Chapter 25

Gajeel and the rest of the humans froze where they stood. The sun glinted off the weapon in Acnologia's hand, its sharp edge dangerously close to Levy's throat. Gajeel's chest heaved, his hands itching for a weapon of his own. His eyes darted to a table several fin's lengths away from him, but he dared not take his attention from his uncle. The older merman smirked, as if he had already won the greatest prize.

"You really thought you could best me, fry? Contrary to what you think, this was not my first contract. Nor will it be my last!"

Sailors moved along the deck and Gajeel crept his way towards a banquet table. Levy watched him carefully, her body tense and poised. Her hands gripped Acnologia's wrist tightly, her mouth set in a determined line. Gajeel shook his head slightly.

"Maybe I could use my magic and turn her into a sea slug. Wouldn't that be a nice little prize for my collection, don't you think?"

Before Acnologia could pause for breath, Gajeel snatched a plate from the table and hurled it at the ground near his uncle's feet. The merman startled, drawing his weapon away from Levy's throat. Levy rammed her elbow into Acnologia's side and dropped to the ground. Gajeel rushed forward, ramming into his uncle before he could snatch Levy by the hair.

They fell to the deck in a tangled heap. The knife skid across the wood and tumbled overboard. With a shriek of rage, Acnologia reached out with clawed fingers and grabbed Gajeel by the throat. His lungs seized. Starfish flashed behind his eyes. Gajeel flailed his body, his foggy mind forgetting how to use his legs. With a jerk, he felt his knee connect with solid flesh. The hands around his neck loosened for a moment before tightening once more.

"No Princess! You mustn't!"

The ship shuddered beneath him. Gajeel fought with renewed vigor, desperate to keep Levy out of the fight. His vision turned black around the edges. His fingers clawed the front of his uncle's shirt, grasping and pulling anything within reach. Something thin snapped beneath his fingers and shattered onto the ground.

"NO!" His uncle screamed, releasing his hold on Gajeel's neck.

Gajeel scurried backwards, raw throat coughing violently. Blue mist swirled next to him and he jerked to his feet. The sparkling mist followed, slowly rising and swirling around him. His eyes watered and his throat felt as if he swallowed a hundred sea urchins. He bent over and hacked, trying to draw in a deep breath. The mist settled around him before disappearing completely.

"Gajeel! Are you alright!?"

Levy's cool touch gripped his arms tightly. Gajeel slowly rose, finally able to draw in a deep breath of fresh air.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered, voice rough and rasping.

Gajeel jerked to attention. Levy's hands paused their frantic waving. His screaming uncle and the intercepting soldiers momentarily forgotten, Gajeel stared at Levy and watched a wide grin split her face.

"You can talk!" She squealed, throwing her arms around his neck.

Gajeel chuckled, testing his newly found voice, "It's about time, 'cause I gotta lot of things I wanna ask ya."

Levy settled back onto her feet. "How are you speaking so well? I mean, we should work on your grammar a bit, but you're speaking surprisingly well for someone who–"

"Gee, I wonder," Gajeel said, finally able to interrupt, "It couldn't possibly be because someone wouldn't stop yammerin' until she ran out of breath, gihee."

"That's fair," Levy giggled, face turning red. "So…what did you want to ask me?"

"Ok, first of all…what's with all these clothes? They feel funny, so why do I gotta keep switchin' them around so much, hmm? And can't ya get rid of all those stairs and put up this incline-thing like the ship had? But, what I really hafta tell ya…" he took a step forward, placing his forehead on hers, "Is that these past few days made me realize I don't wanna leave yer side for a single tide. I dunno the human ways, but I promise I'll learn, so do ya think you could–"

Levy wrapped her arms around his neck before he could finish speaking. She stood on her toes and closed her eyes, lips a mere scale away from his. Gajeel sighed gently, eagerly lowering his head to hers, and a sharp pain shot up his legs.

He cried out, vaguely hearing Levy's echoing shout, and dropped heavily onto the deck. The light faded from the sky, the third sun fully disappearing.

"Yes!" Came Acnologia's triumphant roar over the pain. "Yes, you're too late!"

The sharp pain traveled up his legs into his back. Gajeel groaned, writhing on the ground. His skin stretched and pulled, feeling as if it were cracking into a thousand pieces.

"Gajeel, what's happening!?" Levy's soothing touch did little to mask the agony.

"What's that!?"

"Why does he have a tail!"

Gajeel forced his eyes open. Torn pieces of black fabric littered the ground. His brown skin turned back to its normal pale-gray and silver scales lined the sides of his torso. A long, silver tail lay out in front of him. Levy held his head close to her side.

"...Gajeel…"

His body jerked backwards. Levy cried out, hands grappling to take hold of his arm. Acnologia dragged him across the deck, pulling with a strength that would have put the sea king to shame. Gajeel writhed in his uncle's grip, but his shivering body refused to fight back.

"So long, Princess! I'd love to stay, but fortunately I have a contract to execute!"

Before Gajeel could cry out Levy's name, Acnologia hurled both of them over the edge of the ship and into the fathoms below.