Chapter Ten; been a long awhile since I got a story up to this point.
Anyway, enjoy :)
Gareth would have to admit one thing. The ride to the Magic Council headquarters was definitely not a comfortable one.
Instead of the Magic Mobile he ridden a few times during the Eisenwald incident, this time he and Erza were traveling in a horse carriage. While he was kinda glad it didn't require Ethernano to use this source of transportation, Gareth couldn't deny the fact of two things.
One was the tense silence throughout the ride so far.
The other was the row of jail bars separating him and Erza, who's arms were strapped together with cuffs locking her magic; even though he didn't like it, Gareth understood the reasoning behind it.
Overall, the ride itself made Gareth feel a bit tense. He was already aware he wasn't being arrested the same as Erza, but he couldn't help but feel like he did something wrong. He couldn't stop thinking about what the council representative said to him; what did the Magic Council want to discuss with him? He was sure that part of it had to do with his fight with Lullaby, but his instincts kept telling him that there was something more to it.
Does the Magic Council know about the Titans?, Gareth slowly thought, as he rubs his hands together, It is... possible. They are the ones in charge of all things Ethernano-related, so there is that chance they do know them. If so, then.. it is also possible that they know who me is... Will have to be ready if they ask me about that.
Gareth then lets out a sigh.
"Everything okay, Gareth?" Erza calls out to him, noticing his distress.
The boy looks up at her and says, "Yes; just... nervous. About all of this."
"Hmm, I can say the same to you," Erza agreed, as she looks out to the window to her left.
Another bout of silence filled the air.
Until Gareth had another thought in mind, after taking another look at Erza's cuffs, "Cannot help but wonder."
"What is it?" Erza asks, looking back at him.
"The Magic Council is aware of Fairy Tail's reputation, correct?" Gareth asked back, lowering his eyebrows.
"They have been for years now; yes," Erza answered.
"...Is this their first time arresting someone from the guild? Or have they done it before? Feels like it is the former to me for some reason... N-No offense to you of course," Gareth said, shortly quickly adding the last bit.
Erza didn't feel insulted at all but a bit intrigued at the boy's speculation, but she quickly shot it down by saying, "I can't really say for certain. It may have happened before I joined the guild, but Master doesn't really talk about that kind of stuff."
"Still, you have to wonder, considering everything that has happened, the Magic Council could have just let us go. Not that me doubts their authority or anything, it is just that since they knew all about it, they should have understood what we were doing," Gareth then argued.
"I understand where you're going with this Gareth, but you don't have to defend me," Erza counters with a reassuring tone, "I'll admit, my actions that day were a bit... erratic. I did knock out several officers, after all."
Oh, right... almost forgot about that, Gareth thought, before realizing, Looks like this situation is bugging me more than me thought.
"So.., what do you think is going to happen once we get there?" the boy then asked.
"Well for starters, I feel like they're going to do deal with my case first; it'll likely feel more urgent for the Council to complete. I do intend to plead guilty, so hopefully my arraignment doesn't last the whole day and that they give the guild at least a small fine. Your case, however, may last longer. You're not being arrested, but you are gonna be questioned by them. Honestly, I really don't know what's going to happen to you in the end, but I do hope it's nothing major," Erza explained.
Gareth hoped so too, but he couldn't help but smile at the girl's sympathy, "Thank you for your concern, Erza." He then realized something else, and frowns, "There is one more thing me had in mind, though... Back in Magnolia when your arrest was made, Natsu did not look happy. You do not think he will...?"
Gareth didn't really have a good explanation on the possible actions the Salamander would take, that and he felt weary of the fact that the council representative was still within earshot.
But fortunately, Erza again understood what he was saying, and groans in annoyance, while burying her cuffs to her face, "I really hope not. I'm aware that Natsu doesn't have a good relationship with the Magic Council, so it's.. possible he may do something. I know he means well, but sometimes he tends to overreact."
Gareth just grimaced at her reaction, sharing her feelings as well, "Well, like you said, let us hope not."
"In the meantime though, I do have something I want to ask you in return," Erza changes topic, as she looks back at him, "It may be a sensitive subject actually, so I hope you don't mind."
Gareth now felt perplexed at her choice of words, as he wasn't really sure what she was referring to. But seeing that she sounded sincere, the boy didn't feel bothered by what the armored wizard wanted to talk about.
"Do not mind," he then said.
