Chapter 14

Her designated hour was nearly over by the time she interpreted Gajeel's message. She rubbed her temples and repeated what he told her.

"So…somehow, with lots of wooo-sh," she waved her hands around in the air, "you somehow traded your hair, voice and weapon for three days of legs."

Gajeel smiled and nodded, bouncing on his toes until he nearly fell over.

Levy leaned against the pile of driftwood. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips, watching Gajeel move to her side and copy her crossed-arm position. She studied his face, not seeing even a trace of the merman he once was.

But I thought magic didn't exist anymore…

It was the only way to explain Gajeel's sudden transformation. Every child had been taught that Fiore was built on the foundation of magic, but after hundreds of years the magic weakened until the only remnants still remaining were the few artifacts kept safe in the royal family's vault. But apparently the merfolk had an abundance of it, or at least magic was common enough that Gajeel somehow managed to get his hands on a powerful enough spell to completely change him. Though not without a price, it seemed.

Not that I can actually ask him…really, he just had to trade his voice?

Levy shook her head, then straightened as a sudden thought flashed through her mind.

"Wait…so after three days you have to go back to the ocean?" At Gajeel's nod she continued. "Is today the first day?"

He gave another nod and she leapt up from the driftpile.

"Then what are we waiting for!? Let's go!"

She grabbed his arm and practically dragged him across the sand. A wide smile split his face and she only slowed when his feet stumbled over the sand. They walked along the shore towards the castle grounds. Gajeel stared around him with wide-eyed wonder and Levy kept a tight hold on his arm to keep him from toppling over.

He stopped and studied everything they passed by; the flowers bending in the breeze, the grassy cliff overlooking the ocean, flocks of birds flying through the air. Levy gave a name and explanation for everything, struggling to keep her words slow enough for him to understand. He mouthed the words and Levy had to hold back her squeal of excitement now that the shock of seeing a human-Gajeel had passed.

I have so much I want to show him! And I only have three days…

She kept up her instructional commentary about the scenery around them, but began a mental itinerary of the things he would most likely want to see around Magnolia Town. She could show him the training grounds, since she knew he was interested in weapons and the like. She would tell Chef Yajima to cook the fanciest dishes so Gajeel could get a taste of real human food. And the docks were an absolute must; she knew Gajeel would completely love to wander around the deck of a proper ship.

They were almost to the castle when her arm lurched and she jerked to a stop.

Levy glanced behind her and grinned. Gajeel stared up at a tall pine tree, his neck craned so far that she placed a hand on his back to keep him from falling backwards.

"That's called a tree, remember? We have many different types. This one is called a pine tree…" she leaned forward and placed a hand on the rough bark, "see how it's different from that one over there?"

She pointed to an ornamental pear tree tucked away in the castle garden. She waited for Gajeel to look before continuing.

"Some trees give us food, like that one over there. Others, like this pine, do not. But it certainly is pretty though, isn't it?"

Levy watched Gajeel carefully, pausing her explanation even though words threatened to burst past her clenched teeth. He seemed to process her words. His head tilted to the side and his mouth moved as he looked between the two trees. After a moment he nodded to himself and Levy led him the rest of the way to the castle.

They darted across the cobbled pathway to avoid a patrolling guard and hurried around a corner towards the side entrance. Thankfully the castle gardens were mostly empty, save for a few guards, but Levy didn't want to risk any chances. It only took one servant to bring news to her father about their…interesting visitor. As it was, Levy struggled to keep her eyes just on Gajeel's face. She had forgotten how strong he was when he swam her all the way back home and his tattered clothing tried to remind her of the fact with every step they took.

Gajeel's hand slid from hers. He knelt in front of a patch of grass, running his hands over the tall strands. Levy crouched next to him and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"A bit overwhelming, isn't it?" she said softly, adding a few more words at his confused look. "A lot of information to remember."

Gajeel sighed and nodded, hand pausing over the grass. Levy dimpled and patted his shoulder.

"Let's head inside. I'll find some clothes that actually fit you and maybe we can get some lunch? Food, I mean."

She stood and wiped her hands on her pants. Gajeel stayed in front of the grass, not moving.

"Gajeel? Are you coming?"

His head slowly turned in her direction. A line of red marred his cheeks, making her skin turn cold. She dropped to the ground at his side.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?"

He shifted slightly on his toes, face and neck turning bright red. His legs twisted and he rocked forward, but didn't stand. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. Her rising alarm disappeared in an instant. She bit back a snort, earning a dark look from her merman.

"Are you stuck?"

Oh, but his glare was fierce!

I could help him up, but as Father always says…teach a man to fish and they eat for a lifetime!

She shuffled her legs until she was in the exact position as Gajeel. "This is a bit harder than normal standing, so you need to focus on your thighs." she slapped her legs and waited for him to look. "Focus on this part of your leg, then push off with the toes on your feet."

Levy slowly rose, feeling the slight burn in her legs. Gajeel rocked back and forth and Levy showed him the same movement several more times before her merman was able to gain his feet. He wobbled as he stood, but waved off her steadying hand. She bit back a chuckle.

"See? You got it!"

Gajeel dusted the gravel off his hands and gave her a final glare. Levy shook her head and smiled; he would look fierce indeed, if she hadn't seen the traces of his earlier blush still on his cheeks.

"Let's go," she chuckled, and took his hand to lead him inside the castle.