn't overwhelm you. You hold onto the brightest of the good moments. And use those as guarantees you will never falter. Blondie holds onto the love of her friends…onto seeing her parents and making as much peace between the three of them as she could….of that knucklehead Natsu… They are the beacons that always remind her of why the light is better."
"Who knew you were so good with words." She joked and wiped at her face.
"Don't tell Freed. He feels useful being a speaker for me." He said and she smiled and nodded.
"Where is Freed?"
"He's taking first watch at the helm." Laxus said and crossed his arms behind the back of his head and reclined on the bed, the screen moving as he moved. She leaned back onto her bed and her screen moved closer.
"And Capricorn? Is he with you two or did he join the others?"
"He got called back. Take it by 'others' so did Aquarius?"
"Yeah. She seemed unhappy but also like she didn't have a choice."
"And she might not have if it was the Celestial King who called for her." He said and yawned. She yawned too and shook her finger at him and he chuckled. "Go to sleep woman. We'll both be busy when we wake up."
"I just…" Her words drifted off and he thought she'd fallen asleep that quickly when her eyes fluttered open. "I'm just scared if I go to sleep; the demons will try to take over."
"I'll watch over you, as will Alfie. But I don't believe that could ever happen." He assured her and she nodded and closed her eyes. A small smile on her lips. He watched as her breathing evened out and her eyes danced behind her eyelids. After some time his eyes fell closed; and the lights around him dimmed; but the screens stayed connected.
Freed leaned against the seat and sighed. In his hands was a device that Alfie had told him she was insisting that all remaining Guild Members be equipped with; and that it had to be implanted subdermally; and that it would burrow itself under his skin. He worried that Alfie was hacked but he didn't want to wake up Laxus. He knew his friend and leader needed as much rest as possible. They all did. They'd all been running on fumes for too long.
He ran his fingers along the multiple needles that Alfie had confirmed would first latch the device onto his body before it started to burrow. Yes it would heal the wound but it would hurt. He understood why Alfie and Wendy would want to track their health, especially with the risks that were growing; but he worried that they had been hacked and this was a way to know where they were and how to hurt them from within.
He tapped on the keyboard of the console in front of him, setting the device down. He looked through several files and then noticed an icon he wasn't expecting. He clicked on it and waited. Gray appeared on the screen and offered him a tired grin.
"Hey Freed, what's up?"
"Where are you? Haven't seen you listed as active on the communication network in a while."
"With Lucy and Natsu." He responded. "Oh and don't forget Happy. Last thing I need is that little blue fluff ball crying that I didn't remember him."
"He can be touchy." Freed acknowledged. He held up the device and Gray flinched and snarled.
"Those things hurt like hell."
"You've seen this?"
"I have one." He tapped his chest. "So do Natsu, Lucy and Happy."
"I have also provided one to Juvia." Alfie's voice came through the screen and Freed had to remind himself the AI was on other crafts. It was weird to hear her speaking through the screen and not next to his own being.
"How is that going to work? She's made of water." Gray turned and looked at the wall of his room and Freed wanted to chuckle; as he and Laxus had each designated a panel as "Alfie's face" and stared at it when things with the AI happened. But then the words the ice Dragis registered. "Who is Juvia and how is she made of water?"
"She's an Aquaterran who was part of Element Four-the Bounty Hunter Guild. She changed to our side on Solarium and is going to help protect Natsu from a Blazorek what Mard Geer has hired."
"One pile of ectriment after another."
"Shit…the word you meant to use is shit." Gray said and chuckled as Freed rolled his eyes. "So uptight you can't even say the word because it's beneath you."
"Do you think it's wise to have these devices in? What if Alfie has been hacked or potentially is hacked in the future?"
"Rude." Alfie snipped but that was all she said. Gray grinned, his fangs glistening.
"She's been getting questioned a lot lately and it's starting to grate on her circuits." He explained.
"Oh? That's surprising."
"It was outsiders most of the time." Gray shrugged and looked up at the ceiling of his room and then looked back at the screen. "But at the same time, I think she's blaming herself for not having realized the infected coding in the Guild Station."
There was a low hum in both Gray's room and in the main part of the Magi-Hover and Freed nodded slowly, realizing that Alfie was in fact feeling guilty. He looked at his friend who shrugged. They weren't the most chatty members o the Guild Station to start with.
"Everything turn out okay on Solarium?"
"More or less." Gray said and rolled his shoulders. "We unfroze the Giants, fought some bad guys…made some allies…"
"Usual day in the life of a Fairy Tail Guild Member." Freed grinned and Gray nodded. "Glad there weren't any losses on our side in Solarium."