"Why don't you say the word 'I'? I know you use other words to express yourself, but not the word 'I' though. Is there a reason for it?" Erza asked.
Gareth stares at her for a few moments, before looking out the carriage window. Considering that he had been with the guild for about a week now, he expected someone would ask him this question. But even so, the boy wasn't sure how to answer.
It actually wasn't that much of a touchy subject as Erza said, but it was something that he had not grown accustomed to. Still though, his instincts did think he should at least give her some context behind his absence of dialogue.
"Not worthy of it," Gareth finally replied.
Erza was about to respond again, when she felt confused by his answer. "What do you.. mean?" she then slowly said.
"...Throughout my time with father, would always walk alongside him; had always done things what he tells me to, would even sometimes question things only to understand from him. Growing up, my time would always be on the path of father's, and even now. Why me is here, finding my father; it is just another reason. A... call forth to stay on father's path. But even despite it all,... it feels as if it is the only thing me can do. When father gets found, must know what else is next. Otherwise... it can get frustrating at times," Gareth tries to explain.
"...Are you saying you're not sure what you want to do, Gareth?" Erza lowered her eyebrows.
"Yes," Gareth shortly responds, "How can me do so, if everything that was done so far was for father? How can me deserve to represent myself, if me does not know what comes after? ...That is not to say that me does not appreciate joining Fairy Tail and meeting you all; it has been a great help to me. But... the future.. can be... ominous sometimes, you understand?"
It was here that Erza realized something about Gareth; that despite all his strengths, his kindness, and curiosity, the boy had a serious case of self-doubt. He felt insecure in what he wanted to do for himself, how he wanted to live his life on his own terms; which also made her realize that Gareth had put a lot of faith in his father. From what she knew about him, his father was pretty much the only being at his side up until recently, and even then his childhood was considered by most to be not normal. Now, she didn't think his father was a bad parental figure, but she can guess the way he was raised made him into the person he was today.
And she honestly can't blame him for that.
She knew what that was like.
Just then, both wizards felt the carriage trudge to a stop.
"We have arrived," the representative's voice dimly spoke outside.
Gareth lets out a deep sigh, Alright, here we go.
Grand.
That was pretty much the only thing he can describe the innards of the Magic Council building, as he, Erza, and the council representative continued heading toward the courtroom.
As soon as they all walked inside, Gareth noticed how the flooring, roof, and much of the walls were built on different colored shades of marble, while the rest of walls and the windows were given a light purple color which gave off a feeling the boy was somewhat familiar with; however, he shortly realized the comparison he made between Everlue and this place was not a good one.
The biggest difference the boy sensed between them was that this place in particular gave off a more... commanding atmosphere; like this building was meant to be built for the people inside, specifically to showcase proof of the power that they carried and are able to uphold. Enough so that Gareth's instincts reminded him once more of the authority that Mirajane described to him a few days ago.
Overall though, the uneasiness inside him only grew slightly. He didn't visually show it, but right now his entire body felt tight. His instincts would occasionally blare, telling him to keep his emotions in check and not create any commotion that would grab any attention.
Ultimately however, this was all to an extent; for this intensity was more familiar to him. For some reason, it reminded Gareth of the times he would get into trouble, how his father would show anger for any poor mistake his younger self made. The boy couldn't help but cringe a little on those past eventful moments, but also ponder on them. He remembered during those times he would listen to his father and not disobey on what he had to say to him.
Does not make the tension go away, but perhaps can do the same here, Gareth thought himself, Hopefully though, whatever they have to ask of me, it does not scare them in the end.
Nevertheless though, he did not expect the headquarters, or more specifically where Erza's trial would take place, to be floating. What he did expect was a large wide building situated on the ground, but then again, even for him, that was probably what any first-time visitor would have expected. So eventually, it wasn't much of a surprise to him; plus thinking about it pretty much gave him more evidence on the magical aspect the council presided on.
Perhaps will learn something from them as well, Gareth mentally added.
Shortly thereafter, the group of three would reach a set of large double doors; but what caught their eyes the most was the man standing in front.
This man had short blue hair with dark green eyes and was wearing a white opened full body robe, a black undershirt with matching pants and shoes, and a golden ring on his right middle finger. The most notable feature though was the large red tattoo above and below his left eye.
Gareth suddenly heard Erza gasp. He looks at her and notices the shocked and fearful look in her eyes; this in return surprised him. The boy never expected his companion to have this reaction during their visit, and because of that, he can only assume that she had some history with this person.
Gareth then looks back at the man with a slightly concerned look, Why did Erza sound afraid? He was about to sense the Ethernano from within the man in order to get some clarity, but suddenly his instincts told him not to. He questioned its actions for a moment, before realizing the possible outcomes. The Magic Council is the highest authority for all Magic. So... it is possible that this human may deduce my abilities... ...That or something is very wrong with him, Gareth thought, even as a small shiver went down his spine.
"Siegrain...," he then heard Erza call out to the man.
The man now known as Siegrain smiles, "Hello there, Erza."
Siegrain then walks up to them and turns his head to the other man in the hall, "And you must be Gareth Zillion. It is so nice to finally meet you."
Said boy was silent for a moment, even as Siegrain stopped in front of them, before saying, "Am guessing you are a member of the Magic Council?"
Siegrain gives a light nod, "That I am."
"What are you doing here, Siegrain?" Erza strictly asked, while giving the council member a glare.
The man in response held up his right hand as a means of reassurance, his smile never wavering, before saying, "Relax. I'm not actually standing here," a faint blue line then shimmered throughout his body, "This is just an astral projection, while my real body is behind those doors; same goes for the other members. Nevertheless though, I have only come here for just a little chat with you and your friend, along with a brief disclaimer before the main events today."
"...Fine. Get on with it," Erza slowly relented. The rebuke did however create more concern from Gareth, but he ultimately stayed silent.
"As you are aware Erza, the Magic Council has been weary of your guild's destructive actions. Now, normally we would give Fairy Tail a slap on the wrist; but this latest incident with Eisenwald and Lullaby has garnered far more attention than we can let go," Siegrain began to state.
Erza gasped again; surprised yet again while quickly understanding the council member's message.
Said member caught on and gave off a coy smile, "Come now, you really thought that your arrest was just for show? We at the Magic Council are meant to send a message; this is no exception," he then pauses for a moment, crossing his arms, "But I'll be honest with you Erza, we didn't physically come here because of you. We came here because of Gareth."
Siegrain looks at said boy with a curious glint in his eyes, as Erza then grits her teeth, "Tch; there's always a loophole with you, isn't there?"
"It is alright, Erza," Gareth responds, making her look at him, while he stares back at Siegrain, "Like you said earlier, my case is going to last longer today. Besides, it was only a matter of time before the Council found out about me."
"You have a pretty keen eye, Gareth. You're also probably curious as to what happens behind those doors," Siegrain replied back.
Gareth was silent for a moment; he didn't physically show it, but he was a bit stunned by the council member correctly assuming his thoughts. It overall made him weary himself, He is smart.
"Will not lie to say am not," Gareth slowly responded back, closing his eyes before opening them up again, "But, as much as me wants to ask you some questions, do believe you have a trial to get to."
Siegrain then sighs, almost in a mocking manner, "I could say the same thing to you," he then faces both of the wizards again and explains, "Now then, let me reiterate the proceedings today. The Magic Council will first conduct the trial of Erza Scarlet; since you are not directly involved in her case Gareth, it is best that you wait outside until we are finished. Once we are, our representatives will then take you both to a room more suitable for Gareth's case, where it will be done vice versa. I do hope that won't be a bother to you both?"
"None at all," Gareth swiftly answered, while Erza silently shakes her head.
"Good," Siegrain states, before turning to Erza, "Before I go, one last thing Erza."
Gareth watches as the council member walks up closer to his companion, stopping just inches to her face. He then notices him curl his hand up at her chin and, with his heighten sense of hearing, is able to hear Siegrain whisper, "It is best you do not mention 'that', for both of our sakes."
This wording made the boy lower his eyebrows in suspicion, That? ...What does he mean? He didn't know, but Gareth was starting to understand why Erza felt fearful toward this man.
Siegrain then moves away from the two and shortly closes his astral projection, thus bringing silence back into the halls.
This was then broken momentarily afterward, as the representative, who had been kneeling next to them this whole time, asks Erza, "Why were you so scared towards him?"
Erza didn't answer at first, but not wanting to show any disrespect, she then says, "He's evil."