"Yeah…came close a few times but we survived." Gray admitted and Freed looked and pointed with his chin. Gray turned and saw that there was a notification on the door alerting him that someone is there. "One skrit."
Gray got up and opened the door and Freed stared in surprise as a beautiful female appeared on the other side; her blue hair was in ringlets around her shoulders and she was in a blue shirt and skirt. "What's up Juvia?"
"Juvia is…concerned."
"About?" He asked and leaned on the wall and crossed his arms and Freed slapped his forehead. The lack of consideration and sympathy that oozed off of the Dragis made him want to curse him a bit.
"Your AI gave me this?" She held up a tablet and showed him a picture of the tracker. "I have attached it to Juvia's body as directed but I had questions."
Gray sighed and motioned with his head and turned around. When she didn't immediately follow he stopped and looked over at her. "You gonna come in or not?"
"You will let…Juvia into your room?" She asked and he rolled his eyes up and Freed shook his head.
"He's an idiot, Miss Juvia. You aren't alone with him. I'm on a call and Alfie is also present." Freed said and Gray's cheeks darkened a little and Juvia walked in slowly. She looked at the screen and gave a small wave.
"Hello. I am Juvia."
"Freed." He stated and she tilted her head. "What?"
"Freed…the member of the Thunder Legion?" He nodded and she looked at Gray. "He's got a decent bounty on his head. Apparently he upset a Florgian over in the Zeptima System."
"I remember that Florgian." Freed shivered. "Horrible rune writer with an overly inflated ego."
"And a large pocket. You are worth twenty thousand jewels."
"Wow." Gray whistled and Freed blushed and nodded.
"Thank you for the heads up." He said and looked over at the monitors on his side.
"What's up Freed?"
"Our guests are altering that they have a question. I need to go check on them."
"Guests?"
"Lisanna and her team found some humans. We're taking them to a safe location." He said and stood up. He bowed to Juvia and nodded at Gray before signing off and heading down the hallway.
"You all are still protecting humans?" Juvia asked and looked over at Gray who nodded and leaned back in his seat. He looked at her, his arms crossed behind the back of his head. Her eyes looked over his form before turning and looking at the various readouts on the screens.
"Why is that surprising?" He asked and her eyes looked back over at him.
"You all are going after Mard Geer. That should be your focus."
"And it is." She looked him in the eye, his tone strong and focused. "But we will make sure that innocent people aren't caught in the middle. We don't want any more lives lost than absolutely necessary. There have been enough lives lost as it is. Far too many of those innocent ones."
"Juvia forgets there are those who care for others."
"Juvia needs to stop speaking in third person. Its weird." Gray muttered and she blushed and bit her lip and looked away. "Sorry…everyone has their quirks. That was a rude statement."
"It's okay. It's been said before." Juvia shrugged and looked back at the screens. He rolled his eyes and lowered his arms and turned his seat.
"Doesn't mean it didn't hurt your feelings. And I'm sorry." She turned back and offered him a small smile and he smiled back.
"Thank you." She said and sighed. She shifted and he tilted his head and she made an exhausted expression. "The tracking device is uncomfortable."
"You can say that again." Gray acknowledged and rubbed his sternum. He motioned her closer and she hesitated a moment before stepping closer. He held his hand out and held it over her chest. She gasped as a cool sensation washed over her. Her skin rippled along her shoulders and arms, exposed by the shorter sleeved outfit she'd changed into. He grinned and continued to focus on the task at hand.
"What was that?" She breathed in surprised once he lowered his hand.
"Cool down the nerves enough and it helps them relax so its not as tense or painful." He said and rolled back and she put her hand on her chest and then looked at him.
"Thank you. It does feel better now."
"Don't let Natsu know I did that. Or he'll whine I'm playing favorites and not helping him." He winked and she giggled and shook her head.
"My lips are sealed." She tilted her head to the side. "But thank you for being nice to Juvia when I know you don't trust me."
"Well you are risking a lot to protect Natsu…and by extension all of Dragis kind so…I'm being selfish."
"Your version of selfish is different from most people. With my job; I have seen true selfishness."
"Why are you a bounty hunter? Doesn't seem like something that you should be doing."
"Because I am a female?" She asked sounding tired and offended and he held his hands up.
"Nope…nope…nope." He shook his head. "I know too many frightening females and that is not what I meant at all."
"Erza has scared you very much." She laughed and he grinned and nodded.
"And Lucy. And Cana…Wendy can be vindictive if she wants to. Ever had snorgel flavored air candy?"
"Ew." Juvia laughed and shook her head.