"Erza,... are you okay?" Gareth hesitantly said, his tone filled with concern. The boy did not know Erza for long, but when he saw her act so uncharacteristic towards the councilman, he knew something was up. It really gave Gareth the interest to ask Erza about her relationship about Siegrain, but he felt his instincts telling him not to; he wasn't exactly sure why, but judging how uncomfortable his companion felt right now, the boy can only assume that now was not a good time. All he can do now was try and give Erza some comfort.
Said girl looks back at him for a moment, before facing the doors leading into the courtroom, "I'm fine, Gareth. I just... didn't expect to speak to him again."
"Well,... still believe this will not end horribly. You had a good reason for attacking Eisenwald, so perhaps that small fine is still possible," Gareth then reassured her.
"Right," Erza shortly nods, before walking towards the courtroom entrance, "Wish me luck."
"Will do," Gareth responds, as he then watches her and the representative enter through the doors; creaking as they are opened and then closed.
Silence is brought back yet again inside the halls, as Gareth stares forward for a moment.
He then lets out a heavy sigh.
"Did not expect that either," Gareth quietly says to himself.
He then walks up to the wide couch next to the entrance, having noticed it earlier, and sits down.
"So Erza has a past with a member of the Magic Council... and not a good one," Gareth surmised, as he leans back against his seat and crosses his arms, "It makes me think; does every one in Fairy Tail have a bad past? Erza is like the fourth member that has one, or at least hints of one. *sighs* Know me should not delve into any of this, but it worries me."
Gareth scrunches up his face with more concern, before shaking his head, "Will think about this at another time. Right now, we got a council to face, and am pretty sure they would not appreciate me feeling gloomy."
He then looks back at the entrance, "Wonder how the trial is going? ...Wait, what even is a trial?" Gareth suddenly realized, before scratching the back of his head, "Should have asked Erza before we arrived."
Suddenly, Gareth's instincts spike.
But this time, he recognized who it was.
Gareth immediately stands up and grabs the white scarf wrapped nicely around the speedy assailant's neck. This stops them in their tracks and slams them to the ground.
The boy lets go of the scarf and stares down at his companion with a deadpanned look, mixed with a slight glare, "Had a feeling you would come here, Natsu."
Said wizard, who was wearing an awful disguise of Erza, which included a red-haired wig and a wooden board strapped to his chest, glares back up at Gareth, before shifting to a look of surprise, "Gareth? What are you doing out here?"
"Waiting. Erza's situation has nothing to do with me, so they told me to stay here until they are done," Gareth simply explained.
Natsu then stands up and points toward the entrance, "Then you should join me and stop them fr-mmmph!"
Gareth suddenly covers Natsu's mouth with his hand and looks at the courtroom entrance himself. Thankfully, the boy hears no commotion on the other side and lets go of his companion. He looks back at Natsu with a more stern glare, "Think it's best we talk somewhere else."
"So, they're not gonna put her in a dungeon?" Natsu finally asked Gareth, though with a slightly confused tone, and by now had removed his disguise.
Some time had passed since Gareth stopped Natsu from almost barging into Erza's trial, and since then the former led the latter back outside the main council building where he then explained to the dragon slayer the actual circumstances behind armored wizard's arrest.
Even as he was explaining, Gareth couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Natsu did succeed. He almost shuddered at that thought of sharing the blame of his intended rampage, as he did not want to put a bad image on himself. But nevertheless, the boy was glad he was able to stop him.
"Erza is going to face punishment regardless, but it is not likely that is going to happen," Gareth explained further; both sitting on the steps to the entrance.
"But why even arrest her at all, if all they really wanted was to talk to you?" Natsu then said, sounding more annoyed.
"From what one of the members told me and Erza, it was because they wanted to send a message... whatever that meant," Gareth turns ahead and looks on at the distant landscape, "Being honest; do not know why exactly they did this to Erza, but it must have been a good reason; the same kind of thing they want to do with me. Regardless, they still wanted us to come here."
"...What do they want with you, Gareth?" Natsu hesitantly asked his friend.
The boy himself was also silent for a moment, before answering, "If had to take a good guess, would say that they want to ask me about who Gareth is. Was never born on these lands, Natsu. Only arrived here almost two weeks ago, yet done so much they realized that part of me. Literally, they see me as an unknown... and are quite possibly cautious; and if that is truly the case, then they would like to know if me is good or bad."
"That's ridiculous," Natsu grunts, "You're part of Fairy Tail, Gareth. That's already enough for anyone to see that you're a good guy."
Gareth sighs, "Appreciate the compliment, Natsu. But unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way."
The boy ponders for another moment, thinking about what he should say next to the dragon slayer, while still taking into account on his recent actions. Finally, Gareth then says, "Natsu,... do you hate the Magic Council?"
Natsu stares at him for a long few moments, feeling a bit caught off guard; but he was not stupid enough to think no one knew why he went here alone. He then lets out a defeated sigh, "I don't hate them. I'm just tried of them bossing us around; I mean, whatever did we do to them? We never hunted anyone on purpose before, if you don't count the dark guilds. We literally just stopped one from hurting our master! How can they see what we did as wrong!? It doesn't make any sense!"
Gareth, for the first time in a while, wasn't really sure how to respond. The boy can clearly sense the frustration in his companion's rant, but the overall scope was very difficult for him to understand. Despite having some familiarity to it, this specific concept of society was still new to him. But Gareth would admit one thing though. After hearing everything from Natsu so far, he realized that politics was complicated... and quite possibly a lot more than he knows now.
"Do not know what to say about that, Natsu. But, in a sense, can understand your frustration," Gareth eventually states, before standing back up, "It is best that you head back to the guild, while me heads back inside. By now, it is likely that both groups are waiting for us right now," he pauses for a bit and looks down at Natsu, "And do not worry about me and Erza; we will be fine."
Fortunately for Gareth, Natsu didn't protest and stands up as well.
"I'll hold you to that, Gareth. See you soon," the Salamander states, before using his magic to descend back down to the earth and running back home.
Luckily, by the time Gareth returned back to where he originally was, Erza's trial was coming to a close.
The boy noticed the disappointed look when she and the anthropomorphic representative walked out of the courtroom, but fortunately it wasn't to an extent where things went horribly wrong in there; her leaving uncuffed proved to be a good sign for him. As they were then immediately led by the representative to the location of Gareth's case, Erza explained to Gareth that her case went almost as smoothly as she could've hoped; a fine was given to her in the end, but it was a bit more than she expected.
Gareth then told her of Natsu coming here and how he reasoned with him; initially, Erza was annoyed by this but was nevertheless relieved by how it turned out in the end and thanked Gareth for his intervention.
By the time they ended their conversation, they had arrived at their destination; another set of double doors but in a narrower hallway. Currently, they were waiting for the representative to bring Gareth into the room before them, as they had already walked inside to wait for the council's arrival.
"Are you sure you want to stay here and wait for me, Erza? This could go on till the end of the day," Gareth then spoke up.
"I'm sure. The Magic Council will either take us back to the guild or let us go on foot. If it falls to the latter, I may as well help guide you back; it's the least I can do after all," Erza offered.
Hmm, now that she mentions it, have not gotten a good understanding of my surroundings since me arrived at civilization, Gareth realized, Will have to meditate when we get home.
Just as he thought of that, one of the doors creaked open, with the representative that was with them the whole day peeking out, "The Magic Council would like to see you now, Mr. Zillion."
It is time for me to go, Gareth reiterated, before walking forward.
"Talk to you later, Gareth," Erza calls out.
Gareth nods back at her, as he enters through the doors.
Once he turned back around, the boy immediately took note of the new room he is in.
The interior was more circular, as the base of the room consisted of a round table with a space in the middle and in front of the boy; each member was seated close to the furniture. In additon to that, there was a small podium in front of him; he can only guess again that this was meant for him alone. The walls were covered with large paintings of people, of which Gareth can assume were past members of the council; save for the one next to Gareth, there were several representatives standing below the paintings respectively. Finally, there was a large glass sphere floating above the table with two yellow bands moving around the sphere; Gareth recognized that this was a Lacrima.
The overall structure of the room was no exception to the other areas he had traveled in, still having the grand, formal scenery. Gareth couldn't care less for that, but he did got the point by now.
Next were the council members themselves. Aside from a couple of exceptions, the boy quickly noticed how they were mainly formed up of aged men and women; those exceptions included Siegrain and a young woman with dark purple long hair and black eyes sitting next to him. Gareth for a moment felt a bit intrigued on that demographic, but decided to think about that later.
"May Gareth Zillion step forward," the representative next to the boy formally announces.
Gareth shortly complies with the request and steps up to the podium.
What follows is a long pause, as all the members of the Magic Council stare directly at the son of Gojira, some looking at him with curiosity, while others expressed caution and authority.