"I just meant that you seem to have a conscious and a set of morals. You refused to kidnap Erza and call her that other bounty's name. So why be a bounty hunter if you are better than those you were working with?"
"That." She sighed and sat down on his bed and leaned back on her hands and looked at him. Her expression changing from mirthful to sad.
"That." He said and waited. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back and took a deep breath. As she let the breath out she brought her head back forward.
"Element Four was formed by another bounty hunter. And before it was formed; he found us all. We were street urchins. Forced to survive in rough conditions on worlds overran by those displaced by Mard Geer's actions. My world was a peaceful one; until Krowns came after their planet had been targeted by Mard Geer. At first my people tried to be understanding, but then the Krowns rose up against my people. My parents were murdered; and I was only saved because they had hidden me in the cooking water pot. I survived by scavenging and then I was found.
I was treated kindly for the first time since my parents were murdered. But then…he said I owed him. He needed me to be trained to fight. And when he realized my Aquaterran skills; he ensured that the training was specialized for my skills. Before I knew it; I went along with everything he wanted. I owed him. He reminded me I owed him. The others reminded me I owed him. But I always hated the idea of catching people for money. I could remember the Krowns betting each other jewels for who could catch the most Aquarterrans they could—dead or alive. And Juvia hated that she was more or less doing the same thing. Getting jewels for beings; dead or alive. But I felt like I needed to return the favor."
"Loyalty can blind us and bind us to those we don't always need to be with."
"Yes." She kicked her legs restlessly. "But lately, the jobs we've been doing, Juvia has hated more and more. The people we were going after; didn't make sense. They weren't the typical bounties. Something seemed off. When we were told to split up and half go to Solarium and half to Earthland; I wondered what was going on. And while listening to Lyon in his transmissions talking about freezing the giants and the flame god and needing to get things in order seemed off. Why send bounty hunters to a frozen world?"
"Then we arrived." Gray guessed and she nodded.
"Yes. And that's when we were told to grab General Jellal. I did not want to. I told Sol it was a bad order and we needed to leave, but he told me that it was our job and we owed it to our master to get the job done."
"Why didn't you want to grab him? I'm sure his bounty is real."
"It is." She said and rolled her head on her shoulders and bit her lip. "But…he saved Juvia once. Before I was taken in by my former master. He stopped by my planet and stopped a Krown from killing me while I was sick. He does not remember me, I probably was not worth remembering to him. But I remember him. The Krowns were scared of him and his guild."
"I see. You wanted to save him like he saved you." She nodded and Gray rolled over and kicked her leg with his and she looked at him. "You could bring it up. I'm sure he'd be glad to know he did something good that had a lasting effect. Those are rare these days."
"What is good about saving the life of someone who turned into a bounty hunter? One who has inadvertently supported Mard Geer."
"Said bounty hunter turned on her teammate and saved us. Said bounty hunter is willing to protect an idiot of a Fire Dragis at her own risk. Said bounty hunter has regrets." She sniffed and he rolled his shoulders. "None of us are perfect Juvia. We've all done things we aren't proud of. Said things we regret. The most important thing is that we are all trying to work together for a better future. That's what we care about. Not our pasts. But our present and our future."
"Thank you. Juvia needed to hear this."
"Don't worry about it." He smiled and stood up and held out his hand. "Come on. I need a snack and we'll see if we can get Natsu fired up."
"You enjoy antagonizing him."
"Duh…he's so easy to manipulate. Its a game to see how quickly it can be done." Gray said and they headed out of his room.
"Hmmm…Natsu?" Lucy rolled her head on the pillow and stared at the tanned face that had started to mean so much to her. It was slack in sleep, and he had a small smile on his face. His scales reflected what little light was in the room, making it look like little stars were kissing his skin. She ran her hand over his face without actually touching it. Tracing it and committing it to memory.
"Lushee?" Happy yawned and looked down from where he was sleeping at the top of the bed, over both of their heads.
"Shush Happy." She whispered and rubbed his head and he purred and went back to sleep. As she pulled her arm back down and settled against the pillow, her eyes moved back to Natsu's face and felt shock ripple through her.
His dark green eyes were open and focused on her. She felt herself blush, and she wasn't sure why. His hand lifted and she felt him cup her cheek. She leaned into it, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth of his hand. The callouses sent shivers down her body as his hand moved gently against her cheek and face. His thumb stretched down to her chin and he applied pressure to it; causing her to tilt her head back.
He leaned forward and pressed his nose to the side of her neck and she shivered. He inhaled and then slowly exhaled and his warm breath caused her to moan and he pulled back and looked at her. Before she could say anything, his mouth crashed down on hers. Her fingers curled into his shoulders and she kissed him back. He rolled them, him on top; and her hands moved from his shoulders to sliding along his back. She felt him shiver as her fingers traced scales and skin restlessly.
He pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. She struggled to keep her eyes open as her breathing was ragged. He turned his head and kissed the side of her head. She felt her heart twist. He turned his head back and looked into her eyes. She ran her hands up his neck and into his hair and stroked at his scalp. He growled low, almost like a purr, and she smiled. She leaned forward and trailed kisses along his face, from brow to chin. When she turned and aimed for his lips; he pulled back and her brow furrowed.
"Luce." His voice sounded hoarse. "I want to kiss you…but I can't…I can't…"
"Breathe." She whispered, feeling his muscles bunched up and seeing the strain in his face. He took a deep breath, his eyes closed. When they opened she offered him a soft smile. "I know. I know."
"No you don't Luce…"
"You feel the need to mark me. Like Gajeel did to Levy." He looked at her and ran her hands over him, watching some of the tension leave him as her hands moved softly.
"How…?"
"Levy filled me in a bit." She said and he looked at her. "Why didn't you say something?'
"I don't want to pressure you Lucy. I know you don't see me as your growlkin yet, and I want you to have the choice."
"Natsu…" She sighed, her heart twisting at the pain in his eyes and voice when he said the part about the growlkin. He kissed her cheek.
"I'm happy for this much. I am. It's just hard when I want more. I'm sorry I can't be more relaxed."
"Hey…hey…" She said and moved to cup his face with both hands.
"Never apologize for how you feel." She shook her head. "And Natsu I want to say that…"
"Oye! Flame Brain! Get out here! There's something weird on the scans." Gray's voice broke into Lucy's words as he started banging on the panel. Lucy groaned as Natsu jumped off of her and the bed and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She got up and followed them to the front of the Magi-Hover. Sure enough there was a weird reading on the screen.
There was a large area in front of them that had things on the ground; with more falling. And from the reading they couldn't identify what anything was. But on top of that; there were two draconic signatures walking the perimeter of the area in front of them. Almost like they were guarding it.
"That is something Juvia has never seen." The Aquaterran agreed and she looked at the others.
"Everything has been like that on this planet." Gray murmured and looked at Natsu who sighed.
"I'll go see what's up with the draconics."
"Not alone you aren't." Lucy said and he looked at her and then nodded slowly.
"Natsu? Lushee? What's happening?" Happy asked, coming out of the room rubbing his eyes sleepily. Lucy picked him up and handed him to Juvia who blinked in surprise.
"We have to go and check on something. Stay here with Juvia and Gray and keep them safe."
"Okay Lushee." He yawned and turned to snuggle into Juvia's arms. Juvia flushed and looked at Gray who was trying not to laugh and wake up the Exceed. Natsu and Lucy headed outside as quietly as possible.
"Draconic incoming from the right." Alfie's voice was soft, and they waited and looked to the right; but Lucy kept looking over her shoulder to the left. She felt Natsu tense for a split second before relaxing. She turned and her mouth fell open. It was the small hybrid. It chirped as it approached.
"Alfie, tell Happy we need him out here." Lucy said and the AI hummed. The larger hybrid came from the left and flapped its wings and hopped around the smaller one near the two of them.
"Hello friends. We smelt something familiar and came to see what it was." Happy translated as he appeared; his white wings puffing out of view as he dropped onto Natsu's shoulder.
"Something familiar?" Lucy asked and the little one chirped.
"Yes…it smelt like you but a little off. Come, let us show you." They wiggled and jerked their heads until they started to move. Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and squeezed it. She returned the squeeze and followed.
"They are following draconics?" Juvia asked and Gray nodded.
"They're anti-Mard Geer draconics…so like…allies?"
"You all really do turn enemies into allies." She gasped in awe and he laughed. Fully laughed and threw his head back.
"It's the Fairy Tail way!"
"Have you two been safe?" Lucy asked as she followed, worry eating at her.
"Yes," Happy translated a quick chirp that was followed by growls. "We have been laying low in a dark place. We haven't seen or heard anything and have just been hunting and sleeping."
"Sounds peaceful." Lucy murmured and then came to a stop.
"What is all this?" Natsu asked looking around. He looked up. "It's falling from the sky as well."
"It's paper?" Happy said sounding surprised and Lucy stepped forward, away from Natsu. He released her hand and stared as she walked through the gently drifting paper.
"It's not really paper." Lucy said and caught one of the falling pieces.
"What is it?" Natsu asked, unsure if he wanted to walk into the circle of paper.
"A…card?" She said turning, holding it in her hands by the corners.
"Cards?" Happy scrunched up his face.