...This attention is starting to feel familiar, Gareth slowly thought, as he looks back with little to no change in his appearance.
Finally, the silence is broken by the old man in front of the boy, "Gareth Zillion; it is nice to finally make your acquaintance," the old man then stands up from his seat, "It is better if I introduce myself and my position. My name is Org and I am the vice-chairman of the Magic Council," he then gestured to the old man to his right, "This here is our chairman Crawford Seam; he and I will be leading today's session involving your recent actions with the Dark Guild Eisenwald and the Etherious Demon known as Lullaby," the councilman then sits back down, "Now, before we begin, is there anything you would like to say?"
"Yes, council member," Gareth shortly answered, "Being honest, would have liked to talk to you all under better times. But considering the events leading up to today, can understand why... as well as the many questions you would like to ask of me."
The boy noticed the short hesitancy in Org's body language, but he didn't want to push it, as let the councilman respond, "On that, we can agree," he then grabs his written notes in front of him, "Now, let us start from the beginning."
Gareth felt his body tense up more, but he remained calm and listened in.
Some Time Later...
Is this what it feels like to be in a trial? Because am thinking this is getting close to one, Gareth thought, his head heating up from all the answers he has given thus far.
Again, he knew his time with the Magic Council would last a while...
...but he never expected it to be so nerve-wracking.
Org relayed the events of Eisenwald and Lullaby to almost the exact detail, from information given to him by eyewitnesses to even referring to Erza's testimony earlier; the latter of which Gareth was surprised over. By this point, every single member had asked him to explain more of his actions and his reasonings behind them, with the exception of Crawford. The boy was more surprised on how each question was so specific; there were a few moments where he had some difficulty in answering what they wanted to know. While it didn't feel forceful to him, as more and more time went on, Gareth understood how serious the Magic Council can be.
Starting to feel sorry for Erza when she had to go through this, Gareth continued thinking, Just glad me will not be sharing the same fate... but even so, cannot help but see why they do this if they already learned from Erza.
On the bright side, Gareth was able to learn the names of the rest of the council members; like for example, the one member he considered the friendliest was named Yajima, and the woman that was seated next to Siegrain was named Ultear.
That was interesting.
"Finally, we would like to recount your decisive battle with Lullaby," Org announced, making Gareth refocus, "Reading up this report, it states here that you were able to completely destroy the demon with one everlasting spell. Now, usually with these kinds of monsters, when taken enough damage they would be sent back to their sealed state. But for you to prevent that from happening...," the old man pauses for a bit, as he double-checks his notes before continuing, "Frankly, when we first heard about this, we found it hard to believe. But thankfully, with the account of one of the guild masters who attended the conference that day in our records, we were able to obtain proof of that," he then looks to his left, and continues, "Ultear, if you would please?"
Said councilwoman silently nods, before standing up and walking over to Gareth, all while pulling out a lacrima much smaller than the one above them all from her pocket dimension. Yet, Gareth can sense the distinct difference between the two.
"What is this?" Gareth couldn't help but ask.
The boy noticed Ultear perk up a bit, before smiling, "This is a Memory Lacrima; it helps retrieves memories from any individual and it is turn into a visual presentation to the outside viewer; and do not worry, no harm was done during the process."
...Why does me get the feeling that she was taught by Siegrain?, Gareth suspiciously thought.
But before the boy can delve further, the man he was thinking of suddenly spoke up, "A word, Org?" said councilman hummed as he turned to Siegrain, who then continues, "Rather than have my colleague begin the retelling of that night, I do believe it is best that we tell our guest exactly why we are here. I am pretty sure he has already gotten the message by now."
Silence befalls in the room once more, as Siegrain and Org stare down at one another, while the other members waited on who would reply back first.
As for Gareth, for once, he can agree with Siegrain, as he too already knew what was going to happen next.
Org lessens his glare on Siegrain, and clears his throat, "If anyone wants to object?" The remainder of the council either shakes their heads or gave off a simple disagreement, before the councilman continued, "Then we shall move forward."
Org then looks back at Gareth with a more determined look, "While it is still true that we brought you here to review the events of the last few days, Gareth, there is a huge reason why we have done this...," he then pauses again, his expression shifting more tiresome as he momentarily looks back at Siegrain, "But, as Siegrain just pointed out, you already know, is that correct?"
"Yes, council member," Gareth replied back, "All these questions you have all asked of me; it was a test. You all wanted to confirm my identity, who Gareth really is... or at least a sense of it. But... will admit, my guess could be wrong as well. So, in order to... seal the deal, would like to ask you all one question. If that is okay?"
The boy then noticed all the members quietly converse to one another, even Ultear had to walk back to Siegrain and have a silent one of their own. He couldn't help but think, Hope they did not take this the wrong way. Whatever they wanted has not alerted my instincts yet, so them asking my origins wouldn't make much difference... well, from most of them me thinks.
Gareth still had his suspicions with Siegrain; and after noticing the close companionship between them, he was also starting to grow suspicious of Ultear. Though his instincts still told him to not sense their Ethernano, the pair still rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it is worth a try to ask Erza about her relationship with Siegrain at some point; if there is any proof that that man is not to be trusted, then it is likely her, Gareth then thought.
"You may ask away, Gareth," Org finally complied, after much deliberation.
"Have you all ever heard the tale of the Titans?" Gareth announced.
.
.
.
.
"The... Titans?" Org awkwardly called out.
Gareth immediately widened his eyes in shock, "None of you know?"
For the first time today, the boy felt stupefied. He did not expect to get an answer like that out of the Vice Chairman; rather, he thought that everyone would feel surprised by this revelation, especially considering their positions.
No one in the Magic Council knows about the Titans!?, Gareth thought, How? They are the leading figures of Ethernano within Fiore besides the King! So how do they not know about any of this? Suddenly, Gareth had another realization, making him lower his eyebrows, Wait... if the Magic Council does not know, then how come Master Makarov does? ...Will have to ask him later.
Gareth heard Org clear his throat once more, before saying, "Y-You were right to say this was all a test, as we weren't sure what kind of Magic you possessed. We at first assumed that you were another Dragon Slayer, but based on the information we received, we all became skeptical of this. So, this is our first time hearing about this."
He is not lying either, Gareth recognized, frowning, To think that so little know about the Titans... that is.. sad.
"You seem to be honest, as well," everyone in the room perked up, along with a few softly gasping, as they heard Crawford Seam speak for the first time, "These Titans... do you know a lot about them?"
Gareth was silent at first, digesting the chairman's calm voice, before answering, "Of course; my father is one of them."
This resulted in slightly louder gasps from the council, before Crawford spoke again, "Then it is best that you share us this tale of yours. It could be beneficial for both of us."
...Why did he say it like that? Gareth thought. He suddenly felt his instincts bubbling, and yet he again wasn't sure why. For some strange reason, the chairman's presence made the boy feel very uncomfortable, but what made him different than Siegrain and Ultear was the fact that there was this aura; this negative, foul aura surrounding his body... and that's what made Gareth feel scared.
Nevertheless, he knew he couldn't just stay silent and wait out until he was let go; so Gareth had no choice but to answer. Hope this does not lead to anything bad in the future, he first thought.
And so, the boy once again told the tale of the Titans.
Their origins...
The infection...
The legacy they left behind...
And even the King himself; Gojira.
Gareth lets out a heavy soft sigh as he finished, before looking back at the Magic Council. He had noticed the different reactions each member gave off during his retelling, but now they were all staring at him with wide eyes; some even had their hands folded on the table.
A few moments later, some began to soften their expressions.
"So, in other words, you are considered a Titan Slayer," Siegrain was the first to speak.
Gareth immediately glares at him, "Do not slay Titans."
Siegrain wasn't moved by the boy's words and grins, "Yet your upbringing is very similar to that of Fairy Tail's Fire Dragon Slayer; he never slayed dragons himself, but he was still raised by one and was taught of their Magic."
"...You have a point," Gareth slowly agreed, though it still rubbed him the wrong way. Now that me thinks about it, why is Natsu titled the Fire Dragon Slayer, if he never slayed dragons to begin with? It is so... what is the word?... ...Ironic.
The boy was very confused at that moment.
Gareth refocused as a member cleared their throat, this time from Yajima, "Despite that, we still don't know what kind of Magic your father taught you. Would you like to explain that, as well?"
The boy nods at the friendly old man and begins explaining to the council of his Ethernano; the same way he explained to Erza earlier on.
"Fascinating," Ultear spoke in awe after Gareth finished, smiling brightly, "The ability to use Magic at its original state is definitely unheard of. You must have a powerful Lost Magic, Gareth."
Even though the smile irked the boy, Gareth nods, "Thank you, council member."
"You also speak highly of your father," Gareth turns to Org, "Do you know where he is now?"
"No; my father disappeared several years ago," Gareth shortly answered, "That is why am here on civilization; to look for him."
He then heard several of the council members hum in disappointment, likely sadden by the news.
"Do you know how your father disappeared?" Siegrain then asked.
Gareth immediately frowns.
He looks down, clenches his eyebrows together and grips the podium tightly with his hands.
Why did he have to say that?, he then thought in a deep, emotional tone.
The question itself made the boy feel uncomfortable once more, but unlike the moments before, he barely could bring himself to remember the night his father vanished.
He can feel his breathing quicken and his heartbeat pulse faster by the second.
He can feel the world starting to spin.
He can feel his mind forcing him to relive some of those moments.
The rain...
The fire...
The wind...
The thunder...
The Monster...
"I believe that is enough questions for today," Gareth's senses were fortunately brought back together when he heard Yajima speak, "We already got what we wanted. There is no need for us to force him to say answer anything private."
Gareth looks on at the Magic Council with a surprised look, even noticing the slight glare Yajima gave off to Siegrain.
Murmurs erupted once more between the members, before Org raised his hand to silence them all. "I will agree on Yajima's proposition for today," he then says, before looking back at Gareth, "Is there anything you would like to say before you go, Gareth?"
Gareth didn't answer at first, as he was still recovering from the emotional trauma he just went through. But after a few moments, the boy builds enough strength to softly reply back, "No, council member."
Org lightly grunts at the boy's response, "Then you are dismissed."
Once that was said, Gareth turns around, though a bit faster than normal, and exits the room.
A Few Minutes Later...
The conference room had been silent ever since the Titan Slayer left, yet everyone else still remained, as they all thought through the information they had learned today, with some even looking back at the closed doors every now and then.
"How did we miss this? There is no way an ancient part of our world's history was just forgotten!" Org finally said, as he tightly clenches his fists on the table.
"But how can we be certain that the kid was telling the truth?" Michello called out, "You said it yourself, Org; this was our first time learning about these Titans. What are the chances that Gareth is lying to us?"
This resulted in more murmurs from within the council.
"Well, I for one actually do believe in Gareth," Ultear then spoke, drawing everyone's attention to her.
She then requips the Memory Lacrima back out again, and finally puts it to good use. The Lacrima hums for a moment, which then causes it to glow brightly and begin showing a visual representation of the night of Lullaby's attack.
From the perspective of one of the guild masters, the council members are able to once again get a clear view of the battle between the giant wooden demon and the members of Fairy Tail, including one Gareth Zillion.
The attacks against the demon were astounding to see.
But the fight eventually ended when the young Titan Slayer unleashed his Ethernano Roar upon Lullaby, destroying it once and for all.
When the boy is seen letting out his victory roar, Ultear pauses the event and looks back up at the others.
"That attack. That roar. Neither of the two are deemed impossible for a human to achieve," Ultear stated, while tapping her Lacrima.
"...Unless they have Lost Magic," Belno surmised.
"Exactly," Ultear added.
The room fell silent for another moment.
"I offer a proposition," Crawford then opens up, "We should have our advisors, and ourselves given availability, to look through the Archives. If we are to find any mention of these Titans, then we will report that information, along with the boy's testimony, to the King."
"And what about Gareth?" Siegrain questioned, "What do we do with him?"
"Nothing... yet," Crawford quickly answered, before momentarily going into deep thought, "As of now, the boy has already proven himself to be an ally,.. despite being part of Fairy Tail. Nevertheless, if anything else comes up, we will be prepared to respond. All in favor?"
None of the members wasted any time to say 'Aye.'
It was not everyday that the Magic Council would come in-person for an event such as this.
But if there was one thing they all agreed on, it was this: their world just got a whole lot bigger.
And done.
I'm glad I finally got this out. Sorry for another long wait everyone. Work life caught up to me, and I have been busy ever since.
But anyway, if you have been on this site for a while, you may have noticed a certain element that I took inspiration from. I decided to create my own little twist to that, and I think it came out good.
Other than that though, we are now getting close to the Galuna Island arc, so expect the next chapter to lead up to that.
Hope everyone has a good day, night, wherever you are, and I'll see you again next time.
See you later everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving! :)